Pikachu is voiced by Ikue Ōtani in the original Japanese Pokémon anime. Ōtani has provided Pikachu’s voice across the television series, films, and many related productions.
Unlike most human characters in the series, Pikachu generally communicates by repeating variations of its own name. Ōtani’s performance uses pitch, rhythm, volume, and emotion to convey Pikachu’s reactions without ordinary human dialogue. This vocal identity became one of the franchise’s most recognizable sounds.
Pikachu was chosen as the anime’s central Pokémon because the production team considered its design cute, expressive, approachable, and appealing to a broad audience. Making Pikachu Ash Ketchum’s companion also avoided favoring one of the three selectable starters from the original games. The species first appeared in Pokémon Red and Blue, but the anime transformed it into the global mascot of the franchise. In English-language versions, Pikachu’s name and vocal identity are retained rather than replaced by a conventional translation.