Mr. Osomatsu, now in its third season, is a contemporary reboot of Fujio Akatsuka's classic Osomatsu-kun. Western fans were mostly completely unfamiliar with Akatsuka's work before 2015, when Mr. Osomatsu became a surprise sensation with both edgy comedy fans and fujoshi shippers, but from the constant fourth wall-breaking callbacks, it's clear that the original was a big deal in Japan. Even so, it might surprise you just how mainstream Osomatsu-kun references were in '60s Japan.
In particular, Iyami's "Sheeh!" pose became something a cultural sensation. People copied the position and turned it ubiquitous, a "meme" of sorts before the internet existed. While other anime and manga referenced the gag, the "Sheeh!" pose extended beyond the anime community, reaching mainstream popularity. It became so big that two of the most iconic figures of the 1960s ended up striking the pose: Godzilla and John Lennon of The Beatles.
Godzilla, King of the Sheeh!
Godzilla had multiple incidents in the 1960s where he copied Iyami's "Sheeh!" pose. The most memorable takes place in 1966's Invasion of the Astro-Monster, the sixth film in the franchise. Early on in the film, Godzilla and Rodan are sent into space to fight King Ghidorah, Godzilla's ultimate nemesis. At this point, Godzilla had transitioned from nightmarish embodiment of nuclear war to monster superhero popular among children. As such, both this film and its predecessor Ghidorah, the Three Headed Monster softened Godzilla to make him more fun.
After warding off the three-headed dragon, Godzilla celebrates his victory by doing a little dance. This dance happens to be the "Sheeh!" pose, in repeat. This pose became a big point of promotion for the film, since posters for Invasion of the Astro-Monster featured the actors under the costumes posing in the "Sheeh!" pose as well. Later that year, Weekly Shonen Jump put Godzilla on its cover, copying that pose yet again, further tying in the new kaiju protector of Japan with the incredibly popular manga.
Then The Beatles Did It
Arguably the biggest "Sheeh!" reference came when John Lennon copied the pose as part of a Japanese trip during June 1966. John Lennon most likely was not familiar with Osomatsu-kun when traveling to Japan. However, the photographer in question encouraged him to make the pose, which led to him doing so.
For many, this is the biggest, most surprising example of the "Sheeh!" pose in pop culture. While Osomatsu-kun was popular in Japan, it never recieved much international attention until the Mr. Osomatsu anime. These references offer an unusual time capsule showing just how popular the series was in the '60s. What was old has become new again.
