>>35366171It's been a successful money-making formula though. Aside from Ash and Pikachu, there's also Dawn and her Piplup, and Lillie and her Alolan Vulpix.
And in the context of the anime, a Pokemon can grow stronger without evolving. Ash's Bulbasaur could have evolved, but it chose not to, and it's as strong as any Venusaur. Ash's Pikachu is much stronger than the average Raichu.
