The Shaved Mario meme, also known as Smooth Mario, originated in May 2018 after a Twitter user shared a modified render of Mario from Super Mario Odyssey stripped of his iconic mustache and eyebrows. The image quickly went viral across social media platforms like Twitter and Reddit due to its deeply unsettling and 'cursed' appearance. It fundamentally challenges the visual identity of one of gaming's most recognizable characters, making it a go-to template for expressing discomfort, shock, or the feeling of something being 'not quite right.' Users often pair the image with captions about grooming accidents, drastic life changes, or the surreal experience of seeing a childhood icon in a completely different light.