A video of a Japanese father and daughter attempting to crack open a watermelon with rubber bands recently went viral.

You might have seen a snippet of it via pages like Viral Thread or 9GAG, but here it is if you haven't.

Summary of the video

The full four-minute video was first uploaded in June 2018 on YouTube channel Kubo Sato, featuring a Japanese father (Kubo) and daughter (Na-chan) duo.

https://giphy.com/gifs/1bEit8JHUBuWB0oIky

There is at least two-and-a-half minutes of build-up prior to the epic explosion.

Eventually, Na-chan got bored of waiting, so her dad continued with the challenge himself.

https://giphy.com/gifs/MX3Ed7Ezl6QfQFsj3v

https://giphy.com/gifs/4HrBfMknIDwUunMV9w

Near the three-minute mark, just as Na-chan was about to forgo the challenge, the watermelon exploded right in Kubo's face.

The impact from the watermelon caused him to fall backwards.

The pair appeared to have used up two boxes of 200g rubber bands, which comes up to an estimated number of at least 800 rubber bands.

Fortunately, Kubo appeared fine after getting hit in the nose by a flying watermelon piece, and the pair enjoyed the watermelon together at the end of it.

https://giphy.com/gifs/iqsugpiBuUxutF5pdx

Success is sweet.

Exploding watermelon challenge is not new

The exploding-watermelon-with-rubber-bands challenge started in 2012, or even earlier.

However, it only gained traction in 2016, when Buzzfeed employees did a live Facebook video attempting to burst a watermelon with almost 700 rubber bands.

The Facebook live video garnered over 800,000 viewers and the video has already clocked more than 11 million views as of April 2019.

The rise of social media content

In fact, the video went so viral that news outlets like The New York Times, Chicago Tribune, CNBC and Wired wrote about how trivial content such as this may be more attractive to viewers than traditional media.

And true enough, there has been an increasing amount of internet challenges in the past few years, such as the cat dial challenge, van sneakers challenge, and Naruto run challenge.

We have embedded the watermelon video in full here, along with an English translation below:

0:17 [Na-chan] Before we start, I want to introduce yall to my bouhan buzaa (crime prevention buzzer). This is dolphin-chan. This is really cute.

0:24 [Kubo] Shall we start? (Na-chan: Yes!)

0:28 [Kubo] It seems that we can cut a watermelon open using rubber bands. We're gonna be trying that out today.

0:31 [Na-chan] No. Scary, scary, scary, scary!

0:32 [Kubo] It's not scary.

0:33 [Na-chan] No (multiple times)

0:34 [Kubo] You're not in the frame over there, come here.

0:40 [Kubo] The rubber bands are smaller than I expected. (rubber band snaps on his hand) Ouch. (Both laughed)

0:46 [Na-chan] (Jumps up) This is interesting!

1:01 [Na-chan] This dolphin is so cute, I love it.

1:03 [Na-chan] Can I try letting the alarm ring?

1:05 [Kubo] Eh? You're letting it ring?

(Laughs when the dolphin buzzer rang)

1:14 [Na-chan] (While caressing the watermelon) Crap. This looks like it's about to break.

1:20 [Kubo] Are you hiding yourself using that?

1:28 [Na-chan] (After humming some Music on hold) Yes, I am here.

1:33 [Na-chan] (Raising one leg) Yes, I am here.

1:37 [Kubo] Hey, my phone.

1:39 [Na-chan] Wait, I'm searching for something.

1:41 [Kubo] What are you searching for?

1:48 [Na-chan] (Thinking) Wait... (Keys in "rubber band" and "watermelon")

1:50 [Na-chan] So this is what you're trying to imitate.

1:52 [Kubo] Don't say that.

1: 55 [Na-chan] Why not?

1:57 [Kubo] Don't say that I'm imitating this.

1:59 [Na-chan] Are you embarrassed? (Kubo laughs)

2:09 [Na-chan] It looks like it's gonna break. Hey wait, stop for a while. (Pointing at the watermelon) Here, the bottom, here, the sides...

2:17 [Kubo] The shape kind of changed?

2:17 [Na-chan] Yea.

2:23 [Na-chan] Look, I'm an angel.

2:27 [Na-chan] Wa! The juice's leaking.

2:30 [Na-chan] Hey... let's cut it with a knife.

2:32 [Kubo] (Laughing) Wait...

2:35 [Na-chan] This is taking too much time.

2:39 [Kubo] Ah, wait, don't go, don't go. (Watermelon explodes, Kubo falls backwards)

3:12 [Kubo] (Rolling around on the ground, laughing while clutching his face) This hurts (multiple times)

3:25 [Na-chan] I told you it would explode!

3:31 [Kubo] Thanks for the food. (Proceeds to eat the watermelon)

3:38 [Kubo] Delicious!

3:53 [Kubo] Is it yummy?

3:53 [Na-chan] Yes.

3:56 [Kubo] Thanks for your hard work. (Japanese expression)

3:57 [Na-chan] Hmm hmm hmm hmm (Thanks for your hard work.)

4:01 [Kubo] The watermelon tastes great, right?

4:02 [Na-chan] Yea.

Top photo collage from screenshots of Kubo Sato's video