Pikachu is a character in the popular Japanese media franchise Pokémon, and is one of the most recognizable and beloved characters in the series. Pikachus design was inspired by a squirrel, not a mouse or rabbit, according to Atsuko Nishida, a graphic and character designer for the Pokémon franchise. Nishida wanted Pikachu to have puffy cheeks like a squirrel, and a tail shaped like lightning to reflect the characters electric element. The name Pikachu comes from "pika," an onomatopoeia for electric spark, and "chu," another onomatopoeia for the squeak a mouse makes. While Pikachu is classified as a mouse-type Pokémon, it is actually based on a squirrel.