Pikachu is the lovable yellow mascot of the Pokémon franchise renowned worldwide for its cherry-red cheeks and electric personality. Pikachu appears in every Pokémon game and spinoff, and it’s also a protagonist in the Pokémon anime, movies, and manga. Pikachu is even one of the most popular playable characters of the Super Smash Bros. games! Pikachu’s iconic likeness appears in holiday parades across the globe, as well as on toys, art, and merchandise in restaurants and retail shops all over the world. Pikachu has been the world’s favorite Pokémon for over 25 years.
About Pikachu
Pikachu is an Electric-type mouse Pokémon with a playful - and sometimes mischievous - personality that commonly inhabits lush forests and grasslands. It evolves from Pichu when it bonds with its trainer, and it evolves into Raichu when exposed to a Thunder Stone.
Pikachu’s National Pokédex number is 25.
| First appearance in anime | Indigo League (Season 1) |
| First appearance in game | Generation 1 (Pokémon Red Version, Pokémon Green Version, Pokémon Blue Version, and Pokémon Yellow Version) |
| Region | Kanto |
| Evolution | -->Pichu --> Pikachu -->Raichu (or Alolan Raichu) |
| 1st Evo level | Level up while at high friendship to evolve Pichu into Pikachu |
| 2nd Evo level | Use a Thunder Stone on Pikachu to evolve Pikachu into Raichu. If Pikachu evolves in Alola, it will evolve into Alolan Raichu. |
| Pokedex Entry | “When Pikachu meet, they'll touch their tails together and exchange electricity through them as a form of greeting.” |
Pikachu Base stats
| HP | 35 |
| ATTACK | 55 |
| DEFENCE | 40 |
| SP. ATTACK | 50 |
| SP. DEFENCE | 50 |
| SPEED | 90 |
| TOTAL | 320 |
Appearance of Pikachu
Pikachu is a small quadrupedal Pokémon that looks like a large mouse with brown stripes on its back and bright red cheeks. Pikachu commonly has dark ear tips and a dark patch at the base of its tail, which is shaped like a jagged lightning bolt. Female Pikachu look slightly different: their tails have heart-shaped tips. It can stand and walk on two legs, though it usually runs and jumps with four legs.
Shiny Pikachu has orange fur, similar to their evolved form Raichu.
Behavior of Pikachu
Pikachu commonly lives in groups in lush forests and grassy plains. They communicate with high-pitched squeaks and gestures. They often show each other affection by rubbing their cheeks or tails together.
Pikachu absorbs electricity and stores it in their bright red cheeks. When they are holding a lot of energy, they can throw off sparks unintentionally, especially when surprised. Sometimes large gatherings of Pikachu can cause lighting storms.
Pikachu often uses their electricity to roast berries, and they commonly leave charred patches of grass in the areas they inhabit. Pikachu is also known to damage electrical cables and equipment to absorb the electricity within.
Strengths and Weaknesses
Pikachu’s Electric typing gives it a good defense against Electric, Flying, and Steel-type moves. However, Pikachu is weak at Ground-type moves.
Pikachu’s Attack and Special Attack are mostly balanced, and it has a high-Speed stat, so when it holds the Light Ball item, it can be a formidable and versatile Electric-type sweeper.
Ash’s Pikachu
Pikachu is the stalwart companion of Ash Ketchum in the Pokémon animated series. Together, Pikachu and Ash have been the series’ protagonists for nearly 25 years. Pikachu was Ash’s first Pokémon, and while it had a wild and rebellious personality at first, it eventually became Ash’s most loyal friend. It is strong, smart, loyal, playful, and brave, but it still retains some of its original stubbornness, which it shows through its unwillingness to evolve into Raichu and its refusal to go into its Poké Ball.
Ash’s Pikachu enjoys battling, loves ketchup, and is quite talented at mimicking people and other Pokémon with silly imitations. Pikachu regularly deploys its electrical powers against its foes in battle, but it also has a reputation for accidentally shocking its friends, including Ash, on a regular basis.
Gigantamax Pikachu
As of Generation 8 of the Pokémon games (Pokémon Sword and Shield), Pikachu was among the Pokémon to receive a powerful new Gigantamax form. Pikachu’s Gigantamax form grows to a colossal size and takes on a unique, chubbier appearance, and it stores a tremendous amount of electricity in its tail. Gigantamax Pikachu is the only Pokémon that can use the move G-Max Volt Crash. Pikachu’s Gigantamax appears in the Pokémon Sword and Shield games and also in the Pokémon animated series when Ash’s Pikachu is shown to have the Gigantamax Factor.
Mega Pikachu
While many beloved Pokémon received Mega Evolutions in Pokémon X and Y and Pokémon Sun and Moon, Pichu, Pikachu, and Raichu currently cannot Mega Evolve. That means, unfortunately, that there is no such thing as Mega Pikachu in the official canon. However, Mega Pikachu can be found in some fan-made art and spinoffs.
Alolan Pikachu
Pokémon Sun and Moon introduced Regional Variants of classic Pokémon. While Alolan Pikachu is the same as regular Pikachu, when Alolan Pikachu evolve in the Alola Region, they evolve into Alolan Raichu instead of regular Raichu. While regular Raichu is Electric-type just like Pikachu, Alolan Raichu is Electric-type and Psychic-type, and they can learn slightly different moves.
Best moveset for Pikachu
Thanks to its well-rounded stats, there are many ways to use Pikachu in a competitive setting. However, it’s important to note that Pikachu’s stats will be significantly lower than its opponents unless it holds a Light Ball. This can reduce Pikachu’s utility at high levels since it prevents it from holding other useful items like berries or Z-Crystals.
It’s also important to consider Pikachu’s Nature and Ability when preparing it for battle.
Pikachu’s Static ability allows it to Paralyze foes that make physical contact with it. Since the Paralysis condition reduces an affected Pokémon’s Speed and also prevents it from getting some attacks off, it is especially useful against Pikachu’s foes, since Pikachu typically is a sweeper with high Speed and low Defense and Special Defense.
The best natures for Pikachu will boost its Speed, Attack, or Special Attack, and will hinder its Defense or Special Defense.
The following moveset, combined with a Light Ball and good IVs, good EVs, a good Nature, and the right Ability, can make Pikachu a formidable Special Sweeper.
| Thunderbolt | Nasty Plot |
| Grass Knot | Signal Beam |
The following moveset, combined with a Light Ball and good IVs, good EVs, a good Nature, and the right Ability, can make Pikachu a formidable Physical Sweeper.
| Brick Break | Volt Tackle |
| Volt Switch | Fake Out |
Note: This article is subjective and reflects the opinion of the writer.
How to catch Pikachu(~XYZ) in Pokemon Go?
How to catch Pikachu in Pokémon Go as your Starter Pokémon
Some players don’t know it, but you can actually catch Pikachu as your starter Pokémon. To do this, walk away from the Bulbasaur, Charmander, and Squirtle that appear on your map three times, and eventually, Pikachu will appear.
How to catch Pikachu in Pokémon Go in the wild
You can also catch Pikachu in the wild in Pokémon Go. Pikachu commonly appears near power plants and museums. They can appear during the day and at night.
How to catch Pikachu in Pokémon Go by hatching it
You can also hatch Pikachu from an egg in Pokémon Go. Pikachu has a chance of hatching from 2k eggs.
Trivia
- Pokémon Yellow Version was made in response to the popularity of the Pokémon anime, and it was the first Pokémon game to feature full-color graphics on the Game Boy Color. In Yellow Version, the player starts with Pikachu, and this Pikachu will not evolve unless it’s traded to another cartridge. Pikachu was the first Pokémon in the games to ever follow the player on the overworld, and it was also the first Pokémon to use the friendship mechanic.
- Pikachu’s image has appeared in many places, including on official Pokémon merchandise, in fan art, in city murals, as a giant balloon in the Macy’s Day Parade, and even the outside of a Boeing 747.
- The rarest Pokémon Card in history is Illustrator Pikachu. It has sold for over $100,000 and it had been listed for over $300,000.
- Pikachu wasn’t originally planned to be the mascot of Pokémon. In the first iteration of the manga, which was released before the anime, Clefairy was poised to be the series’ mascot.
FAQs
Q. Is Pikachu the strongest Pokémon?
In the Pokémon animated series, Pikachu is among Ash Ketchum’s strongest Pokémon, alongside Charizard, Sceptile, Infernape, Krookodile, Greninja, and Incineroar.
In the Pokémon games, Pikachu is very popular and versatile, and it can be a strong addition to competitive teams. However, Pikachu is generally outclassed by fully evolved Pokémon like Tyranitar.
Q. Is Pikachu a boy or girl?
In the Pokémon animated series, Ash’s Pikachu’s gender has never been confirmed, though many fans speculate that it is male.
In the Pokémon games, Pikachu can be either male or female. While the tips of male Pikachus’ tails are flat, the tips of female Pikachus’ tails are heart-shaped.
Q. What is Pikachu’s real name?
In the Pokémon Manga, the protagonist’s Pikachu is officially named Jean Luc Pikachu, possibly in reference to Captain Jean Luc Picard of Star Trek fame.
Q. Why does Pikachu hate his Pokeball?
In the Pokémon animated series, Ash’s Pikachu has a wild, rebellious personality, and it hates going into its Poké Ball because it prefers to be out in the world, experiencing things right alongside Ash.
Conclusion
Pikachu is the beloved ambassador of Pokémon throughout the world. For many, Pikachu is even a symbol of the video game industry as a whole. Pikachu has delighted fans for over 25 years in Pokémon games, TV shows, movies, manga, and more, and it will likely continue to hold a special place in the hearts of Pokémon lovers for many years to come.
Let’s Go, Pikachu!
