Ash’s Pikachu is an iconic Pokémon that accompanied the hero of the series on his journey to becoming a Pokémon Master from beginning to end. It has never evolved, though. Why is that?
When Ash and Pikachu first met, it certainly didn’t look like the deep friendship that would define the duo over the course of their journey.
For Ash, Pikachu was a last resort after he missed the opportunity to pick a starter Pokémon from Professor Oak on time. Pikachu, on the other hand, saw Ash as an annoying trainer who wanted to give it orders and stuff it into a Pokéball – resulting in the occasional electric shock for Ash.
Only a tough battle against a swarm of wild Spearow brought the two closer together. A long journey full of challenges and duels began, during which they both grew together.
However, unlike other Pokémon, Ash’s Pikachu never evolved. And there’s a simple reason for that.
No Raichu for Ash: Pikachu doesn’t want to evolve
Evolving is one of the fundamental principles of Pokémon when they get stronger. So it’s no surprise that this was a recurring theme for Ash’s Pikachu throughout the series. But Pikachu never became Raichu – partly due to another Raichu.
In the 14th episode of the Pokémon series, Pikachu’s evolution is first considered, as during the battle against Gym Leader Major Bob, Ash’s partner Pokémon is not only mocked but also decisively defeated by the Gym Leader’s Raichu.
While Pikachu is being nursed back to health in the Pokémon Center, it has the opportunity to evolve with a Thunder Stone. But it declines: it wants to prove that it can be strong enough even as Pikachu to defeat stronger Pokémon.
And so it happens: with a focus on speed, Pikachu manages to surprise the supposedly stronger Raichu and thus win another badge with Ash.
How the victorious battle went, you can see in the video on the Pokémon channel on YouTube:
It happens similarly later in the anime, when the friends meet Trainer Sho in episode 74. Again, Pikachu is defeated by a Raichu, falls unconscious, and must go to the Pokémon Center. Again, the topic of “evolution” comes up – quite literally, as the Thunder Stone is with Pikachu while it recovers.
However, it again decides against evolution and disappears into a forest to train alone. When Ash and his friends find it again due to the noticeable thunderclaps, they engage in a special training together. They then face Sho and Raichu again and win – without evolution.
And even until the end of the journey with Ash, Pikachu did not evolve, even though it repeatedly faced opponents who, on paper, were more powerful than the little electric mouse. Instead, it proved that it could keep up with them even as Pikachu.
Was there an exception? In a way, yes: Because even though Pikachu never evolved into Raichu, the episode “Hello, Pikachu” from the series “Pokémon Journeys” shows how it originally evolved from Pichu to Pikachu.
The episode portrays how Pichu is taken in by a Kangaskhan in a forest and befriends its baby. When the family separates again, it evolves into Pikachu upon farewell – and years later, it becomes Ash’s starter Pokémon.
Pikachu has become a special Pokémon over the years. Fans demonstrate this time and again. For example, with huge Pikachu collections in Pokémon GO.
