The 'Gotta Go Fast' meme originated as the high-energy theme song hook for the English dub of the anime series Sonic X, which premiered in 2003. While initially just a show lyric, the phrase evolved into an internet phenomenon synonymous with Sonic the Hedgehog's obsession with speed. It reached peak meme status through its association with 'Sanic'—a MS Paint-style drawing of Sonic accompanied by ear-drenched, distorted versions of the theme. Today, the meme is widely used to humorously describe situations requiring extreme haste, the anxiety of being late, or the act of finishing a task with reckless speed rather than quality.