Anime couldn’t have asked for a better platform than the internet. Fans can interact with each other in real-time discussions about the latest seasons and episodes Streaming services and simulcasting has increased worldwide exposure.
With the freedom the internet provides, there’s little room to wonder how anime has entered the mainstream. That newfound publicity also brings to light the moments when the fandom completely dominates and/or breaks the internet.
Whether it’s hyping up a show to ludicrous levels, a controversy involving the characters, or a single moment that flips the script, when an anime “ Breaks The Internet ” the whole community feels it. Here are the Top 10 Anime That Broke the Internet!
Table of Contents
- Jojo’s Bizarre Adventure
- Naruto Shippuden
- Yuri!!! On Ice
- Uzaki-chan Wants To Hang Out
- Death Note
- Attack On Titan
- Demon Slayer
- Darling In The Franxx
- My Hero Academia
- Dragonball Super
Jojo’s Bizarre Adventure
THE MEMES
There hasn’t really been a single moment, in recent history, when JoJo’s broke the internet (except maybe the announcement of Part 6 anime). JoJo’s is more of a constant force throughout the anime community, and I think it’s left everyone a little broken on the inside, but in a good way.
All of the memes, GIFs, references, and influences on anime have reached peak circulation thanks to the internet. Gems such as “ZA WARUDO, ” “Let’s kill da hoe,” and the Part 5 torture dance. The list goes on and on, and the internet has never been the same. Much like the overwhelming presence of a Stand, JoJo’s will always be by our sides.
Naruto Shippuden
14 YEAR MYSTERY
Ever since 2002, when we were introduced to our favorite knuckle-headed ninja in orange, mysteries and conflicts have been explored and resolved. But one mystery, that even had the characters scratching their heads, that had persisted for 14 years, well into Shippuden, was finally answered in Episode – 469.
We finally got to see what’s beneath Kakashi’s mask. For the longest time, the anime teased fans, dedicating episodes to finding out the secret, revealing his Sharingan abilities, even showing us his childhood.
Throughout it all, he always wore his signature face covering. After all this time, we can finally put a face to the name. And what a pretty face it is.
Yuri!!! On Ice
THE KISS
From its very first episode, Yuri!!! On Ice made waves in the anime community. It gained a lot of attention fro\m the professional figure skating community, as well.
A show about struggling athletes working through their careers and personal lives is bound to capture audiences. What really set it apart was its portrayal of a heartfelt homosexual relationship between two of the leads.
The fans’ reaction was already very positive, but it came to a head in Episode 7, when our romantic couple leaped into each other’s arms and seemed to lock lips.
It was sudden, and their faces were partially obscured, but it left fans rabid to know if they had actually kissed or not. What started as a show about figure skating, became a love story for the ages.
Uzaki-chan Wants To Hang Out
SWEET CONTROVERSY
They say that all publicity is good publicity, but there are instances when it’s not so great. Uzaki-chan Wants to Hang Out was a summer 2020 anime about the daily lives of college student Shinichi Sakurai and his annoyingly persistent underclassman Hana Uzaki.
Overall a typical Slice Of Life Anime, but Uzaki’s design garnered heavy backlash.
It all started when Twitter users shamed the Japanese Red Cross for using Uzaki to promote its blood drive, saying the pose and design were over-sexualized.
As the anime started up, the controversy continued to spiral. Threads and discussions about bad design, body image, feminism, and sexuality were nonstop. It just goes to show, on the internet, even the cutest face can set the world aflame.
Death Note
KEIKAKU DORI
Death Note is considered by many to be a classic. The cat-and-mouse game between Light and L was good enough to rival any mystery or cop drama and the supernatural elements were woven in perfectly.
As dark as it was, the internet was not about abandoning chances for comedy. The potato chip scene is famous for how over the top it is, and who could forget the days of fansubs with translator’s notes like “ Keikaku means plan.”
Then there was the Netflix live-action adaptation, and fans tore that movie apart. When it was released, all anyone could talk about was the whitewashing, the weak portrayal of characters, and the overacting.
Maybe the fans were being too possessive and toxic, but that’s the dark side of the internet we just have to accept. We can all agree, though, that Willem Dafoe was perfectly cast a Ryuk, right?
Attack On Titan
11 YEARS IN THE MAKING
Talk about a modern classic. Not many series have maintained the same level of relevance and hype as Attack On Titan.
Season 1 solidified itself in fans’ minds and they were hungry for more. The fan response was overwhelming. You couldn’t talk about anime and not mention Attack On Titan.
Even after a 4-year hiatus, the anime still managed to draw its audience back with more mysteries, revelations, and stellar animation.
Then the Final Season dropped, and while people were quick to point out the change in studio, they still tuned in, if for no other reason than to see how it all ended.
And now, with the manga finished and the Final Season promising a second part early next year, anticipation is higher than ever.
Demon Slayer
EPISODE 19
Sometimes all it takes is one moment to elevate an anime from popular to legendary.
Demon Slayer had everything going for it from the animation, to the story, to the characters. The last moments of Episode 19 were the epitome of those strengths.
In a last-ditch effort to defeat his opponent, Our lead Tanjiro pulls out a stunning display of power and skill, animated beautifully, and scored with a perfect crescendo.
For a few days after that episode aired, Demon Slayer dominated social media. People praised it to new heights. Crunchyroll named it Anime of the Year.
The Mugen Train Movie was the highest-grossing anime movie in Japan of 2020 It’s clear as day; the fans love Demon Slayer.
Darling In The Franxx
THE SHIPPING WAR
As much as the internet has helped fans of every kind connect and bond over their shared pastime, it has also given voice to those who would purposefully divide them.
Darling In The Franxx was a collaboration between A-1 Pictures and Studio Trigger and aired during the 2018 season.
Overall a decent show, but the spark that ignited this flame war was Episode 14, when one of the love interests, Ichigo, professed her love for and kissed the protagonist Hiro, even though she knew he had feelings for the other love interest, Zero Two.
In the ensuing chaos and outrage, fans took to the internet to vent their frustrations. Hashtags on Twitter blew up, people sent death threats to the studios and actors involved, and whole forum pages and subreddits turned into echo chambers defending one girl over the other.
This went beyond the typical “who’s best girl” discussion. People actively attacked and ridiculed the characters and each other. It was a very low point for the anime community.
My Hero Academia
SHEER HYPE
Now on to something more positive, the sheer amount of hype My Hero Academia has produced over the years.
Back in 2016, when the anime started airing, MHA fever was rampant. It was the shonen hard hitter with likable characters, a strong central theme, great animation, and a power system that was tailor-made for fan interaction.
Every season brought something new to the table that kept fans coming back, but two moments stand out as far as the internet is concerned.
The first was Episode 49, the climax of All Might vs. All For One, a rivalry that had been built up from the beginning. All Might’s ultimate move, the United States of Smash was so profoundly satisfying and epic there was no escaping its impact. The second moment was Episode 76, the final battle between Deku and Overhaul.
This moment was so incredible it found its way onto Twitter’s trending page. The thematic payoff coupled with top-notch animation all the way through got people’s attention and got them sharing in awesomeness.
For every valley, there is a peak, and My Hero Academia stands tall on that peak.
Dragonball Super
ULTRA INSTINCT
What else can qualify as “Breaking The Internet” if not causing several streaming sites to crash from viewership traffic? This was another case of hype completely dominating the internet’s collective conscience.
Goku has always been the character that embodied surpassing one’s limits and seeing him achieve the next level of his fighting prowess was too much to handle. Ultra-Instinct was his ultimate form and fans ate it up.
The final two episodes of the anime, 130 and 131, saw Goku team up with Frieza and Android 17 to defeat Jiren in a battle for the survival of the multiverse.
It was a clash of godly proportions, not just because actual gods were watching. It was a feast for the eyes and ears and embodied everything that made Dragon Ball Super great.
When it aired on simulcasting sites, the huge influx of viewers apparently caused delayed logins, slow connection, and even outright crashes. Let me reiterate that; fans wanted to see this final fight so badly, they overloaded and crashed streaming sites.
Dragonball Super didn’t always have great reception and some people may think the whole franchise is over-hyped. But you can’t deny the fans’ dedication is impressive.
And that concludes the Top 10 Anime That Broke the Internet. There’s no end to the community’s love for anime. To share that love is why we write these articles, and even though there may be some dark moments that take our enthusiasm too far, there will always be new and exciting series to bond over.
What are your favorite moments when anime broke the internet? Let us know in the comments below. While you’re here, take a look at some of our other articles.
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