Any fan of the Pokémon anime knows that Pikachu is one of the most beloved characters in the entire series. As Ash's first and main Pokémon partner throughout his journey to becoming a Pokémon Master, Pikachu garnered much fame with fans of the franchise.
There are many reasons that Pikachu is popular enough to be considered the best character in the entire anime. From Pikachu's determination to win any tough battle it faces to its iconic bond with trainer Ash Ketchum, fans adore Pikachu for its many positive qualities.
10 Pikachu Never Gives Up, No Matter How Hard The Battle Gets
Pikachu fights many tough battles during the anime, but no matter how hard things get, Pikachu never gives up until it seriously cannot move. There are countless battles where it seemed like Pikachu might collapse partway through and get beaten easily, only for Pikachu to keep on fighting despite the difficulties it faced. Even when Pikachu was about to lose for sure against foes like Champion Leon's Charizard, it didn't give up. Pikachu's determined attitude helped endear it to fans overall.
9 Many Fans Find Pikachu's Appearance And Behavior Totally Adorable
Many fans agree that Pikachu is just plain adorable. Whether it's dressed up in various costumes throughout the anime series and film installments or just being its lovable, curious self, fans find it hard not to love Pikachu for its many cute moments.
Some of these cute moments in the anime occurred while hanging out with fellow Pokémon, cheering on others during Pokémon Contests and other special occasions, and times it explored new areas alongside Ash and his companions. Some people think that if Ash's Pikachu entered a Cuteness Contest, it would probably win.
8 Pikachu Is A Creative Powerhouse In Battle
Pikachu makes it through many tough battles in the series, but its ability to get creative with how to defeat opponents is fairly clever. There are many times when Pikachu uses a simple move such as Thunderbolt or Volt Tackle to knock out the enemy in one shot, but there are also tough battles where it had to think outside the box with its own moves to evade or endure attacks from opponents.
Pikachu's close training with Ash definitely helps it in this regard, but fans also agree that Pikachu is capable of creating some unique solutions all on its own.
7 Pikachu's Bond With Ash Is Unforgettable
Pikachu and Ash's bond is one of the most iconic relationships in the anime. They started on a rocky road in the first episode, where they didn't get along at all, but after Ash protected Pikachu from a flock of Spearow and Pikachu protected Ash from taking the fatal attack with a well-timed Thunderbolt, they bonded and got even closer as they trained together over time. They've supported each other through thick and thin, from Ash temporarily dying in a few of the films to figuring out tough decisions such as whether Pikachu should evolve.
6 Pikachu Is Always Ready To Take Action When Things Get Rough
Whenever Pikachu faces any foes throughout the anime, from Team Rocket to Chairman Rose, it's ready to battle regardless of how intimidating the villains might be. Even when it's caught up in kidnapping schemes, Pikachu isn't ever deterred from trying to escape and fight back against the evil happenings in the series. No matter how scary the plots get, from evil organizations trying to take over or else straight-up destroying the world, Pikachu isn't afraid to do what's right and save the day.
5 Pikachu Bonds Well With Most Pokémon It Meets
Pikachu's close bond with others doesn't develop with Ash alone. Throughout the anime series, fans saw how Pikachu befriended many other Pokémon, from the other Pokémon Ash currently had with him while traveling through various regions to other trainers' Pokémon.
Sometimes Pikachu doesn't always get along with its fellow Pokémon at first when they join the party, but eventually, they tend to warm up to Pikachu, just like how it warms up to them in return. Fans found the bonds Pikachu had with its fellow Pokémon fairly endearing overall.
4 Pikachu Also Bonds Well With Fellow People
Even though Pikachu has a close bond with its trainer Ash and other Pokémon, it also bonds well with other trainers and companions who Ash meets throughout the series. This includes Ritchie and his own Pikachu, as well as other trainers and Coordinators like Goh, Dawn, Brock, and so many more. Pikachu's general default behavior is to just be nice to virtually everyone, save for obviously evil villains, and this behavior allows Pikachu to bond with both Pokémon and people alike.
3 Pikachu's Varied Encounters With Legendary Pokémon Always Keep Things Interesting For Fans
As the main Pokémon in the series, Pikachu gets many opportunities to meet the Legendary Pokémon Ash encounters. However, Pikachu's relationships with these Pokémon often vary throughout the series, which makes it fun for fans to watch and see how its interactions with other Legendaries go.
From its amicable relationship with Mew to more hostile interactions with Giratina and Eternatus, Pikachu's variety of relationships with the Legendary Pokémon always awed and delighted the fans who watched them unfold.
2 Pikachu Is Open With Its Vulnerability
Pikachu is a fairly relatable Pokémon to fans, partially due to its open vulnerability on an emotional level. Many fans related to the grief it felt when Ash temporarily died, or when it was seriously hurt in some tough battles it might have lost in the series. Fans found themselves crying along with Pikachu during these rough times, and its ability to express itself in both good and bad times helped boost its likability and popularity.
1 Pikachu's Impressions Of Other Pokémon Gave It A Humorous Side That Fans Enjoyed
Pikachu has the fantastic skill of doing impressions of other Pokémon that fans loved watching from time to time. It showed that Pikachu can be not just vulnerable or cute, but could also be really funny as well.
There are many hilarious moments where Pikachu gets to show off its impressions of other Pokémon and got caught up in other funny scenarios. This helped add to the humorous tone the anime series had at times, and fans enjoyed watching those moments unfold.