History Main / LegendaryCarp

[[caption-width-right:300:[[MagikarpPower I swear,]] [[{{Pokemon}} when I evolve...]]]]

-->-- '''Toady One''', concerning '''VideoGame/DwarfFortress'''

-->-- '''Toady One''', concerning '''DwarfFortress'''

* Magikarp in the ''{{Anime/Pokemon}}'' anime usually appear as extras in underwater scenes and the badly-disguised wares of a SnakeOilSalesman, but occasionally have made a bigger impression:

** The episode "''Ya See We Want An Evolution!''" had a Magikarp and Feebas (its {{expy}}/{{foil}}) beating the snot out of Piplup and Ash's Pikachu almost effortlessly.

* According to ''DaveBarry Hits Below the Beltway'', the Reflecting Pool in the Washington Mall is home to a legendary carp which has grown to 1900 pounds on junk food thrown by tourists and once swallowed a passing pedestrian (the Secretary of the Interior) whole. And yes, DaveBarry ''does'' mention in a footnote that "'Legendary Carp' would be {{a good name for a rock band}}."

** There is a gamer on YouTube who created a Magikarp build that could sweep Uber-tier Legendaries, mostly by Baton Passing stat boosts onto it.

* In one of the versions of ''{{Dwarf Fortress}}'', the game's creator accidentally made carp far too powerful: their default bite attack did as much damage as a wolf's and due to a bug in the skill system, they could increase their stats by swimming, which, being fish, [[CaptainObvious they did all the time]]. Undead carp were even worse: [[FlyingSeafoodSpecial they can walk on land]], so you were either screwed or [[AttackAttackAttack very brave]] if you tried building a fortress near them. Later versions (happily or sadly) dialed their power back a great deal. Then aimed attacks were implemented, and fish became dangerous again (''sturgeon'' are the new aquatic dwarf-killers).

->-- '''[[WordOfGod Toady One]]''' re: '''DwarfFortress'''

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<<|AnimalTropes|>>

Carp have a strange tendency to appear unusually powerful in fiction, often being gigantic. Giant Carp are venerated for being colorful and allegedly wise pond dwellers, especially in Japan. Sort of like swimming parrots. They are known for their ability to jump many feet into the air and their long lifespan, something which is usually forgotten amongst their more domesticated, ill-kept brothers called goldfish and (in Japan) koi. According to legend, a sufficently old and powerful carp that is able to climb a waterfall may even become a dragon.

* Turns up in ''Film/TheExorcist III'', of all places.

* Turns up in ''Exorcist III'', of all places.

* In Mercer Mayer's [[http://www.goodreads.com/book/show/633668.East_of_the_Sun_and_West_of_the_Moon illustrated version]] of ''EastOfTheSunAndWestOfTheMoon'', a LegendaryCarp is one of the beasts that assists the heroine on her journey. He gives her a ride across the sea on his back and a [[ItMayHelpYouOnYourQuest fish scale]] that proves useful later.

->''"[[{{Understatement}} I think I made the fish too hardcore]]."''

* In one of the versions of ''{{Dwarf Fortress}}'', the game's creator accidentally made carp far too powerful: their default bite attack did as much damage as a wolf's and due to a bug in the skill system, they could increase their stats by swimming, which, being fish, [[CaptainObvious they did all the time]]. Undead carp were even worse: [[FlyingSeafoodSpecial they could walk on land]], so you were either screwed or [[AttackAttackAttack very brave]] if you tried building a fortress near them. Later versions (happily or sadly) dialed their power back a great deal. Then aimed attacks were implemented, and fish became dangerous again (''sturgeon'' are the new aquatic dwarf-killers).

* Magikarp in the ''Pokémon'' anime usually appear as extras in underwater scenes and the badly-disguised wares of a SnakeOilSalesman, but occasionally have made a bigger impression:
** In the episode "The Joy of Pokémon," one Nurse Joy had a giant Magikarp for a friend.
** The episode "Ya See We Want An Evolution!" had a Magikarp beating the snot out of Piplup and Ash's Pikachu almost effortlessly.

* In one of the versions of ''{{Dwarf Fortress}}'', the game's creator accidentally made carp far too powerful: their default bite attack did as much damage as a wolf's and due to a bug in the skill system, they could increase their stats by swimming, which, being fish, [[CaptainObvious they did all the time]]. Undead carp were even worse: they could walk on land, so you were either screwed or [[AttackAttackAttack very brave]] if you tried building a fortress near them. Later versions (happily or sadly) dialed their power back a great deal. Then aimed attacks were implemented, and fish became dangerous again (''sturgeon'' are the new aquatic dwarf-killers).

* HarvestMoon

See also TheCatfish, a more elusive kind of fish.

* Magikarp is a horribly underpowered {{Pokemon}} (stat-wise, very few are weaker, but those few can all learn better moves) which can do little else but splash around; it's said that it was stronger in the distant past. Its [[MagikarpPower evolution]], however, is the powerful, dragon-like Gyarados.

** An episode of the anime actually did have a giant Magikarp.
** The episode "Ya See We Want An Evolution!" had a Magikarp beating the snot out of Piplup and Ash's Pikachu almost effortlessly.
*** A level 100 Magikarp can be caught in Platinum. It's AwesomeButImpractical, since it can't evolve.
*** There is a gamer on YouTube who created a Magikarp build that could sweep Uber-tier Legendaries, mostly by Baton Passing stat boosts onto it.
**** [[http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ye7b3bOQ6lY Here.]]

* Carp Armor and Carp Melee are a recurring joke between the fans and developers of CityOfHeroes.

[[caption-width-right:300:I swear, when I evolve...]]

Carp have a strange tendency to appear unusually powerful in fiction, often being gigantic. Giant Carp are venerated for being colorful and allegedly wise pond dwellers, especially in Japan. Sort of like swimming parrots. They are known for their ability to jump many feet into the air and their long lifespan, something which is usually forgotten amongst their more domesticated, ill-kept brothers called goldfish. According to legend, a sufficently old and powerful carp that is able to climb a waterfall may even become a dragon.

Carp have a strange tendency to appear unusually powerful in fiction, often being gigantic. Giant Carp are venerated for being colorful and allegedly wise pond dwellers, especially in Japan. Sort of like swimming parrots. They are known for their long lifespan, something which is usually forgotten amongst their more domesticated, ill-kept brothers called goldfish. According to legend, a sufficently old and powerful carp that is able to climb a waterfall may even become a dragon.

* In one of the versions of ''{{Dwarf Fortress}}'', the game's creator accidentally made carp far too powerful: their default bite attack did as much damage as a wolf's and due to a bug in the skill system, they could increase their stats by swimming, which, being fish, [[CaptainObvious they did all the time]]. Undead carp were even worse: they could walk on land, so you were either screwed or [[AttackAttackAttack very brave]] if you tried building a fortress near them. Later versions (happily or sadly) dialed their power back a great deal.

* Carp Armor and Carp Melee are a recurring joke between the fans and developers of CityOfHeroes.

[[AC:WesternAnimation]]
* ''[[AvatarTheLastAirbender Avatar]]'' features giant koi (and a giant eel) off the shore of [[{{Wutai}} Kyoshi Island]].

* In one of the versions of ''{{Dwarf Fortress}}'', the game's creator accidentally made carp far too powerful: their default bite attack did as much damage as a wolf's and due to a bug in the skill system, they could increase their stats by swimming. Undead carp were even worse: they could walk on land, so you were either screwed or [[AttackAttackAttack very brave]] if you tried building a fortress near them. Later versions (happily or sadly) dialed their power back a great deal.

->-- '''[[DwarfFortress Toady One]]'''

* A giant carp made a bizarre appearance as the final boss of Meiling's story mode in ''TouhouProject'' fighting game spinoff ''Hisoutensoku''.

* In Alastair Reynolds' "Chasm City", research involving carp produced the earliest immortality treatments. As a result, the postmortal upper class reveres carp in general, and there is also a specific carp which is also several hundred years old and therefore extra-revered.