5 Shocking Facts About The 'Guy With Hand On Shoulder' Meme (Akakichi No Eleven Redraws)

Contents

The "Guy With Hand on Shoulder" meme, officially known as the Akakichi no Eleven Redraws, has exploded across the internet, cementing its status as one of the most versatile and popular reaction images of the current date. This seemingly simple, smug gesture has become the universal symbol for delivering a harsh, yet undeniable truth, often with a knowing, almost condescending air.

Far from a modern creation, this iconic frame actually originates from a deep-cut 1970s soccer anime, experiencing a massive resurgence through the creative power of online redraw culture. Understanding its bizarre origin, the characters involved, and its current use in major fandoms is key to appreciating its genius.

The Surprising Origin of the 'Big Chin' Meme

The image that launched a thousand memes—the man with the distinctive large chin placing his hand on another character's shoulder—is a direct frame from a decades-old Japanese animation. The depth of its origin story adds significant topical authority to the meme's history.

Anime Source: Akakichi no Eleven (1970)

The meme's source material is the 1970 soccer-themed anime Akakichi no Eleven (literally "Red-Blooded Eleven").

  • Original Air Date: April 1970 – April 1971.
  • Genre: Sports, Shōnen.
  • Total Episodes: 52.
  • The Key Episode: The viral frame comes specifically from Episode 43 of the series.

The Characters: Kojuro Yamagata and the Unnamed Teammate

The "guy with the big chin" is not an anonymous figure. He is a character named Kojuro Yamagata.

Yamagata is the figure delivering the smug, reassuring, or often ominous message. The character receiving the hand on the shoulder is generally an unnamed or less prominent teammate in that specific scene, whose expression of mild distress or resignation perfectly sets up the meme's punchline.

Initial Discovery and Spread (The French Connection)

The meme’s global life began in 2021 when a French Twitter user, @FullSaphir, tracked down the obscure source of the image. This discovery went viral within the French-speaking internet community before quickly spreading to English-speaking platforms, primarily through Reddit and Twitter (now X), under the name Akakichi no Eleven Redraws.

The Dual Meaning: Smug Assurance and Harsh Reality

The brilliance of the "Hand on Shoulder" meme lies in its ambiguous yet powerful non-verbal communication. It has evolved into a versatile template that can convey two primary, often contradictory, messages.

1. The Smug, Condescending Truth

In its most common usage, the meme is a vehicle for delivering a harsh, inescapable reality to someone who is clearly struggling or about to face a difficult situation.

  • The Setup: The character being touched (the victim) represents a person, concept, or fandom facing a problem.
  • The Delivery: Kojuro Yamagata (the "big chin guy") represents the cold, hard, and often smug truth.
  • The Dialogue: The text overlay usually follows a pattern where the victim says something hopeful, and Yamagata responds with a simple, devastating fact, often starting with "Wait till you hear..." or a similar phrase.

The gesture itself—a hand on the shoulder—is typically one of comfort or encouragement. The meme subverts this, turning it into a gesture of "I know something you don't, and you're about to be screwed."

2. The 'Redraw' Phenomenon and Fandom In-Jokes

The second, and perhaps most popular, use of the meme is as a redraw template. Artists take the original frame and adapt it to the characters and contexts of their favorite anime, video games, or pop culture franchises. This is where the meme truly gains its topical authority and fresh relevance in 2024.

The Hottest Akakichi no Eleven Redraws of 2024

The enduring popularity of the *Akakichi no Eleven Redraws* is driven by its constant integration into the newest and most active fandoms. The trend ensures the meme remains fresh and relevant, becoming a staple for expressing complex, spoiler-heavy, or deeply niche in-jokes.

The 'Jujutsu Kaisen' Redraws

One of the most viral modern adaptations involves characters from the hit manga and anime series *Jujutsu Kaisen*.

  • Popular Scenario: Redraws often feature characters like Sukuna and Gojo Satoru, where one character delivers a harsh reality about a major plot point or a character's fate to another.
  • Context: These redraws frequently reference major, often tragic, events in the manga, using the meme's smug delivery to soften the blow with humor.

The 'One Piece' Redraws

The vast world of *One Piece* also provides fertile ground for the redraw trend, particularly in response to major manga chapter leaks or plot twists.

  • Usage: Fans use the meme to poke fun at an opposing fan theory or to deliver a spoiler with a playful, "I told you so" attitude.
  • Longevity: The continuous flow of new information in the *One Piece* manga ensures that this meme template remains a current and effective tool for community discourse.

Other Trending Fandoms

The redraws are not limited to just these two giants. The template has been successfully applied to virtually every major franchise, demonstrating its universal appeal as a communication device:

  • Neon Genesis Evangelion
  • Attack on Titan
  • Chainsaw Man
  • My Hero Academia
  • Various video game franchises (e.g., *Genshin Impact*, *Honkai: Star Rail*)

Why the Meme Endures: The Power of the Smug Face

The "Guy With Hand on Shoulder" meme has endured for several key reasons, going beyond mere novelty to become a foundational meme template.

1. Emotional Ambiguity

The expression on Kojuro Yamagata's face is key. It’s not pure evil, nor is it genuine comfort. It’s a mix of knowing pity and smug assurance. This ambiguity allows the meme to be used for everything from lighthearted teasing to the delivery of serious, yet humorous, news.

2. Low Barrier to Entry (Redraws)

The simple, two-character composition makes it incredibly easy for artists of all skill levels to redraw. This accessibility is what fueled the viral "redraws" trend, allowing it to spread organically across art-focused communities on platforms like Tumblr, X, and TikTok, constantly refreshing the content with new characters and fandom contexts.

3. The 'Big Chin' Factor

Kojuro Yamagata’s distinctive character design, particularly his large chin, gives the meme an immediately recognizable and slightly absurd visual anchor. This unique feature makes the original frame unforgettable and instantly identifiable, even when redrawn in a different art style.

In conclusion, the "Guy With Hand on Shoulder" meme is a perfect example of how an obscure, decades-old piece of media can be resurrected by internet culture. It is a powerful, versatile, and enduring symbol for the delivery of an undeniable, often unpleasant, truth, ensuring its continued relevance in the ever-evolving landscape of online humor well into 2024 and beyond.

5 Shocking Facts About the 'Guy With Hand on Shoulder' Meme (Akakichi no Eleven Redraws)
guy with hand on shoulder meme
guy with hand on shoulder meme

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