Old Pika, New Pika

[Spinor]

I was just looking over that...troped site... and a sort of Fridge Thought... or monitor thought... came to me when I saw a few Pictures of Pikachu.

If you've either not been living under a rock or still watch the show, you'd know Pikachu's design changed drastically the ~15 Pokemon's been on. A sort of Chubby into another sort of... chubby.

...Well, pictures are worth a thousand words. So look up a few Pictures. Do you prefer the old Pika from the originals, the current Pika, or some sort of in-between in Jotho or Hoenn that has some difference between those?

As for me, Pikachu looks a bit cuter today.

Please note I have the ability to swallow down alive the first person to spark up a debate about whether the old or new series are better. This is solemnly about Pikachu's appearance, and his appearance only.

 

[Niprop]

Pika was perfect between Jotho and Hoenn. Not the overweight slow thing it was when Ash first got him, but not the super lean guy it is now. He still looked cute, but you could tell that he had a base 90 speed!

 

[Ho-Oh]

...And incase people don't feel like searching...

Kanto

Orange Islands

Johto

Hoenn

Sinnoh

Though overall, yeah, I like the Johto/Hoenn one, Sinnoh's looks WAY too skinny.

 

[luf100]

I like Johto/Hoenn Pikachu. The same thing sort of happened with Meowth too, and I like skinnier Meowth better than chubby Meowth, sort of opposite of Pikachu. I like chubby-ish Pikachu. :P

 

[Guy]

When I watch the original series and then later the newer series, the first thought that comes to mind is how Pikachu's design changed in the show (and its personality too, if you really think about it). Sure, when the show first came out, Pikachu looked great, but then Johto and Hoenn started shaping Pikachu up a bit, and you can only think to yourself how much better Pikachu looked.

Sinnoh made it look cute, but I like the Johto and Hoenn version of Pikachu more. It still has that cute look Sinnoh kept, but it also has an edge to it where it still looks like a tough Pokémon considering everything from before.

Though, you really can't compare Pikachu's design from one image alone throughout the entire series. You have to see different aspects of it as not all of it is the same all the time. :\

 

[Kirbychu]

I don't think anyone has mentioned how Pikachu's has gotten lighter over the course of the series as well. This is the reason I prefer Johto/Early Hoenn. One thing that continuously annoys me is how the Stadium-esque games and the Smash Bros. series keep using the fat Pikachu model.

 

[Toxicroak]

i prefer the short and stubby pikachu from the Indigo League:

 

[Droidz]

I like Hoenn version the best. I agree with Forever that the Sinnoh pika is too skinny.

 

[Kieran]

Cheater Ash is totally starving cheater Pikachu.
Well, I still like him in Kanto's.
Nostalgia indeed. :)

 

[Silver25]

While I agree that the Sinnoh's version is too skinny, there are a few episodes where he looks much more like Hoenn's (my favorite). Although this slim Pikachu does look better in battles to me, but not when casually walking.

 

[>Feelings<]

Johto to Hoenn transition was best.
But since the art style varies with each episode to even each minutes sometimes, these are what I prefer Pikachu's body form to be:

One of them is actually from late Sinnoh, yet still the way I like it.

 

[Darkmoonazara]

I like pikachu possesed by the blue orb. XD

 

[Charizard★]

Johto and Hoenn for me :3

 

[Samike360]

Well Pikachu must have aged at least a little, maybe Pokemon show signs of age quicker than humans in the Pokemon world...

 

[Axєl]

Kanto Pikachu was my original favorite Pokemon, and even though I like it's appearance better now, Ikue Ootani changed her Pikachu voice. It's different sounding now days, and that's what bugs me. I liked how the old Pikachu sounded. ; ;

 

[Cherrim]

I like them all separately. I adore the fat Kantochu because short round things are adorable. But it never really seemed like the speedy type of Pokémon that Pikachu is meant to be. :( I think between Johto and Hoenn was best.

Sinnohchu is too thin, I agree. D: It's a bit too anthropomorphized for my tastes. It no longer looks like a mouse Pokémon at all, imo.

 

[Paper Ghost]

Fat Pikachu <3

That aside, i think it's cool how Pikachu changed as the show went by. o__0

 

[Iceshadow3317]

Well when was the last time we actully seen another pikachu? I think the main reason it has changed a lot is because he has walked a lot. But ya Johto and Hoenn Pika was the best.


But I also love kantochu.

 

[Poliwag]

I like them both in different ways ^_^

 

[institutions]

Kanto Pikachu was, and forever will be, the best.
I also remember the fat Pikachu having a different personality than the other season ones.
Pikachu has matured, and I don't like it.