Google set out to explain how it was reimagining emojis for a three-dimensional world, but one rather unexpected detail quickly stole the spotlight: what happens when you turn a smiley face around and look at its backside.
In a blog post titled Bringing Emoji into the Next Era of Expression, Google outlined its plans to give emojis more depth and personality through its new Noto 3D designs. The post discussed everything from making facial expressions easier to read to ensuring emojis remained recognizable on tiny screens. But when it came to imagining what a smiley face looked like from behind, the company decided to have a little fun.
Under a section titled The 360-Degree Reality Check, Google explained that designing emojis in 3D presented a brand-new challenge. Unlike flat illustrations, three-dimensional characters had to look convincing from every angle, raising the question of what the back of a traditional smiley face might look like. Google's answer was a pair of rounded cheeks.
The blog featured a series of four images showing a yellow, shocked-looking emoji rotating from front to back, revealing a comic rear end. The visual was accompanied by a cheeky caption noting that it was a joke. This exaggerated gag quickly became the most talked-about part of the technical design discussion.
Of course, Google's actual point focused on emoji anatomy and the realities of moving from two-dimensional illustrations to fully modeled 3D assets. The company explained that the shift required reconsidering details that previously stayed hidden. For instance, an older poodle design had effectively been missing a fourth leg, which was tucked out of sight until the 3D redesign provided a complete view.
The blog additionally touched on preserving the familiar personality of emojis without making them overly realistic, improving their visibility in dark mode, and maintaining clear expressions at tiny pixel dimensions. Yet, amid discussions of design principles and accessibility, it was the smiley face's unexpected rear view that captured the internet's attention.