>>54294586>And is Pikachu even that prominent in the other games?Pikachu is very prominent. There's not a game where he doesn't at least make an appearance, he's even a starter option in many of them(or Pichu in some Pokemon Ranger's, but close enough).
He also gets an appearance in a shit ton of spinoff animations as well. Even if he's not a character in the story itself, they'll throw a pikachu in somewhere.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UTidwW3iLHk In this animation about a bidoof, a Pikachu appears in the first 10 seconds front and center to wave at the screen, even though it has no role in the story. THAT'S how iconic Pikachu is.
Pikachu IS Pokemon. Not some dumb human that doesn't appear outside of his dumb show.
