A very strange claim that often circles through the Pokémon community is that Pikachu, the franchise’s titular mascot, originally had a black-tipped tail that was later changed. People have attempted to prove this assertion many times throughout the years, often with little success. However, Pikachu having a black tail is mostly regarded as an example of the “Mandela Effect,” where many people have the same incorrect memory, as though they’ve all suddenly stepped into an alternate universe. Many people believe this effect happens, in this case, due to confusion between Pikachu’s black-tipped ears and its tail. So, does Pikachu ever have a black-tipped tail? Yes and no—here’s why.
With only one exception, the Electric Mouse Pokémon’s tail has never appeared as black-tipped in any form of media. This goes for the games, anime, and any official artwork. It was never an experimental or prototype design choice for Pikachu, even in the earliest forms of Pokémon media. Pikachu’s tail has only ever had one variation from its usual appearance—in the game sprites of Pikachu in Pokémon Diamond, Pearl, and Platinum Version onward, male Pikachu have the standard flat tail tip, while female Pikachu have a heart-shaped tail tip. Pikachu never appeared with a black-tipped tail—at least, it didn’t until 2013.
In Pokémon Omega Ruby and Alpha Sapphire Version, a special version of this Pokémon, named “Cosplay Pikachu,” was made obtainable to players. This contest-focused Pikachu could wear a total of five unique costumes: Pikachu Libre, Pikachu Ph.D., Pikachu Pop Star, Pikachu Belle, and Pikachu Rock Star. Aside from its costumes, Cosplay Pikachu is unique for another reason: It actually does have a black-tipped tail. However, this is still the one and only instance of Pikachu having a black-tipped tail in any form of media the Pokémon has appeared in. The closest any Pikachu comes otherwise is a very dark section at the bottom of its tail in some of the earlier game sprites, but it’s hard to argue that’s the same type of black-tipped tail people are really talking about—not to mention that the exact colors from a game that came out on the non-color Game Boy are hardly official.
So, a version of Pikachu does have a black-tipped tail, but not every Pikachu possesses the same feature, and there was no covert design change that put that into effect. Perhaps more special versions of Pikachu may have this feature in the future, but for now, only Cosplay Pikachu remains a nod to this instance of false memory that has lingered throughout the fandom for many years.
(featured image: The Pokémon Company)
