More than a Dogecoin meme: Shiba Inu Kabosu remembered by the community

As a researcher with a background in meme culture and crypto economics, I’m deeply saddened by the passing of Kabosu, the beloved Shiba Inu who symbolized the Dogecoin (DOGE) token. Kabosu was more than just a meme; it was a symbol of happiness, resilience, and the power of community.

On May 24, the meme coin symbol, Kabosu, died after a long illness.

eighteen-year-old Kabosu, representing the Dogecoin (DOGE) token, experienced a significant decline in health around early May. Sadly, this old canine now requires assistance to move about, relying on a wheelchair for mobility.

かぼちゃんは今朝、
深い眠りにつきました🌈
私に撫でられながら
眠るように
そっと逝きました。
かぼちゃんを愛して下さったみなさん、
長い間ありがとうございました。

— かぼすママ (@kabosumama) May 24, 2024

Atsuko Sato, Kabosu’s loving owner, shared on the Kabochan blog that their cherished pet appeared to be in good health prior to its passing. Kabosu consumed rice and drank water as usual. The heartfelt farewell ceremony for Kabosu is scheduled for May 26 in Narita, Japan.

“We hope to hold a fun farewell party at Sakura Furusato Hiroba when the weather gets cooler.”

Atsuko Sato, Kabosu owner

In December 2022, Kabosu received the unfortunate diagnosis of chronic lymphocytic leukemia. Atsuko Sato expressed her concern, stating that the canine’s health was in a precarious state. On Christmas Eve, Kabosu refused food and water, but fortunately, its appetite recovered later on.

Crypto community reaction

The crypto community and fans of the most famous Shiba Inu expressed their condolences.

“The Dogecoin X account run by the officials posted that the influence of this single dog is beyond quantification around the globe.”

To commemorate the dear departed dog, supporters of Dogecoin unveiled a prearranged series of NFTs as a tribute. A total of 5,000 NFTs are up for grabs, with users responsible only for covering gas charges.

I, along with the Shiba Inu (SHIB) cryptocurrency community, express our gratitude for Kabosu’s significant role in shaping the meme coin sector through their contributions.

Vitalik Buter, co-founder of Ethereum, expressed his condolences by sharing a post from Kabosu’s owner on Twitter.

From a shelter to the crypto industry leaders

When the previous owner and breeder of Kabosu faced financial difficulties and were unable to care for the dogs they had given to the shelter, Kaboso was then adopted by Atsuko Sato at the charitable center.

In 2010, images of the pet named Kabosu first surfaced on their owner’s blog. Shortly thereafter, these pictures gained significant popularity online. Notably, a photo featuring the label “Doge” with an incorrect English spelling became highly disseminated on the internet, leading to Kabosu’s rise to fame.

The surprising image of Kabosu with folded paws gave rise to numerous texts and additional visuals, ultimately transforming it into a meme. Kabosu’s fame grew significantly, leading to its representation in an array of items – from toys to digital currencies like Bitcoin (BTC).

In 2013, the internet meme known as “Doge” ranked number 12 on MTV’s list of “50 Things We Were Grateful For in Pop Culture That Year.” Around the same time, software developer Jackson Palmer adopted the Doge image as a logo for the cryptocurrency called Dogecoin.

In 2018, Vitalik Buterin visited a dog owner in Japan.

In the year 2020, I came across yet another intriguing meme featuring the image of Kabosu. This particular meme depicted two Shiba Inu dogs, symbolizing strength and resilience through one, while conveying helplessness and vulnerability via the other.

I’ve discovered that Elon Musk has acquired some Dogecoin. Intriguingly, he’s expressed his intention to accept this meme coin for payments in Tesla, Starlink, and Starship businesses. Furthermore, plans are underway to integrate Dogecoin into X payment service.

Impact of Dogecoin on the meme coin market

The creators of Dogecoin introduced the cryptocurrency with Kabosu, the popular Shiba Inu meme character, having gained significant recognition within the meme coin community. It’s plausible that this cultural symbol’s popularity influenced the developers’ decision to incorporate the dog image into their coin design.

The primary intent behind the creation of Dogecoin was to poke fun at the sudden surge in popularity of cryptocurrencies and challenge their perceived uniqueness or significance among other digital currencies.

As a researcher studying the cryptocurrency market, I’ve discovered that social impact plays a crucial role in the growth and popularity of Dogecoin (DOGE). Its initial surge in 2021 saw an astounding 800% increase in value within a single day, reaching $0.07. This remarkable growth can be attributed to the backing of Reddit users. In February, the Dogecoin community was thrilled to welcome Elon Musk’s involvement.

The thriving success of Dogecoin gave rise to numerous analogous initiatives. Dogecoin’s chief rival, Shiba Inu, entered the scene with the intention of eclipsing Dogecoin’s popularity by adopting the same depiction of the Japanese Shiba Inu dog breed.

Ever since the meteoric rise of Dogecoin (DOGE) and its iconic Shiba Inu mascot, there’s been an influx of meme coin projects that follow in its footsteps. I, as a crypto investor, have noticed this trend with great interest. Many teams are launching their own versions of DOGE, each putting a unique spin on the popular canine image. For instance, we have BabyDoge and Dogewhiz (WIF), among others. These projects aim to capture some of the market buzz surrounding DOGE and offer their own take on this viral meme coin theme.

Dogecoin’s achievement remains unmatched in the crypto world, as it has held a spot among the top 10 digital currencies by market capitalization for several years. Unyielding to competition, it continues to maintain its prominent position.

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2024-05-24 15:00