Ikue Ōtani has voiced Pikachu in the vast majority of Pokémon anime appearances.
Ōtani began voicing Pikachu when the Pokémon anime was introduced and became strongly associated with the character’s distinctive delivery of its name. Unlike most Pokémon voice roles, Pikachu’s voice was generally kept consistent across language versions rather than being redubbed separately in every country.
In the anime, Pikachu normally communicates through variations of “Pikachu” rather than ordinary human speech. The performance relies on changes in tone, rhythm, and emotion to show excitement, fear, determination, or affection.
Some appearances require clarification. Other performers have voiced Pikachu in particular English-language productions or special situations, and the character’s game cries are not always recordings of Ōtani. Nevertheless, Ōtani is the long-standing voice of anime Pikachu and has reprised the role across many Pokémon projects.