Thomas Game Docs | Why doesn't Pikachu's voice sound like it used to? @ThomasGameDocs | Uploaded February 2022 | Updated October 2024, 1 week ago.
If you listen to Pikachu’s voice in Pokemon Red and Blue, he sounds VERY different to the “pika pika” that you hear in the Pokemon anime - but why is that? And why did it take until 2013 for Game Freak to change Pikachu’s in-game voice?

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SOURCES
Pokemon Red + Green
- lavacutcontent.com/masuda-interview-pokemon-platinum (Sound Driver)
Pokemon TV Anime
- howtodrawmanga.com/blogs/peek-at-chu/69336005-pika-chu-an-interview-with-ikue-otani-the-voice-of-pikachu
- soranews24.com/2016/02/25/pikachus-voice-actress-talks-about-the-challenges-of-playing-the-most-famous-pokemon-of-all
- bulbanews.bulbagarden.net/wiki/Masaaki_Iwane:_Pok%C3%A9mon_anime_originally_slated_for_18-month_run (Running for a year and a half)
- dogasu.bulbagarden.net/movies/2017_pm_i_choose_you/pm_i_choose_you_pamphlet_regular_cast_interviews.html
Pokemon Yellow/Pikachu
- tcrf.net/Development:Pok%C3%A9mon_Yellow
- web.archive.org/web/20080925064041/gamefreak.co.jp/blog/dir_english/?p=144
Modern Pokemon Cries
- nintendoeverything.com/game-freak-talks-pokemon-fan-feedback-making-new-creatures-cries-new-sunmoon-online-features (Why Pokemon don’t say their names)
- polygon.com/2013/11/14/5101674/pokemon-x-ys-sound-director-discusses-the-joys-of-crafting-4000-or-so

CREDITS/FOOTAGE
- youtube.com/watch?v=9giCebGY8-s (Pokemon Red Footage)
- youtube.com/watch?v=BkK_9wgODn4 (Let's Go Pikachu Footage)
- youtube.com/watch?v=eVQsDB9P3FU (Pokemon Yellow Footage)
- youtube.com/watch?v=_6uv4msYJiM&t=310s (Pokemon FireRed Footage)

- youtube.com/watch?v=k6s8R_gD5fU (Ikue Ohtani fan footage)