He barely spoke. He barely appeared. He had no powers, no importance, and no fans—until the internet decided to make him #1. This is the story of Masaru Gojou, the ultimate underdog in anime history who became a meme by accident.
- 🎮 Who Is Gojou Masaru?
- 🗳️ The Popularity Poll That Changed Everything
- 🧨 “Let’s Make Gojou #1 and Confuse the Kids”
- 🧂 Public Reaction: Confusion, Rage, and Cult Adoration
- 🏢 How the Creators Reacted
- 🛡️ Gojou’s “Hall of Fame” Exile
- 📚 Cultural Breakdown: Why Did This Work?
- 🎨 From Nobody to Meme God
- 🧠 What Gojou Represents in Meme Culture
- 🧱 Official Response: Embracing the Meme
- 💬 Personal Experiences & Reactions
- 🌐 Comparison: Global Meme Phenomena
- 🧪 What Creators & Brands Can Learn
- 🧠 Final Reflection: The Power of a Non-Character
- 🔗 References & Sources
🎮 Who Is Gojou Masaru?
Gojou Masaru is a background character from the anime and game franchise Inazuma Eleven, a popular soccer-themed RPG and TV series in Japan.
- Team: Raimon Junior High (Reserve)
- Position: Defender
- Screentime: Less than 30 seconds
- Personality: Unknown
- Stats: Unremarkable
- Fame: Internet legend
He had no lines, no character arc, and was considered a “mob” — the anime term for background filler characters.
And yet, in 2010, he suddenly ranked #1 in an official character popularity contest.
🗳️ The Popularity Poll That Changed Everything
In November 2010, Level-5 (the game developer) launched a popularity poll for Inazuma Eleven characters in promotion for the upcoming theatrical release.
The rules were simple:
- Vote once per day.
- Top characters will be celebrated.
Naturally, fans were expected to vote for heroes like Endou, Gouenji, or Kidou…
But 2channel, Japan’s biggest anonymous imageboard, had other ideas.
🧨 “Let’s Make Gojou #1 and Confuse the Kids”
A thread appeared with a rallying cry:
“Let’s ruin the vote. Let’s make Gojou win. The guy with no lines!”
And with that, a meme campaign began:
- People voted for Gojou daily, sometimes with scripts or macros.
- Users coined slogans like: “One Gojou a day keeps the fandom mad.”
“Vote Gojou five days, get five Gojous.”
The meme snowballed. By:
- Nov 16: 10,000+ votes
- Nov 18: 100,000+ votes
- Dec 1: 700,000+ votes
Gojou Masaru was #1 by a landslide.
🧂 Public Reaction: Confusion, Rage, and Cult Adoration
Fans of actual main characters were furious. But others found it hilarious.
🧵 Emotional takes online:
- “I can’t believe he beat Gouenji. Who even is this guy?”
- “This is why democracy doesn’t work.”
- “This is performance art. Gojou is art.”
Gojou became a symbol of internet chaos, much like “Boaty McBoatface” in the UK or “Magnemite Election” in Pokémon fandom.
🏢 How the Creators Reacted
Amazingly, Level-5 didn’t erase the results.
- Akihiro Hino, Level-5 CEO, reportedly said: “Gojou? Well, he gave us some trouble… just leave it be.”
- Character designer Hiroshi Nagano responded: “Even if it’s a joke vote, I’m happy someone noticed our work.”
That leniency turned the prank into a canonized meme.
🛡️ Gojou’s “Hall of Fame” Exile
To prevent the same thing from happening again:
- Gojou was banned from future polls.
- The official site placed him in a “Hall of Fame” — untouchable and immortal.
But in 2019, they brought him back.
He ranked #1 again.
At this point, it was no longer ironic.
People had come to genuinely love him.
📚 Cultural Breakdown: Why Did This Work?
1. Trolling as Commentary
The campaign was a protest against predictable fandom hierarchies.
- Why should only flashy, marketable characters get attention?
- Why not give the spotlight to a nobody?
2. The Power of Absurdity
Gojou’s emptiness made him a blank canvas.
- Fans created headcanons.
- Artists drew him in every possible style.
- He became the fandom’s own Dadaist mascot.
Invisibility became identity. Silence became strength.
🎨 From Nobody to Meme God
After Gojou’s victory, something strange happened.
People began treating him like a real character.
📌 Fan Activity Exploded:
- Pixiv filled with Gojou fan art: serious, comedic, romantic.
- Fan fiction imagined him as a wise mentor, tragic antihero, or dimensional traveler.
- YouTube videos and MMD animations featured Gojou dancing, saving the world, or just… staring blankly.
It wasn’t ironic anymore.
Gojou was loved, not for who he was — but for what he represented.
🧠 What Gojou Represents in Meme Culture
🌀 1. Anti-Hero of Visibility
In media saturated with loud, marketable leads, Gojou was:
- Quiet
- Invisible
- Unnoticed
And that made him relatable to:
- Background fans
- Side character lovers
- People tired of overexposure
He became a meme-powered response to character overbranding.
🌀 2. Meme as Rebellion
Like other meme campaigns (Boaty McBoatface, Sanrio’s Hangyodon comeback, Coil from Pokémon), Gojou’s win showed:
Internet communities can override corporate predictions.
He wasn’t part of any marketing strategy.
He was a glitch in the system.
A joke that gained power.
A signal that fans want a say — even if it’s chaotic.
🧱 Official Response: Embracing the Meme
Level-5 didn’t reject the meme. They leaned in.
📺 Cameos & Appearances:
- Gojou appears in Inazuma Eleven GO — the sequel, 10 years older.
- He shows up in cross-media content, cards, mobile games, and more.
- The Inazuma Wiki even includes a detailed timeline of “The Gojou Festival.”
Official merch followed.
Shirts. Stickers. Pins.
From non-character to mascot.
💬 Personal Experiences & Reactions
🧍 Tumblr post (ahiijny):
“I was terrified when he jumpscared me in the middle of the vote rankings. But then… I became obsessed.”
💬 Yahoo! Chiebukuro (Q&A site):
“Why is Gojou #1?”
“Because internet culture wanted a new god.”
People shared their stories of discovering the meme, going from confusion to obsession — a shared rite of passage.
🌐 Comparison: Global Meme Phenomena
| Meme Character | Origin | Vibe |
|---|---|---|
| Gojou Masaru | Inazuma Eleven | Background rebellion |
| Boaty McBoatface | British ship-naming contest | Trolling democracy |
| Coil (Magnemite) | Pokémon popularity vote | Anti-mainstream sabotage |
| Hangyodon | Sanrio comeback via meme votes | Ironic → real love |
All started as jokes.
All became icons.
🧪 What Creators & Brands Can Learn
🔍 1. Leave Room for Chaos
Give fans some freedom to express themselves — even if it leads to unexpected results.
🔍 2. Don’t Overcorrect
Level-5 didn’t shut it down.
They smiled, adapted, and later profited from the meme.
🔍 3. Underdogs are Content Gold
Characters like Gojou become popular because they’re unclaimed territory.
Fans feel ownership — and they build that character from scratch.
🧠 Final Reflection: The Power of a Non-Character
Gojou Masaru never had a line.
He never did anything.
And that’s exactly why he mattered.
He became the empty vessel fans could pour their imagination into.
He became an icon not despite his nothingness, but because of it.
What began as a joke vote grew into:
- A fandom
- A movement
- A cultural footnote in anime history
And if you search for “Gojou Masaru” today?
He’s not just a character anymore.
He’s a legend.
