The clip combines two widely shared references. Shinji Ikari is the main pilot from Neon Genesis Evangelion, first broadcast in 1995, while Crank That by Soulja Boy became a viral dance hit in 2007. Online editors later applied the Crank Dat format to many fictional characters, dropping the beat over serious scenes for comic contrast. The Shinji version circulated in anime meme communities and short video edits, where its brevity and instant recognition made it easy to reuse as a reaction sound and nostalgic throwback.
About this sound
Shinji Crank Dat is a short meme clip mixing Evangelion's main pilot with Soulja Boy's 2007 dance track, used for funny anime edits and reaction posts online.
This short clip drops the unmistakable opening hook of Soulja Boy's Crank That over Shinji Ikari, turning the usually anxious Evangelion pilot into an unlikely dance meme. The beat hits fast, the looped vocal chant is instantly recognisable, and the contrast between a serious anime character and a playful mid-2000s hip hop dance creates the joke. It lands as pure comic timing rather than a full song, making a familiar scene feel absurd and energetic. Viewers get the reference in under a second, which is why the sound works as a quick punchline.
