Have you ever wondered about what’s trending on Japanese social media? Well, 100 nominations for the Japanese Internet buzzword of 2018 (Netto Ryūkōgo 100) have been announced. The words are chosen based on the page views from Internet pop culture and slang dictionaries Nico Nico Pedia and Pickup Encyclopedia. From those 100 words, a grand prize winner will be selected based on which word had the highest access counter of all.
This year’s list of nominations include a number of words related to the Fate franchise, Virtual Youtubers, and other otaku phenomena. A list of words of interest are below:
- The IDOLM@STER Cinderella Girls
- Shuichi Akai (Detective Conan character)
- Azur Lane
- Abigail Williams (Fate character, not the historical figure)
- Tōru Amano (Detective Conan character)
- Undertale
- Angra Mainyu (Fate character)
- Unlimited Blade Works (Fate term)
- Ikiri Honetarō (Japanese fan name for Ainz Ooal Gown from Overlord)
- Infinite Orphans (fan-created crossover video series on Nico Nico)
- Kiritsugu Emiya (Fate character)
- Shirō Emiya (Fate character)
- Orga Itsuka (Mobile Suit Gundam: Iron-Blooded Orphans character)
- Kaguya Luna (Virtual Youtuber)
- Ken Kaneki (Tokyo Ghoul character)
- Kizuna Ai (Virtual Youtuber)
- Mobile Suit Gundam: Iron-Blooded Orphans
- Gilgamesh (Fate character)
- Gintama
- Bowsette
- SSSS.GRIDMAN
- Kuroi Nintendō (the dark side of Nintendo; i.e. Nintendo‘s tendency to slip adult jokes into family friendly games)
- Golden Kamuy
- Goblin Slayer
- Sans (Undertale character)
- Charlotte Katakuri (One Piece character)
- Charlotte Linlin (One Piece character)
- Weekly Shonen Jump
- Akane Shinjō (SSSS.GRIDMAN character)
- Android 21 (Dragon Ball FighterZ original character)
- Scotch (Detective Conan character)
- Saber (Fate character)
- DARLING in the FRANXX
- Super Smash Bros. Ultimate
- Rikka Takarada (SSSS.GRIDMAN character)
- Tsukino Mito (Virtual Youtuber)
- Deadpool
- Siro (Virtual Youtuber)
- Touhou Project
- Himiko Toga (My Hero Academia character)
- Doki Doki Literature Club!
- Shoto Todoroki (My Hero Academia character)
- Tomarun janēzo (“Don’t you ever stop.” Quote by Orga Itsuka from Mobile Suit Gundam: Iron-Blooded Orphans)
- Trafalgar Law (One Piece character)
- Nora Cat (Virtual Youtuber)
- Baacharu (Virtual Youtuber)
- Virtual Noja Loli Kitsunemusume Youtuber Ojisan (Virtual Youtuber)
- Virtual Youtuber
- Katsuki Bakugo (My Hero Academia character)
- Hugtto! Precure
- Cells at Work!
- BB (Fate character)
- Hero course (My Hero Academia term)
- Hypnosis Mic
- Fate/Grand Order
- Ritsuka Fujimaru (Fate character)
- Rei Furuya (Detective Conan character)
- Bruno Bucciarati (JoJo’s Bizarre Adventure character)
- Broly (Dragon Ball character)
- Hellshake Yano (Pop Team Epic sketch)
- Persona 5
- My Hero Academia
- Kirby Star Allies
- Pop Team Epic
- Bob Epic Team (Pop Team Epic sketch)
- Jinpei Matsuda (Detective Conan character)
- Ultra Instinct (Dragon Ball term)
- Izuku Midoriya (My Hero Academia character)
- Mirai Akari (Virtual Youtuber)
- Yu-Gi-Oh! VRAINS
- Ruru Amour (Hugtto! Precure character)
- Ruru (Precure character)
- One Piece
The winning word will be announced on December 14, with the award ceremony being livestreamed on streaming platform Niconico. Which word do you think will win, and why?