Pikachu is a short, chubby rodent Pokémon known as the Mouse Pokémon. Covered in yellow fur with two horizontal brown stripes on its back, it has a small mouth, long pointed ears with black tips, and brown eyes. Red circle-shaped pouches on each cheek store electricity. Its short forearms end in five-fingered paws, while its feet have three toes. A lightning bolt-shaped tail features brown fur at the base; female Pikachu display a V-shaped notch at the tail's end, resembling the top of a heart. Though classified as a quadruped, it frequently stands and walks on its hind legs, making it a facultative biped. Wild Pikachu typically live in forested groups. They communicate with squeaks and tail-shaking gestures, though regional variations exist—Alolan Pikachu greet by sniffing and rubbing tails together. They raise tails to monitor surroundings, a pose that sometimes attracts lightning strikes, and large gatherings can inadvertently cause storms. They forage for berries, using electricity to roast them, often leaving burnt grass patches. Generating and storing electricity primarily during sleep, stress or sleep deprivation affects this ability. Excess energy must be discharged to avoid complications; they can share electricity via shocks with weakened companions, though storing power causes stress if not discharged. Its primary ability, Static, may paralyze opponents on contact; its hidden ability is Lightning Rod. Pikachu uniquely utilizes the Light Ball item to boost electrical attacks. Its exclusive move is Volt Tackle. Special forms possess unique capabilities: Partner Pikachu learns exclusive moves like Zippy Zap, Floaty Fall, Splishy Splash, and Partner Power Pika Papow. Cosplay Pikachu, always female, performs in Pokémon Contests with condition-specific moves. Pikachu in a cap variants, always male, access the Z-Move 10,000,000 Volt Thunderbolt but cannot Gigantamax. Ordinary Pikachu possessing the Gigantamax Factor can transform into a larger, chubbier form with an elongated tail storing massive electricity, enabling the exclusive G-Max Move G-Max Volt Crash. Pikachu evolves from Pichu with high friendship and into Raichu via a Thunder Stone; in Alola, this results in Alolan Raichu. Cosplay Pikachu, Pikachu in a cap, Partner Pikachu, and those with the Gigantamax Factor cannot evolve. The starter Pikachu in Pokémon Yellow refuses to evolve unless traded and evolved elsewhere. Designed as an Electric-type by Atsuko Nishida for Pokémon Red and Green, Pikachu was intended to evolve twice, with Raichu followed by a scrapped "Gorochu" due to cartridge limits. Early designs resembled squirrels, with cheek pouches inspired by food-storing rodents. Its name combines Japanese onomatopoeia: "pika" (sparkling sound) and "chū" (mouse squeak). An initial pudgy in-game sprite was later streamlined for animation; Gigantamax Pikachu revisits this original "Fat Pikachu" concept. Across media, Pikachu serves as a protagonist in games like *PokéPark Wii: Pikachu's Adventure* and its sequel, leading quests to save the PokéPark. It stars as the player's starter in Pokémon Yellow, exhibiting unique behaviors like following the player and refusing Poké Balls. In *Pokémon: Let's Go, Pikachu!*, it rides the player's shoulder and learns exclusive moves. Spin-off appearances include mini-games in *Pokémon Stadium*, where it charges generators, and *Pokémon Channel*, where it interacts with the player. Event-exclusive costumed variants exist in *Pokémon GO*, including Libre, Explorer, and numerous hat-wearing forms, many unable to evolve.