Pikachu is a short, chubby rodent 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. Each cheek is a red circle containing a pouch for electricity storage. Pikachu has short forearms with five fingers on each paw, and its feet have three toes each. At the base of its lightning bolt-shaped tail is a patch of brown fur. Female Pikachu have a V-shaped notch at the end of their tails, resembling the top of a heart. While classified as a quadruped, it can stand and walk on its hind legs, making it a facultative biped.
In the anime, wild Pikachu live in groups in forested areas. They communicate using squeaks and tail-shaking as friendly gestures. Alolan Pikachu greet each other by sniffing and rubbing their tails together. Electricity helps them send and receive messages with each other and other Electric-type Pokémon. By raising its tail, Pikachu checks its surroundings and may be struck by lightning. When groups grow large, they can inadvertently cause lightning storms. Pikachu forage for berries, roasting them with electricity to make them tender enough to eat. Burnt grass patches indicate their presence. In manga, Pikachu have been seen eating and sometimes destroying telephone poles, wires, and electronic equipment. Occasionally, Pikachu can get unintentionally swallowed by Cramorant while startled.
Pikachu charges itself overnight but stress and lack of sleep can affect this. It releases electric discharges of varying intensity. In the anime, Pikachu builds up energy in its glands, needing to discharge to avoid complications. It can release energy through its tail, which acts as a grounding rod, and recharge fellow Pikachu with electric shocks. Pikachu and its relatives are related to Pachirisu.
Forms
Pikachu has sixteen additional forms divided into four groups: Cosplay Pikachu, Pikachu in a cap, Partner Pikachu, and Gigantamax Pikachu. Many Pikachu variants have appeared in various media.
Cosplay Pikachu
Cosplay Pikachu is always female, has a black heart-shaped spot at the tail's end, and can wear any of five outfits corresponding to Contest conditions.
Pikachu in a Cap
Pikachu in a cap is always male, with eight variants wearing one of Ash's hats from the anime. This Pikachu can use the Z-Move 10,000,000 Volt Thunderbolt but cannot use Catastropika or Gigantamax.
Partner Pikachu
The Partner Pikachu is the Pokémon players start with in Pokémon: Let's Go, Pikachu!. This Pikachu can be either gender and has access to unique moves with higher base stats than normal Pikachu. It can learn Zippy Zap, Floaty Fall, Splishy Splash, and the partner power Pika Papow.
Gigantamax Pikachu
As Gigantamax Pikachu, it becomes larger and chubbier, with a longer tail capable of storing all generated electricity, glowing bright yellow and becoming as powerful as a lightning strike. Three red clouds float around its tail. Its power equals a power plant, but it can only remain in this form briefly.
Evolution
Pikachu evolves from Pichu and into Raichu. In Alola, it evolves into Alolan Raichu. Cosplay Pikachu, Pikachu in a cap, Partner Pikachu, and Pikachu with the Gigantamax Factor cannot evolve.
