25. PICHU

Franchise / home series: Pokémon

Notable non-Smash games: Pokémon Gold & Silver (1999); Pokémon Crystal (2000)

Pichu debuted in Melee as a lighthearted joke character and baby form of Pikachu. Its main gimmick—taking damage from its own electric attacks—made it intentionally self-damaging and, at the time, generally considered one of the weakest fighters in the game.

In Smash, Pichu’s moveset closely mirrors Pikachu’s, featuring similar electric specials like Thunder Jolt and Thunder. However, it is extremely light and suffers recoil damage when using many of its attacks, emphasizing a high-risk, humorous design. In Melee, this made Pichu a novelty pick used mostly for fun or challenge runs.

Its surprising return in Ultimate came with significant buffs: Pichu’s speed, damage output, and combo potential were dramatically improved, and for a time it was considered one of the most powerful characters in the game despite its frailty. This reversal turned Pichu from a joke into a legitimate high-risk, high-reward threat, while still preserving the comedic charm of a tiny fighter that literally shocks itself in battle.