The jokes originated from the incident prior to her real life counterpart's launching ceremony in 1937, in which the wooden platforms supporting her hull collapsed under her own weight, killing one spectator and injuring 20 others. Formidable herself wasn't damaged, thus gaining the nickname "The Ship That Launched Herself".
This event is referenced in several of her voicelines expressing that she doesn't like to be called "heavy" and that her friends and foes alike often make fun out of her "lumbering" body. This event is frequently parodied by the Azur Lane fanbase, often depicting her (or her huge breasts) to be immensely heavy and a cause of trouble to her or others. Alternatively, others have depicted her as a plump woman.
