History Main / ABloodyMess

* In the ''ComicStrip/Moomin'', a detective randomly walks into the Moomins' house and sees a red puddle, thinking it to be blood. Moominmamma assures him that it's only jam and he walks off embarrassed.

* In the comic strip based on ''Literature/TheMoomins'', a detective randomly walks into the Moomins' house and sees a red puddle, thinking it to be blood. Moomin Mama assures him that it's only jam and he walks off embarrassed.

* Used at least once ''Series/{{CSI}}'' when a suspicious red stain on a suspect's clothes turns out to be red sauce. Which, in itself, turns out to be an important clue.

* ''WesternAnimation/PhineasAndFerb'', of all shows, pulled this one off in "Hip Hip Parade".

* Used to great ''dramatic'' effect in the "Beat" Takeshi vehicle ''Film/HanaBi'' (''Fireworks'').

** In ''VisualNovel/PhoenixWrightAceAttorney - Trials and Tribulations'', a ketchup stain on a white apron is first mistaken by everyone but the partially color-blind prosecutor for blood.

[[folder:Web Comics]]

* In a comic based on ''Literature/TheMoomins'', a detective randomly walks into the Moomins' house and sees a red puddle, thinking it to be blood. Moomin Mama assures him that it's only jam and he walks off embarrassed.

* In ''Manga/DetectiveConan'', ketchup is used as fake blood to bluff someone watching via surveillance cameras. There is also a scene where Haibura mistakes spilled tomato juice for blood, resulting in her thinking that Professor Agasa was killed.

* ''WesternAnimation/LegendOfKorra'': Prince Wu thinks he's been wounded after getting [[PieInTheFace hit with a pie]] by a protestor, then after his exasperated bodyguard Mako points out it was a strawberry pie he calms down a bit, then freaks out again because of his allergies.

[[folder:Films -- Animation]]

* The page image provider is ''WesternAnimation/DespicableMe''. When Edith gets trapped in an iron maiden, a red liquid is seen flowing out the bottom. It turns out one of the spikes punctured her juice box.

A subtrope of NotWhatItLooksLike. Compare with SymbolicBlood and GrossoutFakeout. Prop blood is KensingtonGore. When it really ''is'' blood, but not belonging to the splattered person, it's NotHisBlood. Not to be confused with the ChunkySalsaRule, nor with a ''VideoGame/{{Fallout}}'' trait/perk. See DidNotDoTheBloodyResearch for confusion about the rude word "bloody." See also PrankInjuries.

[[quoteright:275:[[WesternAnimation/DespicableMe https://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/untitled_26_6.png]]]][[caption-width-right:275: [[PocketProtector That juice box sure won't mess with you anytime soon.]]]]

* In ''VideoGame/MetalGearSolid'', when you're captured and imprisoned by the bad guys, one way to make good your escape is to use a ketchup-bottle to fake your death, causing the [[TheGuardsMustBeCrazy idiotic guard]] to run into your cell to investigate...

* A deleted intro in ''WesternAnimation/TheIncredibles'' has the Parr family attending a neighborhood picnic. While Bob Parr chops up some steaks, a person screams that Bob has chopped off his fingers. However, it only ''looks'' like he chopped off his fingers and he's actually fine. To fake the injury and not reveal his super-powers, Bob squirts some ketchup on his fingers and screams in pain.

* This occurs in ''WesternAnimation/DespicableMe'', when Edith gets trapped in an iron maiden, and a red liquid is seen flowing out the bottom. Turns out one of the spikes punctured her juice box.

** Parodied on , in the episode where the gang thinks Tito murdered Raymundo:

* In the DarkerAndEdgier ''WesternAnimation/TomAndJerry'' episode "The Year Of The Mouse" (which is unexpectedly dark and actually [[DudeNotFunny not amusing in the slightest),]] Jerry and an unnamed friend of his terrorize Tom by making him think he's trying to kill himself in his sleep. One of the gags has them making Tom think he's stabbed himself by dripping ketchup onto both a steak knife and Tom's chest. [[TeamRocketWins Fortunately, Tom successfully deduces what is really going on,]] and [[LaserGuidedKarma traps Jerry and his friend in a bottle rigged to shoot them if they try to escape.]]

* In the DarkerAndEdgier ''WesternAnimation/TomAndJerry'' episode "The Year Of The Mouse" (which is unexpectedly dark and actually [[DudeNotFunny not very funny at all),]] Jerry and an unnamed friend of his terrorize Tom by making him think he's trying to kill himself in his sleep. One of the gags has them making Tom think he's stabbed himself by dripping ketchup onto both a steak knife and Tom's chest. [[LaserGuidedKaram Fortunately, Tom successfully deduces what is really going on,]] and [[TeamRocketWins he places Jerry and his friend in a bottle rigged to shoot them if they try to escape.]]

* In one ''WesternAnimation/TomAndJerry'' short that was particularly graphic even for that cartoon, Jerry makes Tom think he's been stabbed by dripping ketchup onto both a steak knife and Tom's chest. Another short uses red ink.

-->-- ''{{Literature/Maskerade}}''

* ''Manga/DailyLifeWithMonsterGirl'': Miia, Centorea, and Papi briefly think they've killed Kimihito while [[{{Lunacy}} under the influence of the full moon]] after finding him in a pool of blood. In actuality, they just knocked him over while he was getting something out of the fridge, and he landed on top of a ketchup bottle.