Do we like Pikachu?
A character from Pokémon: The Series (Ash Ketchum's Pikachu) (1997–2023)
Our score: 9 out of 10. Yes, we'd back him. He's stubborn and brave, he's the best friend anyone could ask for, and he has never walked out on Ash.
Ash Ketchum sets out at ten to become a Pokémon Master, but he oversleeps and gets the last Pokémon in Professor Oak's lab. That Pokémon is Pikachu. The series follows their journey across many regions, with new friends, rivals and Pokémon League challenges along the way.
Pikachu doesn't start out as a loyal sidekick. He ignores Ash, won't go into his Poké Ball, and shocks his new trainer. Ash's refusal to give up on him, even when Pikachu is in danger, wins him over. After that he's one of fiction's most loyal partners, and he stays out of his Poké Ball by choice. He's also a little vain and sulky, and sometimes jealous of Ash's other Pokémon. That adds to his charm.
He scores high because he's brave, loyal, and has real character. He takes on opponents far bigger than himself, steadies the team when Ash panics, and has pulled off some of the series' biggest wins. He has also been a quiet constant for over twenty-five years of Ash's journey. He loses points only for ignoring Ash's commands now and then, and for the collateral damage from his lightning bolts.
In the closing arc of Ash's story, Pikachu wins the final battle against Leon's Charizard. That confirms him as Ash's ace. After the final battle, he and Ash set off together on a new journey to meet and befriend Pokémon.