The City Pop meme aesthetic draws from a specific genre of Japanese pop music that flourished in the late 1970s and 1980s, characterized by its urban, sophisticated themes and disco-funk influences. On the internet, it evolved into a visual meme culture often featuring looped clips from vintage anime or high-saturation neon cityscapes. The trend surged in the late 2010s when YouTube algorithms brought Mariya Takeuchi’s 'Plastic Love' to global audiences, sparking a wave of 'vibe' memes that focus on nostalgia, urban loneliness, and retro-futurism. Today, users use the template to convey a sense of 'longing for a time they never lived in' or simply to celebrate the stylish, colorful art of the era.