Meaning
What does Smug Anime Face mean?
Smug anime face refers to a trope of reaction image macros, depicting characters from anime series, with a complacent smile on their faces.
These are mostly used in anime-related discussions on sites such as 4chan and Reddit.
Origin
What's the origin of Smug Anime Face?
The earliest case of the phrase was posted in a discussion on 4chan’s /v board on August 4th, 2012.
The phrase emerged as users were arguing about the notion of staying at home instead of partying on a Friday night.
“Smug anime face” rose from the conversation, as a user posted a GIF of Yozora Mikazuki from the anime series Haganai.
Spread & Usage
How did Smug Anime Face spread?
The phrase would start spreading online, initially on the /a board of 4chan, then anime related subs of Reddit, paired with images of anime characters having a smug grin on their faces.
By 2016, the popularity of the trope rose significantly, appearing in posts on Facebook as well as Tumblr.
“Smug anime face” memes and GIFs are still rampant on many sites visited by otakus.
On July 20th, 2020, the hardcore band “Smug Anime Face” released their debut album on Bandcamp, under the title Filthy Waters.
External resources
- Animemotivation.com – 35 Ridiculous Smug Anime Faces That Will Make Your Day
- Reddit – r/Smugs
- Quora – Why is the smug face in anime/manga so attractive?