The 'When Your Custom Character Is in a Cutscene' meme highlights the hilarious visual dissonance that occurs in video games when players equip their protagonists with bizarre, colorful, or overly elaborate gear, only to see them appear in serious, emotionally charged cinematic sequences. This trope is a staple of RPG culture, where the freedom to customize armor often leads to a protagonist looking like a neon-colored clown standing next to grieving NPCs or dramatic villains. The meme gained significant traction through titles like Dark Souls, Monster Hunter, and the Yakuza series, where cosmetic choices are notoriously unhinged. It perfectly captures the 'ludonarrative dissonance' of gaming, turning a serious plot point into a comedic masterpiece simply because of a pair of cat ears or a giant chicken suit.