How Light Yagami Became a Viral Sensation at the 2024 Olympics

light yagami olympics

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Author: Carol Jones

Published: September 4, 2024

Have you ever given a second thought to how an anime character can become a trend in the world of the Olympics? Light Yagami Olympics 2024 has taken the internet by storm. People who enjoyed “Death Note” began posting Light Yagami Olympics videos. This unexpected trend has made Light Yagami a viral star during the games. Let’s find out how this all started.

Light Yagami Olympics 2024: What Happened?

In the last few weeks of July 2024, during the Paris Summer Olympics, anime “Death Note” sensation Light Yagami shot to fame after a meme of him went viral.

In the meme, the Japanese football head coach, Hajime Moriyasu, was writing in a notebook and his name was changed to “Light Yagami” which is the name of the character from the Death Note animated series.

This image quickly spread across social media platforms, confusing many people who thought the coach’s real name was Light Yagami.

When and How It Happened

Everything unfolded when the Instagram account @animelif3_ posted ‘: It’s over for other Olympic Teams’ with the edited image on July 28, 2024, which was viewed 3.1 million times within two days.

 

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A post shared by @animelif3_

Three days later, on July 31, the image hit Twitter through the handle @SABO_SHINJI4, garnering more than 22000 retweets and 184000 likes. The meme was also reposted on Reddit, which made it even more popular.

Why It Happened

The meme originated from the 2022 World Cup clip in which, during Japan’s match against Spain, Hajime Moriyasu is seen scribbling down notes on a piece of paper in jubilation after the victory. Fans modified it so that it appeared as though Light Yagami, the protagonist of ‘Death Note’ who kills his enemies by writing their names in the notebook, was writing in the notebook.

This creative edit re-emerged during the 2024 Olympic games, leading many to believe that the coach’s name was Light Yagami.

Who is Light Yagami?

Light Yagami is one character in many that appear in the storyline of the anime and manga series called “Death Note”. He is a secondary student who comes across a mysterious notebook that has the power to kill anyone, as long as their name is written in it.  Light uses the notebook to try to create a world free of crime, but his actions lead to a complex moral conflict.

Why is Death Note Famous?

Unique Storyline

Death Note has become popular due to the fact that it has a unique and quite captivating plot. In order to implement his ideals, Light Yagami assumes a certain persona, Kira, and attempts to eliminate crime by means of the Death Note. His actions attract the attention of a genius detective known only as “L,” leading to a high-stakes game of cat and mouse.

Complex Characters

The anime is also well known for the complicated characters and personalities that it possesses. Light Yagami is regarded as the antagonist, who doesn’t have a clearly defined role as a hero. L, Light’s greatest rival, is equally fascinating with his quirky behavior and brilliant mind.

High-Quality Production

The anime adaptation aired from October 2006 to June 2007 and was developed by Madhouse, and it was directed by Tetsurō Araki. The series is known to have outstanding animation, gripping surroundings, and good voice actors. There are 37 episodes of this series, and it closely adheres to the manga.

Cultural Impact

“Death Note” is cult make: there is no denying this piece of work had an enormous cultural impact. Live-action films, TV dramas, and even a musical based on it have come out. The fandom of the series is huge and continues to be a popular topic of discussion among anime enthusiasts.

Why It Became a Viral Sensation

The meme became massive because it was geared towards the Olympics but used the stardom of the movie “Death Note”. The humorous and unexpected nature of the meme caught the attention of both anime fans and sports enthusiasts.

Furthermore, a perplexity regarding the name of the coach also added to the humor of the meme which is why it became such a talking point.

Was the Picture of Light Yagami at the Paris 2014 Olympics Real?

No, the picture of Light Yagami at the Paris 2024 Olympics was not real. The image was actually an edited photo of Japan’s football coach, Hajime Moriyasu.

The doctored image portrayed him as if he was jotting down something in a diary just like Light Yagami who writes death notes in the anime ‘Death Note’.

It was fun initially but the meme went on to become a sensation all over the internet with a misconception that the coach’s real name was Light Yagami.

Fan Reaction to Light Yagami at the Paris Olympics 2024

The image edited to incorporate Light Yagami at the Paris 2024 Olympic Games garnered many fans as it made them amused and thrilled simultaneously.

Many anime enthusiasts found the meme to be hilarious and went on to spread the meme virally through Instagram, Twitter, and Reddit. The image showed Japan’s football coach, Hajime Moriyasu, writing in a notebook, which was edited to look like Light Yagami from “Death Note”.

Fans of “Death Note” were thrilled to see their favorite character in such an unexpected context. They playfully explained that Yagami Light’s participation would put an end to all other teams just like in the anime, he would just write their names and those teams would cease to exist. The meme took off and a lot of people appreciated the edit saying it was smart as well as funny.

The meme served its purpose to unite fans of anime and fans of sports and shared a wonderful moment during the Olympics. It also sparked discussions and laughter, making it one of the memorable highlights of the games.

Bottom Line

The Light Yagami Olympics is a meme that made the games more enjoyable by incorporating anime into sports. The fans enjoyed the witty alteration and spread it widely thereby causing it to go viral. This unexpected crossover added a unique and memorable moment to the 2024 Olympics.

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