Pikachu/Raichu
moltres93:
Pikachu. They wouldn’t have chosen it as Pokémon’s mascot if it wasn't one of the better designs.
Yelsha42:
Or so you'd imagine anyway; the runner-up was Jigglypuff, which is a pink blob with a face. However Pikachu actually does have a fairly good design. Its main features would have the be the red cheeks and iconic lightning bolt shaped tail, wouldn’t you agree?
moltres93:
Yes, they are very unique trademarks. However the earlier Pikachu designs look VERY different to the Pikachu we know today. Its body had a lot less shape and its arms were stumpier, which made it look like it couldn't move very well. When Pikachu was chosen as the star of the anime, they had to make some adjustments to the initial design so it could move in a variety of poses, and also to make it look a little cuter XD
Yelsha42:
Though originally Pikachu was still a bit chunky at the start of the anime. Professor Oak must have been feeding it too much.
moltres93:
Yep, it's clear they didn't want to change it TOO much to begin with, but over time it changed again quite dramatically. Comparing the early Sugimori artwork to a screenshot of a later anime Pikachu, you can see just how much its body shape has changed. However, I believe these changes were very welcome. Not only did it give the animators more freedom in how they could make Pikachu move, it also made it look cuter as I already mentioned.
Yelsha42:
One thing I don’t like about Pikachu’s tail is how 2D it looks. It’s so flat, it’s hard to imagine it viewed from any other angle.
moltres93:
Yeah, I agree with you on that one. But again the lightning bolt shape on its own is a brilliant idea. Another thing I wanted to discuss is that Pikachu is classified as being a mouse, but it hardly looks like one at all.
Yelsha42:
I think the key factor is the cheeks. Sort of reminiscent of how many rodents store food in their cheeks, only Pikachu stores electricity. If its ears were round then it would look incredibly mouse like.
moltres93:
Yes, but rodents include rabbits. Pikachu’s pointed ears are another one of its trademarks, but it makes it look as if it were based on a rabbit.
Yelsha42:
I think the shorter limbs make it look more mouse-like.
moltres93:
So it seems to have elements of both. Either way, there's no debating it's a rodent. It’s interesting that it doesn't have prominent front teeth for gnawing like almost all other rodent Pokémon have. After watching Pikachu in the anime, it seems apparent that its prominent teeth are its canines.
Yelsha42:
Very interesting indeed. Possibly to do with a diet not based around nuts and more around slightly tougher foods.
moltres93:
Who knows, maybe it even eats insects or other smaller animals! Anyway, there’s one thing about Pikachu’s appearance that I’m not that keen on. In most pictures its eyes are pitch black with a small highlight. I suppose this is meant to make its eyes more ‘beady’ and rodent-like. But to me they make it look a little creepy. Close-up, Pikachu’s eyes are actually shown to be dark brown. I think if all Pikachu depictions had brown highlights it would make it seem a little less creepy for me XD Anything else you want to add about Pikachu?
Yelsha42:
I think that's about it. Let’s move onto Pikachu’s evolution, Raichu.
moltres93:
Raichu is actually quite a popular Pokémon, especially among collectors. It has a nice design, but what do you think made it particularly effective?
Yelsha42:
It seems to evenly combine aspects of cuteness and toughness.
moltres93:
Yes, that's always strength in well designed middle evolutions. I think its whip-like tail with a lightning bolt on the end also plays a part. It's a unique and interesting trademark.
Yelsha42:
Definitely! It's an interesting change from Pikachu's shorter tail. Raichu’s ears are also more defined, and the colours are less bright.
moltres93:
I really like Raichu’s ears because they’re an interesting design, but also because they are more rounded like a true mouse. However, they are a really dramatic change from Pikachu’s pointed ears. The colour scheme, lightning bolt tail and cheeks only just seem to be enough to indicate Raichu is an evolution of Pikachu. I think there could have been more similarities, but overall both designs are great on their own.
Ashley said:
I’d say those similarities on their own are enough to make it recognisable as Pikachu's evolution.
moltres93:
I give the line as a whole 7/10.
Yelsha42:
I'd give it 8/10 - at the time their trademarks were very original!
Next: Sandshrew/Sandslash
Pikachu. They wouldn’t have chosen it as Pokémon’s mascot if it wasn't one of the better designs.
Yelsha42:
Or so you'd imagine anyway; the runner-up was Jigglypuff, which is a pink blob with a face. However Pikachu actually does have a fairly good design. Its main features would have the be the red cheeks and iconic lightning bolt shaped tail, wouldn’t you agree?
moltres93:
Yes, they are very unique trademarks. However the earlier Pikachu designs look VERY different to the Pikachu we know today. Its body had a lot less shape and its arms were stumpier, which made it look like it couldn't move very well. When Pikachu was chosen as the star of the anime, they had to make some adjustments to the initial design so it could move in a variety of poses, and also to make it look a little cuter XD
Yelsha42:
Though originally Pikachu was still a bit chunky at the start of the anime. Professor Oak must have been feeding it too much.
moltres93:
Yep, it's clear they didn't want to change it TOO much to begin with, but over time it changed again quite dramatically. Comparing the early Sugimori artwork to a screenshot of a later anime Pikachu, you can see just how much its body shape has changed. However, I believe these changes were very welcome. Not only did it give the animators more freedom in how they could make Pikachu move, it also made it look cuter as I already mentioned.
Yelsha42:
One thing I don’t like about Pikachu’s tail is how 2D it looks. It’s so flat, it’s hard to imagine it viewed from any other angle.
moltres93:
Yeah, I agree with you on that one. But again the lightning bolt shape on its own is a brilliant idea. Another thing I wanted to discuss is that Pikachu is classified as being a mouse, but it hardly looks like one at all.
Yelsha42:
I think the key factor is the cheeks. Sort of reminiscent of how many rodents store food in their cheeks, only Pikachu stores electricity. If its ears were round then it would look incredibly mouse like.
moltres93:
Yes, but rodents include rabbits. Pikachu’s pointed ears are another one of its trademarks, but it makes it look as if it were based on a rabbit.
Yelsha42:
I think the shorter limbs make it look more mouse-like.
moltres93:
So it seems to have elements of both. Either way, there's no debating it's a rodent. It’s interesting that it doesn't have prominent front teeth for gnawing like almost all other rodent Pokémon have. After watching Pikachu in the anime, it seems apparent that its prominent teeth are its canines.
Yelsha42:
Very interesting indeed. Possibly to do with a diet not based around nuts and more around slightly tougher foods.
moltres93:
Who knows, maybe it even eats insects or other smaller animals! Anyway, there’s one thing about Pikachu’s appearance that I’m not that keen on. In most pictures its eyes are pitch black with a small highlight. I suppose this is meant to make its eyes more ‘beady’ and rodent-like. But to me they make it look a little creepy. Close-up, Pikachu’s eyes are actually shown to be dark brown. I think if all Pikachu depictions had brown highlights it would make it seem a little less creepy for me XD Anything else you want to add about Pikachu?
Yelsha42:
I think that's about it. Let’s move onto Pikachu’s evolution, Raichu.
moltres93:
Raichu is actually quite a popular Pokémon, especially among collectors. It has a nice design, but what do you think made it particularly effective?
Yelsha42:
It seems to evenly combine aspects of cuteness and toughness.
moltres93:
Yes, that's always strength in well designed middle evolutions. I think its whip-like tail with a lightning bolt on the end also plays a part. It's a unique and interesting trademark.
Yelsha42:
Definitely! It's an interesting change from Pikachu's shorter tail. Raichu’s ears are also more defined, and the colours are less bright.
moltres93:
I really like Raichu’s ears because they’re an interesting design, but also because they are more rounded like a true mouse. However, they are a really dramatic change from Pikachu’s pointed ears. The colour scheme, lightning bolt tail and cheeks only just seem to be enough to indicate Raichu is an evolution of Pikachu. I think there could have been more similarities, but overall both designs are great on their own.
Ashley said:
I’d say those similarities on their own are enough to make it recognisable as Pikachu's evolution.
moltres93:
I give the line as a whole 7/10.
Yelsha42:
I'd give it 8/10 - at the time their trademarks were very original!
Next: Sandshrew/Sandslash
