Who designed the original Pikachu species for the Pokémon franchise?

Atsuko Nishida designed the original Pikachu species for the Pokémon franchise.

Nishida created Pikachu during development of the first Pokémon games after being asked to design a cute Electric-type creature. Her initial concept drew on a squirrel, including the idea of storing electricity in cheek sacs. Satoshi Tajiri later described the creature as a mouse, which is why Pikachu's official category is the Mouse Pokémon.

Ken Sugimori finalized Pikachu's visual design and produced the promotional artwork used for the games. This division of work explains why both Nishida and Sugimori are associated with Pikachu, but Nishida is credited with creating the original species.

Pikachu was not initially guaranteed to become Pokémon's mascot. Its popularity helped it take that role, especially after the anime made Pikachu Ash's partner. The character's bright color, expressive face, and distinctive lightning-bolt tail made it recognizable far beyond the games.