From the very beginning, Pikachu, the electric mouse, has been the poster child of the super popular Pokémon franchise. We’ve seen Pikachu everywhere, from riding Ash’s shoulder to solving mysteries in Detective Pikachu to floating through the Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade. Needless to say, Pikachu has one of the most recognizable faces in Pokémon.
In fact, Pikachu shares its iconic face with a bunch of other Pokémon who have been consistently added into the Pokédex throughout the years. Whether these clones are electric rodents or imposters in disguise, their designs were definitely intended to replicate the original mascot we know and love. Which of them, then, are the best?
10 Pichu
Back in the first generation when there were only 151 Pokémon, Pikachu’s evolution line was straightforward where it would simply evolve into Raichu. It wasn’t until the generation after that a baby Pokémon named Pichu would be added into the mix.
Pichu is the definition of a “mini-me” Pikachu with its same yellow fur and red cheeks. It’s tinier overall, though its ears are oversized to mimic the features of a baby animal. That being said, Pichu is extremely weak and cannot contribute much in battle aside from distracting the opponents with its charm.
9 Plusle
Plusle is one of two electric rodents that were introduced in the Hoenn Region. Generally, Plusle and its “minus” counterpart, Minun, are found and associated together due to their near-identical characteristics. However, they do have some differences that set them apart.
Of the two, Plusle has the higher stats in Attack and Special Attack, which means it can make better use of its powerful Electric attacks such as Thunder. Its offensive boost also goes hand in hand with its Hidden Ability, Lightning Rod, which absorbs all Electric moves on the battlefield to raise its Special Attack stat even more.
8 Minun
In contrast to Plusle, Minun has higher Defense and Special Defense stats, making it able to survive more hits. Its Hidden Ability, Volt Absorb, is similar to Lightning Rod where it absorbs Electric attacks but heals HP instead of boosting Special Attack.
This means Minun would make a good supportive teammate in a double battle. Know as the Cheering Pokémon, Minun can use Helping Hand to boost its partner’s damage output or Thunder Wave to slow the opponent down. If Minun is fighting alongside Plusle, they can take advantage of their signature Plus and Minus Abilities.
7 Togedemaru
The Roundest of the Pikachu clones is Togedemaru, who looks as soft and cuddly as the rest but is actually part Steel-type. The Steel-typing helps give Togedemaru a lot more resistances, though it becomes an even easier target of Ground attacks.
Aside from typing, Togedemaru has a collection of spikes on its back that proves to be quite handy during battle. It gets access to a suitable defensive move, Spiky Shield, to protect itself from an incoming physical attack while also damaging the opponent in the process. Its ability, Iron Barbs, works in a similar way.
6 Emolga
Pure Electric-type Pokémon have a single weakness in Ground attacks. The only Pikachu clone that is completely immune to Ground-type moves is the flying squirrel, Emolga. Thanks to its Flying-typing, it can avoid Earthquakes and High Horsepowers that would otherwise demolish it.
In addition, Emolga is a very speedy little guy. It can glide through the skies, while also simultaneously absorbing other Electric attacks and converting it into a handy speedy boost with its Hidden Ability, Motor Drive. With enough speed, Emolga will surely be able to outspeed its opponent.
5 Raichu
Due to the fact that Ash’s Pikachu hasn’t evolved for as many years as Ash stayed ten-years-old, sometimes we might forget that the beloved mascot can actually evolve into Raichu at any time with the use of a Thunder Stone. Ash’s Pikachu just chooses not to.
If Ash’s Pikachu were to evolve, it would see a large boost all-around with a base Speed over 100 and decent offensive stats. In addition, Raichu is one of the original Pokémon to get a unique Alolan variant. While the standard Raichu is pure Electric, Alolan Raichu is Electric and Psychic.
4 Dedenne
Introduced in the sixth generation, Dedenne came with the wave of Fairy-types and is one of the only two Electric/Fairy Pokémon currently in the game. Dedenne may be the shortest of the electric rodents, but its adorable chubby cheeks hold a lot more power than one would assume.
Dedenne’s Ability, Cheek Pouch, works great if it’s holding a berry to eat during battle. Once the berry is consumed, its Cheek Pouch Ability will heal a good portion of its HP along with the usual effects of the berry to help it out of sticky situations.
3 Morpeko
Morpeko is the newest addition to the electric rodent club who arrived with the release of Sword & Shield. While it may look super friendly and cute on a full stomach, things escalate quickly when it starts to feel hungry.
Unlike most Pokémon, Morpeko has the Ability to constantly change forms between each turn in a battle. In its “Full Belly Mode,” Morpeko is cheerful and its signature move, Aura Wheel, will be Electric-type. In its “Hangry Mode,” Morpeko turns purple in fury and Aura Wheel will switch to Dark-type.
2 Pachirisu
Pachirisu is a blue and white squirrel who, at a glance, does not seem to have anything that truly sets it apart from the rest of the Pikachu clones. It is a pure Electric-type like Pikachu, Pichu, Raichu, Plusle, and Minun, and two of its Abilities, Run Away and Pickup, are completely useless in a competitive setting.
However, Pachirisu rose to fame in its incredible performance at the Pokémon World Championship in 2014. Pachirisu not only won the championship title but also took on major threats like Tyranitar and Salamence.
1 Mimikyu
Unlike the other Pikachu clones who naturally look like Pikachu by design, Mimikyu’s eerie resemblance to the mascot has more to do with its backstory. Mimikyu is a rather timid Pokémon who desperately wishes to make friends, as implied by its signature Z-move, Let’s Snuggle Forever.
But because it has a hard time making friends on its own, it disguises itself as the popular Pikachu in hopes of attracting more attention. This disguise happens to be a great asset in battle, as it allows Mimikyu to take a power hit without damage until its disguise is broken.
NEXT: Pokémon: Ranking The Top 10 Stealthiest Pokémon In Existence
