February 27th marks Pokémon Day, a time for fans around the world to celebrate the release of the very first Pokémon video games in Japan. Thirty years later, Pokémon remains a favorite among its fans, and the franchise has changed a lot. With countless new characters and generations, which are the most popular of the bunch?
In honor of Pokémon Day, ACE.com, the free-to-play social gaming website, has analyzed Pokémon-related Google search data across the United States over the last 36 months to determine fans’ favorite characters.
The Break Down
| Rank | Name | Generation | Monthly searches |
| 1 | Pikachu | Generation 1 | 685,100 |
| 2 | Flamigo | Generation 9 | 374,600 |
| 3 | Charizard | Generation 1 | 310,900 |
| 4 | Charmeleon | Generation 1 | 250,400 |
| 5 | Squirtle | Generation 1 | 215,800 |
| 6 | Eevee | Generation 1 | 214,500 |
| 7 | Mewtwo | Generation 1 | 209,100 |
| 8 | Snorlax | Generation 1 | 207,600 |
| 9 | Gengar | Generation 1 | 192,100 |
| 10 | Ditto | Generation 1 | 175,500 |
| 11 | Bulbasaur | Generation 1 | 171,600 |
| 12 | Charmander | Generation 1 | 169,400 |
| 13 | Grafaiai | Generation 9 | 166,900 |
| 14 | Gardevoir | Generation 3 | 149,800 |
| 15 | Lopunny | Generation 4 | 144,900 |
Pikachu Tops the List
It should come as no surprise that Pikachu tops the list with an average of 685,100 searches per month. The little yellow mouse has won over America’s affections. Pikachu, who made his debut in the video games Pokémon Red and Blue in 1996, has since evolved into the franchise’s mascot and appeared in both Katy Perry’s music video and its own film.
Flamigo, one of the few Pokémon from Generation 9 to reach the top 15, comes in second. The Paldea region’s Flamigo is a flying, fighting-type Pokémon that neither evolves into nor from any other Pokémon. On average, 374,600 searches are made for the character each month.
Charizard, an orange dragon-like creature that debuted in Pokémon Red and Blue in 1996, comes in third. With more than 310,900 searches, it has been well received by both fans and the media since its debut in the series. It is also one of the most featured in the Pokémon anime series, owned by the main character of the series, Ash Ketchum.
Charmeleon and Squirtle, both Generation 1 Pokémon, come in fourth and fifth place, respectively. Charmeleon, a fire-type Pokémon from Kanto, receives an average of 250,400 searches per month. Squirtle, which can evolve into a Wartortle, is one of the first three partner Pokémon available in Pokémon Red, Blue, and Green, and is searched for 215,800 times a month.
Montana ranks first among the states that are most obsessed with Pokémon. Every month, the state searches for 117,650 Pokémon characters, which equates to 1,024 per 10,000 people.
Washington comes in second with 842 searches per 10,000 people, followed by Hawaii in third with 825 monthly searches per 10,000 people.
