Kabosu, the real-life Shiba Inu that inspired the iconic “doge” meme and became the face of Dogecoin cryptocurrency, passed away on Friday at her home in Japan at the age of 18.
Kabosu the Doge Meme legend passes away
Her owner, Atsuko Sato, shared the news on Instagram: “On the morning of the 24th of May, Kabosu crossed the rainbow bridge. Thank you all so much for your support over the years. She went very peacefully without suffering, as if falling asleep while feeling the warmth of my hands petting her.” Sato also confirmed Kabosu’s death in an email to the New York Times.
Kabosu’s journey to internet stardom began in early 2010 when Sato shared photos of her online. According to Know Your Meme, the images of Kabosu, often edited or captioned with Comic Sans font monologues, quickly went viral. The term “doge” itself, a playful misspelling of “dog,” was first used in 2005 on the Homestar Runner puppet show. Kabosu’s expressive face became synonymous with the meme, leading to her being affectionately dubbed “the doge.”
Kabosu’s fame extended beyond memes, influencing the creation of Dogecoin in 2013. This cryptocurrency started as a parody of Bitcoin but grew into a significant player in the digital currency world, even attracting attention from tech mogul Elon Musk. Last year, Musk temporarily changed the logo of X, formerly known as Twitter, to the Dogecoin icon.
Musk commemorated Kabosu’s passing with a meme showing her being embraced by an angel-winged Harambe, the gorilla who also became an internet sensation. “OG Doge has ascended to heaven to be with [her] friend Harambe,” he posted.
The official Dogecoin account on X paid tribute as well: “Today Kabosu, our community’s shared friend and inspiration, peacefully passed in the arms of her person. The impact this one dog has made across the world is immeasurable. She was a being who knew only happiness and limitless love.”
In recent years, Kabosu faced health challenges. In 2022, Sato revealed that she had been diagnosed with chronic lymphoma leukemia, a type of cancer, and acute cholangiohepatitis, a liver condition. Despite these ailments, Kabosu’s legacy as a symbol of joy and positivity on the internet remains strong.
