Pikachu was chosen as the anime’s central icon instead of one of the three original starter Pokémon. The production team wanted a character who could appeal broadly to boys, girls, and their parents.
In the original games, players choose Bulbasaur, Charmander, or Squirtle at the beginning. The anime took a different approach: its protagonist, Ash Ketchum, began with Pikachu. This decision made Pikachu the most visible Pokémon in the television series and helped turn the species into the franchise’s best-known mascot.
The anime production team also decided that Pikachu should communicate through its characteristic cry rather than ordinary human speech. That choice made the character expressive while preserving a direct connection to the games, where Pokémon generally communicate through cries and text.
Pikachu is an Electric-type Pokémon. In the first-generation games, it can evolve into Raichu with a Thunder Stone. Pichu was introduced later as Pikachu’s pre-evolution, completing the familiar evolutionary family without changing Pikachu’s mascot role.