meme-review
KYM Review: Top Wojaks of the Year
In 2020, among the variety of memes that made a big comeback such as Troll Physics, Morshu and bait-and-switches, one old school meme returned in a form so evolved that its -chan roots were barely recognizable. Once known as the Feels Guy, the meme character Wojak began its rapid evolution in 2018 with 30-Year-Old Boomer, took a major turn into a comic format in 2019 with Yes Chad and solidified its place in the modern meta with the multitude of Wojak Comics that we got in 2020.
In this list, we reviewed and ranked all notable Wojaks and Wojak comics that the internet came up with in 2020. The criteria for the ranking included their spread across platforms, originality and flexibility of each format.
Before kicking off the ranking, some honorable mentions should go to the short-lived 2020 Wojak formats that were just too restricted in their concept to achieve any major development, but made for decent one-time jokes nonetheless. Formats such as expectation-subverting Head Bite Wojak, historical, parodic Soomer and topical Coofer were a bit too limited by their original concept and hit the creative barrier just a bit too soon to make any significant impact.
And now to the list.
12. Wojak's Shower Thoughts
Kicking things off with the 12th place, we have Wojak's Shower Thoughts. The format started on Facebook in March as a rougher reskin of Girls vs. Boys memes, comparing things that supposedly interest women and men. Failing to get major attention beyond Facebook, the format nonetheless managed to achieve some popularity among meme pages on the platform.
11. Thank You For Changing My Life
The most recent competitor on the list, Thanks For Changing My Life is also one of the weaker Wojak Comics formats of the year. The format's limited formula boils down to a simple snowclone "I'm Literally an X" which barely even needs a graphic component. However, the format is young and some hidden potential may still lie hidden.
10. Poljak and GigaChud
While Poljak and his counterpart GigaChud do get a lot of love on 4chan, with the regulars building a fanfiction-worthy triangle between the duo and the Pink-haired Enbi, the memes haven't really made their way beyond the imageboard. Turn that frown upside down, Poljak, you are number ten.
9. Wojak-Illustrated Political Compasses
Pushing the concept of the political compass memes ever further, Wojak became a popular addition to the compasses in 2020, with users splitting each quadrant into even more sections, each illustrated with its own Wojak. And while the format remained quite niche through the year, one can appreciate both the effort and artistic imagination put into making these complex memes.
8. I Don't Believe In That Nonsense / So True
Arriving in the wake of several successful Wojak Comics formats, I Don't Believe In That Nonsense had some large shoes to fill. While the format spawned some very creative variations and had an ironic edge, the format just didn't find enough fuel to abandon the "opinion bad" formula. After playing with the format for a few weeks in July, internet cast it into oblivion.
7. Doomer Boy / Twinkjak
Known as Doomer Boy across the web and Twinkjak on 4chan, this disheveled Doomer Jr. was first posted on Twitter in late January the wake of Doomer Girl's popularity. Becoming a regular star of the Wojak Comics cast, Doomer Boy appeared in quite a few viral memes over the Spring and Summer. In September 2020, after establishing its presence on Twitter and Facebook, this wayward Wojak finally made its way home to 4chan as an exploitable, getting in touch with his femboy side and inspiring fan art.
6. Soyjak Shows His Phone and Two Soyjaks Pointing
There is no denying it: among all Wojak variations we saw this year, none has been used quite as much as Soyjak, which has become a frequent feature in Wojak Comics as the ultimate strawman for any opinion one happens to dislike. And while Soyjak itself is an older meme, two of its 2020 offspring made quite a stir on their own.
5. Men With a Time Machine
Combining elements of three older memes, Men With a Time Machine spearheaded the return of Girls vs. Boys trope into the 2020 meta. The format appeared in two main variations: one featuring Running Arnold Schwarzenegger, the other, more popular one, developing the Soyjaks vs. Chads format into the sci-fi, "what if?" direction. Me and the boys altering history, one (prevented) murder at a time.
4. Dick Flattening
It's fourth place, and it's time for the Dick Flattening. A absurd take on the Wojak Comics, Dick Flattening is all about adding that dom/sub energy to everyday interactions. Great concept, viral popularity across all platforms and little reliance on using the actual Wojaks in the meme all make Dick Flattening not just a good Wojak format, but one of the most memorable memes we had in 2020.
3. Doomer Girl
The first Wojak meme of the year, Doomer Girl was also the most impactful one. And while many will remember Doomer Girl just as another Wojak character, it brought to the table so much more, de facto shaping Wojak Comics into what they are today right now with a slew of small comic formats. Including "Wow This Is Your Room?", "Wanna Have Sex" and "Doomer Thought Chains", the formats featuring Doomer Girl and Doomer are plentiful, and the original "You Wanna Go Out Sometime" comic remains the very foundation of the Wojak Comics meta.
2. Soyjaks vs. Chads
They say there are only seven story archetypes in literature – but does it also apply to memes? Taking the everlasting "your opinion bad" vs. "my opinion good" meme concept and giving it some much-needed self-depreciation and flexibility, Soyjaks vs. Chads became the defining Wojak Comics meme for 2020. Through admitting to the faults and drawbacks of the things they like, the Chads venture into the world where you can simply enjoy things you want to enjoy, all critics be damned.
The format struck a chord with the public on all major platforms, and in mere months it spawned several submemes of its own, including the already mentioned Men With a Time Machine, Do Men Even Have Feelings and more.
1. Printer Go Brrr
What makes Chad a Chad? Staying true to oneself and living life to its fullest, some might say. Capturing that feeling of pure enjoyment which disregards any norms and constructs, Printer Go Brrr brings out wholesomeness in a format made to make fun of others, shifting focus from hating the crybaby Wojak to the person who can leave all troubles behind and just go brrrrrrrrrrr. Its overwhelming spread, variability and flexible formula make Printer Go Brrr the top Wojak meme we had this year.
Notable Mentions
They Don't Know I'm X
A snowclone modification of a 2009 meme, They Don't Know I'm X breathed new life into the classic I Wish I Was at Home format. Simplified for quick-paced 2020 memeing under a new brand, They Don't Know I'm X exploded in popularity in late November 2020, with people pouring their feelings of being underappreciated into that one lonely Wojak standing in the corner at a party.
Withered Wojak
While not a meme that originated in 2020 or even 2019, Withered Wojak saw a giant spike in use this year, mainly as a reaction image. Abused, suffering and plain tired, Withered Wojak is a very 2020 meme – in spirit, if not in the origin.
Looking for more of this year's best viral phenomena and memes? Be sure to check out our other 2020 meme roundups below:
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