💛🖤Pikachu🖤💛

Universal Voice: Ikue Ōtani voices Pikachu in all regional dubs of the anime worldwide, making it one of the few characters whose voice is consistent globally.Scientific Namesake: Scientists discovered a retinal protein that converts light into electrical energy and named it "Pikachurin" in honor of the electric mouse.Not a Mouse: Even though it's classified as the Mouse Pokémon, designer Atsuko Nishida originally based its design on a squirrel.Ketchup Lover: In the anime, Pikachu has a massive soft spot for ketchup and will actively seek it out. When the franchise was first created, the pink, fairy-like Pokémon Clefairy was chosen as the original mascot to appeal to audiences. However, once the animated series began development, creators switched to Pikachu because its bright yellow color was easier for children to spot from a distance and it appealed equally to both boys and girls. The name is a sound pun: "Pika" is the Japanese onomatopoeia for an electric spark, and "chu" is the sound a mouse makes.Real-world biology: In 2008, Japanese scientists discovered a new human retinal protein that helps transmit electrical impulses from the eyes to the brain and named it Pikachurin in honor of Pikachu's lightning-fast moves.One voice worldwide: Unlike most characters in the animated series who get redubbed by local voice actors in different countries, Pikachu's voice actress, Ikue Ōtani, provides Pikachu's voice for every single country's version of the show to keep the character's iconically universal sound.Gender differences: You can tell a male and female Pikachu apart by looking at the tail. Male Pikachus have a flat lightning bolt tail, while female Pikachus have a distinct heart shape at the tip of theirs.Real currency: The tiny Pacific island nation of Niue released an official, legal-tender one-dollar coin featuring Pikachu on the back. 💛🖤You are Ash🖤💛