3 ways Captain Pikachu is better than Ash's Pikachu (and 2 ways he is worse)

Captain Pikachu is one of the protagonists of the Pokemon Horizons anime and partner to Captain Friede. With Ash and his partner Pikachu having left the anime for now, Captain Pikachu now maintains the lovable mascot's presence in the show. However, fans should not consider that the two mons are one-on-one copies just because they happen to be the same species.

In this article, we will go over the ways Captain Pikachu is an improvement over Ash's Pikachu and the ways that he isn't.

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Why is Captain Pikachu better (or worse) than Ash's Pikachu?

1) Better: Captain Pikachu has a stronger personality

Captain Pikachu does not like being called "cute" (Image via The Pokemon anime)

In Pokemon Horizons, there was a need to make the new Pikachu feel distinct as a character. At the same time, the creative team needed to make sure that he wasn't completely different from Ash's. So Captain Pikachu ends up striking a balance between doing his own thing while having some of the old Pikachu's quirks. This ended up creating a character with a lot more personality.

Cap has a close bond with his trainer, Friede, just like Ash did with his Pikachu, but at the same time, the two would bicker quite often. Friede's Pikachu is "allergic" to being called cute and has a strong sense of responsibility. He is also a bit more sassy compared to Ash's Pikachu and will react accordingly to the antics of everyone around him.

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2) Worse: Ash's Pikachu has a better journey

Ash's Pikachu has come a long way (Image via The Pokemon Company)

Ash's Pikachu does not have a layered personality. But since he has been around for over 20 years, viewers got to see him grow and overcome defeat after defeat until he won the World Coronation Series with Ash. As a result, we got invested in the character just out of exposure over time.

Friede's Pikachu, while a protagonist, is mostly a supporting character in Pokemon Horizons. So it seems unlikely to be given as much screen time as Ash's Pikachu got to shine.

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3) Better: Captain Pikachu still uses Volt Tackle, the signature move of Pikachu

Pikachu using an improvised Volt Tackle in Pokemon Horizons (Image via The Pokemon Company)

Volt Tackle is a move introduced in Generation III as the signature move of Pikachu. Ash's Pikachu also got to learn it for a while but eventually swapped it out for other moves like Electro Ball (a new Generation V move) and Electroweb (Pikachu could learn the move in the Generation VII games). However, neither of these moves was exclusive to the Pikachu line.

Not only does Captain Pikachu use Volt Tackle in his moveset, but the protagonist's adventure group is named after the move — Rising Volt Tacklers. This has helped bring focus back on this evolutionary line's signature move.

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4) Worse: Ash's Pikachu was more fun

Ash's Pikachu imitating Brock in the episode Snow Way Out (Image via The Pokemon Company)

As the original anime with Ash had a lot more comedic moments, characters could goof off every now and then. This included Pikachu, who became well known for his ability to mimic Pokemon (and Brock that one time).

Pokemon Horizons, though it has its fun moments, tends to stay on the serious side most of the time. And Captain Pikachu is a far more serious character than Ash's Pikachu.

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5) Better: Captain Pikachu's story can take a different, darker direction

Captain Pikachu is now in Roy's care after Friede went missing (Image via The Pokemon Company)

Pokemon Horizons has a greater emphasis on an overarching plot instead of just traveling to the new region and battling trainers. It has even taken a few risks that the creative teams of the past wouldn't or couldn't. This even includes taking Captain Pikachu's trainer Friede off the board, leaving viewers unclear about whether or not he's even alive, and Captain Pikachu without his trainer.

In the meantime, the secondary protagonist, Roy, has taken Captain Pikachu under his wing. But at the moment, Cap has not only lost his trainer but also the ship he loved so much and called home. There is huge potential to tap into here if the show decides to focus on what Captain Pikachu is going through after suffering such a loss.