Pikachu (SSBM)/Down smash

Overview

The hitbox of Pikachu’s d-smash.

Pikachu's down smash is similar to Peach's down smash as both attacks have multiple hits and are very effective against characters with large hurtboxes and/or those who are very resistant to knockback, both of which traits make it really easy for all hits to connect with the opponent. Giga Bowser, having the largest hurtbox of all the characters in Melee, is extremely vulnerable to Pikachu's down smash, as his heavy weight will keep him from flying away at low percentages which allows all six hits to connect and inflict heavy damage in a very short amount of time. Both metal and giant characters are also extremely vulnerable to Pikachu's down smash as their heavy weight will keep them from being knocked away by the attack at low percentages.

Unfortunately, unlike Peach's, Pika's down smash has much less knockback, not being able to KO opponents well past 150%. This leaves the role of kill moves to his up smash, which is even stronger than Fox's signature up smash, and forward smash, which has decent killing power and a massively disjointed hitbox.

Hitboxes

ID	Part	Damage	SD	Angle	BK	KS	FKV	Radius	Bone	Offset			Clang	Rebound	Effect	G	A	Sound
Hits 1-6
0	0	2%	0		70	30	0	4.6872	0	0.0	6.2496	-7.812						Shock
1	0	2%	0		70	30	0	4.6872	0	0.0	6.2496	7.812						Shock
2	0	2%	0		30	30	0	2.3436	0	0.0	3.906	0.0						Shock
Hit 7
0	0	3%	0		70	170	0	9.765	0	0.0	6.2496	0.0						Shock

Timing

Charges between	5-6
Hits 1-6	7-8, 10-11, 13-14, 16-17, 19-20, 22-23
Hit 7	25
Interruptible	51
Animation length	54

Legend (1 square = 1 frame)

Lag time

Charge interval

Hitbox

Interruptible

Pikachu's moveset

Neutral attack · Forward tilt · Up tilt · Down tilt · Dash attack · Forward smash · Up smash · Down smash
Neutral aerial · Forward aerial · Back aerial · Up aerial · Down aerial
Grab · Pummel · Forward throw · Back throw · Up throw · Down throw
Forward roll · Back roll · Spot dodge · Air dodge · Techs
Floor attack (front) · Floor getups (front) · Floor attack (back) · Floor getups (back)
Edge attack (fast) · Edge getups (fast) · Edge attack (slow) · Edge getups (slow)
Neutral special · Side special · Up special · Down special