Kunihiko Yuyama, Pokemon’s executive director, explains the reason Ash started his journey by playing with Pikachu and not with one of the Kanto Pokemon’s first-timers.
Pokemon executive director Kunihiko Yuyama has finally offered an insider’s view of the reasons why the anime’s main character Ash Ketchum began his journey with Pikachu instead of any of the Kanto region’s three usual starter Pokemon.
Recently, Yuyama sat down to interview AnimediaMagazine. The interview was translated by Defender, who is a Serebii forum moderator. Yuyama stated that Pikachu is a combination of cuteness, strength, and the ability to bring laughter. “By my admission, I decided from the very get-go that the Pokemon who would be [Ash’s]companion would not be among the three you choose between at the start of the video game, since I figured that might make some of the viewers sad. So, he ended up with a Pikachu which is a choice I’m really glad I made.”
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The video games Pokemon Red and Blue were released in North America in 1998 after the series first began in Japan in 1996. At the start of each game, players can choose three of the three starter Pokemon: the fire-type Charmander and the water-type Squirtle, or the grass-type Bulbasaur. The Pokemon anime was first introduced in Japan in 1997, before being introduced to the West in 1998. The main character of the anime Ash is shown asleep when he is supposed to get his starter from Professor Oak. When he gets there, Charmander, Squirtle, and Bulbasaur are gone. Oak is nice to Ash and gives him the electric-type Pikachu. (That is to say, Ash would later add Charmander, Squirtle, and Bulbasaur to his squad under various circumstances.)
Pikachu and Ash changed the game literally
It’s interesting to know that Pokemonanime’s popularity as well as Pikachu’s popularity, especially Ash’s, influenced the original game series. In 1998, Pokemon Yellow was released in Japan as well, and then the game began making its way to North America in 1999. Yellow takes place in the same location and has the same storyline as RED Blue and Blue. Instead of being able to select between Charmander, Squirtle, or Bulbasaur players are given Pikachu as their starting Pokemon. Pokemon yellow. Similar to Ash’s Pikachu which is in the game, also like to go outside of its Poke Ball and refuses to evolve into Raichu.
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Ash and Pikachu have proven to be extremely popular, so much so that they’ve appeared in numerous versions of the Pokemon anime over the past 26 years. However, with Ash being crowned Pokemon World Champion in Pokemon Ultimate Journeys: The Series — successfully achieving his long-term goal of becoming a Pokemon master Ash and Pikachu are now ready to leave. Ultimate Journeys is in the process of concluding its run. The show will follow with a brand new Pokemon anime that will focus on two new characters: Liko and Roy. The show is scheduled to premiere this year and is inspired by the latest Pokemon video games, Scarlet, and Violet.