Italian brainrot

Italian brainrot is characterized by absurd images or videos created by generative artificial intelligence. It typically features hybrids of animals with everyday objects, food, and weapons.{{cite news |last1=White |first1=Robert |date=18 April 2025 |title=Is 'Italian brainrot' the stupidest internet trend yet? |url=https://www.news.com.au/technology/online/social/is-italian-brainrot-the-stupidest-internet-trend-yet/news-story/b3cdc5e5ffb370ef184aa72e2cff7e34 |access-date=29 April 2025 |publisher=News.com.au |archive-date=20 April 2025 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20250420090859/https://www.news.com.au/technology/online/social/is-italian-brainrot-the-stupidest-internet-trend-yet/news-story/b3cdc5e5ffb370ef184aa72e2cff7e34 |url-status=live }} They are given Italianized names or use stereotypical cultural markers and are accompanied by AI-generated audio of an Italian man's narration, which is often nonsensical.{{Cite news |last=Gupta |first=Alisha Haridasani |date=2025-04-30 |title=Meet Ballerina Cappuccina and the Italian Brain Rot Crew |url=https://www.nytimes.com/2025/04/30/style/italian-brain-rot-ballerina-cappuccina.html |access-date=2025-04-30 |work=The New York Times |issn=0362-4331 |archive-date=2 May 2025 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20250502204055/https://www.nytimes.com/2025/04/30/style/italian-brain-rot-ballerina-cappuccina.html |url-status=live }} The names of these characters often have Italian suffixes, such as {{wikt-lang|it|-ino|-ini}} or {{wikt-lang|it|-ello}}. These characters combine elements of surrealism, visual anxiety (uncanny valley) and internet irony, reflecting the post-ironic humor of Generation Z.

The term brain rot was Oxford's Word of the Year in 2024, and refers to the deteriorating effect on one's mental state when overconsuming "trivial or unchallenging content" online. It can also to refer to the content itself.{{cite web |author= |date=2 December 2024 |title='Brain rot' named Oxford Word of the Year 2024 |url=https://corp.oup.com/news/brain-rot-named-oxford-word-of-the-year-2024/ |access-date=2 December 2024 |website=corp.oup.com |publisher=Oxford University Press |location=Oxford |archive-date=2 December 2024 |archive-url=https://archive.today/20241202064408/https://corp.oup.com/news/brain-rot-named-oxford-word-of-the-year-2024/ |url-status=live }} Online users often use this label to acknowledge the ridiculousness of Italian brainrot, while recognising the growing amount of AI slop present online. Fans have created various stories featuring characters from Italian brainrot, forming a type of "Internet folklore" with overly dramatic storylines and voices.{{cite news |last1=Darla |first1=Alice |title=Italian Brainrot: Why Gen Alpha Is Obsessed with Gibberish Sharks and Cappuccino Ballerinas |url=https://neonmusic.co.uk/italian-brainrot-why-gen-alpha-is-obsessed-with-gibberish-sharks-and-cappuccino-ballerinas#google_vignette |access-date=5 June 2025 |agency=Neon Music |date=4 June 2025}}

File:Dwayne Johnson 2, 2013.jpg (pictured in 2013) are credited as the beginning of Italian brainrot]]

In October 2023, Internet users would create various Italian memes about American actor and wrestler Dwayne Johnson, where he rhymes about absurd topics. In one video, Johnson would use the nonsense word "Tralalero tralala", and would later rhyme it with "smerdo pure nell'aldilà" ("I shit even in the afterlife"). The phrase would later be used to create the basis of Italian brainrot.{{cite news |last1=Zhan |first1=Jennifer |date=29 May 2025 |title=The Italian Brain Rot Ren-AI-ssance, Explained |url=https://www.vulture.com/article/italian-brain-rot-ai-characters-explained.html |access-date=1 June 2025 |publisher=Vulture}}

Although the exact origin of Italian brainrot is hard to pinpoint, the character Tralalero Tralala is widely considered to be the first example of the trend.{{cite news |last1=Hines |first1=Matthew |title=WATCH — Why you might want to translate Italian brain rot before repeating it |url=https://www.cbc.ca/kidsnews/post/watch-why-you-might-want-to-translate-italian-brain-rot-before-repeating-it |access-date=2 June 2025 |publisher=CBC |date=6 May 2025}} The creation of the character is often attributed to the TikTok user @eZburger401, who reportedly posted a video featuring the character in January 2025. The user was banned after posting, potentially due to its accompanying audio containing profanity and blasphemy against God and Allah in Italian.{{cite news |last1=Good |first1=Anna |title=Tralalero Tralala: This AI-generated shark in Nikes is the face of TikTok's Italian brainrot obsession |url=https://www.dailydot.com/memes/tralalero-tralala-meme-shark/ |access-date=1 June 2025 |publisher=The Daily Dot |date=30 April 2025}} Later, user @elchino1246 would post a video using Tralalero Tralala's audio, accompanied with an image of a shark mixed with a pigeon. Lastly, on 13 January 2025, user @amoamimandy.1a would create a now deleted post using the audio, instead using an AI-generated image of a shark with shoes. This video gained 7 million views. Alternatively, American website Vulture claimed that TikTok user @burgermerda created the audio in September 2024, and that @eZburger401 was merely a re-uploader.

File:Tung tung tung sahur (cropped).webp]]

Italian brainrot features various AI-generated characters. Several characters are hybrids, often combining animals with everyday objects and various fruits. Other characters are combinations of pre-existing ones, resulting in excessively long names.{{Cite web |last=Ghosh |first=Suchismita |date=2025-04-24 |title=Here is the full list from the 'bizzare' Italian brainrot trend that's everywhere |url=https://thetab.com/2025/04/24/here-is-the-full-list-from-the-bizzare-italian-brainrot-trend-thats-everywhere |access-date=2025-06-23 |website=The Tab |language=en-US}}

The first viral character of the genre was Tralalero Tralala, a three-legged shark in Nike sneakers.{{cite news |last1=Hunt |first1=Elle |title=From Chimpanzini Bananini to Ballerina Cappuccina: how gen alpha went wild for Italian brain rot animals |url=https://www.theguardian.com/society/2025/jun/25/from-chimpanzini-bananini-to-ballerina-cappuccina-how-gen-alpha-went-wild-for-italian-brain-rot-animals |access-date=26 June 2025 |agency=The Guardian |date=25 June 2025}} Tralalero Tralala is described as athletic, being able to run at superhuman speeds and having high jump lengths.{{cite news |last1=Y |first1=Esquivel |title=¡Tralalero Tralala! Qué es el Brainrot italiano y cuáles son los animales con poderes |url=https://www.excelsior.com.mx/trending/brainrot-italiano-que-es-animales-poderes-chatgpt/1710288 |access-date=1 June 2025 |publisher=Excélsior |date=11 April 2025}}

Bombardiro Crocodilo is a hybrid creature with the head of a crocodile and the body of a World War II-era twin-engine bomber.{{cite news |last=Pavia |first=Will |date=29 May 2025 |title=Italian brainrot: Do not read this article if you are over six. You won't get it |url=https://www.thetimes.com/us/news-today/article/ballerina-cappuccina-brain-rot-characters-tl8f62xw3 |work=The Times |access-date=23 June 2025}} Bombardiro Crocodilo is depicted as a commander who has close ties to a goose named Bombombini Gusini.{{cite news |title=Кто такие Бомбардиро Крокодило и Тралалело Тралала и почему TikTok сошел по ним с ума |url=https://www.gazeta.ru/style/20903450/bombardiro-krokodilo-mem.shtml |access-date=6 June 2025 |agency=Gazeta.ru |date=21 April 2025 |archive-date=2 May 2025 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20250502102508/https://www.gazeta.ru/style/20903450/bombardiro-krokodilo-mem.shtml |url-status=live }}

Tung Tung Tung Sahur is an anthropomorphic wooden object closely resembling a mugdar who holds a baseball bat. Although it is part of Italian brainrot, it has Indonesian origin. The 'Tung Tung Tung' in its name is a Sundanese{{Cite web |date=2025-05-28 |title=Orbán Viktor: Tung Tung Tung Tung Tung Tung Tung Tung Tung Sahur |url=https://24.hu/belfold/2025/05/28/orban-viktor-tung-tung-tung-tung-tung-tung-tung-tung-tung-sahur/ |access-date=2025-06-09 |website=24.hu |language=hu}} onomatopoeia of how Indonesians traditionally beat drums (bedug) to commence suhur, the pre-dawn meal that Muslims eat before fasting during Ramadan.{{Cite news |date=2025-04-21 |title=Tung Tung Tung Sahur meme explained: Know the origin story behind Ramadan's viral wake-up call |url=https://economictimes.indiatimes.com/news/international/us/tung-tung-tung-sahur-meme-explained-know-the-origin-story-behind-ramadans-viral-wake-up-call/articleshow/120493740.cms?from=mdr |access-date=2025-04-26 |work=The Economic Times |issn=0013-0389 |archive-date=21 April 2025 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20250421185710/https://economictimes.indiatimes.com/news/international/us/tung-tung-tung-sahur-meme-explained-know-the-origin-story-behind-ramadans-viral-wake-up-call/articleshow/120493740.cms?from=mdr |url-status=live }} @noxaasht originally made the character in February 2025, and it has become its own meme outside the context of Italian brainrot.{{cite news |title=Has the viral 'Tung Tung Tung Sahur' meme crossed your feed yet? Here's all about the TikTok trend |url=https://tribune.com.pk/story/2541331/has-the-viral-tung-tung-tung-sahur-meme-crossed-your-feed-yet-heres-all-about-the-trend |access-date=28 April 2025 |publisher=Tribune |date=21 April 2025 |archive-date=29 April 2025 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20250429091759/https://tribune.com.pk/story/2541331/has-the-viral-tung-tung-tung-sahur-meme-crossed-your-feed-yet-heres-all-about-the-trend |url-status=live }}{{Cite news |last=Vaishnavi |first=Arya |date=2025-04-23 |title=Tung Tung Tung Sahur: What is the new TikTok meme and why is it trending? |url=https://www.hindustantimes.com/world-news/us-news/tung-tung-tung-sahur-what-is-the-new-tiktok-meme-and-why-is-it-trending-101745345341732.html |access-date=2025-05-11 |work=Hindustan Times |archive-date=13 May 2025 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20250513171411/https://www.hindustantimes.com/world-news/us-news/tung-tung-tung-sahur-what-is-the-new-tiktok-meme-and-why-is-it-trending-101745345341732.html |url-status=live }} In May 2025, Indonesian production house {{ill|Dee Company|id|Dee Company}} expressed interest in making a film based on it.{{Cite web |last=Rantung |first=Revi C. |date=2025-05-12 |title=Viral di Medsos, Meme Tung Tung Tung Sahur Dikabarkan Akan Dibuatkan Film |trans-title=Viral on Social Media, Tung Tung Tung Sahur Meme Reportedly to be Made into a Film |url=https://www.kompas.com/hype/read/2025/05/12/104147466/viral-di-medsos-meme-tung-tung-tung-sahur-dikabarkan-akan-dibuatkan-film |access-date=2025-05-14 |website=KOMPAS.com |language=id |archive-date=14 May 2025 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20250514234157/https://www.kompas.com/hype/read/2025/05/12/104147466/viral-di-medsos-meme-tung-tung-tung-sahur-dikabarkan-akan-dibuatkan-film |url-status=live }}

Ballerina Cappuccina is a female ballerina wearing a tutu and pointe shoes with a cappuccino mug as a head. The original meme featured her pirouetting gracefully. She is married to a ninja named Cappuccino Assassino, who kidnapped her prior to their marriage. She also has a sister named Espressona Signora.{{Cite web |last=Good |first=Anna |date=2025-04-28 |title=The bizarre rise of Ballerina Cappuccina, TikTok's surreal new Italian brainrot star |url=https://www.dailydot.com/memes/ballerina-cappuccina-meme-italian-brainrot/ |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20250501201854/https://www.dailydot.com/memes/ballerina-cappuccina-meme-italian-brainrot/ |archive-date=1 May 2025 |access-date=2025-04-29 |website=The Daily Dot}}

File:ChimpanziniBananini.webp

Several other notable, yet less popular characters, exist within Italian brainrot:

• Chimpanzini Bananini – a monkey with a banana as a body, who has been described as "indestructible".
• Lirili Larila – a bipedal cactus-elephant hybrid wearing sandals who has the ability to control time. It has been called one of the genre's "main characters" due to its abilities.
• Trippi Troppi – often depicted as a cat with a shrimp's body, though some videos use the name to describe an obese bear with the head of a fish.{{Cite web |last=Polidoro |first=Daniele |date=2025-04-18 |title=Tutti i personaggi dei brain rot italiani, che ora spopolano e si stanno trasformando nei Pokémon di Internet |url=https://www.wired.it/gallery/brain-rot-italiani-personaggi-nomi-spiegazione-storia-foto/ |access-date=2025-06-23 |website=Wired Italia |language=it-IT}} The latter design has been nicknamed the "King of the Sea", having gained its massive weight due to eating everything it sees underwater.

Polish radio channel Polskie Radio noted that the meme is popular among Generation Alpha "because it's stupid, funny and veeeery {{sic}} addictive".{{cite web |title=Czym jest brainrot? Trippi Troppi i Ballerina Cappuccina - tego nie ogarniają nawet zetki |url=https://www.polskieradio.pl/10/216/Artykul/3523538,Czym-jest-brainrot-Trippi-Troppi-i-Ballerina-Cappuccina-tego-nie-ogarniaja-nawet-zetki |website=Polskie Radio |publisher=Polskieradio.pl |access-date=3 June 2025 |archive-date=22 May 2025 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20250522044249/https://www.polskieradio.pl/10/216/artykul/3523538,czym-jest-brainrot-trippi-troppi-i-ballerina-cappuccina-tego-nie-ogarniaja-nawet-zetki |url-status=live }} Polskie Radio highlighted how the meme has been adapted into other media, such as Roblox games, musical remixes, and quizzes. Radio France Internationale would call the usage of pseudo-Italian names amongst characters "a bit problematic".{{cite web |title=Le phénomène "italian brainrot" : génie de l'absurde ou signe que l'humanité est vraiment perdue ? |date=23 April 2025 |url=https://www.radiofrance.fr/franceinter/podcasts/un-monde-nouveau/un-monde-nouveau-du-mercredi-23-avril-2025-7634798 |publisher=Radio France Internationale |access-date=3 June 2025}} Daily German newspaper Die Tageszeitung called Italian brainrot a "creative approach to technology, language, and pop culture".

Fans would go on to create an online encyclopedia dedicated to documenting various Italian Brainrot characters. The likenesses of some Italian brainrot characters have been used to sell toys and NFTs. Italian brainrot also inspired a variety of volatile meme coins, such as "Italianrot", which was launched in March 2025.{{Cite web |date=2025-04-29 |title=Italian Shanhaijing and Tungtungtung are here to brainwash people. New abstract cultural Meme coins are hot again |url=https://www.panewslab.com/en/articledetails/2uwhm6qy.html |access-date=2025-04-29 |website=PANews |archive-date=2 May 2025 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20250502122958/https://www.panewslab.com/en/articledetails/2uwhm6qy.html |url-status=live }}{{Cite web |last= |date=2025-04-29 |title=Meme coin trapralaleo tralala surges 17000%, experts caution investors on volatility |url=https://biz.chosun.com/en/en-industry/2025/04/29/EYHQBWYTJRFQRHCUBIU5R3ZCDE/?outputType=amp |access-date=2025-04-29 |website=CHOSUNBIZ}} Italian brainrot gained notoriety in many regions such as Indonesia, the United States, South Korea, many Spanish-speaking countries, and much of Europe.{{cite news |date=15 April 2025 |title=I meme nati in Italia che stanno avendo un enorme successo su TikTok |trans-title=The memes born in Italy that are having huge success on TikTok |url=https://www.ilpost.it/2025/04/15/meme-italian-brainrot/#google_vignette |access-date=29 April 2025 |publisher=Ilpost |language=it |archive-date=4 May 2025 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20250504020208/https://www.ilpost.it/2025/04/15/meme-italian-brainrot/#google_vignette |url-status=live }} Various brands have replicated the memes for use in marketing content on social media.{{Cite web |title=Italian brainrot on TikTok: Ballerina Cappuccina explained |url=https://www.nssgclub.com/en/lifestyle/40805/italian-brainrot-tiktok-meme-ballerina-cappuccina-explained |access-date=2025-04-30 |website=nss g-club |language=en |archive-date=2 May 2025 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20250502124108/https://www.nssgclub.com/en/lifestyle/40805/italian-brainrot-tiktok-meme-ballerina-cappuccina-explained |url-status=live }} Hungarian politician Viktor Orbán released a TikTok video where a 3D model of Tung Tung Tung Sahur is seen dancing in a government meeting.

File:Bombardiro Crocodillo.jpg with the head of a crocodile]]

Tralalero Tralala and Bombardiro Crocodilo memes have been accused of being Islamophobic, as lyrics of some of the former's videos mock Allah in Italian,{{efn|The original audio states "{{lang|it|Tralalero Tralalà, porco Dio e porco Allah}}" (Tralalero Tralala, damn God and damn Allah).{{cite web |last=Ghanem |first=Khaoula |title=So Are We Just Gonna Ignore the Islamophobia in Italian Brain Rot? |url=https://www.milleworld.com/so-are-we-just-gonna-ignore-the-racism-in-italian-brain-rot/ |date=2 June 2025}}}} although some Italian users have pointed out that blasphemy is often used as a filler word in Italian, and that the intent of the video likely wasn't Islamophobic.{{cite news |last1=Ferraris |first1=Matilda |title=From Ballerina Cappuccina to Tralalero Tralalà, we unpack the darker undertones of Italian brainrot |url=https://screenshot-media.com/culture/internet-culture/italian-brainrot-dark-origin/ |access-date=28 April 2025 |publisher=SCREENSHOT Media |date=2025-04-26}} On the other hand, Bombardiro Crocodilo has been criticized for making light of the Gaza genocide, since some videos using his Italian narration describe the character bombing children in Gaza and the rest of Palestine. This has caused concerns regarding topics such as casual cruelty and desensitisation.

The full narration of Bombardiro is as follows:

{{Quote|Bombardiro Crocodilo is a flying alligator who drops bombs on children in Gaza and Palestine. He doesn't believe in Allah and loves bombs. He feeds on your mother's spirit, and if you've translated everything up to this point, you're an idiot. (translated){{cite news |last1=Grimaldi |first1=Giorgia |title=Der verführerische Charme der Sinnlosigkeit |trans-title=The seductive charm of meaninglessness |url=https://taz.de/Italian-Brainrot-Meme/!6079191/ |access-date=3 June 2025 |agency=Die Tageszeitung |date=15 April 2025}}

}}

{{Notelist}}

{{portal|comedy}}

• Shitposting
• YouTube Poop
• AI slop

==References==

{{Reflist}}

• {{Commons category-inline}}

Category:Internet memes

Category:Internet memes introduced in 2025

Category:Generative artificial intelligence

Category:Islamophobia

Category:2020s viral videos