Remember the bushy Pikachu with the original Pokemon artwork at the British Museum

You may not remember a time when Pikachu wasn't the lean, athletic figure he is today. The original pokemon opera d'arte created by Ken Sugimori showcases the chubby design that many fans seem to miss out on a lot. Thick Pikachu is on display at the British Museum's manga exhibit, described as the largest ever exhibit outside of Japan. The exhibition opened on May 23 and will close on August 26, 2019, which means you only have a few days left in case you want to check it out.

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While the British Museum doesn't allow photos to the manga exhibit, Reddit user Bezzalicious was sneaky enough to capture the image you can see below.

In addition to Pikachu, Ken Sugimori's original Pokemon artwork also features two other 1996 designs: Bulbasaur and Mew. Bulbasaur is number 1, while Mew is number 151 of the original 151 Pokemon species. With several additions over the years, there are currently over 800 Pokemon collectible.

The other drawing you can see is from 2018 and is plastered over Pokemon Merchandising Center 20th Anniversary Red and Pikachu.

Many users seem to want to go back to large Pikachu, starting an endless stream of comments around with the concept: "Thiccachu" sounds like a great name for the original design. Other users mention how this was such an iconic part of their childhood and that "it's crazy to think of it as a single original piece of art".

The series started in 1996, the same year that Ken Sugimori and a few other artists designed the first Pokemon. It spawned a hugely successful franchise that covers video games, collectible card games, books, music, live movies, Detective Pikachue and even a theme park. By the end of the year, the highly anticipated (and highly mocked) Pokemon Sword and Shield games will launch exclusively for the Nintendo Switch.

(Image credit: Bezzalicious / Reddit)