The 'Anime Is An Important Part Of Our Culture' meme originated as a reaction image used to ironically or sincerely defend the cultural significance of Japanese animation. It often features a character—most notably associated with images of Code Geass's Lelouch or formal academic settings—asserting that anime is a legitimate pillar of modern society. The meme gained traction on platforms like Tumblr and Reddit among the anime community to counter the 'cartoons are for kids' stigma. Today, it is used both as a badge of honor for fans and a humorous way to justify why someone spent forty hours watching a niche series over a single weekend.