History Main / FlashStep

* In ''VideoGame/StarWarsTheOldRepublic'', several of the Jedi and Sith classes have an ability to quickly get into lightsaber range. Some have a Force-powered leap, while others use a burst of Force Speed fitting this trope. Special mention goes to the Shadow Consular, who can get a perk to clear the ability's cooldown if the target dies fast enough, meaning it can be used to flit around the battlefield cleaning up weak foes.

* Creator/TsutomuNihei's ''Abara'' has modified characters capable of bursts of [[SuperSpeed supersonic speed]]. While the perspective usually [[BulletTime follows them]] as they move, to [[{{Muggle}} everybody else]] it is an archetypal flash step. Notable because their surroundings actually buckle from the resulting stress and shockwaves. While speeding, all sound effects are represented by [[StylisticSuck cheap, pixelated fonts]] since they are mostly [[LampshadeHanging a device]] to better [[SpaceIsNoisy express action]]. When things resume normal speed, all the actual noise catches up in a combined boom.
* [[CoolTeacher Koro-Sensei]] in ''Manga/AssassinationClassroom'' has MACH 20. This creature can [[ExcuseMeWhileIMultitask dodge bullets fired at him by twenty-six students while taking their attendance]]. He only gets more badass from there.
** [[spoiler: After his transformation, "Reaper" one-ups Korosensei by moving at ''MACH 40''. ]]

* In ''Manga/BattleAngelAlita'' most characters only use flash step and attack just for fun or when they want to psych their opponent out. The more seasoned fighters instead mainly use attacks that are weak but come in large numbers and for the main characters, the faster the attack, the bigger windup it has. This is especially apparent in Alita's fight with Gavit of Gadokai where he effortlessly BLOCKS her when she fires off a supersonic punch noting that with a windup that she has for it, he can easily just absorb the kinetic force.

* ''Manga/{{Bleach}}'': The TropeNamer. Four different groups use four different forms of super-speed: Shunpo[[note]]literally "Blink Step"[[/note]] (Shinigami), Sonìdo (Hollows), Hirenkyaku[[note]]literally "Flying Lax Legs"[[/note]] (Quincies), and Bringer Light (Fullbringers). Each of the forms function in very slightly different ways, producing different special effects. However, they all achieve the same result: brief bursts of high-speed movement. The idea is to literally be taking one step while moving forward at super-high speed.

** The DS games [[TropeNamer unsurprisingly]] have this as a gameplay mechanic, done by pressing the B button. It allows you not only to escape normal and non-[[EXSpecialAttack Reinforced special attacks]], but also extend a combo by zipping [[RightBehindYou right behind an opponent]] after hitting them with a standard Light-Medium-Heavy combo. They can also be used for "Guard Cancels" by flash-stepping right after successfully blocking a hit. They use the same meter as the [[EXSpecialAttack RF moves]], but replenish quicker.

** The Cabal Vanguard takes that a [[JustForPun step]] further by having the exact same dodging abilities than the Slayer and Fury, a different Charge ability that allows her to phase through walls (which means that, unlike the Slayer, she can also phase ''forward'' on a rather long distance), and a heavy melee that allows her to teleport in the back of the enemy on a short distance and [[WolverineClaws tear him to shreds]]. Oh, and the Charge? A possible evolution allows her to use it twice in a row.

* ''VideoGame/{{ADOM}}'':
** Quicklings (and in theory anything else that has an enormously higher speed attribute than the PlayerCharacter) effectively do this because they can do several actions in one "round" as defined by the time in which the player can take one action. The faster ones can move next to the player character, attack, and move away again, all before the player gets a chance to act.
** The greater white unicorn has the ability to teleport, but her description describes this as an instantaneous gallop.

** [[ShockAndAwe BoBoiBoy Thunderstorm]]'s first move onscreen is "Lightning Speed", which allows him to move between short distances at a speed which makes him seemingly disappear in a flash of lightning between two points. He appears to be faster than [[FragileSpeedster Ying]].

** In ''[=BoBoiBoy=] Movie 2'', [[BigBad Retak'ka]] regains this ability [[spoiler:after absorbing [=BoBoiBoy's=] light elemental]] and steps in a flash of light to the right side of [=BoBoiBoy's=] friends, catching them by surprise before attacking them.

%%zce* In ''[[Literature/{{Twilight}} New Moon]]'', the [[OurVampiresAreDifferent vampires]] use this when they fight each other.

* ''VideoGame/BlazBlue'': Bang Shishigami can do this as part of his Drive's special property (hit A, B, or C during the invincibility frame) or as part of one of his throws. This is also how his basic movement works when using his [[GoldenSuperMode Fu Rin Ka Zan]].

** Uryuu has known excellence in the use of Hirenkyaku, and is able to blitz many of his opponents in battle as well as keep up with Ichigo's speed. He's persistent in his claim that Hirenkyaku is simply superior to Shunpou and Sonidou, but it appears to be his individual talent that makes him so fast, not the type of technique in use.

* In ''WesternAnimation/KungFuPanda'', Shifu is standing in front of the Jade Palace, awaiting Tai Lung to confront him. There's a full shot of Shifu alone at the top of the stairs, then a brief close-up of Shifu, and when it cuts back to the full shot, Tai Lung is already standing there.

* In the WesternAnimation/{{Batman| The Animated Series}} / WesternAnimation/{{Superman| The Animated Series}} crossover episode "Knight Time", Superman uses these to emulate (and in some cases outdo) Batman's trademark [[StealthHiBye disappearances]].
-->'''Mad Hatter''': He's [[{{Irony}} not human!]]
* ''WesternAnimation/{{Castlevania}}'', Alucard in a gloriously faithful nod to games can do a Flash Step in conjunction with his swordplay [[https://i.imgur.com/lKNU6h2.gif as seen when fighting Trevor]] who could barely keep up with his own SuperReflexes. Subverted later during the FinalBattle as Alucard tries to Flash Step Chō but she counters [[SuperSmoke with her smoke powers]] making his speed redundant.
* ''[[WesternAnimation/JusticeLeague Justice League Unlimited]]''
** Superman does this while fighting Darkseid, just after he gives his NoMoreHoldingBackSpeech.
** In another episode, Captain Atom angrily charges at Superman, who flash steps away, [[TooFastToStop causing Atom to run face-first into a wall]].
** ''ComicBook/TheFlash'' does it all the time, although he gets hit far more than someone moving as quickly as he does should. Like tripping over marbles the Joker threw out in front of him. Notably, he defeats Luthor-Brainiac in a similar manner, by running around the world and punching him as he passes by.
* The Bebe robots in ''WesternAnimation/KimPossible'' move in short {{super speed}} bursts.
* The main character of ''WesternAnimation/TheKwickyKoalaShow'' moves so fast he simply disappears then reappears somewhere else, accompanied by a beep sound effect.

* ComicBook/{{Superboy}} did this in one episode of the classic animated series to casually defeat a guy attacking him with a magic sword.

* In ''WesternAnimation/XMenTheAnimatedSeries'', in one episode Wolverine faces off against the Silver Samurai, whose mutant power is short-ranged flash stepping. The guy not only leaves a significant pause beneath flash appearance and attack, he is also highly uninventive with where he positions himself and the time during which he blinks out is quite long (even after you account for the fact that the show employs TalkingIsAFreeAction).
* ''WesternAnimation/YoungJustice'':

* In the Literature/WhateleyUniverse, there are teleporters who can do this, but the example that the writers have shown is Phase, who has density-changing powers. She does the flash step to some bullies by going intangible and running right through one of them, then going to her maximum density and hitting him. (She's taking it easy on the guy, too.)
** One side character, Shuttle, has this as his primary power: he can do a move that is described as 'not quite teleportation' in which he moves instantaneously from one point to another, but since he actually passes through the intervening space, he can't go through solid objects such as walls or people.

** During Soul Surge in ''[[VideoGame/SonicStorybookSeries Sonic and the Black Knight]]'', when in front of an enemy, Shadow/Lancelot uses Chaos Control to teleport before delivering an attack. Sonic can do the same basic thing with his speed.

* In ''WebAnimation/Holo-Chronicles'', this is a dedicated technique amongst talents known as the "Idol Step". Roboco can further amplify it with her own innate abilities, and Suisei pulls off similar feats (along with a neat little sonic boom) with what may just be pure speed. On the god side of things, Bae repeatedly disappears and reappears somewhere else, but whether it's this or simply teleportation is anyone's guess. She ''does'' perform a Flash Stand-Up at one point though, so there's that.

* ''Fanfic/TheNightUnfurls'' has a non-CharlesAtlasSuperpower example. Occasionally, the Good Hunter takes a step forward and, from his opponent's perspective, instantly appears either behind or in front of them in a blink of an eye. Described as him "blurring into motion", it's implied that he's doing this via the Art of Quickening.

* In ''Film/GodzillaVsMegaguirus'', Megaguirus is able to do this, despite being a dragonfly the size of a building.

* In ''Film/PaleRider'', The Preacher seems to be the master of Flash Step.

* In ''[[Literature/{{Twilight}} New Moon]]'', the [[OurVampiresAreDifferent vampires]] use this when they fight each other.

->''"When Minos attacks, he leaves a trail of disturbed rubble behind him, implying he moves ''faster than you can see'' but does not teleport."''
-->-- '''''Videogame/{{ULTRAKILL}}'' Wiki'''

->''"I'd like [Iron Tager] to be able to cross the screen in 30 frames..."''
-->-- '''Kokonoe''', ''VideoGame/BlazBlueCalamityTrigger'', "[[FourthWallMailSlot Teach Me! Ms. Litchi!]]" (episode 5)

* ''Manga/FistOfTheNorthStar'': When facing Kasumi Kenshiro of the Hokuto Shinken style, Zhāng Tàiyán reveals the Shadowless Kick, a technique learned from the nigh-invincible hermit Li San that allows him to move at incredible speeds and kick his opponent faster than he can see. He gains the upper hand... Up until Kenshiro replies with the Thunder Violent God Leg, a similar technique but more versatile (one can start the movement with their hands) and ''[[UpToEleven even faster]]'', to the point the user leaves an imprint even in a steel surface - the technique previously used by Kasumi Tesshin, Kenshiro's master, to give Li San his only defeat.

* From ''WesternAnimation/TheIncredibles'', Dash has the superpower of speed and uses it to snatch super suits from his mom. He also put a tack on his teachers chair while sitting in his seat across the room. The real kicker is that the teacher filmed the prank to prove it was happening-''and Dash was so fast that it barely showed him moving.'' His father was impressed, while his mother was definitely not.

* ''LightNovel/FateRequiem'': When Nzambi attacks Koharu, she disappears from sight and then is right in front of her.

* An early version in ''Film/SupermanII'' (1980), when both Superman and the three Kryptonian supervillains do this during their battle in the Fortress of Solitude.