Pichu

For fighter info, see Pichu (SSBM) and Pichu (SSBU).

Pichu
Official artwork of Pichu from Pokémon FireRed and LeafGreen Versions and Spiky-eared Pichu from Arceus and the Jewel of Life.
Universe	Pokémon
Debut	Pokémon Gold and Silver Versions (1999)
Smash Bros. appearances	Melee Brawl SSB4 (3DS only) Ultimate
Most recent non-Smash appearance	Pokémon Pokopia (2026)
Console/platform of origin	Game Boy Color
Species	Pichu
Gender	Varies
Place of origin	Johto
Designed by	Ken Sugimori
Voice actor	Satomi Korogi
Article on Bulbapedia	Pichu (Pokémon)

Pichu (ピチュー, Pichu) is a baby Pokémon from the Pokémon series, and the pre-evolved form of Pikachu. Debuting in the series's second generation, it appears as a playable character in Super Smash Bros. Melee and Super Smash Bros. Ultimate.

Origin

Official artwork of Pichu from Pokémon Gold and Silver Versions.

Pichu is a small, rodent-like Electric Pokémon characterized by its yellow fur, flat, triangular ears, and pink cheeks. It is categorized within the Pokédex as #172, the "Tiny Mouse Pokémon". As a baby Pokémon, Pichu is much less powerful than its evolved forms Pikachu and Raichu, and is unable to learn many of their moves. However, it can learn moves such as Charm, Sweet Kiss and Nasty Plot that emphasize its juvenile charm and immaturity. Pichu only evolves into Pikachu when it achieves a very high level of friendship with its Trainer.

The Pokédex explains that the electricity pouches in Pichu's cheeks are still small and unable to store much electricity. This, in turn, makes it inexperienced with handling electrical attacks, to the point that it occasionally inflicts damage to itself. While this is not one of its inherent traits in the Pokémon games (outside of two instances of a move-specific universal mechanic), it has nevertheless been demonstrated in the Pokémon anime, in Pokémon Channel and the Super Smash Bros. series.

Pichu's inexperience with handling electricity may also result in spontaneously discharging if amused or startled. Despite its small size, it can zap even adult humans, but surprises itself whenever it does so. When it plays with other Pichu, they may short out electricity with each other, creating a shower of sparks, startling them and causing them to start crying.

Pichu becomes more adept at storing electricity as it grows older, and will start playing with other Pichu by touching tails and discharging sparks in apparent mutual tests of courage. It charges itself with electricity more easily on days that either have very dry air or thunderclouds, in which case the crackling of static electricity can be heard coming off of it.

If the parent of a Pichu holds a Light Ball while the egg is produced, that Pichu will know Volt Tackle when it hatches. This is the primary method for members of Pichu's evolutionary line to learn that move.

Like Pikachu, Pichu has a special variant of its species; in Pichu's case, it is Spiky-eared Pichu, which debuted in Pokémon HeartGold and SoulSilver. True to her name, Spiky-eared Pichu features three spiky tufts of fur on her left ear. Spiky-eared Pichu also deviates from other members of her species by knowing Helping Hand and Pain Split, having different Pokéathlon stats and, most notably, her inability to evolve or be traded outside HeartGold and SoulSilver and her incompatibility with the Poké Transfer by extension. The latter two traits are later explained by Professor Elm as a side effect of her constantly traveling through time with Celebi.

While nowhere near as prominent as its evolved counterpart, Pichu has had major roles in several multimedia Pokémon projects. The theatrical short Pikachu & Pichu introduces the Pichu Brothers, two brothers who lead a club of mostly baby Pokémon in the city of Big Town, who would appear frequently in the Pokémon Chronicles spin-off series and spawn their own game on the Pokémon mini platform. More recently, a stop-motion animated series known as Pokémon Tales: The Misadventures of Sirfetch'd & Pichu has been announced, which is to be animated by Aardman Animations of Wallace & Gromit fame.

In Super Smash Bros. Melee

As a playable character

Pichu, as it appears in Super Smash Bros. Melee.

Pichu debuts as an unlockable character in Super Smash Bros. Melee. Pichu was developmentally-conceived as a joke character, serving as an inferior clone of Pikachu with pronounced weaknesses and reduced strengths. Its most infamous flaw is based on its Pokédex description of unintentionally harming itself with its own electricity: whenever Pichu performs an electrical attack, it will sustain 1%-4% recoil damage. Along with this, Pichu is the lightest character in Melee, giving it extremely poor endurance. Although its agility and adequate juggling capabilities have been highlighted in later years of the metagame, such positives are insufficient to offset its multitude of cons. Pichu currently ranks 22nd out of 26 on the Melee tier list, in the D tier.

Trophies

As a playable character, Pichu has three trophies - a normal trophy won beating the Classic Mode with Pichu on any difficulty, and "Smash Red" and "Smash Blue" trophies are acquired by beating the Adventure and All-Star modes, respectively.

Pichu's Classic Mode trophy in Melee

Pichu

(1.0/1.01 NTSC) A baby Electric-type Pokémon identifiable by its big ears, Pichu evolves into Pikachu. It's not very skilled at storing up electrical energy and will sometimes discharge it if jarred. Although it's small, it has enough electrical power to give even an adult quite a shock. It's often startled by its own power.

(1.02 NTSC/PAL) A Tiny Mouse Pokémon identifiable by its big ears, Pichu evolves into Pikachu. It's not very skilled at storing up electrical energy and will sometimes discharge it if jarred. Although it's small, it has enough electrical power to give even an adult quite a shock. It's often startled by its own power.

Pokémon Gold & Silver (10/00)

Pichu's Adventure Mode trophy in Melee

Pichu SMASH

Compared with Pikachu, Pichu is a tad more nimble and a little more difficult to hit. Those are the only two advantages, however, and since Pichu damages itself when it uses electrical attacks, it's best suited for handicapped matches. Even though Pichu's tough to catch, it's easy to throw its tiny frame great distances.

B: Thunder Jolt

Smash B: Skull Bash

Pichu's All-Star Mode trophy in Melee

Pichu SMASH

Pichu is the lightest character in Super Smash Bros. Melee., and it's top of the class in weakness, too! For Pichu, it's all about scampering here and there to pick up items that will help it survive. The first warp in Agility causes 1 point of damage to Pichu, and the second causes 3, so try to limit the number of times you use the move.

Up & B: Agility

Down & B: Thunder

In Super Smash Bros. Brawl

Pichu is one of the five playable characters in Melee who did not return as a playable character in Super Smash Bros. Brawl, along with Dr. Mario, Mewtwo, Roy and Young Link. It is the only one of the five who has neither unfinished data on Brawl's disc, nor a new playable character as a successor. However, its ability to wall jump and the blue goggles from its blue alternate costume were given to Pikachu. Pichu itself only appears as a trophy.

Trophy

Pichu makes an appearance in Brawl as a collectible trophy. It is obtained by completing All-Star Mode without using a continue. The trophy describes Pichu's appearance in the Pokémon games, and makes no reference whatsoever to its appearance in Melee.

Pichu's trophy in Brawl

Pichu

A Tiny Mouse Pokémon. Because its electric cheek pouches are still small, it cannot store electricity yet. Pichu has been known to flaunt its courage by touching tails with others and setting off sparks. It is easier for Pichu to build up electricity when the humidity is lower. Pichu will evolve into Pikachu.

: Pokémon Gold/Silver

: Pokémon Diamond/Pearl

In Super Smash Bros. 4

Once again, Pichu only appears as a trophy in Super Smash Bros. for Nintendo 3DS, while Super Smash Bros. for Wii U references it via Palutena's Guidance regarding Pikachu.

Trophy

Pichu's trophy in Super Smash Bros. for Nintendo 3DS

Pichu

Professor Elm must have been shocked when he discovered a pre-evolution of Pikachu! These cute baby Pokémon often discharge electricity accidentally when something takes them by surprise. They also play together by using their tails to make sparks fly! It's cute to watch, but it's good training for battle, too.

In Super Smash Bros. Ultimate

As a playable character

Pichu, as it appears in Super Smash Bros. Ultimate.

Pichu returns as a playable character in Super Smash Bros. Ultimate, for the first time in 17 years. In addition, Spiky-eared Pichu appears in this game as a playable character via Pichu's alternate costumes. However, unlike Pikachu Libre, Spiky-eared Pichu does not have an obtainable Fighter Spirit. Together with Young Link, Pichu shares the longest gap between playable appearances in the series.

Pichu still functions as a lighter, polarized clone of Pikachu, yet it has nevertheless been somewhat de-cloned (though not to the same extent as previous clones due to it not receiving as many entirely original moves), thanks to several of its moves having received modified animations, functionality changes and/or frame data adjustments, as well as Pikachu gaining a new neutral aerial. Presumably due to its previous status as a "joke character" in Melee, Pichu has been buffed greatly. Although several of Pichu's moves had their recoil damage increased in update 3.1.0, a few of these nerfs were undone in update 11.0.0. As a result, Pichu is considered by many to be a viable character, albeit not to same degree as before update 3.1.0, currently ranking in the B- tier at the 47th place out of 82.

Spirit

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  410. Pichu

Gallery

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  Spiky-eared Pichu, as she appears in Super Smash Bros. Ultimate.

Names in other languages

Language	Name
Japanese	ピチュー, Pichu
English	Pichu
French	Pichu
German	Pichu
Spanish	Pichu
Italian	Pichu
Chinese	皮丘, Pichu
Portuguese	Pichu
Korean	피츄, Pichu
Dutch	Pichu
Russian	Пичу

Trivia

• Pichu is the only playable character in Smash whose console of origin is the Game Boy Color.
• Chronologically, Pichu is the final fighter to debut in the 20th century.
• Pichu cannot legitimately learn Agility or Skull Bash in the Pokémon core series.
• Pichu is, in both of its playable appearances, the lightest character by weight across the entire cast.