Shock is a Stick Figure Animation flash series animated by Philips "Terkoiz" Lacanlale. Notably drawing inspiration from Xiao Xiao, the animations similarly consist of stick figures fighting each other in choreographed scenes, while also incorporating aspects of Super-Speed, Bullet Time, and a heavy dose of environmental collateral damage.
The story follows the stick figure Mr. Red who applies for the role of janitor at the business of Mr. Green. What sounds like a mundane task turns out to be the most intense job application ever as Mr. Red fights his way through hordes of Mr. Green's workers before facing off against Mr. Green himself to earn the position. Aiding Mr. Red is his "Shock" ability, which grants him a brief burst of Super-Speed, and challenging him is Mr. Green's Self-Duplication ability.
The series is notable for its incredible sense of speed, largely accomplished through its use of Bullet Time and blindingly fast movements. The first and second Shock animations were released as a back-to-back two-parter. A third entry, "Shock 3", was released years later, showing Mr. Red's annual review.
A tribute to the series, simply titled "Shock Tribute", was released by the animator Jcamelo as an Interquel to "Shock 2" and "Shock 3", showing Mr. Red asking Mr. Green for a raise. Another tribute, titled "Shock More", was released by David "Geo" Borja, as a Distant Sequel to the main series. The entire series and its two tributes can be viewed on StickPage here
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Of related interest is "Project Retribution", another Stick Figure Animation created as a tribute to Shock by Sareth Waldrouk, and also contributed to and tested by Terkoiz. Like Shock, it is notable for its extreme use of the Flash Step, and can be viewed on StickPage here.
This flash series contains examples of:
- Autobots, Rock Out!:
- "Shock 1" is accompanied by "PHD", from The Crystal Method.
- "Shock 2" is accompanied by "Don't Hold Back", from The Sleeping.
- "Shock 3" is accompanied by "Attack", from Joe Satriani.
- Babies Ever After: "Shock More" ends with Mr. Red retiring to the Caribbean, where he meets and marries Miss Blue. Together they live happily ever after with red, purple, and blue children.
- Beat Them at Their Own Game: In Shock 3, Mr Dark Green rapidly creates clones in order to fight Mr Red while in his time slowed state.
- Boss Banter: Mr Dark Green teases Red, trying to goad him into using his full abilities.
- Bullet Time: Regularly, most notably whenever Mr. Red uses his "Shock" ability.
- Calling Your Attacks: Mr. Green does this in "Shock 3" before elbow-dropping Mr. Red through the floor. "PEOPLE'S ELBOW!"
- Cannon Fodder: The security guards. Almost every one is taken out with one blow.
- Closing Credits:
- "Shock 2" has credits accompanied by "Generation Vexed", from The AKAs.
- "Shock 3" has credits asserting that their will be no "Shock 4", accompanied by "Riding the Fourth Wave" from Streetlight Manifesto.
- "Shock More" has credits accompanied by "Beautiful Morning With You", from the original soundtrack of FLCL.
- Conservation of Ninjutsu: Mr. Green's workers pose little threat to Mr. Red. With Mr. Green this is somewhat Downplayed: the more clones Mr. Green makes of himself, the more easily Mr. Red can take them on; however, Mr. Red tends to use his "Shock" ability whenever he's about to be overwhelmed.
- Curb-Stomp Battle: Mr. Red against most of Mr. Green's men. Averted against Mr. Green's Giant Mook, however, although Mr. Red kills him quickly when he gets a spear. In "Shock More", Mr. Red is able to dispatch the giant by quickly snapping his neck.
- Distant Sequel: "Shock More" serves as one to "Shock 3", long after Mr. Green fired Mr. Red (assuming that the beard isn't fake).
- Doppelgänger Spin: Played with. While there is only one real Mr Dark Green and he can only be bested by finding and defeating him, the clones are far from illusionary, able to fight Mr Red to a standstill and punch holes in buildings.
- Downer Ending: "Shock 3" ends with Mr. Red failing to find Mr. Green and also not keeping the place clean, and so being fired. According to the credits, he forever seeks out a job due to the economy. "Shock More" has a more happy ending (for Mr. Red).
- Flash Step: The two main characters (Mr. Red, and Mr. Green) both posses the ability to Flash Step and do so multiple times during their clashes. "Project Retribution" can essentially be described as numerous flash steps interspersed with occasional breaks.
- Freeze-Frame Bonus: It is noted that, with some keen eye and some rewatching, you can actually spot which one is the real Mr. Green in "Shock 3". He was the one who threw the pillar at Mr. Red, since Mr. Red never actually beat him and he was focused on the clone, allowing Mr. Green to play dead and throw Mr. Red off. And when everyone is assembled and Mr. Red has to find the real one, the real Mr. Green is the one next to him with the crossed arms.
- Giant Mook: One of Mr. Green's henchmen is giant-sized. Notably, Mr. Red actually doesn't beat him, and Mr. Green gives him a spear to help him win. The same giant appears in "Shock More", with the same wounds he received earlier.
- Groin Attack: While it's easy to miss, one of the few lulls in the fight in "Shock 2" comes when Mr. Green apparently kicks Mr. Red between the legs, leaving him curled up on the floor.
- Guns Are Useless: Gun-wielding mooks fare about as well against Mr. Red as all the rest. That being said, Mr. Red does get a gun of his own for a few seconds and shoots a couple of henchmen with it.
- Hit Stop: "Shock 2" uses this at various points in the fight.
- Good Colors, Evil Colors: Red good, green bad.
- Jitter Cam: Used a lot in "Project Retribution."
- Immediate Sequel: "Shock 1" ends with a Smash to Black as Mr. Red and Mr. Green are about to trade their first blow, while "Shock 2" begins with said blow.
- I Surrender, Suckers: When Mr. Red is first held at gunpoint in "Shock 1", he lets himself get taken in for all of a few seconds before he starts kicking ass again.
- Kung-Fu Sonic Boom: Some clashes cause a visible ripple and loud crack, even doing damage to surrounding structures.
- Leet Lingo: A frequent occurrence in the dialogue with terms like "nub" and "moar". This was a web animation from the early 2000s, after all.
- Lightning Bruiser: Both Mr Red and Mr Dark Green can move faster than the eye can track, demolish buildings with their bare hands and be thrown through said buildings and get straight back up.
- Me's a Crowd: Mr. Green's most notable power is his ability to create duplicates of himself. In "Shock 2", six of him rush at Mr. Red, and in "Shock 3", his clones are also shown to be able to create clones, and his fight with Mr. Red ends with about two dozen Mr. Greens standing around.
- Mickey Mousing: "Shock More" uses this a good deal in sync to "O Baterista", performed by Neil Peart.
- Mundane Made Awesome: The story is about Mr. Red's journey to become a janitor. But you probably forgot about that.
- Neck Snap: In "Shock More", Mr. Red kills Mr. Green's giant henchman this way.
- Nigh-Invulnerability: Mr Dark Green's clones can be incapacitated but they cannot be killed. They can only be defeated by finding the real one.
- Piano Drop: "Shock More" ends with Mr. Red literally doing this to Mr. Green.
- Pre-Asskicking One-Liner: "Shock 3" has Mr. Green reminding Mr. Red what day it is just before the fighting starts:Mr. Green: You remember what today is right?
Mr. Red: Not exactly.
Mr. Green: Employee checkup. (summons a clone to attack him) - Pyrrhic Victory: The ending of "Shock 2." Mr. Red defeats Mr. Green and is hired, but he was applying for a janitorial position and the fight left an ungodly mess that he now has to clean up.
- Rapid-Fire Fisticuffs: A core tenant of the series. Sometimes it's hard to keep up.
- Self-Duplication: Mr. Green can create dozens of clones to fight for himself.
- She Is Not My Girlfriend: Scar of "Project Retribution" regularly says this about Jessica.
- Speed Echoes: While has has time stopped, Mr Red leaves a cyan afterimage behind him as he moves.
- Super-Speed: Aside from normally being very fast, Mr. Red can utilize his "Shock" ability to move at incredible speeds. Near the end of "Shock 3", Mr. Green uses a similar ability.
- Stick Figure Animation
- Time Stands Still: Mr. Red's "Shock" ability causes him to move far faster than everything else, resulting in this.
