Digital Folklore: The Unsearchable Origins of the 'Silhouette' Dance
/ 2 min read
Table of Contents
Around November 2025, a specific dance challenge began to go viral in Japan. Set to KANA-BOON’s iconic track “Silhouette” (a beloved Naruto opening theme), the choreography mimics ninja hand signs (ninjutsu) synchronized to the beat.
While the trend itself is widespread, one question remains surprisingly difficult to answer: Who actually choreographed this?
As I attempted to trace the “Patient Zero” of this viral movement, I encountered a fascinating problem that highlights the current limitations of information retrieval in the age of video.
The Search for the Originator
Finding the source of a text-based meme is relatively straightforward in 2025. Large Language Models (LLMs) and advanced search indices can parse forums and archives effectively. However, tracking the origin of a specific physical movement—a choreography—across platforms like TikTok and Instagram remains a significant challenge.
The difficulty stems from two main factors:
- Semi-Closed Ecosystems: Much of this data resides within the “walled gardens” of vertical video platforms, which are not fully indexed by open web crawlers.
- The “Choreography” Data Problem: Search engines still struggle to identify and categorize specific sequences of human motion. Unlike keywords, a dance move is fluid. It undergoes subtle “remixes” and modifications with every user iteration, behaving more like ancient oral tradition or folklore than digital data.
The Oldest Record So Far
In my personal investigation, the oldest instance I could verify is a post by @ross.hime dated July 19, 2025.
@ross.hime naruto ninjitsu hands tutorial please 😂 #narutoshippuden #silloulettechallenge #fyppppppppppppppppppppppp #japan #anime #dancechallenge ♬ シルエット - KANA-BOON
However, given the nature of the internet, it is highly probable that an even earlier version exists—perhaps the one that inspired this very video.
Crowdsourcing the History
It is ironic that despite the leap in AI capabilities regarding text and code generation, we still lack a reliable “Reverse Choreography Search.” The history of internet culture is being written in video format, and without proper archiving, the origins of these cultural moments risk being lost to the feed.
If you know of a version of the Silhouette dance that pre-dates July 2025, or if you have information about the true originator, please let me know. I am collecting information via the form below.
I will update this post if new evidence comes to light.