I think the sideways animation is great, but it does look skinnier. I think the problem is due to my forward facing Ā template being so anatomically incorrect, making the correct sideways view looks strange.
EDIT:Ah, after comparing them I think the problem is the size of the head. The first guy's shoulders are wide enough to support it, but the second guy would be crushed under its weight!
I reckon it's a hard one to get right, as you can't do much with the shoulders without making him look like a tiny legged freak, and yet you can't resize the head either. Tricky...