Ikue Otani has been the iconic voice behind Pikachu since 1997, beginning with the original Pokémon anime series. Her high-pitched, emotive performance—especially the beloved phrases “Pika pika!” and “Pika-chu!”—quickly became one of the most recognizable sounds in global pop culture. Over nearly three decades, Otani has continued to voice Pikachu across the franchise, including in the anime, feature films, video games, and promotional content. Remarkably, even in international dubs, her origina