Pikachu in a cap (Japanese: キャップをかぶったピカチュウPikachu wearing a cap) or Cap Pikachu are collective terms referring to the eight event male Pikachuvariants based on Ash's Pikachu, wearing the hatsAsh has worn throughout the anime's history. The first six were introduced in Pokémon Sun and Moon and were distributed to celebrate the Pokémon anime's twentieth anniversary and movie, I Choose You!.
A seventh Cap Pikachu, wearing the hat Ash wore in the twentieth movie, debuted in Pokémon Ultra Sun and Ultra Moon, and an eighth variant of Cap Pikachu debuts in the Version 1.2.0 update of Sword and Shield, wearing the World Cap, Ash's hat from Pokémon Journeys: The Series. Currently, World Cap Pikachu has not been distributed in any events.
The term "Pikachu in a cap" is derived from the in-game description of Pikashunium Z in Pokémon Sun and Moon. It is not used in any other form of promotional media.
In Japan, the Pikachu were distributed via single-use serial code to those who pre-ordered tickets to the twentieth movie, with one code per ticket. The Pikachu received depended on the date the player redeemed the code. The codes only worked on Japanese region games. The first time the player uses one of these serial codes, they also received a complimentary Pikashunium Z.
In American, PAL, and Taiwanese region games, the Pikachu were distributed through a single-use public serial code released via the Pokémon website and in a similar vein to the Japanese event—the Pikachu received depended on the date the player redeems the code. The first time the player uses one of these serial codes, they also received a complimentary Pikashunium Z.
The Partner Cap Pikachu debuted in Pokémon Ultra Sun and Ultra Moon. In Japan, it was distributed via QR Code on a special Pokémon Ga-Olé disc. In the Americas, Europe, Australia, New Zealand, and South Korea, it was distributed via a QR Code that was given to those who attend screenings of the twentieth movie. This Pikachu did not come bundled with a Pikashunium Z, but a female Pikachu in the upper right corner of Pikachu Valley will give the player the Z-Crystal if they show her one of the Cap Pikachu.
Original Cap
This special Pikachu is based on Ash's Pikachu during the original series. The level of Pikachu corresponds to both the original series debuting in the first year of the Pokémon anime and the first movie in the original series being the first Pokémon movie overall. The Trainer ID number in Japan is based on the original air date in that country of the first episode in the original series, April 1, 1997, whereas the Western number is based on the air date of the episode in the United States, September 8, 1998.
Moves in bold can be taught again at the Move Reminder as a special move if forgotten.
Date received is the date on the system when the gift is picked up from the deliveryman.
This Pokémon is set to the same language as the game that received it.
Sinnoh Cap
This special Pikachu is based on Ash's Pikachu during Pokémon the Series: Diamond and Pearl. In Japan, the level of Pikachu corresponds to both the debut of Pokémon the Series: Diamond and Pearl being during the tenth year of the Pokémon anime and the first movie in Pokémon the Series: Diamond and Pearl being the tenth Pokémon movie overall, whereas in Western games, the level of Pikachu corresponds to the debut of Pokémon the Series: Diamond and Pearl being during the ninth year of the Pokémon anime in the United States. The Trainer ID number is based on the original air date of the first episode in Pokémon the Series: Diamond and Pearl, September 28, 2006, whereas the Western number is based on the air date of the episode in the United States, June 4, 2007.
Moves in bold can be taught again at the Move Reminder as a special move if forgotten.
Date received is the date on the system when the gift is picked up from the deliveryman.
This Pokémon is set to the same language as the game that received it.
Unova Cap
This special Pikachu is based on Ash's Pikachu during Pokémon the Series: Black & White. In Japan, level of Pikachu corresponds to both the debut of Pokémon the Series: Black & White being during the 14th year of the Pokémon anime and the first movie in Pokémon the Series: Black & White being the 14th Pokémon movie overall, whereas in Western games, the level of Pikachu corresponds to the debut of Pokémon the Series: Black & White being during the 13th year of the Pokémon anime in the United States. The Trainer ID number is based on the original air date of the first episode in Pokémon the Series: Black & White, September 23, 2010, whereas the Western number is based on the air date of the episode in the United States, February 12, 2011.
Due to an error, PAL region copies of Pokémon Moon set to Spanish could receive Alola Cap Pikachu in place of this gift. It was fixed after 11 hours on October 10, 2017, but the erroneous gift could still be received due to a caching issue until October 12, 2017.
Moves in bold can be taught again at the Move Reminder as a special move if forgotten.
Date received is the date on the system when the gift is picked up from the deliveryman.
This Pokémon is set to the same language as the game that received it.
Kalos Cap
This special Pikachu is based on Ash's Pikachu during Pokémon the Series: XY. The level of Pikachu corresponds to both the debut of Pokémon the Series: XY being during the 17th year of the Pokémon anime and the first movie in Pokémon the Series: XY being the 17th Pokémon movie overall. The Trainer ID number is based on the original air date of the first episode in Pokémon the Series: XY, October 17, 2013, whereas the Western number is based on the air date of the episode in the United States, January 18, 2014.
Moves in bold can be taught again at the Move Reminder as a special move if forgotten.
Date received is the date on the system when the gift is picked up from the deliveryman.
This Pokémon is set to the same language as the game that received it.
Alola Cap
This special Pikachu is based on Ash's Pikachu during Pokémon the Series: Sun & Moon. In Japan, the level of Pikachu corresponds to both the debut of Pokémon the Series: Sun & Moon being during the 20th year of the Pokémon anime and the first movie in Pokémon the Series: Sun & Moon being the 20th Pokémon movie overall, whereas in Western games, the level of Pikachu corresponds to the debut of Pokémon the Series: Sun & Moon being during the 19th year of the Pokémon anime in the United States. The Trainer ID number is based on the original air date of the first episode in Pokémon the Series: Sun & Moon, November 17, 2016, whereas the Western number is based on the air date of the episode in the United States, December 5, 2016.
Due to an error, PAL region copies of Pokémon Moon set to Spanish could receive this gift early in place of the Unova Cap Pikachu. It was fixed after 11 hours on October 10, 2017, but the erroneous gift could still be received due to a caching issue until October 12, 2017.
This special Pikachu is based on Ash's Pikachu as he appeared in the Pokémon the Movie: I Choose You. Unlike previous Cap Pikachu, this Pikachu's level corresponds to the 21st anniversary of the franchise as a whole. The Trainer ID number is based on the original air date of the movie, July 15, 2017, but unlike other Cap Pikachu, this ID was not adjusted for western releases.
This Pikachu was distributed exclusively for Pokémon Ultra Sun and Ultra Moon to players who scan a QR Code. The QR code itself can be scanned once the player reaches Akala Island. Once scanned, the player can pick up the Pikachu from a deliveryman at Pikachu Valley. Due to a bug, this Pikachu can be Shiny. Instead of checking its personality value against the Trainer ID and secret ID number of Pikachu's Original Trainer to prevent its personality value from making it Shiny, the game uses the player's data instead. Shiny Partner Cap Pikachu are identical in appearance to normal ones.
The American and PAL region QR Code was given away to players who attended Pokémon the Movie: I Choose You!. The same QR Code can be used in both American and PAL region games.
All Pikachu in a cap will be distributed via universal serial codes through the offical Pokémon website. All codes expire November 30, 2020, at 6:59 a.m. PST. These iterations of Ash's Pikachu all share the same moveset, and can learn Volt Tackle from the Move Reminder.
Original Cap
Players could claim Original Cap Pikachu with the serial code P1KACHUGET.
Partner Cap Pikachu appears as the Promotional disk Pikachu (Movie 2017). This disk was the method the Japanese region QR code for Partner Cap Pikachu was distributed.
Original Cap Pikachu, initally referred to in the game as Pikachu wearing Ash's hat, appeared for a limited time during the game's first anniversary from July 6 to 24, 2017. Unlike in the core series, these Pikachu could evolve into Raichu, would retain their caps after evolving, could be hatched as Pichu, and could be either gender. Pikachu and Raichu wearing Ash's hat cannot be transferred to Pokémon: Let's Go, Pikachu! and Let's Go, Eevee!
Original Cap Pikachu was later again obtainable using the GO Snapshot feature from April 1–2, 2019, during which the player could spawn up to five of these Event Pokémon per day with the possibility it being Shiny. Original Cap Pikachu will be featured as the weekly Pokémon Spotlight Hour focus on October 12, 2020.
Original Cap Pichu
Original Cap Pikachu♂
Original Cap Pikachu♀
Original Cap Raichu♂
Original Cap Raichu♀
World Cap Pikachu in Pokémon GO
On October 6, 2020, World Cap Pikachu was featured as the weekly Pokémon Spotlight Hour focus. Like the Original Cap Pikachu in this game, these Pikachu could be Shiny, male or female, and could evolve into Raichu. However, because these Pikachu were only found in wild encounters, Pichu wearing Ash's hat from Pokémon Journeys: The Series were not included.
In Pokémon Shuffle, Pikachu wearing Ash's hat is available as a costume. Hoenn, Unova, and Alola Cap Pikachu appeared in the Special Stage Commemorative Event during the Pikachu Appears event. The special stage lasted from February 14, 2017 to February 28, 2017. The Hoenn, Sinnoh, Unova, Kalos, and Alola Cap Pikachu appeared in the Special Stage Great Daily (Fifth release), which lasted from August 29, 2017 to September 5, 2017. Sinnoh and Kalos Cap Pikachu appeared in the Special Stage High-Speed Challenge, and were available from June 20, 2017 to June 27, 2017 (Sinnoh) and July 4, 2017 to July 11, 2017 (Kalos). Hoenn, Unova, and Alola Cap Pikachu appeared in the Special Stage Great Challenge, and were available from June 13, 2017 to June 20, 2017 (Hoenn), June 27, 2017 to July 4, 2017 (Unova), and July 11, 2017 to July 18, 2017 (Alola).
Prior to the proper introduction of Pikachu in a cap, Ash's Pikachu was featured in several Pokémon Tretta pucks, based on its appearance in Pokémon the Series: XY. When the player used these pucks, Pikachu would appear in-game wearing Ash's Kalos hat. This Pikachu variant was featured in the following:
In PASM37, Sun, Kiawe, and their assistants were seen delivering boxes containing various designs of Ash's hat to Pikachu Valley, likely as a reference to Pikachu in a cap.
In the TCG
Pikachu in a cap is featured in the Pokémon Trading Card Game. The following is a list of related cards.
Pikachu in a cap Cards listed with a blue background are only legal to use in the current Expanded format. Cards listed with a green background are legal to use in both the current Standard and Expanded formats.
The Ho-Oh-GX Special Jumbo Card Pack (Japanese: スペシャルジャンボカードパック「ホウオウGX」) was made available on July 1, 2017 in the buildup to the Japanese release of I Choose You! in cinemas. It comes packaged with a Jumbo print of Ho-Oh-GX, an Ash's Pikachu promotional card, and 3 packs each from the To Have Seen the Battle Rainbow and Darkness that Consumes Light expansions.
To promote the release of I Choose You! in cinemas, new card files and sleeves were made available to purchase from July 15, 2017.
Sleeves: Running concurrent with the Pikachu in a cap distributions, each of these sleeves feature Ash's Pikachu wearing one of Ash's hats from different periods in his adventures. All have muted colors and are presented like postcards complete with mock franking marks. Each pack contains 64 sleeves, and all variants were exclusive to Pokémon Centers.
Original Cap Pikachu Sleeves (Japanese: デッキシールド ぼうしをかぶったピカチュウ オリジナルCard Shield: Hat-wearing Pikachu: Original)
On November 4 and 5, 2017, several players who attended Pokémon, o filme: Eu escolho você! on movie theaters received a special Pikachu promotional card with the twentieth movie logo.
In Pokémon HOME, Cap Pikachu all take on a shared neutral pose based on its idle animation from the core series, as opposed to other Pokémon with forms, which match their stock art if provided, or are made to match their base form if not.
This article has information requiring translation. If you are able to translate Chinese transliterations for all terms and would like to help, please add the English translation to the section or sections in Chinese transliterations for all terms.
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.
Pikachu's HOME model
Orginal Cap Pikachu's HOME model
