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Origins[]

The Nani meme originated from the anime Fist of the North Star (Japanese: 北斗の拳 - Hokuto no Ken).

A clip was published on YouTube by the channel "Ivan Ching", which is why this scene became a meme. The scene depicts a fight between Kenshiro and Zeed whose head explodes due to Kenshiro's attack, and during which this dialogue plays out:

JAP: 「貴様の拳など蚊ほどにも効かんわい。」-「お前はもう死んでいる。」- 「何?!」

ENG: "Your punches wouldn't do anything to even a mosquito." - "You are already dead." - "WHAT?!"

Afterwards, Zeed's head exploded.

NANI

Thumbnail of the video excerpt existing on YouTube. (click for the video)

The funny thing | The deeper meaning[]

A keyword is the Japanese word 「何」 and the high-pitched sound right playing after has managed itself to a new level as recognition value; it is that kind of iconic that the sound usually makes someone instinctively scream "NANI". Some even remember the "Omae wa" and then say it as a joke. It has been used as an exclamation or a line in other online texts/videos. Teenager who have a lot to do with anime and/or Japan (and call themselves weebs), or those who simply watch memes out of boredom are most likely to use the Japanese Nani as a "what" in their common usage of language. Artists often use a freeze frame as a template to do their own versions of it.

For example, the Japanese version of the line is used by TerminalMontage in the video Something About Super Smash Bros. ANIMATED (the part where Link and Fox are fighting) on YouTube and is also seen pretty often in some of the popular Fortnite meme videos. In some it is also peaceful, as it looks at the end. The people shown confess their love to each other, even if it does not seem like it to the viewer at first and expects a death, which is why he is then surprised. Most of the meme creators that make YouTube, TikTok and other platforms unsafe and have at least tens of thousands of subscribers have handled this meme at some point.

The easy way to do it yourself:[]

Many people make it their mission to take a video, pick a still image out of it, coloUr it red, add laser eyes, and play the the high sound with the Omae Wa. Then the picture moves again and something not so nice about death happens to the person answering Nani. It is teenage humor and a twenty-first century punchline. To make the by social media ruined brain laugh, you have to bass boost or trigger the ending.

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