The Brief: This meme features a scene from the anime series Naruto in which the character Sasuke is being choked by his brother, Itachi.

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DEEP DIVE

Variations of this choking anime meme have other characters photoshopped into the image so that it looks like they are brutally choking Sasuke, sometimes with a smile on their faces. The original image comes from a scene in Naruto in which Sasuke and his estranged brother-turned enemy are fighting. With one hand, Itachi holds an exhausted-looking Sasuke by the neck.

This meme format combines a violent and intense anime scene with humor taken from other media including other memes, movies, TV shows, and anime, turning it into an absurd, comical, and dark meme. It’s particularly popular on Twitter and Reddit. It first spread on the Anime Memes subreddit and has infiltrated many other popular pages as well. People are calling it the first viral anime meme of 2019.

A reference to the conspiracy theory around the queen of England dying on January 5, 2019.

Choking Sasuke meme is LIT you gotta buy it now! from r/MemeEconomy

It’s Ogre for the Uchiha from r/Naruto

That’s how mafia works

That’s how naruto works! from r/Naruto

Like, this isn’t even my final form! from r/dankmemes

Oh my.. from r/dankmemes

Open your mouth, Sasuke! from r/Animemes

Your worthless sasuke . You don’t even know how to make good ramen 🍜 from r/Animemes

A Robbie Rotten crossover:

Forever number one in our hearts from r/dankmemes


A Tidying Up With Marie Kondo reference: