Raichu is a rather small tailed bipedal rodent. It is able to run faster on all fours. Like Pikachu, from whom it evolves, Raichu has long ears and feet, and stubby arms. Also like Pikachu, Raichu has two horizontal brown stripes on its back. Its long, thin tail has a broad, lightning bolt-shaped end. Unlike Pikachu, however, it does not have fingers.
Raichu is yellow-brownish in color, with a white belly. Its arms are halfway brown, as well as its feet. The soles of its big feet are tan colored. Its bifurcated ears are brown on the outsides and yellow on the insides, and end in a distinctive curl at their bottom-most point. The electric sacs on its cheeks are yellow.
Gender differences
A female Raichu has a smaller, blunted lightning bolt at the end of its tail.
Special abilities
Although quite small in comparison to many other Pokémon, Raichu is capable of storing over 100,000 volts of electricity in its body. If Raichu’s electricity sacs are fully charged, its ears will stand straight up. Raichu exudes a weak electrical charge from all over its body that makes it slightly glow in the dark. Raichu is also capable of wielding various fighting moves, such as Focus Punch, Brick Break and many more. As Raichu is a fully evolved Pokémon, it is capable of using powerful moves like Hyper Beam and Giga Impact.
Raichu is much more aggressive than Pikachu, especially if it has stored too much electricity in its body. It needs to discharge this electricity through its tail into the ground, leading to scorched patches of earth near its nest. However, Raichu can sometimes be timid Pokémon, using Dig to hide or zapping people from fear, especially if it thinks its Trainer is scared of it, as shown in Stage Fight!.
It will constantly electrify objects, people, and Pokémon until its electricity level is back to normal. When searching for electricity, Raichu will raise its tail to gather electricity from the atmosphere or plant its tail in the ground.
Lt. Surge, the Gym Leader of Vermilion City, has a Raichu that defeated Ash's Pikachu with its sheer power in Electric Shock Showdown. After discussing evolution with Pikachu to match Raichu's power, Ash used a strategy relying on Pikachu's speed to defeat Raichu the next day.
Raichu made a cameo in The Legend of Thunder!. It was one of the Electric Pokémon that were lured by the "Miracle Crystal" that Attila and Hun were using. Raichu tried to be the hero by zapping the crystal, but the attack bounced back to itself.
Raichu is one of the Pokémon that were affected by the crystal in As Clear As Crystal.
Raichu, a Mouse Pokémon of the Electric element. Raichu is the evolved form of Pikachu. It can shock with more than 100,000 volts, enough to render a Dragonite unconscious.
Raichu, the evolved form of Pikachu. Pikachu and Raichu are both Mouse Pokémon of the electric variety. Combined voltage approaching shockingly dangerous levels.
In the Magical Pokémon Journey manga series, a Raichu appears in the bonus chapter Raichu's Best Friend. In the chapter, the ghost of a Trainer named Sandy wishes to be reunited with her old friend Raichu.
Lt. Surge has a Raichu in Pokémon Adventures, which was first seen in Silph Co. but never participated in battles until fighting the Masked Man in his Mahogany Hideout, where it helped Surge break in and seemingly backed the mastermind into a corner, until his Houndour called upon dozens of wild Houndour to thwart Surge, instead. The former Team Rocket triad member barely escaped with his life after having many of his Electrode self-destruct.
If the electrical sacks become excessively charged, Raichu plants its tail in the ground and discharges. Scorched patches of ground will be found near this Pokémon's nest.
This Pokémon exudes a weak electrical charge from all over its body that makes it take on a slight glow in darkness. Raichu searches for electricity by planting its tail in the ground.
Raichu's FireRed Pokédex entry references a 1903 documentary film called Electrocuting an Elephant by Thomas Edison.
Several Pokédex entries claim Raichu can discharge up to 100,000 volts. However, its Stadium entry claims it can only discharge up to 10,000 volts. This is likely a translation error due to the way numbers are read in Japanese, where 100,000 literally reads "ten ten-thousands".
Although Pikachu is the starter of Pokémon Yellow, it is not possible to directly evolve it into Raichu in the game, and must be traded in from Red and Blue. This inability to evolve Pikachu is a reference to Ash's Pikachu in the anime.
Origin
Raichu's legs and long tail are like those of a kangaroo rat.
Name origin
Raichu is a combination of 雷 rai (thunder) and チューチュー chūchū (the sound of squeaking).
This Pokémon article is part of Project Pokédex, a Bulbapedia project that aims to write comprehensive articles on each Pokémon species, as well as Pokémon groups and forms.
For other sprites and images, please see Raichu images on Bulbagarden Archives.
