Skibidi Toilet | |
---|---|
Genre | Machinima |
Created by | Alexey Gerasimov (DaFuq!?Boom!) |
Country of origin | Georgia |
No. of seasons | 24 |
No. of episodes | 77 |
Original release | |
Network | YouTube |
Release | February 7, 2023 – present |
Skibidi Toilet is a machinima web series created by Alexey Gerasimov and released through YouTube videos and shorts on his channel DaFuq!?Boom!. Produced using Source Filmmaker, the series follows a fictional war between human-headed toilets and humanoid characters with electronic devices for heads.
Since the first short was posted in February 2023, Skibidi Toilet has become viral as an internet meme across various social media platforms, particularly among Generation Alpha. Many commentators saw their embrace of the series as Generation Alpha's first development of a unique internet culture. The show has a wide range of licensed products, and Gerasimov is "in talks" with Adam Goodman and Michael Bay for a movie and television series adaptation.
The series depicts a conflict between singing human-headed toilets—the titular "Skibidi Toilets"—and humanoids with CCTV cameras, speakers, and televisions in place of their heads. The Skibidi Toilets, led by "G-Toilet", overtake humanity. Warfare soon develops between the toilets and the alliance of Cameramen and Speakermen. Each kind of the alliance has a colossal version of themselves, termed "Titans". The Titan Speakerman is infected with a mind-control parasite developed by the toilets' second-in-command and chief strategist, "Scientist Toilet", causing the Titan Speakerman to turn on the alliance. The alliance is expanded to include a species of TV-headed humanoids, and, with their help, Titan Speakerman is eventually cured.
As the military of both sides continue to advance technologically, the Titans attempt to hunt down G-Toilet. Though their combined powers are occasionally a match for his abilities, intervention by his legions each time allow him to escape. After a strike mission on the toilets' secret underground laboratory, the Scientist Toilet is finally defeated, but only one member of the team survives, a Cameraman called Plungerman. Having met a mysterious human seemingly involved in the creation of the toilets, the Plungerman is assassinated as a loose end. Meanwhile, fractures between the Skibidi Toilets and the "Astro Toilets", a mysterious splinter faction of powerful extraterrestrial toilets, erupt into violence, and the alliance and Skibidi Toilets enter into a makeshift alliance against their common enemy.
The show contains references to video games, such as G-Toilet having the face of the G-Man, a character from the Half-Life video game series. The Speakermen's oft-performed dances are from the battle royale game Fortnite . [1] Business Insider described the series as "an endless arms race as both the toilets and their foes [produce] stronger fighters". [2] Technology website Wired credited the largely dialogue-free nature of the show for removing language barriers and aiding in the show's global popularity. [3]
Skibidi Toilet is produced by Alexey Gerasimov (Russian : Алексей Герасимов, born 1997 or 1998), [1] who is also known by his alias "Blugray", or the name of his YouTube channel, "DaFuq!?Boom!" [4] [5] Since 2014, he has been learning animation on his own. He lives in the country of Georgia, [note 1] though according to IrishStar.com, he is originally from Russia and only moved to Georgia in 2019. [15] His channel has seen prior hits; his video I'M AT DIP accumulated over 45 million views by July 2023, for example. [4]
The first episode was released on 7 February 2023 (UTC), with an 11-second runtime. [16] The video, entitled "skibidi toilet", depicts a toilet with a man's head coming out of it singing a song which prominently features the word "skibidi". [17] Every episode is produced using Source Filmmaker, a free Valve-published 3D computer graphics software, often used to create and edit clips and movies online. [7] Some assets used in the series are taken from video games such as Half-Life 2 and Counter-Strike: Source . [6] The Skibidi Toilet in the first episode, for example, features the head model of a Civilian (Male_07
) from Half-Life 2 (pictured above). [18]
An unlicensed [8] mashup of the songs "Give It to Me" by Timbaland [1] and "Dom Dom Yes Yes" by Bulgarian artist Biser King, [14] created by TikTok user @doombreaker03, [19] appears in early episodes as the theme of the Skibidi Toilets, and is later invoked as their battle cry. [1] In 2024, the two songs' label Universal Music Group has issued copyright takedowns on the full version of the mashup, resulting in some videos featuring the mashup to be taken down. [8] "Everybody Wants to Rule the World" by Tears for Fears is featured in some videos as the theme of the resistance forces. [2]
"Dom Dom Yes Yes" gained popularity in 2022 through the viral videos of Turkish TikToker @yasincengiz38 dancing to the song with platters of food. [12] [7] TikTok user Paryss Bryanne parodied this meme, complementing it with her style of jerky acting with rapid cuts. Gerasimov cites her adaptation as one of the inspirations for Skibidi Toilet. [6] Gerasimov shared in a Forbes interview he was also inspired by his recurring nightmares involving toilets. [3] [20] Ultimately, Gerasimov said that Skibidi Toilet's backbone is the other machinima videos created using sandbox game Garry's Mod , which were popular in the late 2000s and number in thousands. [3]
In the show's early days, Gerasimov uploaded at least two videos weekly, and at times, even daily, [3] though the spacing between episodes has since been extended to improve quality, [10] with as well as increase in video lengths. Since YouTube's recommendation algorithm tend to prefer frequent uploaders, the initial upload schedule may have helped the show go viral. [16] As of January 2024, the series is reportedly being investigated by the Russian police for its alleged harm to children, following a report made by a Moscow resident. [10] [21] In April 2024, the videos were presented to the legislative assembly of Saint Petersburg as a demonstration in an annual children's safety report. [3]
Skibidi Toilet's audience is predominantly among Generation Alpha, those born after the early 2010s. While the series does not appear on YouTube Kids, an app designed for children under the age of 13, it still enjoys popularity among elementary school students. [1] One high profile example is Kim Kardashian's 11-year-old daughter, who gifted her mother with a necklace reading "Skibidi Toilet". [22] Some members of older generations have labelled the show "brain rot", [23] while other internet users argued Generation Z had their share of bizarre memes. [24]
Skibidi Toilet has sparked its audience to create fanworks, such as games, fan fiction, and art, [1] as well as the Generation Alpha slang "skibidi", which has no established definition. [25] The series has found its way into internet memes and Instagram videos. [1] For example, one TikTok meme nonsensically swaps some words in song lyrics with Generation Alpha slang, including skibidi, for a humorous effect. [26] Viral videos have surfaced where children sit inside containers and mimic the toilets. [1]
Fans have expanded on the show's lore by making analysis videos and commenting their fan theories in YouTube's comment section. [3] There are Skibidi Toilet games on Roblox, a game platform, with the two largest games attracting millions of players each month. [5]
In 2021, DaFuq!?Boom! had around one million subscribers. [16] By November 2023, YouTube videos associated with Skibidi Toilet had accumulated over 65 billion views, while on the social media platform TikTok, the #skibiditoilet hashtag garnered over 15.3 billion views, [1] later growing to 23 billion views by July 2024. [16] In December 2023, the channel DaFuq!?Boom! had amassed 37 million subscribers, experiencing rapid growth that, on occasion, had surpassed growth of MrBeast, the most subscribed channel on YouTube. The Washington Post called it "the biggest online phenomenon of the year". [1]
According to Tubefilter rankings, by the end of April 2023, DaFuq!?Boom! entered the fifty most viewed YouTube channels in the US, at 33rd place. By June, the channel had gained five billion views, making it the most viewed YouTube channel in US during that month. [27] In July 24, 2024, the channel had 17 billion total views, with 16.3 billion coming during February 2023 to June 2024. However, the channel's viewcount has since declined, with it achieving 374.1 million views in May 2024, compared to billions in 2023 months. [16]
Tubefilter's editor Sam Gutelle noted that previously, the channel existed largely under the radar, except for a few "animation diehards in the meme community". [27] The Daily Dot 's offshoot publication Passionfruit suspected the popularity of the series was due to how the "designs combined a simple, cute style with more uncanny elements", citing other popular characters like Sans and Siren Head. [19]
Skibidi Toilet was referenced on The Late Show with Stephen Colbert , with a short parody animation depicting US President Joe Biden as a Skibidi Toilet, dubbed "Skibidi Biden". Kotaku called the joke "the worst thing Stephen Colbert's ever done". [28]
The lifestyle magazine Dazed characterized Skibidi Toilet as "frenetic, unpredictable, funny and at times genuinely unsettling." [7] Yahoo!'s In The Know compared the animation style to that of a mobile game, describing it as having "choppy movements and exaggerated facial expressions". [29] Cartoon Brew, an animation-focused website, stated that while Skibidi Toilet "may look rough around the edges compared to major studio fare [...] there is no question that Gerasimov is a filmmaker who understands pacing, camerawork, sound design, and how to tell a story." [4]
Many publications highlighted a viral tweet in which Twitter user @AnimeSerbia called the series Generation Alpha's Slender Man. [7] [6] Insider claimed the series exemplified the start of a new generation gaining prominence, using the relationship between millennials and Gen Z as an example, [30] a stance that Indy100 repeated, who commented that "[Gen Z] will be facing the same mocking and ridicule they dished out to Millennials". [9] News.com.au opined "[the series] is a timely reminder that Gen Alpha are on the horizon". [31]
The Washington Post noted the series' uniqueness in creating a narrative entirely out of short-form videos and on YouTube's ability to stay relevant while competing with TikTok. [1] Adam Bumas, in a guest piece for Ryan Broderick's newsletter, Garbage Day, remarked the series leans into "weird internet aesthetics", creating a nostalgic element. [32] Business Insider echoed this stance, remarking on the series' use of old video game assets. [2] An article by theatre firm The Civilians argued the series reflects Generation Alpha's fear of surveillance and dehumanization. [33]
Several parental websites [1] and Indonesian newspapers [34] [35] [36] claimed that Skibidi Toilet's violence and bizarre visuals may have a harmful effect for young children, dubbing it "Skibidi toilet syndrome" (Indonesian : sindrom Skibidi toilet). The Guardian dismissed such claims, labeling it a "moral panic". [10] British newspaper The Daily Telegraph called on regulators to mandate age restrictions on online videos similar to the film industry, citing Skibidi Toilet's perceived violence. [37] Wired however, said while violence is constant, it is limited to "cartoonish explosions and punches". [3] Common Sense Media rated the series as being suitable for age 14 and above. [38]
On 24 July 2024, it was announced that filmmakers Adam Goodman and Michael Bay were "in talks" with Gerasimov for a movie and television series adaptation of Skibidi Toilet. [13] Goodman revealed that the adaptation may be a live-action/animation hybrid film, and that it may be stylistically similar to the John Wick and District 9 franchises. [18] The reception to the announcement was skeptical: The A. V. Club said it would be difficult to "translate [...] Internet subculture into traditional formats", [39] and Gizmodo believed the movie would have to be "unfathomably expensive to present an experience that's somehow "deluxe" to its inspiration". [40] The magazine Complex has commented that Michael Bay would be a perfect filmmaker for the adaptation, citing his work in the Transformers film series. [41]
The media company Invisible Narratives is run by the aforementioned Bay (chief creative advisor) and Goodman (CEO and founder). It has agreed to act as a brand licensing agency for Gerasimov. The company has made a licensing deal with Bonkers Toys, who is known for creating merchandise from YouTube content, to produce Skibidi Toilet toys. [5] In 2024, mystery boxes and action figures created by Bonkers Toys were released in stores, including Walmart. [42] The National Electrical Contractors Association has been contracted to manufacture branded remote-controlled devices, such as drones. [5] American retailer Spirit Halloween has obtained a license to sell Skibidi Toilet costumes. [43] The company said it encourages fan-run YouTube channels to create Skibidi Toilet content, as long as attribution is present. [16] [5]
In late 2023, [44] a Digital Millennium Copyright Act (DMCA) claim was filed against sandbox game Garry's Mod , allegedly by Invisible Narratives, which claimed to be on behalf of Gerasimov. [45] Garry Newman, the creator of Garry's Mod, shared in chat platform Discord the alleged notice on 29 July 2024, which claimed Garry's Mod was using copyrighted Skibidi Toilet characters including "Titan Cameraman, Titan Speakerman, Titan TV man, and Skibidi Toilet" as well as that "There is absolutely no licensed Steam, Valve, Garry's Mod content related to Skibidi Toilet." [46] Gerasimov later posted that he did not send the claim, and that he was trying to contact Newman, who later confirmed to IGN that Gerasimov had been in touch and the matter has since been resolved. [47] [44] The United States Copyright Office shows the character "Titan Cameraman" as being claimed by Invisible Narratives on 21 August 2023. [48] [44]
An Internet meme, or meme, is a cultural item that spreads across the Internet, primarily through social media platforms like YouTube, Twitter, and Reddit. Internet memes manifest in a variety of formats, including images, videos, GIFs, and other viral content. Key characteristics of memes include their tendency to be parodied, their use of intertextuality, their viral dissemination, and their continual evolution. The term "meme" was originally introduced by Richard Dawkins in 1972 to describe the concept of cultural transmission.
Garry's Mod is a 2006 sandbox game developed by Facepunch Studios and published by Valve. The base game mode of Garry's Mod has no set objectives and provides the player with a world in which to freely manipulate objects. Other game modes, notably Trouble in Terrorist Town and Prop Hunt, are created by other developers as mods and are installed separately, by means such as the Steam Workshop. Garry's Mod was created by Garry Newman as a mod for Valve's Source game engine and released in December 2004, before being expanded into a standalone release that was published by Valve in November 2006. Ports of the original Windows version for Mac OS X and Linux followed in September 2010 and June 2013, respectively. As of September 2021, Garry's Mod has sold more than 20 million copies. A successor, Sandbox, has been in development since 2015.
Anthony Nicholas Fantano is an American music critic and internet personality who runs TheNeedleDrop, a YouTube channel with a tie-in website and Twitch streaming channel. Self-appointed as "The Internet's Busiest Music Nerd", Fantano discusses and reviews music from a variety of genres online.
Viral phenomena or viral sensations are objects or patterns that are able to replicate themselves or convert other objects into copies of themselves when these objects are exposed to them. Analogous to the way in which viruses propagate, the term viral pertains to a video, image, or written content spreading to numerous online users within a short time period. This concept has become a common way to describe how thoughts, information, and trends move into and through a human population.
Evan Fong, known online as VanossGaming, is a Canadian YouTuber, music producer, and DJ. As one of the most popular gaming personalities on YouTube, his videography consists of montage-style videos of him and other creators playing various video games, such as Grand Theft Auto V, Garry's Mod, and various titles from the Call of Duty franchise. Born in Toronto, Fong dropped out of his Economics degree at the University of Pennsylvania to focus on his YouTube channel. On September 15, 2011, Fong registered his gaming channel "VanossGaming", where he would later find sustained success. Signing with multi-channel network (MCN) Machinima early in his career to monetize content, Fong was regularly the most viewed Machinima channel during his time with the MCM; "VanossGaming" was also one of the most subscribed channels on YouTube during the 2010s. Fong has since developed into a central figure in the video game commentary subculture.
Bill Wurtz is an American musician, singer-songwriter, video producer, animator, and internet personality. He is known for his distinctive style of music, with deadpan delivery and singing, and his animated music videos, with surrealist, psychedelic graphics.
"Skibidi" is a dance song by Russian rave band Little Big. It was released on 5 October 2018 along with their album Antipositive, Pt. 2 on Warner Music Russia. Ilya Prusikin and the media producer of the group 'Khleb", Lyubim Khomchuk were credited for writing.
"OK boomer" or "okay boomer" is a catchphrase and internet meme used to dismiss or mock attitudes typically associated with baby boomers – people born in the two decades following World War II. The phrase first drew widespread attention due to a November 2019 TikTok video in response to an older man, though the phrase had been coined years before that. It is used mostly by those of the millennial generation and Generation Z. The phrase has developed into a retort for resistance to technological change, climate change denial, marginalization of members of minority groups, or opposition to younger generations' values more generally. Critics of the term perceive it as ageist. It has been noted as a marker of intergenerational conflict.
Charli Grace D'Amelio is an American social media personality. She was a competitive dancer for over a decade before starting her social media career in 2019, when she began posting dance videos on the video-sharing platform TikTok. She quickly amassed a large following and subsequently became the most-followed creator on the platform in March 2020 until she was surpassed by Khaby Lame in June 2022. With over 155 million followers, she is the second most-followed person on TikTok, as of 2024.
Nicole Sanchez, better known as Neekolul, is an American online streamer, YouTuber and internet personality. In March 2020, her popularity online rose when she uploaded a TikTok featuring her lip syncing to the song "Oki Doki Boomer" while wearing a Bernie 2020 crop top; this TikTok was a direct reference to the "OK boomer" Internet meme that was popularized in late 2019. In July 2020, she was signed as a content creator for the gaming organization 100 Thieves. In 2023, she left 100 Thieves.
The Living Tombstone (TLT) is an electronic rock band and YouTube channel formed in 2011 by Israeli music producer Yoav Landau and later joined by American singer Sam Haft as a musical duo. The group is notable for their songs and music videos based on video games and pop culture media, such as the Five Nights at Freddy's series, Overwatch, and My Little Pony, as well as original music. They have released one studio album, Zero One (2020), with a second studio album expected to be released in early 2025 titled Rust.
Rizz is an internet slang word defined as "style, charm, or attractiveness; the ability to attract a romantic or sexual partner"; it originated as an abbreviation of the word charisma. The phrase was made popular outside the African American community by American YouTuber and Twitch streamer Kai Cenat in mid-2021, though it was used colloquially long before. It subsequently garnered virality on the social media application TikTok. Oxford University Press named it its word of the year for 2023.
Roberto Escanio, better known online as Fanum, is an American streamer and content creator. Fanum emerged online around 2016. He is known for being the originator of the vernacular "Fanum tax". He won "Breakout Streamer of the Year" at the 13th Streamy Awards and the "Best Role Play Streamer" of the year award at the 2023 Streamer Awards.
Gyatt is a term from African-American Vernacular English originally used in exclamation. In the 2020s, the word experienced a semantic shift and gained the additional meaning of "a person, usually a woman, with large and attractive buttocks and sometimes an hourglass figure".
Fanum tax is an Internet slang term describing the theft of food between friends. Originally coined by American streamer Fanum, the term has become an internet meme, particularly employed and popularized by Generation Alpha.
Brain rot is a colloquial term used to describe Internet content deemed to be of low quality or value, or the negative psychological and cognitive effects caused by exposure to it. The term also refers to excessive use of digital media, which may affect cognitive health, such as resulting in a reduced attention span or impaired mental functioning.
Andrew "A.J." Befumo and Eric Befumo, known online as A.J. & Big Justice or as the Costco Guys, are American social media personalities. A father-and-son duo, they found popularity on TikTok and YouTube in 2024 for their videos at the warehouse store Costco. Also that year, they gained more than two million followers on TikTok, signed with the management company Night, and released their debut single "We Bring the Boom".