The Closure Of TikTok Would Leave An Otaku Without A Girlfriend

As of February 9, 2020, TikTok user @/esteblook has maintained one of the most consistent and unique series on the platform: the challenge of performing the Chika Dance every day until he gets a girlfriend. To date, the young man has uploaded a total of 1,804 videos, demonstrating unwavering dedication to his personal goal, which is to get a girlfriend. However, now, with the threat of TikTok being banned in the United States, this guy faces the possibility that his video series will end without having achieved its goal.

The Chika Dance is a popular choreography that originated in the anime “Kaguya-sama: Love is War,” which began airing in 2019. The dance is performed by the character Chika Fujiwara, who, in one of the anime’s most memorable moments, performs a series of exaggerated and energetic dance moves in a comedic moment in the episode. What started as a comedy scene became a viral phenomenon.with thousands of fans replicating the dance in their own versions on platforms like YouTube, Twitter, and, of course, TikTok.

The Chika Dance has transcended the anime universe to become a symbol of fun and lightness, and @esteblook took advantage of that popularity to create his video series. In his daily posts, the young man has shown his own interpretation of the dance, adding his personal touch and a touch of humor that has helped him gain a loyal fan base. Each @esteblook video includes the same Chika Dance song, and as part of the challenge, he promises to keep dancing every day until he manages to find a girlfriend.

@esteblook Replying to @esteblook Please Watch the previous video if you haven’t #chikadanceforlife #esteblook #Otaku #anime #weeb #kaguyasama #chikafujiwara #kaguyasamaloveiswar #loveiswar #chikadance ♬ original sound – xiaoleung

Despite the popularity it has gained, “@esteblook” is now facing an uncertain situation. TikTok, the platform that has been home to its challenger, is under threat of being banned in the United States due to growing concerns over data privacy and security. US President Joe Biden signed a law in April 2024 forcing TikTok’s parent company, Bytedance, to sell its assets in the country by January 19, 2025, or face a federal ban. Although TikTok has requested a postponement of the law’s application, the future of the platform is uncertain, and the possibility of the application being closed in the country next Sunday is increasingly closer.

For “@esteblook,” this means that his video series could end abruptly, without him having achieved his personal goal of finding a girlfriend. Although his challenge has gained widespread attention on TikTok, with thousands of people following him and participating in Chika Dance parodies, the fact that the platform is about to shut down in the US could end his project unexpectedly.

And there was no shortage of community comments:

«Use a VPN please».
«It’s not about you getting a girlfriend, it’s about the memories you made along the way».
«Man, I’ve been following you for a couple of years and the only thing I can say is thank you. I honestly hope that one day you find the right person.».
«Maybe the girlfriend was the friends we made along the way».
«We’d love to see you do content in the gym and see how you progress».
«It’s been fun, man, your videos have been there since I started high school and now that I’ve graduated, it’s been an honor.».
«Please make a YouTube, I NEED to see you find love».
«I’m so glad I met you <3 I'm excited to continue hanging out with you and being friends».
«Thanks man for all these videos you made here».
«Jokes aside, I really love you, brother, and I’m so happy to have met you. The kindest and most constant person I know».
«I think I’m going to miss seeing you randomly show up doing the Chika Dance. I never thought it would be the app that would close for this to end».
«He seems to be such a nice, well-spoken guy. May God bless you always and I wish you the best on your path, no matter what happens with the app!».
«What a shame that this app is being banned. I think one of your videos from a few years ago got me into the show, which ended up being one of my favorite series, so thank you for introducing me to it!».
«I’m glad we became friends and I hope we stay in touch 🥺 It’s really sad that the memories we all made here are going to be lost».

Meanwhile, TikTok has warned that a third of its 170 million US users would stop using the app if the ban goes ahead. This could mean a massive loss of content created by users like @esteblook, whose video series has been a clear example of the influence TikTok has had on many people’s lives.

Fountain: TikTok Official Account