Pikachu was the first official mascot of the Pokémon franchise.
Pikachu is an Electric-type Pokémon designed by Atsuko Nishida and finalized by Ken Sugimori. Its small size, bright color, expressive face, and distinctive lightning-bolt tail made it especially recognizable among the original Pokémon designs.
The anime strengthened Pikachu's mascot role by making it Ash Ketchum's partner rather than simply one of many creatures stored in Poké Balls. Pikachu's repeated appearances in games, trading cards, merchandise, films, and promotional artwork made it the franchise's most visible character.
Pikachu is not the first Pokémon listed in the National Pokédex; that distinction belongs to Bulbasaur. It is also not the strongest or most powerful Pokémon by game statistics. Its mascot status comes from its design, storytelling role, and broad recognition across Pokémon media.