Ikue Ōtani has primarily voiced Pikachu in the Japanese Pokémon anime.
Ōtani began voicing Pikachu when the television series premiered in 1997. Pikachu generally repeats its own name rather than speaking human language, but the performance uses pitch, rhythm, volume, and emotional expression to communicate excitement, fear, affection, and determination.
The production team wanted Pokémon to behave more like animals than like ordinary talking characters. Pikachu’s recognizable cry therefore became a major part of the character’s identity. Ōtani’s performance helped make the limited vocabulary expressive enough for viewers to understand Pikachu’s feelings and intentions.
Pikachu has had other voice performers in different productions and languages, including English-language actors for dubbed versions and performers in live-action adaptations. Those credits can cause confusion when a question does not specify the Japanese anime. For the original Japanese television series, however, Ikue Ōtani is the principal voice associated with Pikachu.