I vaguely remember someone doing this during a conversation in a bar in Japan years ago, and I saw it again in a manga. What does this mean, if anything? I don’t remember what the conversation was about, and we were all drinking so I wouldn’t trust my memory anyway
I am not Japanese, but there is a party game? https://45mix.net/takenoko-nyokki/ https://youtu.be/WkXyWmBauxg
After searching online, it seems everyone knows that “たけのこニョッキ”, which was a game from a TV program aired Wednesdays at 11 PM from 2003 to 2005? It’s a game where several people call out numbers in order starting from 1, and if they overlap, they lose. And judging by the name, that posture is a growing bamboo shoot. You mentioned it was a bar, and this does seem like a game suitable for a noisy bar, so it’s plausible.
Proof that people do this!! This definitely wasn’t the context when I saw it, but I’m gratified I’m not crazy
If you’re western this is old-timey for “I’m about to dive into a swimming pool, or the ocean.”
lol I 100% did this as a six year old to dive into a pool during swim lessons
we used the moniker “zip” “T” “zoom” to do the back stroke
I’m Japanese, and honestly, I don’t see any special meaning in this pose at all.
As far as I know, this image is just a scene from Space Brothers, where Namba Mutta is simply talking about the Sharon Telescope. There’s no symbolic or cultural meaning attached to the pose in Japan—it’s just a moment in the story.
yep that’s the manga, I do swear I saw someone do this in the wild, like 10 years ago. I kinda guess maybe it’s like doing the heart shape with your hands
There is a similar pose where people make a heart shape above their head. Japanese people like making heart shapes for pretty much everything.
danke, so, just kinda love you or for what you just said :)
lol I’m so confused then. The like 20s girl that did that didn’t act like she was a reddit dork
Just in case no Japanese people answer, check this out for comparison:
- https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Añjali_Mudrā
- https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:Indian_sadhu_performing_namaste.jpg
- https://ja.wikipedia.org/wiki/合掌
My guess is the kid’s asking for a favor, but making a bit of a joke about it.
I feel like Sadhu is the closest feeling
theyre making fun of your ballin’ mohawk haircut
Western weeb here, I think that’s the pose they make in anime when they want to beg someone to do something like asking for a big favour.
Yep seems like the emoji🙏 but over the head to increase the intensity
Sort of like bowing vs bowing while knees are on the floor.Interesting, any special weeb insights why they do it like this? Does it make it easier to draw maybe? Just stands out?
No idea, it just happens in anime.
It means you’re a genie in a bottle baby
I might be pulling this out of my ass. But is it possible it’s a reference to extra terrestrial aliens? I know there are aliens in Japanese pop culture that have heads shaped like onions like this
. That’s from the dandadan anime opening.I’ve seen references to the onion-headed aliens before but searching the internet is shit now.
I thought those aliens were more of a reference to the Flatwoods Monster tbh
Maybe that’s just the US version of the same alien
Actually I looked it up, since I haven’t read/watched much of the show, and it is indeed just the Flatwoods Monster.
