After the release of the first Pokémon games, Pokémon Red and Pokémon Green, The Pokémon Company expanded the brand with the Pokémon Trading Card Game (TCG) in Japan. It wasn’t until 1999 that the card game officially launched in Western markets.
Three decades later, Pokémon TCG still boasts a large player community and regularly introduces new card sets. To celebrate Pokémon’s 30th anniversary, a special card collection was created to honor the series’ long history. Notably, one of the featured characters in this collection is Pikachu with its classic early design.
The return of “Fat” Pikachu after many years
Pokémon TCG is a competitive card game where two players take turns using Pokémon to battle and try to defeat their opponent.
Currently, Pokémon TCG is entering the Mega Evolution era following the release of Pokémon Legends: Arceus. The new card sets not only explore locations and characters from the Nintendo Switch game but also bring back Mega Evolution.
Mega Evolution was first introduced in 2014 during the Pokémon X/Y era. However, its return in the modern Pokémon TCG system has been adjusted to fit current gameplay rules.
The latest set, Pitch Black, was inspired by the Mega Dimension DLC. It focuses on Pokémon like Mega Darkrai ex and Mega Zeraora ex, with special attention to Dark-type Pokémon.
Next, fans are looking forward to the 30th Anniversary set, released to mark three decades of the Pokémon brand. With about a month left before its launch, Pokémon has revealed images of some cards featured in the collection, including several versions of Pikachu.
Since this set focuses on the brand’s history, a special card will bring back the chubby Pikachu image that longtime fans from the late 1990s will recognize. This version, affectionately called “Fat Pikachu” by the community, features a rounder, plumper Pikachu.
This design originally appeared in the earliest Pokémon games on Game Boy and was included in the Base Set cards released in the US in 1999.
One of the most famous cards is Pikachu #58/102, illustrated by Mitsuhiro Arita, who also created the iconic Charizard #04/102 from the Base Set.
This comeback will be illustrated directly by Ken Sugimori. The classic Pikachu card is expected to be released in both silver-foil and non-foil versions.
Why do fans love “Fat Pikachu”?
“Fat Pikachu” is not an official name but a nickname given by the community for the early Pikachu design.
In the late 1990s, Pikachu had a noticeably rounder and fuller body compared to its current look. As the brand grew through anime, games, and cards, Pikachu’s design gradually evolved.
Over time, Pikachu became slimmer, especially around its body and face. As a result, the chubby Pikachu image became a nostalgic memory for longtime fans.
This version was briefly revived in 2019 when Pokémon Sword and Shield introduced the Gigantamax Pikachu form. That design once again featured the familiar round body, instantly reminding many of the early Pikachu.
From an old design, “Fat Pikachu” has grown into one of the most popular memes in the Pokémon community. Alongside it, fans also enjoy other Pikachu memes like the famous “Surprised Pikachu”.
The Pokémon TCG 30th Celebration set is scheduled for official release on September 16, 2026.