The transformation of the chewing graphic from fandom staple to mainstream meme was driven by mobile video editors like CapCut. In early 2021, creators started uploading the looping chewing face against bright chroma-key green backgrounds. This lowered the barrier to remixing to zero.
Video editors no longer needed vector editing software or Adobe Flash project files. Anyone with a smartphone could import the green screen asset, strip the background with a single tap, and pin the chewing animation directly onto their pet cat, a politician giving a speech, or a loaf of bread. The visual was routinely paired with pitched-up "nom nom nom" Foley sounds, creating an instantly repeatable gag format.
This dynamic stripped the asset of its original context. Millions of viewers who watched videos featuring the frantic chewing mouth had no idea it originated from an indie series about sentient inanimate objects battling for an island. To the wider internet, it was simply an open-source visual gag.
