Popee the Performer is a Japanese surreal CGI anime series created by Ryuji Masuda and first broadcast in Japan in 2000. It follows Popee, a clown apprentice, and his companions Kedamono and Papi through short, darkly comic sketches filled with sudden violence and absurd twists. Clips from the series later spread widely on YouTube and meme pages, where its exaggerated reactions became popular reaction material. This shock moment fits that style perfectly, and creators still reuse it because the show's strange tone makes even a brief gasp feel instantly recognisable and funny.