this post was submitted on 20 Jan 2026
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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

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[–] karasu_sue@pf.korako.me 39 points 2 months ago* (last edited 2 months ago) (2 children)

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.

https://koyamachuya.com/contents/7107/

[–] rlc3r_yb3ldcg_@lemmy.ml 8 points 2 months ago (1 children)

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

[–] karasu_sue@pf.korako.me 9 points 2 months ago (1 children)

There is a similar pose where people make a heart shape above their head. Japanese people like making heart shapes for pretty much everything.

[–] rlc3r_yb3ldcg_@lemmy.ml 5 points 2 months ago

danke, so, just kinda love you or for what you just said :)

[–] rlc3r_yb3ldcg_@lemmy.ml 3 points 2 months ago

lol I'm so confused then. The like 20s girl that did that didn't act like she was a reddit dork

[–] breadsmasher@lemmy.world 27 points 2 months ago

theyre making fun of your ballin’ mohawk haircut

[–] sem@piefed.blahaj.zone 26 points 2 months ago (1 children)

If you're western this is old-timey for "I'm about to dive into a swimming pool, or the ocean."

[–] rlc3r_yb3ldcg_@lemmy.ml 4 points 2 months ago (1 children)

lol I 100% did this as a six year old to dive into a pool during swim lessons

[–] rlc3r_yb3ldcg_@lemmy.ml 1 points 2 months ago

we used the moniker "zip" "T" "zoom" to do the back stroke

[–] Sergio@piefed.social 11 points 2 months ago (1 children)

Just in case no Japanese people answer, check this out for comparison:

My guess is the kid's asking for a favor, but making a bit of a joke about it.

[–] rlc3r_yb3ldcg_@lemmy.ml 4 points 2 months ago

I feel like Sadhu is the closest feeling

[–] sefra1@lemmy.zip 10 points 2 months ago* (last edited 2 months ago) (2 children)

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.

[–] Appoxo@lemmy.dbzer0.com 2 points 2 months ago

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.

[–] udon@lemmy.world 2 points 2 months ago (2 children)

Interesting, any special weeb insights why they do it like this? Does it make it easier to draw maybe? Just stands out?

[–] FoolsQuartz@lemmynsfw.com 4 points 2 months ago

I bet having the hands right above the head does make it a bit easier to draw, tbh. Means you can draw the whole character's torso if you want to. Other than that I'd say it's just dramatic, like double begging/pleading.

[–] sefra1@lemmy.zip 3 points 2 months ago

No idea, it just happens in anime.

[–] lens0021@programming.dev 5 points 2 months ago (2 children)
[–] lens0021@programming.dev 8 points 2 months ago* (last edited 2 months ago)

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.

[–] rlc3r_yb3ldcg_@lemmy.ml 2 points 2 months ago

Proof that people do this!! This definitely wasn't the context when I saw it, but I'm gratified I'm not crazy

[–] Zannsolo@lemmy.world 4 points 2 months ago

It means you're a genie in a bottle baby

[–] ieatpwns@lemmy.world 3 points 2 months ago* (last edited 2 months ago) (1 children)

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.

[–] TrousersMcPants@lemmy.world 1 points 2 months ago (1 children)

I thought those aliens were more of a reference to the Flatwoods Monster tbh

[–] _stranger_@lemmy.world 1 points 2 months ago (1 children)

Maybe that's just the US version of the same alien

[–] TrousersMcPants@lemmy.world 2 points 2 months ago

Actually I looked it up, since I haven't read/watched much of the show, and it is indeed just the Flatwoods Monster.