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Pikachu gets special treatment in Pokémon Sun and Moon, as the electric mouse regularly does in the 20-year-old franchise. The games’ newest trailer shows Pikachu getting pampered in the new Refresh mode and getting energized with a special Z-Move dance. But in case anyone is watching in frustration as Pikachu is spoiled again and again, a brief moment in the video above gives even the anti-Pikachu camp reason to be pumped.
First things first: When a trainer taps into their Z-Ring using the appropriate Z-Crystal, they can unlock Pikachu’s Z-Move. Every Pokémon goes through a different motion while performing their special attack, and Pikachu’s is probably the best we’ve seen thus far.
hard to believe there used to be sadness in the world pic.twitter.com/oH11n9nh6V— Andrew Goldfarb (@garfep) September 20, 2016
Pikachu’s Z-Move isn’t just great because of that adorable dance. One savvy Twitter user pointed out that we’ve actually seen this dance before — and that makes it even cuter.
OH MY GOD! #Nintendo YOU SLY DOG! #Pikachu #PikachuVideo #PokemonSunMoon pic.twitter.com/nn98U1sZnR— SolCalibre (@Sol_Calibre) September 20, 2016
The terrible aspect ratio aside, we’ve seen this exact Pikachu dance before, courtesy of the giant pack of costumed Pikachu that are known to make the rounds at community events. For Pokémon fans — and Pikachu devotees most of all — this is the greatest thing Sun and Moon have to offer yet.
Yet some of us are sick of Pikachu, that spotlight hog, that diva, that — anyway. Pikachu gets a Z-Move while so many other Pokémon don’t, and that could be frustrating. The character’s attack is more than just an adorable dance, however; "Catastropika" requires its trainer to throw Pikachu into the air as hard as they possibly can.
It’s possible Game Freak instituted that element to appease people who are sick of Pokémon’s mascot. It’s certainly pleased folks on Twitter, who have found perfect alternative explanations for that brief swing:
When you're sick of pikachu being in the spotlight in every game #PokemonSunMoon pic.twitter.com/wKY88HTFEU— garrett (@TAHK0) September 20, 2016
When you're breeding and you don't get the Pokemon with the IV's you want pic.twitter.com/VqjyjAdCy7— ThePokeResort (@PokeResort) September 20, 2016
When you're sick of Gamefreak giving exclusive things to Pikachu pic.twitter.com/iBsh8mn9PR— Avery (@Avery5197) September 20, 2016
The Pikachu naysayers have already been forced to face a counter argument for their read of this attack, however. Fans of the Pokémon cartoon are tweeting back this clip from the show, wherein Ash Ketchum pioneers the affectionate Pikachu toss:
woah pic.twitter.com/WIVOGaxN4W— DavuuWart™ (@DavuuWart) September 20, 2016
Whatever the case may be, we have yet another thing to look forward to on Nov. 18, when Pokémon Sun and Moon launch.
