¯\_(ツ)_/¯

You need 3 backslashes:

¯\\\_(ツ)_/¯

Backslashes are escape characters:

Zero would convert it underscore italics

¯ _(ツ)_/¯

¯ (ツ)/¯

apparently the ¯ cancels the italics on it’s own so I had to add a space to demonstrate…

One cancels the underscore _italics_

¯\_(ツ)_/¯

¯_(ツ)_/¯

Two just cancels the escape to the underscore \italics

¯\\_(ツ)_/¯

¯\(ツ)/¯

Three, finally cancels the escape to the escape to the underscore \_italics_

¯\\\_(ツ)_/¯

¯\_(ツ)_/¯