Ikue Ōtani has voiced Pikachu in the Japanese Pokémon anime since the character was introduced.
Unlike most anime characters, Pikachu’s recognizable voice is largely consistent across international versions because the character mainly communicates by repeating its name. Ōtani’s performance became one of the franchise’s most recognizable sounds.
Ōtani has also voiced Pikachu in many Pokémon video games and in the Super Smash Bros. series. The games sometimes use a digitized cry rather than newly recorded dialogue, depending on the title.
English-language productions generally use different voice actors for other speaking characters, but Pikachu’s distinctive vocal identity remains closely associated with Ōtani. She has also played characters such as Tony Tony Chopper in One Piece and Morgana in Persona 5.