Red's Pikachu

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Red's Pikachu レッドのピカチュウ Red's Pikachu

Red's Pikachu in Pokémon Generations

Debuts in Pokémon Yellow Version Caught at Pallet Town (Yellow) Kanto (Origins) Viridian Forest (Generations and Masters EX) Gender Male Ability Static Current location With Red

This Pokémon has not evolved.

Voice actor Japanese English As Pikachu Ikue Otani (games) Fumiko Orikasa (Generations)

Red's Pikachu (Japanese: レッドのピカチュウ Red's Pikachu), originally Yellow's Pikachu (Japanese: イエローのピカチュウ Yellow's Pikachu) according to the Japanese manual, is Red's first Pokémon in Pokémon Yellow. He is based on Ash's Pikachu from the Pokémon anime, which this game is loosely based on. Since then, he has appeared as one of Red's signature Pokémon.

Terminology

The name "Red's Pikachu" is based on the fact that Red appears as a non-player character Trainer in several games from Generation II onwards, where he is specifically named "Red" (Japanese: レッド), with his Pikachu consistently on his team.

The name "Yellow's Pikachu" is based on the fact that in the Japanese manuals of Generation I games, the player character is specifically named after the current game: レッド^R, グリーン^G, ブルー^B, or イエロー^Y (Red, Green, Blue, or Yellow). Therefore, the player character was named "Yellow" in the game Pokémon Yellow, before "Red" was established to be his definitive name in later generations.

In the core series games

Pokémon Yellow

Pikachu first appearing as a wild Pokémon

Pikachu first appears along the outskirts of Route 1, where Professor Oak will encounter and catch it. When the player visits Professor Oak's Laboratory, Oak had intended to give an Eevee to the player to start their Pokémon journey, but his impatient grandson Blue takes it instead. So that the player still has a Pokémon, Oak gives the player the Pikachu he just caught instead. The Kanto first partner Pokémon (Bulbasaur, Charmander, and Squirtle) are not received from Oak in Pokémon Yellow, but these three Pokémon can be received later in the game (which reflects how Ash Ketchum's eventually obtains all three Kanto first partner Pokémon in the anime). After battling against Blue for the first time, the Pikachu chooses to stay out of its Poké Ball and follow the player as long as it is in the party and not fainted.

In battle, the initial Pikachu arrives from the side of the screen, instead of being sent from a Poké Ball. At the start of the game, Pikachu is kept in its Poké Ball prior to the first battle against Blue, but it is still sent from the side of the screen in this battle.

This Pikachu is the only Pikachu found in Yellow, although other Pikachu can be traded in from other Generation I and II games. In the Virtual Console release of Pokémon Yellow, the initial Pikachu can participate in the Pikachu's Beach minigame.

Starting moveset

	Type: Electric Unknown
Pikachu Lv.5
ThunderShock Electric   --       Growl Normal   --       Struggle Normal   --       Struggle Normal   --

Interactions

Pikachu and Red traveling together

Should the player speak to Pikachu, a small animation of his current emotion will pop up; this image can also be an indication of how much the Pikachu likes the player. (This makes Pokémon Yellow the first game to show Pokémon friendship, a mechanic that would become more prominent in Generation II.) Although the player's friendship with Pikachu does not have many uses in the game, it is vital if the player wishes to receive a Bulbasaur in Cerulean City. Besides showing Pikachu's emotions and friendliness, the game also shows animations of several other events:

• If the player has been idle for at least 8 seconds, Pikachu starts randomly turning to look at one of the four directions.
• If the player has been idle for at least 8 seconds and the player and Pikachu are separated by a ledge, Pikachu starts jumping or spinning around.
• If talked to right after the player loses to Blue in the Pokémon Lab, Pikachu will turn its back to the player.
• If talked to right after the player wins against Blue in the Pokémon Lab, it will appear uninterested in the player.
• If Pikachu is affected by a status condition, it will appear weak or in pain. If it is asleep, it will appear asleep when talked to.
• If Pikachu has just learned Thunder or Thunderbolt, it may shock the player if talked to.
• When the player heals their Pokémon at the Pokémon Center, Pikachu jumps over the counter to be healed. Once the healing process ends, Pikachu remains on the counter until the player walks away with it.
• In Pewter City's Pokémon Center, there is a Jigglypuff that will Sing a lullaby if talked to. After listening to the Jigglypuff, Pikachu will fall asleep and not move unless awakened by the player. The center's nurse will also comment on Pikachu's sleeping if talked to, instead of healing the party. The cable club will also be inaccessible. Until the player awakens Pikachu, it cannot be deposited into the PC, have items used on it (excluding the Poké Flute), or moved in the party.
• When the player goes to Bill's house and discovers that he has turned into a Pokémon, Pikachu will approach him and look confused. When Bill reappears in human form, Pikachu will appear to be shocked.
• If the player walks into the Pokémon Fan Club in Vermilion City, Pikachu will approach a Clefairy and fall in love with it.
• If the player uses a fishing rod and then checks Pikachu, it will appear to have a bait bucket over its head.
• If taken inside Pokémon Tower, Pikachu will appear to be scared.
• If talked to right after the player catches a Pokémon, it will make a V with its fingers to represent victory, similarly to how Ash's Pikachu posed after Ash caught Caterpie.
• If talked to after the player loses a battle, Pikachu will appear disappointed in and unsure of its Trainer.
• Reflecting the actions of Ash's Pikachu, this Pikachu will refuse a Thunderstone given to it in Yellow, and, if talked to after the player tries to use the stone, will shake its head in refusal.
• After the player stores Pikachu in Bill's computer, Pikachu complains and becomes less friendly toward the player.

Walking animation

In the game overworld, Pikachu's walking animation is faster if its friendship is equal to or higher than 80.

Entering battles

The initial Pikachu appears quickly moving from left to right when entering a Pokémon battle, unlike other Pokémon who are sent from their Poké Balls.

This references the fact that the initial Pikachu is not kept in a Poké Ball. However, in the first battle against the rival Blue, the initial Pikachu also appears moving from left to right like in all battles, despite the fact that at this point it was being kept in the Poké Ball instead.

A Pikachu traded from another game (with a different OT or Trainer ID number) is also sent from a Poké Ball in battle like any regular Pokémon.

In link battles, the foe's initial Pikachu is treated like a regular Pokémon, even if both players are playing Pokémon Yellow. When a initial Pikachu is sent for battle, it is shown arriving from the side in its original game, but it is shown coming from a Poké Ball in the foe's game.

Cry

The initial Pikachu says its own name, voiced by Ikue Otani, as opposed to the electronic noise uttered by other Pokémon. When the initial Pikachu is in the process of being sent or received in a trade, it utters an electronic noise like other Pokémon, instead of saying its own name. The foe's initial Pikachu in a link battle is treated like a regular Pikachu, so it utters that electronic noise.

Gender

Pikachu has no identified gender in Pokémon Yellow, like all other Pokémon in Generation I games except for Nidoran♀ and Nidoran♂. The initial Pikachu is shown to be male or female, like any other Pikachu, if it is traded to a Generation II game, used in Pokémon Stadium 2, or transferred from a Virtual Console game to the Pokémon Bank via the Poké Transporter.

Held item

If the initial Pikachu from Yellow is traded to Generation II or used in Pokémon Stadium 2, it is initially shown to be holding a Light Ball. The held item of any Pokémon (including Pikachu) may be changed in a Generation II game or by using the PC in Pokémon Stadium 2. The held item data remains even if a Pokémon is saved in a Generation I game (the item is stored where the Pokémon's catch rate would be), even though Generation I games are unable to identify held items.

If a Pokémon in the Virtual Console version of a Generation I or II game is transferred to Pokémon Bank via the Poké Transporter, it won't have a held item. The held item is lost in a Generation I game, or returns to the bag in a Generation II game.

Evolution

The initial Pikachu is unable to evolve in its original game. If the player tries to use a Thunderstone on it, Pikachu will shake its head in refusal and the game text will say "Pikachu is refusing!", but this does not affect their friendship. However, it can evolve into Raichu in another game (including another copy of Pokémon Yellow). There is no way to obtain Raichu in Pokémon Yellow except by either trading one in or using a Thunderstone on an outsider Pikachu. If the initial Pikachu evolves into Raichu, it is treated like any other Pokémon, even if it returns to its original game: it is kept in the Poké Ball and doesn't follow the player, it doesn't have a friendship value, etc.

Releasing

The initial Pikachu is unable to be released in its original game. If the player attempts to release Pikachu, it will complain and the game text will say "Pikachu looks unhappy about it!", but this does not affect their friendship. Pikachu can be traded away and released in another game, or released normally in the Pokémon Stadium series, like any other Pokémon. If Pikachu evolves in another game and returns to its original game as Raichu, it can be released normally as well.

Multiple initial Pikachu

Any Pikachu that the player is the Original Trainer of (according to their Original Trainer name and Trainer ID number) is treated as the player's initial Pikachu. For instance, if a Pokémon Yellow player has the same name and ID as a player of any other Generation I or II game (including another copy of Pokémon Yellow), any Pikachu caught or hatched in the other game is treated as a initial Pikachu in Pokémon Yellow.

If the player has multiple Pikachu which qualify as their initial Pikachu in a single game, a single Pikachu will follow if the first initial Pikachu in the party is not fainted. All initial Pikachu share the same friendship value, so any friendship-modifying event applies to all of them. For instance, if any initial Pikachu levels up or if the player teaches a TM move to any initial Pikachu, the shared friendship value increases; if any initial Pikachu faints or if the player deposits any initial Pikachu in the Pokémon Storage System, the shared friendship value decreases.

Comparison with other Pikachu

Any outsider Pikachu (according to their Original Trainer name and Trainer ID number) behaves like any other regular Pokémon. An outsider Pikachu can be traded from other compatible games. Additionally, sometimes Pikachu were distributed as events, such as the Nintendo Power Pikachu (a Surfing Pikachu that was available from Nintendo Power in 1999).

Outsider Pikachu don't have a friendship value, and they don't follow or interact with the player like the initial Pikachu. In battle, outsider Pikachu are sent from a Poké Ball (as opposed to being sent from the side like the initial Pikachu). The outsider Pikachu don't say their name; their cry is a normal electronic noise like other Pokémon. The outsider Pikachu are able to evolve normally into Raichu, and are able to be released.

As an non-player character

In Pokémon Gold, Silver, and Crystal, Red can be battled in Mt. Silver Cave with a level 81 Pikachu on his team. At the time, his Pikachu was the highest leveled Pokémon that could be battled in the main series. This Pikachu is likely to have been based on Red's Pikachu from Pokémon Yellow. Although Red doesn't use his Pikachu when battled in Pokémon Stadium 2, he still makes a cameo appearance during the game's end credits, battling Blue's Eevee.

Red's challenge at Mt. Silver returns in Pokémon HeartGold and SoulSilver. He still uses Pikachu in these games; he is now level 88. Again, at the time, Pikachu was the highest level Trainer-owned Pokémon in the series. In the final battle, he is holding a Light Ball, while he knows the four moves used by Ash's Pikachu most often prior to the release of the games, during Pokémon the Series: Diamond and Pearl.

Red can be battled in the Champions Tournament of Pokémon World Tournament in Pokémon Black 2 and White 2. He uses his Pikachu as his signature Pokémon once again in the battle, though it, like all opponent Pokémon in the PWT, varies in gender.

Red can be battled in Pokémon Sun, Moon, Ultra Sun, and Ultra Moon. He uses his Pikachu when battled at the entrance of the Battle Tree. However, Pikachu is not in Red's pool of usable Pokémon inside the Battle Tree proper. He can also be battled in Pokémon: Let's Go, Pikachu! and Let's Go, Eevee!, once again using Pikachu as the leading member of his team.

Pokémon Gold, Silver, and Crystal

	Type: Electric Unknown Held item: None
Pikachu♂ Lv.81
Charm Normal   --       Quick Attack Normal   --       Thunderbolt Electric   --       Thunder Electric   --

Pokémon HeartGold and SoulSilver

	Type: Electric Unknown Ability: Static Held item: Light Ball
Pikachu♂ Lv.88
Volt Tackle Electric Physical   --       Iron Tail Steel Physical   --       Quick Attack Normal Physical   --       Thunderbolt Electric Special   --

Pokémon Black 2 and White 2
Pokémon World Tournament

	Type: Electric Unknown Ability: Static Held item: Light Ball
Pikachu♂/♀ Lv.50
Fake Out Normal Physical   --       Iron Tail Steel Physical   --       Volt Tackle Electric Physical   --       Brick Break Fighting Physical   --

Pokémon Sun, Moon,
Ultra Sun, and Ultra Moon

	Type: Electric Unknown Ability: Static Held item: Light Ball
Pikachu♂ Lv.70/74
Volt Tackle Electric Physical   --       Quick Attack Normal Physical   --       Light Screen Psychic Status   --       Nuzzle Electric Physical   --

Pokémon: Let's Go, Pikachu!
and Let's Go, Eevee!

	Type: Electric Unknown Mega Stone: None
Pikachu♂ Lv.85
Thunderbolt Electric Special   --       Brick Break Fighting Physical   --       Iron Tail Steel Physical   --       Reflect Psychic Status   --

Gallery

Artwork

Early artwork with Red, Blue, and Charizard	Concept artwork for Kotobukiya ArtFx J figurines	20th Anniversary Artwork from Pokémon Center Online by Emi Ando
Red and Pikachu concept artwork for Kotobukiya ArtFx J figurines by Ken Sugimori	Artwork of Silence Bridge by Hitoshi Ariga	Artwork by Ken Sugimori
Raw artwork of the Dream League package art by Naoki Saito

Sprites

Sprite from Yellow	Sprite from Gold	Sprite from Silver	Sprite from Crystal	Sprite from HeartGold and SoulSilver	Sprites from Black 2 and White 2		Model from Sun, Moon, Ultra Sun, and Ultra Moon	Model from Let's Go, Pikachu! and Let's Go, Eevee!	Menu and overworld sprite from Yellow	Back sprite from Yellow	Mood sprite from Yellow

In the side series games

Pokémon Stadium series

Using the Transfer Pak, Pokémon Yellow can connect with the games in the Pokémon Stadium series.

In the Japanese Pokémon Stadium, the initial Pikachu is treated like any other Pokémon. When either the English Pokémon Stadium or Pokémon Stadium 2 is connected with Pokémon Yellow, the initial Pikachu has some unique animations and it speaks by saying its own name, voiced by Ikue Otani (unlike the electronic noise cry of the other Pikachu).

• When idle in battle, the initial Pikachu keeps swinging its head to the sides, with its ears slightly uneven.
  • This idle animation is seen in the Gallery screen as well. (This screen is used to take snapshots of the player's Pokémon, only in the North American version of Pokémon Stadium.)
  • Only in Pokémon Stadium 2, this idle animation is shown when the initial Pikachu is checked in the PC or the trading machine in the Pokémon Lab.
• When entering a battle, the initial Pikachu waves happily to the player. In the Gallery screen, the initial Pikachu waves happily every few seconds.

When a initial Pikachu is in battle, it does not matter whether the player or the computer is using it; in either case, the initial Pikachu still has its unique animations and talks by saying its own name. (The computer is able to use the player's Pokémon in the Free Battle mode of all three Pokémon Stadium games.)

Pokémon Stadium 2 features genders and held items. When Pokémon Yellow (or any other Generation I or Generation II game) is connected to Pokémon Stadium 2, all Pokémon's genders and held items are displayed as usual, despite the fact that genders (except for Nidoran♀ and Nidoran♂) and held items are not featured in the Generation I games. Like any other Pikachu, the initial Pikachu is either male or female. The initial Pikachu initially holds a Light Ball, but the player may take or replace that item by using the PC in the Pokémon Lab.

The initial Pikachu can be released normally like any other Pokémon in any of the three games of the Pokémon Stadium series.

In the spin-off games

Pokémon Masters EX

Main article: Red (Masters) → Pikachu

Red forms a sync pair with Pikachu in Pokémon Masters EX. It is capable of Gigantamaxing.

Dex	Trainer		NDex	Pokémon		Type	Weakness	Role	EX role	Base potential	Availability
#084		Sygna Suit (Thunderbolt) Red	#0025		Pikachu♂ Gigantamax	Electric	Ground			★★★★★☆EX	Master Fair Sync Pair Scout

In the anime

Pikachu in Pokémon Origins

Pokémon Origins

Red's Pikachu briefly appeared in File 4: Charizard, where Red was seen catching it with a Poké Ball.

Pokémon Generations

Pikachu appeared in The Adventure, where it was encountered and captured by Red in Viridian Forest. It was later seen encountering a Caterpie in the same forest, a group of Wooper in Ecruteak City, a Vigoroth near the Weather Institute, a Probopass and Regigigas outside of the Snowpoint Temple, a Volcarona and Landorus at the Relic Castle, and a Noivern and Zygarde in Terminus Cave.

Personality and characteristics

Initially, Pikachu had a childlike personality, seemingly being curious and inexperienced. However, as time went on, it gained more self-confidence and experience.

Moves used

Using Thunderbolt	Move First Used In Thunder Shock The Adventure Iron Tail The Adventure Volt Tackle The Adventure Electro Ball The Adventure Thunderbolt The Adventure
A † shows that the move was used recently, unless all moves fit this case or there are fewer than five known moves.

Main series

Pikachu with Red and Clefairy in the anime

In Lights, Camerupt, Action!, Red from the Pokémon Pocket Monsters manga appears with his Pikachu and Clefairy as characters in one of Ash's favorite films. Much like in the manga, Red's Pikachu appears to be the only Pokémon around that isn't able to talk.

Ash's Pikachu

Main article: Ash's Pikachu

Ash's Pikachu is the loose anime counterpart of Red's Pikachu. The player receiving a Pikachu instead of one of the Kanto first partner Pokémon in Pokémon Yellow is based on Ash's Pikachu.

Some alternate versions of Ash Ketchum have a Pikachu as well: this includes Mirror Ash, Alternate World Ash, the Ash Ketchum who debuted in Pokémon the Movie: I Choose You!, as well as the Ash Ketchum from A Ripple in Time.

In the manga

Pokémon Adventures

Main article: Pika

Pika is Red's Pikachu in the Pokémon Adventures manga.

Pokémon Pocket Monsters

Main article: Red's Pikachu (Pocket Monsters)

Red has a Pikachu in the Pokémon Pocket Monsters manga.

Pikachu in Pocket Monsters HGSS Jō's Big Adventure

Pocket Monsters HGSS Jō's Big Adventure

Red's Pikachu debuted as a silhouette alongside its Trainer in JBA5. It then physically debuted in JBA6, where it briefly appeared alongside his Trainer as Jō reached the summit of Mt. Silver, ready to challenge Red to a battle.

Ash's Pikachu in the manga

Main article: Ash's Pikachu → In the manga

Ash's Pikachu, the loose counterpart of Red's Pikachu, appears in several manga, including the anime-based Ash & Pikachu, The Electric Tale of Pikachu, Pocket Monsters Diamond & Pearl, the manga adaptations of the anime movies, as well as a cameo in Magical Pokémon Journey.

In the TCG

Red's Pikachu is featured in the Pokémon Trading Card Game. The following is a list of cards featuring Pikachu.

Pikachu Cards listed with a blue background are only legal to use in the current Expanded format. Cards listed with a green background are legal to use in both the current Standard and Expanded formats.
Card	Type	English Expansion	Rarity	#	Japanese Expansion	Rarity	#
Red's Pikachu					SM-P Promotional cards		270/SM-P
Pikachu		Cosmic Eclipse		241/236	Dream League		054/049
Pikachu					VMAX Climax		222/184
Pikachu					VMAX Climax		223/184

Artwork

Artwork from the Bandai Carddass card

Merchandise

Red & Pikachu accessories

The third phase of Pokémon Center 20th Anniversary celebrations began on July 13, 2018, upon which numerous items of Pokémon Center-exclusive merchandise were made for sale. These items all feature Red and his Pikachu in an illustration by Ken Sugimori, specially commissioned as a "thank you" to customers for their continued patronage over the years. Several TCG items were among those available, which included:

Deck case: Each deck case comes with two card dividers featuring the same illustration and capacity to store up to 180 cards.

Red & Pikachu Deck Case (Japanese: デッキケース レッド＆ピカチュウ)

Playmat:

Red & Pikachu Rubber Playmat (Japanese: ラバープレイマット レッド＆ピカチュウ)

Sleeves: Each pack contains 64 card sleeves.

Red & Pikachu Sleeves (Japanese: デッキシールド レッド＆ピカチュウ Deck Shield: Red & Pikachu)

File: Each 4-ring file includes eight 9-pocket sheets for card display and a card divider featuring a negative-color image of Red & Pikachu.

Red & Pikachu Collection File (Japanese: コレクションファイル レッド＆ピカチュウ)

Product images:

Red & Pikachu Deck Case	Red & Pikachu Rubber Playmat	Red & Pikachu Sleeves	Red & Pikachu Collection File
The Sneak-Peek Tins	The Sneak-Peek Tins	The Sneak-Peek Tins	The Sneak-Peek Tins
The Sneak-Peek Tins	The Sneak-Peek Tins	The Sneak-Peek Tins	The Sneak-Peek Tins
The Sneak-Peek Tins	The Sneak-Peek Tins	The Sneak-Peek Tins	The Sneak-Peek Tins
The Sneak-Peek Tins	The Sneak-Peek Tins	The Sneak-Peek Tins	The Sneak-Peek Tins

Trivia

Pikachu and Red on the first Pokémon Power

• Red's Pikachu likely inspired, at least partly, the concept of any Pokémon following the player outside their Poké Ball in Pokémon HeartGold and SoulSilver.
• When battling against Red, Pikachu appears to come from inside his Poké Ball, contradicting his dislike of doing so in Pokémon Yellow.
• Although Pikachu initially resides inside of its Poké Ball until the player has battled with the rival for the first time in Pokémon Yellow, it still enters the first battle from outside of the Ball.
• In the core series games, Red's Pikachu is the only Pokémon that:
  • Is the single following Pokémon available in a specific game.
  • Is the single Pokémon with a friendship value available in a specific game.
  • Loses some friendship if it is stored in the Pokémon Storage System.
  • Has a different cry to other Pokémon of the same species in the same game (in Pokémon Yellow, other Pikachu have a regular noise as their cry instead of being voiced by Ikue Ohtani).
• In the core series games, Red's Pikachu is the only player's first Pokémon that:
  • Is the player's first Pokémon in an upper version but not in the original versions.
  • Is the player's first Pokémon in the same generation but not in the same game as the introduction of its species.
  • Is seen being caught by a Pokémon Professor.
  • Is obtained by the player after a failed attempt to obtain another first Pokémon (in this case, after attempting to obtain Eevee).
  • Is able to gain a type advantage against the rival's first Pokémon only after the latter has evolved (in this case, into Vaporeon).
  • Is only able to evolve after it is traded to another game.
• In the core series games, Pikachu (including Red's Pikachu as well as Trace or Elaine's Pikachu) is the only player's first Pokémon that:
  • Is Electric-type.
  • Has a gender ratio other than seven males to one female.
  • Has a previous evolutionary stage (in this case, Pichu).
• In Pokémon Yellow, this Pikachu was caught in Route 1, but no other Pikachu are seen on this route.
• Red and Pikachu appeared on the cover of the first Pokémon Power magazine.
• At level 88, Pikachu is tied with Cynthia's Garchomp in Pokémon Brilliant Diamond and Shining Pearl for being the highest level Trainer-owned Pokémon outside of a battle facility.

See also

For more information on this Pokémon's species, see Pikachu.

• Ash's Pikachu
• Pika

Notes

This game character article is part of Project CharacterDex, a Bulbapedia project that aims to write comprehensive articles on each character found in the Pokémon games.