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Why does Ash's Pikachu refuse to evolve (Read OP)

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PokeMaster366

Well-Known Member
Okay, so this is something that I was just talking with a friend about. Throughout all of these regions, we've seen Ash with the same Pikachu as always. From the beginning all the way until mid-Sinnoh, Ash has always had that Thunderstone with him, and there have been a ton of situations where it would've been useful, so why? Why did Ash refuse to evolve his Pikachu after all this time, even when there was really no reason not to evolve, especially after the Battle Frontier. Is it sentiment, pride, or some other deeper meaning behind it? Everyone, feel free to leave your theories and opinions, but before we start, there's something I need to note.

There will be no answers here similar to the "the writers don't want him to evolve because he's the mascot. They need him to stay that way so they can line up their pockets and get more viewers" excuse. That answer is boring and does not stimulate actual thinking.
 

LizardonX

Banned
Well despite the fact that your bolded statement is the correct answer XD, I think it is just a matter of pride at the ability to be strong without evolving, there is also the speed factor as well. Plus I'm sure pikachu enjoys Ash's shoulder waay too much to give it up for some extra attack power as raichu.
 

Honeyichigo

The manliest
If you're asking why Ash won't evolve Pikachu, it's because Pikachu doesn't want to evolve, and Ash respects that- simple as that.

If you're asking why Pikachu doesn't want to evolve... I guess it has something to do with pride. He wants to show that he can defeat other Pokemon with his own strength, without resorting to evolution.
 

Janovy

Banned
Because Pikachu feels comfortable the way he is and he's happy the way he is.
 

TrollFreak

Pit is Awesome :P
(13:38) Sabaku: So, why do you think Ash's Pikachu refuses to evolve?
(13:38) Sabaku: and no. You can't say because the writers don't want him to.
(13:43) TrollFreak: lol, buts thats a perfect answer
(13:44) TrollFreak: maybe he just loves being a pikachu
(13:44) TrollFreak: since yellow > orange
 

Princess Raspberyl

~Shining One~
Because Ash thinks Pikachu is kawaii desu

Because Pikachu is :p
Well, Ash isn't the kind of person who would force his Pokemon to do something they wouldn't want to do, and Pikachu doesn't want to evolve, so Ash respected his Pokemon's wishes and didn't evolve it. That's the main reason he hasn't evolved it, if Pikachu did want to evolve Ash more likely then not would of used the thunder stone on it. On Pikachu's side of things, I think it wants to remain the way it is and not evolve. Plus...Raichu is kind of heavy, and Pikachu has clearly shown to hate being in the pokeball, so yeah... (Granted, that doesn't mean he has to stay in the ball if he became a Raichu, but I imagine Raichu wouldn't be light enough to ride on Ash's shoulder like Pikachu does ^^;.)
 

An00bis

Wicked Witch
We don't have to theorize about Ash's thinking.

He made it clear that he wanted Pikachu to evolve (twice), but he respects his Pokemon enough not to force them to evolve when they don't want to. There's nothing more to read into it then that.

[spoil]/inb4lock[/spoil]
 

Kutie Pie

"It is my destiny."
Well, remember the Bulbasaur Garden from the original season? Bulbasaur refused to evolve even while the Venasaur attacked it (think it's still a Bulbasaur). I think Pikachu is the same way in that it has made a choice not to evolve, and Ash has respected that. Pokémon have been shown to have sentience in the show, and I believe it has been explicitly mentioned before that Pokémon can decide to evolve or not. So I think that's why.
 
Because Pikachu is the mascot of the show and Raichu is too big to hang onto to Ash's small shoulder. That would be a lot of weight for Ash to handle.
 

gliscor&yanmega

Well-Known Member
Okay, so this is something that I was just talking with a friend about. Throughout all of these regions, we've seen Ash with the same Pikachu as always. From the beginning all the way until mid-Sinnoh, Ash has always had that Thunderstone with him, and there have been a ton of situations where it would've been useful, so why? Why did Ash refuse to evolve his Pikachu after all this time, even when there was really no reason not to evolve, especially after the Battle Frontier. Is it sentiment, pride, or some other deeper meaning behind it? Everyone, feel free to leave your theories and opinions, but before we start, there's something I need to note.

There will be no answers here similar to the "the writers don't want him to evolve because he's the mascot. They need him to stay that way so they can line up their pockets and get more viewers" excuse. That answer is boring and does not stimulate actual thinking.

The writers clearly did it for the purpose of keeping the mascot, regardless if you don't like it or not, that's why they did. Of course, they gave reasoning for it in the show, basically being that Pikachu simply wants to prove it's strong without evolving, and Ash of course is going to respect it's wishes, he did give it the choice after all whether it wanted to or not.

There's really no theories or opinions for this when it's already been established why this is the case in the Anime and why the writers decided to do it. If you want to know more in detail why it decided not to evolve, simply re-watch "Electric Shock Showdown".
 

An00bis

Wicked Witch
That would be a lot of weight for Ash to handle.

Ash carried a 150 pound Larvitar like Togepi.

May let 60+ pound Beautifly land on her head more then once.

Max carried Munchlax piggyback style before. Munchlax is more then twice his size.

James could pick up and throw Cacnea like a beach ball. Cacnea is over 110 pounds.

Seviper was over 100 pounds, but Jessie could regularly support its weight on her shoulders.

They build their kids strong in the Pokeman World.
 

Eievui-Nymphia

XY, gen of dreams.
Exist two responses:
In the show, Pikachu shows two traits in the series. Pikachu doesn't want to evolve and Pikachu doesn't want to enter in a Pokeball. Ash has intended evolving Pikachu in two ocassions but Pikachu refused that.

The outside reason is marketing: Pikachu is the mascot of Pokemon. Without Pikachu, the franchise will go down and will end producing games, anime, cards and manga. Because of this, Ash doesn't age, Ash doesn't leave, etc.

Apart from Pikachu exist other pokemon that are more popular than others. Because of popularity a Pokemon can reduce the possibilitys of evolving. Ex: Oshawott, Snivy, Scraggy, Emolga.

I think that the starter more popular is Japan is Piplup. After that, I think that Oshawott, the Kanto Starters in the base form and Charizard are next in the list.

And speaking of popularity
Piplup is going to appear in Eastern Unova with his trianer.

Axew isn't more popular than you may think.
 

LizardonX

Banned
Ash carried a 150 pound Larvitar like Togepi.

May let 60+ pound Beautifly land on her head more then once.

Max carried Munchlax piggyback style before. Munchlax is more then twice his size.

James could pick up and throw Cacnea like a beach ball. Cacnea is over 110 pounds.

Seviper was over 100 pounds, but Jessie could regularly support its weight on her shoulders.

They build their kids strong in the Pokeman World.

I'm pretty sure most of those were creative licensing by the writers >___>
Because no way should Ash be able to survive hugging a blazing chimchar/monferno or dawn surviving getting hit by a 600 pound mammoth with no injuries.
 

PokeMaster366

Well-Known Member
The writers clearly did it for the purpose of keeping the mascot, regardless if you don't like it or not, that's why they did. Of course, they gave reasoning for it in the show, basically being that Pikachu simply wants to prove it's strong without evolving, and Ash of course is going to respect it's wishes, he did give it the choice after all whether it wanted to or not.

There's really no theories or opinions for this when it's already been established why this is the case in the Anime and why the writers decided to do it. If you want to know more in detail why it decided not to evolve, simply re-watch "Electric Shock Showdown".

But that was just Pikachu during its earliest years. I'm sure he's matured a bit as time passed (unlike his idiot trainer), and I'm sure he's acknowledged that he's been in quite a few situations where he regretted not evolving. If you ask me, the only reasons Pikachu has for not evolving now (If the story was more relevant) are that:

1.) He simply likes traveling with Ash, especially outside of his Poke Ball, and
2.) If he did evolve, he would risk the possibility that Ash would regress back to how he was back in Johto before he put Charizard in the Charisific Valley: a total noob trainer that will easily resort to using overpowered Pokemon for the sake of defeating Pidgeys and Rattatas (Why do you think so many people were against Ash spamming his strongest Pokemon against rivals like Trip or simply calling them at every league tournament?).
 

gliscor&yanmega

Well-Known Member
But that was just Pikachu during its earliest years. I'm sure he's matured a bit as time passed (unlike his idiot trainer), and I'm sure he's acknowledged that he's been in quite a few situations where he regretted not evolving. If you ask me, the only reasons Pikachu has for not evolving now (If the story was more relevant) are that:

1.) He simply likes traveling with Ash, especially outside of his Poke Ball, and
2.) If he did evolve, he would risk the possibility that Ash would regress back to how he was back in Johto before he put Charizard in the Charisific Valley: a total noob trainer that will easily resort to using overpowered Pokemon for the sake of defeating Pidgeys and Rattatas (Why do you think so many people were against Ash spamming his strongest Pokemon against rivals like Trip or simply calling them at every league tournament?).

It had nothing to do with maturing. Pikachu simply wants to remain as is and prove itself to everyone that it can be strong as it is. Ash hasn't matured on the matter either because he was very mature with the situation, letting Pikachu decide for itself whether it wanted to change itself or not. And no, Pikachu certainly isn't regretting anything, if it loses then it'll accept the lost. Again, the reasons why Pikachu isn't evolving is because it's the mascot and it's chosen it'll remain as it is and get stronger in it's current form. The same thing was brought up again in another episode anyways, basically same things going on.
 
No, no, no, no, no, no, the OP is asking the wrong question. The real question is, if Pikachu doesn't want to evolve, then why would Ash keep the freakin' thunderstone to begin with?!
 
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