Ever wondered how the Pikachu mascot looks before someone enters the suit? Today we have an answer.

Twitter user PokeFans_Taiwan recently shared a photo of how the adorable Pikachu mascot looks like after someone comes out of it. Be warned though – this may scare the kids.

Wait for it….

and…. there you go.

Pikachu becomes a sad deflated pile of mess once its human operator leaves. But that’s natural.

We’ve spoken to someone who has worn an official Pikachu mascot in the past to find out more about the adorable Pikachu mascots. First things first – the Pikachu mascot is powered by a battery (surprise!). The battery is required to keep the suit inflated so Pikachu remains in its chubby state for 45 minutes to an hour.

It’s extremely dangerous if a faulty Pikachu mascot suit starts to deflate as it could suffocate the person wearing it. This happened during an official event in Japan and a group of men quickly escorted the Pikachu out of the public’s eye.

As to how long someone is able to stand inside the suit, it has never been more than 30 minutes. It’s really hot and stuffy inside! In fact, Pikachu mascot operators may bring a bottle of water or even a small electric fan to keep themselves cool.

As the Pikachu mascot evolved over the years (top left is the latest model), things improved over time. For instance, newer models allow the person wearing it to hear what people are saying outside. Older models didn’t have this capability as they were hard suits.

And if you were wondering how Pikachu started dancing and running about, it’s all thanks to a small strip of clear PVC surrounding the bottom of the Pikachu’s feet, allowing the operator to see where they’re walking. The Pikachu mascot’s eyes may seem to be opaque, but they aren’t from the inside. Inside the suit the operator is able to see clearly what’s outside. A mechanism allows the operator to control the movement of the ears.

Not everyone can wear the Pikachu mascot. The recommended height is 155cm, though some who are slightly taller managed to squeeze into the suit by crouching. The mascot is 20kg and the operator has to bear some of its weight on their shoulders through a harness.

So, what do you think of the Pikachu mascots now that you know these facts? Let us know in the comments below!