Pikachu

Pikachu in the anime: the partner that refused to evolve

Pikachu is Ash Ketchum's first Pokémon and his constant companion through the anime. In episode 14, "Electric Shock Showdown," Pikachu loses badly to Lt. Surge's Raichu, and back at the Pokémon Center Ash is offered a Thunder Stone and lets Pikachu decide. Pikachu knocks the stone away with its tail, then wins the rematch on speed, using Agility and Quick Attack against a Raichu that Surge had evolved before it could learn Pikachu's speed moves. Ash kept that Thunder Stone for hundreds of episodes, and his Pikachu never evolved.

Pikachu on cards: from a Base Set common to 96 sets

Pikachu's first English card is Base Set #58 (1999), a Common illustrated by Mitsuhiro Arita. Commons are still its largest group in our catalog, 66 of 193 printings, with 59 promos close behind. Those promos are why Pikachu reaches 96 sets, more than any other Pokémon in our catalog; Raichu is next with 55.

By era, Sword & Shield contributes the most Pikachu cards (44), followed by Sun & Moon (42), Scarlet & Violet (25) and XY (20). The WOTC era, which ran only from 1999 to 2003, still accounts for 16.

Flying Pikachu and Surfing Pikachu are a recurring pair. Both began as Wizards Black Star Promos, returned as secret cards in Rising Rivals (2009) and Evolutions (2016), and came back as V and VMAX cards in Celebrations (2021). Modern chase treatments arrived with Scarlet & Violet: an illustration rare in 151, a special illustration rare Pikachu ex drawn by GIDORA in Surging Sparks, and two more special illustration rare Pikachu ex cards in Ascended Heroes.

One Pikachu card was never sold at all. Pokémon Illustrator, usually called Pikachu Illustrator, is a Japanese Trainer card drawn by Atsuko Nishida and awarded to winners of CoroCoro Comic illustration contests held in 1997 and 1998; 39 copies were officially distributed.

Why collectors care about Pikachu

Pikachu collecting is about breadth more than one chase card. Its printings cover all ten eras in our catalog, from Base Set commons to Ascended Heroes special illustration rares, and its 59 promos mean a complete Pikachu run reaches well beyond the main expansions.

Cards to know

• Pikachu: Base Set #58

  Pikachu's first English card, a Common from the 1999 Base Set illustrated by Mitsuhiro Arita.

• Pikachu: 151 #173

  An illustration rare by Hiroyuki Yamamoto from 151, the Scarlet & Violet set built around the original Kanto Pokémon.

• Pikachu ex: Surging Sparks #238

  A special illustration rare drawn by GIDORA, from the 2024 Surging Sparks set.

• Pikachu ex: Ascended Heroes #276

  One of two Pikachu ex special illustration rares in Ascended Heroes (2026), illustrated by booota.

• Surfing Pikachu: Rising Rivals #114

  A secret card numbered 114/111, part of the Surfing and Flying Pikachu line that runs from the Wizards Black Star Promos to Celebrations.