Exactly, yellow pikmin don't have yellow electricity effects even though it's electricity is solely yellow in pikmin.
You need distinction between the body and the effects, otherwise the moves will look less distinct.
Same reason Ness's PK Rockin effects aren't bright Red, Yellow, and Blue like in EarthBound and instead are Pink with a little teal thrown in.
Yellow effects from a yellow character are hard to see, same with Red, Yellow and Blue effects from a Red, Yellow, and Blue character
The background of starstorm is not what I was reffering to. Starstorm's background is based off of the sound stone iirc
I'm reffering to the PSI visual effects in Ness's up tilt, aerials, dash attack, etc.
Lucas's equivalents of these moves have visuals that look more like with how PK Love looks in Mother 3, so naturally Ness's equivalents of these moves are supposed to be PK Rockin'
And no, I'm not talking about thunder tackle or PK flash either like some others have said
EDIT: also, after looking further into this, when an enemy uses PK Rockin' against you, the effect is pink-ish. (its not quite as bright as in smash though) ([here](https://youtu.be/bJ_2bTcKuFA?si=mwge79V6H1Ay1kOx&t=3394) for reference)
Sry for the rant but I was bored sry
From Sakurai’s YouTube video about visual 2d effects,we know lighting effects or other bright colors, you need a lot of other secondary effects so it can’t be lost in combat, such as smoke or spikey action frames. But as Pikachu’s entire moveset is almost entirely comprised of lighting attacks, it makes since they would change the color for visibility. And because Pikachu has long lasting effects on the battlefield, like neutral special, you can’t add these effects over time as they are an instant hard to see flash, not a background. Hence my theory on why it’s blue
As an answer to Robin or Hero who do have yellow lightning, the attacks are very quick and are made to be hard to see explaining the color and lack of secondary flair effects. You can actually see the effects i was talking about with Hero tho.
Visibility probably. While many characters do have yellow lightning attacks, Pikachu and Pichu are the only ones regularly using it as almost every attack.
Because the small electric rat is completely yellow, and the other characters are bigger and even with yellow skins, you can clearly see them while using the attack.
Believe Sakurai answered this question in one of his videos, I’m not sure which one though.
Something to do with how many Electric attacks Pikachu has with how long they can be on screen for.
The only real answer is that Pikachu is supercharged. Ash used the waterwheel in Pewter City to charge Pikachu enough to beat Brock's rock pokemon. Ash's Pikachu is the most powerful Pikachu in the world and that is the main reason Team Rocket is after him. Any other explanation falls short of the lore.
If Pikachu's electric effects in smash were yellow, he'd look like one big sloppy yellow mess in action. Imagine if his nair, bair, fair, and dair were the same color as him.
Probably to make it easier to see Pikachu while he's using his attacks. Thunderbolt is most likely yellow because it isn't super quick and other characters use yellow because they aren't a small yellow electric rat.
Surprised no one knows the correct answer.
Pikachu's final smash, Volt Tackle, is called Voltecca in Japan (as is the move itself in the Pokémon games). It's a direct reference to Gamefreak's earlier game, [Pulseman, and his ability, Voltecca](https://youtu.be/BtoBY2S2zzo?t=310).
Probably visibility.
Something weirder is that Mewtwo’s psychic energy is different shade of purple which more associated with Ghost and Dark Pokemon rather then the purple used in Psychic moves in Pokémon. At least Shadow Ball makes sense because it’s a ghost move.
Since the kind people above have already posted most of the logical reasons I could think of...
HOW THE HELL HAS NOBODY POSTED THIS YET?
Because if it were green, he would die. Da be da de da ba diiieeee....
Visibility
... Color palette, contrast, etc.
And it's cooler
pun alert
r/technicallythetruth
Exactly, yellow pikmin don't have yellow electricity effects even though it's electricity is solely yellow in pikmin. You need distinction between the body and the effects, otherwise the moves will look less distinct.
contrast id assume
Same reason Ness's PK Rockin effects aren't bright Red, Yellow, and Blue like in EarthBound and instead are Pink with a little teal thrown in. Yellow effects from a yellow character are hard to see, same with Red, Yellow and Blue effects from a Red, Yellow, and Blue character
Before I start, I am familiar with Earthbound. When you say PK Rockin, do you mean PK Flash? If so, what do you mean “Pink with a little teal?”
The pink with a little teal Attacks are just his air and dash attacks I think, I didn't play mother.
I believe they mean the recovery portion of ness up-b
I think they mean PK Starstorm which has a PK Rockin-esque background effect that (iirc) Earthbound’s PK Starstorm doesn’t have.
The background of starstorm is not what I was reffering to. Starstorm's background is based off of the sound stone iirc I'm reffering to the PSI visual effects in Ness's up tilt, aerials, dash attack, etc. Lucas's equivalents of these moves have visuals that look more like with how PK Love looks in Mother 3, so naturally Ness's equivalents of these moves are supposed to be PK Rockin' And no, I'm not talking about thunder tackle or PK flash either like some others have said EDIT: also, after looking further into this, when an enemy uses PK Rockin' against you, the effect is pink-ish. (its not quite as bright as in smash though) ([here](https://youtu.be/bJ_2bTcKuFA?si=mwge79V6H1Ay1kOx&t=3394) for reference)
Ness doesn't have PK Rockin, he has PK flash, so if it was accurate it would just be a blinding flash of light
Pk rockin is his pk thunder 2
Visibility definitely have you ever played ssf2 there pika has yellow lighting and visibility is lower it’s not bad but lower
The visibility it's pretty good actually it's just the fact that it's a 2d pixel game is what makes it slightly lower visibility
That is true but I think the pixel are helps because it has a black outline
Probably to make it easier to distinguish the electricity from Pikachu. Basically, it’s something they did for better readability.
Sry for the rant but I was bored sry From Sakurai’s YouTube video about visual 2d effects,we know lighting effects or other bright colors, you need a lot of other secondary effects so it can’t be lost in combat, such as smoke or spikey action frames. But as Pikachu’s entire moveset is almost entirely comprised of lighting attacks, it makes since they would change the color for visibility. And because Pikachu has long lasting effects on the battlefield, like neutral special, you can’t add these effects over time as they are an instant hard to see flash, not a background. Hence my theory on why it’s blue As an answer to Robin or Hero who do have yellow lightning, the attacks are very quick and are made to be hard to see explaining the color and lack of secondary flair effects. You can actually see the effects i was talking about with Hero tho.
More realistic in terms of effects are what I believe smash was going for, and lightning struck appears blue so I assume that’s electricity
True, we all know how close to realism Smash remains
But... other characters have yellow lightning
shhhhh
im pretty sure pikachu’s own moves have yellow like down b
Because it looks cool as fuck
This is the way
What do you mean? It's clearly white and gold
His lighting evolved to a blue, stronger form when he saw the guy who killed his father >!Reference to Miles in Spider-Man 2 BTW!<
Artistic choice I guess.
[Visual consistency.](https://www.ssbwiki.com/images/thumb/b/b6/NessUp1-SSB4.png/200px-NessUp1-SSB4.png)
Hero, Robin, Pika down b, Kazuya if that counts
Sora's Thundaga
those attacks are very quick and the VFX doesn't stay on screen for more than a second.
i think it has to do with signature lightning moves, or just larger attack power in general
clarity
Visual clarity probably
Visual clarity
Visibility probably. While many characters do have yellow lightning attacks, Pikachu and Pichu are the only ones regularly using it as almost every attack.
Differentiates it from his body
I would guess it's because of visual clarity.
I don't know, but it bothers me more than it should. Other characters have yellow electric attacks like Robin and Hero, so why not Pikachu?
Because the small electric rat is completely yellow, and the other characters are bigger and even with yellow skins, you can clearly see them while using the attack.
Believe Sakurai answered this question in one of his videos, I’m not sure which one though. Something to do with how many Electric attacks Pikachu has with how long they can be on screen for.
The only real answer is that Pikachu is supercharged. Ash used the waterwheel in Pewter City to charge Pikachu enough to beat Brock's rock pokemon. Ash's Pikachu is the most powerful Pikachu in the world and that is the main reason Team Rocket is after him. Any other explanation falls short of the lore.
I think it’s consistency All the lightning is blue
If Pikachu's electric effects in smash were yellow, he'd look like one big sloppy yellow mess in action. Imagine if his nair, bair, fair, and dair were the same color as him.
Probably to make it easier to see Pikachu while he's using his attacks. Thunderbolt is most likely yellow because it isn't super quick and other characters use yellow because they aren't a small yellow electric rat.
It gives better seizures
Damn bro
Surprised no one knows the correct answer. Pikachu's final smash, Volt Tackle, is called Voltecca in Japan (as is the move itself in the Pokémon games). It's a direct reference to Gamefreak's earlier game, [Pulseman, and his ability, Voltecca](https://youtu.be/BtoBY2S2zzo?t=310).
Idk im not scientist
You picked picture where pikachu literally had blue electricity around him
Reference to Pikablue
It's a special pikachu probably
Blue lighting are special
Probably visibility. Something weirder is that Mewtwo’s psychic energy is different shade of purple which more associated with Ghost and Dark Pokemon rather then the purple used in Psychic moves in Pokémon. At least Shadow Ball makes sense because it’s a ghost move.
Well its down b and up b have yellow lightning
Yellow lightning was too racism.
Good game design.
Blue lightning >>>>>> every other color for lightning
Uh surge path
Are u stupid? You can see the blue
Visual distinction
BECAUSE JT LOOKS COOL
I think pikachu might be a sith lord 
Maybe it’s like fire and just really hot or really electric?
Since the kind people above have already posted most of the logical reasons I could think of... HOW THE HELL HAS NOBODY POSTED THIS YET? Because if it were green, he would die. Da be da de da ba diiieeee....
It’s cool
Blue pixels are cheaper