AboutWhat does the meme depict?
The 'Pepe Punch' meme features an illustration of Pepe the Frog preparing to deliver a punch directly at the viewer. This version of Pepe the Frog combines elements of the Smug Frog variation and is depicted with a facial expression of readiness and slight mischief, similar to images where Pepe the Frog appears in 'Welcome To The Family, Son' redraws. In this meme, Pepe's fist is drawn back, ready to launch forward, as if to hit the viewer or another subject in relation to the punchline of the meme. This meme is commonly used in an aggressive, playful manner to metaphorically punch the subject of a post or the original poster in online discussions.
OriginWho did it first?
The 'Pepe Punch' meme template is inspired by combining Pepe the Frog with the dynamic posture of Vegeta from the anime Dragon Ball, specifically imitating the action of throwing a punch towards the camera. The origins of the Smug Frog variant of Pepe traces back to June 2nd, 2011, when it was first posted on the /tv/ board of 4chan here. This variant of Pepe was combined with poses similar to those found in early parodies of the 'Welcome To The Family, Son' scene, appearing on 4chan in July 2016. Although the precise origin of 'Pepe Punch' remains unclear, it was identifiable on 4chan as early as 2018. The meme notably surfaced on August 13th, 2018, on the /biz/ board of 4chan in a post, wherein an anonymous user paired it with the caption, 'Yes, I hope you don't actually take /biz/ seriously. If you do, then this punch is for you.'[1]