Why is My Deer Friend Nokotan So Popular?

My Deer Friend Nokotan seemingly came out of nowhere and became super popular even before the anime came out. One day, all my friends on Discord started spamming that one clip of Koshi Torako dancing with a deer and it has been all over the internet since then.

Well, I think the first reason why My Deer Friend Nokotan is so popular is because it does not take itself seriously one bit. It is reminiscent of Nichijou, which is still one of the best Slice of Life anime out there. The name of this anime in Japanese is Shikanoko Nokonoko Koshitantan which is a mishmash of several puns that don’t translate too well to English. The trailer was ridiculous and featured that one dance everyone has been posting everywhere. What surprised me most was how there were 1-hour loops of this clip with hundreds of thousands of views before the anime was released.

It feels like My Deer Friend Nokotan was made with internet pop culture in mind. I mean, why are there photorealistic deer in an anime about the daily life of a schoolgirl? Why doesn’t anyone bat an eye at this? Why does everyone treat Nokotan’s shenanigans so nonchalantly when she is the only one with horns in her whole school? Torako, the only sane person in My Deer Friend Nokotan asks these questions as she tries to cover up her past of being a gang member. She attempts to have a normal student life, but Nokotan seems to be anything but that! Plus, Nokotan starts unraveling Torako’s past which is foiling all her plans of having a perfect student image.

Even the opening of My Deer Friend Nokotan, Shikairo Days, has become viral because of how catchy it is. It even has a Dark Souls reference? Fujimori, the Musical Director, was only told to make sure “Shikanoko nokonoko koshitantan” was said over and over in the opening and nothing else, and they seriously understood the assignment because I just couldn’t get the song out of my head. Apparently, their song contains three real deer cries in it as an easter egg as well.

My Deer Friend Nokotan is a riot and it knows its audience well with how they have created TikTok dances and catchy songs from the opening. The anime itself is just ridiculous, much like Nichijou. I’m glad Nichijou is no longer a one-of-a-kind anime because we need more Slice of Life anime where absolutely nothing is normal.