While the only Pokémon in the “Electric” video are Pikachu and Pichu, the presence of a lighthouse and one of Perry’s outfits feel like rather unsubtle nods to a key plot point from the second generation of Pokémon games. When you first travel to the Johto region’s Olivine City in Pokémon Gold, Pokémon Silver, and Pokémon Crystal, there’s no way for you to battle Jasmine, the gym leader, at first—due to her temporarily leaving her post in order to deal with an issue that has the local lighthouse malfunctioning. Olivine, being by the ocean, relies on the massive Glitter Lighthouse to help ships navigate waters by the coast. But because this is the world of Pokémon, Olivine’s lighthouse is powered by an Ampharos, an electric type Pokémon whose bulbous tail emits blinding flashes of light.

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In both the games and the anime, Jasmine only agrees to battle after her Ampharos is healed from its sickness, and while that specific monster doesn’t make an appearance in the music video, it definitely feels as if director Carlos López Estrada kept Jasmine and Ampharos’ story in mind here. Though a straight-up Ampharos lightshow would have been quite the sight, way more people recognize Pikachu and know what they can do. But the next time you happen to hear “Electric,” there’s a good chance you can safely assume that while it’s Pikachu and Katy Perry’s faces in the video, it’s Jasmine and Ampharos’ legacy that really makes it special.


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