History Main / FandomLifeCycle

* ''Literature/ReadyPlayerOne'': The fandom quickly reached Stage 3 following the book's 2011 publication; it was an instant bestseller that soon gained a large fanbase and earned much critical praise, although it also had a fair few detractors who were less impressed. The successful [[Film/ReadyPlayerOne2018 film adaptation]] in 2018 reached Stage 4, but the same didn't quite apply to the book, as by this point the detractors had also grown in number; while the film was mostly well-received, the book was increasingly seen as overrated and aging poorly. A major factor in this was the cultural fallout around Gamergate in 2014-2015, which severely damaged public perception of the online gaming fandom culture that the book was a homage to. This view only increased after the 2020 release of ''Literature/ReadyPlayerTwo'', which got largely [[{{Sequelitis}} negative reviews]], with even fans of the first book finding it underwhelming. These days both books have far fewer fans -- with some readers even viewing them as exemplifying "everything wrong with 'geek culture'" -- and ''Ready Player One'' sits at Stage 6b, bordering 6c (''Ready Player Two'' never really made it past Stage 1, mostly being known via its connection to the first book), although the far warmer reception towards the [[AdaptationDisplacement better-known]] movie may prevent it from becoming completely obscure.

* ''Webcomic/{{Homestuck}}'': During its lifespan, the comic oscillated between Stage 4 and Stage 5, becoming one of the most well-known webcomics in history, and even managed to mantain its popularity during heavy periods of hiatus thanks to the passionate fanbase. Over the 2010s in particular, ''Homestuck'' fandom discourse and works were ubiquitous in online spaces, as were cosplayers in troll makeup at conventions. However, a number of increasingly divisive narrative choices over the end of the comic's run caused fans to gradually lose interest or drift away from it. The rather disappointing and/or controversial side projects like ''VideoGame/HiveSwap'', ''Literature/TheHomestuckEpilogues'' and ''Webcomic/HomestuckBeyondCanon'' contributed to an incresingly severe decline in popularity, and failed to recapture the interest of most veteran fans or cause a new boom. Over time, this resulted in fandom activity dipping to Stage 6a or 6b -- fandom activity is still present online, but only a small shadow of what the fandom was at its height.

* ''Literature/ReadyPlayerOne'': The fandom quickly reached Stage 3 following the book's 2011 publication; it was an instant bestseller that soon gained a large fanbase and earned much critical praise, although it also had a fair few detractors who were less impressed. The successful [[Film/ReadyPlayerOne2018 film adaptation]] in 2018 reached Stage 4, but the same didn't quite apply to the book, as by this point the detractors had also grown in number; while the film was mostly well-received, the book was increasingly seen as overrated and aging poorly. A major factor in this was the cultural fallout around 2014-2015, which severaly damaged public perception of the online gaming fandom culture that the book was a homage to. This view only increased after the 2020 release of ''Literature/ReadyPlayerTwo'', which got largely [[{{Sequelitis}} negative reviews]], with even fans of the first book finding it underwhelming. These days both books have far fewer fans -- with some readers even viewing them as exemplifying "everything wrong with 'geek culture'" -- and ''Ready Player One'' sits at Stage 6b, bordering 6c (''Ready Player Two'' never really made it past Stage 1, mostly being known via its connection to the first book), although the far warmer reception towards the [[AdaptationDisplacement better-known]] movie may prevent it from becoming completely obscure.

* The ''Literature/{{Divergent}}'' books quickly made their way to Stage 3 after their publication between 2011 and 2013, helped by the success of ''The Hunger Games'', which popularised young adult dystopian fiction. Some dismissed ''Divergent'' as a ''Hunger Games'' rip-off but it had plenty of fans and the books were bestsellers, resulting in the books receiving movie adaptations that launched it to Stage 4 in 2014. However, declining interest in YA dystopia and the ill-fated decision to adapt ''Allegiant'' into [[DividedForAdaptation two movies]] took a toll on the franchise's popularity; ''Allegiant'' underperformed at the box office in 2016 which resulted in the final film, ''Ascendant'', going into DevelopmentHell, leaving the movie series [[OrphanedSeries unfinished]]. The franchise as a whole ended up slipping into Stage 6b; while some people have fond memories of the books and/or films from their adolescence, it's often stated that ''Divergent'' doesn't hold up as well as similar works like ''The Hunger Games'' and so ended up forgotten by most people.
* ''Literature/EarthsChildren'': Beginning with the publication of the first book, ''The Clan of the Cave Bear'', in 1980, the series sold well and proved highly popular (the name Ayla even received a [[BabyNameTrendStarter boost in popularity]] due this being the name of the main protagonist). The series straddled the line between Stage 3 and Stage 4 in the 1980s and early 1990s; it would possibly have more fully reached Stage 4 if it weren't for the huge failure of the 1986 film adaptation (which scuppered plans to adapt the sequels). Although the final two books also sold well, the [[SequelGap long stretches]] between their releases[[note]]12 years between ''The Plains of Passage'' and ''The Shelters of Stone'', 9 years between ''TSOS'' and ''The Land of Painted Caves''[[/note]] and mixed fan reception slowed the fandom's growth. It was still popular enough that a few years after the last book's publication in 2011 there was an attempt at a TV adaptation, but this fell through. These days, the series is largely at Stage 6a.

* The ''Literature/FiftyShadesOfGrey'' series is kind of a weird example. Both the books and their film adaptations were profitable and they're well-known in pop culture by now, but more out of infamy than widespread popularity. The original fanfic version, ''Master of the Universe'', became a cult hit, reaching Stage 2; after the fic was [[SerialNumbersFiledOff reworked into an original piece]] it reached Stage 3 at the height of its success in the 2010's, and possibly made it to Stage 4 after the first movie came out. Despite becoming popular very quickly after its publication, ''Fifty Shades'' also ended up with a ''lot'' of detractors. It's therefore hard to say if the series ever truly reached Stage 5 because despite many people outside the core fandom being aware of the books, it's mostly via jokes about the explicit content (including several parodies) and/or criticism over the series' portrayal of BDSM and romantic relationships.
* ''Literature/TheInheritanceCycle'': Stage 3, possibly Stage 4 at its peak. The hatedom was always rather vocal, but the fans were also numerous and towards the end, the trolls and haters sort of drifted away. Possibly could have headed towards Stage 5 if not for the abysmal failure of the ''Film/{{Eragon}}'' film release. Currently at 6a -- the set of short stories that was released around a decade after the final novel drew a fair bit of attention from fans, but didn't really spark much outside of that. The author Christopher Paolini has a new book that's starting a new series coming out in 2020. However, rumors of Disney greenlighting a live-action TV adaptation following the success of ''LiveActionTV/HisDarkMaterials'' may spark a revival.
* ''Literature/LandOfOz'': Stage 6a, peaking at Stage 5; the books were very popular in their day (aided by stage musicals and a small number of silent films in the 1910s and 20s), but in the 1950s and 60s the popularity of [[Film/TheWizardOfOz the 1939 MGM film]] exploded due to being VindicatedByCable and made Oz a permanent part of America's culture. This, however, had the side effect of pushing the books into MainstreamObscurity as they fell under the film's shadow; not helping is the fact that the handful of attempts to adapt the sequels since have been largely financially unsuccessful. Although the first book, ''Literature/TheWonderfulWizardOfOz'', is still widely-read, a lot of people know nothing of the existence of the 39 official sequels. The Oz book fandom today is small and tightly-knit but devoted, having shrunk back down to around a Stage 2, but with the infrastructure of a fandom that was once at Stage 5. That the decades-old International Wizard of Oz Club, two yearly conventions and their official yearly story collection ''Oziana'' are still going strong is a testament to how old, organized and large the fandom was at one time (the fandoms for the 1939 film and ''Theatre/{{Wicked}}'' help maintain these as well).

* ''Literature/MrMen'': A similar situation to ''Literature/{{Discworld}}'' - it's at Stage 5 in Europe and Japan, and Stage 2 elsewhere.

* As far as ''[[WesternAnimation/NoddysToylandAdventures Noddy]]'' is concerned, this trope depends on which version of the franchise it is and which country is being discussed:

* ''Literature/ReadyPlayerOne'' quickly reached Stage 3 following its 2011 publication; it was an instant bestseller that soon gained a large fanbase and earned much critical praise, although it also had a fair few detractors who were less impressed. The successful [[Film/ReadyPlayerOne2018 film adaptation]] in 2018 reached Stage 4, but the same didn't quite apply to the book, as by this point the detractors had also grown in number; while the film was mostly well-received, the book was increasingly seen as overrated and aging poorly. This view only increased after the 2020 release of ''Literature/ReadyPlayerTwo'', which got largely [[{{Sequelitis}} negative reviews]], with even fans of the first book finding it underwhelming. These days both books have far fewer fans - with some readers even viewing them as exemplifying "everything wrong with 'geek culture'" - and ''Ready Player One'' sits at Stage 6b, bordering 6c (''Ready Player Two'' never really made it past Stage 1, mostly being known via its connection to the first book), although the far warmer reception towards the [[AdaptationDisplacement better-known]] movie may prevent it from becoming completely obscure.
* ''Literature/{{Redwall}}'' was at Stage 4 at its peak (mostly in the U.K.), but is now at Stage 6b, mainly because much of its fanbase lost momentum due to ''Franchise/HarryPotter'' becoming the next big novel series among kids, the arrival of other {{Xenofiction}} franchises such as ''Literature/WarriorCats'', and the death of Brian Jacques. The animated series by Creator/{{Nelvana}} is at Stage 2, and the ''Lost Legends of Redwall'' games and the planned Creator/{{Netflix}} animated projects are seemingly aiming to get the franchise to Stage X.

* ''Film/{{Avatar}}'' reached a high Stage 4 when it was first released in 2009, becoming one of the highest grossing films of all time and being praised for its groundbreaking CGI. However, in the years since its release it fell to Stage 6a or 6b; while most people would have heard of ''Avatar'', few outside of a small fandom recalled much about the plot, characters and worldbuilding (even if they'd seen the film). It's also been noted that despite its massive financial success, it didn't leave much of an impact on pop culture and had essentially no activty on fan work websites. The sequels' long delay didn't help, with some believing it would end up as a StillbornFranchise. However, the release of ''Film/AvatarTheWayOfWater'' in 2022 resulted in a spike of new interest in ''Avatar'', with the teaser trailer getting millions of views and much praise. Prior to that, the Disney attraction ''Ride/PandoraTheWorldOfAvatar'' (which opened in 2017) also proved popular.

* ''Webcomic/{{Homestuck}}'' during its lifespan has oscillated between Stage 4 and Stage 5, becoming one of the most well-known web comics in ''history'' and even managed to mantain its popularity during heavy periods of hiatus thanks to the passionate fanbase, but is currently firmly in Stage 6: the conclusion of the comic and rather disappointing and/or controversial side projects like ''VideoGame/HiveSwap'', ''Literature/TheHomestuckEpilogues'' and ''Webcomic/HomestuckBeyondCanon'' led to a severe decline in popularity, failing to recapture the interest of most veteran fans or cause a new boom. Whether this is a case of a prolonged cooldown or outright oblivion will have to be seen.

* The ''[[WesternAnimation/Ducktales2017 Ducktales]]'' reboot series was at a Stage 3 for most of its run until the GrandFinale, where it went down to Stage 6a. In the process, it allowed the fandoms of all the ''WesternAnimation/DisneyAfternoon'' shows it referenced to reach Stage X, like ''WesternAnimation/AdventuresOfTheGummiBears'', ''WesternAnimation/TaleSpin'' and especially ''WesternAnimation/DarkwingDuck''.
* ''WesternAnimation/FanboyAndChumChum'' might as well be the prime definition of Stage X, as the series had gathered a massive {{hatedom}} as it was airing, with not many people liking or even caring for it. Long after it was cancelled (at around the time ''WesternAnimation/GlitchTechs'' was gaining some attention), the show suddenly boomed in popularity, and it gained a dedicated - if a bit niche fandom.

** ''WesternAnimation/MyLittlePonyFriendshipIsMagic'': It's surprise quality and memetic popularity put it and its [[Franchise/MyLittlePonyGeneration4 accompanying media]] at Stage 5 by the end of Season 2, generating the massive and well-organized [[PeripheryDemographic Brony fandom]] that's well known enough to be regularly mentioned by mainstream media establishing it as ingrained in general culture. After the SeriesFinale it became Stage 6a, remaining very large but slowly waning as fans moved on with many major conventions closing. The SequelSeries ''[[Franchise/MyLittlePonyGeneration5 Generation 5]]'' was able to get a Stage X with ''WesternAnimation/MyLittlePonyANewGeneration'', but later media failed to measure up to the high standards of popularity, putting things at Stage 4 (with G5 being a Stage 3 if seen as separate).

* ''WesternAnimation/TotalDrama'': Currently at Stage 3, but is nearing the brink of Stage 4.
** ''WesternAnimation/TotalDramaPresentsTheRidonculousRace'': Currently at Stage 3, but is nearing the brink of Stage 4.

* ''WesternAnimation/TheWildThornberrys'' was at Stage 3 during its run. Now it's at Stage 6a.

** ''WesternAnimation/MyLittlePonyFriendshipIsMagic'': It's surprise quality and memetic popularity put it and its [[Franchise/MyLittlePonyGeneration4 accompanying media]] at Stage 5 by the end of Season 2, generating the massive and well-organized [[PeripheryDemographic Brony fandom]] that's well known enough to be regularly mentioned by mainstream media establishing it as ingrained in general culture. After the SeriesFinale it became Stage 6a, remaining very large but slowly waning as fans moved on with many major conventions closing. The SequelSeries ''[[Franchise/MyLittlePonyGeneration5 Generation 5]]'' was able to get a Stage X with ''WesternAnimation/MyLittlePonyANewGeneration'', but later media failed to measure up to the high standards of popularity, putting things at Stage 4 (with G5 being a Stage 3 if seen a separate).

* ''WesternAnimation/MyLittlePonyFriendshipIsMagic'': You can make an argument for every stage from 4 on.
** Stage 4 "large and organized," without a doubt. Sites like ''Blog/EquestriaDaily'' and Platform/FimfictionDotNet are still running strong, and fan artists are still making things left and right.
** Stage 5 (sufficiently ingrained in contemporary culture for even the people not familiar with it to know a lot about it). The fanbase has been referenced on ''Series/SaturdayNightLive'' (not positively, mind you, but then no "nerdy" thing ever is), ''Series/TheColbertReport'', ''Series/TheDailyShowWithJonStewart'', and so on, and the general populace are aware that bronies exist. Andy Price, one of the comic artists, [[http://www.syfy.com/syfywire/the-secrets-of-the-my-little-pony-fandom makes an argument that MLP is still in this stage in a "Fandom Files" podcast.]]
** Stage 6: While 2012-2015 is largely considered to be the "golden age", with 2015 being the year in which convention attendance and fan activity was the highest, it is hard to deny that the fandom as a whole has changed. Whether that be for better or for worse remains to be seen, but there are arguments for a Stage 6 existence. Many would argue that the fandom started to decline while the show was still running, with many bronies during this period "losing the spark" and leaving the fandom. Soon, several conventions began closing their doors permanently (including flagship con [=BronyCon=], closing in 2019), a sign that representation was dwindling. By the time the show actually ended in 2019, the Brony fandom was already a shell of its former self, with many remaining fans jumping ship to Generation 5 with the 2021 release of the movie ''WesternAnimation/MyLittlePonyANewGeneration'' (which led to a brief albeit notable resurgence in the fandom). While G4 continues to attract new fans, the Brony fandom as a whole currently has nowhere near the relevance that it had during its heyday.

* ''Manga/TokyoMewMew'' started out at Stage 1 and then went to Stage 4 before going to Stage 6b where it is currently at (other than it being a CultClassic). The planned reboot, however, is aiming for Stage X.

* ''Film/{{Avatar}}'' reached a high Stage 4 when it was first released in 2009, becoming one of the highest grossing films of all time and being praised for its groundbreaking CGI. However, in the years since its release it fell to Stage 6a or 6b; while it's likely the average person will have heard of ''Avatar'', fewer people outside the hardcore fandom will be able to tell you much about the plot, characters and worldbuilding (even if they've seen the film). It's also been noted that despite its massive financial success, it didn't leave much of an impact on pop culture. The sequels' long delay didn't help, with some believing it would end up as a StillbornFranchise. However, when it was announced that ''Film/AvatarTheWayOfWater'' would finally be released in 2022, interest in ''Avatar'' spiked, with the teaser trailer getting millions of views and much praise. Prior to that, the Disney attraction ''Ride/PandoraTheWorldOfAvatar'' (which opened in 2017) also proved popular. Time will tell if this launches ''Avatar'' to Stage X, with longtime fans being especially enthusiastic.

* ''VideoGame/SlyCooper'': The original three games by Creator/SuckerPunch sit at Stage 4 and are critically acclaimed [=PlayStation=] 2 classics. Conversely, ''[[VideoGame/SlyCooperThievesInTime Thieves in Time]]'' by Creator/SanzaruGames has slipped into around Stage 6a or 6b over the years due to its [[LeftHanging cliffhanger ending]] and weaker quality, but some aspects of it are still liked and fans are known to exaggerate the disdain given to it for humor, preventing it from being an outright case of 6c.

** ''Manga/{{Unico}}'' is Stage 5 in Japan, while in American it was at Stage 3 due to the [[Anime/TheFantasticAdventuresOfUnico movies]] [[Anime/UnicoInTheIslandOfmagic frequently]] airing on Creator/DisneyChannel throughout the 1980s. Nowadays the Unico series is at Stage 2 with dedicated American fans managing to get the original manga series an official translation thanks to a successful [[Website/{{Kickstarter}} kickstarter]] in 2012. In Mexico, Spain, and France it's at Stage 2. As of TheNewTwenties, the series is currently aiming at Stage X for the American and international market with a re-imagining/reboot of the series called ''[[Manga/UnicoAwakening Unico: Awakening]]'' scheduled for a Summer 2024 release.

* When ''VideoGame/{{OFF}}'' was first released, it was around Stage 1. However, a fan translation in 2012 boosted its popularity and, in the following years, it reached Stage 2 bordering on 3 thanks to its massive fanbase on Website/{{Tumblr}}. Now, it's a stage 6a, still having a small but dedicated fanbase.

* The ''WesternAnimation/ChipNDaleRescueRangers'' fandom has always been dedicated, but rather small and rather obscure, never going beyond early Stage 2. In [[TheNineties the early to mid-'90s]], in the times of the {{UsefulNotes/Usenet}}, the general ''[[WesternAnimation/TheDisneyAfternoon Disney Afternoon]]'' fandom was carried by [[FanCommunityNicknames Rangerphiles]] who ran the newsgroup alt.fan.disney.afternoon, the DAFT mailing list and the ''Where the Fun Begins'' fanzine. However, the show was overshadowed by ''WesternAnimation/DuckTales1987'', ''WesternAnimation/DarkwingDuck'' and even ''WesternAnimation/TaleSpin'' in popularity, and even many fans of these shows don't know that a ''CDRR'' fandom exists in the first place. Add to this some nasty generalizing prejudices against [[FanCommunityNickname the Rangerdom]] of which being focused on [[Rule34 Gadget porn]][[note]]Those who are deep enough in the fandom to call themselves "Rangerphiles" actually oppose porn of show characters[[/note]] is the most harmless, and even people who do discover the existence of a ''CDRR'' fandom steer clear of it.\\

* ''Franchise/ResidentEvil'': Has been a firm Stage 5 for a while now, being considered the premiere horror game series and Creator/{{Capcom}}'s biggest CashCowFranchise. As for specific entries, the mainline titles [[VideoGame/ResidentEvil 1]] to [[VideoGame/ResidentEvilVillage 8]] are generally at Stage 5, while ''[[VideoGame/ResidentEvil0 0]]'' and ''[[VideoGame/ResidentEvilCodeVeronica Code: Veronica]]'' at a 3.

* ''Franchise/ResidentEvil'': Has been a firm Stage 5 for a while now, being considered the premiere horror game series and Creator/{{Capcom}}'s biggest CashCowFranchise. As for specific entries, [[VideoGame/ResidentEvil 1]] through [[VideoGame/ResidentEvilVillage 8]] are generally at Stage 5, while ''[[VideoGame/ResidentEvil0 0]]'' and ''[[VideoGame/ResidentEvilCodeVeronica Code: Veronica]]'' at a 3.

* ''Franchise/ResidentEvil'': Has been a firm Stage 5 for a while now, being considered the premiere horror game series and Creator/{{Capcom}}'s biggest CashCowFranchise. As for specific entries, [[VideoGame/ResidentEvil1 the]] [[VideoGame/ResidentEvil2 first]] [[VideoGame/ResidentEvil3Nemesis four]] [[VideoGame/ResidentEvil4 games]] are all at Stage 5, while ''[[VideoGame/ResidentEvil5 5]]'' and ''[[VideoGame/ResidentEvil6 6]]'' are at a 4, with ''[[VideoGame/ResidentEvil0 0]]'' and ''[[VideoGame/ResidentEvilCodeVeronica Code: Veronica]]'' at a 3, and ''[[VideoGame/ResidentEvil7 7]]'' and ''[[VideoGame/ResidentEvilVillage Village]]'' bringing it back to 5.

* Music/{{Nirvana}}: During the height of the band's popularity, they were at Stage 4. After Music/KurtCobain's suicide in 1994, they disbanded and slipped down to 6b. Currently, the band is on the border between Stages 5 and 6a. Their albums outside of ''Music/{{Nevermind|Album}}'' suffer a bit more MainstreamObscurity, which was the case even when the band was active (Cobain joked during his well-remembered Unplugged performance that most people didn't own his first album).

* Prior to 2019, Creator/BlizzardEntertainment was sitting mostly between Stage 3 and 4, with a couple exceptions. ''VideoGame/StarCraft'' and ''VideoGame/{{Overwatch}}'' were firmly in Stage 5 in South Korea. Older games like ''VideoGame/TheLostVikings'' were Stage 2. ''VideoGame/HeroesOfTheStorm'' was either 2 or 3, being notably less popular than Blizzard's other games and also its [[VideoGame/Dota2 main]] [[VideoGame/LeagueOfLegends competitors]]. However, starting around 2019, the company would find themselves [[OvershadowedByControversy being hit with a lot of controversies]], and the company along with many of their games would themselves currently sitting at 6c.

* When ''VideoGame/FridayNightFunkin'' was released during Ludum Dare 47, it was squarely at Stage 0a, barely making it past the top 300 in ratings. Over the course of a few weeks, however, the game rapidly gained popularity among players, and is now the most well-known game of the entire game jam (the game itself is the highest-rated game on Website/{{Newgrounds}}). As the months went by and new content was added to the game, the fandom quickly grew to Stage 4 bordering on Stage 5, with many people experiencing the rhythm game genre for the first time thanks to this game. Because of the game's newfound popularity (along with the many [[GameMod mods]] available to download), it helped give other works, such as ''VideoGame/{{Pico}}'' and ''WebAnimation/MadnessCombat'', the NewbieBoom these franchises needed.

* The ''VideoGame/{{Pico}}'' series as a whole has always been at Stage 5 on Website/{{Newgrounds}}, as Pico, Nene, and Darnell were the first official mascots of the website until [[WebAnimation/{{Tankmen}} Tankman's]] introduction in 2006. In mainstream culture, the series has been at Stage 2 or 3 mainly due to both the controversial subjects of their respective origin games [[note]] in order: ''Darnell Plays With Fire'' dealt with the titular character's pyromania, ''Nene's Interactive Suicide'' dealt with the titular character attempting suicide, and ''Pico's School'' was social commentary on the then-recent [[UsefulNotes/{{Columbine}} Columbine Massacre]]. [[/note]] and reuploads of various flash animations of Pico and his friends to Platform/{{Youtube}}. With the introduction of Pico as a GuestFighter in ''VideoGame/FridayNightFunkin'', the fandom is quickly going to Stage X, as many people discover Pico's origins for the first time.

* ''Website/{{Newgrounds}}'' slowly grew to stage 4 at its peak due to the website being one of the main outlets for people to share their Flash creations alongside websites like Platform/{{DeviantArt}}. However, due to the rise of Platform/YouTube among other video-sharing platforms in the mid-2000s, along with the impending discontinuation of Adobe's Flash player in 2020, it went to 6a. With the release of ''VideoGame/FridayNightFunkin'', its popularity went to Stage X, with many people discovering the site for the first time and renewing interest in Newgrounds as a whole.

* ''Franchise/MyHeroAcademia'' went from Stage 2 to Stage 5 within a few months. [[Manga/MyHeroAcademia The anime's]] first season didn't do well in Japan, but it caught on a bit more internationally due to its superhero aesthetic. The anime really hit it big after ''Naruto'' ended. Suddenly a lot of ''Naruto'' fans drifted to ''My Hero Academia'' and the anime boomed in popularity. It then quickly caught the eye of DC and Marvel fans who normally don't watch anime. Airing on Creator/{{Toonami}} helped it become even mainstream. ''My Hero Academia'' is one of the most popular anime on Website/ArchiveOfOurOwn, eclipsing even its rivals like ''Naruto'' and ''Franchise/OnePiece''.

* ''Series/TheSootyShow'': Stage 5 in the United Kingdom and Ireland, with a smaller following in Australia and New Zealand, and 2 at best in other countries (despite being on TV in some form since 1955, it never quite made it over to the United States, although the advent of Website/YouTube recently made it possible to view the show in the US and elsewhere).

* ''Franchise/KingdomHearts'': Currently hovers between Stage 3 and 4. Debuted with Stage 1, approached Stage 2 after the release of ''Chain of Memories'', but the fandom absolutely exploded following the release of ''VideoGame/KingdomHeartsII'', easily making it to Stage 4 and staying that way for over a decade. Fanfiction and fanart in particular boomed in popularity, and ''Kingdom Hearts'' took the top "Video Games" spot on Website/FanFictionDotNet following ''II'''s release, with the gap only growing wider with the releases of ''358/2 Days'' and ''Birth by Sleep'', until the mid-2010s when ''Franchise/{{Pokemon}}'' took its place during a long hiatus between the releases of ''Dream Drop Distance'' and ''III''. Even now after the release of ''III'' and the series being 20 years old, the fandom remains in Stage 4, though its level of activity is far less than it was back in its heyday between 2006-2012.

* The ''VideoGame/{{Pico}}'' series as a whole has always been at Stage 5 on Website/{{Newgrounds}}, as Pico, Nene, and Darnell were the first official mascots of the website until [[WebAnimation/{{Tankmen}} Tankman's]] introduction in 2006. In mainstream culture, the series has been at Stage 2 or 3 mainly due to both the controversial subjects of their respective origin games [[note]] in order: ''Darnell Plays With Fire'' dealt with the titular character's pyromania, ''Nene's Interactive Suicide'' dealt with the titular character attempting suicide, and ''Pico's School'' was social commentary on the then-recent [[UsefulNotes/{{Columbine}} Columbine Massacre]]. [[/note]] and reuploads of various flash animations of Pico and his friends to [[Website/{{Youtube}} YouTube]]. With the introduction of Pico as a GuestFighter in ''VideoGame/FridayNightFunkin'', the fandom is quickly going to Stage X, as many people discover Pico's origins for the first time.

* ''WebAnimation/HappyTreeFriends'' stayed at Stage 4 for the majority of its [[LongRunner run]], due to its SubvertedKidsShow nature, as well as the [[BloodyHilarious over-the-top ways how the characters die every episode]]. With the show's [[SeriesHiatus on-again-off-again hiatus]], as well as the underperformance of the "Still Alive" package[[note]]For $6.99 USD, you could watch five ''[=HTF=]'' episodes. The [[ItsShortSoItSucks length]] of these episodes likely led to the poor sales, with most fans only saying it would be worth it if you wanted to support the creators.[[invoked]][[/note]] on top of the show’s [[QuietlyCancelled quiet cancellation]], the fandom went to Stage 6b, only being still alive (no pun intended) due to fan content and the infamy of the "[[Recap/HTFYouTubeCopyrightLawsuitSchool YouTube Copyright School]]" video that was still being used by [=YouTube=] to teach copyright strikees how to avoid any more copyright strikes as late as ''the mid-2010s'', long after ''Happy Tree Friends'' saw its relevance pass. However, the fandom is quickly going to Stage X because of reaction/retrospective videos on Website/YouTube and two [[VideoGame/VSFlippy fanmade]] [[VideoGame/VsFlippyFlippedOut Flippy mods]] for ''VideoGame/FridayNightFunkin''.

* ''Website/DeviantArt'': Stage 5. While many people have left because of a widely-hated layout change called "Eclipse," and people are still leaving, it still remains the largest, most popular website for artists. This is partly because many feel there is not a lot of good alternatives for them to go to, though some like or are neutral to the changes. In 2011, it was the thirteenth largest social network, and in 2017, the site had more than 25 million registered members. This number has rose to over 61 million registered members.

* ''Website/{{Newgrounds}}'' slowly grew to stage 4 at its peak due to the website being one of the main outlets for people to share their Flash creations alongside websites like ''Website/{{DeviantArt}}''. However, due to the rise of ''Website/YouTube'' among other video sharing platforms in the mid 2000s, along with the impending discontinuation of Adobe's Flash player in 2020, it went to 6a. With the release of ''VideoGame/FridayNightFunkin'', its popularity went to Stage X, with many people discovering the site for the first time and renewing interest in Newgrounds as a whole.
* ''Website/{{YouTube}}'' is a solid Stage 5, having become mainstream enough for people to claim that [[https://byrslf.co/youtube-is-gradually-replacing-television-3d8ae63525bd it's killing television]].
* ''Website/{{YTMND}}'' reached Stage 4, having substantial influence on Internet culture. However, as video sharing websites became more available, the site's popularity gradually declined. Currently, YTMND has reached Stage 6b, having a very small fanbase.

* ''WebOriginal/{{Creamsicle}}'' leaped to Stage 3 or 4 in under a ''week'' of being created. However, it was short lived and became 6c by 2013. In 2019 it became Stage X when "Gatekeeping Yuri" became a meme.

* ''WebVideo/{{Aventures}}'': Stage 2. It has a significant fandom, but not very vocal outside of Website/FanFictionDotNet and Website/DeviantArt.

* ''WesternAnimation/MoralOrel'' started at Stage 1 back in 2005 due to Adult Swim [[ScrewedByTheNetwork screwing with the first season's scheduling]], which gave off a bad first impression. Moved to Stage 2 in 2006 to the show's cancellation in 2008 for the people who stuck around or started later. It would quickly bounce back to Stage X in the New 10's and the 2020's due to retrospective videos and reuploads of clips from the series to Website/YouTube.

** Stage 4 "large and organized," without a doubt. Sites like ''Blog/EquestriaDaily'' and Website/FimfictionDotNet are still running strong, and fan artists are still making things left and right.

** [[Literature/JurassicPark The book]] and [[Literature/TheLostWorld1995 its sequel]] are somewhere between Stages 2 and 3 (with the first book being better known). They were bestsellers upon their publication and many people are aware that the movies were based on them, but far fewer people have ever actually read them compared to those who have watched the films (especially as ''The Lost World'' film adaptation bears even less resemblance to the book than the first installments). They're generally highly-regarded by ''Jurassic Park'' fans though, the first book more so than the second.
** The [[Film/JurassicPark first film]] is at a comfortable Stage 5; practically everyone recognizes the name and logo, knows the basic plot and are familiar with key scenes such as the t-rex's footsteps causing ripples, the t-rex in the wing mirror, or the raptor breathing against the door (these scenes also get parodied or referenced in other works a lot). It was at one point the highest grossing film ever and had quite an impact on public perception of dinosaurs, accurate or not (no, velociraptors aren't actually 6 feet tall). It's also the only film in the franchise selected for preservation by the Library of Congress for being "culturally, historically, or aesthetically significant."

* ''Animation/FlowerFairy'' is probably around Stage 3 or 4 in China, not being the most popular Chinese cartoon of all time but nevertheless having upwards of 200 episodes and a dedicated fanbase with plenty of fanart.

* The ''VideoGame/{{Yakuza}}'' games remained somewhere between stages 1 and 2 for most of its history outside of Japan. The release of ''VideoGame/Yakuza0'' brought the series a lot of attention, due to it being seen as one of the best games of 2017, a year already filled to the brim with [[VideoGame/NierAutomata other]] [[VideoGame/HorizonZeroDawn critically]]-[[VideoGame/TheLegendOfZeldaBreathOfTheWild acclaimed]] [[VideoGame/Persona5 video]] [[VideoGame/SuperMarioOdyssey games]], not to mention that it, being a prequel, was the perfect place to start the series, which now sits at stage 4.

** Due to the lack of an accompanying anime to export however, the franchise remained pretty obscure in the west for the 90s and 00, given the unpopularity of the manga format outside of Japan. With the only media exported to the west being ''Stardust Crusaders'' related (the APPP OVAs or the Capcom arcade game), Part 3 sat at a Stage 2 at most, with the rest of the series at Stage 1.

* Thanks to [[Series/TheBoys2019 their]] [[WesternAnimation/Invincible2021 respective]] Creator/AmazonPrime adaptations, the fanbases of both ''ComicBook/TheBoys'' and ''ComicBook/{{Invincible}}'' began growing and [[FriendlyFandoms getting along with each other]] due to how similar they are.

** ''Make Way For Noddy'' is a Stage 5 in the United Kingdom, the Commonwealth, the United States (thanks to airings on Creator/PBSKidsSprout) and Brazil. In fact, in the latter two countries, it's the first thing that comes to mind when you mention ''Noddy''.

* Music/JackStauber is currently around a stage 2 or 3.

* Music/{{Madonna}}: Stage 5, albeit Stage 6a with her music since TheNewTens.

* Music/{{Kraftwerk}}: Stage 5 in Germany and [[GermansLoveDavidHasselhoff Italy]], Stage 4 everywhere else. Despite being arguably as influential as The Beatles they’re generally less well-known than a lot of the bands they inspired, outside of their home country.
* Music/MarilynManson: At the height of the band's popularity it was at Stage 4, bordering on Stage 5, but after 1999 it has since become Stage 6a. These days, people outside the fandom mostly know of the band not by their music but due to allegations of sexual assault and abuse made against some of the members in the late 2010s and early 2020s, including against lead singer Marilyn Manson, along with other controversies.

* Music/{{Pendulum|Band}}: Stage 4 in Australia and the UK, Stage 3 elsewhere.

* Music/TheWanted: Was Stage 2 or 3 at best, but has since fallen to Stage 6b.

* ''VideoGame/{{Roblox}}'': Was a Stage 2 during its first few years. Ascended into Stage 3 or 4 during the early [[TheNewTens New Tens]] and firmly Stage 5 from 2017 onwards.

* Nyan Cat was at Stage 3 during its heyday, but is now at Stage 6c. It still gets referenced in various VOCALOID and VOCALOID-adjacent rhythm games every so often, however.

* ''WebVideo/Lonelygirl15'': Stage 3 in the late 2000s/early 2010s, now at Stage 6b.

* ''WesternAnimation/MaoMaoHeroesOfPureHeart'': Stage 2, but peaking at Stage 3.
* ''WesternAnimation/MiraculousLadybug'': When it first started airing in the states, it lied somewhere between Stage 2 and Stage 3. It has a ''huge'' amount of fanworks (even back when all that existed was the 2012 trailer, it had hundreds of fanfics and even more fanart) but had not seemed to become a very mainstream cartoon like the ''WesternAnimation/GravityFalls'' or ''WesternAnimation/StevenUniverse'' fandoms yet (likely due to Nickelodeon's shabby treatment of the show in the US). When it moved to Creator/{{Netflix}}, it got a lot more popular and therefore, making it almost as popular as the two aforementioned shows.

* [[https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/False_memory#Mandela_effect The Mandela effect]]. Peaked at Stage 4 during 2016-2017, then became stuck at Stage 6c. (but still warranted [[MandelaEffect a trope here]])
* Theatre/TheRockAfireExplosion: Peaked at Stage 4 in the 80s, now at Stage 6a.
* Creator/ChuckECheese is on the border between Stages 4 and 5 .

* ''Webcomic/{{Homestuck}}'' during its lifespan has oscillated between Stage 4 and Stage 5, becoming one of the most well-known web comics in ''history'' and even managed to mantain its popularity during heavy periods of hiatus thanks to the passionate fanbase, but is currently firmly in Stage 6: the conclusion of the comic and rather dissapointing and/or controversial side projects like ''VideoGame/HiveSwap'', ''Literature/TheHomestuckEpilogues'' and ''Webcomic/Homestuck2'' led to a severe decline in popularity, failing to recapture the interest of most veteran fans or cause a new boom. Whether this is a case of a prolonged cooldown or outright oblivion will have to be seen.