Pokemon: 5 Popular Anime You’ve Heard Pikachu’s Voice In

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I’ve always been struck by how globally famous Pikachu is – it’s right up there with the most recognizable characters in pop culture. Honestly, when I first played the original games, Pikachu seemed like just another cute Pokémon. But it was the anime that really made it a star. It’s become the perfect face for the entire Pokémon franchise, and I think it’s safe to say it’s the most iconic character the series has ever created.

You probably recognize her voice, but do you know the person behind it? Ikue Otani has been a professional voice actor since 1986. While she’s best known for her work on Pokemon, Otani has actually voiced many different characters – some of which you might not expect!

5. Morgana – Persona 5 The Animation

The Persona series, similar to Pokemon, has been a huge hit, spawning numerous games, side projects, and other media. The most recent main installment, Persona 5, features Morgana, a unique cat who joins the player’s team and acts as the game’s mascot.

In this game, Otani has a great opportunity to showcase her voice acting skills as Morgana, a character who can actually speak fully – unlike Pokémon’s Pikachu. Morgana is smart and generally tries to do what’s right, but he’s also quite proud and secretly insecure. Otani does a fantastic job bringing these complexities to life, and even though Morgana can be a bit irritating sometimes, Otani’s performance makes him a standout character in the series.

4. Mitch Tsuburaya – Detective Conan

Though Ikue Ōtani is best known for voicing characters in Pokémon, she’s also worked on other popular anime. Many fans will recognize her as the voice of Mitch Tsuburaya in Detective Conan.

Mitch is a clever and developed character, though he’s a bit quieter than many roles voiced by Otani. While he isn’t the most flamboyant character, Otani consistently delivers a memorable performance.

3. Tony Tony Chopper – One Piece

It’s surprising to learn that the voice actor for Tony Tony Chopper from One Piece also voices Misty from Pokémon! While Chopper might be more talkative than Pikachu, you can definitely hear the connection, particularly when Chopper gets excited and his voice gets higher.

Ikue Otani has voiced the character Chopper for nearly as long as she’s been the voice of Pikachu, starting just four years after the Pokemon anime first began. It’s rare for a voice actor to become known for one beloved character, but Otani has successfully voiced both Chopper and Pikachu for many years.

2. Konohamaru Sarutobi – Naruto

Otani is a well-known voice actress who has worked on popular anime like Pokemon and One Piece. She’s also famous for voicing Konohamaru Sarutobi, a beloved character from Naruto.

Konohamaru’s character feels very similar to the sweet and innocent roles Otani often plays. While Otani’s voice is instantly recognizable, she adds enough nuance to Konohamaru’s performance that you might not notice it’s her if you weren’t already familiar with her work.

1. Sachiko Shinozaki – Corpse Party Series

I’ve been noticing that all the characters Ikue Otani has voiced seem to fit her perfectly – you know, the kind of roles you’d expect from the voice of Pikachu! But there’s one that really surprised me. While she’s famous for sweeter parts, some anime and gaming fans will recognize her as the voice of Sachiko Shinozaki from Corpse Party – and let me tell you, that character is completely different! It’s wild to hear her go from Pikachu to such a… disturbed role.

Sachiko is a terrifying villain – a vengeful ghost who traps people in a nightmarish realm where she and other spirits hunt them. It’s surprising to hear this character voiced by Otani, known for her cheerful work. Though Sachiko doesn’t speak often in the games and animated shorts, her voice subtly resembles Pikachu. Once you notice this, you’ll likely never hear the beloved Pokémon mascot in the same way again.

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2025-11-27 21:38