>>36586114So are the Rattata line, Sandshrew line, Cyndaquil and Bidoof.
>“At that time, I was really into squirrels,” Nishida, tells Yomiuri, “so I wanted the character to have puffy cheeks. Squirrel tails are cute, so I wanted it to have a tail. However, I wanted the character to have a lightning element, so I made it shaped like lightning.”>When asked why she decided to put the electricity in Pikachu's cheeks, Nishida says she again looked to squirrels for inspiration, saying: “For example, when hamsters stuff themselves with food, their entire bodies become round, right? But for squirrels, it’s just their cheeks.” 