Throughout the film, Ingari explores themes of identity, friendship, and the challenges of growing up. The title "The Smell of Us" refers to the sense of smell as a powerful trigger for memories and emotions, and the film uses this metaphor to explore the characters' experiences and relationships.

By 89%, Milo realized he wasn't downloading a movie anymore. The movie was downloading him . His own memories began to pixelate, flatten into 720p, and upload into the swarm. The smell of his own teenage bedroom — stale smoke, regret, and cheap cologne — bled into the description.