Pikachu's Voice in Detective Pikachu Sends Shockwaves - Prepare to be Surprised!

Nintendo recently held a lengthy Direct event, following the conclusion of the Summer Game Fest season. During the 40-minute presentation, Nintendo unveiled a plethora of upcoming games from both first-party and third-party developers. Among the exciting announcements were a new 2D side-scrolling Super Mario game, a remake of Super Mario RPG, a new WarioWare game, the Metal Gear Solid Master Collection, and the Batman: Arkham Trilogy. However, one of the most notable trailers from the Nintendo Direct was Detective Pikachu Returns, though it may not have left the best impression.

Originally released in 2016, Detective Pikachu was a unique spinoff of the Pokémon franchise for the Nintendo 3DS. The game allowed players to step into the shoes of Tim Goodman, a young Trainer who encounters a talking Pikachu claiming to be a skilled detective. With Tim's help, Pikachu must recover his lost memories and unravel various mysteries. Detective Pikachu Returns is the highly anticipated sequel, but like its predecessor, it may have a controversial element that stands out for the wrong reasons.

Detective Pikachu's Voice Is Uncanny

In most Pokemon adaptations, Pikachu is typically portrayed with a small, cute, mouse-like voice. Even when Pikachu is agitated, its voice remains adorable. If fans were to hear Pikachu's voice in isolation, they would immediately recognize it as coming from a small, mouse-like creature. With Ikue Ōtani providing the voice for Pikachu for over 25 years, this depiction of the character has become deeply ingrained in the minds of fans. Therefore, it can be quite jarring when Pikachu does not sound like Ikue Ōtani.

While giving Pikachu a deeper or rougher voice may be one thing, it is an entirely different matter to give Pikachu a human voice, which is precisely what the Detective Pikachu series does. In the 2019 live-action Detective Pikachu movie, one of its most striking initial aspects is the fact that Pikachu speaks with a human voice, and not just any human voice, but that of Ryan Reynolds. Fortunately, Reynolds' voice actually suits this version of Detective Pikachu quite well, providing him with a mischievous yet endearing tone that effectively bridges the gap between Pikachu's usual noises and the voice of a fully grown adult man.

In Detective Pikachu, the titular Pokemon sleuth is voiced by Kaiji Tang in the North American release. Kaiji Tang, known for his excellent work in the Yakuza series as Ichiban Kasuga, brings his talent to the role. However, the voice just doesn't quite fit Pikachu. Kaiji's voice, which is perfect for a lovable, roguish, whimsical buffoon like Ichiban, feels out of place when coming out of Pikachu's mouth.

Kaiji Tang once again reprises his role in Detective Pikachu Returns, and the recent reveal trailer reveals a potential issue. While Kaiji is doing a great job and capturing the tone of a Sherlock Holmes-like figure, his voice feels jarringly wrong when paired with Pikachu's cute movements and demeanor. The biggest disparity lies in Kaiji's lower vocal register, giving Pikachu an oddly gruff voice. Comparing Kaiji's Pikachu voice to Ikue Ōtani's is like night and day. For fans who have only ever heard Ikue Ōtani's voice consistently for the past two and a half decades, there is naturally a significant disconnect. However, Kaiji's portrayal of Pikachu does bring a unique hook to Detective Pikachu Returns right from the start.

Detective Pikachu Returns releases on Nintendo Switch on October 6, 2023.