Raichu (Pokémon)

← #025: Pikachu

Pokémon

#027: Sandshrew →

Raichu ライチュウ Raichu #026
Artwork from FR/LG
Type Electric ' Unknown Unknown Blue-Striped Unknown Unknown Unknown Unknown Unknown Unknown Unknown Unknown	Category Mouse Pokémon
Ability Static Blue-Striped -----	Exp. at Lv. 100 1,000,000
Regional Pokédex numbers Kanto #026 Johto #023 Hoenn #157 Sinnoh #105 Unova Not in any regional Pokédex
Regional Browser numbers Fiore R— Almia R— Oblivia
Height 2'07" Imperial 0.8 m Metric 2'07"/0.8 m Red-Striped 0'0"/0.0 m Blue-Striped 0'0"/0.0 m
Weight 66.1 lbs. Imperial 30.0 kg Metric 66.1 lbs./30.0 kg Red-Striped 0.0 lbs./0.0 kg Blue-Striped 0.0 lbs./0.0 kg
Dex color Yellow	Catch rate 75 (9.8%)
Body style Blue-Striped	Footprint      Blue-Striped
Gender ratio Gender unknown Unknown 50% male, 50% female
Breeding Ground and Fairy groups 21 cycles (5355 minimum steps)
EV yield HP 0 Atk 0 Def 0 Sp.Atk 0 Sp.Def 0 Speed 3 Base Exp.: 122 Battle Exp.: 1221*
External links On Smogon Pokédex: Generation I Generation II Generation III Generation IV Generation V Generation VI Generation VII Generation VIII Generation IX Artwork on Bulbagarden Archives

Raichu (Japanese: ライチュウ Raichu) is an Template:Type2 Pokémon.

It evolves from Pikachu by Template:Stone. It is the final form of Pichu.

Biology

Physiology

Raichu is a rather small bipedal rodent. It's able to run faster on all fours. Like Pikachu, from which 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.

Raichu is yellow-brownish in color, with a white belly. Its arms are halfway brown, as well as its feet. The soles of its 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. Its cheek sacs are yellow.

Gender differences

A female Raichu has a smaller, blunted lightning bolt at the end of its tail.

Special abilities

Although Raichu is quite small, it is capable of storing over 100,000 volts of electricity in its body.

Raichu, and its evolution family, Pichu and Pikachu, are the only known Pokémon that can learn Volt Tackle, a very powerful Electric-type move.

Behavior

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. However, Raichu can sometimes be timid Pokémon, using Dig to hide or zapping people from fear.

It will constantly electrocute objects, people, and Pokémon until its electricity level is back to normal.

Habitat

File:Forest.gif

Forest Pokémon

Raichu are found in forests and vibrant woodlands.

Diet

Main article: Pokémon food

In the anime

File:Sumschoolraichu.png

Raichu in the anime

Lt. Surge, the Gym Leader of Vermilion City, has a Raichu that was defeated when it could not keep up with the speed of Ash's Pikachu in Electric Shock Showdown.

Raichu was one of the four Pokémon causing trouble for Pikachu and co. in Pikachu's Vacation, along with Marill, Snubbull and Cubone.

In Lights, Camera, Quacktion!, a girl named Katrina decided to use her Raichu in the film "Pokémon in Love."

Stage Fight was about a stage show that featured "talking" Pokémon. Kay's Raichu was supposed be a part of these shows, but it had stage fright.

A Raichu was seen herding Mareep in Mild'n Wooley.

Raichu is one of the Pokémon that were affected by the crystal in As Clear As Crystal.

Raichu also 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.

A Raichu named Sugar appeared in Cooking Up a Sweet Story, having evolved from the restaurant owners' missing Pikachu.

Another Raichu appeared in Pika and Goliath!, owned by Sho. It battled against Ash's Pikachu in that episode.

The Pokémon Summer Academy has a very skittish Raichu for its students. It appeared in Camping It Up! where it was trained by Ash.

In the manga

Lt. Surge has a Raichu in Pokémon Special.

Satoshi had a Pikachu that chose to evolve into a Raichu to help him defeat the Elite Four in Pokémon Zensho.

A Raichu is a character in Pokémon PiPiPi Adventure.

In the TCG

Main article: Raichu (TCG)

In the TFG

One Raichu figure has been released.

• Next Quest: Raichu

Game data

Pokédex entries

This Pokémon was unavailable prior to Generation I.
Generation I Red Its long tail serves as a ground to protect itself from its own high voltage power. Blue Yellow When electricity builds up inside its body, it becomes feisty. It also glows in the dark. Stadium Its electrical attacks may reach 10,000 volts. It discharges electricity from its tail, so it is not harmed by its own power.
Generation II Gold When its electricity builds, its muscles are stimulated, and it becomes more aggressive than usual. Silver If the electric pouches in its cheeks become fully charged, both ears will stand straight up. Crystal If its electric pouches run empty, it raises its tail to gather electricity from the atmosphere. Stadium 2 When its electricity builds, its muscles are stimulated, and it becomes more aggressive than usual.
Generation III Ruby 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. Sapphire 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. Emerald If it stores too much electricity, its behavior turns aggressive. To avoid this, it occasionally discharges excess energy and calms itself down. FireRed Its electric charges can reach even 100,000 volts. Careless contact can cause even an Indian elephant to faint. LeafGreen Its long tail serves as ground to protect itself from its own high-voltage power.
Generation IV Diamond It turns aggressive if it has too much electricity in its body. It discharges power through its tail. Pearl It can loose 100,000-volt bursts of electricity, instantly downing foes several times its size. Platinum {{{platinumdex}}} HeartGold {{{heartgolddex}}} SoulSilver {{{soulsilverdex}}}
Generation V Black {{{blackdex}}} White {{{whitedex}}} Black 2 {{{black2dex}}} White 2 {{{white2dex}}}
Generation VI X Unknown Y Unknown

Game locations

This Pokémon was unavailable prior to Generation I.
Generation I Red Blue Few Power Plant, Cerulean Cave Blue (Japan) None Trade Yellow None Trade
Generation II Gold Silver None Evolve Pikachu Crystal None Evolve Pikachu
Generation III Ruby Sapphire None Evolve Pikachu Emerald None Evolve Pikachu FireRed LeafGreen None Evolve Pikachu Colosseum None Trade XD None Trade
Generation IV Diamond Pearl None Evolve Pikachu Platinum None Evolve Pikachu HeartGold SoulSilver None Trade Pal Park Forest Pokéwalker None
Generation V Black White None Trade Black 2 White 2 None Trade Dream World None
Generation VI X Y None Trade

In side games

Game	Location
Pokémon Channel	Viridian Forest
Pokémon Pinball: Ruby & Sapphire	Evolve from Pikachu
Pokémon Trozei!	Secret Storage 8 Mr. Who's Den
Pokémon Mystery Dungeon Red/Blue Rescue Team	Evolve from Pikachu
Pokémon Mystery Dungeon Explorers of Time/Darkness	Sky Stairway
Pokémon Ranger	Sekra Mountain Range Fiore Temple
Pokémon Ranger: Shadows of Almia	The Ice Lake Almia Castle Volcano Cave

Held items

Game	Items
Gold, Silver, and Crystal	Berry (8%)
	Gold Leaf (trade from Generation I)
Ruby, Sapphire, and Emerald	Oran (5%)
Diamond, Pearl, and Platinum	Oran (5%)

Base stats

Stat		Range
		At Lv. 50	At Lv. 100
HP: 60		120 - 167	230 - 324
Attack: 90		85 - 156	166 - 306
Defense: 55		54 - 117	103 - 229
Sp. Atk: 90		85 - 156	166 - 306
Sp. Def: 80		76 - 145	148 - 284
Speed: 100		94 - 167	184 - 328
Total: 475	Other Pokémon with this total
Minimum stats are calculated with 0 EVs, IVs of 0, and (if applicable) a hindering nature. Maximum stats are calculated with 252 EVs, IVs of 31, and (if applicable) a helpful nature. This Pokémon's Special base stat in Generation I was 90.

Learnset

By leveling up

|- style="text-align:center" | style="text-align:left" | electric | style="background:#FAC000" |  electric 

| style=" background:#FFF" | 4 | style=" background:#FFF" | 1 | style=" background:#FFF" | Raichu | style="display:none; background:#FFF" | {{{6}}} Template:Mlentry4 Template:Mlentry4 Template:Mlentry4 Template:Mlentry4 Template:Movelist/note

By tutoring

|- style="background:#FCD659" | colspan="13" | Bold indicates a move that gets STAB
Italic indicates a move that gets STAB only from an Evolution of this Pokémon
A colored initial indicates that the move is not available to be tutored in this game,
while a colored background indicates that the move is available. |} |}

Sprites

Gen	Game
I	Red	Blue	Yellow		Red (Ja)	Green	Back
II	Gold	Silver	Crystal				Back
III	Ruby	Sapphire	Emerald		FireRed	LeafGreen	Back
IV	Diamond	Pearl	Platinum		HeartGold	SoulSilver	Back
V	Black	White	Black 2	White 2			Back

For other sprites and images, please see Raichu images on Bulbagarden Archives.

Trivia

• In Pokémon Red and Blue there is a Scientist at the Pokémon Lab in Cinnabar Island that would trade a Raichu for an Electrode. If the player talked to him after the trade, he would mention that the Raichu evolved, which is not possible. This mistake, which was due to the original translation of the Japanese Blue's script, was corrected in Pokémon FireRed and LeafGreen.
• Raichu's Generation II normal sprites are orange while its shiny sprites are yellow. This was reversed in later generations.
• Raichu remains the only Pokémon whose pre-evolution is known and obtainable in a game that it is not: in Pokémon Yellow, Pikachu is the starter, while the only way to obtain a Raichu is by trading one in from one of the other games.
• Raichu's FireRed Pokédex entry references an early documentary film by Thomas Edison.

Origin

Raichu's legs and long tail are like those of a kangaroo rat.

Name origin

Raichu comes from the combination of 雷 rai, thunder, and ちゅうちゅう chūchū, which is Japanese onomatopoeia for squeaking.

In other languages

• German: Raichu
• French: Raichu
• Korean: 라이츄 Raichyu
• Chinese (Taiwan): 雷丘 Léi Qiu - Transliteration of its original name.
• Chinese (Hong Kong): 雷超 Léi Chao - Transliteration of its original name. Also note that 雷 means "thunder".

Related articles

• Lt. Surge's Raichu

External links

• Thunder Mouse, the fanlisting for Raichu.

Notes

← #025: Pikachu

Pokémon

#027: Sandshrew →

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.