The best TikTok and YouTube accounts we discovered in 2021

We all have our favorite fandoms and hobbies — the communities that give our free time meaning, bond us to a group of friends, and introduce us to new things. Some of these fanbases are so large and vocal they have names, like BTS Army, Beyoncé’s Beyhive, or Twihards (Twilight megafans). But some of us — especially those who are more terminally online — have fallen down a few internet wormholes that are a little more niche, becoming sucked into very specific content.

Maybe it’s a YouTube account dedicated to a cult-favorite film, a supernatural webcomic, or any number of extremely specific Twitch streamers or TikTokers. We know there are some extremely specific content creators and accounts you probably follow — and so Polygon wanted to share a few of our own favorites from this past year.

An innovative silicon company, which uses a large press to mix colors

I’ve always hated auditory ASMR — the sound of someone whispering into a microphone basically makes me want to throw up. It’s still a painful thought as I type this. TikTok videos made by ycsiliconeproducts are my favorite way to watch satisfying content. It looks like delicious, colorful silicone dough or another malleable material.

Each whirl deposits more color. There’s this beautiful marbling, where it looks like putting a paintbrush into a cup of cast-off water. Operators can add more flavor to the mix by cutting off a portion or wrapping the entire thing in a roll. Then, they will stick it back into their machine along the length. It’s incredibly meditative to watch, despite being a video in which a person operates heavy machinery. There’s a rhythm to the folding And rolling and color depositing, and many of the videos have classical music as their audio.

Not only have I learned about how silicone products are molded and mixed (I’ve always wondered how that works, since silicone is flexible and heat-resistant, I’ve also become convinced that this is a new skill that I could totally pull off, and one I could definitely do without crushing either of my hands. —Nicole Clark

Waterworld is the only channel on YouTube

Imagine the blockbuster Hollywood movie on the disastrous effects of global warming. Universal Studios parks around the globe have performed live renditions of this stage show for 25 years. You are correct, reader! WaterworldThe film is considered a classic action thriller that has been largely ignored. It tells the story of a future Earth covered in water from the melting polar ice cap. The film, if it was released today would attract a large number of fans who will fill social media with fan-fic and theories.

A YouTube channel can do all the work of an entire subreddit. As of this writing, 39 videos have been published by The Atoll, an average of nearly one per month since its inception three years ago. The channel focused on reviews of Waterworld toys, but has since expanded in every possible direction, including a nearly 30-minute video essay on the theme park stunt show, a thorough explainer of the film’s urine purification system, and a breakdown of the differences, additions, and inconsistencies within the Waterworld novelizations — followed by a complete recording of the Waterworld audio book.

The Atoll’s audience is modest but that hasn’t deterred the channel. It’s only gotten better. They have improved audio quality and done a great deal of research. This channel has posted a 42-minute video about the Exxon Valdez Oil Tanker’s role in Waterworld creation and mythology.

As a child, I loved this film so much that I kept the VHS in my bedroom as if it was a Disney movie classic. The Atoll is a place where I’ve found more things to like about this movie than the rest of the world. That’s one of the great pleasures of the internet, right? Finding out you’re not alone. —Chris Plante

Dutch purebred horse farm

The nice thing about having taken your Horse Girl brand to a professional level is that nobody blinks when you say things like “So I’ve been following this Dutch horse breeding stable on YouTube.” Friesian Horses uploads a daily video on the life and logistics of the stable’s purebred Friesian mares. Most of the time, it’s stuff like foals frolicking in a meadow, but sometimes it’s a 10-minute peek into the buckwild world of Horse Dentistry. Channel host Yvonne delivers loving and informative commentary on everything from the horses’ physical needs and social behaviors, to the stable’s day-to-day chores.

Ebon-colored Friesians, as a breed are charismatic and well known for their easygoing temperament. It is quite a sight to see them zooming around in a field. But this year the channel’s real star (no pun intended) has been a little colt named Rising Star, who is not a Friesian even a little bit.

His mother died giving birth to him on the same day that Friesian Horses’ star mare, Uniek, delivered a stillborn foal. Horses aren’t always the most eager foster parents, and attempts at mare and foal introductions can even be dangerous to the foal. But the channel’s most viewed video (CW: animal death, animal discomfort), and the one that hooked me on it, is incredibly compelling footage of Uniek stamping in eagerness to love all over this awkward, bright orange baby. —Susana Polo

Fountain pens, the pursuit of the perfect paper

Fountain pen users are particular about their tools, and we’ve amassed a semi-large community on YouTube, Twitch, and other social media. You can try so many fountain pen types, with each having its unique characteristics and attributes. It’s almost impossible to try them all yourself — and that’s without including any variation in ink. Fountain pen communities on YouTube are a way for fountain pen users to share their love of the tool with each other — to test out supplies and search for the newest holy grail item.

Inky Rocks is my favourite channel for fountain pen videos. The content creator, who goes under Inky Rocks as well, dives deep into various aspects of the hobby, including inks and nibs. These videos are stylized and feature beautiful rocks as well as closeups of inks interacting with water. She’s testing out inks in such a thorough way that I actually learn things when watching her videos.

One of my favorite Inky Rocks videos is the one I just watched. It shows a community going through a horrible time. OK, so, there’s this one paper brand that everyone likes: Tomoe River. The paper is so thin — like Bible pages — yet even massive amounts of ink don’t bleed through it. We’re all so obsessed with the paper that we know what machines they’re made on, and that one machine produces better paper than the other. In short, there was panic in the community when word broke that their paper was being discontinued and that they were selling their production capabilities to another company.

If you want the long version of that story, with super-secret paper samples “obtained” by Inky Rocks, you’ll just have to watch that video. Is it still necessary to have a few packs of Tomoe River paper in our possession? You’ll have to decide for yourself. —Nicole Carpenter

Your basic webcomic on gay werewolf politics

For the past several years, I’ve been following How to Be a WerewolfThe webcomic ‘The Web Comic of the Werewolves’ was originally intended to be a story about a gay coming-of age. It isn’t exactly that — there’s a slow-burn gay romance in the wings, and other queer characters in warm and loving relationships, but the focus really isn’t on romance. Right at the moment (meaning, for many many months of webcomic time now), it’s mostly about werewolf politics, as an old, established werewolf and his pack try to muscle in on a much younger one, led by a girl who’s only beginning to control her powers. It’s a little bit soap opera and a little bit world-building comic that’s still slowly rolling out details about what magic means and who the people are in this setting.

However, the story arcs have so far been about abusive parenting (mostly regarding misuse of magical powers), self-discovery and friendship (mostly among werewolves, witches and more). They alternate with some snarling and lots of nice-natured people trying their best for one another. Shawn Lenore is a writer and artist. However, what makes this series so compelling for me is how the characters love and support each other. There’s plenty of physical and emotional violence; this isn’t a warm-fuzzies hangout comic, but it is one where people respect and listen to each other in ways that make the whole series a comfort read for me. —Tasha Robinson

A Pizzazz frozen pizza cooker fan account

The story began in August when TikTok user Pizzazzmaster purchased a single-use kitchen device. Let’s say the reception was a little rocky. “My girlfriend told me this is the stupidest thing I have ever bought in my life, and she’s going to throw it away when we move in together,” said pizzazzmaster in his first post. “So I made a page completely dedicated to it. Enjoy.”

This pizzazz was amazing! Pizzazz has many uses. It can prepare frozen pizzas, as well as baking cookies, crispy bacon and making delicious-looking chicken strips . Best part? I can’t even eat most of this stuff, since I’m severely lactose intolerant. I’m here just to support this man’s passion. Because we’ve all been there, buying that single-use product that no one else in our apartment wants.

Maybe it’s a Belgian waffle maker — the one that flips over, like at a hotel breakfast buffet — that sits unused, or maybe it’s a smaller gadget, like one of those strawberry top removers. Me and my 758k closest friends (the other TikTok followers of pizzazzmaster) are not here to step on your single-use gadget parade, we’re here to celebrate With you. Anyway, it’s only single-use if you aren’t trying hard enough. —Nicole Clark

Animatronics for merely looking cool

More than ever, this year I have leaned heavily into YouTube watching. I picked up more channels from different creators than any year previous, and I’m now carrying around about 80 channels that I check in with, on a regular basis. A lot of this content is about miniature painting. This hobby was something I did before locking down. But some of it is just … weird. It’s a strange vehicle. Strange swords. Strange airplanes. Weird guns. Now, strange animatronics.

Danny Huynh was a robot-builder that I met through the algorithm. So far I’ve seen him create animatronic xenomorphs, drift cars, and Tiny Tina in a mech. As someone who builds mostly plastic models over the years I’m not sure how it all works but I can look forward seeing what else this talented artist comes up with. —Charlie Hall