Which Japanese voice actor voices Pikachu in the Pokémon TV series?

Ikue Ōtani voices Pikachu in the Japanese Pokémon TV series.

Ōtani has provided Pikachu's Japanese voice since the anime began in 1997. Pikachu's distinctive vocalizations are retained across language versions, but the Japanese performance is tied specifically to Ōtani.

The cast includes several other prominent Japanese performers. Rica Matsumoto voices Ash, Megumi Hayashibara voices Jessie, and Inuko Inuyama voices Meowth. Those roles can make the cast list confusing when identifying Pikachu's performer.

Ōtani's Pikachu is unusual because the character generally keeps the same spoken name and vocal identity internationally, rather than receiving a fully localized character name. She has also voiced Pikachu in Pokémon films and other franchise productions.