Fans of the Pokemon franchise will always know of its lovable mascot, Pikachu. Pikachu has been seen in a long list of appearances, including being one of the most popular of the pocket monsters to have while joining Ash on his many adventures. Despite their rough start, they have grown to a pair that love and protect each other like best friends do, having a bond that is truly considered special to people inside the Pokemon community and out of it, and despite things there seems to be something that Pikachu inevitably shared with its later evolution, Raichu, even if the Raichu isn't even from the same region as Pikachu.
While it doesn't necessarily have to be a particular Raichu (as there have been different instances of a Raichu and Pikachu rivalry before), Pikachu seems to always want to rekindle the spark of competition with its evolution, and the latest episode did just that for the fans, according to Comic Book. In the most recent episode, Ash and Pikachu participated in an Alolan tradition known as the "Great Pancake Race", where Pokemon and their trainers relay across Melemele Island while carrying a stack of pancakes. Though the pancake race may be new to the anime, the competition between Pikachu and Raichu will always be somewhat of a staple to Pikachu's behavior.
Polygon claims that the newest episode rekindles the flames of what seems like one of the oldest memes out there, and yet it still plucks a few heartstrings in many of the fans in the community both young and old. The reasons for Pikachu's desire to not evolve are commonly known in the Pokemon community, but for those not in the know, Pikachu refuses to evolve because the creature wishes to not becomes the thing it hates, as many Raichu are seen as overconfident and smug, especially when fighting their previous evolved form. Still, it is quite refreshing for many to know that despite the many changes Pokemon has gone through over the years, there are still some things that remain constant in the series and franchise.
