>>22456102>>22460151>>22460116There were a number of mons that were considered for series mascot.
Eevee was also in the running, but I guess it was turned down for being well, ordinary looking and brown.
Clefairy may have been turned down for being far too girly.
Pikachu was the monster that kids in Japan were going bananas for as an early-route rare that was also cute. Being the only electric type you could catch before the 3rd gym probably also boosted its popularity among older kids who didn't care much for cuteness, and the games being released in the days when rumors and tricks passing from kid to kid probably boosted its popularity considerably.
