I Want to Die

About

“I Want to Die” (Japanese: 死にたい, Shinitai) refers to an uplifting animated gif made in the Japanese imageboard community Futaba Channel (2chan) circa early 2006. In contrast to its negative message, this picture is known for its positive image giving viewers the hope of life.

Origin

According to Nico Nico Pedia’s article^[1], the animated gif was made in Nijiura, the most aggressive boards in Futaba, for a troll who had continued making threads with the only one sentence “I want to die”. Nijiura users made several ridiculously hilarious animated gifs to satirize the guy who apparently didn’t had such mind. And, this psychedelic one shining like a garish neon sign (shown above) was one of those instances.

Then, the video edition was created and uploaded to YouTube on April 19th, 2006^[2], which played 1999 hit rave tune “Got the Groove” by German electro duo SM-Trax^[3] in background.

Spread

This Futaba’s in-joke began to be known gradually among Japanese internet users after that video was reuploaded to Nico Nico Douga (NND) in April 2007^[4], and became to a subject for parodies or MAD videos on NND circa 2008.^[5] In a reflection of its presence on NND, the song “Got the Groove” has been included into several Nico Nico medleys such as “The 7 Colors of Nico Nico Douga” in 2009.

Meanwhile, this animated gif also earns a strange but positive reputation for its suicide prevention effect. People praises it that watching this hilariously uplifting picture makes people notice how ridiculous it is to have negative minds when they are disappointed in life and thinking “I want to die”. A blog summarizing 2channel threads picked up a 2channel user’s voice for the animate gif, which said that was a magical animated gif erasing a death wish.^[6]

Notable Examples

【ニコニコ動画】初音ミクで死にたい【ニコニコ動画】Ｓ.Ｈ.Ｉ.この動画は自殺防止動画なのか？最終鬼畜自殺死にたい・Ｓ
Left: Hatsune Miku Vocal Edition | Right: U.N. Owen Was Her?
【ニコニコ動画】死にたいフェイス【ネイティブフェイス】【ニコニコ動画】超死にたい
Left: Native Faith | Right: Battle Dome

Search Interest

[Not Available]

External References

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