>>42422893Initially, it was actually based on a Japanese dessert called daifuku. It only became a mouse when programming it into the game. I ain't even joking, Pikachu's creator, Atsuko Nishida, stated that. She also said that it was purposefully made with a cute concept in mind that could be appealing to both males and females. The programmer said it was made the first rare Pokemon in the game to become even more famous.
When RG released there were a lot of guides on magazines explaining on how to catch Pikachu. They shaped it to become the franchise's face since the first minute they dropped Clefairy (Because it was only female appealing), that's what they were thinking.
They changed it fat body because of the anime and because they didn't expect Pokemon to say their own names in the anime as well.
