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In MyMemeCards, the meme card game, “Giko (ギコ)” is a rare card of the Memes World series 76, number 22504 of the collection, and the 4th best-known meme of its 298 cards. Here is what the meme means, where it comes from, and how to get its card.
What does the “Giko (ギコ)” meme mean?
Giko stands for the charm of drawings made only from keyboard characters. His minimalist face, diacritic-mark eyes and sweat drop give him an awkward yet endearing look. He recalls early-2000s Japanese forum culture, its in-jokes and typographic creativity. For Western users he also marks the discovery of another corner of the web, where emoticons grow into full characters. He also stands for the thrill of finding unexpected personality in a few punctuation marks.
Where does the “Giko (ギコ)” meme come from?
Giko, also known as Giko Neko, was born in 1999 on Ayasii World, one of Japan’s earliest underground message boards, then reached 2channel the same year and became a favorite mascot there. Sources disagree on his exact birth: a first ASCII image is said to date from December 3, 1998, while his established personality is dated July 20, 1999. His signature line, “Itte yoshi,” is a pun on two spellings that turn “you may leave” into “you may die.” The character reached the West through Flash animations, including Shii’s Song, mentioned on Newgrounds in February 2002, then Nightmare City in December 2004, which gave him a more manga-like look.
- 1999Giko appears on Ayasii World, then on 2channel.
- February 4, 2002A Newgrounds post mentions the animation Shii’s Song, which helped bring Shift-JIS art to Western audiences.
- December 2004The animation Nightmare City gives Giko a manga-like style.
How to use the “Giko (ギコ)” meme
- Use his character drawing as a signature on a hobby forum.
- Mention Giko to evoke nostalgia for Japanese imageboards.
- Recreate a character in Shift-JIS art as a typography exercise.
- Share a Giko Flash animation to introduce this web culture.
Also searched as
- ギコ
- Giko Neko
- ギコ猫
- Itte Yoshi
- giko neko
- giko meme
- giko ギコ
- what is giko
- giko 2channel
- giko shift jis art
- itte yoshi meaning
The “Giko (ギコ)” card in MyMemeCards
| Number | No. 22504 |
|---|---|
| Rarity | Rare |
| Collection | Memes World series 76 |
| Fame | 68/100 · #4 of 298 |
| Recycle value | 10 MemeCoins (30 in Shiny) |
How to get the “Giko (ギコ)” card
Every pack holds 5 meme cards, the first 3 of them Common; Giko (ギコ) comes out of the Memes World series 76 as a rare card. The pack odds say what each rarity weighs.
Your first pack is free and needs no account. After that a new free pack lands every 10 minutes, up to 3 waiting for you. You can also buy the card with MemeCoins on the market, bid for it at auction, or trade it — and a double recycles into 10 MemeCoins.
Open your free pack
5 meme cards, one of them at least Rare. One free pack per person.
Free · no account needed
Odds per card, averaged over a pack: Common 72%, Rare 23.9%, Epic 3.2%, Legendary 0.56%, Mythic 0.3%, Full Art ≤ 0.1%, Shiny 0.2%. Cards 1 to 3 are always Common, cards 4 and 5 climb the rarities. Rates drop for cards that circulate a lot. Details
Memes like “Giko (ギコ)”
More cards of the Memes World series 76
Frequently asked questions
Who is Giko?
He is a cat character drawn in Shift-JIS art, created in 1999 on Ayasii World. He became one of the mascots of the Japanese forum 2channel.
What is Shift-JIS art?
It is Japan’s equivalent of ASCII art: drawings made of keyboard characters. Giko’s eyes, for instance, use handakuten marks.
What does “Itte yoshi” mean?
It is Giko’s catchphrase, a pun meaning “you may leave” or “you may die” depending on the spelling. The ambiguity is typical of 2channel humor.
When was Giko born?
Sources disagree: an ASCII image dates to December 3, 1998, and an established personality to July 20, 1999. The year 1999 is the one usually given.
How do I get the Giko (ギコ) meme card?
Open a pack of MyMemeCards: “Giko (ギコ)” is a rare card of the Memes World series 76. Your first pack is free, with no account, and you can also buy, trade or win the card at auction.
How rare is the Giko (ギコ) card?
It is a Rare card. Rarity decides which pack slot can deal it, and what it is worth on the market.
Sources: Know Your Meme — Giko (ギコ) · checked on October 18, 2026.
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Open your free pack: 5 meme cards, no account needed.