How can I create a Monkey Puppet Side Eye meme?

You can use our free Monkey Puppet Side Eye meme generator. Just upload the template or use our existing one, add your custom text, and download.

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Monkey Puppet Side Eye Meme Generator

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Two-panel meme of a puppet monkey with red fur and googly eyes from a Japanese kids show. Left panel shows it looking forward, right panel shows it looking away awkwardly with a guilty side-eye expression.

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The Awkward Situation

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What is the Monkey Puppet Side Eye meme?

Monkey Puppet Side Eye (also called Awkward Look Monkey Puppet) is a two-panel reaction meme of a red-furred puppet monkey from a Japanese children's show. The left panel shows it looking straight ahead; the right panel shows it glancing sideways with a guilty, awkward side-eye when something uncomfortable happens nearby.

Origin & History

The puppet, named Kotaro, appeared on the NHK children's program Ōkiku naru Ko (Growing Up), which aired from 1988 to 1991 in Japan. The side-eye moment comes from a clip where the monkey puppet nervously looks away - a small gesture that later became one of the internet's most recognizable awkward-reaction GIFs.

The meme spread globally on Twitter and Reddit around 2018, often paired with captions describing situations where you witness something embarrassing but pretend you did not see it. Its simple two-panel structure made it ideal for workplace cringe, relationship drama, and any moment of silent, guilty observation.

How to Use / Use Cases

Reacting awkwardly when you witness something uncomfortable
Pretending not to notice drama happening right next to you
Workplace humor about overhearing gossip you should ignore
Relationship jokes about noticing red flags but staying quiet
Calling out guilty side-eye when caught doing something shady

Use our free Monkey Puppet Side Eye Meme Generator to create custom memes. You can add text, resize, and customize the font. Perfect for sharing on Reddit, Twitter, Instagram, and Discord.