Pokémon as a whole started off with three starter Pokémon for the company. Bulbasaur, Charmander, and Squirtle are most likely every Gen 1 trainers first Pokémon. However, only Pikachu has claimed the spot as the franchises' mascot for 25 years. Thanks to its simple design, as well as the years of familiarity and exposure in the Pokémon anime, Pikachu has become the face of Pokémon to the point of being synonymous with the name. However, with Ash and his Pikachu having ended their journey and most likely taking a break from the story as a whole, the new Pokémon Horizons's professor has Captain Pikachu as the returning mascot character for the new generation. It seems odd how a yellow mouse endured the test of time and remained the mascot of the Pokémon franchise, especially considering the fans reaction and overall adoration with them. Which begs the question of why exactly is this Pokémon so iconic to begin with?
The Pokémon series as a whole has moved on from Ash and Pikachu as characters, although it doesn't seem to have moved on from Pikachu as a mascot or an iconic face of their company. In fact, Pokémon Horizons keeps Pikachu as a character in the main cast, albeit in a different incarnation in Captain Pikachu. Pikachu remained the mascot for such a long time in fact, that many fans start wondering why and for how long is Pikachu to remain as such for the future. While the answer to that is as simple to many, that being that Pikachu will remain the mascot for a longer time, the matter of how and why Pikachu is the mascot is one that bears mentioning. There are a lot of reasons which relate to Pikachu's accomplishments in the anime, as well as the marketable use of his design for the audience that they are trying to appeal to. What exactly these mean and are will be further explored.
A Look Into The Anime
One detail that most fans of the anime may have realized and can tell from th every beginning is that Pikachu wasn't an option for any normal trainer as a starter. In fact, as shown in the first episode, Pikachu was a special case for Ash since he had arrived later and couldn't pick out any of the other three starters. Despite their rocky start, Pikachu did show an individuality and eventually a deep loyalty towards Ash that bordered on extreme and yet friendly. This aspect of Pikachu's character only became more accentuated as the story went on, with the Pokémon acting as Ash's most trusted Pokémon and undoubtedly his best friend.
As the anime went on, Pikachu soon developed new techniques that took the shining spotlight in Pokémon at the time. Ash had trained Pikachu to use a spinning move that deflected attacks, and in the Hoenn region learned to use Volt Tackle, a brand-new ability that was exclusive to Pikachu at the time. As a result, Pikachu's marketability and standing as the mascot of Pokémon strengthened, making the electric mouse favored by fans all around the world even more than they already were. Of course, this isn't the only reason why Pikachu is as favored as the iconic mascot of the Pokémon franchise. Part of it can also be attributed thanks to the design, which has evolved and grown over the years but remained with the same foundations.
Design And Approachability
Pikachu, as a Pokémon, isn't too complicated of a design when you first look at it. It's a yellow mouse with red pouch cheeks where it stores electricity, and has a thunder-shaped tail. There isn't much complicated nuance to the art design, although this serves to help it become an iconic mascot in the first place. After all, the primary focus of mascots is to represent the franchise they are a part of, as well as used for marketing purposes in selling their products. In this avenue, Pikachu is a long-standing and perfect representation of Pokémon due to familiarity as well as the design. Its friendly design is rife with the colors yellow and red, which are bright and appealing to children who may be fans of the show. Not just that however, Pikachu as a whole also represents a mouse, which represented an intimate pet that children could find themselves wanting to have and care for.
These aspects of Pikachu's design are also represented in the Pokémon's personality. Electric, excitable and yet determined when it comes to battle; Pikachu's biggest strengths are generally its approachability as well as cute design that favors to children as a whole. Even with Captain Pikachu taking the place of Ash's Pikachu for the series running forward, these traits seemingly remain the same and are only enhanced via the accessorial captain's hat that cements the design. It is most likely the reason for Pikachu's design and status as the iconic mascot many are familiar with is due to the Pikachu's special status in the anime as Ash's signature Pokémon as well as very first. Pikachu even had its own version of the Gen 1, titled Pokémon Yellow at the time, where the players had the chance to have a Pikachu same as Ash. Overall, it seems likely that Pikachu's status as Pokémon's mascot is a well-earned and foundational aspect of the franchise.