The Origin of Ash's Pikachu

We all love (or hate) Ash's Pikachu. Really powerful, according to Team Rocket, he's "special" but things were really different in episode 1 about 21 years ago. That makes me wonder... What could Pikachu's origins be? We have never learned. We do know Oak had to have caught him at some point before episode one...

So, what do you guys think the origin/pre anime story could be for him? Will the anime ever delve into that?

Like Pikachu had to have come from an egg & been a Pichu at some point, right? What do you guys theorize?

No, the anime probably won't dwell into that, they rarely focus on backstories.

Ash's Pikachu is likely just a special and gifted Pikachu who has abnormal levels of power that can even rival legendaries.

Pikachu is a plot device. Powerful when it needs to be, rare, etc, and depowered all at once.

That's its backstory.

In the first episode pikachu was nearly killed by spearow. When he took it to the Pokemon center team rocket decided to steal all the Pokemon in that same center. Ash's pikachu still wasn't healed but it was necessary to win. So the pikachu brigade shocked ash's pikachu until it was fine. It is entirely possible and highly probable that Ash's pikachu then and now are not the same pikachu. Given the immediate change in pikachus demeanor this seems most likely. So we really have no idea anything about pikachu's backstory. What Enpatsu is true.

Isn't there another theory of ash's pikachu being red's pikachu, thus resulting in pikachu disobeying ash at the beginning of the series?

Sloxy said:

Isn't there another theory of ash's pikachu being red's pikachu, thus resulting in pikachu disobeying ash at the beginning of the series?

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I have also read this but I dont think it is true.

Calzone407 said:

In the first episode pikachu was nearly killed by spearow. When he took it to the Pokemon center team rocket decided to steal all the Pokemon in that same center. Ash's pikachu still wasn't healed but it was necessary to win. So the pikachu brigade shocked ash's pikachu until it was fine. It is entirely possible and highly probable that Ash's pikachu then and now are not the same pikachu. Given the immediate change in pikachus demeanor this seems most likely. So we really have no idea anything about pikachu's backstory. What Enpatsu is true.

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The whole "Ash's Pikachu after the Spearow attack is not the same Pikachu as the one he got at Professor Oak's lab" theory is, in my opinion, untrue. I'm not going to go into detail about how I feel about this theory.

Also, I've never heard about the theory about Ash's Pikachu having once been Red's Pikachu. I DO agree that Pikachu is a plot device... but I really do want to eventually learn about how Professor Oak came to find him. It's not completely impossible, you know. If Jessie & James, of all people, even Meowth, can get origin stories about why they're in Team Rocket, I'm sure there's at least a small possibility we'll eventually get a special episode detailing about Pikachu from the past.

Ironically despite having an infinite amount of episodes, important things like characterization are the last things on the anime's mind, so I bet an answer will never come.

Unless there was a huge spike in that interest, where they could make money off it; that's the only way.

And with how generally poor the writing is, I bet every cent I own it would fail to live up to anyone's expectations. Especially since the buzz and hype to get it made would be insane, even the best writer couldn't come up with a story to match those expectations.

So yeah, I stick with plot device. It becomes exactly what the narrative needs at any moment. He's a 4th wall Pikachu, haha.

Well, you're right about that, Shakugan. I can't even argue that it's untrue that the anime forgets characterization much more often than it ought to.

If it does happen, I'm sure it'd be to promote Let's go Pikachu, but that's...also a slim chance.

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Anyway, what I think Pikachu's pre-story origin is, is well... kinda... boring. Starter Pokemon are apparently breeded outsight and then sent to Professor Oak/Elm/Birch, etc, as according to anime lore. I honestly think that's all there is to it. read more about that in this section of the Bulbapedia article.

I also really do think Pikachu could have once been a Pichu but I'm not going to go into huge detail about that as there's no actual proof on that in any way.

Palamon said:

Well, you're right about that, Shakugan. I can't even argue that it's untrue that the anime forgets characterization much more often than it ought to.

If it does happen, I'm sure it'd be to promote Let's go Pikachu, but that's...also a slim chance.

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Anyway, what I think Pikachu's pre-story origin is, is well... kinda... boring. Starter Pokemon are apparently breeded outsight and then sent to Professor Oak/Elm/Birch, etc, as according to anime lore. I honestly think that's all there is to it. read more about that in this section of the Bulbapedia article.

I also really do think Pikachu could have once been a Pichu but I'm not going to go into huge detail about that as there's no actual proof on that in any way.

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I go by Yellow's version. Oak hacked the game, or in the anime, reality with his new invention, the Game Shark, and found God-chu right outside Pallet, despite no other Pikachus ever spawning there before or after.

I don't believe it's a different Pikachu, I think it just simply grew to trust Ash after the Sparrow incident.

I've also just always figured that Pikachu was wild, caught by the professor who felt he was worthy of being caught in the first place. The man knows stats, he's not gonna give trainers Pokemon that are too awful. Maybe it's nature was a little rowdy at first before he calmed down after meeting Ash, and by nature he could just be stronger than plenty of other Pikachu. lol