Kabosu, the viral Shiba Inu behind the “Doge” memes, dies at 18

Journey to internet stardom as “Doge”

Kabosu was adopted in 2008 by Sato, a Japanese kindergarten teacher.

The Shiba Inu's rise to internet fame began in 2010 when Sato posted pictures of Kabosu on her blog.

One particular image of Kabosu lying on a sofa and looking sideways at the camera with raised eyebrows went viral and became the face of the “Doge” meme.

The term “Doge” comes from a misspelled word that appears in a sequence of Homestar runnerThe puppet program was broadcast in 2005.

Kabosu’s legacy: From meme to cryptocurrency logo

In December 2013 The edge identified Kabosu as the original Shiba Inu seen in the “Doge” meme.

This recognition led to Kabosu's image being used as the logo for Dogecoin, a cryptocurrency created in 2013.

Dogecoin was originally intended as a joke currency, but it became very popular and even inspired other dog-themed cryptocurrencies.

Elon Musk briefly changed X's logo to an image of Kabosu last year, which led to a significant increase in Dogecoin's value.

Kabosu’s health problems and farewell ceremony

In 2022, Kabosu was diagnosed with cholangiohepatitis and chronic lymphocytic leukemia.

Despite her health problems, she remained popular with her fans.

To honor Kabosu's memory, a farewell party will be held at Flower Kaori in Kotsu no Mori, Narita City, Tokyo.

The event is scheduled to take place on Sunday (May 26) from 1:00 p.m. to 4:00 p.m. (local time) and will give fans the opportunity to pay their last respects to the legendary Shiba Inu.