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What is the Best and Worst Version of Ash's Pikachu?

Dynamic_Fusion

HIKARI HYPE
What do you think is the Best and Worst Version of Ash's Pikachu not only in Terms of Battle-Prowess but also in terms of Character and Personality?
OS Pikachu (Notable Battle Feats)

Win Rate: 59% 29 Wins, 20 Loses and 1 Draw

1. Destroyed an Entire Herd of Spearow
2. Attracted the Attention of Team Rocket
3. Lt. Surge Battle, Utilized Speed
4. Defeated Drake's Powerful Dragonite
5. Defeated Clair's Powerful Gyarados

OS Pikachu (Character/Personality)

Was Fat and Cute, Also had an aficionado for Ketchup. Was wimpy at the beginning (refusing to battle against Misty in the Gym Battle) but grew up to become Reliable by the end.


AG Pikachu (Notable Battle Feats)

Win Rate: 68.06% 23 Wins, 10 Losses, 3 Draws

1. Learned Iron Tail and Volt Tackle
2. Developed the Close Range Tactic in the Battle against Winona (which is still used to this day)
3. The Famous Thunder Armor with Swellow
4. Famously lost against Tyson's Meowth
5. Defeated Brandon's Regice
6. Had the Most Battles for an Ash Pokemon in a Single Series

AG Pikachu (Character/Personality)

Become much more aggressive and slimmer thereby losing the "Fat" Personality he had in OS. The Bond he had with Ash was still portrayed in a lot of Episodes like the Amnesia One.


DP Pikachu (Notable Battle Feats)

Win Rate: 61.54% 15 Wins, 9 Losses, 2 Draws

1. Had a Role outside of just Battles (ex: Hearthome Collection and Dress-Up Contest)
2. Did Well VS Flint's Infernape
3. Was Used Consistently in Training to better Ash's Other Sinnoh Pokemon
4. Defeated Sho's Powerful Raichu in the Rematch
5. Tied With Tobias's Latios

DP Pikachu (Character/Personality)

His personality is a lot more calmer and cooler.


BW Pikachu (Notable Battle Feats)

Win Rate: 67.50% 13 Wins, 6 Losses and 1 Draw

1. Learned Electro Ball for Volt Tackle
2. Lost against Trip's Snivy/Servine Many Times
3. Lost against Cress's Panpour
4. Iron Tail-Electro Ball Combo
5. The Giant Electro Ball Aimed at Giovanni & Team Rocket

BW Pikachu (Character/Personality)

Slightly Nerfed as he lost and won against Weaker Opponents compared to the Previous Series but his Personality is retained.


XY Pikachu (Notable Battle Feats)

Win Rate: 73.08% 19 Wins and 7 Losses

1. Defeated a Mega Lucario (while it failed to defeat a Regular Lucario in the Previous Series)
2. Helped Ash in his Gym Battle with Olympia though it wasn't chosen in the Battle
3, Took out Two Pokemon in the Kalos League Semi-Final
4. Took out Two Psuedo-Legendary Pokemon in the Kalos League Final
5. Helped in the Battle against Team Flare

XY Pikachu (Character/Personality)

Much more consistent and reliable than in the Previous Series.


SM Pikachu (Notable Battle Feats)

Win Rate: 90% 13 Wins, 1 Loss and 1 Draw

1. Has the Highest Win Rate in this Series
2. Never Lost a Battle in this Series except for the First Battle against Dia's Zeraora
3. Defeated Nihelgo
4. Defeated Guzma's Golisopod
5. Defeated Gladion's Silvally
6. Tied with Mohn's Zoroark
7. Defeated Tapu-Koko (A Literal God)
8. Can Perform 10,000,000 Volt Thunderbolt
9. Learned Electro-Web and Used an Epic Combo with it and Iron Tail
10. Alola League Champion

SM Pikachu (Character/Personality)

Has a more "petsy" feeling in the Series. SM#126 demonstrates this well. He is also makes impressions of other Pokemon and is much cuter.


PM2019 Pikachu (Notable Battle Feats)

Win Rate: 62.5% 5 Wins and 3 Losses

1. Reused the Iron Tail and Electro Web Combo in Battles
2. Did well VS World Champion Leon
3. Lost against Bea's Grapploct
4. Keeps on using Thunderbolt to Shock Ground-Type Pokemon for No Reason

PM2019 Pikachu (Character/Personality)

Pikachu is an absolute complete Brat in this Series. I don't get why they made him like that. He is more annoyed (PM2019030) and doesn't really follow directions. This is probably my least Favorite Version of Pikachu Personality-Wise.
 

Pokegirl Fan~

Liko>>>>>Ash
OS and AG/BF Pikachu>>>the rest
 
Best versions: OS and XY. OS is the cute Pikachu chonk and XY is badass Pikachu.

Worst: SM. They made him way too OP. Also I’m pissed off that he forgot Electro Ball.
 

JustAStatistic

Super Casual Trainer
Best: SM (adorable and appropriately super powerful)

Worst: Journeys (that jealousy episode)
 

Ignition

We are so back Zygardebros
Character wise: I enjoy their SM portrayals the most. Ash and Pikachu’s bond had always been a frequent and major theme for the anime yet has never been portrayed in depth once they got used to each other in OS. SM constantly shows their bond with things like SM20 & their Z Move (Pikashnium Z being the dedicated finisher for important fights). I also like that Pikachu feels like an ace despite Lycanroc fitting the more traditional role.
 

RafaSceptile

Well-Known Member
I don't think Pikachu's personality varies that much outside of very few episodes like JN030, I would say SM is probably the "best" one in terms of personality mainly for the Ash-Pikashinium Z representing the bond of Ash and Pikachu.

In terms of strength each version is stronger than the previous one except BW, so JN > SM > XY > DP > AG > BW > OS
 

SerGoldenhandtheJust

Deluded Dreamer
The Ash and Pikachu bonding episode in SM020 is what made me finally stop hating SM and actually enjoy it, leading to it eventually becoming my fav series in anipoke so yea, I guess you can say SM Pikachu was perfect in my eyes. It rarely lost but never appeared too OP, had a great personality and meshed so well with Ash. Perfect culmination. Also, there were SO MANY cute Pikachu moments in SM
 

DatsRight

Well-Known Member
Probably SM Pikachu, largely because of the more character driven format mixed with him still getting a good share of battles (plus Electro Web allowing him to show off his craftier side in battle more).

I think Pikachu is at his best when he has loads of teammates around him to interact with, and in SM nearly EVERYONE was routinely out their balls playing their 'sibling' dynamics. Only thing that ended up underplayed was his occasional friendenemy relationship with Meowth.

Also Pikachu still kept that cute playful side to him in SM, still sometimes acting childlike or like a cute pet, while still coming off as intelligent and the veteran battler and older brother.
 

Epicocity

Well-Known Member
For me overall, best Pikachu really just ranges from Johto to XY, since he was largely unchanged and I appreciated that he was the leader and big brother, plus that gradual increase in peak strength.

Worst Pikachu is Kanto because...I mean, he was kind of a jerk.

Though in general, not as much of a fan of the current era since SM where they kind of turned Pikachu into "Ash, but a Pokemon" outside a few instances whereas before he was his more intelligent brain cell.

Though if we're talking design wise...SM Pikachu hurts me. Those eyes feel so soulless...like staring into the abyss...
 

RafaSceptile

Well-Known Member
For me overall, best Pikachu really just ranges from Johto to XY, since he was largely unchanged and I appreciated that he was the leader and big brother, plus that gradual increase in peak strength.

Worst Pikachu is Kanto because...I mean, he was kind of a jerk.

Though in general, not as much of a fan of the current era since SM where they kind of turned Pikachu into "Ash, but a Pokemon" outside a few instances whereas before he was his more intelligent brain cell.

Though if we're talking design wise...SM Pikachu hurts me. Those eyes feel so soulless...like staring into the abyss...
Idk, I don't see any major difference between this and this except for Ash's design

cfd4cced0991d61a3453fa33ed433e49.jpg

ash-pikachu-pokemon-sun-and-moon-screenshot-800x334.jpg
 

SerGoldenhandtheJust

Deluded Dreamer
Idk, I don't see any major difference between this and this except for Ash's design

cfd4cced0991d61a3453fa33ed433e49.jpg

ash-pikachu-pokemon-sun-and-moon-screenshot-800x334.jpg
I mean SM Pikachu was different in terms of saturation but otherwise it's design was the same, and it's cute moments were especially cute AF. SM artstyle really only didn't work for Ash, you got used to TR after a while, Lillie's redesign grows to become cute to you but Ash always sticks out
 

SerGoldenhandtheJust

Deluded Dreamer
Am I the only one who doesnt mind the Journeys jealousy episode :p
Sure pikachu and Ash were a bit OOC, but imo it isnt too offensive and with this premise we got an extremely cute episode with the cutest ending of Ash singing pikachu a lullaby his mom sang to him and pikachu sing along, as the episode closes with a great line by the narrator
Like it just strengthens their bond for me in the end and its a really cute episode
 

Leonhart

Imagineer
In terms of strength, DP-era Pikachu was probably his peak. But in terms of personality, I much preferred OS-era Pikachu, especially in early Kanto when he still had a bratty streak in him. These days he's relatively tame outside of a few out-of-character moments that conveniently emerge with a specific plot in mind.
 
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