Italianbrainrot is characterized byabsurd images or videos created bygenerative artificial intelligence. It typically features hybrids of animals with everyday objects, food, and weapons.[4] 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.[5] The names of these characters often have Italiansuffixes, such as-ini or-ello.[6] These characters combine elements of surrealism, visual anxiety (uncanny valley) and internet irony, reflecting thepost-ironic humor ofGeneration Z.[3]
The termbrain rot wasOxford 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 refer to the content itself.[7] Online users often use this label to acknowledge the ridiculousness of Italian brainrot, while recognising the growing amount ofAI slop present online.[5] Fans have created various stories featuring characters from Italian brainrot,[5][8] forming a type ofInternet folklore with overly dramatic storylines and voices.[9]
Origin
In October 2023, Internet users created various Italian memes about American actor and wrestlerDwayne Johnson in which 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.[10]
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.[5][11] The creation of the character is often attributed to theTikTok 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 containingprofanity.[12][13] Later, user@elchino1246 posted a video using Tralalero Tralala's audio, accompanied with an image of a shark mixed with a pigeon.[11] Lastly, on 13 January 2025, user@amoamimandy.1a created a now deleted post using the audio, instead using an AI-generated image of a shark with shoes. This video gained 7 million views.[12]
Characters
This is not a comprehensive list; many other characters have been created.
Italian brainrot features various AI-generated characters (referred as just "animals"). Several characters are hybrids, often combining animals with everyday objects and various fruits.[4] Other characters are combinations of pre-existing ones, resulting in excessively long names.[14][unreliable source]
Tralalero Tralala
The first viral character of the genre – a three-"legged"shark inNike sneakers[5][15] described as athletic, being able to run atsuperhuman speeds and jump high.[16]
Bombardiro Crocodilo, a bomber with the head of a crocodile
Tung Tung Tung Sahur, an anthropomorphic wooden object who holds a baseball bat
Tung Tung Tung Sahur
Ananthropomorphic wooden plank who holds abaseball bat.[18][19] Although considered part of Italian brainrot, it hasIndonesian origin.[15] The "Tung Tung Tung" in its name isonomatopoeia of how Indonesians traditionally beatkentunganslit drums to commencesahur, the pre-dawn meal thatMuslims eat beforefasting duringRamadan.[19] The wordtung also means "rumbling" inSundanese, spoken in Indonesia.[20] @noxaasht originally made the character in February 2025, and it has become its own meme outside the context of Italian brainrot.[21][22] In May 2025, Indonesian production houseDee Company [id] expressed interest in making a film based on it.[23]
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.[10][25] The latter design has been nicknamed the "King of the Sea", having gained its massive weight from eating everything it sees underwater.[25]
Reception
The likenesses of some Italian brainrot characters have been used to sell toys andnon-fungible tokens,[10] as well as being the centerpiece of the popular Roblox gameSteal a Brainrot.[27] Italian brainrot also inspired a variety of volatilememe coins, such as "Italianrot", which was launched in March 2025.[28][29] Italian brainrot gained notoriety in many regions such as the United States, South Korea, and Germany.[13] Various brands have replicated the memes for use in marketing content on social media.[8][13] Hungarian prime ministerViktor Orbán released a TikTok video where a3D model of Tung Tung Tung Sahur is seen dancing in a government meeting.[20] In Italy, severalnewsstands began selling "Skifidol Italian Brainrot Trading Card Games", inspired by the memes and commercialized for a younger audience.[30] The release led to a noticeable rise in Gen Alpha consumers, withL'Espresso comparing the surge to the popularity ofGarbage Pail Kids cards during their Italian debut.[31] In May 2025, Indonesian production houseDee Company [id] expressed interest in making a film based on the character of Tung Tung Tung Sahur.[32]
Some of the content of Tralalero Tralala and Bombardiro Crocodilo memes has been described as "problematic".[37] Voiceovers of Tralalero Tralala include blasphemies directed at boththe Judaeo-Christian God andAllah (mentioned as two distinct entities) in Italian.[b] Some Muslim users have concluded that the videos areharam. Some Italian users have pointed out thatblasphemy is often used as afiller word in Italian, and have stated that the videos had noanti-religious andIslamophobic intent.[37] Additionally, Bombardiro Crocodilo has been criticized for making light of theGaza genocide, since some videos using his Italian narration describe the character as awar criminal who performsbombing raids inPalestine.[5][37] This has caused concerns regarding casual cruelty anddesensitization.[9] The full narration is as follows:
Translation:Bombardiro Crocodilo, a fucking [sic] flying alligator, who flies and bombs 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 all of this, you're an asshole. Don't ruin the joke, prostitute.[39]
Original script (Italian):Bombardiro Crocodilo, un fottuto alligatore volante, che vola e bombarda i bambini a Gaza e in Palestina. Non crede in Allah e ama le bombe. Si nutre dello spirito di tua madre. E se hai tradotto tutto questo, allora sei uno stronzo. Non rompere la battuta, prostituta.[39]
See also
Shitposting – Intentionally posting poor-quality social media posts
Skibidi Toilet – 2020s webseries also known for its surreal humor
YouTube Poop – Web video genre also known for surreal humor
Steal a Brainrot – A Roblox-based video game based on Italian brainrot
Media related toItalian brainrot at Wikimedia Commons
The dictionary definition ofItalian brainrot at Wiktionary
Quotations related toItalian brainrot at Wikiquote
