The series needed a more stylized character to perform all the movements he had to execute in the adventure.
Pikachu's design has been stylized over the years. The most famous creature in the Pokémon universe was born as a chubby animal, but its body has undergone some changes over the years. And without the need to go to the gym (at least not to weight gyms and exercise bikes), the cute little yellow monster has lost weight and gained height. The reason for this aesthetic change is provided by Ken Sugimori, artistic director of the saga: it was the fault of the anime.
The truth is that the interview is old, since it dates from 2018 (Yomiuri newspaper), but it has now been recovered by Dr.Lava on Twitter. “We were also influenced by the introduction of (anime). Because the animation made him perform a variety of movements, including human gestures, we changed the shape of Pikachu's body to make the performance easier, ”he says. "Although Pikachu's design was originally very low and robust, we gradually gave him a more defined neck and lengthened his spine."
The Death of Fat Pikachu:
Back in the old days, Pikachu was fat. But why's he so skinny now? According to Ken Sugimori, the change was made for the anime – it was just easier to animate. Then all the games made afterwards simply mirrored the Pikachu design seen in the TV show. pic.twitter.com/gc6NY6lFXm
– Dr. Lava's Lost Pokemon (@DrLavaYT) December 25, 2019
I didn't know I was going to shout 'pika-pika'
According to Sugimori, "The Pikachu appeared in the Pokémon saga after the broadcast of the animated series" was a direct influence of "how it appeared" on television. “Besides, I had no idea that I was going to shout 'Pikachu'. It is as if a cat said the word 'cat' ”. Be that as it may, this creature has gone down in history because of its funny movements and adorable screams.
Decades have passed since the premiere of the first games and anime, but the saga continues to enjoy many followers. Proof of this is the double success of the most recent titles in the franchise. Pokémon Sword and Shield has sold more than 6 million units since its launch, on November 15. For its part, Pokémon GO, the game for mobile devices, has been on the market for more than three years and has just released Adventures with Partner, one of its new features.
