When you’re scrolling through social media and stumble upon a post describing someone or a character "aura farming," you might find yourself scratching your head.

This internet slang combines gaming and anime culture into a hilarious set of concepts about people trying to seem cool and build "aura."

While this behavior is often intentional, it can happen in more subtle or unplanned ways as well. In this article, we’ll explore what "aura farming" really means and how the meme became so prevalent online over the last year.

What Is 'Aura Farming'?

"Aura farming" is essentially the act of standing out among others to gain attention, admiration or social acceptance online. It combines the slang "aura," a term for people with a particularly potent charisma or presence, and "farming," a gaming term essentially meaning to repeatedly perform the same thing to gain power.

The term was popularized by a TikTok video on January 28th, 2024, in which user @h.chua_212 showcased a group outing while captioning it as "Aura Farming." This marked one of the earliest documented uses of the phrase, which began to spread shortly after.

@h.chua_212 #aura #aurafarming #auramaxxing #fyp #xyzbca #bowling ♬ TORE UP – Don Toliver

How Did The 'Aura Farming' Meme Grow Popular Online?

The term slowly gained traction throughout 2024, especially within the anime community, as fans began using aura farming to poke fun at characters who seemed to act "cool" for the sake of enhancing their presence.

By September 13th, 2024, the expression was referenced in replies on Twitter / X, notably by user @scubaryan_, who used the term in context with rapper Duke Dennis during a moment in which Dennis showcased questionable "coolness."

Some netizens also believe the concept of aura farming gained significant usage among the anime community after the online streaming website Crunchyroll uploaded a video of the Frieren: Beyond Journey's End anime with the title "Frieren's Aura."

How Is 'Aura Farming' Used In Memes?

Various online communities have embraced the aura farming slang over the last year as a source of funny memes and jokes, mocking their favorite characters' behavior.

For instance, Star Wars fans like X user @McR1B69, posted a GIF of the character Obi-Wan Kenobi (Ewan McGregor) closing a door using the Force, writing that there was probably a "button right next to him to close this door. He was purely aura farming."

There was probably a button right next to him to close this door. He was purely aura farming. pic.twitter.com/4ojb2cbNQO

— McRib (@McR1B69) April 27, 2025

The slang is also prevalent on Reddit, where users add their own takes on whose character from an anime or series is "aura farming" for attention.

For instance, Redditor u/IrishImperialism posted to the /r/whowouldcirclejerk subreddit about an "aura off" between the Dragon Ball character Picollo and the Hunter X Hunter character Killua.

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For the full history of "Aura Farming", be sure to check out Know Your Meme's encyclopedia entry for more information.