You Can Just Smile

Text on the meme

You can just smile.

What it means

A tearful Shinji Ikari tells Rei Ayanami, who looks blankly back at him without smiling. The joke is the emotional mismatch: an earnest request for comfort is met with Rei’s famously expressionless reaction, making it useful as an absurd or deadpan reaction meme. EN: A tearful Shinji Ikari tells Rei Ayanami, who looks blankly back at him without smiling. The joke is the emotional mismatch: an earnest request for comfort is met with Rei’s famously expressionless reaction, making it useful as an absurd or deadpan reaction meme.

Who

Shinji Ikari (碇シンジ) — Neon Genesis Evangelion Rei Ayanami (綾波レイ) — Neon Genesis Evangelion

Objects

anime boy with tears / плачущий аниме-мальчик blue-haired anime girl / синеволосая аниме-девушка red eyes / красные глаза tears / слёзы white futuristic suit / белый футуристический костюм blue uniform / синяя форма close-up / крупный план dark background / тёмный фон sad expression / грустное выражение лица emotionless expression / безэмоциональное выражение лица