Lately, Japanese internet memes often spring from a single, fleeting image of a person or animal, becoming an instant wellspring of inspiration for netizens to remix and enhance. Sometimes, these trends just inexplicably sweep across the internet like wildfire.
Recently on X (formerly Twitter) in Japan, a photo of a running "barn owl chick," which initially seemed quite ordinary, has unexpectedly become a massive trending topic – even hitting the top charts – all thanks to a casual, playful tweak by a netizen. So, what exactly happened?
▼ A mysterious keyword, "ｴｯﾎｴｯﾎ," appeared on the Japanese X trends.
It all started when Dutch photographer Hannie Heere's photo of a barn owl chick was shared on X by comparative literature researcher Masayuki Tsuda. The owl's distinctive "mask-like" face, developing wings that resemble tiny hands, and the long, slender legs typical of raptors create an incredibly striking appearance.
Then, unexpectedly, a netizen took this image and posted it with a mysterious onomatopoeia, "ｴｯﾎｴｯﾎ." This edited post alone racked up over 60,000 likes and quickly went viral as an internet meme.
And just like that, netizens began naming the image "ｴｯﾎｴｯﾎ," sparking an unstoppable wave of edits. All sorts of hilarious memes started popping up everywhere like wildfire.
You can even play with font sizes!
Even JoJo's Bizarre Adventure got in on the action...
It's not just netizens; even brands are joining the fun! The bento chain Hokka Hokka Tei went all out with a regional twist – talk about local humor!
Duolingo knows what's up too!
It gets even crazier with music! Someone even set it to Kenshi Yonezu's theme song "Plazma" from "Mobile Suit Gundam GQuuuuuuX."
While no one knows how long this trend will last, it's clear that Japanese netizens' creativity and meme-making prowess are truly an unstoppable force!
If you're curious, search for "ｴｯﾎｴｯﾎ" on X – you'll find even more wild and wonderful creations!