Pikachu is undoubtedly the most popular and probably the most beloved in the world, whom millions of players, viewers and readers perfectly associate with various games, anime, manga and full-length films. This character has been most associated with the entire franchise since its creation in 1996, and the status of the undisputed star was sealed by the anime series from 1997 (it was released in Poland in 2000). As many people remember, Pikachu is a faithful friend of the teenage Pokemon trainer Ash, who was the central character of the animation.
Pikachu has a completely different name
Even though it electrocutes you, Pikachu is an extremely funny Pokemon. It looks like a very large yellow mouse, which is also reflected in its name. This is a combination of the Japanese word “pika”, meaning flash, and the onomatopoeia “chu”, which the Japanese use to imitate the sounds of mice. In the series, everyone calls this Pokemon and about it “Pikachu” – fully aware that it is the name of the entire species. A bit like calling a cat “Cat” and a dog “Dog”. In addition, the creature keeps repeating this word in various charming ways to convey all possible emotions, which only fixes the name in memory.
Not every viewer or player is familiar with manga comics about the adventures of Ash and Pikachu. And that’s where the REAL name of this characteristic Pokemon appears, which travels with Ash and experiences numerous adventures. Pikachu’s name is not Pikachu at all, which is what the next generation of surprised people are discovering and why they are venting on TikTok.
It is worth knowing that already in the first volume of the manga titled “The Electric Tale of Pikachu” Ash announces that his Pikachu’s name is Jean Luc. Kreacher responds to this statement with a satisfied “Pi!”, and on his chest you can see the characteristic pin worn by all members of Starfleet from “Star Trek”.
Promotional materials The Electric Tale of Pikachu / ed. VIZ Media
This means that Pikachu is named after Captain Jean Luc Picard, who was successfully played by Patrick Stewart in the cult series “Star Trek: The Next Generation”.
Interestingly, in 1999, Time magazine announced that Jean Luc Pikachu was “the second best person of the year” and also “the most beloved animated character since Hello Kitty”. Our yellow friend gave way to Ricky Martin, who conquered the world with the song “Living La Vida Loca”, but overtook JK Rowling, who took fourth place. “Pikachu is the face of a phenomenon that was born from Nintendo’s fastest-selling video game and turned into an empire of collectible card games. Nintendo earned $300 million in sales within a year, and the feature film itself earned $50 million in the US alone in the first days. since the premiere. Adults may not understand what these creatures are all about, but they still won’t avoid paying for them,” she argued.
In 2003, Forbes calculated that Pikachu alone earned $825 million in 12 months, so it’s no surprise that the Times later recognized Pikachu as one of the 12 most influential video game characters. Experts agree that this Pokemon best of all shows the most important aspects of friendship between people and animals in pop culture, so it’s actually sad that not everyone knows what its real name is.
Source: Gazeta
Bruce is a talented author and journalist with a passion for entertainment . He currently works as a writer at the 247 News Agency, where he has established himself as a respected voice in the industry.
