Though internet meme culture is generally cross-cultural, there will always be some that are culturally specific. Japan is no exception, and this has nothing to do with the concept of the nation’s “uniqueness”, but more to do with different areas of pop culture and current events. By definition, a meme is a “type of idea, behavior or style that spreads through the internet, often through social media platforms, and especially for humorous purposes.”
In the past year, and “thanks” to events surrounding COVID-19, meme culture has erupted across the globe, with the “Abenomask” meme proving to be particularly biting satire of Japan’s failure in COVID-19 related aid.
Another notable meme was “Koroshite-kun“, a parody of the body horror-esque logo that will be used for the Kansai Expo in 2025. Upon the logo’s debut, Japanese netizens immediately roasted the logo and played into its unsettling image, referencing anything from science fiction to dungeon crawlers.
This essay will take a brief look at other notable Japan-originated memes, both familiar and unfamiliar to the Western audience. For the sake of discovery, we’ll avoid the more popular memes such as “Omae wa mou shindeiru” and “Bakamitai“.
Olympic Stadium Spaceship
Even before the COVID-19 pandemic, the Tokyo 2020 Olympics was not without controversy. The centerpiece of this public dissent was, of course, the proposed design of the new stadium. Helmed by architect Zaha Hadid, the design was bold and futuristic. But with a whopping price tag of $2 billion, the project was met with derision. And, of course, memes.
Through the use of Photoshop (a common tool in meme creation), Japanese netizens have reimagined the design as spaceships, roombas, and many other devices–pretty much everything except as the new stadium. This meme is under the hashtag #新国立競技場クソコラグランプリ, which roughly translates to #NewNationalStadiumWackAsShit.
The design has since been scrapped due to budget constraints, opting for practicality over flair. But with the Olympics still set to begin this summer, netizens roasting the infrastructure will be the least of their issues.
Shabani: The Handsome Gorilla
Shabani is a 24-year-old male western lowland gorilla who has resided at Nagoya Zoo since 2007. He gained popularity back in March of 2015, particularly with younger women. His dark, symmetric voice won them over, to the point that he became known as the ikemen gorilla, or the handsome gorilla.
On top of his looks, which have been compared to the likes of George Clooney and Takuya Kimura, women were captivated by his caretaking skills, as he is known to be protective of his children. Some women have even considered him to be a role model for Japanese dads.
While not a meme in the sense of internet virality, Shabani is definitely notable for his unusual rise as a zoo mascot and “hearthrob”. Some merchandise has even been made in his image, including a body pillow. Though the initial buzz has seemed to died down, Shabani still resides at the Nagoya Zoo to this day.
Chargeman Ken: The Baddest Anime
Chargeman Ken was a 1974 anime produced by Knack Productions, now known as ICHI Productions. The story is simple enough–a boy named Ken has to fight off the diabolical Juralian aliens in the futuristic world of 2074. Complete with a transformation sequence, ray gun and helmet, and a robot friend, Chargeman Ken, had potential for a simple, yet classic shonen story.
Unfortunately, with a severely limited budget and lack of direction, Chargeman Ken became known as one of the worst anime of all time. From the haphazard story and the repetitive music, to bad character design, Chargeman Ken had a lackluster run. It also probably didn’t help that each episode was only five minutes long, jampacked with dizzying plots.
One of the more notorious episodes of Chargeman Ken is called “Dynamite In The Brain”, which will be linked below:
For the sake of clarity–which you’re going to need–I will explain the plot.
Ken and his robot friend are watching a kaiju movie. They step out to get some snacks at the concession stand. A man named Professor Volga offers to buy them candy. Volga is then apprehended by goons.
TV News reports that Volga is supposed to give a speech at a conference. Ken is convinced that’s not the real Volga and rushes to the conference. He tells everyone in attendance that’s not the real Volga.
Upon seeing Volga has a reflection in the mirror (this is never explained), he realizes Volga is real. Ken then hears a ticking sound in Volga’s brain. (His super hearing is also never explained.)
He realizes that Volga has dynamite in the brain. Cue transformation sequence. Ken and Volga are now in Ken’s airship. Ken explains to Volga of his demise: He was murdered, then his brain was put in a robot, along with a bomb.
They are also being pursued by the Juralians, by the way. Ken asks for Robot Volga’s forgiveness, then throws him into the Juralian’s air ship. Ken and his sister look at Volga’s new city, and says that Volga would understand his decision. Roll credits.
As previously mentioned, the anime was obscure until recently, upon its DVD release. It then immediately gained a cult following in Japan, and spawned many memes. Most of these meme videos include mashups with other video games, choral covers of the the theme song, and even a full-length musical featuring multiple Chargemen Kens at once.
While most Westerners may only be familiar with the meme image of Ken’s brainwashed sister Caron trying to stab him that one time, Japan has developed an entire parody subculture surrounding the young boy with a penchant for shooting random aliens. While there is no official localization of the anime, plenty of uploads are available for those who want to join the chaotic fun.
In the past year, and "thanks" to events surrounding COVID-19, meme culture has erupted across the globe, with the "Abenomask" meme proving to be particularly biting satire of Japan's failure in COVID-19 related aid. Click To TweetAmabie: “Savior” of COVID-19
The Amabie is a mermaid-like yokai, first depicted in 1846 on a woodblock. According to legend, it appeared to a man near what is today known as Kumamoto Prefecture, with a profound, yet haunting message: “There will be a bountiful harvest for six years, but disease will also spread.” She then asked him to draw her on a woodblock so there would be proof of her existence.
Over 170 years later, Amabie was thrust back into the spotlight with the #amabiechallenge, in which artists drew depictions of her in hopes of warding off COVID-19. This began in March 2020, after Kyoto University Library posted a picture of the original newspaper article that featured Amabie.
According to Mie University professor Yuji Yamada, this practice of depicting mythical spirits en masse during epidemics is common in Japan: “When many people are suffering and dying, our wish for an end (of the pandemic) is the same in all ages.
Most of these #amabiechallenge pieces are posted on Instagram, which is known to be more image-friendly than other websites. The depictions of Amabie varying, with some going for reskinned versions of the original image, to others making her a bird with four lateral legs. Either way, this meme is a good example of how Japan is able to use traditional subject matter to bring light to current events.
Bonus- Koike Asks, “Why Are You Outside”
Similar to the Amabie Challenge, this last meme was inspired by the state of emergency Tokyo Governor Koike put in place due to the pandemic. It’s pretty straightforward–whether in real life or anime, Koike is always waiting and watching. And if you make a wrong turn, open a pile of hay, or ruffle someone’s feathers, a photoshopped image of Koike’s face will appear before you with one simple question: 「なんで外出してるの？」
