How Pikachu Became the Face of Pokemon

Editors Note:  I realize that many of you reading this will be Pokemon fans.  This post is mainly written for people who did not board the Pokemon Hype Train until well after the series' humble Gameboy beginnings, so for you Poke-Veterans out there, this post will contain a lot of information you already know.  Please understand.

Pikachu is the face of Pokemon.  People who don't know the name of any other monster, or even the basic plot of the games or TV show know who Pikachu is.  It's easy to see why; he's cute, he's powerful and he's happy.

The original games let players choose Bulbasaur, Squirtle or Charmander as their starter Pokemon, the cute, yellow...er I guess then it was more monochromatic green, mouse was nowhere to be seen. In fact, the game did not let players catch Pikachu until the reached Viridian Forest, about twenty to thirty minutes in to the game.

Pikachu became the face of Pokemon because of the anime based on the games.  The creators of the anime wanted the main character, Ash to have a Pokemon that would appeal to girls as well as boys.  Interestingly, Pikachu was not the first choice for Ash's starter.  Clefairy was the first choice.

Clefairy.

This thing:

The idea was that Clefairy would appeal to female viewers of the show.  The creators eventually ans smartly decided that such a choice would alienate male viewers and so they settle on the more broadly appealing Pikachu.  Thank heavens they did, because if Clefairy had been chosen there is no way I ever would have started watching the show, which means I wouldn't have gotten into the games, which means that I wouldn't have gotten into the cards, which means I would have had more focus as a student and an athlete, and would most likely have finished college sooner, landing a better job and being much richer than I am now.  You know what?  Screw you Pikachu!

Source: didyouknowgaming.com

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Disney's Frozen - A Couple Fun Facts.

Copyright Disney Enterprises, Inc.  All rights reserved.  Used under the "Fair Use Act".

I think it's safe to say that Disney's 53rd animated film, Frozen was a success.  I mean it's hard to argue that point when the film broke the record for highest-grossing animated film.  The film, which is loosely (a huge understatement) based on Hans Christian Andersen's tale The Snow Queen, features a predictably heartwarming fairy tale with a somewhat unpredictable plot.

A Boat and a DInk: Secrets from Doug the Nicktoon

Ah Doug, the first cartoon to air on Nickelodeon.  Not only was it the first in a long line of awesome Nicktoon series it was arguably one of the best.  As a kid who loved to daydream, wear sweater vests and save the world in his underwear, I really identified with the titular character.

Hey Arnold! Origins

Hey Arnold was literally one of the greatest cartoon series that aired during the 90s.  With a cast of actual children providing the voices of the main characters (a first for a Nickelodeon series) and some surprisingly poignant stories filled to the brim with pathos, the show managed to convey a feeling of sincerity and genuineness not found in many other animated TV shows.

But did you know that Arnold himself debuted long before his show would in 1996?  Arnold made his first appearance in an animated claymation short called "Arnold Escapes from Church" which was made way back in 1986 and can be viewed below.

Shortly after his first appearance, Craig Bartlett (Arnold's creator) began making shorts for Sesame Street before finally developing an animated show which was picked up by Nickelodeon.   Pretty crazy to think that the incredibly fleshed-out world of Hey Arnold came from such humble beginnings!

Since I'm feeling particularly generous today, I leave you with one more fun fact for the day.

The man who provided the voice for this guy:

Also provides the voice for this guy:

Source: IMDB.com

If you liked this article be sure to like and/or share it on Facebook, Google +, and Twitter.  Please feel free to follow this blog so you will never miss a Fun Fact of the Day!

Do you like video games from the 90s?  Check out my YouTube Channel  where I post videos exploring the totally rad games of the past! 

For all things 90s related and beyond be sure check out my other blog at www.theninetieskid.com. 

If you like what you read/saw please take a moment to like me on Facebook  and follow me on Twitter!