Editing Pikachu (section)

===Localization and as a mascot===
Series director [[Junichi Masuda]] stated that Pikachu's name was one of the most difficult to create, due to an effort of wanting to make it appealing to both Japanese and American audiences.<ref name=":5">{{cite magazine |author=Noble, McKinley |date=2009-03-23 |title=Pokemon Platinum: Developer Interview! |url=http://www.gamepro.com/article/previews/209340/pokemon-platinum-developer-interview-pt-2/ |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090327224428/http://www.gamepro.com/article/previews/209340/pokemon-platinum-developer-interview-pt-2/ |archive-date=2009-03-27 |access-date=2009-06-09 |magazine=[[GamePro]]}}</ref> The name is derived from a combination of two Japanese onomatopoeia: ''ピカ (pika)'', a sparkling sound, and ''チュー (chū)'', a sound a mouse makes.<ref name="time-12">{{cite magazine |date=November 22, 1999 |title=The Ultimate Game Freak |url=http://content.time.com/time/magazine/article/0,9171,2040095,00.html |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20100501090040/http://www.time.com/time/asia/magazine/99/1122/pokemon6.fullinterview1.html |archive-date=2010-05-01 |access-date=December 24, 2021 |magazine=[[Time (magazine)|Time]] |page=1 |volume=154 |issue=20}}</ref> When localizing the games for the United States, [[Nintendo of America]]'s staff initially proposed to redesign "cute" Pokémon in order to appeal to an American audience. According to Pokémon Company president [[Tsunekazu Ishihara]], they had proposed to change Pikachu to look like "something like a tiger with huge breasts. It looked like a character from the musical ''[[Cats (musical)|Cats]].''" Taken aback, he had asked them how it was supposed to be Pikachu, and in response they pointed to the character's tail. This suggestion was scrapped, and Pikachu used the same design in the west as it did in Japan.<ref>{{Cite magazine |last=Intreglia |first=Courtney Mifsud |date=2024-02-26 |title=The Path to Pokémon |url=https://time.com/6796536/history-origins-pokemon/ |access-date=2024-07-19 |magazine=TIME |language=en |archive-date=July 20, 2024 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240720132439/https://time.com/6796536/history-origins-pokemon/ |url-status=live }}</ref> However, Nintendo CEO [[Satoru Iwata]] recalled the events differently. At the time, Iwata was working at [[HAL Laboratory]], and one of the localizers upon seeing the Pokémon designs stated "Something this cute can't be called a 'monster'", arguing monsters should be muscular and fearsome. As a result, the localization team drew up a muscular redesign of Pikachu for Iwata to submit to Game Freak. Iwata refused, stating his reaction was "There's no way we can show this to the people who made ''Pokémon''."<ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.nintendo.co.jp/ir/events/081031qa/03.html |website=[[Nintendo]] |language=Japanese |script-title=ja:2008年10月31日(金)経営方針説明会/第2四半期(中間)決算説明会 |trans-title=Friday, October 31, 2008 Management Policy Briefing / Second Quarter (Interim) Financial Results Briefing |page=3 |accessdate=2024-09-20 |date=2008 |archive-date=September 26, 2024 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240926134252/https://www.nintendo.co.jp/ir/events/081031qa/03.html |url-status=live }}</ref>

Initially considered alongside [[Clefairy]] as lead characters for franchise merchandising, Pikachu emerged as the mascot of the anime series due to its popularity amongst schoolchildren and appeal to both boys and girls.<ref name="time-12" /><ref>{{cite magazine |last1=Hillard |first1=Kyle |date=17 August 2017 |title=''Pokémon''{{'}}s Creators On the Anime: 'We Weren't Really Sure About It' |url=https://www.gameinformer.com/b/features/archive/2017/08/17/pokemons-creators-on-the-anime-we-werent-really-sure-about-it.aspx |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20221130144237/https://www.gameinformer.com/b/features/archive/2017/08/17/pokemons-creators-on-the-anime-we-werent-really-sure-about-it.aspx |archive-date=November 30, 2022 |access-date=6 November 2017 |magazine=Game Informer |language=en}}</ref><ref name=":8">{{Cite web |last=Byrd |first=Matthew |date=2021-04-28 |title=How Pikachu Became Pokémon's Mascot |url=https://www.denofgeek.com/games/pikachu-pokemon-mascot-history-nintendo/ |access-date=2024-07-22 |website=Den of Geek |language=en-US |archive-date=December 22, 2022 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20221222043902/https://www.denofgeek.com/games/pikachu-pokemon-mascot-history-nintendo/ |url-status=live }}</ref> Sugimori felt female players in particular were drawn to "cute" characters like Pikachu, stating in an interview with ''Famimaga 64'' magazine "Some girls just collect 50 different Pikachu".<ref>{{cite magazine |magazine=Famimaga 64 |issue=11 |date=November 1997 |script-title=ja:「''ポケモン''」の今までとこれからを 熱く語る!! |trans-title=A Passionate Discussion About the Past and Future of ''Pokémon''! |language=Japanese |pages=8–11}}</ref> The development team considered Pikachu to appeal to a larger demographic due to more closely resembling a "pet," believing that those buying merchandise would wish to have it in their home.<ref name=":8" /> Masakazu Kubo, a member of the anime's development team, stated that a "checklist" was involved in making the choice. He stated that their criteria required a warm design, a non-threatening color, a face that could convey emotion, a vocalization pronounceable by children, and a cute appearance, all of which Pikachu had.<ref>{{Cite book |last=Fung |first=Anthony Y. H. |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=Htqw-BHJlnwC&dq=%22Pikachu%22+iconic+-wikipedia&pg=PA206 |title=Asian Popular Culture: The Global (Dis)continuity |date=2013-05-29 |publisher=Routledge |isbn=978-1-134-08995-6 |language=en |access-date=August 27, 2024 |archive-date=September 12, 2024 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240912064941/https://books.google.com/books?id=Htqw-BHJlnwC&dq=%22Pikachu%22%20iconic%20-wikipedia&pg=PA206 |url-status=live }}</ref> Pikachu was additionally selected for the role due to the fact that picking one of ''Pokémon Red'' and ''Blue''{{'}}s three starter Pokémon—[[Bulbasaur]], [[Charmander]], or [[Squirtle]]—would have created a "gap" with children who did not select the one used in the anime.<ref name="nishida"/><ref name=":8" /><ref name=":9">{{Cite magazine |last=Eadicicco |first=Lisa |date=February 9, 2024 |title=Why We Love Pikachu |magazine=Time Magazine |pages=41 |isbn=978-1547865239}}</ref>