Animan Studios is an animation brand that exploded from an obscure internet subculture into full-fledged viral meme status in 2022-2023. The studio specializes in erotic gay cartoons featuring hunky men with exaggerated, bulbous bottoms. These hyper-exaggerated animations have inspired endless laughs, memes, and debates across social media.
In this extensive guide, we’ll explore the origins of Animan Studios, its viral meme fame, the resulting controversies, where to watch, and what the future may hold for this peculiar phenomenon. After reading, you’ll be an expert on all things Animan!
Origins: The Rise of Animan Studios
Animan Studios was launched in 2011 by an animator known only as Mr. Animan. In a rare interview with Seattle Gay Scene the same year, Mr. Animan revealed that he is American but lives overseas to maintain privacy. He started Animan Studios to share risqué cartoons with humorous caricatures of gay men.
Early on, the studio gained a small but devoted fanbase on sites like Tumblr. However, it wasn’t until 2022 that Animan Studios truly exploded into the mainstream. Specific animations went massively viral on TikTok and Twitter, accruing millions of views seemingly overnight.
So what prompted Animan Studios to pivot from niche community to internet sensation over a decade after its founding? Industry experts cite several factors:
- Broader acceptance of adult animation due to shows like Big Mouth
- Rising popularity of meme culture focused on humor and absurdity
- LGBTQ+ creators and characters gaining mainstream appeal
- TikTok’s algorithm favoring shocking, engaging content
Theexpertmediaanalysts at MemeInsider.com also noted that Animan’s animation style was uniquely primed for meme-dom. The cartoonish exaggerations, flamboyant characters, and absurd scenarios lent themselves perfectly to TikTok edits and derivative content. Once a few videos went viral, the meme spread like wildfire.
Blowing Up on Social Media
In January 2022, the @AnimanStudios Twitter account had only around 90k followers. As of February 2023, that number has skyrocketed to over 122k. The account shares teasers of various raunchy animations. Though shadowbanned on Twitter, these clips found enormous audiences on TikTok.
Specific animations that catapulted Animan into virality include:
Cowboy Animation
- Features cowboys with exaggerated bottoms walking through a saloon
- 1.9+ million views and 170k likes on TikTok
- TikTokers set it to the sped-up "Ballin‘" by DJ Mustard and Roddy Ricch
"Axel in Harlem"
- Release: 2016 on Animan Studios site
- Axel struts down a street as men stare at his oversized rear
- Resurfaced and went viral on TikTok in 2022
- TikTokers created memes, parodies, and censored versions
Another viral audio paired with Animan animations is "La Cumbia de Free Fire" by Bukano. This song and edits of Animan content accrued hundreds of millions of views across TikTok.
Clearly the exaggerated figures and scenarios resonated with Gen Z audiences. While considered niche pornography before, Animan Studios quickly became one of the most visible memes and online sensations of 2022-2023.
Fan Art and Memes
On Twitter, Animan fandoms started creating their own tribute art and memes. For instance, @ief_Cuadricula made a detailed fan art piece that received over 290,000 likes. Other artists put the iconic characters into formats like the three characters staring meme.
Common themes in Animan fan art include:
- Character posters or tributes replicating Animan‘s style
- Animan characters inserted into other pop culture worlds
- Original erotic gay anime art as an homage to Animan
Viral memes also borrow from classic Animan motifs and jokes. There are memes about "distracting" oversized butts set in school, the gym, office settings and more. Edits of the staring men and "like a magnet" lines from "Axel in Harlem" also remain popular.
While most memes are humorous, there has been some backlash against leaning into what some see as offensive tropes. The prominence of black characters with exaggerated features echoes racist caricatures of the past to some critics. However, defenders argue the surreal style moves beyond offensive stereotypes and into absurdist humor. There is healthy debate around celebrating vs. thoughtfully engaging with the content.
Business Model and Monetization
The full videos can only be accessed on AnimanStudios.com, which operates on a subscription model. Users can join for $9.99/month or $6.99/month with an annual plan. There is also currently a 7-day free trial period to test it out.
With over 122k Twitter followers and millions of TikTok views, the exposure has likely translated to more site subscriptions. Exact revenue numbers are not publicly released.
Critics argue Animan Studios is benefiting from viral meme fame without consenting to that wider distribution. However, internet culture and meme population has always operated in legally murky territory regarding copyright and fair use.
Looking ahead, better leveraging its viral fame while still maintaining its strong niche brand poses an interesting challenge for Animan Studios. Partnerships or branded merch could offer potential revenue streams down the line.
The Future: What‘s Next for Animan Studios?
Looking ahead, Animan Studios appears poised for continued internet fame rather than fading as a fleeting meme. Google Trends data shows strong and even increasing interest in the search term “Animan Studios” over the past year.
However, the anonymous Mr. Animan has given very few interviews and not directly responded to the viral fame, suggesting comfort staying niche. While memes have spread awareness, being tied to adult animation limits mainstream accessibility. As a result, Animan Studios may remain an unlikely viral hit within internet subcultures rather than breaking into Hollywood or mass culture.
If it does attempt to grow its brand, potential directions include:
- Animated comedy series or filmtelling beyond standalone scenes
- Licensed merchandise and apparel
- Live comedy tours or shows akin to “live streamed standup”
- Maintaining meme relevance through new animation formats
Regardless of what is next for Animan Studios, this unexpected viral journey has cemented the brand as an irreverent, humorous, and eyebrow-raising fixture of online communities for the foreseeable future. It’s a case study in an internet subculture seizing meme fame to become a web phenomenon. And Animan’s signature exaggerated style doesn’t seem to be disappearing anytime soon.
