Pikachu’s Black Tail - Did it Exist or Mandela Effect?

Pikachu’s Black Tail – Did it Exist or Mandela Effect?

One of the greatest phenomena of the late 1990s generation is the ultimate question of whether Pikachu had a black-tipped tail or not. This mystery grips viewers worldwide, where often viewers find themselves scratching their heads when asked whether Pikachu indeed had a plain yellow tail or did it have black tips. What’s hilarious is that these viewers have avidly watched this anime, owned its merchandise, bought cards, played games, etc.

And if you’re one of these confused viewers, don’t worry. We have the answer to the question that has taken the anime world by storm. Simply put, No Pikachu does not have a black tip tail; its tail is plain yellow.

Certain things are so evident that our brain seems to gloss over them. As a result, we may entirely misremember something important to us while trying to remember it. Many fans will be disappointed with this revelation because our minds have convinced us that we couldn’t possibly be wrong about such an imperative detail about one of our favorite anime characters. 

It can be challenging to determine whether you incorrectly recall something or whether it’s been changed by someone. But this only shows the many mysteries surrounding our brains’ workings. So let’s discuss Pikachu’s black tail in detail!

What is the Mandela Effect?

What is the Mandela Effect?

The act of misremembering something or falsely remembering it is called the Mandela effect. Most of us know who Nelson Mandela was, but why is he famous for this psychological effect? It was found in a 2010 study that many people, including the educated ones, did not remember the death anniversary of Nelson Mandela, which was a shocking revelation.

Even more surprising was that people were.t wrong in guessing by a year or two at max. Instead, they’d thought he had died in the 1980s, whereas in 2013.

This brought along the discovery that our minds can create their facts and figures and shape them as our reality. 

What Role does Mandela’s effect play in Pikachu’s Black Tail?

It’s been shocking to Pokemon fans worldwide that an integral part of their childhood has been a lie. And instead, Pikachu has had a yellow tail since the beginning.

This makes us wonder how many people have overlooked and misremembered such a tiny detail. Sadly, it is impossible to demonstrate that either this effect is happening or that it is not. Furthermore, it is still being determined why the Mandela Effect took place.

There are a few reasons why someone would believe that Pikachu has a black tail. For instance, we might unintentionally believe Pikachu’s tail is black because we know his ears do indeed have black tips. Yet, Pikachu never had a black tip on his tail, despite it appearing to be the original. Indeed, only a few people could have made the same mistake.

Several people had posted drawings of Pikachu with a black tip on his tail that they made when they were younger to forums like Reddit, but they have only recently realized that they were mistaken the entire time. Even worse, everyone recalls Pikachu’s tail having the same black tip.

Has Pikachu Ever Had A Black Tail?

Has Pikachu Ever Had A Black Tail?

In particular, Pikachu’s primary form never possessed a black tail. Whether you compare anime, video games, or both, its tail has always been yellow. The colors on the tails of a male and a female Pikachu are the same, and therefore there are no differences specific to gender either. The tips of Pikachu’s ears are the only black thing on its body.

Although there is an exception in the form of Cosplay Pikachu, they are brand-new to the series because they emerged in the Generation VI remakes of the original Generation III games, Omega Ruby and Alpha Sapphire. The black-tailed Pikachu false memory is much older than these games. Since Cosplay Pikachu is a Generation VI character, these versions of the characters are certainly not the basis of the false memory.

Cosplay Pikachu is a variation of the original Pikachu; it is always female, has a black spot resembling a heart at the end of its tail, and can be outfitted in any five clothes to match the five Contest requirements. In video games, the player receives it as a present, and the latter group even appears in an anime series.

Although the reason for their black-tipped tails is unknown, this variation does support the existence of a black-tailed Pikachu, albeit in a different form that is undoubtedly not the cause of the inaccurate memory connected to Pikachu’s tail.

Pikachu’s Description

Pikachu's Description

Now that we have established that Pikachu does not have a black tail let’s take a trip down memory lane and reminisce about what Pikachu looked like.

It is a small rodent-like and chubby Pokemon. Its back is covered in two broad brown stripes and has yellow fur. It has brown eyes, a small mouth, and long, pointed ears with black tips. 

It also has a red circle with a storage pouch for power which is present on each cheek. Each foot has three toes and short forearms, with five fingers on each paw. A tuft of brown fur can be seen at the end of its lightning bolt-like tail.

Which Episode Features Pikachu’s Black Tail?

It has been claimed that Pikachus’s black tail appears in the Pokemon Sun and Moon Opening song by many fans. When Pikachu launches a lightning bolt in this opening action scene, the black tip of his tail is seen.

Fans continue to use this instance to support their claim that Pikachu did really have a black-tipped tail, even though we haven’t seen it frequently in the anime series.

Has Pikachu evolved?

Like numerous other Pokémon, Pikachu has an evolution tree. Pikachu, a basic Pokemon, develops into Raichu, a more extensive Stage 1 Pokemon with more prominent, differently shaped ears, a longer tail, and darker hair. The ‘baby’ Pokémon Pichu is when Pikachu itself evolves.

The beloved and well-known Pikachu belonging to Ash doesn’t change during the course of the story. In truth, Ash gives Pikachu the option to evolve with the aid of the thunder stone following a defeat to a more powerful Raichu in one of the episodes from the original anime.

On the other hand, Pikachu is unwilling to evolve and prefers to take on Raichu without the additional power that comes with it. Even though Pikachu never considered developing in the future, he eventually defeats Raichu.

Bottom Line

Pikachu will continue to serve as the franchise’s mascot and rule our hearts with his adorable presence as long as Pokemon maintains its position at the top of the charts worldwide for popularity and money spent by fans.

We hope that your question and every other related question have been answered. You have also read about the Mandela effect and its role in the theory of Pikachu having a black tail. While there are still many fans out there who are not aware of this truth, at least now you are.

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Abdul Wahab is a Software Engineer by profession and a Tech geek by nature. Having been associated with the tech industry for the last five years, he has covered a wide range of Tech topics and produced well-researched and engaging content. You will mostly find him reviewing tech products and writing blog posts. Binge-watching tech reviews and endlessly reading tech blogs are his favorite hobbies.