For more than 25 years, Pokémon has been one of the most dominant pop-culture phenomena in the world. This world of trainers and their almost mythical Pokémon have been translated into every conceivable media format, and it rarely isn't an absolute blockbuster.
At the core of the entire franchise is Pikachu, the Pokémon who is, for all intents and purposes, the mascot for all of it. He was the first Pokémon to connect with fans and breakout as extremely popular. But, being that popular isn't all sunshine and roses; there are more than a few things about him are actually kind of sad.
Considered By Some To Be A Starter
When beginning any Pokémon game, the player has to choose a starter Pokémon to train with. While there have been other names added to this list over the years, some of the classics have been Charmander, Bulbasaur, and Squirtle.
But, there have been times when Pikachu was also viewed as a starter Pokémon. Considering that he is generally considered to be the top Pokémon of the entire franchise, calling him a "starter" does seem a little demeaning.
Ash's Pikachu Never Got His Next Evolution
A big part of Pokémon are the evolutions. Most of them have at least one, if not several, evolutions they can go through, each coming with big physical changes as well as power upgrades. But, bear in mind there are a few who do not evolve at all.
Pikachus can evolve in the Raichus, but that never happened for Ash's Pikachu. There are a variety of reasons for this in the series, but it comes down to the brand not wanting to lose its most popular character.
Doesn't Get To Choose His Life
Pikachu seems like he's quite the free spirit. He obviously loves Ash, but he also loves to get up to a lot of mischief during his spare time—and that's assuming that Pikachu has any free time to speak of between training and fighting.
The reality is that Pikachu belongs to Ash, regardless of how positive their relationship is. Pikachu has basically no say in what happens in his life, which is definitely more than a little sad.
Could Have Been Free
It's hard to say what Pikachu's life would have been like if he hadn't become Ash's main Pokémon partner in crime. Pretty much all fans have ever seen of the little guy was in the service of the trainer with the red hat.
But, different series have shown that there are a seemingly endless number of wild Pokémon in this world. If life had been a bit different, Pikachu might have been able to enjoy the environment around him a bit more.
Lives A Superstar Life
Speaking of Pikachu's lifestyle, it's definitely an interesting one as far as Pokémon go. Naturally, Ash's Pikachu has become a bit of a legend in his own time. He has taken on and beaten some of the biggest and baddest in the game.
Being that he is such a well-known quantity at this point, everyone is gunning for Pikachu and Ash. There are trainers looking to make a name for themselves by taking Ash and his Pikachu down—not to mention the fact that Team Rocket have been hounding the pair for years. It's hard to live with a target on your back.
No One Can Understand Him
Feeling like no one is listening is enough to drive anyone insane. That must be doubly true for all of the Pokémon who can only communicate by repeating variations of their own name. Not every Pokémon can be as verbose Team Rocket's Meowth, after all.
But, this must be especially frustrating for Pikachu; he spends a lot of time out of his Poké Ball with Ash, talking to him. Ash acts like he understands what Pikachu is saying, but it often seems like he's just humoring him. Perhaps that's exactly how our own pets feel.
Spends His Life Fighting
At first glance, it seems like Pikachu has a pretty good life. He spends his days wandering the world with his best friend getting up to a virtually-endless array of shenanigans and adventures.
In truth, all of this is to further Ash's goal of being the best Pokémon trainer around. Pikachu's existence is solely devoted to fighting and to growing Ash's reputation. Ultimately, he's the one doing all the heavy lifting on this journey.
Rarely Sees Other Pikachus
It's not uncommon for prospective trainers to come across herds of wild Pokémon and then attempt to catch one to work with. In reality, it's kind of bleak when fans stop and really think about it.
One of the worst parts of this might be the fact that Pikachu rarely gets to see any members of his own species. He seems happy traveling with Ash for the most part, but there are certainly times that he wants to be around other Pikachus.
Lives In A Poké Ball
As a general rule, Pokémon end up living their lives inside of Poké Balls. Very few of them get to spend much time outside of their portable enclosures beyond training time and competitions.
Pikachu is one of those rarities; Ash often lets him travel outside of his Poké Ball, which is nice, but that doesn't change the fact that Pikachu's home is a small red and white sphere.
Seems To Be Very Intelligent
The relative level of intellgence of most Pokémon is debatable at best. Some come across as highly intelligent and hyper-aware of everything going on around them. while others are barely smarter than the Poké Balls they live in.
Honestly, Pikachu has always come across as bright, intelligent, and aware. That makes his life trapped in a world of servitude and combat even more heartbreaking.