The 'Space Buns' controversy erupted in late 2020 when an Animal Crossing: New Horizons player shared a screenshot of their character wearing a new 'puffy buns' hairstyle, referring to them as 'space buns.' The tweet sparked an intense debate on Twitter regarding cultural appropriation, as the hairstyle was specifically designed to represent Afro-textured hair (puffs). While some users defended the terminology as a common gaming trope, others argued that renaming cultural hairstyles erases their significance and identity. The incident became a definitive moment in internet discourse, frequently cited to illustrate the clash between gaming subcultures and social justice activism on platforms like Twitter.