Players might know Yoshi as the lovable dino that lends a helping hand (...paw?) to Mario on his adventures, but did you know that deep behind that family-friendly smile lies a dark secret?
The popular internet meme ‘Yoshi Committed Tax Fraud’ originated in May 2018 when Tumblr user Druddigon claimed that "Yoshi has committed tax fraud." This was in response to a post by user drn-000, who stated Yoshi has never done anything wrong in his life. After demanding proof, drn-000 had to concede once Druddigon showed a Photoshopped image of Yoshi with a text bubble saying "I committed tax fraud." It’s hard to argue with that kind of solid evidence.
With that in mind, here are some of the funniest Yoshi Commits Tax Fraud memes inspired by this legendary exchange.
10 The Two Genders
This hilarious image by Twitter user @AdamEDowner is a great twist on the transphobic ‘two genders’ meme. The lovable pink ball that is Kirby is often presented as Yoshi’s law-abiding counterpart, dutifully filling out his taxes.
Chances are, gamers will be able to sort out their friends and family into these two binary options—are you a tax-evading Yoshi, or a good citizen Kirby? These two DS games sadly aren't real, but maybe @AdamEDowner is sitting on a great idea. 'Yoshi Commits Tax Fraud' could be Game of the Year...
9 The Duality of Yoshi
Tag yourself, which Yoshi are you? Yoshi vs. Fat Yoshi, otherwise known at Big Yoshi, has been a popular meme on the internet since his debut in January 2017. Fat Yoshi is an artistic re-rendering of a large Yoshi, found in the Super Mario game Super Mario RPG from 1996. With his adorable round body, vacant grin, and generally satisfied aura, this large lad took the internet by storm.
Fat Yoshi is characterized by being a jolly boy who always follows the rules and does his taxes. Unlike his slimmer counterpart, the lean, green, tax-evading machine that is the Yoshi we used to know and love.
8 This Isn’t Smashing
Long time fans of the Super Smash Bros. franchise might want to look away now. It's a tragedy that Nintendo has allowed such a flagrant criminal to join the party. It's even worse when law-abiding citizens like Waluigi have been snubbed for decades. Worst of all, many players will fall in love with Yoshi's excellent range attacks and powerful hits, without knowing anything about his true nature. Gamers can turn a blind eye to beating up your friends and coworkers, but the crimes committed against Waluigi should never be forgiven.
7 Not You, Yoshi
This hilarious meme shows off the characters of the Mario universe, united in their desire to pay taxes and be upstanding members of society. Unfortunately, a certain green dinosaur is letting the side down by evading tax in the Mushroom Kingdom. When a literal ghost can't get away with not paying taxes, it's ridiculous that Nintendo has let Yoshi get away with his crimes for so long. Bowser is almost always painted as the villain of the Mario world, but even he is pictured here, contributing to society. Although let's be honest, Wario does looks a little bit shifty...
6 Fortune Street
This meme is the only solid proof in existence that Yoshi is a tax-evading criminal. This screenshot of the Wii game Fortune Street was posted by Twitter account @SupperMarioBroth on January 15th, 2019, catching Yoshi in the act of performing these horrific crimes.
Out of 26 playable characters in the game, Yoshi is the only character to beg for tax exemption when the player builds a new tax office. What's worse is the fact that this screenshot was posted in 2011, predating the meme by several years. Who knows how long Yoshi has been evading tax for?
5 The Real Criminals Are…
This hilarious Tweet replying to Game Informer's news article reveals the true meaning of Yoshi's villainous origin story. How did this family-friendly mascot go from lovable goof to criminal mastermind? Plagiarism.
Assuming that Yoshi would pay his real-life taxes to the United States of America Government, this example of flaunting copyright law is the real theft going on. Whilst TheGamer certainly does not endorse tax evasion, at least this tweet offers some context as to why Yoshi turned to tax evasion to try and chase the sweet relief of justice.
4 He ‘Bout To Do It
You wanna see some real speed? In this meme, Yoshi is superimposed over a picture of Spongebob, claiming that he is going to commit tax evasion multiple times. When will the horror end? Who will stop Yoshi, before he goes too far? Just exactly how much money has Yoshi kept for himself? For such a loyal and beloved citizen of the Mushroom Kingdom, it seems strange that Princess Peach would let him get away with this for so long.
Is Yoshi even paid? What does he pay taxes on? Does Yoshi have a job? This raises more questions than it answers...
3 Yoshi Isn’t Joker-ing Around
"I am thou... Thou art I...
Thou hast acquired a new vow...
It shall become the wings of rebellion
That breaketh thy chains of tax responsibility.
With the birth of the Tax Evader Persona
I have obtained the winds of blessing that
shall lead to imprisonment and hefty fines..."
This meme sees Yoshi receive a calling card from the infamous Phantom Thieves, who are dedicated to stealing Treasure—most likely all that money he's sitting on—from Yoshi's heart. The distorted desire to hoard your wealth and dodge your civic duty is no doubt a job for Joker, Skull, and the gang!
2 One More Minute
What happens in one minute? 70,000 hours of Netflix are watched. 3 million videos are watched on Snapchat. Google is asked 2.4 million questions, and $996,956 is spent online. Some players speculate that that's almost as much money as Yoshi fraudulently keeps in his offshore bank accounts.
One inconsistency in this meme is the appearance of Fat Yoshi. As players have established, Fat Yoshi is a jolly boy who would NEVER commit tax fraud. This meme might throw these accusations into jeopardy.
1 Why, Yoshi, Why?
As far as wild confessions go, this meme based on the TV cartoon "Gravity Falls" is as damning as a prosecutor could hope for. In this fictional scene, Yoshi presents Dipper with audio and physical proof of his crimes.
The real question is, is Dipper an accomplice to Yoshi's crimes? Gamers can see him here shredding this evidence. Maybe to protect his 'uncle' Yoshi? This begs the question, could there be an extended universe that involves these two popular franchises? What kind of game would that look like? Let's hope he recognizes the gravity of the situation!