Pikachu Day Date in the current year: February 5, 2025

The Pokémon franchise was created by Japanese video game designer and director Satoshi Tajiri and is set in a fictional universe where people coexist with creatures with special powers called Pokémon (short for “pocket monsters”). The franchise began with the release of two console games, Pocket Monsters Red and Green, in February 1996. Since then, it has expanded to include various video games (RPGs and spin-offs in other genres), animated series, animated and live-action films, a trading card game, and other media.

The Pokémon franchise features over a thousand Pokémon species, each with a unique design and set of skills and powers. Pikachu is probably the most recognizable, thus serving as the franchise’s mascot. It is a large, yellow, mouse-like rodent with red sacs on its cheeks and a tail shaped like a lightning bolt, which alludes to Pikachu’s electric powers.

Pikachu was conceived during the development of the first Pokémon games, Pocket Monsters Red and Green, when character designer Ken Sugimori realized the game needed cuter Pokémon. He recruited graphic artist Atsuko Nishida to join the development team because he thought a female perspective would be helpful – and he was right.

Nishida originally based Pikachu’s design on the Japanese sweet treat daifuku but then changed it, basing the Pokémon on a squirrel. Squirrels inspired one of Pikachu’s most recognizable traits: its red cheek sacks, which store electricity similarly to how squirrels store food in their cheeks. Later, Sugimori changed the design to resemble a mouse rather than a squirrel, but he kept the cheeks and the tail.

In addition to the original video games, Pikachu was featured prominently in the Pokémon anime series, which was released in 1997. In the series, Pikachu is the first Pokémon and companion of the main protagonist, Ash Ketchum. Pikachu was well-received by viewers and was even referred to as “the most beloved animated character since Hello Kitty” by Time in 1999. Its cute appearance and simple yet appealing design have been credited with contributing to its popularity.

Since then, Pikachu has become an icon of the Pokémon franchise and of Japanese pop culture in general. As the franchise’s mascot, Pikachu has appeared in various merchandise and promotional events in Japan and around the world, including the Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade. In 2022, a rare Pikachu collectible card sold at auction for $900,000.

Pikachu Day is unofficially celebrated on February 5 because Pikachu’s number in the National Pokédex (an official electronic encyclopedia of all Pokémon species) is 25. Fans around the world celebrate by posting Pikachu fan art online, buying Pikachu-themed merchandise, re-watching Pokémon animated series or movies, playing Pokémon games, and spreading Pikachu love on social media with the hashtag #PikachuDay.