"Silly Me" Gesture



A self-inflicted version of the Dope Slap, this is when a character hits herself softly on the head, winks, and sticks her tongue out after tripping, dropping or doing some other mistake in acknowledgement of her blooper. As it is considered a childish and endearing mannerism, this gesture is most often employed by a klutz, the overly cute, or The Ditz. Though the female pronoun is used throughout this article, the Silly Me Gesture is not Always Female and can be found, for instance, in many a Keet's repertoire.

Sticking the tongue out is sometimes forgone from the gesture, but other variants are also possible. Another gesture that is used in similar circumstances but conveys a somewhat different image is the Hand Behind Head.

Anime & Manga

 * This is Kyon's sister's trademark gesture in The Melancholy of Haruhi Suzumiya, as depicted in the trope image.
 * The adult Mikuru Asahina from the same series makes the gesture without the tongue in a bit of a Kawaiiko move.
 * Although in the novels, she does in fact include the tongue.
 * Mikan does this in the opening credits of Potemayo.
 * Misuzu from AIR has done this.
 * Yui and Sawako-sensei combine this with Hand Behind Head in episode 5 of K-On!, in an apparent shout-out to a candy mascot.
 * Retasu does this when explaining why she lets her friends boss her around in Tokyo Mew Mew.
 * Tohru in Fruits Basket.
 * Harumi does this to herself in the Sayonara Zetsubou Sensei episode centering on Never Heard That One Before. She comments how it doesn't make sense that Shonen manga isn't about boys, and then does this gesture, to indicate that this is something everyone has probably thought of a million times. However, she then gets blank looks from the rest of the class, and ends up Blue With Shock when she realizes no one else shares her tastes.
 * Lala in To Love Ru much of the time.
 * Nena Trinity in Gundam 00..
 * In the Nue Arc of Mononoke, the Medicine Seller does a very subdued (but extraordinarily sarcastic) display of this when he "realizes" he "accidentally" used poisonous oleander in a concoction that he gave to someone.
 * Mai does this in her introduction episode in Darker Than Black when explaining why she isn't isn't going to her friend's house.
 * In a Needless side story, Mio knocks herself out with her own Super Strength by making this gesture.

Fan Fiction

 * Tsuruya in Kyon Big Damn Hero when she had to explain about "kinship rituals" to Haruhi.

Video Games

 * One of Trucy Wright's sprites in Apollo Justice: Ace Attorney is her doing this, with both eyes closed.
 * Ditto Ini Miney from Justice For All.
 * Selphie's introductory FMV in Final Fantasy VIII shows her trying to climb down a hill, followed by her tripping and almost falling down. Her reaction leaves out the head-hitting, but it leaves the tongue-stickout and wink intact.
 * Sora and Ven do this a lot, but sheepishly laugh instead of sticking their tongue out and winking.
 * Tsuruhime from Sengoku Basara does this in her standard stage ending video while giggling. It makes bubbles appear.

Western Animation

 * Miss Martian's catch-phrase, "Hello Megan!", goes with the little forehead slap. No tongue or wink, but sometimes she rolls her eyes.