Pichu

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

Pichu
Official artwork of Pichu from Pokémon FireRed and LeafGreen Versions and Arceus and the Jewel of Life.
Universe	Pokémon
Debut	Pokémon Gold and Silver Versions (1999)
Smash Bros. appearances	Melee Ultimate
Most recent non-Smash appearance	Pokémon Ultra Sun and Ultra Moon (2017)
Console 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 fictional creature from the Pokémon series. It debuted in the series' second generation, and represents that generation as a playable character in Super Smash Bros. Melee and Super Smash Bros. Ultimate.

Character description

Official artwork of Pichu from Pokémon Gold and Silver Versions.

Pichu is a small, rodent-like Pokémon, and is categorized within the Pokédex at #172 as the "Tiny Mouse Pokémon". As the pre-evolved form of Pikachu and a baby Pokémon, Pichu is less powerful than its evolved forms. While it cannot learn some moves that Pikachu and Raichu can, it can learn three moves (Charm, Sweet Kiss and Nasty Plot) that its evolved forms cannot. 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 does not actually occur in the Pokémon games outside of two instances, it has nevertheless been demonstrated in both the Pokémon anime and the Super Smash Bros. series.

Pichu's inexperience with handling electricity may also result in it discharging it accidentally and spontaneously 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.

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 Versions. 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 her inability to evolve or be traded outside HeartGold and SoulSilver Versions (and her incompatibility with the Poké Transfer by extension). The latter traits are later explained by Professor Elm as a side effect of her constantly traveling through time with Celebi.

In Super Smash Bros. Melee

As a playable character

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

Pichu is a playable unlockable character in Super Smash Bros. Melee. As confirmed in a development news update shortly after Melee's release, Pichu is a "joke character" because of its status as an overwhelmingly inferior clone of Pikachu that possesses many significant weaknesses. 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. Due to its glaring weaknesses, Pichu is ranked 24th out of 26 on the Melee tier list, placing it in the G tier.

Trophy

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 (GBC)

• 

  Pichu [Classic Mode] trophy

• 

  Pichu [Smash, Adventure Mode] trophy

• 

  Pichu [Smash, All-Star Mode] trophy

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. It is also the only character who neither has unfinished data on Brawl's disc, nor a new playable character as a successor. Instead, Pichu only appears as a trophy. However, its ability to wall jump and the blue goggles from its blue alternate costume were given to Pikachu.

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 Super Smash Bros. 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

Pichu once again did not return as a playable character in Super Smash Bros. 4. Instead, it has 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.

After a two installment absence, Pichu returns as a playable character in Super Smash Bros. Ultimate. This marks its first playable appearance in 17 years, a distinction shared with fellow Melee newcomer Young Link. Like Pikachu, Pichu now has a female variant to select from via alternate costumes; in Pichu's case, it is Spiky-eared Pichu. Unlike Pikachu Libre, Spiky-eared Pichu does not appear as a Spirit.

Pichu still functions as a lighter, polarized clone of Pikachu, yet it has nevertheless been marginally de-cloned, thanks to a number of its moves having slightly modified animations and/or marginal lag decreases, as well as Pikachu gaining a new neutral aerial. Despite the term "Echo Fighter" being used in Ultimate to denote clones, Pichu is not labeled as such. While no official reason for this has been given, it is possible that the noticeable differences between it and Pikachu's attributes and the retention of Pichu's electricity-based recoil damage mechanic are the primary factors for this.

Spirit

No.	Image	Name	Type	Origin Game
410		Pichu	Fighter Spirit	Pokémon Gold & Silver

Gallery

• 

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

Trivia

• Pichu was the most recently debuted playable character at the time of Melee's release. This does not include Roy, who had not made an official debut in his own home series yet.
• Pichu is the only playable character whose console of origin is the Game Boy Color.
• Pichu is the only playable baby Pokémon.
  • It is also the only playable Pokémon to be part of the same evolutionary family as another playable Pokémon.
  • It is also the first playable Pokémon not to originate from Generation I.
• The Pichu evolution family is one of three to have its entire family appear in one Super Smash Bros. game. In Ultimate, Pichu and Pikachu are playable characters, and Alolan Raichu appears as a Poké Ball Pokémon. The others are the Riolu evolution family, as Riolu appears as a trophy in Brawl, where Lucario debuted as a fighter; and the Munchlax evolution family, as both Munchlax and Snorlax appear as Poké Ball Pokémon in Brawl.
• Pichu and Squirtle are the only playable Pokémon to be in their first stage of their evolutionary line.
• Despite Pichu utilizing both Skull Bash and Agility as part of its moveset, Pichu cannot legally learn either move in the Pokémon core series. Interestingly, Pichu also receives recoil damage if it uses these moves, despite said moves lacking the electric effect or being moves that are suppose to cause recoil.
• In the Pokémon games, the only Electric-type moves that Pichu receives recoil damage from are Volt Tackle and Wild Charge. This Super Smash Bros.-specific attribute most likely derives from its Pokédex entries, which state that Pichu are "unskilled at storing electric power". It could also be a reference to the Pichu Brothers being overwhelmed by their own electricity, as shown in Pikachu and Pichu.