Ash's Pikachu

This Pikachu is an -type Pokémon owned by Ash. He is the first Pokémon Ash ever had.

Personality
Pikachu is Ash's best friend. Pikachu has always been there for Ash and also takes a leader position for the team. He is curious, smart and friendly, but shares Ash's fondness for battling. One of his most noticeable features is his determination and unwillingness to give up whenever a situation gets tough. He is shown to be responsible with younger Pokémon, particularly Misty's Togepi, who he is often forced to shepherd out of danger by putting himself in it. Although stubborn at times, he obeys Ash's commands in battle and rarely leaves his side. He is also a constant target for Team Rocket. They try to capture him, but on the few occasions that they do, their plans are always thwarted by Ash and his friends. Even after getting out of their traps, avoiding capture, or that he wasn't part of their schemes, Pikachu also thwarts his enemies by attacking or getting rid of them using his Electric-type attacks, like his signature attack, Thunderbolt. He can also imitate some Pokémon by making their face shapes.

Like his master, Pikachu shares Ash's love for science and technology; even if he cannot understand most of it.

Pikachu has close friendships with Ash's Pokémon that he had or has, with Ash's traveling companions and their Pokémon as well also some of their Pokémon are his best friends, other than his trainer.

In some episodes, Pikachu has a strong rivalry with other trainers' Raichu which is Pikachu's evolved form who is much stronger than the latter and also responsible for injuring Pikachu in every first battles with the exception of both Volkner and Tierno's Raichu who appears as a calm, serious and a friendly Pokémon. In Sun and Moon series during the pancake race it showed Pikachu wanted to defeat an Alolan Raichu. The prime example is when Lt. Surge's Raichu manage to overpower Pikachu with its abilities and also injures it in the process. This also carries to Sho's Raichu who also overpowers all of Pikachu's abilities such as his Iron Tail and Volt Tackle. Despite their overpowered prowess, Pikachu is able to withstand against them by using its speed and its tactical in battling in order to defeat them.

During the time when Pikachu was injured in each of the first battle against the trainer's Raichu, he was given the chance to evolve into a Raichu using a Thunder Stone but Pikachu often refuses. This trait is later shared by his best friend, Dawn's Piplup who also given the chance to evolve, but also refuses as he has an Everstone to prevent it.

Ash
They are each other's best friend, even though they had a rough start at first, they've been at each other's side no matter what. They would protect each other from trouble and would stand up for each other. A lot of people see that they're perfect partners. Pikachu helped Ash break free from someone's control by attacking him, when Ash got possessed by the spirit of Pokélantis, and by calling out to him, shown when Lysandre attempted to control him, Ash had done the same thing for Pikachu.

Kanto and Orange Islands
Pikachu was Ash's Starter Pokémon, given to him by Professor Oak. Ash showed up late to pick his first Pokémon, so he got stuck with Pikachu. Though he detested Ash at first, Ash demonstrated his willingness to sacrifice himself for Pikachu, and they quickly became friends. Pikachu became close friends with Misty and Brock also good friends with the first two Pokémon Ash caught, who he later released to be there own kind, then became best friend with the Kanto starters also he good friends with other Pokémon Ash's caught along the way through there journey in Kanto. In one of Pikachu's gym battle he was given an operation to increase the strength of the electric sacs in his checks in order to beat the first Gym Leader, Brock. Then after his defeated in his battle with Lt. Surge's and his Raichu he was given a choice to evolve but refuses so he can prove he strong without evolving. Pikachu been in 5 out of the 8 of Ash's gym battles and put an awesome effort in Indigo League, during which Ash ended in the top 16.

After the league was over he, Ash, Misty and Brock went to the Orange islands to get something for Professor Oak, which was the GS ball, from Professor Ivy. When Brock decided to stay he gets a new close friend in Tracey when another one of Team Rocket schemes fails and land in one of the island. When Ash finds out there's a league in the Orange Islands that's when Ash decided to take a detour to check out the island to compete the league there with Misty and Tracey coming along. They travel through the islands with one of his good friends in Lapras, who Ash helped rescue from Team Rocket also he released it as well when they were going back to Pallet town, to go from one island to the next. At one point Team Rockets own Butch and Cassidy used a Pokémon to turn him against Ash along with other Pokémon as well however they were foil thanks to Ash using Pikachu to attack him while standing on the control box which set him and the others free. Later on he he became best friend with a Snorlax that's was causing trouble at one of the islands they were visiting, then went to the lab during the league when Ash decided to use a different Pokémon for this league and at there next adventure. Pikachu was in 2 out of the 4 of the gym battles and was able to help Ash win the league. Pikachu had to say goodbye t was surprise to see Brock back in Pallet town along with Ash and Misty then got to battle Gary which he lost.

Johto
When Ash heard of the Johto region he decided to go there with Misty and with Brock returning when Tracey stayed behind to become Professor Oak assistant. Pikahcu had his first three starter best friend along for the ride for awhile, until one of them left to train but it return to help out in one the gym battles and the the league, the other one went back to lead it's gang again but came back to help out in the league and the other one went to Professor Oak lab to keep the peace. Pikachu became good friends with two of Ash's Pokémon and best friends with the the Johto starters also with the Pokémon egg Ash first raised, Pannpy after a rough start. Pikachu has been in all of Ash's gym battles and was able to help a lot in the league however Ash ended in the top 8. Pikahcu was bumped when Misty and Brock had to go back home then decided to go with Ash to a new region, Hoenn, when Ash decided to just be him while all his friend from Johto were left in the care of Professor Oak.

Unova
Pikachu came with Ash on a trip to Unova, but when they got there, they were ambushed by Team Rocket once again. However, during the conformation, Zekrom appear in a storm cloud, accidentally canceling out Pikachu's Electric attacks, this was not known to Ash until he had his first battle with a rookie trainer name Trip.

Pikachu regains his Electric attacks after Zekrom appeared again then he stayed with Ash when he decided to travel around Unova. While walking and seeing the different Pokémon, he meets Iris, after Ash mistaken her for a Pokémon. Pikachu became best friends with Iris's Axew along with being good friends with his trainer and Cilan. Pikachu became best friends with the Unova starters Ash catches along with becoming good friends with the other Pokémon Ash catches as well. Pikachu was a big help for 5 out of 8 of Ash's gym battles.

After Ash won all his badges they got to meet up with Cynthia, the Sinnoh region champion, again then befriended Meloetta, the Pokémon Ash helped while they were in Virbank City, after it got injured and when it followed Ash. Pikachu got to see Dawn and his best friend Pipulp while preparing for a tournament they were all gonna enter in. After the tournament was over and Dawn left to go to Johto they got involved in Team Rocket's operation tempest during which he and Ash were captured as hostages so Meloetta would do what ever they asked. However Pikachu and Ash were able to get free from captivated and was able to help free Meloetta when he used a powerful Electro ball attack thus putting and end in their plans with a lot of help from his trainer, Cilan, Cynthia, Iris, and Ridley, Meloetta friend. When the crisis ended they went to the Unova league which Pikachu put an awesome fight in but lost during the quarter finals against Cameron thus putting Ash in the top 8.

After the league was over Pikachu along with his Trainer and friends went to go see the white ruins of Reshiram. While going there they meet N then met up with Looker again before meeting Team Plasma, who were working on the Pokémon control device. During there first encounter with Team Plasma Pikachu fell victim to their unperfected Pokémon device, which was during one there experiments, but he was able to hear his trainer's voice thus setting him free from it. Pikachu along with his trainer and friends meet up with N again then traveled with him for a while. While in Virbank City they came across a fair for his and Ash home region, Kanto. During the festival he and Ash remember one of their long time friend in Charizard which Ash ask Professor Oak to send it to see it also he was happy when Ash decided to let Charizard be in his party full-time again.

When N left the group, after finding out about his past with Team Plasma, they made there way to the white runis which they meet back up with N but they fell into a hole, when Ash tried to reason with him after taking the light stone containing a sleeping Reshiram from Cedric Juniper. Thanks to the efforts of N, Ash and all his other Pokémon with Pikachu helping out as well they were able to get out of their to help defend off Team Plasma, after Iris, Cilan, Cedric and Looker got captured. When Team Plasma was about to fire their perfected Pokémon control device at Ash's Pokémon however Ash was able to get everyone else to safety, by calling his Pokémon back into their Poké Ball, except for Pikachu, due to not liking to go into his Poké Ball, then Ash tried to get Pikachu away from it but was too late as he got hit by the device and was control again. Ash tried to get through to Pikachu but to no success as he was completely under their control during which he got knock unconscious from one of Pikachu's attack. Then N made a deal with them to set him free from their control which they agree to do thus setting him free from there control but he passed out from exhausted, right after looking at his unconscious trainer making him ashamed at what he did. After he and Ash region consciousness they saw N's foster sisters come in to rescues N before witnessing Reshiram awaking right before being place under Team Plasma control, during which Looker, Iris, Cilan and Cedric were able to get free from there bands.

When Team Plasma noticed them still trying to get in there way he was about to be under their control again but Ash step in to protected him with Mewoth helping him out as well. Ash told Pikachu to stay with Looker, Mewoth, N and his fosters sisters so he would't be control while he, Jessie and James went to tried to destroy the device on their own. However seeing Ash in trouble Pikachu came out of hiding to help, not caring if he got control again, with Cilan, Iris and Mewoth's help. Pikachu was frying an Electro ball to destroy the device however he was hit by the it again during the frying but the electricity from the attack helped him fight off the device control with Iris, Cilan, Axew and Ash encouraging him to keep fight it no matter what. Thanks to the encouragement he was able to keep resting much to the surprise of Team Plasma. Pikachu used his Thunderbolt on Reshiram, who was in the way of the device, to wake it up but he got hit by the device again however he kept going with Ash and Iris telling him not to give up while saying he's got to stay strong. Pikachu was able to destroy the device with Reshiram's help thus setting all the Pokémon free and putting an end to Team Plasma once and for all.

With their adventure in Unvoa done they decided to take a detour to the Decleor Islands with Iris and Cilan coming along back to Kanto. They meet up with Professor Oak along the way and got to meet Alexa, a journalist from Kalos. Once they get to Kanto he had to say goodbye to Axew, Cilan and Iris before heading back to Pallet Town with Ash and Alexa. Pikachu got to see his friends again at the lab and then decided to head to Kalos with Ash and Alexa the next day.

Kalos
Pikachu serves as the leading role of all of the Pikachu celebrities in the movie created by the Pikachu director, Frank who is very fond of all the wild Pikachu from the Pikachu village including Ash's. Pikachu plays the role as Super Pikachu which it was also dubbed by Ash on the movie and Pikachu's stunt double when it flies down on the ground was Ash's Hawlucha who also wears a Super Pikachu costume. After watching Frank's movie creation, Pikachu was amazed about the movie he had created as well as the bloopers they have in behind the scenes.

Shortly after Team Flare and Lysandre began their assault on the city, Pikachu was knocked out by Celosia's Drapion's Confuse Ray but before he was, he tried to protect an unconscious Ash while fighting the effects of the Confuse Ray right before losing consciousness. He was then captured and hung up in the air in restraints unconscious with Ash and the rest of his Pokémon at the top of Prism Tower by Lysandre's behalf, as he intends to use him, Talonflame, Goodra, Hawlucha and Noivern as hostages for Ash and Greninja. Pikachu regain consciousness right after Ash did then witness Squishy transform into Zygarde while looking at the horror and destruction of Lysandre's plans. Pikachu became shocked and worried when Lysandre used the mini version of Mega Evolution Energy Wave machine on Greninja and Ash but was relieved when Ash heard his voice and when they used Bond Phenomenon to break free. Thanks to Alain's Charizard, Pikachu and the other Pokémon were set free and were ready to battle.

After Team Flare's evil ambitions were finally put to an end, Pikachu and the rest of Ash's Pokémon received Honor of Kalos medals for their heroic efforts against Team Flare.

Alola
Like the previous region, Pikachu was the only Pokémon Ash brought with him to the Alola region. The two friends went on vacation there while having a great time riding on a Sharpedo. After they got chased by Bewear, they ended up at the school and when Kiawe got into a fight with the members of Team Skull, Ash and Pikachu rushed at the scene to help finishing off Team Skull's Zubat with Thunderbolt.

To finish the battle, Pikachu and Ash witnessed Kiawe and his Turtonator use their Z-Move Inferno Overdrive. After Ash received a Z-Ring of his own and attended the Pokémon School, Pikachu was challenged to a battle by Tapu Koko. In the midst of the battle, Tapu Koko taught Pikachu and Ash how to use the Electrium Z crystal and the move Gigavolt Havoc before the Guardian deity flew away.

Then, Ash used Pikachu and Rowlet in the Verdant Cavern Trial challenge the pair made quick work of Yungoos and Gumshoos. As they went up against the Totem Gumshoos, they find it to be quite a strong opponent it took out Rowlet with Fling as the Grass Quill Pokémon tried to defend Pikachu. Using Pikachu's speed and Totem Gumshoos's Sand Attack; they were able to beat the Totem Pokémon earning Ash the Normalium Z-Crystal.

Improvised moves

 * Leer
 * Electric Slam
 * Rocket Punch
 * Thunder Armor
 * Quick-Iron Tail
 * Spin
 * Swift-Quick Attack
 * Thunder Tackle
 * Volt Tail
 * Counter Shield
 * Thunder Whirlpool
 * Hydro Volt Tackle
 * Electro Bolt
 * Massive Electro Ball
 * Electro Iron Tail
 * Draco Meteor Climb
 * Aura Sphere Climb
 * Electrified Dragon Pulse

Voice actors

 * Ikue Ōtani (Japanese; in both the Japanese and English-language versions of the Pokémon anime)
 * Rachael Lillis (English; in some episodes of the English version of the Pokémon anime)
 * Kayzie Rogers (English; Pokémon Learning League)
 * Claudia Motta (Spanish)
 * Sabine Bohlmann (German)

Trivia

 * Pikachu is the only one of Ash's Pokémon to appear in every Pokémon episode and movie.
 * Pikachu is Ash's only -type Pokémon and was the only Electric-type owned by a main character in the anime until the capture of Dawn's Pachirisu.
 * Despite multiple main characters currently owning -type Pokémon, Pikachu is still the only one of them which is a member of an evolution family. This ended upon the debut of Clemont's Magnemite, Magneton and Heliolisk.
 * When Ash received Pikachu from Professor Oak, his Poké Ball had a lightning bolt on the top part.
 * Because Pikachu doesn't like being inside his Poké Ball, it has only been seen a few times since the first episode. The first was against Brock when Pikachu was being attacked brutally by Onix and the second was in the episode Snow Way Out when Ash becomes worried about the safety of his Pokémon in the cave's freezing conditions. Both times Ash's attempted return of Pikachu was blocked, by Onix the first time and by Pikachu the second.
 * Pikachu had a chubby appearance in the beginning of the series, but lost the weight for a more slender appearance from Generation II onward.
 * Ash gave Pikachu a choice to evolve with the Thunder Stone after Pikachu lost to Lt. Surge's Raichu, but Pikachu chose not to evolve because he wanted to prove that he could defeat stronger Pokémon without evolving. This makes him the first of Ash's Pokémon to choose not to evolve.
 * Pikachu occasionally has acted as a responsible leader of the main cast's Pokémon, mainly Ash's Pokémon.
 * In the season one episode "Showdown at Dark City," Pikachu displayed a strong fondness for ketchup. In fact, when the ketchup bottle he was carrying was smashed, Pikachu was seen crying over the smashed ketchup bottle.
 * The animation for the Japanese ending song "Pikachu's Song" in the XYZ series features Pikachu dancing around huge ketchup bottles, reaffirming his fondness for it.
 * In the Season One episode "Ash Catches a Pokémon," when Team Rocket was trying to steal Pikachu, Meowth accidentally says that Ash's Pikachu's power exceeds the power level he would possess as a Raichu.
 * In Climbing the Tower of Success, a Thunder Stone was tossed to Ash, thus it almost landed on Pikachu which would cause him to evolve. However, Ash was scared about Pikachu evolving, so he prevented this, which contradicts to the time he offered Pikachu a Thunder Stone to evolve. The most likely reason is that Ash now knows Pikachu doesn't want to evolve (and likes keeping him the way he is and respects his wishes), which is supported in the Diamond and Pearl generation episode Pika and Goliath and in the Pokémon X and Y generation episode The Cave of Trials.
 * Both Ash's Pikachu and Snorlax are evolved baby Pokémon, but in the generation that they're obtained, they are just the first forms.
 * There was a special event for Pikachu in Generation IV. The event Pikachu knew the moves that Ash's Pikachu had in Sinnoh League Victors.
 * Pikachu seems to have a great dislike, or even hatred, against Team Rocket's Meowth. As after Meowth and his team got away from the failed rail road mission in Unova, Pikachu still exerted a lot of anger and Ash had to hold him down. While Meowth was in Ash's group, Pikachu was the one to always be suspicious of Meowth's loyalty. This could stem from the fact that every time Pikachu started to trust Meowth, Meowth then betrayed that same trust.
 * Ash's Pikachu is the most recognizable Pokémon, therefore being the main face of Pokémon.
 * Somehow, for every region Ash has traveled through with Pikachu, he has always been for the most part surpassed in power by another Pokémon that Ash catches and trains until they fully evolve or learn new moves.
 * Beginning from Hoenn onward, every time Ash and Pikachu enter a new region, Pikachu has been exposed to high levels of electricity or magnetism, before or after arrival, and loses control of his own electricity, becomes confused, and runs away, forcing Ash to chase after him.
 * This could explain why Pikachu's strength is "reset" each time they go to a new region, with the exception of Kalos and Alola.
 * Pikachu has had many moves over the seasons, but the amount it now actively uses has been lowered to only four, to be accurate with the games.
 * Pikachu's hatred of being in a Poké Ball made him the last and hardest to be captured by Mewtwo in the Pokémon movie Pokémon the First Movie.
 * Pikachu is the only Pokémon in the anime to defeat two Legendary Pokémon without being a Legendary Pokémon himself. His first victory against a Legendary Pokémon was when he defeated Brandon's Regice, and the second was when he knocked out Tobias' Latios, although the battle against Latios ended as a draw rather than a victory.
 * Pikachu is also the first of Ash's Pokémon to defeat a Mega Evolved Pokémon.
 * Pikachu was also the first of Ash's Pokémon to habitually disobey him. Primeape and Charizard would also follow suit and are better remembered for their disobedience than Pikachu.
 * Like the Diamond & Pearl series, Pikachu didn't learn any moves in the XY series.
 * Pikachu seems to have his own language when referring to certain people or things. He often refers to Ash as "Pika-pi" because it sounds almost identical to his Japanese name, Satoshi. This also applies to Misty's Togepi who often calls Togepi as "Pipi-pi" and Misty who calls her as "Pikachu-pi" almost referring to her Japanese name as Kasumi. He also refers to Dawn as "Pikaka", partially referring to her Japanese name of Hikari.
 * On the UK quiz show "Think Tank", it was incorrectly stated by a member of the Think Tank that Pikachu was the first Pokémon that Ash caught, when really Ash was given Pikachu as his starter Pokémon and then the first one he caught was Caterpie.
 * Pikachu has been captured and used as a hostage for almost every villainous organization in each region he's been to. Also, Pikachu is the first of Ash's Pokémon to be use for a different villainous organization plans.
 * Team Rocket has captured Pikachu for their schemes in different regions, but they were thwarted a lot of times by him even if he wasn't part of their plans. Sometimes, he was captured with another Pokémon as part of their schemes. There were times he was captured for their schemes or so he wouldn't get in their way with his trainer. So far, Team Rocket has only used Pikachu once as a hostage for another Pokémon.
 * Team Magma did captured Pikachu because he had something they wanted, inside his body.
 * Team Galactic only captured Pikachu so he wouldn't get in their way.
 * Team Plasma had Pikachu captured (controlled) as part of their scheme.
 * Team Flare hold Pikachu hostage for his trainer and for one of his teammates (Friend).
 * Team Aqua is the only villainous organization by far to not have captured Pikachu or used him as a hostage for any reason.

Gallery
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Improvised moves
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