Fads you took part in

[Prowler]

We all have taken part in some. Here's the ones I partook in:

Pokémon: I was born in 1990. Nuff said.

GoGos Crazy Bones: I loved collecting those.

Tazos: I was a little too young when pogs were all the rage, so I only remember my brother having them back in the early-mid 90s. Tazos were basically discount pogs. Similar concept but smaller. They came in chip bags.

Magic the Gathering: I think a significant amount of kids/teenagers go through a MTG phase every generation. My brother went through one in the 90s and I went though one in the 2000s.

Wrestling: When WWE came back to Portuguese TV around 2004 I got hooked on it as did many other kids at the time. It was pretty popular here until 2007 or 2008. Before that there had been a WWF fad around in the first half of the 90s here.

I think that's about it? I didn't live through Turtle Mania. By the time I got into TMNT it was already reruns airing on cable. Even if some kids were fans of the cartoon, there were no longer any toys or merch around in 1996 and 1997 anymore. We knew it was an "old" cartoon by then.

I didn't take part in the Power Rangers fad or even the huge DBZ fad in the 90s, nor did I take part in the short-living Yu-Gi-Oh and Beyblade fads. Didn't have any cards nor toys of those properties.

As for music, I was never a huge fan of Nu Metal. Then again, I was a little too young to see the appeal of it when it first started. I did enjoy a couple of Limp Bizkit songs when I was in 5th grade, though. But I wasn't much of a music person until I turned 18, and by then I was getting into 80s metal instead of whatever the hot music acts of 2008-2009 were.

What about you?

[Leo656]

Actually, I'm gonna have to stand as the exception which proves your rule because as far as I'm aware I've never actively participated in anything like that. I've always been pretty savvy, and as we've seen here for decades I have an almost pathological dislike of anything "the herd" tries to make popular. I do things my own way, on my own time, and it's usually almost the opposite of everyone else.

The closest thing I can think of is, I bought "Smash" by The Offspring and "Dookie" by Green Day at the same time everyone else did back in 1994. Those were two of the biggest records that year and seemingly everyone had them (still two of my all-time favorites, by the way, and I still listen to them).

I'unno, it's tough for me to think of anything else. I hate "trendy" things and I've never made it any secret that I think people who follow the herd are cultists and morons. Therefore given how incredibly cynical and judgmental I am, I'm not really built for following "trends". Whenever something becomes "too popular" I usually run far in the other direction. Since I think most people are incredibly vapid and want nothing to do with them.

So yeah, I'unno, if I think of anything better I'll get back to you. So far all I can think of is the one thing.

Maybe "Turtle-Mania", I guess, upon re-reading your post, but I think it lasted too long to honestly be considered a "fad", depending on one's definition of the term. I can see it, though, but at the same time to me "fads" are things that are incredibly popular but flame out within a year or two and then are never really thought of again, and people look back on it with shame. TMNT, to me, doesn't fit that criteria (although I AM kinda ashamed of myself for ever liking it as much as I did, considering how awful most TMNT material has turned out to be but I had no way of knowing that would happen when I was 7).

But again, that's just me applying my own personal definition of "fad". If someone wants to call TMNT a fad I won't fight them too hard.

Originally Posted by Prowler

Limp Bizkit

I generally hate them, but anyone who says "Break Stuff" isn't great is a f*cking liar. And "N2gether Now" is still amazing to this day. No way Durst wrote that, that sh*t is next-level.

[Andrew NDB]

Actual fads?

* Chains to the wallet hanging from your belt. Oh yeah. Super long ones.

* Laniard building. Where you intertwine little pieces of colored plastic and I guess attach them to keys? Was a thing out here in the early 90s. Maybe the mid 90s.

* Giant baggy jeans. Of course. Not the skater equivalent like the Jancos or whatever, but the "hood" equivalent. Never sagged. Much.

* The 90s dude ponytail. Where you shave all around your head except up top, and have a ponytail in the back. Not a man bun, just an actual ponytail. Half the dudes in high school had this look at one time or another.

I don't know. That's all that really comes to mind. I wasn't ever into fads like trolls or beanie babies or anything... that'd probably get you beat up. I see wrestling brought up, but that doesn't seem like a fad. That's been a thing for people since forever. Its popularity ebbs and wanes.

[Leo656]

I think in certain parts of the world wrestling was a "fad" since it wasn't always available and/or popular. It's an American staple but that's to be expected; we invented it, then exported it to Japan and Mexico and from there it sort of trickled everywhere. Like you said, there's peaks and valleys - it's arguably never been less popular than Right Now - but as far back as the invention of television there were always millions of people watching it, and before that listening to it on the radio. Arenas were always sold out as far back as the late-1800s; there never WASN'T a time when 20-50,000 people would go to an arena to watch wrestling, and it was always covered by the media (at one point in the legitimate Sports pages, no less). So it was always "popular" in North America, it's just that there have been times when for some reason the media decided to give it more prominent focus. So in America, at least, it's hard to call it a "fad" since it's always been a consistent thing that never went away. It's only ever been considered "niche" by people who really dislike it.

Other countries, though... totally different. Lots of places never even had televised wrestling until a few years ago, relatively. And in a lot of countries it got "hot" for a while during the Boom Years but didn't really catch on there. So in places like that, I can see it being considered more of a "fad". It's not part of their culture or a staple of their entertainment the way it is Over Here.

Which is a thing I find fascinating, by the way. Regional differences of taste. "Japan never gave a crap about Sega, but the Master System outsold the NES in Europe", etc., that kinda stuff. Really intrigues me. What catches on Where, and Why, whether or not it stays popular, and all that.

[joe-eyeball]

I’m guilty of pegging my jeans in the 80’s

[mrmaczaps]

Originally Posted by Andrew NDB

Actual fads?

* Chains to the wallet hanging from your belt. Oh yeah. Super long ones.

* Laniard building. Where you intertwine little pieces of colored plastic and I guess attach them to keys? Was a thing out here in the early 90s. Maybe the mid 90s.

* Giant baggy jeans. Of course. Not the skater equivalent like the Jancos or whatever, but the "hood" equivalent. Never sagged. Much.

* The 90s dude ponytail. Where you shave all around your head except up top, and have a ponytail in the back. Not a man bun, just an actual ponytail. Half the dudes in high school had this look at one time or another.

I don't know. That's all that really comes to mind. I wasn't ever into fads like trolls or beanie babies or anything... that'd probably get you beat up. I see wrestling brought up, but that doesn't seem like a fad. That's been a thing for people since forever. Its popularity ebbs and wanes.

I did the wallet chain thing... first version of it was a chain that reached below my knees but then it kept catching everything & I broke the blinker arm in my car twice... so I shortened it so it was only about a foot of chain. I used that until the wallet gave out. Fun times. Lol

[IMJ]

IOU and Z Cavarici in the 80's.

[Original TMNT Cartoon Fan]

Nintendo video games (if that counts as a fad)

Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles

[Andrew NDB]

Originally Posted by Original TMNT Cartoon Fan

Nintendo video games (if that counts as a fad)

Definitely not.

[IndigoErth]

None of the collected things were large collections, but off the top of my head...

Late 80s/early 90s TMNT of course.

Do have some Beanie Babies, though I had actually bought the first (orange Digger the crab) in a small amusement park's gift shop maybe a year or more before they actually became a thing. I was never into them as any kind of fad or investment, more-so just owning the ones I actually liked because I always loved plush critters. But having the somewhat coveted original orange variant of Digger with intact tag was a small point of pride back when those things were popular.

Slap bracelets, remember those? Seems they've tried to make a comeback but not well.

Also own one of the original Tamagotchi, though it was mostly big with my younger sister's group and it was more of a situation of "Go into the store with your sister so she can get one. Do you want one too?" "Uh, sure, why not."

Had one Troll. That was a thing for a short time, but with a mom who had one from when they were popular the first time around, it was more her doing.

A couple Cabbage Patch kids and a cat-like kid, but that was again more a parental choice.

One tube's worth of Pogs.

A stack of Garbage Pail Kids cards.

Battle Beasts. Had wanted those and got a handful that ended up hidden in Easter eggs.

Almost did the Starter Jacket thing. Asked for one and got it probably for Christmas, but though it was a nice jacket it wasn't that pull over hoodie type that a lot of my middle school was wearing.

Wasn't ever much of a doll or makeup type, so I guess stuff that was more "girl" specific I guess were more often craft related, like the friendship bracelet making, etc. Though just recalled what I think were Pop Beads? Or some name like that. Had those too.

Fads never really kept my attention too long though and most stuff other than the Turtles were rather short lived.

[Prowler]

Leo: I'd like to think I didn't partake in fads just because they were popular. And even if I did, the point is, if I stuck around for a while it means I genuinely liked the stuff. Otherwise I'd have called it quits early in.

I kept on watching wrestling after my generation stopped caring about it. And I still play Pokémon games, even if my interest in the franchise went pretty much dormant after 2001 or so.

Andrew: What Leo said. Wrestling isn't part of Portuguese culture. Wrestling countries are USA, Canada, Japan, Mexico and the UK. And then there's some places in Eastern Europe and the Caucasus where amateur wrestling is a rather popular sport, from what I hear.

And even in the countries were pro wrestling is popular, it certainly was way more popular in the late 80s and late 90s than it has been since 2001. It's pretty much a niche market at this point. And the main reason why WWE still makes so much profit is probably due to more recent deeper penetration, touring and deals in countries like Saudi Arabia, India and China, markets they had not fully tapped into before. Meaning there's still some novelty in those parts of the world to it, as opposed to the West where the cat had been out of the bag for a long time already by now and everyone just views it as kind of a joke.

[superstaff]

When it came to TMNT and Power Rangers, I really wanted to participate in those fads. Sadly, I wasn't allowed to. All I ever got, merch-wise, for Power Rangers as a kid was two trading cards of Billy and Trini (my faves) from another kid who sold them to me for a dollar, and a bootleg Pink Ranger figure that I managed to somehow guilt my mom into buying. I wanted Yellow, but beggers can't be choosers and all that. Nothing from TMNT until I was older.

I did participate in the Pogs fad. I'd buy the 10 for $1 packs at my local dollar store. I never played the game, I just collected them.

Then I participated in Pokemon mania. I bought tons of stuff for it, played Red version obsessively as a kid, traded Pokemon, watched the show, etc. I am still a fan of Pokemon...even though I've been frustrated with the franchise, and haven't played since Ultra Sun.

[Coola Yagami]

I guess most of the things I care about are fads or were considered fads at some point.

I mean, videogames themselves were once considered a fad, just as comic books and anime and manga. I'm still here for all of those.

The only thing I can think of off the top of my head, is 90's stuff. I still talk using surfer slang, I still wrap my sweater around my waist like Bill and Ted did. I still listen to 90's music from time to time. I'm pretty much that one 90's kid that never let go.

[Prowler]

Originally Posted by Coola Yagami

I guess most of the things I care about are fads or were considered fads at some point.

I mean, videogames themselves were once considered a fad, just as comic books and anime and manga. I'm still here for all of those.

The only thing I can think of off the top of my head, is 90's stuff. I still talk using surfer slang, I still wrap my sweater around my waist like Bill and Ted did. I still listen to 90's music from time to time. I'm pretty much that one 90's kid that never let go.

I had never realised wrapping your sweater around your waist was a 90s thing. But now that you mention it, I haven't done it in ages, nor do I recall the last time I've seen someone else do it either.

Well a lot of 90s music is timeless. Nirvana and Pearl Jam are considered classics at this point. Even if grunge rock music isn't a thing anymore.

The 90s music that is viewed as outdated or cringe nowadays is stuff like Vanilla Ice or Duran Duran. No one seems to reminisce about those anymore. And if they do they're being ironic about it.

[Coola Yagami]

Originally Posted by Prowler

The 90s music that is viewed as outdated or cringe nowadays is stuff like Vanilla Ice or Duran Duran. No one seems to reminisce about those anymore. And if they do they're being ironic about it.

Not me. Ice Ice Baby 4 life. And how can we forget Ninja Rap.

[Prowler]

Originally Posted by Coola Yagami

Not me. Ice Ice Baby 4 life. And how can we forget Ninja Rap.

And nothing wrong with it. Enjoy what you like. What I was trying to say was, Vanilla Ice is mostly forgotten these days. Does he even make music anymore?

Honestly, if it wasn't for TMNT SOTO, I probably wouldn't even know Vanilla Ice. Or maybe I'd just vaguely know him as the guy John Cena sorta ripped off back in 2003.

Since we're speaking of music, if there's fads I never got into were music fads. I only became truly interested in music when I was 17-18. I got into heavy metal but it sure as hell wasn't that popular by the time the late 2000s rolled in. Most teenagers at the time were into hip-hop, reggae or stuff like Coldplay, Arctic Monkeys, Shinedown, etc.

The yearly popular hits have been crap for a long time. The only one I recall enjoying was Gangnam Style. The popular songs were way better in the 80s and the 90s. And yes, Go Ninja Go has some charm. I'd rather listen to that than to whatever the sterile homogeneous crap top 20 hits are these days.

[CyberCubed]

Video games were definitely considered a fad in the 80's and 90's and you were expected to outgrow them and stop playing when you became a teenager.

I remember back then the thought of a 16-18 year old or even an adult playing video games was looked down upon. Any adult who played video games was viewed as a loser who had no life and lived in his parents basement.

Nowadays the average person playing video games are 35+ year olds. Times have changed.

[superstaff]

Originally Posted by CyberCubed

Nowadays the average person playing video games are 35+ year olds. Times have changed.

I think a huge part of that is that the small kids who played those games back then have now grown up, and are still gamers.

Though I still see that stigma around, of gamers being pathetic, incels, basement dwellers, etc.

[Wesley]

Videogames
TMNT
Pokémon
Yugioh
Sonic the Hedgehog
Comics/magazines

I wasn’t much of a music person when I was younger either. Or Power Rangers or Saved by the Bell.

[Coola Yagami]

Originally Posted by superstaff

I think a huge part of that is that the small kids who played those games back then have now grown up, and are still gamers.

Though I still see that stigma around, of gamers being pathetic, incels, basement dwellers, etc.

It rubs me the wrong way whenever I still hear that old 'you must play games 24/7 and don't get bitches' basement dweller gaming stereotype in modern day. Literally every other person seems to have a Switch nowadays, regardless of if they're a 'geek' or a 'cool person'.

The stereotype should have died the day normies were able to name videogame characters.