Oh boy, here we go. THE mascot of Pokémon, Pikachu!

This little guy’s face is on countless games, manga, toys, trading cards, you name it. For twenty years, Pikachu has been Ash’s most loyal companion in the Anime. There is no escaping how much of an impact this electric mouse has left on the series and even the world.

Some characters magically “click” with people. Everything about Pikachu makes it one of these cases. Its overall body shape is like that of a mouse or hamster, animals that children (and people of any age, really) gravitate towards. The cheery face, bright colors, and rosy cheeks further add to Pikachu’s drop-dead adorableness. I’ve always loved the lightning bolt shape to Pikachu’s tail; it fits perfectly with its design. Coupled with the cheeks storing and releasing electricity, Pikachu makes for an excellent and entertaining concept.

Pikachu is also one of those designs where no matter how you stylize it, it still retains that iconic and cute look. For instance, its body (and for a few years, its head) has gone through both chubby and skinny iterations.

Since Generaion IV, the females have heart-shaped notches in their tails.

Cosplay Pikachu even wears little outfits in Omega Ruby and Alpha Sapphire! I didn’t even know I needed Cosplay Pikachu to exist until she was revealed!

While I may have my preferences with an “ideal” Pikachu, I won’t deny that its look is unmistakable no matter what’s done to it.

Pikachu is filled with wonderful personality in every action it performs. The best way I can describe this is by filling this article with even more images:

These examples are only scratching the surface; Pikachu can express a wide range of emotions with relative ease. The ability to be such a colorful character – both visually and acting wise – is a huge factor into what makes it stand out so much amongst 700+ Pokémon.

Honestly, there’s only one negative thing I have to say about Pikachu (and no, not that it’s “overhyped”). It has an incredibly boring Shiny form (pictured to the left of the original colors):

If you have a bright computer monitor like I do, you might actually see a difference. Trust me though that on a 3DS screen, it’s actually incredibly difficult to tell them apart.

Poor, poor Raichu; how can you possibly do anything but live in the shadow of your younger cousin?

All joking aside, I absolutely love Raichu. It fits comfortably in the Pikachu family while having its own identity. It carries over some of Pikachu’s charm, but also throws in a few new features. Raichu’s ears have a gorgeous organic and freeform shape to them. Its tail still has that signature lightning bolt at the end, but it’s now attached to a “wire” to enhance the electrical theme. Raichu’s longer legs suggest it’s more agile and fit, while the somewhat bigger body gives it a bulkier or tougher demeanor.

Raichu is essentially the more aggressive, “cooler” version of Pikachu. Pikachu too cutesy for you? Go with Raichu! It’s so powerful, it has to ground itself with its tail so that it doesn’t electrocute itself (a neat concept, might I add)!

I wish I had more to write about Raichu, being I gave it my highest possible rating. Perhaps like with Pikachu, there’s something about its design that just “clicks” with me, and there’s no way I can perfectly convey it in words.

Is it even possible to tie with Pikachu’s cuteness? Apparently, Pichu answers this question with a resolved “Yes!”

Generation II introduced “baby” pre-evolutionary forms to certain Pokémon. In terms of gameplay, they’re nothing more than weaker versions of already established Pokémon. However, since I’m reviewing these Pokémon for what they are, and not so much how they play, I won’t be giving them as much flak for existing in the series. Rather, I find it adorable that tiny “missing links” to Pokémon species are being discovered long after they’ve been recorded.

Pichu, quite simply, is Pikachu in a tinier package. Its proportions are smaller and stumpier. Its tail isn’t even a full lightning bolt shape!

I like Pichu’s unique diamond-shaped ears. I love them even more when they look like the Spiky-eared Pichu’s!

Unfortunately, that feature was a one-time thing in HeartGold and SoulSilver, and you can’t transfer the Spiky-eared Pichu to later games. It’s not a deal breaker for me; it’s just a detail I think adds a little more pop to Pichu’s design.

Pichu is so young and inexperienced that literally every single bit of electricity it lets loose harms it. I can’t help but say, “Aw, you poor little thing” at that information.

Bonus points that even though Pichu’s face is extremely simple, it still looks precious at the drop of a hat.

Pichu works perfectly as the introductory baby Pokémon.

Here’s an interesting surprise: Raichu, not Pikachu, got an Alolan form! According to the Pokédex, Pikachu’s altered diet in Alola made its evolution undergo the change.

I find it precious that Alolan Raichu pays homage to “Surfing” Pikachu. For those who don’t know, Pikachu riding atop a surfboard was just a little Easter egg that Game Freak put into several Pokémon games in the 1990’s. It didn’t have any rhyme or reason for existing other than it was freaking cute. Pokémon Snap and Yellow Version were the two best-known instances of Surfing Pikachu.

Now, Raichu gets to join in on the fun! And I must say, having Raichu use its own tail as a surfboard was an excellent and endearing choice that Game Freak made. It creates some truly mesmerizing animation when Raichu is in battle.

Ultimately, I still prefer normal Raichu over its Alolan form, but I still like it for what it is. Since Alola is all about Hawaii and scenic beaches, this Raichu’s fur is darker as if it’s tanned. The white markings on its arms and legs have the added bonus of looking like seashells, further driving home that theme.

Alolan Raichu’s ears are the only thing I’m unsure how I feel about. I guess they’re also shaped like shells? I like that they’re still freeform and curly, but they just don’t pack the same punch for me compared to the regular form’s.

Also, why is it part Psychic? I mean, it’s cool that Alolan Raichu got a second typing, but I wonder what the reasoning was behind that decision. Was it because of Pikachu’s “different” diet that the Pokédex refrains from going into detail? Is it to explain how Raichu is floating in mid-air? Not like a lack of explanation has ever stopped literally every single fish Pokémon from levitating out of water.

Oh well; no one has to like every inch of a character design, and maybe more answers will come in the future.

Gigantamax Review: Added June 6, 2020

Chunky Pikachu is back; this is not a drill!

Dyna/Gigantamaxing is the perfect excuse to bring back a fan favorite iteration of the electric mouse. A towering fat Pikachu can now coexist with the modern, sleeker design.

I love the embellishments on Giga Pikachu’s mile-long tail. It ascends its already several story-tall body, creating an impressive contrast. The extra zigzags and perpetual glow make it even cooler to look at.

Out of all the Gigantamax forms, Pikachu’s is one of the few that inspire me to discuss the clusters of red clouds. For the most part, I find these clouds to be meagar addendums (especially on regular Dynamax Pokémon, which always have them spawn clear above their 3D models). But on Pikachu, the way they cluster near the tip of its tail adds dramatic flair. It appears to be piercing through the eye of the (relatively) miniature storm, which is flat out awesome.

Fat Pikachu may be tied to what will likely be a short-term gimmick, but I love that Game Freak still gave a nod to the old design.