Electric rodents: Difference between revisions

Pikachu clone redirects here. For the Pikachu that is a clone, see Pikachutwo.

The subject of this article has no official name. The name currently in use is a fan designator; see below for more information.

Artwork of the pre-Generation IX electric rodents and Mimikyu

Electric rodents is a fan term referring to a group of Electric-type Pokémon based on rodents.

This group is also referred to by fans as the Pikachu family, Pikachu clones, or Pikaclones, though these terms are sometimes used to include other Pokémon such as Marill or Mimikyu, which are not Electric types, but otherwise resemble Pikachu in design. An equivalent term used within the Japanese fandom is 電気袋組(でんきぶくろぐみ) Electric Pouch Group, referencing the electric pouches on these Pokémon's cheeks.

The terms "electric mice" and "electric mouse Pokémon" are used informally to describe this group in a post on the official Pokémon Singapore Facebook page, promoting the "HOPPE DAISHŪGO" collection of Pokémon Center merchandise. HOPPE DAISHŪGO can be translated as Cheek Great Gathering, referencing the common trait these Pokémon have.

Character designer Ken Sugimori acknowledged the concept of the recurring "electric rodents" theme in an interview published in Volume 201 of the Nintendo Dream magazine.^[1]

List of electric rodents

There are 13 Pokémon considered to be electric rodents, with every generation introducing at least one. If alternate forms of Pichu, Pikachu, and Raichu are counted separately (Cosplay Pikachu and Pikachu in a cap variants, Spiky-eared Pichu and Alolan Raichu), then by technicality, there are 29 electric rodents.

Design-wise, all of these Pokémon have big round heads, button-like eyes, and electric pouches on their cheeks. All are in the Fairy or Field Egg Groups, with the exception of Cosplay Pikachu, Pikachu in a Cap, and Pichu, and all have English names very close to being pure transliterations of their Japanese names. Prior to Generation VIII, these were the only Pokémon capable of learning Nuzzle; Morpeko is the only member that cannot learn Nuzzle. Every electric rodent has a gender ratio of one male to one female; however, Spiky-eared Pichu and Cosplay Pikachu are exclusively female, wherreas Pikachu in a cap is exclusively male.

Pachirisu is the only member of this group revealed to actually be biologically related to Pikachu's evolutionary line.^[2] Pawmi is the only one (aside from Pikachu itself) to have an evolutionary line, having three stages, mirroring Pikachu — although Pikachu's evolutionary line includes a baby Pokémon, while Pawmi's evolutionary line lacks one.

The Pawmi family, being introduced in Generation IX, have yet to be directly grouped with the electric rodents officially, though they share the same design theme and other overall similarities.

Generation I

Pikachu

Electric

Generation I

Raichu

Electric

Generation II

Pichu

Electric

Generation III

Plusle

Electric

Generation III

Minun

Electric

Generation IV

Pachirisu

Electric

Generation V

Emolga

ElectricFlying

Generation VI

Dedenne

ElectricFairy

Generation VII

Alolan Raichu

ElectricPsychic

Generation VII

Togedemaru

ElectricSteel

Generation VIII

Morpeko

ElectricDark

Generation IX

Pawmi

Electric

Generation IX

Pawmo

ElectricFighting

Generation IX

Pawmot

ElectricFighting

Similar Pokémon

Marill and Mimikyu are often viewed as "Pikachu clones" by fans, although neither of them are Electric types.

Marill has similar design traits to Pikachu, being a cute, round Pokémon with black button-like eyes. Prior to the release of Pokémon Gold and Silver, Marill was often referred to as "Pikablu" by fans, and it was erroneously referred to as such on the Topps trading cards for the first movie. However, Marill has never officially been acknowledged as related to the electric rodents.

Mimikyu's design is directly inspired by Pikachu, and it is sometimes featured in official artwork showcasing these Pokémon. The Japanese web page for the "HOPPE DAISHŪGO" merchandise states "よく見ると、でんきタイプではないポケモンが1匹、こっそり仲間入りしているね" which can be translated to mean "If you look closely, you'll see that one Pokemon that is not an Electric type has secretly joined the group". This may reference Mimikyu's behavior of pretending to be a Pikachu.

Generation II

Marill

WaterFairy

Generation VII

Mimikyu

GhostFairy

In the games

The "Stickers" battle menu background

Pachirisu's Pokédex entry in Pokémon HeartGold and SoulSilver states: "It's one of the kinds of Pokémon with electric cheek pouches," which likely refers to this group.

In Pokémon X and Y, the "Stickers" battle menu background features all the members of the group that existed at the time.

In the anime

In Pokémon the Series, Ash and his friends own a number of these Pokémon: Ash owns a Pikachu, Dawn owns a Pachirisu, Iris owns an Emolga, Bonnie cares for her brother Clemont's Dedenne, Sophocles owns a Togedemaru, and Goh owns a female Raichu that evolved from a Pikachu. Additionally, James of Team Rocket owns a Morpeko, and while it is not considered part of this group, Jessie owns a Mimikyu. Ash's friend Tracey also owns a Marill, though Marill has never been officially connected to this group.

In Pokémon Horizons: The Series, Friede owns a Pikachu named Captain Pikachu, who mans the flying ship Brave Olivine with him. A wild Pawmi also resides on the vessel.

Pichu, Plusle, Minun, Pawmo, and Pawmot are the only members of this group that aren't owned or cared for by any of the main characters of either series, though it is confirmed in Enter Pikachu! that Ash's Pikachu used to be a Pichu.

• 

  Ash's Pikachu

• 

  Dawn's Pachirisu

• 

  Iris's Emolga

• 

  Clemont's Dedenne

• 

  Sophocles's Togedemaru

• 

  Goh's Raichu

• 

  James's Morpeko

• 

  Captain Pikachu

• 

  Rising Volt Tacklers' Pawmi

Trivia

• Emolga was the first electric rodent to be dual-type. After its introduction in Generation V, all subsequent generations have introduced dual-type electric rodents.
  • Every dual-type electric rodent has a type advantage against another one.
  • Every unevolved dual-type electric rodent has a type immunity.
    • Of these, Morpeko is the only one with an immunity to another electric rodent's type, being immune to Alolan Raichu's Psychic type.
  • Pawmo and Pawmot are the only electric rodents to share a type combination (Electric/Fighting-type), and subsequently, to have a type disadvantage against multiple electric rodents instead of one, those being Emolga, Dedenne, and Alolan Raichu. Due to being part Fighting-type, they are also the only electric rodents without a resistance to Flying-type moves.
  • Pawmi is the first single-type electric rodent since Pachirisu, being introduced five generations later.
• Emolga is the only electric rodent without a weakness to Ground-type moves or a resistance to Electric-type attacks, due to being part Flying-type.
• Raichu is the only electric rodent with a regional form.
• Alolan Raichu and Pikachu are the only electric rodents with unique Z-Moves.
• Pikachu and Morpeko are the only electric rodents with transformations (Gigantamax and Hangry Mode, respectively).
  • Pikachu is the only electric rodent to be a first partner Pokémon and to have a Gigantamax form.
  • Morpeko is the first electric rodent since Pikachu's evolution line to have a signature move (Aura Wheel), and the first electric rodent since Alolan Raichu to have a signature ability (Hunger Switch)
    • Plusle and Minun previously had Plus and Minus as their exclusive abilities prior to Generation V.
• Pichu is the only electric rodent to be a Baby Pokémon.
• Togedemaru is the only electric rodent with double resistances.

References

Electric rodents

Gen I

Gen II

Gen III

Gen IV

Gen V

Gen VI

Gen VII

Gen VIII

Gen IX

See also: Marill • Mimikyu

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