You know the feeling. You’re standing in a digital lab, three Poké Balls are sitting on a table, and the weight of the world is on your shoulders. It’s been three decades since Satoshi Tajiri and the team at Game Freak first forced us to choose between a turtle with a fire hose and a lizard with a literal death-timer on its tail. Honestly, it’s kinda wild that Charmander Bulbasaur Squirtle and Pikachu are still the gold standard for character design in an industry that moves faster than a Jolteon on steroids.
We’ve seen over a thousand of these creatures now. Some are literal piles of trash or sentient keyrings. Yet, the original Kanto quartet remains the untouchable core of the brand. It isn't just nostalgia talking, though that’s a huge part of it. It’s the way these four specific designs hit every single psychological trigger for "friendship" and "power" simultaneously. They weren't just monsters. They were your first real responsibility.
The Starter Paradox: Why We Can’t Let Go
Picking a starter is basically a personality test. You’ve got Bulbasaur, the choice for people who actually want to win the early game without crying. Then there’s Squirtle, the "cool kid" option. And then there’s Charmander. Selecting Charmander in the original Red and Blue versions was effectively choosing "Hard Mode" because the first two gyms—Brock and Misty—were specifically designed to wreck Fire-types.
Most players didn't care. They saw a dragon-adjacent lizard and said, "Yeah, that one."
The brilliance of Charmander Bulbasaur Squirtle and Pikachu lies in their evolutionary arcs. They aren't just bigger versions of themselves; they represent a transition from a pet to a partner to a beast. Bulbasaur is the only one that starts as a dual-type (Grass/Poison), which is a detail most casual fans forget. It makes it the most "technical" starter. Meanwhile, Pikachu was never even supposed to be the mascot. Clefairy was the original frontrunner for that spot. Can you imagine a world where a pink moon-fairy is the face of a multi-billion dollar empire? It feels wrong. Pikachu’s design, specifically the "electric sacs" in its cheeks, was inspired by squirrels storing nuts. Ken Sugimori and Atsuko Nishida basically stumbled into the most recognizable silhouette in modern history.
Bulbasaur: The Underrated Strategic King
People sleep on Bulbasaur. It’s honestly tragic. In the competitive scene, especially if you look at the early days of the VGC (Video Game Championships), Venusaur has often been more viable than Charizard or Blastoise depending on the "Sun" meta.
Bulbasaur represents the "Grass-Fire-Water" triangle that has defined every single Pokémon game since 1996. This rock-paper-scissors mechanic is the foundation of the entire battle engine. If you take Bulbasaur, you're leaning into status effects—Sleep Powder, Leech Seed, Poison Powder. It’s a thinking man’s Pokémon. While the kid with the Charizard is just clicking "Flamethrower" and hoping for the best, the Bulbasaur trainer is playing 4D chess.
The Squirtle Squad and the Power of Personality
If we’re talking about why these specific Pokémon blew up, we have to talk about the anime. Specifically Episode 12, "Here Comes the Squirtle Squad." That episode did more for Squirtle’s "cool factor" than any stat buff ever could. Giving a turtle sunglasses was a stroke of genius.
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It gave these sprites personality.
Squirtle’s line—Wartortle and Blastoise—is peak 90s design. You’ve got a turtle. Then you give it fluffy ears and a tail (Wartortle’s design is actually rooted in Japanese folklore about the minogame, a turtle that lives for a thousand years and grows a tail of seaweed). Then, finally, you just put literal cannons in its shell. Blastoise is a tank. It doesn't need to be subtle. It’s a giant blue reptile that shoots high-pressure water out of metal tubes. It’s simple. It works.
The Charizard Obsession
We have to address the orange lizard in the room. Charizard is the reason Charmander Bulbasaur Squirtle and Pikachu are a tier above every other generation. Even today, a First Edition Shadowless Holographic Charizard card can sell for the price of a small house in the Midwest.
Why?
Because Charmander is pathetic in the best way. Its life is tied to a flickering flame. If the flame goes out, it dies. That’s dark! It creates an immediate emotional bond. You want to protect it. Then it evolves into Charmeleon, which is basically a moody teenager with a "don't touch me" attitude, and finally into Charizard. Even though Charizard wasn't actually a "Dragon-type" until Mega Evolution was introduced years later, it fulfilled the fantasy of every kid who wanted a dragon.
Pikachu: The Mascot That Wasn’t Supposed To Be
Pikachu is the outlier here. It isn't a starter in the traditional sense, unless you’re playing Yellow Version or Let’s Go Pikachu. But you can't talk about Charmander Bulbasaur Squirtle and Pikachu without acknowledging that the yellow rat is the glue.
The decision to make Pikachu the mascot was actually quite calculated after the anime’s success. It appealed to both boys and girls, whereas the starters felt a bit more "monster-focused." Pikachu also offered a unique challenge for the writers: it refused to stay in its Poké Ball. This changed the dynamic from "human owns animal" to "two friends traveling together."
Modern Pikachu is much slimmer than the "Chonky Pikachu" of 1996. If you look at the original 2D sprites, Pikachu was basically a round orb with ears. Over time, the design was streamlined for animation purposes. It’s more athletic now. But the core remains—those red cheeks and the lightning-bolt tail are visual shorthand for the entire genre of monster-catching games.
Competitive Reality vs. Nostalgia
If you actually look at the base stats of these four, things get interesting. In the original games, Speed was the most important stat because it determined critical hit ratios. This made Pikachu surprisingly dangerous if you could keep it from getting hit by a stiff breeze.
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- Venusaur (Bulbasaur's final form) has a base stat total of 525.
- Charizard also sits at 525.
- Blastoise... you guessed it, 525.
- Raichu (Pikachu's evolved form) trails behind at 485.
This perfect balance between the three starters is why the "Which one is better?" debate has lasted for thirty years. There is no right answer. If you want a special attacker, go Charizard. If you want a defensive wall, go Blastoise. If you want a utility-heavy tank, go Venusaur.
The competitive landscape changed drastically with the introduction of "Hidden Abilities" and "Mega Evolutions." Charizard arguably won that war, getting two different Mega forms while the others only got one. Game Freak clearly knows who brings in the money. But in terms of pure design, many long-time fans argue that the simpler, non-Mega versions are where the soul of the series lies.
How to Use This Knowledge Today
If you're jumping back into the games—maybe you're playing the classics on an emulator or starting a new run in a modern title—how you approach Charmander Bulbasaur Squirtle and Pikachu says a lot about your playstyle.
For a "Challenge Run," pick Charmander. Dealing with the early-game disadvantage requires you to actually catch other Pokémon and build a team. It prevents the "one-mon sweep" habit that many players fall into.
If you're a "Speedrunner" or just want to see the credits as fast as possible, Bulbasaur is technically your best bet for the first half of the Kanto region. Its resistance to the early gyms and its high Special stat make it a monster.
Pikachu, meanwhile, is the ultimate "Glass Cannon." In the modern games, if you give Pikachu a "Light Ball" item, its Attack and Special Attack stats double. This actually makes Pikachu hit harder than its evolved form, Raichu. It’s a weird quirk of the game mechanics that keeps the mascot relevant in actual battles, not just on lunchboxes.
Actionable Next Steps for Fans and Collectors
If you're looking to engage with these four today, don't just mindlessly buy merchandise. There’s a strategy to it.
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- Check your old cards. If you have a base set Squirtle or Bulbasaur, look for the "Shadowless" border. These were printed before the standard shadowed design and are worth significantly more to collectors.
- Experiment with the "Island Scan" or "Tera Raids." In recent games like Scarlet and Violet, these starters aren't always available in the wild. You have to participate in specific timed events or DLC areas to catch them. Keep an eye on the official Pokémon news feed; they cycle these starters through 7-star raids frequently.
- Try a "No-Evolve" run. If you want a fresh experience, try playing through a game without evolving your Charmander, Bulbasaur, or Squirtle. It forces you to rely on held items like the "Eviolite," which boosts the defense of unevolved Pokémon. It’s a totally different way to experience the mechanics.
The staying power of Charmander Bulbasaur Squirtle and Pikachu isn't an accident. It’s the result of perfect color theory (Red, Blue, Green, and Yellow), distinct silhouettes, and a gameplay loop that rewards emotional investment. Whether you're five years old or thirty-five, that choice in the lab still feels like the most important decision you'll make all year. Stick with the one that speaks to your playstyle, but never forget that at the end of the day, they were designed to be a team.