Hey Bill, because Pikachu evolves into Alohan Raichu due to it’s diet in Aloha, theoretically could a pokemon evolve into a new form anywhere if their diet is changed?

It’s possible! Pokémon are very adaptable in ways that frequently surprise the research community. For another example, who would have thought that some pokémon will evolve if they know a particular move or if a metal coat and a lot of radiation were applied to them? Pikachu isn’t even the only one that evolves into a different form thanks to its diet, either; sylveon is just an eeveelution that evolves after being fed delicious treats (and, all right, petted and groomed enough too).

The point is, new and fascinating evolutionary requirements for already discovered pokémon are found all the time, and just when you’ve found what you’d think is the most unusual, a new, more interesting one is discovered. So who knows? Perhaps goldeen will evolve into an undiscovered pokémon after eating an entire box of tea biscuits.

As a disclaimer, I am not encouraging anyone to feed their goldeen an entire box of tea biscuits.

I’m surprised you’re adding that disclaimer on your own. —LH

Well, it needed to be said. Start with one tea biscuit, then work your way up. Starting with the whole box at once is far too ambitious for a goldeen. —Bill

Bill… —LH

Pikachu

bills-pokedex:

Pichu
The Tiny Mouse Pokémon
Type: Electric
Official Registration #: 172
Entry: Trainers take caution—although cute and the first stage in a line of formidable battlers, pichu do not have a full mastery over their electrical powers until evolution. This is not to say that they aren’t that strong. On the contrary: they have the ability to generate voltages on par with their evolved forms. What they cannot do is avoid releasing said voltage when startled, happy, or simply standing in an empty room doing absolutely nothing, and suffice to say, this is why many of the reports of electrocution among Johtonians have to do with this very pokémon.

Pikachu
The Mouse Pokémon
Type: Electric
Official Registration #: 25
Entry: The evolved form of pichu, in response to closeness with its trainer. Due to its adorable appearance, its intelligence, and its penchant for doing tricks for treats, pikachu has become an extremely popular choice for a pet. However, should you wish to keep one, never forget that pikachu are still potentially dangerous electric rodents. This is not just a note concerning its ability to generate thousands of volts of electricity, nor is it simply a warning concerning its tendency to release electricity during thunderstorms or upon waking up each morning. It is also a note that this rodent can and will chew through wires if left unattended, and chargers compatible with Leppa-brand laptops run anywhere from ¥3500 to ¥9400 each.

Raichu
The Mouse Pokémon
Type: Electric
Official Registration #: 26
Entry: The evolved form of pikachu, by exposure to thunder stone. A raichu’s tail acts as its grounding wire. When a raichu stores too much electricity in its electrical sacs, it plants its tail and discharges electricity directly into the ground. This is vital to the well-being of an individual raichu, as not only do they gather electricity from their surroundings, but they also grow increasingly aggressive as their electrical stores grow. In that sense, a raichu is much like a drunken relative on Christmas, the sort who gets increasingly offensive the more alcohol he consumes until he needs to be escorted to a safe room to discharge a long and barely intelligible rant. …Not that this writer has seen his father do any of this at any point in his life.

Raichu (Alola form)
The Mouse Pokémon
Type: Electric/Psychic
Official Registration #: 26
Entry: The evolved form of pikachu, by exposure to thunder stone within the region of Alola. It’s said that the catalyst that enables a pikachu to attain this rounder, more spiritually-inclined form upon evolution is the consumption of Alolan pancakes, which are fluffier and spicier than any other pancake in the world. If this seems at all ridiculous to you, reader, then clearly, you have yet to try Alolan pancakes. They are, in the author’s opinion, an experience.

For the record, Bill is referring to literal pancakes. —LH

Of course. The figurative sort of pancake people from Goldenrod know about is the Unovan pancake, which, I assure you, I have never tried. —Bill

Well, that’s shocking. —LH

…no pun intended, oh my God, Bill. —LH

hey bill! recently I got an eevee that I plan on evolving into jolteon. however when I try to introduce him to thunderstone I have for him, mai, my alolan raichu, snatches the stone and hides it. it takes me hours to find it each time >:( I don’t know why shes doing this can u help

Pay close attention to the body language of your eevee, anonymous. Mai, as an Alolan raichu, is half-psychic and highly empathic as a result. Thus, it’s likely she’s picking up on your eevee’s anxiety about evolving (at all or into jolteon specifically) and trying to stop you from forcing your eevee to evolve against his will. Communicate with your eevee and make it absolutely clear to him that evolution is his choice, including and especially when it comes to the topic of what he wishes to evolve into. If he seems hesitant at the idea of becoming a jolteon, ask him if he would prefer a different form or if he would wish to stay an eevee. Be sure to go over all of his options carefully so he can make the decision on his own. If you absolutely must have a jolteon, you can try convincing him, but do so in a way that makes it clear you have his interests at heart.

If he actually does want to evolve into a jolteon, then the other possible issue at play here is Mai’s worry that you’re getting another electric-type to replace her on the field. If this is the case, then be sure to reassure her that she will always be valuable to your team and that you by no means intend on retiring her.

Of course, there is also the possibility that neither of these are Mai’s concerns, at which point you’ll need to communicate with Mai as much as possible to figure out what it is that’s troubling her. Take her aside, sit her down, and ask her about her concerns. Keep reassuring her that you only want what’s best for your entire team, but you’re willing to be perfectly flexible to meet their needs.

Best of luck, anonymous!

I have a mated pair of raichu, the male kantonian and the female alolan. well, they have an egg that did not hatch… and they both got very depressed. well, a mimikyu, presumably a baby one, wondered into my garden yesterday and it would seem my raichus have adopted it as their own child. are they confused by mimikyus clothing choice and think its a real pikachu? do you think my electric/psychic mice able to care for a mimikyu? the mimikyu seems happy with the attention

It’s possible, anonymous, but it’s more likely that they simply see mimikyu as a baby pokémon to raise—a sort of replacement for their lost child. I realize that sounds terrible, but what I mean to say is that they likely understand perfectly that this mimikyu is not related to them (it most likely doesn’t have the scent or electrical signatures of a pichu anyway), but they nonetheless see mimikyu’s presence as a moment of hope for them. They’re taking comfort in the possibility that they may be able to raise a child of their own after all, even if it’s not technically theirs.

As for your other question, certainly, anonymous. Although care for a mimikyu is vastly different from care for a pichu or even a pikachu, your raichu should be able to figure it out based on instinct and perhaps a little guidance from you. Do your research on how to care for a mimikyu (I’m afraid that while I can offer guidance on the matter, that would make this post far longer than it needs to be) and nudge your raichu along whenever it seems like they aren’t quite sure what to do in order to raise their adopted child.

Best of luck to you and the new addition to your family, anonymous!

My brother and I both adopted a pair of sibling Pikachus we found on our ranch when we were small. Mine has now long evolved into a Raichu. When my brother returned from his stay in the Alola region, his Pikachu had evolved too, except it looks completely different from the Raichu I have, with a rounded physique and the ability to float?! He told me it might have something to do with the diet of his Pikachu during its stay in Alola. Something about sweets? I’m so confused!

Your brother is not that far off. You see, your raichu evolved into a standard form, whereas your brother’s evolved into the Alolan variation. To be more specific, certain pokémon, such as pikachu, are capable of evolving into different forms in the region of Alola than the forms they attain anywhere else. In most cases, this has to do with the unique environment of the Alola region itself.

However, pikachu’s evolution into the half-psychic Alolan raichu has less to do with the environment specifically and more to do with the fact that the pancakes of that region really are about as powerful as natives say they are.

Is there an actual explanation for why Raichu has an Alolan form? And no, I don’t believe in the pancake thing.

To be fair, have you ever had Alolan pancakes?

Granted, as someone who’s severely lactose intolerant and thus can only eat dairy-free pancakes, the one time I had left me with crippling stomach pains, but even I thought Alolan pancakes were transformative.

(In all seriousness, it’s likely that pikachu, who is actually an incredibly adaptable pokémon, is reacting to the higher levels of spiritual energy of the archipelago itself in addition to the energy released by a thunder stone.)