# Pikachu Libre Pikachu Libre is a Luchador-styled version of Pikachu that first appeared as a Cosplay Pikachu costume in 2014's Pokémon Omega Ruby and Alpha Sapphire before being promoted to a full fighter in Pokken Tournament. The design later spawned a Smash Bros.-era copypasta declaring the wrestler is female because of her heart-shaped tail, which spread across Reddit in 2018. ## Origin Pikachu Libre debuted as one of the Cosplay Pikachu costumes in the 2014 Nintendo 3DS ports Pokémon Omega Ruby and Alpha Sapphire. Game Freak promoted her to a playable fighter in the arcade brawler Pokken Tournament, which launched in Japanese arcades on July 16, 2015 and reached Wii U worldwide on March 18, 2016. She reappeared in Pokken Tournament DX on Nintendo Switch on September 22, 2017 before being added as a Pikachu skin in Super Smash Bros. Ultimate in 2018[2]. The 'she's a girl' tail-shape observation predates the copypasta by three years. An August 21, 2015 Splinter article by Charles Pulliam-Moore praised Pokken's luchadora Pikachu and pointed out that Cosplay Pikachu are always female, identifiable by their heart-shaped tail tips. The copypasta form did not spread until an @SSBUNews tweet on September 20, 2018 announced her inclusion in Smash Bros. Ultimate, giving Smash fans a fresh reason to post the trivia on repeat[2]. - **Platform:** Pokémon video games (character origin) / Reddit and Twitter (copypasta spread) - **Creator:** Unknown - **Date:** 2015 ## Overview The Pikachu Libre meme works on two overlapping layers. First is the character design itself: a female Pikachu wearing a pink luchadora mask and boots, originally released as one of the Cosplay Pikachu costumes and later given a dedicated moveset in the arcade fighter Pokken Tournament[2]. She was folded into Super Smash Bros. Ultimate as an alternate Pikachu skin in 2018, which put her in front of a much larger audience than the arcade fighter alone reached. Second is a Smash Brothers community copypasta reading 'Did you know Pikachu Libre is a girl? You can tell by the shape of her tail.' The joke rides on real Pokémon lore: in the games, female Pikachu have heart-shaped tail tips, and Cosplay Pikachu variants are always female. Fans post the line any time the character shows up, often extending it with mock-serious footnotes about Pokémon anatomy or gender ratios. ## How to Use The template is short: post 'Did you know Pikachu Libre is a girl? You can tell by the shape of her tail' in any thread where the character comes up, then optionally add a straight-faced follow-up about heart-shaped tail tips, Pokémon gender ratios, or lucha libre history. The joke works because the 'trivia' is technically correct but presented like an obscure secret. ## Frequently Asked Questions ### What is Pikachu Libre? Pikachu Libre is a Luchador-styled Cosplay Pikachu that debuted in Pokémon Omega Ruby and Alpha Sapphire and later starred as a playable fighter in Pokken Tournament[2]. ### Where did Pikachu Libre come from? She first appeared as one of the Cosplay Pikachu costumes in the 2014 Pokémon Omega Ruby and Alpha Sapphire ports before being promoted to a fighter in the 2015 arcade release Pokken Tournament[2]. ### What does Pikachu Libre mean? 'Libre' references lucha libre, the Mexican pro wrestling style; the character is a female Pikachu dressed as a luchadora, and fans note her female status is confirmed by the heart-shaped tip on her tail[2]. ### How do you use Pikachu Libre? Fans post the copypasta 'Did you know Pikachu Libre is a girl? You can tell by the shape of her tail' into threads about the character, and YouTubers have folded the same tail-shape trivia into gameplay videos[1]. ### Is Pikachu Libre still popular? The character is still a recognizable Pokken and Smash Bros. Ultimate skin, and the 2018 tail-shape copypasta stayed a Smash Bros. community in-joke rather than crossing to mainstream platforms[2]. ## References 1. [https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=z-vgIf4cFDY]() 2. [https://knowyourmeme.com/memes/pikachu-libre]() --- Source: https://meme.com/memes/pikachu-libre Published by meme.com — The Internet Meme Library