meme-review
KYM Review: The Top Anime Memes Of 2024
Anime and manga have long been major sources and inspirations for memes since the early days of the internet, so it's no surprise in 2024 that this massive community gave us memorable memes that capture the imagination of fans.
From hilarious catchphrases and viral video moments to reaction images and absurd fan incidents (Jujutsu Kaisen fans mainly), anime keeps building a unique community that has no restraints in terms of creativity and humor, for better or for worse.
Even if you might not be familiar with anime culture in general, there's a high probability you stumbled across a "Queen Never Cry" redraw or a "Brazilian Miku" fan art on TikTok, X / Twitter or another corner of the internet this year.
In this article, we’ll take a closer look at the standout anime memes of 2024, exploring what made them so popular and how they spread across social media platforms. Get ready to dive into the most viral memes that captivated fans and took the internet by storm!
As always, before continuing to read this article, be warned that this list may contain some spoilers from your favorite anime series, so read at your own caution.
Queen Never Cry
First up, we have Queen Never Cry, a meme that exploded from a panel in The Ki Sisters manhwa. The scene features a mom telling her crying newborn, “Queen never cry,” and is a marvelous example of how random viral memes are born. The manhwa didn't have a massive fanbase or memetic content going viral prior to the meme, but in the manner of days, it was seemingly everywhere on TikTok and X in November.
It’s relatable and oddly funny, right? This catchphrase took off and got the attention of fans who couldn’t resist remixing and sharing versions of the panel as other memorable anime characters.
Brazilian Miku
As it is fairly known online, if you don't go to Brazil, "Brazil comes to you." This joke reached new heights as the Brazilian Miku fan art trend took over parts of the internet, featuring the most famous Japanese Vocaloid character Hatsune Miku reimagined as a young, tanned Brazilian woman.
The trend went viral in August, inspiring multiple artists to create their own versions of the character, resulting in thousands of reposts and widespread engagement on platforms like X and TikTok.
Cunty Regirock With a Handbag
Can Pokémon be "cunty?" Well, TikTok user @regirocktok definitely thinks so, as they created the Cunty Regirock With a Handbag meme in March that quickly spread around the web through numerous edits.
@regirocktok @secret brittany does not miss 💅 #regirocktok #pokemon #regirock #anime #pokemontiktok #nintendo #gaming #floptok #brittanybroski #broski ♬ original sound – regirock
The meme shows Regirock, a character from Pokémon, being styled with a handbag and makeup that has a bit of an attitude, particularly in bold or assertive manners. The edit went viral thanks to its playful representation of the character, quickly spawning a series of remixes and references across TikTok.
America Ya (Hallo Hallo Hallo) / Osaka In America
Anime characters speaking so-called "Engrish" is one of the more well-known gags of the genre, and the America Ya scene from Azumanga Daioh is a perfect showcase of such jokes.
This catchy scene found new life as a form of comment spam across TikTok in March, with users playfully echoing "America ya" and dropping multiple "hallos" in response to various videos as it gained traction among TikTokers.
@morinmorin94 america ya :D #CapCut #criadordeconteudo #HALLO #xdddddddddddddd #vaiprofycaramba #azumangadaioh #comentarios #print #comments ♬ America ya – morinmorin
Akakichi no Eleven Redraws
Although not entirely from 2024, the Akakichi no Eleven Redraws really took off this year, featuring a frame from the 1970s anime Akakichi no Eleven depicting a large-chinned man reassuring another character by smiling at him while placing his hand on his shoulder.
Initially loved in late 2023 as a reaction image popularized among French users on Twitter / X, it gained new life in early 2024 as artists began creating hilarious redraws with characters from different series, leading to a delightful avalanche of creativity.
@noschoolsaturday Behold my Hand on shoulder meme collection #jojo #jjba #jojosbizarreadventure #onepiece #onepieceanime #dbz #dbs #dragonball #jjk #jujutsukaisen #joke ♬ sonido original – 🎧🎵
Gojo Figure Incident / Sukuna Jar
The Jujutsu Kaisen fandom did not exactly have a good online presence this year. Two bizarre incidents involving fans of the series shocked the whole anime community and others unfortunate enough to hear about them in 2024.
Without going into many details, the Gojo Figure Incident sparked considerable discussion (and disgust) after a TikTok in which an action figure of the character Satoru Gojo was humorously covered in "body fluids" as a form to express appraisal for the character.
If that's not weird enough for you, not long after, the Sukuna Jar Incident followed suit, featuring a Nendoroid Sukuna in a jar with a questionable "white substance." Yeah, things got weird, but in a hilariously entertaining way — at least for some fans.
@kur0angel I WISH I HAD THE MONEY 😭 #real #jjk #food #fyp #Sukuna #Gojo #ryomensukuna #sweets #Jar #gojofigure #jujutsukaisen #jujutsu #kaisen #cream ♬ original sound – Kur0ang3l
Quirkless Deku
With the promise to become the number 1 hero in My Hero Academia's world, the main character Deku (Izuku Midorya) apparently did not achieve that goal in the way fans expected as the manga concluded in 2024.
This resulted in heated discourse, particularly around Quirkless Deku, with fans sharing memes depicting Deku working at McDonald's and other fast-food restaurants after the anime and manga's protagonist apparently concluded his story powerless.
Dandadan
The hype surrounding the Dandadan manga was totally validated as the anime adaption began in late 2024, showing an amazing opening music and incredible animation that rapidly garnered praise and memetic usage.
The series' fandom is leading the year with an array of memes and fan art across multiple social media platforms. Perhaps the most notable one is Okarun McLovin edits, which blend the anime character Okarun's face with Superbad's memorable McLovin character.
Luce the Vatican's Anime Mascot
Has anyone put on their bingo card that the Vatican would release an anime character mascot and that it would go massive viral on the internet? Well, we bet no one did, as the introduction of Luce, its anime mascot, caught many off guard and served as a comedic focal point for discussions about faith and pop culture.
Designed to appeal to a younger audience, Luce quickly became a subject of jokes and fan art on just about every platform and major site around in an unusual combination of meme culture, religion, art and humor.
This Shit Is So Ass
Finally, for our last spot, we have the This Shit Is So Ass meme from Oshi no Ko, which become one of anime fans' favorite reaction images to express their disappointment in various forms of media, especially controversial new chapters or animation qualities in shows.
The meme gained traction in June, transforming into a widespread critique format on platforms like X and Reddit that still hasn't fallen out of fashion.
Honorable Mentions
Apart from the standout memes we've covered, 2024 also brought us some honorable mentions that kept the internet buzzing. The Shikairo Days Dance trend had everyone grooving with its catchy choreography, while the WcDonald's recognition by McDonald's was a wholesome and touching moment for anime fans earlier this year.
Additionally, Foghorn Leghorn Rambling Western cartoon was mixed with various anime characters in the form of a nostalgic nod to classic animation. Each of these memes contributed to the vast landscape of this year’s online humor coined by the anime community.
Looking for more of this year's best viral phenomena and memes? Be sure to check out our other 2024 meme roundups below:
Comments ( 1 )
Sorry, but you must activate your account to post a comment.