An anonymous online creator known as Cheer656 has launched a viral horror cartoon series named Greshariki based on the popular Russian animated show Smeshariki.
First released in February 2026 on social media, the project reimagines familiar children's characters inside purgatory, where they endlessly repent for their sins. Each episode now draws hundreds of thousands of views alongside growing backlash from offended viewers.
Smeshariki, known internationally as Kikoriki, is a flagship Russian animated franchise created in 2003 that follows a cast of rounded animal friends. The original series is widely recognized as a family-friendly cultural staple across Eastern Europe.
To create Greshariki, Cheer656 altered the original video sequences and voice tracks of existing episodes while adding custom visual effects. In one scene reported from the series, the rabbit character Krosh observes Kar-Karych hammering on a device resembling a stove equipped with a porthole. Krosh inquires whether the contraption is another satanic invention. Kar-Karych replies that the machine contains a piece of flesh from the god of luck and can take away all their sins in exchange for their souls, prompting Krosh to ask for more details.
Cheer656 revealed in a blog post that the concept arose during a horror video game session played with friends. The author posted an initial video that gained 10,000 views, before subsequent episodes reached hundreds of thousands of views and attracted dozens of supportive comments.
Fan backlash and legal status
The dark transformation has angered some original fans of the cartoon. Displeased viewers have sent episode links to the official Smeshariki account, members of parliament, and Roskomnadzor, Russia's federal communications and media regulator, requesting that the project be taken down.
The creator maintains strict anonymity and declined to comment to news outlet Vechernyaya Moskva. However, legal experts indicate that shutting down the project will prove difficult under copyright regulations.
Lawyer Anatoly Ispekaev explained that a parody must establish its own narrative foundation rather than merely copying the source. Ispekaev noted that the creator must creatively rework the original material to introduce distinct new traits, producing a new work even if the original remains recognizable. He added that while parody is legally protected, copyright holders can still file lawsuits for defamation if a work damages the honor, dignity, or business reputation of the original creators.
The creators of Smeshariki stated that they have no plans to block the distribution of Greshariki. They view the existence of such fan projects as clear evidence that their animated series has attained cult status.
Daniil Novikov, creative producer and screenwriter for Smeshariki, stated on his blog that the franchise is over 20 years old and has raised an entire generation. Novikov emphasized that Smeshariki has become a key element of popular culture, adding that the production team respects the creative freedom of its fan community.
Spinoff parodies and psychological context
The popularity of Greshariki has triggered a broader wave of animated creepypasta parodies across Russian social media. Subsequent releases include Grekhuntik, a dark adaptation of the children's series Luntik, as well as Grekhboskiny based on Barboskiny.
Another popular parody, titled Tri greshnika and based on the animated series Tri kota, features characters who endlessly sacrifice each other only to resurrect in the following episode and restart the process. The emergence of parodies based on Greshariki has created a legal irony where Cheer656 could technically claim copyright infringement against imitators, though the creator will not pursue action due to operating in a legal grey area.
Clinical psychologist Irina Grekova explained that the popularity of dark cartoon parodies reflects how people manage emotional stress. Grekova stated that individuals in modern society often suppress negative emotions such as anger to maintain social communication and project an image of success. She noted that watching horror content allows viewers to experience negative feelings safely, while dark humor provides a coping mechanism for daily difficulties.
The Samosbor internet horror phenomenon
The trend builds on a broader tradition of domestic internet folklore, most notably the Samosbor horror universe. Samosbor is named after a deadly, unexplained cataclysm characterized by a purple fog that spreads across living organisms, causing unpredictable mutations and casualties.
The Samosbor narrative takes place within the Gigakhruschevka, a sprawling mega-structure with an infinite number of floors named in reference to Soviet-era panel apartment blocks. Before a Samosbor event begins, an emergency siren alerts inhabitants, leaving them only a few minutes to reach shelter behind heavy airtight doors.
The endless interior of the Gigakhruschevka houses entire factories, research institutes, and surviving human communities. Specially designated residents known as liquidators patrol the endless hallways to eliminate threats and clean up the dangerous aftermath left behind by each cataclysm.
