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Caramelldansen

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Animation loop from the anime Popotan, used in the internet meme known as Caramelldansen.
"Caramelldansen"
Song

Caramelldansen (Swedish for The Caramell Dance) is the first track of the album Supergott released in November 2001 by the Swedish music group Caramell. It is also a popular Internet meme that started in the second half of 2006. The fifteen frame Flash animation loop shows Mai and Mii, characters of the Japanese visual novel Popotan (doing a hip swing dance with their hands over their heads imitating rabbit ears), and the sped up version of the "Caramelldansen" song made by DJ Speedycake (also known as the "Caramelldansen Speedycake Remix").

Internet phenomenon

Background

Popotan first appeared as a Japanese PC game in December 12, 2002. After the anime was aired from July 17, 2003 to October 2, 2003, GIF animations were created from the opening of the anime where Mii is doing a solo dance. This became a loop with sound but was not so popular. It was not long before parts from the introduction of the PC game were captured and posted as small GIF animations for people to use. After the second half of 2006, Caramelldansen spread on the Internet in Flash archives and popular communities such as Hongfire and 4chan. Caramelldansen was also referred first as the "Popotan Dance" or "Popotan Dansen". After 2008 is more known by its popularity in Japan as "Uma uma dance". As the meme gained popularity, artists and fans started to copy the animation and include other characters performing the dance. The first ones were based only on the GIF animation. After Caramelldansen was released, most of the later animations were based on it.

Popularity

File:U-u-umauma maxi single.jpg
U-u-uma-uma Maxi Single
File:Umauma speed album08.jpg
U-u-uma-uma Speed Album.

Many versions of the original Flash loop have been released, but it was not until the end of 2007 where an explosion of different versions spread on the Internet, distributed on different websites, such as YouTube[1][2] and Japanese video-sharing site Nico Nico Douga[3].

The meme is not limited to the small Flash animation loops. 3D animation shorts have been released performing the dance, and live action videos made by fans.[4][5][6][7][8] At the beginning of 2008 most of the popularity of this internet meme is now in Japan (formally known as the "Uma uma Boom").

Caramelldansen is known there as "uma uma dance" (ウマウマダンス), because of the song chorus misheard lyrics (soramimi) of "u-u-ua-ua", ウッーウッーウマウマ (u- u- umauma, "uma" is suggested to mean "yummy", "nice" or "horse" in Japanese). Also part of the misheard lyrics "Dansa med oss, klappa era händer" ("Dance with us, clap your hands") make reference to "Barusamiko-su Yappa irahen de" ("We don't need any Balsamic vinegar after all" in Kansai dialect) so the song has a different interpretation in Japanese than the original Swedish lyrics.[9]

Re-releases of the meme song

On April 16 2008, Caramelldansen was released in a Japanese album called "Uma uma dekiru toransu wo tsukutte mita" ("Tried to make a trance to uma uma to" ウマウマできるトランスを作ってみた),as part of a popular soramimi song compilation. Caramelldansen was the first track of the CD, followed by other songs like Ievan Polkka (Loituma Girl).[10][11][12][13][14] On May 21 2008, was released the first single dedicated to the Caramelldansen song. Called "ウッーウッーウマウマ[Maxi]",it includes the original sped up version and six different remixed versions by popular Japanese DJ's. It also contains a new Caramelldansen video. The girls on the CD cover are the anime versions of Malin and Katia, the original singers of the song.[15][16] On June 18 2008, was released the album called "ウッーウッーウマウマ(゜∀゜)SPEEDアルバム". This 15 track album contains 4 tracks from the Maxi Single plus 11 sped up songs from Caramell band.[17]

See also

Reference

  1. ^ Youtube collection of Caramelldansen versions.
  2. ^ Youtube collection of Caramelldansen versions 2 (Japanese)
  3. ^ Japanese page Niconico showing a large number of Caramelldansen versions
  4. ^ Caramelldansen Around the World
  5. ^ Caramelldansen at Anime Convention
  6. ^ Miku Hatsune(Vocaloid Mascot) performing caramelldansen
  7. ^ Miku Hatsune performing Caramelldancen for ARToolKit test
  8. ^ Star Wars Storm Trooper doing Caramelldansen in Tokyo
  9. ^ Video documental of Caramelldansen popularity in Japan.
  10. ^ Uma uma soramimi compilation track list
  11. ^ www.jcast.com - Article about Caramelldansen
  12. ^ www.itmedia.co.jp - Article about uma uma CD
  13. ^ www.barks.jp - Article about uma uma CD
  14. ^ www.barks.jp - Uma uma CD track list
  15. ^ Official page of uma uma cd
  16. ^ QUAKE HOLDINGS INC. Uma Uma cd page
  17. ^ Uma uma Speed up track list
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