Line #116 Main/BlueWithShock


1	[[quoteright:200:[[VisualNovel/{{CLANNAD}} https://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/cit_clannad_tomoya_kotomi_blue_with_shock.jpg]]]]
2	If something truly traumatic occurs to an anime character, or they are mortified or embarrassed beyond all reckoning, the upper half of their face, or even all of it, may turn blue -- at least until they recover.
3
4	A variation on the effect takes the form of a set of wavy blue lines that radiate upward from the character's head and shoulders in a manner reminiscent of a BattleAura. Darker-blue lines streaming down their eyes like very straight tears optional.
5
6	It's usually used for comedic effect, and serious situations.
7
8	The implication is that one is so surprised that you can't breathe, and therefore, subsequently turn blue from lack of oxygen (the technical term for this is [[https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cyanosis cyanosis]]). The lines, when present, are a reference to horror manga art styles.
9
10	This trope is largely confined to {{Manga}} and {{Anime}} (likely because "turning blue" is the equivalent of "turning pale" in Japanese). Can be combined with BlankWhiteEyes for extra impact. Compare ColorFailure.
11
12	[[JustForFun/IThoughtItMeant Despite having the word "shock" in its name]], this Trope has nothing to do with blue-colored [[ShockAndAwe lightning]]. That is YellowLightningBlueLightning instead.
13	----
14	!!Examples:
15
16	[[foldercontrol]]
17
18	[[folder:Anime & Manga]]
19	* ''Manga/AsteroidInLove'':
20	** In a part of the twenty-seventh chapter not adopted into anime, Mai gets blue with shock when [[TheDitz Sayuri]] gets the wrong idea about why the Earth Science Club has to convene an emergency meeting.
21	** Ao gets it twice in the thirty-ninth chapter: when she found Ayano bought books about torture and weapons from the bookstore, and then the latter give Mira and Ao some of her drafts and mentions it has some rather "overstimulating" content because Sayuri likes it.
22	** Ao gets it again in the forty-first chapter, when she (and the rest of the cast) overhears [[LovableSexManiac Moe]]'s lustful {{squee}}ing as the latter stays alone in Ao's room.
23	* ''Manga/AzumangaDaioh'' also uses this several times, mostly when [[AloofDarkHairedGirl Sakaki's]] having a [[ImagineSpot mental image]] of something impossibly cute. Anyone riding in [[TheAllegedCar the Yukari-mobile]] (such as poor Chiyo-Chan) tends to turn ''[[ColorFailure white]]'' instead.
24	** Yukari herself did the white with shock variant in the very first episode. Considering the things she said before it was pointed out she was in the wrong classroom, it's entirely understandable. If Manga/AzumangaDaioh was live action, she ''still'' would have gone white with shock.
25	** Osaka combines this with BlankWhiteEyes when Tomo starts pestering her on her first day.
26	** Osaka '''causes''' this in the rest of the girls when [[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qp134exJ3I8 she makes a suggestion for the school festival]] while attempting to combine the concepts of a café, a display for stuffed animals, and a haunted house. [[CoolBigSis Sakaki]] is so profoundly affected ends up going into BlankWhiteEyes territory as well.
27	* It's almost a once-a-page occurrence in ''Manga/{{Beelzebub}}'', especially when [[OnlySaneMan Furuichi]] is around.
28	* In ''Anime/{{Clannad}}'', Kotomi and Tomoya go blue with shock after receiving a bad fortune. Nagisa and her mother also do this separately in theatrical fashion, with identical [[ThunderShock lightning strikes in the background]].
29	* Many situations in ''Manga/CromartieHighSchool'' conclude with this, with one or more of the main characters expressing distress over the punchline of the situation at hand. The situations are beyond explanation, because, well, it's Cromartie High.
30	* ''Manga/DGrayMan'' has its moments when Allen realizes that the load of empty wine bottles Devit and Jasdero show to him are the ones that Cross had made Allen buy for him when he was still training... well...not so great results...
31	* Gai Kurasawa of ''Anime/DarkerThanBlack'' sometimes does this.
32	* A 100% serious version occurs in ''Anime/DragonBallZ'' when Frieza [[ImpaledWithExtremePrejudice gores Krillin on one of his horns]], causing both Krillin and Gohan to go blue in the face.
33	** Mr Satan also goes blue when he first sees Super Buu's gigantic energy sphere.
34	** In a flashback to King Vegeta's death, all of his men are shown with blue faces as they cower behind him when he confronts Frieza. The dub even has Frieza lampshade it by saying that they're "[[LiteralMetaphor actually turning blue in the face]]".
35	* Excel in ''Anime/ExcelSaga'' demonstrates the full-face version at least once.
36	* ''Anime/{{FLCL}}'':
37	** Episode 1. After Haruko runs into Naota he's knocked unconscious and his forehead turns blue.
38	** Kitsurubami, after she unconsciously takes a sip from Amarao's exercise bottle.
39	* Roy Mustang in ''Manga/FullmetalAlchemist'' admonishes his aide Hawkeye for pulling him away from a fight. She calmly explains that he would certainly have been killed, his alchemic powers don't work in the rain, and he failed to notice it was raining. Mustang gets the blue face and BlankWhiteEyes.
40	** Al's version of shock can vary from just his head to most of his body. Keep in mind that he's an empty suit of armor with the soul of a sensitive ten year-old.
41	* ''Manga/HanaukyoMaidTeam La Verite'' Episode 7. This happens to Yashima Sanae in the underground area when she thinks a monster is approaching.
42	* Happens to the most unlikely of characters in ''Manga/HayateTheCombatButler''. In one episode (25, I think), even happens to Number 8, who is a RidiculouslyHumanRobot.
43	* [[MoeAnthropomorphism Germany]] in ''Webcomic/HetaliaAxisPowers'' has many moments like this, complete with black lines, whenever he is surprised. He also emanates blue lines after Italy reveals his fetishes to the allies during questioning.
44	** [[MoeAnthropomorphism Italy]] turns BlueWithShock after sampling some of England's food, which goes to show how much of a LethalChef England is. He turns blue again in the same episode, after the Allies point a gun at him while trying to get him to spill some secrets.
45	** In season five, Germany has an especially hilarious instance of this at the end of episode ten when Turkey reveals Italy was a badass back in the day.
46	* Expectedly, Hiro, Nori and Nazuna has that response when they visited the HauntedHouse made by Yuno's class in the SchoolFestival, in ''Manga/HidamariSketch''.
47	* ''[[Anime/TheIdolmaster THE iDOLM@STER]]'' - Yukiho had several of these at the beginning of the series. Haruka, Makoto and Iori also had one in at least one occasion.
48	* Uzuki of ''Anime/TheIdolmasterCinderellaGirls'' has this reaction in the first episode, when the large and imposing producer walks enters the room when she's alone.
49	* ''Manga/KotouraSan'':
50	** In episode 2, when Haruka and Manabe enters the ESP clubroom.
51	** In episode 4, when Haruka found the ESP club members had came to '"catch"' her, with GlowingEyesOfDoom.
52	** In episode 4, when Haruka read Manabe's mind and found him wanted to spank.
53	* This is a frequent reaction in ''Manga/LuckyStar'' whenever one character says or does something offbeat, including one memorable moment where [[TheIngenue Yutaka]] innocently asks [[{{Otaku}} Hiyori]] what [[YaoiGenre yaoi]] is.
54	* Momo in ''Manga/MyHeroAcademia'' goes blue while on her internship with a pro hero, she was made to work on a commercial, while still wearing her hero costume.
55	* Occurs constantly in ''Manga/{{Naruto}}'', much like the BlankWhiteEyes.
56	* ''Manga/OnePiece'':
57	** Chopper gets stuck with this combined with BlankWhiteEyes and JawDrop for a while when he finally gets his first pirate bounty... of only 50 Berries (due to being mistaken for the TeamPet). Sanji goes Blue With Shock in the same scene (augmented with [[HitodamaLight floating flames]]) when he sees his ugly composite sketch.
58	** When Luffy says he doesn't remember the Buggy Ball, Buggy gets a close-up of his face with a blue tint and is then seen surrounded by a blue aura of depression.
59	* The "dark blue lines like tears" part of this trope occurs often in ''Manga/OuranHighSchoolHostClub'' like in episode 9 for example.
60	* Yuko does this in episode 7 of ''Literature/ThePetGirlOfSakurasou'' when she visits Sorata.
61	* ''Anime/PokemonTheSeries''
62	** After the [[Anime/PokemonTheOriginalSeries Orange Islands arc]], Brock would curl up into a ball and radiate BlueWithShock '''several feet away''' whenever [[NoodleIncident Professor Ivy]] was mentioned.
63	** In the first episode where Brock does this, Ash does it as well at the mention of his rival Gary (no doubt to many slash fanficcers' delight).
64	** Also happened in "Attack of the Prehistoric Pokemon," when Pikachu, out of panic, shocks the dynamite. This results in a mix of this and OhCrap.
65	** In "A Shocking Grocery Run!", Meowth goes full-on with this trope when he finds Mimikyu right behind him, out of its Poké Ball.
66	** It also happens to Meowth in the Pikachu short ''[[Recap/PokemonPK12GottaDance Gotta Dance!!]]'', when a Loudred goes mad after the Pokébaton breaks, and starts smashing up the new under-construction Team Rocket base.
67	* ''Anime/PrettyCure'':
68	** In Episode 39 of ''Anime/FreshPrettyCure'', Westar goes completely blue when the Cures end their transformation on top of him.
69	** In Episode 2 of ''Anime/HeartcatchPrettyCure'', Tsubomi gets a blue patch between her eyes when she remembers that she forgot Erika at the park.
70	** In Episode 12 of ''Anime/HugttoPrettyCure'', Hana goes completely blue and screams "MECHOKKU!!" when Hugtan starts calling everyone her mama, including inanimate objects.
71	** In an EyeCatch for ''Anime/SuitePrettyCure'', Kanade goes blue in the face with rage when Hummy and Hibiki keep stealing her cupcakes.
72	** In [[Recap/DokiDokiPrecureEp04ICannotBecomeAPrettyCure Episode 4]] of ''Anime/DokiDokiPrecure'', Cure Heart goes blue in the face when she gets carsick.
73	** In ''Anime/DeliciousPartyPrettyCureDreamingChildrensLunch'', Amane goes blue in the face when she goes on a roller-coaster (evidently, Amane does ''not'' like roller-coasters).
74	* Ahiru from ''Anime/PrincessTutu'' pulls this off a few times, and once '''as a duck''' when she realizes that Fakir (who looks like he [[KickTheDog kicks puppies]] as a favorite pastime) just found her hiding place. [[spoiler: It turns into a LuminescentBlush when she discovers he actually [[PetTheDog pets them]]... when nobody's watching.]]
75	* It's found several times in the last few seasons of ''Manga/RanmaOneHalf'', although almost not at all in its first half.
76	* Tsuna from ''Manga/Reborn2004'' does this quite often, especially when his {{Unwanted Harem}} does something not so normal...
77	* One episode of ''Manga/RozenMaiden'' when Shinku doesn't wake up, Suiseiseki tries to see if hurting Jun will wake her up. By holding a huge knife over his head with Jun lying on the floor. The knife drops, embedding into the floor, an inch from his face. Cue {{Blue With Shock}} Jun.
78	* Merrill in ''Anime/RuneSoldierLouie'' undergoes this several times. Melissa in the same show suffers the wavy blue line variant at least once.
79	* Everyone does this constantly in ''Manga/SayonaraZetsubouSensei'', complete with black lines going down the whole face.
80	* ''Manga/RurouniKenshin'' did the "emanating waves of depression" version when he remembered the [[TrainingFromHell kind of training]] his SinkOrSwimMentor put him through.
81	* ''Manga/SgtFrog'': Dororo, especially when his [[HeroicBSOD Trauma Switch]] flips on.
82	* ''Literature/{{Shimoneta}}'': Played for laughs in chapter 4, when Ayame walks in on Anna [[BlackComedyRape grinding atop Tanukichi]], while they're both naked. The sudden intrusion causes Anna to [[LuminescentBlush get flustered]] [[NearRapeExperience and leave]], which gives Ayame a clear view of Tanukichi's erection. Ayame goes blue in the face and screams before bolting out of the room.
83	* In ''Manga/SoulEater'', [[ObsessivelyOrganized Death the Kid]] usually has this look when he sees or thinks something is out of symmetry. [[WhyDidItHaveToBeSnakes Liz]] whenever ghosts are around.
84	* In episode 25a of ''Anime/{{Tamagotchi}}'', Memetchi's face goes blue when she looks in shock at the picture slideshow her friends made for her farewell party, knowing that she's not actually going anywhere and faked having to move. It happens again later in the same episode when Memetchi imagines how the others might react if they knew her claims of moving were a trick.
85	* ''Anime/VividStrike'': This happens to Fuka in episode 10 when Nove tells her to [[TrainingFromHell remember her training]] during the next episode preview. She's still freaking out at the end of episode 11.
86	* The entire Class 1-2 goes this in the first episode of ''Manga/WastefulDaysOfHighSchoolGirls'' after the class teacher - on the first day of school - effectively admits he secretly likes high school girls, but he can't make it public without ruining his career.
87	[[/folder]]
88
89	[[folder:Fan Works]]
90	* In [[https://askthewvba.tumblr.com/post/665074812597780480/how-can-narcis-be-so-pretty-and-beautiful this post]] from "[[VideoGame/PunchOut Ask the WVBA]]", Narcis Prince goes blue with shock when someone asks how he can be so pretty despite being British, which he takes great offense to.
91	* ''Fanfic/RocketshipVoyager''. One of the Maquis is shown to have a face blue with cyanosis when his space armor is punctured. Also counts as a MythologyGag as his name is Chell, who in ''Series/StarTrekVoyager'' is a blue-skinned alien.
92	%%* Happens to Minato after a careless comment in this fan fic [[http://nekoni.deviantart.com/art/Naruto-Tensei-Chap-6-Page-15-140454075?q=gallery%3Anekoni%2F23164&qo=20 comic]].
93	[[/folder]]
94
95	[[folder:Film -- Animation]]
96	* ''Anime/PatlaborTheMovie'': Happens to the pilot of a virus-infected rogue construction Labor in the first movie when he realizes that the ''Second'' Section (and in particular, Ohta), which has a reputation for collateral damage, is here to rescue him. "I'M DEAD!!"
97	* In ''WesternAnimation/TurningRed'', when Mei is pointed out by Tyler at the Daisy Mart the lighting changes to being more blue giving her mortified face this appearance.
98	* ''WesternAnimation/WreckItRalph'': When Ralph expresses his desire to not be a bad guy any more, the entire Bad-Anon meeting gasps in shock, and ''VideoGame/PacMan'' ghost Clyde turns blue, complete with the sound effect that occurs after picking up a power pellet in the game.
99	[[/folder]]
100
101	[[folder:Live-Action TV]]
102	* ''Series/FullFrontal''. A parody of ''Film/{{Braveheart}}'' had this as the reason why the Scottish warriors all had [[ThisMeansWarpaint blue faces]]. That and the fact they were all cold from having to wear [[ManInAKilt skirts instead of trousers]].
103	[[/folder]]
104
105	[[folder:Music]]
106	* "Sunday Papers" from Music/JoeJackson's first LP ''Look Sharp!'':
107	--> Brother's headed that way; now I guess \
108	He just read something made his face turn blue \
109	Well [[VerbalIrony I got nothing 'gainst the press \
110	They wouldn't print it if it wasn't true]]
111	* "Don't Pick It Up" by The Offspring:
112	--> I saw a little kid
113	--> As he walked around
114	--> He picked a candy bar up
115	--> Off the ground
116	--> He chowed about a half
117	--> Then his face turned blue
118	--> Turned out that candy bar was [[{{squick}} a doggy-doo]].
119	[[/folder]]
120
121	[[folder:Video Games]]
122	* ''VideoGame/ANNOMutationem'': In one side-mission, Ann has to locate the suspect for a murder case that disappeared in a {{Hellevator}}. Ann later finds the man QuakingWithFear and his face entirely coated blue from terror after being trapped for awhile.
123	* ''Franchise/{{Danganronpa}}'':
124	** In ''VisualNovel/DanganronpaTriggerHappyHavoc'', this trope is played straight with most of the cast.
125	** In ''VisualNovel/DanganronpaV3KillingHarmony'', [[spoiler:Ultimate Inventor Miu Iruma gets this when she dies, hinting at her true cause of death]].
126	* In ''VideoGame/EliteBeatAgents'', this happens to Don and Jane when their date gets repeatedly interrupted by hungry/skateboarding/tired kids. Also, this happens to most other characters just before they start arm-waving.
127	* ''VideoGame/FridayNightFunkin'':
128	** The Boyfriend goes blue whenever you miss a note or press buttons when you're not supposed to, complete with a dumbfounded expression and black vertical lines over his head. Pico, being a planned playable character among a few others, also has similarly-styled miss sprites DummiedOut in the game's files.
129	** During "Roses," The Senpai's BlushSticker is replaced with blue over the top of his face, showing his slipping façade and general frustration over The Boyfriend's ability to keep up.
130	** The girls behind Senpai gain two small blue lines under their left eyes and dismayed facial expressions to emphasize their shock over Senpai's behavior.
131	* In most of the ''Franchise/KingdomHearts'' games, your character's[[note]](usually Sora's, but Riku gets it sometimes, as well)[[/note]] portrait on the HP gauge will have this effect if you're low on HP.
132	* ''VideoGame/PacMan'' is technically an example since the ghosts turn blue whenever he eats an energizer/power pellet. The same principle also applies to the TV show, even though they don't turn blue here (instead, they turn "purple with panic").
133	* In ''VideoGame/ScottPilgrimVsTheWorldTheGame'', Knives Chau's ending features her [[spoiler:jumping into Scott's arms and kissing him, and suddenly the two of them are getting married in front of all of Scott's friends. Scott is very confused... so much so that his face has turned blue and his eyes are very wide open]].
134	* Levin's "surprised" animation in ''VideoGame/SoulNomadAndTheWorldEaters'' involves this.
135	* ''Franchise/SuperMarioBros'':
136	** Mario/Luigi's [[DeathThrows death animation]] from ''VideoGame/SuperMarioWorld''.
137	** Hilariously done in ''VideoGame/PaperMarioColorSplash'' when a group of Shy Guys turn from red to blue (by that we mean their '''cloaks''') when they realize they are about to be crushed by the Ruddy Road.
138	* Happens many times to Muza in the video game ''VideoGame/ThousandArms'' when he sees a girl. At one point, the hero has to literally drag the frozen Muza around town.
139	[[/folder]]
140
141	[[folder:Web Animation]]
142	* ''WebAnimation/GossipCity'': The second panel of the videos' thumbnails will always show the antagonist turning blue with shock after their scheme backfires.
143	* ''WebAnimation/HelloKittyAndFriendsSupercuteAdventures'': "Kuromi's Sleepover" has My Melody trying to conceal the fact that she brought a stuffed animal with her to the titular sleepover, but her attempt to stealthily retrieve it alerted Hello Kitty who asks what the stuffed animal's name is. Since she didn't ask My Melody specifically, it causes by My Mel and Kuromi to go blue with shock as each considers herself busted, as Kuromi had not one but two stuffed animals in her bed.
144	* ''WebAnimation/RefreshingStories'':
145	** [[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XMVT-0JwFjo "My wife went on a trip with her boyfriend, so I surprised her by replicating the entire trip,"]] Hiroshi replicates Mana's trip with her lover, Yuuki, to Okinawa to teach her a lesson. She turns blue when she puts two and two together as she suspected Hiroshi may have found out she was cheating.
146	** [[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MwnX2aRubco "Mom friend thinks I invited her to a cruise ship and spent a ton of money but..."]]: Manpuku turns blue after finding out the restaurant Rin booked was actually a traditional dining boat rather than the cruise ship she hopped aboard to eat with Mokose with the intent to force the tab on Rin.
147	** [[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=D_j8ByQZLiA 'My "friend" stole my husband thinking he was rich']]: Ai turns blue when Kanna revealed that the rich celebrity Tetsuya shook hands with was a friend of her mom's, on top of Tetsuya being broke.
148	** [[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=41auUl-SoO8 "My girlfriend dumped me when I was in college but..."]]: Manami turns blue at the class reunion party after Hiroshi reveals he's the CEO of Skatt Marketplace, the company where her husband worked at.
149	* The antagonists from ''WebAnimation/RevengeFilms'' almost always turn blue in their faces upon finding out they're screwed.
150	* ''WebAnimation/TroubleBusters'':
151	** [[https://youtu.be/X1fRweDt6pQ?t=305 "The CEO of my company was marrying my late wife..."]]: Alan became blue in the face after finding out [[spoiler:his late wife Sally was still alive marrying his rich best friend George. George himself even lampshades it by comparing him to ice cream in reference to the blue popsicle he's holding.]]
152	** [[https://youtu.be/nVUChJNRoi8?t=536 "My childhood friend stole my fiancé from me..."]]: Both Steve and Malena turn blue in their faces on their wedding day (which the latter stole from Helen) after Helen invited the cheaters' coworkers and parents as originally planned instead of their close friends. She even lampshades it while jokingly asking if it's trending.
153
154	[[/folder]]
155
156	[[folder:Web Comics]]
157	* ''Webcomic/ElGoonishShive'': [[http://www.egscomics.com/index.php?id=1904 Luke, sixth panel]].
158	* ''Webcomic/GrrlPower'': [[http://www.grrlpowercomic.com/archives/208 Sydney]].
159	* ''Webcomic/SandraAndWoo'': Yuna's teacher was definitely not expecting [[http://www.sandraandwoo.com/2013/06/20/0492-yuna-has-the-atom-bomb/ her strong response]] to bullying.
160	* ''Webcomic/Uprooted2022'': Alice goes blue in the face when witnessing Nate dance horribly...during a dance battle against superstar celebrity Electric Boogie.
161	[[/folder]]
162
163	[[folder:Web Original]]
164	* Many variants of the [[https://emojipedia.org/fearful-face/ "Fearful Face"]] and [[https://emojipedia.org/face-screaming-in-fear/ "Face Screaming With Fear"]] emoji depict a face with a blue upper half (and sometimes BlankWhiteEyes in the latter case).
165	[[/folder]]
166
167	[[folder:Western Animation]]
168	* In ''WesternAnimation/TheLegendOfKorra'' episode "[[Recap/TheLegendOfKorraS1E4TheVoiceInTheNight The Voice in the Night]]" Tenzin goes blue in the face at a high-society gala when his five-year-old son Meelo uses ''something'' as a toilet off-screen.
169	* The ''WesternAnimation/RobTheRobot'' episode "[[Recap/RobTheRobotS1E51SpaceVirusBlues Space Virus Blues]]" has a variation of this trope; the Blue Space Virus turns its victims blue, and it's an easy indication of which robots are sick and which are not.
170	* Kevin from ''WesternAnimation/StevenUniverse'' gets this when Stevonnie breaks into an unconventional dance to placate his advances on them (and also turns into two kids).
171	[[/folder]]

Context Main / BlueWithShock