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What Is A 'Dandori Issue?' The New Meme Sweeping The 'Pikmin' Fandom, Explained
Over the past few weeks, Pikmin fans have been unleashing devastating burns by claiming those who say they don't enjoy the games or they're too hard simply have a Dandori Issue. Here, we'll run through this bewildering new term so that you may never be roasted by getting "Dandori Issue-d" online.
What Is A "Dandori Issue?"
To understand "Dandori issue," one must first understand "Dandori." "Dandori" is a real Japanese word essentially meaning plans. In the September 2022 reveal of Pikmin 4, Nintendo head Shigeru Miyamoto referred to the gameplay of Pikmin as "Dandori," aka "strategically planning and controlling the Pikmin."
"Dandori Issue" is a riff on "skill issue", a long-running gaming taunt that is usually used to brush off a person whining that a game is too difficult to the point of being unfair. Of course, Pikmin isn't exactly the Dark Souls of relaxing puzzle games, so when Pikmin fans use the term, it's more a means to joke about the minor challenges players may encounter in a Pikmin playthrough.
Where Did "Dandori Issue" Come From?
"Dandori" became a minor joke passed around the Pikmin fandom since Pikmin 4's announcement in September of 2022. In June of 2023, amidst some discourse about whether Pikmin 2 was too difficult, Twitter user @OchreHorns posted, "Pikmin 2 isn't unfair or bad, you just have what they call a 'Dandori issue.'"
The tweet was immediately celebrated in the Pikmin fandom, particularly on Reddit, where users began creating memes about the phrase.
It also saw use on Twitter, where it was often used as a joking way to discuss minor difficulties with Pikmin games.
Dandori Issue. pic.twitter.com/BAB8C2TbYC
— Seándwalsh (@SenderwalkTest) July 18, 2023
I might have a dandori issue #Pikmin3Deluxe #NintendoSwitch pic.twitter.com/zajFX6Uy6c
— Guy on YouTube (@PajaroTyler) July 14, 2023
However, the undoubted height of the "Dandori Issue" meme occurred when Pikmin fans were able to run a 15-second video on a billboard in New York City's Times Square that referenced "Dandori Issue." The event seemed to cement the status of "Dandori issue" as a staple of the Pikmin fandom, and the phrase will almost certainly see much more play by the time Pikmin 4 releases later this week.
ATTN: PIKMIN FANS#DandoriIssue IS REAL ‼️ pic.twitter.com/DyV33oPyft
— Rakton @ PIKMIN 4 HYPE (@OchreHorns) July 14, 2023
For more information, check out the entry for Dandori issue on Know Your Meme.
