Pokemon Fans Are Buzzing Over This Custom Raichu Funko

With Pikachu playing a big role in both the new season of the Pokemon anime as well as in the recently released Nintendo Switch exclusive game, Pokemon Sword and Shield, it's no surprise that Pikachu continues to appear in a number of different ways across the fan spectrum. With the premiere episode of Pokemon: The Series showing off Ash's Pikachu's original form of Pichu, we can sometimes forget about its ultimate form, Raichu. One fan however didn't forget as they created a custom Funko Pop that brings the large, orange, electric rodent to life!

Reddit User ICantTieMyShoelaces shared custom Funko Pops showing off both Pikachu and its ultimate evolutionary form that is Raichu, adorably displaying both of these pocket monsters that have been so popular among fans over the decades of the franchise's history:

I made a custom Raichu Pop! Vinyl from r/NintendoSwitch

Ash Ketchum's Pikachu of course had a tenacious relationship to the Raichu it met originally, with the gym leader Lieutenant Surge using it as his number one pocket monster. When Ash encountered the evolved form of his electric mouse, Ketchum debated whether or not it would be necessary to evolve Pikachu. Eventually, thanks in part to Ash's nervousness and Pikachu's reluctance to transform once again, the decision was made for Ketchum's "right hand man" to retain his current form.

Luckily, Ash eventually learned that Pikachu's speed would be enough to defeat Surge's Raichu and the discussion of whether or not the Pokemon mascot should ever use a Thunder Stone to evolve was left on the wayside. While Raichu isn't anywhere near as popular as it's "cousin" Pikachu, or even it's distant "cousin" in Pichu, its clear that there is still a soft spot for this ultimate form among fans of the world of Pokemon.

What do you think about these amazing Pokemon custom Funko Pops? Do you have a favorite official Pokemon Funko? Feel free to let us know in the comments or hit me up directly on Twitter @EVComedy to talk all things comics, anime, and Pokemon!

Pokemon: The Series, is now airing new episodes weekly in Japan, but unfortunately is still not officially licensed for an English language release as of this writing. Staff confirmed for the new series include Daiki Tomiyasu serving as chief director for OLM, Maki Odaira as series director, Kunihiko Yuyama as creative supervisor, Shoji Yonemura overseeing series construction, Shuhei Yasuda serving as character designer, Masafumi Mima as sound director, Yuki Hayashi as series composer. Voice cast members include Daiki Yamashita as Go, Yuichi Nakamura as Professor Sakuragi, Kana Hanazawa as Koharu, Megumi Hayashibara as Jessie, Shinichiro Miki as James, and Inuko Inuyama as Meowth.