Pikachu was created by Atsuko Nishida and later became the Pokémon franchise mascot.
Nishida designed Pikachu during development of the first games, working from instructions that it should be an Electric-type Pokémon with a cute appearance. Ken Sugimori later finalized the design for the game’s official artwork.
Pikachu was first introduced in Pokémon Red and Green, although many international players know the character through Pokémon Red and Blue. Its yellow body, pointed ears, red cheek pouches, and lightning-bolt tail made it immediately recognizable.
The anime made Pikachu even more prominent by pairing it with Ash Ketchum. Unlike the three selectable starter Pokémon, Pikachu could represent the whole series without suggesting that one starter was more important than the others.