Yes, but I prefer that they do it as little as possible because when they spam the memes so much or always try to do something like that, it ends up being more embarrassing than anything else.
What’s particularly fascinating about Herta’s trailer in Honkai: Star Rail is how it marries two very different impulses: on one hand, HoYoverse’s penchant for lore-driven narrative and self-reference; on the other, a playful barrage of memes that keep the fandom engaged in communal decoding. Here are some deeper nuances behind all those references and Easter eggs you’ve spotted: 1. Self-Aware Fandom and the Metatextual “Herta” The “4th-Wall Winks” Many of Herta’s quips or oddly hyperbolic lines are prime for screenshot memes. But look closer: they reflect how Honkai: Star Rail is continuing HoYoverse’s tradition of “meta-charm.” Characters like Herta often slip into comedic or self-referential statements that nod to the fact that they’re in a game. This fosters a sense of an “in-joke” shared between developer and audience-turning character lines into community memes by design. Herta’s Idol-Like Portrayal The trailer frequently plays with the idea of Herta as a brilliant, slightly eccentric “child prodigy” figure. By doubling down on her elaborate labyrinth of experiments, the trailer sets up comedic tension: “Yes, she’s a genius, but she’s also over-the-top.” That comedic duality spawns a meme culture around her iconic gestures or that infamous “cold but smug” attitude. 2. Deliberate Meme-Baiting Visual Gags & Rapid-Fire Cuts Blink-and-you-miss-it references-like stylized animations of Herta’s meltdown or the random cameo appearances-aren’t random. HoYoverse has perfected the art of peppering micro-second visuals or half-second text overlays that fans freeze-frame and dissect. The “??? out of 10 difficulty” cards, “secret blueprint” glimpses, or swirling equations in the background all feed the short-form meme economy on social media. Running Gags from Other HoYoverse Titles The trailer occasionally reuses comedic tropes from Genshin Impact or even Honkai Impact 3rd, framing them in a Star Rail context. For example, the quick “exasperated reaction shot” is a hallmark of comedic edits within HoYoverse fandom. By recycling these comedic beats across titles, they create a cross-pollinating brand synergy. Fans who saw similar sequences in past HoYoverse game trailers instantly latch on and memeify it again-giving it new life in the Star Rail environment. 3. Lore Teasers Masquerading as Jokes Coded Foreshadowing Some comedic lines are actually veiled references to deeper Star Rail lore. A throwaway Herta comment about “rewriting rules” or “improving cosmic curiosities” might hint at upcoming storyline arcs involving new Aeons or cosmic-level threats. The humor lowers your guard, but the devs plant tiny seeds that later become crucial plot points-leading fans to pore over each comedic snippet for lore clues. Intraworld Jokes The mention of relic fragments, anomalies in the simulated universe, or Herta’s ties to certain characters serve double duty: they amuse fans in the moment but also anchor comedic banter to actual in-game systems and questlines. This synergy ensures even comedic content has narrative “canon weight,” so fans who dissect the jokes glean early intel about future expansions or events. 4. Fan Participation & Memetic Amplification Hashtag Culture & Clip-Sharing The way the trailer is structured-short comedic beats ripe for 10-second snippet rewinds-feeds perfectly into hashtag-driven fandom (#herta, #starrail). Creators churn out reaction videos, short TikToks, or tweets focusing on specific lines. Each comedic moment effectively becomes a standalone “clip” that can spark an entire discussion thread. This decentralized “crowdsourced hype” ensures broad, organic marketing for the game. Inside Jokes Leading to Community Deep Dives Once a throwaway reference becomes a meme, fans often delve into the game’s codex or hidden dialogues for context. This can lead to reevaluations of Herta’s backstory or cross-connections with other Star Rail characters. So a single comedic line might spawn a multi-threaded discussion about how “Herta’s Lab #324 might connect to X storyline,” pulling the entire community deeper into the lore. 5. Bigger Implications for HoYoverse’s Marketing Memes as Engine for Virality HoYoverse recognizes that comedic self-awareness is a marketing goldmine. The result is a cyclical pipeline: create comedic or “reaction-friendly” trailer scenes → fans clip and comment → official channels see the hype → future trailers adopt the same comedic structure. This strategy fosters brand continuity across all HoYoverse IPs. Balance of Drama and Humor While Star Rail deals with cosmic stakes and dark existential themes, comedic trailers about characters like Herta act as palate cleansers, reinforcing the game’s dynamic tonal range. It’s not just drama and cosmic doom 24/7; there’s respite in comedic slices that ironically might contain crucial lore or hype for upcoming arcs. Conclusion All these memes and references in Herta’s trailer aren’t just random fun; they’re part of a well-tuned ecosystem of comedic cues, hidden lore hints, and fan-collaborative story building that fosters deeper player engagement. By weaving comedic flair into official marketing, HoYoverse compels fans to collectively decode visual jokes, cameo references, and cryptic one-liners-ultimately investing them more in the game’s ongoing story. Herta’s comedic front, then, isn’t just an entertaining promotional tactic; it’s a gateway into richer narrative layers and a testament to how modern gacha or ARPG games mobilize meme culture as an integral piece of world-building.
The Herta's wink, aim and then shooting her shot is similar to Kiana's Herrscher of Finality/bridge animation/HI3rd icon signature gunshot pose Herta, itsugeki! Bang!
@@Just-An-Average-Guyyep, that's why they also have descriptions explaining the memory, they're made by the garden of recollection (March also has one from her story with Fu Xuan, so that confirms they're physical objects)
I really like how they acknowledged that Herta's doll and her real body have very different designs (the only similarity i can see is the color pallette), and yet i love both
"The age of Herta is over! No more false Herta! Follow me and you will never again be deceived! Rise uuuup!! I will lead the Herta nation into the future! I! AM! HERTA!!" (C) Herta (probably)
Kizuna ai reference at the start, and one alot of people missed is an SCP foundation reference at 0:49 in the original trailer. Im sure theres also many more
The centralization part, looks like a final fantasy 14 reference, with the mask on her face looks like an Ascian. And the idol pose looks like Oshi no Ko reference.
I love that when one herta saying that the herta is different from them, the bronya faces herta is like but I'm also different... When looking at the herta beside her
I don't know how most of ya'll missed the very first part of the PV. It was a reference to Kizuna AI's (the OG vtuber) last concert titled Hello World 2022. Little Ai-chans drumming and marching sets a grand entrance for the queen.
The devs are very seasoned and cultured
They are, after all, "Tech otakus"
Unlike genshin
Yes, but I prefer that they do it as little as possible because when they spam the memes so much or always try to do something like that, it ends up being more embarrassing than anything else.
@@jeronimoroldan2677 hard disagree as that means we dont get any at all which means the game dialog and trailers are no longer funny at all
just a reminder that there is no god but allah
Dev: insert which meme?
Dawei: Yes
For sure its conan reference though
"put me"
@@isaacman8075 Just a reminder that there is no god but allah ♡
@@SmashTheAdam Just a reminder that there is no god but allah ♡
@@هوتاو_الاصل I'm a Muslim so no need to remind me :)
The drum puppets at the beginning are 100% a reference to Kizuna Ai's last concert
Glad I wasn’t the only one that noticed that.
Ahh glad other people also notice that. I also notice that at first
I WAS ABOUT TO COMMENT THAT TOO! glad we all noticed!
0:28
This meme actually originated from honkai impact, passed down to star rail as per tradition
Bronya face
Only if we see HSR Bronya or Silverwolf made that face in game
And the background is seed mode from gundam seed
Da Bronya, The OG
Weird Knowledge Added
Not sure if anyone's mentioned this yet, but the text at the bottom-right at 0:03 is 100% an SCP reference to an XK-class world end scenario.
I did not see that and as a person who enjoys scp this is so fucking hilarious
@@Guancamole I noticed it instantly and thought that shit was hysterical lmao.
That universe variant was getting an unexpected world-ending SCP guest lmao
I thought that could be a SCP reference but wasn't sure
What’s scp?
0:17 if you look closey below the Simulated Universe text, you should see a lot text saying spinning, this is a reference to the kuru kuru meme
Kuru~ kuru~
0:18 spy x family (bottom left)
The Anya Face(heh)
Good catch
I just saw it
Ohhh I finally see it lol I kept replying it but it’s the news bar
0:58 Personality Completion Plan - EVA reference
HOW DID I NOT SEE THAT
I LOVE EVA SO MUCH 😭😭😭
If it was in Chinese or Japanese you would recognise it
0:23 also can be Persona 4 reference, because of TV's, and stars in the background, similar to those that were in the opening for Persona 4 golden
ZZZ
YUH! THE SHINING GOLDEN SIGN! LET YOUR INNER SPARK IGNITE!
Yes ofc the tv reference before ZZZ
I was gonna mention that
0:14 is this a foreshadowing that bronya's ceo days are soon over
0:18 TH-cam is canon in hsr?
Heck during Robin’s trailer we had HI3rd captain, trailblazer and traveler comment on her stuff
Plus have you seen Mr Reca’s eyes? LMAO
i do wonder why mr reca is so cool@@Gottaloveaxolotls
Y e s
There is already a character whos entire personality is this...
It seems like Kizuna Ai's entrance reference at the start of the trailers
I was about to point this out, it's literally the drums and trumpets and stuff
0:40 in the trailer, the Herta doll is wearing a red Ascian mask/glyph from final fantasy xiv
Herta is such a memelord lol
You forgot one, the drumming Hertas are a reference to the drummers from Kizuna Ai's entrance at her Last Live.
What’s particularly fascinating about Herta’s trailer in Honkai: Star Rail is how it marries two very different impulses: on one hand, HoYoverse’s penchant for lore-driven narrative and self-reference; on the other, a playful barrage of memes that keep the fandom engaged in communal decoding. Here are some deeper nuances behind all those references and Easter eggs you’ve spotted:
1. Self-Aware Fandom and the Metatextual “Herta”
The “4th-Wall Winks”
Many of Herta’s quips or oddly hyperbolic lines are prime for screenshot memes. But look closer: they reflect how Honkai: Star Rail is continuing HoYoverse’s tradition of “meta-charm.” Characters like Herta often slip into comedic or self-referential statements that nod to the fact that they’re in a game. This fosters a sense of an “in-joke” shared between developer and audience-turning character lines into community memes by design.
Herta’s Idol-Like Portrayal
The trailer frequently plays with the idea of Herta as a brilliant, slightly eccentric “child prodigy” figure. By doubling down on her elaborate labyrinth of experiments, the trailer sets up comedic tension: “Yes, she’s a genius, but she’s also over-the-top.” That comedic duality spawns a meme culture around her iconic gestures or that infamous “cold but smug” attitude.
2. Deliberate Meme-Baiting
Visual Gags & Rapid-Fire Cuts
Blink-and-you-miss-it references-like stylized animations of Herta’s meltdown or the random cameo appearances-aren’t random. HoYoverse has perfected the art of peppering micro-second visuals or half-second text overlays that fans freeze-frame and dissect. The “??? out of 10 difficulty” cards, “secret blueprint” glimpses, or swirling equations in the background all feed the short-form meme economy on social media.
Running Gags from Other HoYoverse Titles
The trailer occasionally reuses comedic tropes from Genshin Impact or even Honkai Impact 3rd, framing them in a Star Rail context. For example, the quick “exasperated reaction shot” is a hallmark of comedic edits within HoYoverse fandom. By recycling these comedic beats across titles, they create a cross-pollinating brand synergy. Fans who saw similar sequences in past HoYoverse game trailers instantly latch on and memeify it again-giving it new life in the Star Rail environment.
3. Lore Teasers Masquerading as Jokes
Coded Foreshadowing
Some comedic lines are actually veiled references to deeper Star Rail lore. A throwaway Herta comment about “rewriting rules” or “improving cosmic curiosities” might hint at upcoming storyline arcs involving new Aeons or cosmic-level threats. The humor lowers your guard, but the devs plant tiny seeds that later become crucial plot points-leading fans to pore over each comedic snippet for lore clues.
Intraworld Jokes
The mention of relic fragments, anomalies in the simulated universe, or Herta’s ties to certain characters serve double duty: they amuse fans in the moment but also anchor comedic banter to actual in-game systems and questlines. This synergy ensures even comedic content has narrative “canon weight,” so fans who dissect the jokes glean early intel about future expansions or events.
4. Fan Participation & Memetic Amplification
Hashtag Culture & Clip-Sharing
The way the trailer is structured-short comedic beats ripe for 10-second snippet rewinds-feeds perfectly into hashtag-driven fandom (#herta, #starrail). Creators churn out reaction videos, short TikToks, or tweets focusing on specific lines. Each comedic moment effectively becomes a standalone “clip” that can spark an entire discussion thread. This decentralized “crowdsourced hype” ensures broad, organic marketing for the game.
Inside Jokes Leading to Community Deep Dives
Once a throwaway reference becomes a meme, fans often delve into the game’s codex or hidden dialogues for context. This can lead to reevaluations of Herta’s backstory or cross-connections with other Star Rail characters. So a single comedic line might spawn a multi-threaded discussion about how “Herta’s Lab #324 might connect to X storyline,” pulling the entire community deeper into the lore.
5. Bigger Implications for HoYoverse’s Marketing
Memes as Engine for Virality
HoYoverse recognizes that comedic self-awareness is a marketing goldmine. The result is a cyclical pipeline: create comedic or “reaction-friendly” trailer scenes → fans clip and comment → official channels see the hype → future trailers adopt the same comedic structure. This strategy fosters brand continuity across all HoYoverse IPs.
Balance of Drama and Humor
While Star Rail deals with cosmic stakes and dark existential themes, comedic trailers about characters like Herta act as palate cleansers, reinforcing the game’s dynamic tonal range. It’s not just drama and cosmic doom 24/7; there’s respite in comedic slices that ironically might contain crucial lore or hype for upcoming arcs.
Conclusion
All these memes and references in Herta’s trailer aren’t just random fun; they’re part of a well-tuned ecosystem of comedic cues, hidden lore hints, and fan-collaborative story building that fosters deeper player engagement. By weaving comedic flair into official marketing, HoYoverse compels fans to collectively decode visual jokes, cameo references, and cryptic one-liners-ultimately investing them more in the game’s ongoing story. Herta’s comedic front, then, isn’t just an entertaining promotional tactic; it’s a gateway into richer narrative layers and a testament to how modern gacha or ARPG games mobilize meme culture as an integral piece of world-building.
This shii needs more likes
Did you use ChatGPT to write this 💀
Meta ahh
This must be the Thersis variant. The Herta's bots truly are an ingenuity
Appreciate the writing dude, but under a youtube video is wild. Find a place where more people can see this shit
The Herta's wink, aim and then shooting her shot is similar to Kiana's Herrscher of Finality/bridge animation/HI3rd icon signature gunshot pose
Herta, itsugeki! Bang!
She even had an image of the new 4-star LC with Ruan Mei
TBF, Light cones are physical things in HSR universe
@@thunderchief7256 yeah, they're physical memories if i'm not mistaken
@@Just-An-Average-Guyyep, that's why they also have descriptions explaining the memory, they're made by the garden of recollection (March also has one from her story with Fu Xuan, so that confirms they're physical objects)
I might be wrong, but I'm pretty sure the chibi Herta marching band is based off the intro to Kizuna Ai's final livestream
Herta's mind is truly diversified.
The Herta at 0:09 might be a reference to Juliet Starling from Lollipop Chainsaw
i think it might be someone else, because of the star tattoo under her eye and also the keyboard she's holding. still not sure who that is tho
@@kenluxe Almost certainly a Vocaloid, if not Miku herself.
@@johnnywakeup5515 i was thinking that, but maybe thought someone from muse dash too, not sure
I think it's saki tenma from Project sekai @@johnnywakeup5515
0:40 on the original trailer has Herta with a symbol mask in front of her like Ascians from FFXIV
This woman is basically gintama of hsr
that Puppet Herta yell at Prime Herta look like Repliku and Riku in Kingdom Hearts Re Chain of Memories
Riku : so you're fake me
Repliku : NOT A FAKE
The dev of this trailer has a very broad knowledge of memes and works for the anime/manga community 🗿✨
The doll herta showcases also have those 20 points scorer from the japanese variety show (like masquerade)
0:08 reference to Neuro-sama LOL
Wait which one?
I thought it was hachama lol
Who?
Nah bro... 💀
wat?
I swear the only thing stopping her from becoming a VBili is Henya.
The first part of the trailer is similar to kizuna ai’s entrance
The Kizuna intro reference in the beginning
you forgot about they also took reference of that kizuna ai stream
i really appreciate ppl who look at every details.
All the hertas are literally kizuna Ai Chibis in her graduation concert introduction
The beginning sequence with marching band of mini herta reminded me of Kizuna Ai final performance.
Guyss don't miss the fact the intro was like a reference to Kizuna Ai's entrance meme
0:08 creating many hertas and ones that is unacceptable got throw away I think it's MiSide referance also
nah sparkle and even Tribbie have clones , honkai really love making multiple sam characters
@@azharyyieMULTIPLE SAMS? THE SEAS WILL BE SET ABLAZE WITH THIS 🔥 🔥
Thats kurumi
Portal 2 had a similar thing with the turrets factory, Miside did not introduce this kind of scenery
@@Just-An-Average-Guy I mean MiSide it's the most recent so ofc I catch MiSide than Portal 2
She's a certified memer after all 😂
The parade opening is Kitsuna Ai graduation livestream reference. I’m pretty sure
The earlier part of the trailer where bunch of Herta playing instruments is Kizuna Ai reference
What do Sunday and Herta have in common? Well they both have references to creation of Adam!
Missed the first part where has similarities referencing Kizuna Ais Last live
Was thinking on that, even the instruments are the same
That little Bronya face Herta looks so adorable and cute, i want her as a companion on express
I really like how they acknowledged that Herta's doll and her real body have very different designs (the only similarity i can see is the color pallette), and yet i love both
There's also Kizuna Ai intro in during the drum parade
"The age of Herta is over! No more false Herta! Follow me and you will never again be deceived! Rise uuuup!!
I will lead the Herta nation into the future!
I! AM! HERTA!!"
(C) Herta (probably)
Kizuna ai reference at the start, and one alot of people missed is an SCP foundation reference at 0:49 in the original trailer. Im sure theres also many more
In the Mickey Mouse reference the screens could be a reference to ZZZ
The centralization part, looks like a final fantasy 14 reference, with the mask on her face looks like an Ascian. And the idol pose looks like Oshi no Ko reference.
I love that when one herta saying that the herta is different from them, the bronya faces herta is like but I'm also different... When looking at the herta beside her
This is what referencing looks like, not the plagiarism slop that are Mydei and Sunday trailer
you missed a reference to Megumin's explosion with the explosion effects near the end looking like how Megumin's are.
I think that one's more of a Kurumi personally
This Trailer is Truly giving Big brain energy 😂
0:17 there was Anya(SpyxFamily) Smug Face
S tier Comedy is always expected from Hoyo
The team who made the demo is a man of culture
So herta went through what that artist had to go through in the scream 🥶
The Experiment No. 2501 i Think its Refrence From Relase her banner For Tomorrow🤣
Memes... They are truly the DNA of the soul
The beginning with mini Herta drumming and playing instrument reminds me of Kizuna Ai Last Concert 2022 and i think that's a reference
"The Herta" also feels like a reference to "The Bronya", I'm surprised no one else noticed this.
0:21 if you pause at the part where the herta doll jumps and theres a bit of teal/blue, thats a vocaloid ref i believe
0:04 reminds me of HI3 Everlasting Flame animated short, there were puppets falling down too
This & zzz are peak games for a reason
Throne Damn It, that's packed
0:14 The scores on the sides are originally from a famous Japanese TV show “Kasou Taishou”
The final document- Herta Personality Completion Plan MIGHT be an Evangelion reference. Human Instrumentality Project
I don't know how most of ya'll missed the very first part of the PV. It was a reference to Kizuna AI's (the OG vtuber) last concert titled Hello World 2022. Little Ai-chans drumming and marching sets a grand entrance for the queen.
Is this hoyoverse’s way of telling us that herta- wait, no, THE herta is self-aware and knows everything, even outside of the universe 😱
Love herta
The first appearance was from kizuna ai last concert i think
(The one with marching band)
I love the O ∆ O Herta 😂
The scene where all the puppets fall head first could also be a kingdom hearts reference
do you remember which scene? i dont follow the kh franchise
I thought the 3 band of hertas was a reference to Kizuna AI's graduation stream with the snare drums and small hertas marching
And to the reference to the evangelion of the beginning?
Let's go literally says "Instrumentation Plan".
at 0:44 in the trailer I think that's a danganronpa execution reference
"How bout this? "
"YESSS"
0:49 Herta and Ruan Mei fueling yuri fandom. Second one, right to left
0:29 herta : weird knowledge added
the first frame in the video is SCP reference, KX-level apocalypse event
Herta that much gave silverwolf heart attack everytime sw start a new game account
There's also one (not showing here) where Herta has this red symbol in her head, thats straight out an FF14 ref.
Now that I realized that silver wolf are Bronya
She sure does like Kang.
Other characters : Lore, Back story, Daily Activity, Gameplay, Fighting, Vacation...
The Herta : A Lot of Memes....
Weird knowledge acquired (Bronya Zaychik face)
Solo leveling statue. Kizuna ai drummers. Council of ricks.
THE TOMIE REFERENCE IS SO COOOL LMAO
0:18 herta idol have Oshinoko ruby doodle dance pose 😂
At the beginning a Herta has a FF14 ascian face glow
The tomie herta at the end
There is Anya Foger smiling face reference at 00:58 at bottom left
Edit: In this video it is at 0:18
They learned from the burnice trailer after it popped off
There also FFXIV reference when Herta has an Ascian mask
0:08 this doll gives me Junko inoshima vibe
Makes you wonder who would win, every herta or every sparcle
BRONYA OR SILVER WOLF 😭😭😭
0:05 this is obviously kurumi reference 😤
And also people down bad for the Herta
Herta Personality Completion Plan = Human Instrumentality Project