Editor’s Note: This article is part of Know Your Meme’s annual Top Ten Review series looking back at some of the most memorable and popular memes, events and people that defined the Internet culture in 2015 as we know it.
I
n 2015, a slew of films, television shows and video games grew significant fan followings online.
In film, the campy short Kung Fury became a hit online, reaching over 22 million views by the year's end. The trailer for the live-action film Jem and the Holograms was widely mocked online, with many expecting the movie to ruin childhood memories about the 1980's animated television show. Jurassic World made a splash online as well, inspiring its own photo fad known as "Prattkeeping".
On television, Law and Order aired their cringeworthy "Intimidation Game" episode, which hilariously portrayed GamerGaters as a misogynistic terrorist group. Trevor Noah took over for Jon Stewart as host of The Daily Show, but saw a bit of a backlash regarding several jokes found in his Twitter history.
In video games, a slew of anticipated games were released, including Unravel, Bloodborne, Metal Gear Solid V and The Witcher 3. On the web, the flash game Agar.io exploded in popularity, serving between 100,000 and 150,000 simultaneous players each day in June. Additionally, many minds were filled with f**k with the release of the disturbing mini game compilation Sonic Dream Collection.
In anti-fandoms, Minions became some of the most reviled fictional characters in history in reaction to an incessant and ubiquitous marketing campaign.
| | - Type: Film
- Profile: Post apocalyptic action film featuring a drifting loner and a group of women fleeing a ruthless gang leader.
- Highlights: Feminist Mad Max | “You Will Arrive At The Gates Of Valhalla, Shiny And Chrome!”
- Figures: Grossed over $375 million worldwide and has a 97% approval rating on Rotten Tomatoes.
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| | - Type: Video Game
- Profile: Third-person shooter for the Wii U video game console in which players control squid-human hybrids armed with ink-spraying guns.
- Highlights: Squid Kid Commercial | Splat Tim | Squid Sisters | Woomy | Inklingification
- Figures: Became the fifth fastest-selling Wii U game of all time, selling upwards of one million copies by December 2015. Has a Metacritic score of 81/100.
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| | - Type: Video Game
- Profile: Open world action role-playing game in which the player explores a post-apocalyptic Boston in the year 2287.
- Highlights: Fallout 4 Character Creations | Dogmeat | Fallout Shelter Mobile Game
- Figures: Sold 1.2 million copies on Steam and 12 million shipped copies within the first 24 hours of release. Holds a Metacritics of 84/100 for PC, 87/100 for PS4 and 88/100 for XONE.
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| | - Type: Video Game
- Profile: A crossover melee fighting video game featuring playable characters from a variety of Nintendo franchises.
- Highlights: Several downloadable characters were released this year, including MewTwo from Pokemon, Lucas from Mother 3, Roy from Fire Emblem, Ryu from Street Fighter and Cloud Strife from Final Fantasy VII. Corrin from Fire Emblem Fates and Bayonetta were announced for release in Feburary 2016.
- Figures: Sold more than 4.03 million units for the Wii U and 7.37 million units for the 3DS by September 30th.
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| | - Type: Anime and Manga Series
- Profile: Centers around the adventures of the protagonist Guts, an orphaned mercenary who wields a giant broadsword known as the “Dragonslayer” who travels throughout a medieval Europe-inspired land.
- Highlights: In November this year, Guts and his party finally left the boat they had been trapped on since 2008.
- Figures: The manga series sold over 27 million copies in Japan and 8 million overseas by July 2015.
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| | - Type: Cartoon Series
- Profile: An Adult Swim animated series centering around an alcoholic scientist-and-inventor Rick and his grandson Morty who embark on dangerous and bizarre adventures together throughout space, time and alternate dimensions.
- Highlights: Screaming Sun | Simpsons Couch Gag | Back to the Future
- Figures: Holds a score of 85/100 on Metacritic.
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| | - Type: Film
- Profile: The seventh installment in the space opera film series Star Wars which takes place 30 years after the events in the 1983 film Return of the Jedi.
- Highlights: Crossguard Lightsaber | Poster Parodies
- Figures: Made a record breaking $57 million on opening day in the United States and received a 95% fresh score on Rotten Tomatoes in the first 24 hours of release.
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| | - Type: Manga and Anime Series
- Profile: Follows the story of Saitama, a powerful hero who easily defeats his opponents with one punch, and his disciple Genos, a cyborg who seeks revenge against a powerful enemy who destroyed his home town.
- Highlights: Puberty Hit Caillou | Captain Hair
- Figures: The manga sold more than 4.5 million copies and the anime tops the IMDB television series chart.
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| | - Type: Video Game
- Profile: An independent role-playing video game created by Toby Fox in which the player controls a small child who explores an underground world full of Monsters, a race that used to live peacefully alongside humanity until a war broke out between them.
- Highlights: Temmie Covers | Papyrus' Spaghetti | You're Gonna Have a Bad Time
- Figures: Raised more than $51,000 on Kickstarter prior to development and sold approximately 450,000 copies on Steam.
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