Top 10 Unexpected Fandoms
Top 10 Unexpected Fandoms
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Talk about stranger than fan fiction. Welcome to WatchMojo.com and today we’ll be counting down our picks for the Top 10 Unexpected Fandoms. For this list, we’re taking a look at random, surprising fandoms with passionate followings. These can be deemed “unexpected” based on the demographic of fans, or because they’re not the most traditional things to have such a dedicated fan base.
#10: Insane Clown Posse
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Between “American Horror Story” and Stephen King’s “It,” the evil clown phenomenon has exploded into popularity as of late. Long before the 2016 clown sightings, however, Insane Clown Posse were painting their faces black and white. Founded by Violent J and Shaggy 2 Dope in 1989, this hardcore hip-hop duo has earned two platinum albums, as well as five gold. What’s more, the group has accumulated a legion of fans known as Juggalos, or Juggalettes, a term that stemmed from a live performance of the song, “The Juggla,” in 1994. There’s even an annual festival called the Gathering of the Juggalos, which attracted a record of more than 20,000 attendees in 2010.
#9: “Warriors” series (2003-)
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The fantasy genre spans across countless fandoms. When it comes to viral videos, cute cats are almost always guaranteed to rake in views. You wouldn’t think dark fantasy and feral felines would ever go together, however. Nevertheless, the adventures of the Warrior Cats have exploded into popularity since debuting in 2003. Developed by Victoria Holmes (alongside other writers) under the pseudonym of Erin Hunter, the “Warriors” novel series centers on four cat clans and their epic escapades in the forest. While the premise may sound odd on paper, the books take inspiration from J.K. Rowling, J.R.R. Tolkien, and even Shakespeare. Young and old readers have gravitated towards the series’ mature themes, inspiring a plethora of fan art.
#8: “Homestuck” (2009-)
Through “MS Paint Adventures,” Andrew Hussie has created several webcomics, and “Homestuck” has gained the most attention by far. The story follows John Egbert, a thirteen-year-old who accidentally ends the world by playing a computer game. While the artwork may appear simplistic, the plot is as complicated as it is lengthy. Millions of unique visitors flock to the comic’s website each day, and a “Homestuck” Flash animation even caused Newgrounds to crash due to the high volume of views. Among the fan community are actor Dante Basco of “Hook” and cartoonist Bryan Lee O'Malley of “Scott Pilgrim.” There was even a Kickstarter for a “Homestuck” adventure game that raised over $2 million. Now that’s a homerun!
#7: Nerdfighteria
Out of context, one might assume that a “Nerdfighter” is somebody who goes around fighting nerds. The term actually stems from the VlogBrothers, Hank and John Green – the latter of whom misread a copy of the “Aero Fighters” arcade game as “Nerd Fighters.” As these YouTube personalities put it, Nerdfighters are people who are made up of pure awesome rather than cells and organisms. Together, the Nerdfighteria subculture battles against “world suck,” meaning “the amount of suck in the world.” This fandom has inspired numerous charitable causes, including the Project for Awesome. While the lingo may sound a bit strange, this fan community has taught us one crucial thing: “Don’t forget to be awesome!”
#6: “Five Nights at Freddy’s” series (2014-)
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Whether you preferred Chuck E. Cheese’s or ShowBiz Pizza growing up, we can all agree that those animatronic animals were creepy. These robots provided the inspiration for “Five Nights at Freddy’s,” a survival horror franchise where you’ll come for the food and stay for the frights. Given their jump scare nature, these games were tailor-made for Let’s Play videos, becoming one of the most popular series on YouTube. That being said, the “Five Nights at Freddy’s” fan community has received a rather “toxic” reputation. Despite all the “bad fan art” and “bad fan fiction” out there, creator Scott Cawthon has also noted all the “awesome theories” and “good conversations” that have come from this unlikely fandom.
#5: Once-Lings
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Reading “The Lorax” as children, we all wondered what the Once-ler’s concealed face might look like. In the 2012 film adaption of the classic children's book, the incognito figure was finally revealed. The modern take on the character wasn’t exactly what most audiences were expecting. Even more unexpectedly, the film gave birth to a new fan community known as “Once-Lings.” This fandom is largely comprised of women in their late teen and twenties who are attracted to the Once-ler. There’s also a ton of fan art depicting the good and evil versions of this character performing acts of um… “Oncest.” Not even Ed Helms, who voiced the Once-ler, could’ve foreseen such a zealous fan response.
#4: “Sonic the Hedgehog” series (1991-)
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Being the Sega mascot, it shouldn’t come as a surprise that Sonic was among the defining gaming icons of the ‘90s. What is surprising is that Sonic has maintained such a dedicated fandom, despite the fact that his games have drastically dipped in quality over the years. Although Mario ultimately triumphed over him in the console wars, Sonic’s diehard fan base will always stand by him. Outside of the games, the short-lived “Sonic the Hedgehog” cartoon has also developed an unexpected following. When the complete series was released on DVD, the box set actually included exclusive fan art. Speaking of which, if you look up Sonic fan art online… come equipped with a censor bar.
#3: Cumberbitches
Back in 2016, the “SNL” writers tried to solve a mystery that’s been plaguing popculture for years: “why is Benedict Cumberbatch hot?” By the end of the sketch, even a jealous Beck Bennett comes to understand the English actor’s appeal. His poised, confident performance as Sherlock Holmes helped establish Cumberbatch as an unexpected sex symbol. Cumberbatch himself is flattered that so many find him attractive, but he was thrown for a loop upon learning the name of his supporters: “Cumberbitches.” It’s often been debated whether this name should be construed as sexist, vulgar, humorous, or all of the above. One thing is for certain, though: people love Mr. Cumberbatch.
#2: Phish
The success story behind this American rock band seems to defy all logic. That’s not to say Phish lack talent. On the contrary, the group’s ability to cover so many different genres with their sound is a testament to their musical gifts. However, it’s hard to explain how Phish managed to get so big with little to no exposure on the radio or television. Positive word of mouth – including fans exchanging bootleg recordings of their shows – helped put Phish on the map, leading to them selling millions of albums and tickets to their live performances. What makes this all the more impressive is that the band was formed back in 1983, long before the Internet made sharing music so easy.
#1: “My Little Pony: Friendship Is Magic” (2010-)
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“My Little Pony” was one of the most successful toy lines throughout the ‘80s. When Hasbro rebooted the franchise in 2010 with the “Friendship Is Magic” television series, it naturally attracted a new generation of young girls – the show’s target demographic. However, the show also won over a legion of older, male viewers who proudly call themselves “bronies.” This fandom has gone on to inspire everything from memes, to conventions, to YouTube channels. There’s even a documentary entitled, “Bronies: The Extremely Unexpected Adult Fans of My Little Pony.” The showrunners are well aware of their fan base, and have occasionally poked fun at it. Who knew “My Little Pony” could be so meta?
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