Written by. Nick Mosier based on the original Japanese article (original article’s publication date: 2022-07-01 15:43 JST)

A new purchasable mount called the Megashiba has been added to Final Fantasy XIV, and with its round face and fluffy tail has captured the hearts of players. So much so that #柴犬マウント (#ShibaInuMount) even started trending on Twitter in Japan. With FFXIV players and dog lovers alike posting pictures of their Shiba Inu both virtual and real, the hashtag has become a paradise for fans of cute canines.

Balance both hip and cute styles striding down the streets of Eorzea with TWO new items!

🐾 Megashiba (mount)
🧢 Street Attire

Now available on the #FFXIV Online Store! 🛍️ https://t.co/s5277tu6KP pic.twitter.com/NdikYNX1xS
— FINAL FANTASY XIV (@FF_XIV_EN) June 30, 2022

The Megashiba mount was unveiled on June 30 at the same time it went on sale. The hashtag #ShibaInuMount then quickly started to grow mostly by way of players who purchased the new item. Players were posting screenshots and giving their impressions about how the Megashiba felt to ride as the hashtag began to temporarily trend on Twitter.

Perhaps this was due to the hashtag itself not making it clear that it’s related to a game, but it gradually started spreading among people who didn’t know about FFXIV. These Twitter users misinterpreted “mount” to not mean an item you ride in a game, but something more along the lines of asserting one’s dominance as they posted pictures boasting about their own Shiba Inu.

Because of this, the hashtag turned into a soothing feed of not just Megashiba screenshots, but also real Shiba Inu whose owners were eager to share their pups with the world.

While the hashtag spread outside of the FFXIV community, what likely contributed to it getting started in the first place is the fact that cute dog mounts are in short supply in the world of FFXIV. Plenty of canine mounts are available in the game, but not many of them can match the cuteness of the Megashiba.

There’s the Kamuy series of mounts, but those have a more gallant and dignified look rather than being cute. There were also the Lone Hellhound and Fenrir mounts that could be obtained through PVP (currently unobtainable) and the Cerberus which can be obtained as a reward for clearing the Delubrum Reginae raid, but these fall more into the ferocious category.

The Megashiba on the other hand is round and fluffy with glistening eyes that exude cuteness. It has three unique actions that can be performed while mounted such as barking, tail wagging, and making a sad face, each of which are full of personality.

The popular Twitter account Can You Pet the Dog, which shows off the dogs of gaming, also made a tweet about the Megashiba showing that players can, in fact, pet the dog. The tweet received lots of retweets and likely helped spread the reach of the Megashiba even further.

With its three unique actions, the Megashiba stands out as a more elaborate mount that dares to be cute in a world of dangerous dogs.

Final Fantasy XIV has added a "Megashiba" mount, which comes equipped with a special petting action. pic.twitter.com/6CRTTHEOgY
— Can You Pet the Dog? (@CanYouPetTheDog) June 30, 2022

The Megashiba mount is now available in Final Fantasy XIV for $24.