Top 10 Anime You Know From A Single Scene

“+Tic Elder Sister” (2011-12)


Also referred to as “Plastic Nee-san,” this show is about a trio of geeky girls building model figures. Not that you’d be able to tell based on this hilarious fight scene. Then again, that’s kind of the point. There’s really no way to describe this absurd hilarity; it’s just one of those slapstick comedy routines you have to see for yourself. At least, that’s what most anime fans thought. They circulated this scene far and wide until people who hadn’t even heard of “+Tic Elder Sister'' started joining in on the fun. On the bright side, if there’s one scene of this show to see, this is it.

“Akakichi no Eleven” (1970-71)


Sometimes, the simplest of gestures become the most parodied of memes. That was certainly the case with “Akaichi no Eleven.” During an innocuous scene of this underrated footie anime, a character puts a reassuring hand on his friend’s shoulder. It sounds innocent enough, but years later, it became one of the most versatile reaction stills on the internet. Thanks to the characters’ extremely overlong chin, the consoling pat became a feeding ground for all kinds of coy redraws. For a while, it felt like every disappointment across the web was comforted by this guy’s hand on your shoulder. It’s just a shame how few people know where it comes from.

“Humanity Has Declined” (2012)


Nothing says “viral” like a sentient slice of bread tearing is head open, right? Hey, don’t ask us. When the story of “Humanity Has Declined” takes our heroes to a bread factory, they get treated to a lot more blood and trauma than they expected. Out of context, it’s even weirder, which is really saying something. The clip was just bizarre enough to completely take the anime community by storm, and it’s been raging in meme culture ever since. In fact, at this point, “Humanity Has Declined” is pretty much only known as that “weird bread show.” Eh, there’s worse things to be known as.

“The Sacred Blacksmith” (2009)

In what might be one of the strangest controversies to ever overshadow an anime, “The Sacred Blacksmith” is best remembered not for its plot, characters, or animation. No, its legacy hinges around a scene where our spry young lead cuts through a broadsword with a katana. If that sounds normal, you clearly weren’t around when the episode aired. Both the uninitiated and blacksmith enthusiasts balked at the idea of such a thin blade slicing through a whole, massive broadsword. At a certain point, that discussion became the show’s only claim to fame altogether. For an anime with “blacksmith” in its name, it’s almost funny that welding was both its concept and its undoing.

“Sabagebu!” (2014)


Depending on your web-surfing preferences, you may have seen a photo of a crab and a duck firing guns at busty anime girls. Why? Who knows! That would require most people to have actually seen the hidden gem “Sabagebu!” Jokes aside, the rundown is that the duck is trying to save the crab from being eaten by the so-called survival game club. And, of course, the only way to do that is to make a grand getaway in a helicopter. Yeah, it doesn’t make much more sense with background, either. But, no matter what, it’s still a hilarious moment. If you’re into that kind of humor, “Sabagebu!” is definitely worth a watch.

“Shimoneta: A Boring World Where the Concept of Dirty Jokes Doesn't Exist” (2015)

Heads up: do not get baking tips from Anna. Her recipe for cookies includes scandal, fan chatter, and a heaping dose of love nectar. AKA, a very “personal” ingredient, if you catch our drift. Anime memes can come from the strangest of places, but in this case, the outpouring of reactions and parodies were totally understandable. Anna’s eclectic desserts are extreme no matter how you look at it. Though, some might say that turned out for the better. Without her intimate recipe sparking a whole wave of online engagement, “Shimoneta” may not have the same legacy it does today. That’s a sweet ending in more than a few ways.

“Inuyashiki” (2017)


Complimenting one of the most popular manga around seems pretty tame, right? Well throw it onto an appropriate screengrab, and voila, you have a photo tailor-made for weekly “One Piece” discussions. The catch - this isn’t an edited meme. It’s an actual scene from the oft-remembered CG anime, “Inuyashiki.” As it turns out, Hiro is a massive “One Piece” fan. To really hammer it home, his neighbor is literally named after the story’s author, Eiichiro Oda. It’s no wonder such a timeless, fitting meme ended up sticking around longer than its own anime did. Who knew a show about an elderly cyborg could spark so much interest?

“Magical Witch Punie-chan” (2006-08)

Despite its title, viewers who tuned into this magical-girl fantasy got treated to something that sounds weird to even say aloud: a potato peeling itself. Yeah, it’s strange. Actually, it’s so strange, the incredulous scene has taken on a life of its own. Rather than fading into obscurity with the rest of its anime, this potato’s questionable behavior has kept people talking for years. Those people told their friends, who then told their friends, until the scene’s origins got completely lost in a sea of incredulous comments. Though, to be fair, anyone seeking out “Magical Witch Punie-chan” for an explanation will be sorely disappointed, anyways.

“Arakawa Under the Bridge” (2010)

There’s remaining popular, and then there’s whatever this anime did. “Arakawa Under the Bridge” is technically about a man moving beneath an underpass to pay off a lifelong debt. But, if you’ve been anywhere on the internet since 2017, you probably know this show better by a certain line uttered in season two. It took a few years for fans to discover the meme’s potential, but once they did, they ran with it and never looked back. To this day, it remains a sign of respect for anyone with like-minded opinions. “Arakawa Under the Bridge” may have been a flash in the pan, but this meme is one of enduring culture, that’s for sure.

“The Brave Fighter of Sun Fighbird” (1991-92)


Anyone who thinks long-forgotten mecha anime can’t be relevant again has never asked the question, “Is This a Pigeon?” It sounds like an average inquiry, but twenty years later, that question became the meme template of the decade. Since the character is very clearly pointing at a butterfly, the head-stretching response paved the way for more memes, callouts, and jokes than we can count. It spread so far, even people who’ve never watched anime got in on the trend. With this one legendary reaction, “The Brave Fighter of Sun Fighbird” went from a long-lost relic to a cult phenomenon. That’s the power of memes, for ya.



Which anime do you know by one scene? Let us know in the comments below!