Despite its name's origins, however, Nishida based Pikachu's generation 1 design, especially its cheeks, on squirrels.
#Official pokemon handbook green series
According to series producer Satoshi Tajiri, the name is derived from a combination of two Japanese onomatopoeia: ピカピカ (pikapika), a sparkling sound, and チュウチュウ (chūchū), a sound a mouse makes. Artist Atsuko Nishida is credited as the main person behind Pikachu's design, which was later finalized by artist Ken Sugimori. Pikachu was one of several different Pokémon designs conceived by Game Freak's character development team. Pikachu as depicted in promotional artwork for Pokémon Red and Blue, its first appearanceĭeveloped by Game Freak and published by Nintendo, the Pokémon series began in Japan in 1996, and features several species of creatures called "Pokémon" that players, called "trainers", are encouraged to capture, train, and use to battle other players' Pokémon or interact with the game's world.
series, including Katy Perry's music video, Electric. Pikachu also appeared in the primary cast of the live-action animated film Pokémon Detective Pikachu, performed in CGI and voiced by Ryan Reynolds, as well as in every installment of the Super Smash Bros. In most vocalized appearances, including the anime and certain video games, it is primarily voiced by Ikue Ōtani.
Pikachu first appeared in Pokémon Red and Green in Japan, and later in the first internationally released Pokémon video games, Pokémon Red and Blue, for the Game Boy. Pikachu's design was conceived by Atsuko Nishida and finalized by Ken Sugimori. Pikachu is a major character of the Pokémon franchise as well as its mascot, and has become an icon of Japanese pop culture in recent years, as well as one of the major mascots for Nintendo. Pikachu is the best-known species of Pokémon, largely due to its appearance in the anime series as the starter Pokémon of the protagonist, Ash Ketchum. Pikachu is a yellow mouse-like Pokémon with powerful electrical abilities. Pikachu is a species of Pokémon, fictional creatures that appear in an assortment of media of the Pokémon franchise by The Pokémon Company.