Where Did Surprised Pikachu Come From? The Infamous Pokémon Meme Explained

Pokémon is well-loved by all ages and has been a very popular game for decades now. It's a classic, generally very wholesome franchise whose fans are loyal and dedicated. Whether you are a fan of the games and characters yourself or not, just about everyone out there at least knows who Pikachu is.

The Surprised or Shocked Pikachu meme has been circulating for a long time now, yet it still pops up in new and fun ways all the time. Here is the rundown on who this guy is, where he came from and how he's still so versatile years later.

Where Does Surprised Pikachu Come From?

Though it seems like he has been around forever, the specific surprised Pikachu that is seen in the very popular memes is from the Pokémon anime TV show from 1997. He first appeared, shocked and surprised as ever, in season 1, episode 10 of the show, very early on in the episode.

The first time he was seen being used as a meme online, or more specifically used as a reaction image, was on Tumblr in September of 2018. The original meme that sparked his everlasting popularity is seen below.

How Is Surprised Pikachu Used In Memes?

Surprised Pikachu is used in a variety of ways online when it comes to memes and reactions. Originally, he is used to depict a very surprised reaction to an outcome that should have been predicted in the first place, often in a sort of self-mocking way. It's basically the meme creator's face when something happens that they definitely should have expected to happen.

Surprised Pikachu has encountered a few different variations over the years as well. He has become high definition, angry, and even morphed into other creatures and characters. However, the original premise of the meme remains the same, being surprised by something that should've been seen coming.

There are thousands of surprised Pikachu memes out there now, some getting really crazy, but here are just 4 examples of the well-loved meme in all its glory.

For the full history of Surprised Pikachu, be sure to check out Know Your Meme's encyclopedia for more information.