Image by Solen Feyissa from Wikimedia Commons
From “Ballerina Cappuccina” to “Brr Brr Patapim”, if you’re chronically online then I’m sure you have seen these animated cartoon characters take over your TikTok ‘For You’ page.
But what exactly is Italian Brain Rot? Is it one big internet inside-joke or is it just a sign that we have all been online for way too long? Either way, TikTok can’t get enough.
This viral internet trend involves AI-generated images that merges animals with inanimate objects. From an elephant-shaped cactus to a chimpanzee in a banana peel, these weird and wacky characters have taken the internet by storm.
Often paired with back-stories narrated through mock-Italian accents, what started as a strange internet meme has now evolved into a full-blown fictional universe.
So, here’s a rundown of how the trend unfolded…
It’s believed to have all begun in early 2025 when the now-banned creator @eZburger401 posted a video of a three-legged shark wearing sky-blue, Nike trainers. The character, named “Tralalero Tralala”, soon went viral with other users keen to join in on the trend.
Soon enough, over 50 of the mythical characters have been added into the mix, all of which have gibberish names that sound vaguely Italian. Some fans have even created an encyclopaedia to keep track of the constantly growing crew.
Amongst new characters, users have also added chaotic lore. From love-triangles and affairs to characters that hate each other, you have to be constantly online to keep up. More recently there has even been a theme tune created.
But why is it so popular?
Fuelled by its absurdity and low-quality visuals, this trend has become popularized on TikTok, simply because it makes no sense.
In fact, this type of nonsensical humour has become increasingly popular throughout the last couple of years with “brain rot” even being named Oxford’s Word of the Year in 2024.
However, despite the trend seeming like innocent internet fun, there has also been controversy surrounding the underlying meanings behind some of these characters.
“Trallalero Tralala” has been labelled as blasphemous since a translation of the lyrics from the original video of the three-legged shark, has been found to mock religion.
Likewise, “Bombordillo Crocodillo”, a military jet with a crocodile head, has faced criticism for making light of conflicts around the world.
Following such criticism this trend might fizzle out in a week, but one things for certain that Italian Brain Rot has already claimed its own weird little corner of online culture.
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