Pikachu is known as a very popular Pokémon character, loved by people all over the world. The small, yellow, electric-type Pokémon quickly emerged as the franchise's mascot (“Pikachu,” 2024). It was created by three Japanese designers Ken Sugimori, Koji Nishino and Atsuko Nishida in 1996 in Pokémon Red and Pokémon Green ("Creator Profile: The Creators of Pikachu", 2018). The creation of Pikachu was driven by adding cuteness to the Pokémon world, not just tough-looking characters ("Creator Profile: The Creators of Pikachu", 2018). The name “Pikachu” originates from Japanese, where “Pika” means the crackle of a lightning strike and “chu” captures the “squeak” sound made by a mouse ("Creator Profile: The Creators of Pikachu", 2018).
However, the resemblance of Pikachu to a squirrel has led to widespread discussion among fans. Is Pikachu a mouse or a squirrel? Inspired by the fascination with squirrels, designer Nishida made Pikachu store electricity in its cheeks, similar to the way squirrels' cheeks expand when storing food ("Creator Profile: The Creators of Pikachu", 2018). So Pikachu looks like a squirrel but is classified as a mouse Pokémon.
Initially, Pokémon creatures, including Pikachu were introduced without any specific gender, which makes them appeal to all kinds of players. The gender of Pokémon was a mystery. Starting with the second generation of Pokémon, defining gender roles became more and more important for breeding mechanisms (York, 2023). The Pokémon Company still didn’t highlight gender in the anime (York, 2023). It wasn’t until 2006, with the release of Pokémon Diamond and Pearl, that gender differences were introduced in Pikachu (“Pikachu,” 2024). The female Pikachu was distinguished by the shape of its tail, which featured a notch at the end, resembling the shape of a heart (“Pikachu,” 2024).
Creator Profile: The Creators of Pikachu. (2018, July 26). Pokemon.com; Nintendo. https://www.pokemon.com/us/pokemon-news/creator-profile-the-creators-of-pikachu
Pikachu. (2024). In Wikipedia. Wikimedia Foundation. https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Pikachu&oldid=1216627147
York, M. (2023, March 31). Is Ash’s Pikachu a Boy or a Girl? (It’s Complicated). CBR. https://www.cbr.com/ash-pikachu-boy-or-girl-pokemon/
Side-by-side comparison of Male and Female Pikachu. (2018). [Online image]. In Thegamer.com. https://www.thegamer.com/awesome-truths-pokemon-gold-silver-gamers-will-find-fun/
UnbeatableCast. (2023). Pikachu’s Cutest Moments [YouTube Short]. In YouTube. https://www.youtube.com/shorts/GyTg8GCWeRU