Pikachu’s starred in a bunch of commercials, short films and even composed and performed an unforgettable ode to its favorite condiment, ketchup. But it’s rare that the Pokémon franchise gives back to its most beloved of mascots. Today, that changes with a celebration of all things ’chu: We present the “Pikarap,” the theme song to Japan’s upcoming Pikachu celebration.
The rap is all in Japanese, which means we don’t exactly know what the artist is saying. (If you can translate, do let us know in the comments.) But the parts we do understand are enough to justify this as our pick for the year’s song of the summer. If you’re not singing “P-I-K-A, pika pika” ad nauseam after your first spin, you may need to get your music taste inspected.
There’s cute references to Pikachu’s spot in the Pokédex — it’s number 25, as we all know — a shoutout to Pikachu rip-off Mimikyu, copious gameplay footage from the monster’s game appearances throughout the years and, of course, lots of giant Pikachu for us to gaze at lovingly.
The whole song is connected to the Pika Event in Yokohama, Japan, which kicks off in Japan on Aug. 9 and runs through Aug. 15. The event will bring together Pokémon fans of all kinds, with a special focus on those who can’t get enough of the electric mouse. It will also feature some outdoor Pokémon Go events, including a Pokémon Go Stadium to play around in. That free event, which will give players a chance to catch tons of Pikachu and other special monsters, is set to take place on Aug. 14.
