Professor Willow’s assistant Pikachu is a new costumed Pokémon released during Professor Willow’s Birthday Research and the Ultra Unlock: 10th Anniversary Edition event. Trainers can encounter Professor Willow’s assistant Pikachu through free Timed Research, event Field Research, snapshot surprises and one-star raids.
The original Professor Willow birthday event ran on July 21, 2026, but several encounter methods remain available after the short birthday window. Timed Research can be completed until July 27 at 8:00pm local time, while Professor Willow’s assistant Pikachu also remains available in raids until the same deadline.
Players may also encounter a Shiny Professor Willow’s assistant Pikachu or one with a team-specific Special Background, although neither result is guaranteed.
How to Get Professor Willow’s Assistant Pikachu
There are four confirmed ways to get Professor Willow’s assistant Pikachu in Pokémon GO:
| Encounter method | Availability |
|---|---|
| Willow’s Birthday Timed Research | Complete and claim by July 27 at 8:00pm |
| Event Field Research | Collect from PokéStops during the event |
| Snapshot surprises | Available during the Professor Willow birthday event |
| One-star raids | Available until July 27 at 8:00pm |
The free Timed Research provides three Professor Willow’s assistant Pikachu encounters, making it the best guaranteed route for players who received the research.
Additional encounters can be earned through Field Research and raids. The official announcement confirms that the new costumed Pikachu appears through all four methods.
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Professor Willow’s Assistant Pikachu Timed Research
Willow’s Birthday Timed Research contains three pages of tasks.
Each completed page rewards an encounter with Professor Willow’s assistant Pikachu.
| Research page | Pikachu encounters |
|---|---|
| Willow’s Birthday Research 1 of 3 | 1 |
| Willow’s Birthday Research 2 of 3 | 1 |
| Willow’s Birthday Research 3 of 3 | 1 |
| Total | 3 |
The research also provides a Lucky Egg, Star Piece, Lure Module, Poké Balls, Great Balls, Ultra Balls, Fast TMs, Charged TMs, Silver Pinap Berries, XP and Stardust.
All Timed Research tasks and rewards must be completed and claimed before July 27 at 8:00pm local time. Timed Research disappears when it expires, including any unclaimed Pikachu encounters.
Professor Willow’s Assistant Pikachu Field Research
Event Field Research provides additional opportunities to encounter Professor Willow’s assistant Pikachu.
The reported encounter tasks include:
| Field Research task | Reward |
|---|---|
| Catch 10 Pokémon | Professor Willow’s assistant Pikachu encounter |
| Win a Raid | Professor Willow’s assistant Pikachu encounter |
Players can collect Field Research by spinning PokéStops. When a PokéStop provides an unwanted task, delete it and spin a different stop to search for one of the Pikachu encounter challenges.
The official birthday announcement confirms that Field Research rewards include additional Professor Willow’s assistant Pikachu encounters, PokéCoins, Lucky Eggs and other items.
Field Research does not expire in the same way as Timed Research once it has been collected, but event tasks are only obtainable from PokéStops while they remain active.
How to Get Professor Willow’s Assistant Pikachu From Raids
Professor Willow’s assistant Pikachu appears in one-star raids until Monday, July 27 at 8:00pm local time.
One-star raids are usually manageable for solo players, particularly those with a reasonable selection of powered-up Pokémon.
To raid Professor Willow’s assistant Pikachu:
- Look for a one-star raid containing the costumed Pikachu.
- Enter using a free daily Raid Pass, Premium Battle Pass or Remote Raid Pass where permitted.
- Defeat Pikachu within the raid timer.
- Use Premier Balls to catch the reward encounter.
- Check whether it is Shiny or has a Special Background.
The raid encounter can potentially be Shiny or have a team-specific Special Background.
Raids provide the most repeatable method after the birthday Timed Research has been completed, although each attempt requires a Raid Pass.
How to Get Professor Willow’s Assistant Pikachu From Snapshots
Professor Willow’s assistant Pikachu could also appear through snapshot surprises during the July 21 birthday event.
To trigger a snapshot encounter:
- Open Pokémon storage.
- Select any Pokémon.
- Tap the camera icon.
- Take a photograph.
- Exit the snapshot screen.
- Check whether a surprise encounter appears on the map.
Snapshot surprises were tied to the Professor Willow birthday celebration, which ran from 10:00am until 8:00pm local time on July 21. Players checking after that window should focus on Timed Research, Field Research and raids instead.
Can Professor Willow’s Assistant Pikachu Be Shiny?
Yes. Professor Willow’s assistant Pikachu can be Shiny.
The Shiny form is available through eligible encounters, including Timed Research, Field Research and raids. However, receiving a Shiny is based on chance rather than guaranteed by completing a specific number of tasks.
The official Pokémon GO announcements confirm that Trainers may encounter a Shiny Professor Willow’s assistant Pikachu if they are lucky.
Players hoping to increase their number of Shiny checks should:
- Complete all three Timed Research pages.
- Collect Pikachu encounter Field Research.
- Use available Raid Passes.
- Check every encounter before leaving.
- Avoid transferring duplicate costumed Pikachu without checking them.
Can Professor Willow’s Assistant Pikachu Have a Special Background?
Yes. Professor Willow’s assistant Pikachu can appear with a team-specific or team leader–specific Special Background.
The background is based on the Trainer’s Pokémon GO team, meaning eligible encounters may display a design connected to Team Mystic, Team Valor or Team Instinct.
The Special Background is not guaranteed. A Pikachu may be:
- Standard
- Shiny
- Carrying a team-specific Special Background
- Shiny with a Special Background
The official Ultra Unlock page confirms that Professor Willow’s assistant Pikachu may be Shiny or have a team-specific Special Background.
Players should open the Pokémon’s summary page after catching it to check the background properly.
What Does Pikachu Look Like?
Professor Willow’s assistant Pikachu is a costumed version of Pikachu dressed to resemble an assistant working alongside Professor Willow.
The costume distinguishes it from standard Pikachu and the many other event Pikachu released throughout Pokémon GO’s history.
Because it is a limited costume, collectors may want to keep several versions, including:
- One standard example
- One Shiny example
- One with their own team background
- High-IV examples
- Potential trade copies
Professor Willow’s assistant Pikachu is a separate costume entry for collection purposes, although it remains Pikachu rather than a new Pokémon species.
Can Professor Willow’s Assistant Pikachu Evolve?
Costumed Pikachu cannot always evolve, and eligibility varies between costumes.
Before spending Pikachu Candy, check whether the Evolve button appears on Professor Willow’s assistant Pikachu’s summary screen.
When no Evolve button is displayed, that costume cannot currently evolve into Raichu.
Players should not assume that evolution is available simply because standard Pikachu can evolve. Limited-event costumes frequently have their own restrictions.
When Does Professor Willow’s Assistant Pikachu Leave Raids?
Professor Willow’s assistant Pikachu leaves raids on Monday, July 27 at 8:00pm local time.
This is later than the original Professor Willow birthday event, which only lasted from 10:00am until 8:00pm on July 21.
The extended raid availability gives players several additional days to collect the costume, hunt the Shiny and search for a team-specific Special Background.
Because the deadline uses local time, raids end at 8:00pm according to the player’s own region.
When Does the Timed Research Expire?
Willow’s Birthday Timed Research expires on July 27 at 8:00pm local time.
Players must complete every task and claim every reward before the deadline.
Do not leave a Pikachu encounter unclaimed on the research page. Catch the Pokémon and collect all Lucky Egg, Star Piece, item, XP and Stardust rewards before the research disappears.
The research expiry and raid end time are the same, making July 27 at 8:00pm the final deadline for most Professor Willow’s assistant Pikachu activity.
Best Way to Get Professor Willow’s Assistant Pikachu
The best way to get Professor Willow’s assistant Pikachu is to complete all three pages of Willow’s Birthday Timed Research first.
This provides three guaranteed encounters without requiring Raid Passes.
After completing the Timed Research:
- Search PokéStops for Pikachu encounter Field Research.
- Complete the easiest available encounter tasks.
- Use free daily Raid Passes on one-star Pikachu raids.
- Check every catch for a Shiny or Special Background.
- Finish all research before July 27 at 8:00pm.
Players who missed the July 21 snapshot window can still obtain Professor Willow’s assistant Pikachu through the remaining research and raid methods.
The limited costume, Shiny possibility and team-specific Special Background make Professor Willow’s assistant Pikachu one of the main collector targets during the Pokémon GO Ultra Unlock anniversary event.
