Kagosu’s Face, Side Eyes, Crossed Paws, the Doge Currency, and the Murder of Putin in Ukraine

Kabosu’s smirking face, side eyes and crossed paws were a hit online, often overlaid with comic sans text depicting what might be her inner dialogue. A global meme was born after users referred to the image as “doge”.

In a series of Instagram posts this week, Atsuko Sato, a teacher who lives in Japan, said the 17-year-old pooch was in “a very dangerous condition” after being diagnosed with acute cholangiohepatitis, a type of inflammation in the digestive system, and chronic lymphoma leukemia, a blood cancer.

A 2010 photo of a dog posing with folded paws and a quizzical expression appeared on the internet as one of the most recognizable animals, and was followed by an imagined inner monologue in broken English. Internet users started to take pictures of Kabosu’s face on pastries, landmarks and other animals. The meme was later co-opted by brands like Oreo and Stockholm’s subway.

The doge currency was supposed to be a joke, but it spiked in value years later after Musk suggested it as the people’s currency.

The popularity of shiba inu-related meme that can be seen in the 2020s, including the North Atlanticfellas Organisation, a pro-Ukrainian social media movement dedicated to mocking Russia’s war effort, can be traced back to the legacy of Kabosu.

After it raised funds for the Ukrainian military, the country’s Ministry of Defense tweeted its thanks with a photoshopped image of a shiba inu in fatigues.

Legends of Kabosu: From Pastries to Promiscants and the Knits of Prodigal Football Players

Kabosu’s legacy has only continued to grow, transcending internet culture to appear on pastries, ads for the Stockholm subway and the jerseys of professional athletes.