Masaka is a common Japanese interjection meaning no way or it cannot be, frequently used in anime for moments of shock. In Gintama, the long running comedy action series adapted from Hideaki Sorachi's manga, characters deliver the line with exaggerated disbelief that fits the show's mix of parody and drama. Clips of the shout spread through anime edit communities and soundboards, where the recognisable delivery became shorthand for reacting to twists, spoilers and impossible outcomes, keeping it popular long after the original episodes aired.