Pikachu is the official mascot of the Pokémon franchise.
Pikachu is an Electric-type Pokémon designed by Atsuko Nishida, with the final design completed by Ken Sugimori. Its yellow body, pointed ears, red cheek pouches, and lightning-bolt tail made it visually distinctive from the beginning.
Although Pikachu first appeared in the original Pokémon games, the animated series made it globally recognizable by placing Ash Ketchum’s Pikachu at the center of the story. Pikachu’s role as Ash’s partner helped the character reach viewers who had never played the games.
Clefairy was once considered for a leading promotional role, but Pikachu was selected because its cute, simple design appealed to a broad audience. Pikachu is also the basis for several game variants, including Cosplay Pikachu and the partner Pikachu in Pokémon Yellow.