Irisu Syndrome!
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Overview
Irisu Syndrome! is a puzzle horror game developed by Tetsu and released in 2008 that gained a cult following in the years after its release for its 4th-wall-breaking gameplay, plot and protagonist, Irisu Kyouko, a timid witch girl who wears bunny ears made from socks. The game's "Metsu mode" gives insight into Kyouko's dark backstory as players progress through each stage. As the game is played, files are added to its directory that explain the hidden, dark backstory of Irisu, with the game also jump-scaring players who "tab out" of the game to check the files at a certain point. The game has inspired memes and fan art throughout the 2010s and 2020s.
Background
Irisu Syndrome! was released in Japan in October 2008. An English patch of the game was published on MediaFire[1] in December 2010. The gameplay consists of a block puzzle where players must match up falling colored shapes with other shapes of the same color to eliminate them. An anime character, Irisu Kyouko, a witch with bunny ears made from socks attached to her hat, is present in the background of each level.
As you play the game, cutscenes are displayed at the end of each level and files are added to the game's directory, including text and image files giving lore into the dark backstory of Irisu. Sometimes if the player tabs out of the gameplay screen, they are jump scared by an image of Irisu covered in shadows (shown below).
By scoring over 20,000 points in the game, players are given the "good ending," showing a character coming across the notes added to the game's directory. This eventually leads to an image of Irisu walking across the player's computer screen and appearing to beat them with a bat (shown below). It is revealed in the good ending, however, that the bat is just a loaf of bread and Irisu is throwing a party for another character.
In one of the game's bad endings, it is explained that she murdered her friends by filling a sock with rocks and beating them to death.[2]
Irisu Syndrome! Metsu Mode
After finishing the game, Irisu Syndrome! Metsu is unlocked, a harder mode of the game. Every time the player scores enough points, they are awarded an image and scrolling text describing the story of a boy and a lonely elementary school girl who separately bond with a rescued classroom rabbit. The rabbit is killed by a wild dog and the girl stops going to school. It is implied the boy might have had a part in the rabbit's death, or at least witnessed it. A text file is added to the directory explaining that the girl is Irisu and that she wanted to murder everyone in the class, which the boy found out by reading her notebook.
Online Presence
Irisu Syndrome! gained a cult following following its release, inspiring commentary and Let's Play videos and fan art and memes referencing it. On August 11th, 2023, YouTuber[3] ToadBup posted a video bout the game, garnering over 300,000 views in a month (shown below).
On September 5th, a Redditor posted a meme to /r/memes[4] using the jump-scare image of Irisu, captioned, "fun fact: at least 9 people looked at this and thought that having sex with it would be a good idea," garnering over 17,500 upvotes in two days and referencing the existence of rule 34 artwork of the character (shown below). The meme was reposted to /r/peterexplainsthejoke[5] on September 6th, garnering over 3,600 upvotes in a day,
