If Pikachu didn't exist who would be the main Pokémon?

All I know is this: if Jigglypuff were the mascot for the series, I would have looked at the original games, passed, and today I would be posting on "ZeldaCommunity" forums instead of this fine place. :D

Though seriously folks, I think the prime contenders would be either Eevee or Mewtwo; the former because of the hype around it near the beginning of the franchise's life(and let's face it, ever since), and the latter because it would have been a game mascot if RBY followed the coventions of subsequent generations.

Though to be totally biased, I think Abra would have been the best Pokémon mascot. Cute(at least in my twisted mind), annoyingly powerful(at least by the standards of the first generation), and a perfect combination of rarity and difficulty in capture(Teleport, I hate you). That is all.

Clefairy should have been the mascot for the Pokemon. The Coro-coro manga went by that.

That or Charmander, Bulbasaur, and Squirtle for Generation 1. Ho-oh and Lugia for Generation 2. Groudon, Kyogre, and Rayquaza for Generation 3. Dialga, Palkia, and Giratina for Generation 4. And Reshiram, and Zekrom along with Kyurem using the forms for both for Generation 5. Respective Pokemon for respective generation.

There'd be no Yellow version IIRC.

What first poster said, Clefairy would probably do well, but imo would be too cute compared too pikachu. I'd like maybe instead to see.. pidgey?

Eevee because it would fit in best with an "I never want to evolve" scenario, although Ash would have to teach it TM's to keep it interesting in battles

I could see it being Jigglypuff or Meowth.

On the other hand if Pikachu didn't exist there would probably have just been a different cute pokemon to fill it's roll, rather than an existing pokemon.

It would be clefairy because he was originally going to be ash's starter but they made it pikachu instead.

I think Eevee would be a good choice as well.. I think as far as the anime is concerned it could add some conflict as to what Ash should evolve it into as they continue to discover more eeveelutions.

Clefairy would be as it was planned to be the mascot in the first place. That's why isamu akai from the pocket monsters manga has a Clefairy as a partner.

Eevee because Eevee has more than 7 eeveelutions. Also, Pokemon could make games out of Eeveelutions for example, Pokemon Glace, Pokemon Esp, Pokemon Umb. Also, Clefairy isn't good because it makes pokemon look feminine. Pikachu has a yellow colour which can be both genders. Also, Pikachu and Eevee both look like they can be boys or girls. SO EEVEE.

Charizard or Poliwag.

Charizard was the mascot for the original game (Red) which was released both in Japan and Internationally (Green, the other original game, didn't make it out of Japan until the remakes). He was one of the main Pokemon in the anime and continues to be a prevalent force there (as evidenced by his numerous guest appearances and recent return to Ash's team in Best Wishes 2). On numerous forums, namely Nintendo's Official Magazine (2010) and IGN (late 2011), he was voted by fans as the favorite Pokemon. This seems like the logical choice.

Poliwag, primarily because its Satoshi Tajiri's favorite Pokemon.

I've been wondering why Eevee wasn't the mascot ever since that episode where that guy refused to evolve his Eevee. It's a cute Pokémon that doesn't want to evolve (sound familiar?), but its ability to evolve into many different types of Pokémon makes it a much more appropriate mascot for the franchise than Pikachu, if you ask me.

I think thats obvious,freaking charizard!

If Pikachu didn't exist to be the main Pokemon then my second choice would have to be Bulbasaur. Bulbasaur is the first Pokemon of the whole dex, so why not have Bulbasaur be the main Pokemon?

Eevee, due to its ability to evolve to a bazillion forms would fall under a second choice too.

I've heard clefairy was supposed to be the main pokemon. Dunno I find it really ugly (one of that pokemon whose first gen sprite I like better than the later ones). Well one thing's for sure: in the eyes of the developers of the series the main pokemon has to be cute, so if neither pikachu nor clefairy would exist, I think eevee or jigglypuff would be the representing pokemon.

Eevee would of been a good mascot and in the anime it probably would of never evolved but would of been insanely powerful beating regiice latias and Dragonite

I would of liked to see Snorlax as the main Pokemon of the series, that would of been awesome! Think it could make for some funny scenes in the Anime too.

Excluding the main pokemon such as Pikachu, JigglyPuff, Clefairy, Poliwhirl, the legendaries and 3 starters, I could see:
Sandshrew being the main starter because he is a blank slate, simple in design yet cute and appealing to people.
OR
Eevee due to popularity and ability to transform the creature into (at the time) 3 different types. This pokemon not only represents itself but 3 others all at the same time.
OR
Nidoran(male) because he has a great character design that will appeal to both genders and also he looks pretty unique to me.

Schadenfreude said:

Sandshrew being the main starter because he is a blank slate, simple in design yet cute and appealing to people.

Click to expand...

^ This is what I was going to say. That and if he was Ash's Pokemon instead of Pikachu, there could always be the running gag of Sandshrew curling up into a ball to ignore Ash...though it'd make fighting Misty pretty hard in the beginning of the series.

Chimecho.

Damn guy is adorable.

I miss Jame's Chimecho it was by far his best pokemon, and the episode where he left it behind was easily more depressing than bye-bye butterfree.