Pikachu Day

What Is Pikachu Day?

February 5th is "Pikachu Day" in Japan, an anniversary that grew out of fan culture, tied to the National Pokedex number "No. 025" belonging to Pikachu, the beloved character from the "Pokemon" series.

A Fan-Born Anniversary That Became Officially Recognized

This anniversary has a somewhat different origin story from ones established directly by companies.

• The date's origin: Pikachu's Pokedex number, "025," can be read as "2 (0) 5" -- February 5th -- and fans naturally began treating the date as an anniversary on their own
• How it became official: in 2020, the official Pokemon news account (on Twitter, now X) featured the date in a post, giving the day official recognition as well
• Who Pikachu is: the character that symbolizes the "Pokemon" franchise, globally known as the protagonist's partner in the anime series

A New Kind of Anniversary, Born From the Voices of Fans

Pikachu Day is a striking example of an anniversary born not from a top-down company decision, but from a culture that grew naturally among fans and was later picked up and embraced officially -- a very social-media-era way for an anniversary to come into being.

Tips for Marking This Day

• Watch back some of Pikachu's most memorable moments from the games or anime
• Collect Pikachu merchandise, or try drawing your own illustration
• Check the official Pokemon social media accounts for posts or event news
• Look into whether other characters have anniversaries tied to their Pokedex numbers too

Why One Character Continues to Be Loved Across Generations

Born from the simple coincidence of a Pokedex number, this anniversary speaks volumes about just how deeply loved the character Pikachu truly is. Let February 5th be a chance to send a bit of gratitude to this yellow companion who has been cherished for so many years.