The face of Pokémon, on your floor

Pikachu is the most recognized Pokémon in the world, and a Pikachu rug brings that cheerful yellow face into a room: round red cheeks, black-tipped ears, a small smile and big dark eyes, on a sunny yellow round rug. That's the classic design, especially for a child's bedroom. A rug cut to Pikachu's outline, lightning-bolt tail and all, is the most playful option, and the tail on its own is the subtle choice for an older fan. Every design is printed into soft velvet that goes in the washing machine, which parents always appreciate.

Who Pikachu is

Pikachu is an Electric-type Pokémon, number 25 in the National Pokédex, from the very first Pokémon games, Red and Green, released in Japan in 1996. Its name combines two Japanese sounds, pika, the crackle of electricity, and chu, the squeak of a mouse. It stores electricity in the red pouches on its cheeks and releases it in bolts when it's threatened or excited. Pikachu evolves from the tiny Pichu and can evolve into Raichu with a Thunder Stone, but most fans would never dream of evolving theirs.

Pikachu became the face of the series thanks to the anime, in which it's Ash Ketchum's partner from the very first episode. It refuses to live inside a Poké Ball, rides on Ash's shoulder and has been at his side for more than twenty-five years of adventures. Pokémon Yellow, in 1998, let players walk with a Pikachu following behind them, and Pikachu has been the series' mascot ever since.

Pikachu's face on a round rug

Pikachu's round, simple face, with its pointed ears and red cheeks, fits a round rug beautifully. On a 3.3 to 4.6 ft (100 to 140 cm) yellow rug, it becomes a bright, happy center for a child's room; on a 5.2 or 5.9 ft (160 or 180 cm) rug, it fills a larger bedroom or a playroom. It's one of the most cheerful rugs we make, a little bit of sunshine on the floor even on a grey day. Our round rugs page shows each size in a room.

A Pikachu-shaped rug

Cut to Pikachu's outline, with its ears up and its zigzag tail sticking out, a shaped rug looks like Pikachu has curled up on your floor. Shaped rugs come in sizes from 2.6×2.6 up to 5.2×5.9 ft (80×80 to 160×180 cm). A small one beside a bed is the first thing a child steps on in the morning; a large one is a centerpiece for a playroom.

The lightning-bolt tail

Pikachu's tail, a bright yellow zigzag with a brown base, is shaped like a lightning bolt, and it's a design icon on its own. A tail-only design, or a scatter of small lightning bolts on yellow, is a subtle Pikachu rug for an older fan or an adult's room, and it reads as bold graphic art to anyone who doesn't know the series. Since the fourth generation of games, female Pikachu have had a heart-shaped notch at the end of their tails, a sweet detail some fans love to include.

Pichu, Pikachu, Raichu

The full evolution line makes a lovely, cheerful design for a long rug or a shared room:

1. Pichu, the tiny baby Pokémon with oversized ears, introduced in Pokémon Gold and Silver.
2. Pikachu, the famous yellow mouse with red cheeks.
3. Raichu, its orange evolution with a long, thin tail, plus a surfing, psychic Alolan form from Pokémon Sun and Moon.

Pichu alone is especially sweet for a nursery or a toddler's room, gentle and baby-like.

On a trainer's shoulder

One of the most familiar images in the whole series is Pikachu perched on a trainer's shoulder or peeking out from under a red-and-white cap. A design with Pikachu sitting in an upturned cap, or riding on a backpack strap, is a sweet, nostalgic rug for a fan who grew up watching the anime, and a gentle nod to a friendship that lasted more than two decades.

A Pikachu bedroom

Pikachu's yellow is bright and warm, so it works best with simple surroundings: white furniture, pale wood and a few red or brown accents to echo its cheeks and stripes. For a young child's room, pair a yellow Pikachu rug with Pokémon bedding and a few plush toys. For a teen, add a gaming setup and a Poké Ball rug under the desk chair. For the softest bedside rug, choose Premium, 7 mm plush velvet on a bamboo and cotton back, about 700 g/m². Our bedroom rugs page has more layouts.

A Pikachu nursery

Pikachu and Pichu are popular nursery themes: bright, friendly and familiar to parents who grew up with Pokémon themselves. For a calmer nursery, choose a softer, buttery yellow and pair it with white and grey. Premium's plush velvet is soft for tummy time and first crawls; once your child is walking on a smooth floor, Standard's non-slip back is the safer choice. Every rug goes in the washing machine, which will be needed. Our kids and nursery rugs have more ideas.

Playrooms

A Pikachu rug in a playroom becomes part of the play: a stage for toy figures, a spot for story time or a target for a game. On a hard floor, choose Standard, 5 mm crushed velvet on a non-slip faux leather back, about 500 g/m², so it stays put when kids run across it. Our kids play rugs have more ideas for active play.

Detective Pikachu

In the game Detective Pikachu and its 2019 live-action film adaptation, Pikachu is a coffee-loving, wisecracking detective in a deerstalker hat, voiced in the film by Ryan Reynolds. A detective design, Pikachu in his hat with a magnifying glass, is a playful rug for an older fan or a mystery lover's study, and a fun change from the classic face.

Chubby retro Pikachu

The original 1996 Pikachu was noticeably rounder and chubbier than today's version, and many longtime fans love that look. Gigantamax Pikachu, from Pokémon Sword and Shield, brought the chubby shape back as a giant, with a glowing tail. A retro Pikachu design, plump and round in the style of the first games, is a nostalgic rug for an adult who grew up with Pokémon Red and Blue.

Pikachu around the world

Pikachu has gone far beyond games: it has floated as a giant balloon in the Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade since 2001, decorated passenger jets, fought in every Super Smash Bros. and, each summer in Yokohama, Japan, hundreds of costumed Pikachu parade through the city. Fans of the fighting games will enjoy our Super Smash Bros. rugs.

Pikachu and friends

Pikachu pairs naturally with other Pokémon in a shared room. Many siblings choose Pikachu and Charizard, or Pikachu and the sleepy Snorlax. Fans of fluffy Pokémon have our Eevee rugs, and ghost lovers have Gengar. The full range is on our Pokémon rugs page.

Standard or Premium

Standard is best on hard floors, under chairs and in busy rooms, because its non-slip back stays put and lets desk chairs roll freely. Premium is softer and warmer, best beside a bed or anywhere you sit on the floor. Both are printed the same way, so the yellow stays bright and the cheeks stay red, and both go in the washing machine.

Sizes

Pikachu's face suits a 3.3 to 4.6 ft (100 to 140 cm) round rug; 5.2 or 5.9 ft (160 or 180 cm) fills a larger room. A shaped Pikachu works from 2.6×2.6 ft (80×80 cm) beside a bed up to 5.2×5.9 ft (160×180 cm) as a centerpiece. The evolution line suits a 2.6×3.9 ft rug or a runner; a lightning-bolt pattern works in any size, from a 2×3 ft rug by a door to a 5×7 ft rectangle.

Your own design

If you'd like your child's name beside Pikachu, or a design built around artwork you own, our custom rugs can print it in any size up to 5′11″ × 10′, or cut it to shape. Please only send artwork you're allowed to use; custom rugs are made just for you and can't be returned, so please check names and spelling before ordering.

Gifts

A Pikachu rug is one of the easiest Pokémon gifts to get right: almost every child knows Pikachu, and many parents do too. It's a great birthday present, a baby shower gift for Pokémon-loving parents or a cheerful housewarming gift for an adult fan. If you aren't sure which design to choose, Pikachu's face on a yellow round rug is the safest. Every rug is printed to order in 1–3 business days and ships from Turkey; US delivery usually takes 2–5 business days after that. Unused rugs can be returned within 30 days on US orders.

Care

Machine wash on a gentle, cold cycle and let it air dry flat. Vacuum on a low setting between washes, and blot spills with cold water right away. The design is printed into the fibers, so the yellow stays sunny, wash after wash.

A note on the character

Pikachu Outbreak and Pikachu skies

Every summer since 2014, Yokohama's waterfront district of Minato Mirai has hosted a Pikachu festival that fans call the Pikachu Outbreak: parades of dancing performers in Pikachu costumes, giant inflatables, fireworks and even a Pikachu-themed water show. Crowds come from all over Japan and abroad to see hundreds of Pikachu marching through the streets.

Pikachu has also taken to the air on specially painted jets and appeared on everything from trains to postage stamps. Since the anime began in 1997, the same voice actress, Ikue Ōtani, has voiced Pikachu in nearly every language, one of the reasons its cries sound the same around the world.

Those celebrations inspire joyful rugs. A crowd of tiny dancing Pikachu filling a rug edge to edge is a cheerful design for a playroom, and a single Pikachu on a festival float with fireworks behind it makes a fun bedroom centerpiece. A Pikachu-painted plane flying through blue skies with puffy clouds brings a sense of adventure to a child's room.

For families who have traveled to Japan, or dream of it, a Yokohama-inspired design with the waterfront, a Ferris wheel and a parade of yellow costumes is a souvenir you can walk on every day.

Padrift is an independent studio. Pikachu and Pokémon are named to describe what our designs are inspired by; we are not affiliated with, sponsored or endorsed by Nintendo, Game Freak, Creatures or The Pokémon Company.