Pikachu facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Pikachu |
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| Pokémon character | |
Pikachu, as depicted in promotional artwork for Pokémon FireRed and LeafGreen.
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| Gender | ♂ Male / ♀ Female |
| Origin | Kanto (Generation I) |
Pikachu is a type of Pokémon, which are make-believe creatures from the popular Pokémon games, shows, and movies. Pikachu is a yellow, mouse-like Pokémon. It has strong electric powers. In most cartoons and some video games, Ikue Ōtani gives Pikachu its voice. A Pikachu also stars in the live-action movie Pokémon Detective Pikachu. In this film, it is made with computer graphics and voiced by Ryan Reynolds.
Pikachu was designed by Atsuko Nishida and then finished by Ken Sugimori. Pikachu first appeared in the games Pokémon Red and Green in Japan. Later, it was in the first Pokémon video games released worldwide, Pokémon Red and Blue, for the Game Boy.
Pikachu is the most famous Pokémon. This is mostly because it is the first Pokémon that Ash Ketchum gets in the anime series. Pikachu is a very important character in the Pokémon world and is its main mascot. It has become a symbol of Japanese pop culture and one of the main mascots for Nintendo.
Contents
Pikachu's Creation and Look
How Pikachu Was Designed
The Pokémon series was made by Game Freak and published by Nintendo. It started in Japan in 1996. The games feature many creatures called "Pokémon." Players, known as "trainers," try to catch, train, and battle with these Pokémon.
Pikachu was one of many Pokémon created by Game Freak's design team. Artist Atsuko Nishida is known for designing Pikachu. Ken Sugimori then finished the design. The name "Pikachu" comes from two Japanese sounds. Pikapika is a sparkling sound, and chūchū is the sound a mouse makes. Even with the mouse sound in its name, Nishida based Pikachu's first design on squirrels, especially its cheeks.
Pikachu's Appearance and Evolution
Pikachu is about 40 centimeters (1 foot 4 inches) tall. It was the first "Electric-type" Pokémon ever made. Its design was meant to show off electricity. Pikachu looks like a Pika (a small mammal) with short, yellow fur. It has brown marks on its back and on its lightning bolt-shaped tail. Pikachu has pointed ears with black tips. It also has red, round pouches on its cheeks that can spark with electricity.
In the games Pokémon Diamond and Pearl, female Pikachu got a new look. They have a heart-shaped indent at the end of their tail. Pikachu mostly attacks by shooting electricity from its body. In the Pokémon world, a Pikachu can change, or "evolve," into a Raichu when it touches a "Thunder Stone." Later, a baby Pokémon named "Pichu" was added. Pichu evolves into Pikachu when it becomes very good friends with its trainer.
Pikachu's look has changed over time. It used to have a rounder body. Now, it has a slimmer waist, a straighter back, and a more defined face and neck. These changes started in the anime to make Pikachu easier to animate. Then, the games adopted these changes to keep things consistent. A "Fat Pikachu" look returned in Pokémon Sword and Shield. In this game, Pikachu has a special Gigantamax Form that looks like its original, rounder design.
Why Pikachu Became the Mascot
At first, both Pikachu and Clefairy were considered to be the main characters for Pokémon toys and products. Clefairy was even thought to be the main mascot for early comic books. But when the animated TV show was made, Pikachu was chosen as the main mascot. This was done to appeal to girls and their mothers. People also believed Pikachu looked like a friendly pet to children.
Its yellow color was also important. Yellow is a primary color and easy for children to spot from far away. At the time, the only other famous yellow mascot was Winnie the Pooh. The company that made the Pokémon anime, OLM, Inc., suggested using Pikachu's potential to Game Freak. They felt Japanese children loved Pikachu more than the human characters.
Pikachu's Appearances
In Video Games
Pikachu has appeared in almost all Pokémon video games. You can find it in every game except Black and White without needing to trade. The game Pokémon Yellow features Pikachu as the only Starter Pokémon you can choose. This is based on Ash's Pikachu from the Pokémon anime. This Pikachu does not like to stay in its Poké Ball. Instead, it follows your main character around on the screen. You can talk to it, and it will react differently based on how you treat it.
Pokémon Yellow followed the anime very closely, with Pikachu as a main character. Pokémon Let's Go, which is based on Yellow, also has Pikachu as a starter in one of its versions. This special Pikachu can learn unique moves and secret techniques.
In Pokémon Emerald, Pikachu and its evolved forms gained a special move called Volt Tackle. This move can be learned by Pichu hatched from an Egg if a Pikachu or Raichu is holding a Light Ball. Pikachu can also learn it through special events.
Seven different "Cap" forms of Pikachu were released in Pokémon Sun and Moon and Ultra versions. These Pikachu wear hats that Ash Ketchum wore in different seasons of the anime. These games also introduced two special Z-Crystals just for Pikachu. Pikanium Z makes Volt Tackle into a super powerful move called Catastropika. Pikashunium Z turns Thunderbolt into 10,000,000 Volt Thunderbolt when a Cap Pikachu holds it. Gigantamax Pikachu has a unique G-Max Move called Volt Crash. It damages all opponents and can paralyze them.
Pikachu also stars in other games. It is the main character in Hey You, Pikachu! for the Nintendo 64. In this game, you talk to Pikachu using a microphone to play mini-games. Pokémon Channel is similar, but without the microphone. Pikachu appears in almost every level of Pokémon Snap, where you take pictures of Pokémon. A Pikachu is one of the starting Pokémon in the Pokémon Mystery Dungeon games. PokéPark Wii: Pikachu's Adventure also has Pikachu as the main hero.
Pikachu has been a playable character in all five Super Smash Bros. games. It is also an amiibo character. Pikachu is a playable fighter in Pokkén Tournament, along with "Pikachu Libre," which is based on "Cosplay Pikachu" from Omega Ruby and Alpha Sapphire. Detective Pikachu features a talking Pikachu who becomes a detective and helps solve mysteries.
In the Anime Series
The Pokémon anime series and films follow the adventures of Ash Ketchum and his Pikachu. They travel through different regions of the Pokémon world. They are joined by various friends, like Misty, Brock, and May.
In the very first episode, Ash Ketchum turns 10 years old. This means he can get his first Pokémon. Ash dreams of becoming a Pokémon Master. He rushes to Professor Oak's lab, but all the usual starter Pokémon (Squirtle, Charmander, or Bulbasaur) are gone. Professor Oak tells Ash there is one Pokémon left: a male Pikachu.
At first, Pikachu does not listen to Ash. It often shocks him and refuses to stay in its Poké Ball. But Ash risks himself to protect Pikachu from a group of wild Spearow. He then rushes Pikachu to a Pokémon Center. Because Ash shows such care and commitment, Pikachu starts to like him. Their strong friendship begins. Pikachu still refuses to go into its Poké Ball.
Soon, Pikachu shows amazing power, much more than other Pokémon or even other Pikachu. This makes Team Rocket constantly try to capture it. Ash almost let Pikachu go once in an episode called "Pikachu's Goodbye." He thought Pikachu would be happier living with other wild Pikachu. But Pikachu chose to stay with Ash.
Other wild and trained Pikachu appear in the series. They often interact with Ash and his Pikachu. One well-known Pikachu is Sparky, who belongs to Ritchie. Like most Pokémon, Pikachu only says parts of its own name. Ikue Ōtani voices Pikachu in all versions of the anime.
In Films
In the 2019 movie Pokémon Detective Pikachu, a detective Pikachu is voiced by Ryan Reynolds and Ikue Ōtani.
In Other Pokémon Stories
Pikachu is a main Pokémon in many Pokémon manga (comic book) series. In Pokémon Adventures, main characters Red and Yellow both train Pikachu. Their Pikachu even have an egg that hatches into a Pichu for Gold. Other manga series, like Magical Pokémon Journey and Electric Tale of Pikachu, also feature Pikachu.
Collectible cards with Pikachu have been made since the Pokémon Trading Card Game started in 1996. There are even limited edition cards. One rare card, "Pikachu Illustrator," was sold for about $55,000 in 2016. Pikachu has also been used in promotions at fast-food places like McDonald's and Burger King.
Pikachu's Popularity and Impact
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As the main mascot of the Pokémon series, Pikachu has appeared in many special events and on lots of merchandise. In 1998, the mayor of Topeka, Kansas even renamed the town "Topikachu" for a day! A large Pikachu balloon has been part of the Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade since 2001. A new Pikachu balloon, which chases a Poké Ball and has light-up cheeks, first appeared in the 2006 parade. In 2014, a new Pikachu balloon wore a green scarf and held a smaller Pikachu snowman.
Pikachu has been featured on a ANA Boeing 747-400 airplane. It has also appeared several times on The Simpsons. For example, Maggie Simpson dressed as Pikachu in a couch gag for the show's opening.
Time magazine called Pikachu the "second best person of the year" in 1999. They said it was "the most beloved animated character since Hello Kitty". They noted that Pikachu was the public face of a huge success, from video games to trading cards.
Pikachu was voted the fourth most popular video game character in Japan in a 2008 poll. Many people see Pikachu as Japan's answer to Mickey Mouse. It is also part of a trend called "cute capitalism". IGN listed Pikachu as the 8th best anime character of all time. Nintendo Power said Pikachu was their ninth favorite hero. Authors Tracey West and Katherine Noll called Pikachu the best Electric-type Pokémon and the best Pokémon overall. They said if you asked Pokémon players their favorite, they would "almost always" pick Pikachu. They also called Pikachu "brave and loyal."
A scientific discovery was named "Pikachurin" because of Pikachu's quick moves and electric powers.
Pikachu and ten other Pokémon were chosen as Japan's mascots for the 2014 FIFA World Cup. In 2017, The Pokémon Company worked with Snap Inc. to bring Pikachu to the social media app, Snapchat. Manga author Hiro Mashima called Pikachu "the greatest mascot character of all time!"
Images for kids
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Pikachu, as depicted in promotional artwork for Pokémon FireRed and LeafGreen.
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Pikachu following Red in Pokémon Yellow.
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Ash receiving his Pikachu in the first episode of the Pokémon anime, Pokémon, I Choose You!.
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A Toyota Ist customized to resemble Pikachu.
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The ANA Boeing 747-400 airplane painted with Pikachu and other Pokémon (visible: Clefairy, Togepi, Mewtwo, and Snorlax).
See also
In Spanish: Pikachu para niños
