Japanese users fed up with ‘Barbenheimer’ hype are making 9/11 memes

The same-day release of two polar opposite highly acclaimed films, Barbie and Oppenheimer, not only gave movie fanatics the cinematic double feature of the summer but also inspired a wave of memes.

In retaliation to the widespread Barbenheimer memes, however, some Japanese users started editing 9/11 references and imagery in hopes of familiarizing American fans with what the atomic bombing references feel like to Japanese audiences.

On July 21, the official account for Gerwig’s film, @barbiethemovie, replied to one such edit, which depicted Margot Robbie’s character sitting on the shoulders of Cillian Murphy’s J. Robert Oppenheimer with an explosion in the back. “It’s going to be a summer to remember,” the now-deleted post said, decorated with kissing and heart emojis.

See more of the Barbenheimer memes and read about the backlash at The Daily Dot.