Kabosu, the Shiba Inu known for her iconic appearance as Dogecoin cryptocurrency’s face online meme and digital currency Dogecoin cryptocurrency, passed away at 18 years old this past Saturday. Her owner, Atsuko Sato, sadly announced her passing with much sadness and an outpouring of tributes from all corners of cyberspace to those who had been touched by Kabosu’s endearing image and smile-inducing digital presence.
Kabosu Has Passed Away
On May 24, 2023, Atsuko Sato of Sakura, Japan, shared the sad news of Kabosu’s peaceful passing through an emotional poem on her blog. Kabosu, her beloved Shiba Inu, who had been fighting leukemia and liver disease since 2020, took her final breath at 7:50 am while being tenderly caressed by Sato – making Sato believe she was the happiest dog alive with its owner being the happiest ever. Sato felt that Kabosu represented happiness on both ends, while the Dogecoin community recognized her significant impact upon the earth as a being who experienced only happiness with limitless love from X.
Adoption and Stardom
Kabosu first found her place online when Sato adopted her from an animal shelter that was closing down in 2008. By 2010, Sato took a photograph of Kabosu with an endearing expression and crossed paws, which went viral across social media platforms like Tumblr and Reddit, quickly earning its own meme with colorful Comic Sans text overlays and intentionally broken English phrases dubbed “Doge.” Her endearing character quickly rose to new levels of internet fame and cemented her status as an iconic figure within digital culture.
Creation and Impact of Dogecoin
Kabosu rose to internet stardom in December 2013 when her iconic face became the face of Dogecoin, a cryptocurrency created as a joke by software engineers Billy Markus and Jackson Palmer as an endearing piece of imagery: Kabosu crossing her paws on the sofa became its signature image and its symbolic currency; since then it has received support from prominent figures including Snoop Dogg, Gene Simmons and Elon Musk who has tweeted their opinions regarding its value, which caused its value to rapidly surge. Furthermore, an NFT version sold for $4 million further cemented Kabosu’s place within digital culture and further solidified Kabosu’s impactful contribution to digital culture.
Health Challenges and Legacies
Kabosu achieved global fame despite her health issues in later life; she was diagnosed with leukemia and liver disease in late 2022. Sato explained how Kabosu’s fans’ collective prayers played a vital role in her healing. Kabosu left behind more than meme fame: his legacy includes founding and running an animal rescue center.
In November 2023, Kabosu received her own bronze statue in Sakura, funded through donations from fans worldwide.
Kabosu and “Own The Doge” crypto organization have donated substantial sums to international charities, including an astounding donation of over $1 Million to Save the Children–the single highest contribution the NGO has ever received through cryptocurrency.
As Kabosu departs this world, her legacy as a “Doge” meme icon and her ability to bring joy will continue to be celebrated; her life serves as an illustration of the ability of technology and social media to bring people together worldwide.
