While I'm almost 100% sure Pikachu will be pokemons de facto mascot and plastered all over promotional material and ads, because shifting over would be a massive pain in any company's ass, but will he stay in the anime? Will Liko, our new protagonist, catch a Pikachu or a member of its line and add it to her party? Or will he become a Mickey Mouse, never seen, but who's presence can always be felt?