All 30 Pikachu Ranked: Our Favorites, Fun Names & Hot Takes

Thirty Pikachu, five tiers and two very different favorites. Here is where every design lands for us.

By Side Quest Live · Updated October 27, 2026

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We Disagree on the Best 30th Anniversary Pikachu · Watch on YouTube ↗

The best Pikachu? We had to argue about it.

Give us 30 Pikachu illustrations and we will find a way to disagree. A quiet courtyard is enough to win Reef over. Riz wants multiple Pikachu pushing through the frame. Somewhere between those two tastes sits a tier list with room for Pumpkin Spice Latte, Batman and a very squished face.

We are ranking artwork and personality. Cards within each tier appear in Pikachu number order.

Our top tier is Peakachu: the designs that make us stop and take another look. Below it: Take My Money, I See the Vision, Pika-Why? and the deliberately dramatic Electric Chair. These are our reactions to the artwork; your binder gets the final vote.

Prices are dated USD references, separate from our art rankings. Price source and update notes.

Electric Chair · 4 cards

PIKACHU 10/30 · 032/128

Starry Night Pikachu

The swirling composition is doing a lot, and we are still trying to work out where to look. This one is firmly in the not-for-us corner of the collection.

Rarity: Pikachu Rare
Type: Lightning
Price reference: $1.15 USD

PIKACHU 12/30 · 034/128

Polka-dot Pikachu

The flat shapes and heavy outlines are a bold choice. They are also the reason this lands so low for us: the drawing feels too simple beside the rest of the collection.

Rarity: Pikachu Rare
Type: Lightning
Price reference: $0.96 USD

PIKACHU 18/30 · 040/128

Flower Power Pikachu

Flower Power goes all in on color and detail. It is a lot to take in, and our eyes never quite settle. If Trippy Pikachu is your favorite, we understand why it stands out; it simply is not ours.

Rarity: Pikachu Rare
Type: Lightning
Price reference: $5.20 USD

PIKACHU 25/30 · 047/128

Play Rough Pikachu

By this point, another grassy setting felt like a missed opportunity. We wanted Pikachu somewhere different, doing something we would remember. Play Rough did not give us that.

Rarity: Pikachu Rare
Type: Lightning
Price reference: $0.62 USD

Pika-Why? · 8 cards

PIKACHU 1/30 · 023/128

Thundershock Pikachu

The Base Set echo is clear, but we wanted more from a new take on such a familiar pose. In this lineup, nostalgia alone does not push it up the board.

Rarity: Pikachu Rare
Type: Lightning
Price reference: $0.65 USD

PIKACHU 3/30 · 025/128

Flower Shop Pikachu

Cute, calm and comforting. We can see it fitting a cozy binder page, but the scene does not have the same pull for us as the stronger character moments.

Rarity: Pikachu Rare
Type: Lightning
Price reference: $0.45 USD

PIKACHU 5/30 · 027/128

Knitting Pikachu

We appreciate the yarn texture, but the background leaves us wanting more. The craft style is charming; it does not quite make the whole scene a favorite.

Rarity: Pikachu Rare
Type: Lightning
Price reference: $0.89 USD

PIKACHU 9/30 · 031/128

Lo-fi Pikachu

We get the lo-fi study-video atmosphere. The back-facing pose and busy setting just do not come together strongly enough for us to put it higher.

Rarity: Pikachu Rare
Type: Lightning
Price reference: $0.58 USD

PIKACHU 15/30 · 037/128

Energizer Pikachu

It is cute, it is loud, and it started an unnecessarily long discussion about bends in Pikachu’s tail. The burst of energy is fun, but the overall picture does not quite land for us.

Rarity: Pikachu Rare
Type: Lightning
Price reference: $0.61 USD

PIKACHU 21/30 · 043/128

Tropical Pikachu

The tropical mood is clear, but the Hamburger Bun joke is now impossible to unsee. We wanted a more memorable setting or a stronger little story from this one.

Rarity: Pikachu Rare
Type: Lightning
Price reference: $0.81 USD

PIKACHU 23/30 · 045/128

Cotton Pikachu

The soft nighttime atmosphere has a gentle, storybook quality. We wanted the colors to carry a little more of the scene, though. Pretty, but not one we keep coming back to.

Rarity: Pikachu Rare
Type: Lightning
Price reference: $0.58 USD

PIKACHU 28/30 · 050/128

Hungry Pikachu

The clean, colorful outline makes Pikachu look almost ready to peel off as a sticker. That is a fun effect, but other designs give us a stronger reason to remember them.

Rarity: Pikachu Rare
Type: Lightning
Price reference: $0.72 USD

I See the Vision · 6 cards

PIKACHU 6/30 · 028/128

Lonely Pikachu

The expression does the work here. That little room feels lived in, and Pikachu looks as though it has something on its mind. We like a card that gives us a feeling as well as a Pokémon.

Rarity: Pikachu Rare
Type: Lightning
Price reference: $0.71 USD

PIKACHU 7/30 · 029/128

Mathematical Pikachu

The bold outlines and symbols make this a fun pop-art detour. We even wanted to add a few more math symbols. It earns I See the Vision, though it does not hold us like the top picks.

Rarity: Pikachu Rare
Type: Lightning
Price reference: $0.68 USD

PIKACHU 19/30 · 041/128

Hanging Pikachu

The angular shapes and soft-focus forest are a good combination. We like the look enough to want more cards in this style, even if this particular scene stops short of Take My Money.

Rarity: Pikachu Rare
Type: Lightning
Price reference: $0.57 USD

PIKACHU 24/30 · 046/128

Get Some Air Pikachu

Pikachu taking a moment to enjoy the air is a lovely idea. We like these ordinary little scenes. Against the full collection, it settles comfortably into I See the Vision.

Rarity: Pikachu Rare
Type: Lightning
Price reference: $0.49 USD

PIKACHU 26/30 · 048/128

Fruit Ninja Pikachu

Berry Pikachu became Fruit Ninja almost immediately. The busy, cheerful composition has character; it just does not turn into an obsession for us.

Rarity: Pikachu Rare
Type: Lightning
Price reference: $0.60 USD

PIKACHU 29/30 · 051/128

Museum Heist Pikachu

Static Shock. Museum Heist. The names practically write themselves. We like the action, but we wanted the background to do a little more before moving this into Take My Money.

Rarity: Pikachu Rare
Type: Lightning
Price reference: $0.51 USD

Take My Money · 5 cards

PIKACHU 2/30 · 024/128

Volt Tackle Pikachu

This is the powerful Pikachu we wanted: bright, intense and right in the middle of the action. Shattering 3D has the edge for us, but Volt Tackle is an easy Take My Money pick.

Rarity: Pikachu Rare
Type: Lightning
Price reference: $0.60 USD

PIKACHU 11/30 · 033/128

Flower Pikachu

Soft color, flowers and that pencil-like finish make a lovely combination. We would happily build a botanical binder page around it. It does not need a big action scene to work.

Rarity: Pikachu Rare
Type: Lightning
Price reference: $0.59 USD

PIKACHU 14/30 · 036/128

Staircase Pikachu

The squished face wins. We spent far too long debating the precise amount of squish, which probably tells you how much personality this card has. A very easy binder pick.

Rarity: Pikachu Rare
Type: Lightning
Price reference: $1.07 USD

PIKACHU 16/30 · 038/128

Dot Dot Pikachu

Those tiny electric cheeks and the textured forest make this feel different. Dot Dot, Amazon Pikachu, call it either. We would be happy to find it in a pack.

Rarity: Pikachu Rare
Type: Lightning
Price reference: $0.63 USD

PIKACHU 20/30 · 042/128

Treadmill Pikachu

Charge-Up Dash grew on us. The paint-splash colors give the motion a playful energy, and the longer we looked, the more we wanted it. Treadmill earns the upgrade.

Rarity: Pikachu Rare
Type: Lightning
Price reference: $0.77 USD

Peakachu · 7 cards

PIKACHU 4/30 · 026/128

Selfie Pikachu

Upside down, a little nosy and immediately recognizable. Selfie gets personality out of a simple change in perspective. We loved it from the first look.

Rarity: Pikachu Rare
Type: Lightning
Price reference: $0.64 USD

PIKACHU 8/30 · 030/128

Batman Pikachu

A low angle, a dark city and a Pikachu that looks slightly up to no good. Batman kept growing on us until Take My Money felt too low. Up it goes.

Rarity: Pikachu Rare
Type: Lightning
Price reference: $0.50 USD

PIKACHU 13/30 · 035/128

Pumpkin Spice Latte Pikachu

Put it in the autumn aisle. Put it on the wall. Pikachu rolling in those leaves is exactly the sort of memorable little moment we wanted from this collection. Peakachu, easily.

Rarity: Pikachu Rare
Type: Lightning
Price reference: $0.58 USD

PIKACHU 17/30 · 039/128

Door Pikachu

Reef’s winner. Pikachu is tiny, but the sunlight, trees and wooden door make the whole place worth looking at. We want to sit in that courtyard. That is a pretty good sign.

Rarity: Pikachu Rare
Type: Lightning
Price reference: $0.77 USD

PIKACHU 22/30 · 044/128

Agility Pikachu

Riz’s winner. Multiple Pikachu, movement and a character pushing beyond the artwork make Agility hard to ignore. Call now and quadruple the offer. We are clapping and cheering.

Rarity: Pikachu Rare
Type: Lightning
Price reference: $0.76 USD

PIKACHU 27/30 · 049/128

Museum Pikachu

Put this next to the Mona Lisa. The warm, painterly portrait gives us the variety a 30-card collection needs. Museum is one we want to spend time looking at.

Rarity: Pikachu Rare
Type: Lightning
Price reference: $0.51 USD

PIKACHU 30/30 · 052/128

Shattering 3D Pikachu

A strong finish to the collection. The electric fractures make Pikachu feel as though it is breaking through the picture. We immediately started imagining a moving lenticular version. That is how you know the idea works.

Rarity: Pikachu Rare
Type: Lightning
Price reference: $0.56 USD

What makes a Peakachu?

The best designs give us something to remember beyond “that is Pikachu.” Selfie changes the viewpoint. Pumpkin Spice Latte commits to a season. Door builds a place we want to visit. Agility turns movement into the whole composition. Museum makes a portrait feel special.

They do not all share one style, and that is the appeal. Seven cards made our top tier, but there is plenty to enjoy elsewhere. We still want the complete collection in our binder; yours should reflect your taste.

Which side are you on?

Reef’s Door Pikachu makes the setting the star: sunlight, shadows and a tiny character beside a wooden door. Riz’s Agility Pikachu goes the other way, with motion and multiple Pikachu pushing through the frame.

Pick a personal winner, then see whether your favorites match ours. For an uninterrupted checklist instead of a tier list, browse every Pikachu in number order.

Keep the quest going

I Opened Every Pokémon 30th Anniversary Product | Chasing All 30 Pikachu · Watch on YouTube ↗

Rankings and nicknames: Side Quest Live. Nicknames are SQ shorthand for the artwork. Checklist and scans: Serebii. Card artwork © Pokémon / Nintendo / Creatures / GAME FREAK.