I would not choose you, Pikachu!

[omega 616]

I think it's 'cos it's the least threatening. Bright yellow is a nice warm colour, it's cute and small, it has rosy red cheeks etc.

The anime was aimed at little kids so they picked what might have been the most kid friendly, they might have even had a focus group to choose which one 'cos it's funny how he is the main pokemon but he hovers around the middle in the original 151.

They couldn't choose an evolution of a pokemon 'cos it would be a bit of advantage to Ash, they couldn't give a legendary away for the same reason. They couldn't choose a scary one 'cos there are some mommies boys out there.

Then from there they chose which one it was going to be.

If it was my choice I would have picked the number one, bulbasaur, just makes sense to be the face of the brand to me.

 

[Cpt Corallis]

I would choose Sawk. Karate Oni for the win!
I'm rather biased though, he just swept the entire Icirrus Gym on his own in my Black.
Damn, I love that mon.

 

[Glademaster_v1legacy]

I mean, there's so many others. Look at Charmander, his anime episode is the most heart warming thing ever. It confuses me, because the kiddies love Pikachu because he is so famous, but why is the little yellow rat such a big deal.

Was that intended?

OT: Pikachu was more or less picked as the flagship pokemon as far as I know just because Ash has one. That is about it really. Although if I were to pick my personal favourite starter or replacement I think I would pick either Charmander or Tediursa9not sure if I spelled that right).

 

[SD-Fiend]

simple: cos he's the one who's always out on the anime.

I get that, but why? Why did they chose him?

my guess is that they had to have a cute pokemon so it would be a first evolution that wasn't to far in the higher numbers. it would also have to be something that would appeal to boys and girls so nothing too cute and pink. and I guess they didn't want it to be one of the starters like charmander because then the kids would choose that starter in the games to try to copy ash.

 

[Sun Flash]

It was really popular with test audiences I think, more popular than the Clefairy they were going to use (as others have already said). IIRC, Clefairy (who was the creators favourite) was going to be some wise cracking side kick. So thankful they didn't.

One thing that has always disappointed me is the severe lack of love for Wartortle. He was awesome.

 

[Xman490]

Pikachu will FUCK YOUR SHIT UP! Ash has one that's practically level 100 (was 83 after the Johto region), and he only uses it when he's ready to blow up Team Rocket junk or get into a League championship.

That's what I remember, that is. I remember he used his Sceptile a lot.

 

[Simple Bluff]

Well, I think...
- He's attractive.
- Lightning is one of those things that both kids AND adults are oddly fascinated with.
- He's capable of growing stronger (and developing) without physically changing (doesn't evolve without assistance). This gives him room to grow like other pokemon, but unlike most others, won't change appereance thus making him familiar.
- Yellow is the colour of pride and achievement.
- Not quite sure if this is true, but he was seemingly the first pokemon concieved by the developers.

Anyway, to answer your other question, I was always particularly fond of Farfetch'd. Everything about him is just cool... except his stats.

EDIT: Hey, come on guys, why all the hate for mice? We haven't ALL sold out D:

 

[thibaut95]

pikachu isn't that bad but if there is one great pokemon,it's blastoise:a giant turtle with canons out off his back...awesome

 

[MorganL4]

I have always been a fan of pidgey myself. I mean it is just awesome. plus pidgeot rules ( I feel we need to limit this to original 151) as when the mascot was decided that was all that existed

 

[decaying dead]

because pikachu shits out lightning bolts - like come on just picture it, little yellow puffball is sitting there, lets out a really loud fart and this massive lightning bolt just goes flying across the room... but no, pikachu is completely useless. if they didn't make it the poster thing of pokemon nobody would even care that it existed in the first place. its like magikarp if it didn't turn into gyarados - utterly useless.

As for new poster thing, i nominate snorelax... whats not to love, it sits there, doesn't do much, it goes to sleep as an attack, just sheer awesomeness.

 

[Ice Car]

Pikachu is practically the poster boy of the Pokemon Cartoon. I will never refer to that abomination as an anime. I think it was a poor choice of a poster boy for Pokemon. They could have chosen other Pokemon way better than that electric rat.

 

[The Stonker]

He's basically the mascot just because he's the first and favourite of the Anime series' longstanding protagonist. Now while I do find Pikachu to be adorable, at the time when I was most obssessed with this series being roughly 9-12 or so, I didn't want any of that schmaltzy crap I wanted to capture, the coolest, biggest, baddest and meanest motherfuckers in the land and have them annihilate my enemies. The interesting thing to note is that I get the feeling that kids, or at least young boys (or maybe I'm projecting here) are rather averse to cutesyness and desire things more violent/action based with pretentions to a more mature audience. I mean since this franchise is essentially based around capturing animals, keeping them caged in conveniently portable spherical prisons and forcing them to beat the ever loving shit out of each other for entertainment then perhaps there should be a mascot more pertinent to that mindest. Something that says 'you're going to be 50 different kinds of fucked up when I get through with you' and that is why I would nominate the very incarnation pure rage and badassery that is Gyarados. It's a symbol for the franchise that'll draw in the kids not with saying 'Dawww look how cute' but 'fuck me, that thing is awesome, I'm going to wreck people's shit with this!' Maybe that's just my favouratism towards Gyarados, but I think it would be a more appropriate representation of what the series is actually about at it's core.

I hate Pikachu, so Gyarados all the way!
P.s. Mr fish prooves that Gyarados is the most awesome pokemon ever.

 

[ZombieMonkey7]

Fun fact, originally the pokemon mascot was going to be clefairy, but they changed it to pikachu. So pikachu being the mascot is not really all that bad

 

[That_Sneaky_Camper]

It is because of the Pokemon Anime. In its hay day it was one of the most popular Anime out there and kids came to love the companionship between Ash and Pikachu, I'm one of those kids who grew up with it myself. Pikachu in the game may not be the strongest Pokemon but he has decent enough stats that he is useable in battle and is a cute Pokemon to boot. What is there not to love?

 

[Kurai Angelo]

I think it's 'cos it's the least threatening. Bright yellow is a nice warm colour, it's cute and small, it has rosy red cheeks etc.

The anime was aimed at little kids so they picked what might have been the most kid friendly, they might have even had a focus group to choose which one 'cos it's funny how he is the main pokemon but he hovers around the middle in the original 151.

Do you mean hovers around the middle numerically? Becaaaause he was originally number 25. That's not really anywhere close to the middle.

 

[VinceVega]

I don't know, but the decision was stupid.
Pikachu/Raichu are shitty Pokemon, and there are so many better ones.

Wrong on so many levels, for a start electric pokemone have only one weakness ground type, and although not THE stongest electric pokemon Pikachu does have far above average attack and special when holding the light ball, as well as when coupled with thunder or volt tackle, It can take out nearly any non-resistant (of which there are only 3) and one immune.

Additionally most pokemon also have lower speed then Pikachu IF you are playing Pokemon competitvely, the common types are water, flying and ground (a kind of triad), followed by psycic and dragon

 

[Vonnis]

Simple. Pikachu has the cutest voice actor.

 

[Radeonx]

I don't know, but the decision was stupid.
Pikachu/Raichu are shitty Pokemon, and there are so many better ones.

Wrong on so many levels, for a start electric pokemone have only one weakness ground type, and although not THE stongest electric pokemon Pikachu does have far above average attack and special when holding the light ball, as well as when coupled with thunder or volt tackle, It can take out nearly any non-resistant (of which there are only 3) and one immune.

Additionally most pokemon also have lower speed then Pikachu IF you are playing Pokemon competitvely, the common types are water, flying and ground (a kind of triad), followed by psycic and dragon

I was more pointing out their aesthetic qualities, but there are quite a few better electric Pokemon, and if you are going with items and pure electric types, then Elektross blows it out of the water. Elektross is a fantastic mixed attacker, has no weaknesses whatsoever, has a great HP stat, and with a scarf is very fast.

 

[omega 616]

I think it's 'cos it's the least threatening. Bright yellow is a nice warm colour, it's cute and small, it has rosy red cheeks etc.

The anime was aimed at little kids so they picked what might have been the most kid friendly, they might have even had a focus group to choose which one 'cos it's funny how he is the main pokemon but he hovers around the middle in the original 151.

Do you mean hovers around the middle numerically? Becaaaause he was originally number 25. That's not really anywhere close to the middle.

Yeah, I meant in that same sense but I was using a very, VERY broad meaning of the phrase.

I didn't mean like 10 either way, I meant like he isn't 1 or 151. I did actually think he was a little further up than 25 though.

 

[Vault Citizen]

simple: cos he's the one who's always out on the anime.

I get that, but why? Why did they chose him?

I can't remember, all I know is they were originally going to go with Clefairy.