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== Anime and Manga == |
== Anime and Manga == |
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* The parasites in ''[[ |
* The parasites in ''[[Parasyte]]/Kiseijuu'' can turn parts of their bodies into blades that can slice and dice multiple humans in the blink of an eye. This happens ''a lot''. |
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* Integra ''[[ |
* Integra ''[[Hellsing]]'' is [[Badass Normal|Badass enough a Normal]] to easily cut apart Nazi vampires. She was using a sabre, though. |
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** {{spoiler|Her butler can do the same, but uses apparently limitless [[Razor Floss|razor wires]] with enough skill to earn the nickname "Angel of Death."}} |
** {{spoiler|Her butler can do the same, but uses apparently limitless [[Razor Floss|razor wires]] with enough skill to earn the nickname "Angel of Death."}} |
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** And Luke Valentine as well, although he's a supernaturally strong and fast vampire. |
** And Luke Valentine as well, although he's a supernaturally strong and fast vampire. |
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* Happened a lot in ''[[ |
* Happened a lot in ''[[Lone Wolf and Cub]]'', especially with Ogami Itto, the protagonist. Justified occasionally in that in his old line of work, cutting heads clean off with a single strike was his ''job''. |
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* ''[[ |
* ''[[Tsukihime]]'''s Shiki Tohno can see "lines of death" on pretty much everything, and any cuts he makes along these lines are [[Clean Cut|Clean Cuts]]. |
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** Same thing goes for Shiki Ryougi in ''[[ |
** Same thing goes for Shiki Ryougi in ''[[Karano Kyoukai|Kara no Kyoukai]]''. |
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* Justice decapitates the title character's dad in ''[[ |
* Justice decapitates the title character's dad in ''[[Afro Samurai]]''... with a ''pistol''. {{spoiler|Or so it looks. He actually has three arms, the last one holding a sword and tucked under his cape.}} |
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* ''[[ |
* ''[[Until Death Do Us Part]]'' features a cutting edge (no pun intended) [[Katanas Are Just Better|katana]] that uses tech to maintain a blade a single molecule in width. And it's wielded by a ''[[Rule of Cool|blind guy]]''. |
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** In all fairness, he did have some vision from his [[Goggles Do Something Unusual|sunglasses]]. |
** In all fairness, he did have some vision from his [[Goggles Do Something Unusual|sunglasses]]. |
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* Happened at least once with Akabane in ''[[ |
* Happened at least once with Akabane in ''[[GetBackers]],'' who carved up (and cut the letter J onto his torso) a [[Mook]] without the Mook noticing for at least five minutes or so. |
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* ''[[ |
* ''[[Mahou Sensei Negima]]'' has {{spoiler|Negi's}} arm severed cleanly ( {{spoiler|and later [[White Magic|re-attached]]}}), but here it's [[A Wizard Did It|magic]], so it kind of makes sense. |
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* ''[[ |
* ''[[Go Lion]]/[[Voltron]]'' loves this, as it occurs every time he uses the Juuohken/Blazing Sword, which is just about [[Once Per Episode]]. |
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* [[ |
* [[Claymore]] has, with virtually EVERY SINGLE CUT, those on the business end not realizing they've been cut until they blast [[High-Pressure Blood]]/suddenly lose an appendage or three. Sometimes both at once. |
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* Happens fairly often in ''[[Ranma ½ |
* Happens fairly often in ''[[Ranma ½|Ranma One Half]]'', though never on a living target, and from all sorts of strange weapons. In his first appearance,[[Kendo Team Captain|Tatewaki]] [[Lord Error-Prone|Kuno]] cuts down a tree this way with a single, one-handed back-stroke from his bokken. In a late manga story, Ranma cuts a circular opening in a wall big enough to walk through... ''with his bare hands''. |
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* ''[[Fullmetal Alchemist]]'': In the manga, Wrath jumps through a rain of bullets at a group of soldiers. Four of them (or more, hard to tell with all the flying body parts) simultaneously fall to pieces two panels later. |
* ''[[Fullmetal Alchemist]]'': In the manga, Wrath jumps through a rain of bullets at a group of soldiers. Four of them (or more, hard to tell with all the flying body parts) simultaneously fall to pieces two panels later. |
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* Goemon, in ''[[ |
* Goemon, in ''[[Lupin III]]'', does this regularly. In one movie, he cuts through a helicopter's blades in such a way that they stay on for a few seconds ''while still turning and keeping the chopper in mid air.'' |
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* Averted by Guts from ''[[ |
* Averted by Guts from ''[[Berserk]]'' in that the wounds (pieces?) left by his [[BFS]] are generally fairly rough around the edges. |
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** Played straight by swords used by Casca or Griffith, as well as the sword made by Godo that Guts used immediately before the Dragon Slayer, which cleanly slice through another sword and the edge of an anvil before it broke on an Apostle's hide. |
** Played straight by swords used by Casca or Griffith, as well as the sword made by Godo that Guts used immediately before the Dragon Slayer, which cleanly slice through another sword and the edge of an anvil before it broke on an Apostle's hide. |
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* Happens in ''[[ |
* Happens in ''[[Rurouni Kenshin]]'' a few times. One notable example is Kenshin cutting a vegetable in half so cleanly and so quickly that ''it heals after the pieces are reassembled.'' |
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* This is how the Ultimateblade, the only male Wielder in ''[[Witchblade ( |
* This is how the Ultimateblade, the only male Wielder in ''[[Witchblade (anime)|Witchblade]]'', bites it, courtesy of Masane. |
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* ''[[ |
* ''[[Macross Frontier]]'' has Brera's [[Absurdly Sharp Blade]] [[Blade Below the Shoulder]] do this to a Hydra in episode 10. ''Lengthwise'' and his knife is barely larger than a combat knife. |
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* Characters in ''[[Blood+ |
* Characters in ''[[Blood+|Blood Plus]]'' are fond of this. Justified to some extent by many characters being superhuman Chiropterans. |
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* Happens in ''[[ |
* Happens in ''[[Soul Eater]]'', only accentuated by the author's early simpler style and (fairly) bloodless carnage. Stein slicing up Medusa into very neat pieces is a good example in the series. Although in that case there is a delay before the High Pressure Blood-loss. |
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== Film == |
== Film == |
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* In the teaser for ''[[Cube]]'', a character is in one room when ''something'' happens. The character freezes in shock, and seconds later falls apart in neatly diced cubes. The ''something'' turns out to be a moving grid made of razor wire. |
* In the teaser for ''[[Cube]]'', a character is in one room when ''something'' happens. The character freezes in shock, and seconds later falls apart in neatly diced cubes. The ''something'' turns out to be a moving grid made of razor wire. |
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* Variant: Practically all the dismemberment in ''[[300 |
* Variant: Practically all the dismemberment in ''[[300|Three Hundred]]'' is like this. No matter ''how'' strong you are, cutting a man's limbs or head off is a remarkably difficult task, but Leonidas in particular is a walking Cuisinart despite the small, none-too-fine sword he uses. |
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* ''[[ |
* ''[[The Cell]]'': That poor, poor horse. Or was it? I mean, it didn't appear to actually die... |
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* ''[[Underworld ( |
* ''[[Underworld (film)|Underworld]]'': Selene slashes the [[Big Bad]] as she leaps over him, and he has time to turn around, draw two swords, then look shocked before half of his head slides off. |
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* ''[[Equilibrium]]'': John Preston incapacitates his former partner with four quick, obviously fatal slices. The former partner sinks to his knees and looks shocked before his face slides off. |
* ''[[Equilibrium]]'': John Preston incapacitates his former partner with four quick, obviously fatal slices. The former partner sinks to his knees and looks shocked before his face slides off. |
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* ''[[Johnny Mnemonic]]'': the [[Big Bad]] has a sort of laser whip that cuts through almost anything. At a certain point he swings it near a minor baddie in an attempt to cut open a chain; said minor baddie is shocked that the [[Big Bad]] did that without regard to the baddie's safety, and says so. Not showing much respect for his opinion, the [[Big Bad]] slices through the baddie with his whip. He briefly glances up, before falling apart in three clean pieces. |
* ''[[Johnny Mnemonic]]'': the [[Big Bad]] has a sort of laser whip that cuts through almost anything. At a certain point he swings it near a minor baddie in an attempt to cut open a chain; said minor baddie is shocked that the [[Big Bad]] did that without regard to the baddie's safety, and says so. Not showing much respect for his opinion, the [[Big Bad]] slices through the baddie with his whip. He briefly glances up, before falling apart in three clean pieces. |
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** It's generally assumed that he's using a monomolecular whip as described below, with added visual effects because slashing ''nothing'' around while people are getting dismembered would look stupid. The weapon is quite popular in the cyberpunk game ''[[ |
** It's generally assumed that he's using a monomolecular whip as described below, with added visual effects because slashing ''nothing'' around while people are getting dismembered would look stupid. The weapon is quite popular in the cyberpunk game ''[[Shadowrun]]'', too (among psychos no-one wants to have anything to do with, that is.) Light is probably being routed along the wire, fiberoptic style, so the ''wielder'' can see where it is. That said, yes, just pretending it's there wouldn't have had the same impact. |
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*** In the Gibson short story, it's a weighted monomolecular wire concealed in his thumb. It's worth noting that you would be able to ''feel'' the location and movement of a device like that, in much the same way as one can feel how a set of poi are moving. |
*** In the Gibson short story, it's a weighted monomolecular wire concealed in his thumb. It's worth noting that you would be able to ''feel'' the location and movement of a device like that, in much the same way as one can feel how a set of poi are moving. |
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* ''[[Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon]]'': the sword Green Destiny, in the hands of the right wielder, can be drawn, cut pieces of iron in half, and sheathed again ''all in the one movement.'' |
* ''[[Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon]]'': the sword Green Destiny, in the hands of the right wielder, can be drawn, cut pieces of iron in half, and sheathed again ''all in the one movement.'' |
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* In the extended [[Incredibly Lame Pun|cut]] of ''[[Sin City]]'', Miho dispatches [[Scary Black Man|Manute]] this way at the end of The Big Fat Kill. |
* In the extended [[Incredibly Lame Pun|cut]] of ''[[Sin City]]'', Miho dispatches [[Scary Black Man|Manute]] this way at the end of The Big Fat Kill. |
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* Averted in ''[[Star Wars]]''. The lightsabers do cut through almost anything (they cannot cut through other lightsabers, cortosis blades, Phrik or blades created by sith alchemy, and it can be difficult to make them cut through anything with an electromagnetic field), but are obviously immune from material limitations, what with being plasma and all. Also people don't spend half a minute looking shocked before falling to pieces. Limbs and appendages tend to fly all over the place, although [[Bloodless Carnage|bleeding is very limited]] as the laser cauterizes as it cuts, and leaves a gap due to the width of the blade and the fact that surrounding flesh is heated white hot and thus charred. |
* Averted in ''[[Star Wars]]''. The lightsabers do cut through almost anything (they cannot cut through other lightsabers, cortosis blades, Phrik or blades created by sith alchemy, and it can be difficult to make them cut through anything with an electromagnetic field), but are obviously immune from material limitations, what with being plasma and all. Also people don't spend half a minute looking shocked before falling to pieces. Limbs and appendages tend to fly all over the place, although [[Bloodless Carnage|bleeding is very limited]] as the laser cauterizes as it cuts, and leaves a gap due to the width of the blade and the fact that surrounding flesh is heated white hot and thus charred. |
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** Lightsabers also cannot cut superconductors. Apparently, the [[Star Wars Expanded Universe]] has room-temperature superconductors that can hold an edge. Combine that with [[Vibroweapon|Vibro Weapons]], and you get the vibro-shields (yes, shields used as swords, contrasted with the lightsaber's status as a sword used as a shield) of the Akk Guards, who fight [[Badass|Mace]] [[Samuel L Jackson|Windu]] in ''Shatterpoint''. Aside from the cauterizing, [[Vibroweapon|Vibro Weapons]] in general can perform this trope just like lightsabers. Better, maybe, since cauterizing is not strictly part of the trope. However, hold a lightsaber against a superconductor for long enough and the whole thing will melt. Also, vibro weapons have less cutting power than lightsabers. |
** Lightsabers also cannot cut superconductors. Apparently, the [[Star Wars Expanded Universe]] has room-temperature superconductors that can hold an edge. Combine that with [[Vibroweapon|Vibro Weapons]], and you get the vibro-shields (yes, shields used as swords, contrasted with the lightsaber's status as a sword used as a shield) of the Akk Guards, who fight [[Badass|Mace]] [[Samuel L. Jackson|Windu]] in ''Shatterpoint''. Aside from the cauterizing, [[Vibroweapon|Vibro Weapons]] in general can perform this trope just like lightsabers. Better, maybe, since cauterizing is not strictly part of the trope. However, hold a lightsaber against a superconductor for long enough and the whole thing will melt. Also, vibro weapons have less cutting power than lightsabers. |
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* In Gabriel Byrne's ''[[Ghost Ship ( |
* In Gabriel Byrne's ''[[Ghost Ship (film)|Ghost Ship]]'', the [http://youtube.com/watch?v=mVxgzBVjgIs opening sequence] has a group of partygoers dancing in the ballroom of an ocean liner. An unseen person hooks up a spool of wire cord level with the ballroom deck. The spool snaps and flails across the room, and the guests look around to see what's wrong. It turns out that all of the guests (save for one little girl) have been bisected, falling apart more than ten seconds after the incident. Of note is the captain of the ship, who has been dancing with the little girl. He looks down at her in concern, then ''half of his head falls off''. To some, this was [[Narm/Film|narm]], especially when the cut superceded the one guy's enormous grin. |
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* ''[[Final Destination]] 2'' features a similar scene, except with two fenceposts with barbed wire spun in between, slicing apart one of the destined to die. |
* ''[[Final Destination]] 2'' features a similar scene, except with two fenceposts with barbed wire spun in between, slicing apart one of the destined to die. |
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* A [http://youtube.com/watch?v=VX6xsIrZfdo deleted scene] from [[Tom Cruise]]'s ''[[The Last Samurai]]'' has the lead character, Nathan Algren, witness a samurai named Ujio walking along a street, who gets hassled by a pair of businessmen. The samurai takes their insults for a few moments, as they insult his heritage and his swords, but when one of them pokes him with a cane, Ujio slices off the head of the man in a clean, swift fashion, and sheaths his katana in one fluid movement while the other scrambles backwards. |
* A [http://youtube.com/watch?v=VX6xsIrZfdo deleted scene] from [[Tom Cruise]]'s ''[[The Last Samurai]]'' has the lead character, Nathan Algren, witness a samurai named Ujio walking along a street, who gets hassled by a pair of businessmen. The samurai takes their insults for a few moments, as they insult his heritage and his swords, but when one of them pokes him with a cane, Ujio slices off the head of the man in a clean, swift fashion, and sheaths his katana in one fluid movement while the other scrambles backwards. |
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* There is a scene in ''[[Resident Evil ( |
* There is a scene in ''[[Resident Evil (film)|Resident Evil]]'' which traps several characters in a [[Laser Hallway]]. The first is decapitated, the second cut in half through the waist, and the third diced into chunks... which fall apart, very slowly. |
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* In ''[[ |
* In ''[[Highlander]]'', Connor 's final fight with the Kurgan ends with the Kurgan giving an ambiguous smile, just before his head slowly flops off. You see, [[Katanas Are Just Better]]. |
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* ''[[Stargate Continuum]]'' features Que'tesh warning Ba'al that her sword's blade has been sharpened to the width of an ''atom'' and that it would be very easy to cut a body in half {{spoiler|as she later does}}. |
* ''[[Stargate: Continuum]]'' features Que'tesh warning Ba'al that her sword's blade has been sharpened to the width of an ''atom'' and that it would be very easy to cut a body in half {{spoiler|as she later does}}. |
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* Arguably inverted in ''[[ |
* Arguably inverted in ''[[The Fifth Element]]''. Leeloo ''kicks'' a sword perfectly in half. |
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* ''[[ |
* ''[[Slither]]'', except only partially, has a guy slashed open in the front of his body, but not his half, resulting in all of his innards falling out. |
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* The most important blows are delivered this way in ''[[Kill Bill]]''. Oren Ishii beheaded a mutinous henchman with a single swipe, and the Bride cut of an arm off Sophia Fatale, chopped ''another sword'' in pieces like it was a straw, and then sliced Oren's head in half. |
* The most important blows are delivered this way in ''[[Kill Bill]]''. Oren Ishii beheaded a mutinous henchman with a single swipe, and the Bride cut of an arm off Sophia Fatale, chopped ''another sword'' in pieces like it was a straw, and then sliced Oren's head in half. |
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* In ''John Carpenter's Vampires'', the [[Big Bad]] slices somebody in half vertically using his hand. |
* In ''John Carpenter's Vampires'', the [[Big Bad]] slices somebody in half vertically using his hand. |
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* Maida decapitates a [[Mook]] quite cleanly in ''[[ |
* Maida decapitates a [[Mook]] quite cleanly in ''[[The Ice Pirates]]''. |
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* Michael Myers from the ''[[Halloween ( |
* Michael Myers from the ''[[Halloween (film)|Halloween]]'' series is fond of this trope. A particularly memorable example had him decapitate Jen in ''Resurrection'' in one clean swipe ''with a kitchen knife''. |
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* In the 2006 remake of ''[[The Omen]]'', {{spoiler|photographer Keith Jennings}} gets his head sliced cleanly off...by an unhinged sign post. Seeing as the momentum wasn't terribly large, that thing must've been sharp as hell. Then again, though, [[Satan|higher powers]] are also at work, which might help explain it. |
* In the 2006 remake of ''[[The Omen]]'', {{spoiler|photographer Keith Jennings}} gets his head sliced cleanly off...by an unhinged sign post. Seeing as the momentum wasn't terribly large, that thing must've been sharp as hell. Then again, though, [[Satan|higher powers]] are also at work, which might help explain it. |
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* ''[[ |
* ''[[13 Ghosts|Thirteen Ghosts]]'' (the 2001 remake) features this ''[[Karmic Death]]'' for the cast member whose ulterior motives put the whole diabolical clockwork into action, in exchange for money. A sheet of glass descends from the ceiling, and for a few seconds he's frozen and can't move. His eyes blink, and then his front half succombs to gravity as his back half remains suspended. Complete with ''[[Gallows Humor]]'' when an oblivious cast member asks, "Did the lawyer split?" |
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== Literature == |
== Literature == |
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* Taken to the logical extreme with [[The Grim Reaper|Death]]'s scythe in the ''[[ |
* Taken to the logical extreme with [[The Grim Reaper|Death]]'s scythe in the ''[[Discworld]]'' series - so thin and fine that it sharpens on ''daylight'' and can cut a person's words to pieces. His sword too, introduced in ''Discworld/Hogfather'' is only visible at the edge, due to it cutting tiny pieces of the air in half. Said sword cut through, without any effort on the part of the wielder, in fact by accident, a large portion of the dining table at UU, as well as numerous forks, knives etc. So little effort was needed, in fact, that the wielder was rather surprised to find a large chunk of table falling away. |
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** In ''[[Discworld |
** In ''[[Discworld/The Fifth Elephant|The Fifth Elephant]]'', a highly trained assassin uses a karate chop on an opponent and ''decapitates him with his bare hands''; At least, that's what it looks like, until we find out later about his palm dagger. Which was apparently remarkably sharp. |
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** In ''[[Discworld |
** In ''[[Discworld/Carpe Jugulum|Carpe Jugulum]]'', a rather unimpressive priest completely decapitates a vampire with a simple axe without harming a baby the vampire was holding or even knocking the vampire's head off his shoulders. Said vampire is told not to nod quickly. It's suggested that [[Theory of Narrative Causality|narrative causality]] and/or Granny Weatherwax had something to do with that, though. |
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** [[Lampshade Hanging|Lampshaded]] in ''[[Discworld |
** [[Lampshade Hanging|Lampshaded]] in ''[[Discworld/Interesting Times|Interesting Times]]''. A messenger delivers bad news to Lord Hong. Lord Hong picks up the sword he's working on. The messenger, who can't bear to look, shuts his eyes and hears the swish of the blade. When he opens his eyes, he's still alive. He gingerly touches his neck... "you heard terrible stories about Lord Hong's swords." Turns out he had cut the head off a would-be assassin. |
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** Toward the end of ''[[Discworld |
** Toward the end of ''[[Discworld/Guards Guards|Guards Guards]]'', Carrot's sword is used to block another sword. The attacker's sword is cut clean in two, leaving its wielder flabbergasted. To my knowledge, it's never been used for such, but imagine what it could do if turned against a villain (in a cut, not a thrust, which it ''has'' been used for). |
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* In the ''[[His Dark Materials]]'' series, the Subtle Knife has two <s>blades</s> edges: one for cutting through ''anything'' tangible, and the other for ''cutting through the fabric separating alternate universes''. |
* In the ''[[His Dark Materials]]'' series, the Subtle Knife has two <s>blades</s> edges: one for cutting through ''anything'' tangible, and the other for ''cutting through the fabric separating alternate universes''. |
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* Also taken to extremes in the various ''[[ |
* Also taken to extremes in the various ''[[Hammers Slammers]]'' stories by [[David Drake]]. In many of the stories, the mercenaries are shown to have knives so sharp that they can cut leaves hanging on trees ''without disturbing them''. In addition, there is a "cutting bar" used that can slice through things such as chain link fencing without stopping. Though the cutting bar is said to have "vibrating, interlocking teeth" in it, making it a combination of a Machete ''and'' a chainsaw in action... |
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* The ''[[Gears of War]]'' novel ''Aspho Fields'' averts this, as a character's attacking a Locust with the chainsaw bayonet on the game's infamous Lancer Assault Rifle is an extended pushing of the chainsaw into the Locust, and they later found out they had a piece of bone stuck in them that flung off during the altercation. |
* The ''[[Gears of War]]'' novel ''Aspho Fields'' averts this, as a character's attacking a Locust with the chainsaw bayonet on the game's infamous Lancer Assault Rifle is an extended pushing of the chainsaw into the Locust, and they later found out they had a piece of bone stuck in them that flung off during the altercation. |
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* Also done in the ''[[Known Space]]'' series of short stories by [[Larry Niven]]. Not by a knife though... In the stories there is a type of thread referred to as "Sinclair molecule chain" -- [[Razor Floss|a thread that is one molecule wide, and can slice through anything with just a gentle tug]]. How they manage to attach handles to it is a different story... This is also used in the "variable-knife" and "variable-sword" from the same series, which is nothing more than Sinclair chain spun out from a handle, with a "stasis field" to support it. Not to mention a red ball at the end, so you can tell where the thread ends. |
* Also done in the ''[[Known Space]]'' series of short stories by [[Larry Niven]]. Not by a knife though... In the stories there is a type of thread referred to as "Sinclair molecule chain" -- [[Razor Floss|a thread that is one molecule wide, and can slice through anything with just a gentle tug]]. How they manage to attach handles to it is a different story... This is also used in the "variable-knife" and "variable-sword" from the same series, which is nothing more than Sinclair chain spun out from a handle, with a "stasis field" to support it. Not to mention a red ball at the end, so you can tell where the thread ends. |
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** In another Larry Niven story, the 'attach handles' part is explained when we find out that Sinclair had no trouble designing the monomolecular chain, but the hard part was devising molecular links for the ends so handles could be attached and the chain wouldn't unravel. |
** In another Larry Niven story, the 'attach handles' part is explained when we find out that Sinclair had no trouble designing the monomolecular chain, but the hard part was devising molecular links for the ends so handles could be attached and the chain wouldn't unravel. |
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* In ''[[Hyperion|Endymion]]'' a trap made of monomolecular wire gets noticed when one of the heroes realizes he doesn't have an arm any more. |
* In ''[[Hyperion|Endymion]]'' a trap made of monomolecular wire gets noticed when one of the heroes realizes he doesn't have an arm any more. |
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* ''[[ |
* ''[[Alice in Wonderland]]'' features the Vorpal Sword. Capable of removing the head of a Jabberwock with little more than a snicker-snack. |
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* [[Badass|Raven's]] weapons of choice in ''[[Snow Crash]]'' are glass knives, invisible to millimetre-wave radar and not much thicker than a molecule along the cutting edge. Usually mounted on an Aleut whaling harpoon for armour-piercing death at a distance. |
* [[Badass|Raven's]] weapons of choice in ''[[Snow Crash]]'' are glass knives, invisible to millimetre-wave radar and not much thicker than a molecule along the cutting edge. Usually mounted on an Aleut whaling harpoon for armour-piercing death at a distance. |
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* ''Headhunter'': Michael Slade's serial killer can take a victim's head off with one blow. Possibly justified, as the cutlass-like killing blade is equipped with a sliding weight on its blunt side, which shifts from hilt to tip when the weapon is swung and dramatically increases the force of impact. |
* ''Headhunter'': Michael Slade's serial killer can take a victim's head off with one blow. Possibly justified, as the cutlass-like killing blade is equipped with a sliding weight on its blunt side, which shifts from hilt to tip when the weapon is swung and dramatically increases the force of impact. |
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* ''[[Harry Potter (Franchise)/Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows|Harry Potter]]'': Neville decapitates Nagini (Voldemort's snake) with a single swipe of a sword. |
* ''[[Harry Potter (Franchise)/Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows|Harry Potter]]'': Neville decapitates Nagini (Voldemort's snake) with a single swipe of a sword. |
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* In the short story [http://dailysciencefiction.com/story/desmond-warzel/epinikion "Epinikion"] by Desmond Warzel, the alien Squids have natural weaponry that not only does this to their human opponents, but leaves them alive for several hours after being bisected. |
* In the short story [http://dailysciencefiction.com/story/desmond-warzel/epinikion "Epinikion"] by Desmond Warzel, the alien Squids have natural weaponry that not only does this to their human opponents, but leaves them alive for several hours after being bisected. |
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* This is what the [[Absurdly Sharp Blade|Shardblades]] in ''[[The Stormlight Archive |
* This is what the [[Absurdly Sharp Blade|Shardblades]] in ''[[The Stormlight Archive|The Way of Kings]]'' do to anything not living. If it is alive, it [[Clean Cut|Cleanly Cuts]] the ''[[Soul Cutting Blade|soul]]''. |
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* [[Xena: Warrior Princess]] featured numerous instances of unusually clean cuts, however one of the most graphic of these examples was in the (incredibly controversial) episode "The Way", in which {{spoiler|Xena's arms were cut clean off by Indrajit, the King of Demons}}. It's alright though, not two minutes later into the episode she has {{spoiler|six arms}}. By the end of the episode, all is well again and {{spoiler|she has her own two arms back}}. |
* [[Xena: Warrior Princess]] featured numerous instances of unusually clean cuts, however one of the most graphic of these examples was in the (incredibly controversial) episode "The Way", in which {{spoiler|Xena's arms were cut clean off by Indrajit, the King of Demons}}. It's alright though, not two minutes later into the episode she has {{spoiler|six arms}}. By the end of the episode, all is well again and {{spoiler|she has her own two arms back}}. |
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* [[Buffy the Vampire Slayer]] has a few good examples. Notably {{spoiler|Anya's}} death in "Chosen". |
* [[Buffy the Vampire Slayer]] has a few good examples. Notably {{spoiler|Anya's}} death in "Chosen". |
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* [[ |
* [[Angel]] features quite a few of these, mostly with beheadings. |
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* An episode of ''[[CSI: NY]]'' featured a corpse killed by a cut so clean that the wound wasn't obvious until the body was moved, at which point the head fell off. It turned out to have been made by a [[Katanas Are Just Better|katana]]. |
* An episode of ''[[CSI: NY]]'' featured a corpse killed by a cut so clean that the wound wasn't obvious until the body was moved, at which point the head fell off. It turned out to have been made by a [[Katanas Are Just Better|katana]]. |
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** To be fair, they did spend a good part of the episode clarifying at the person wielding said katana was incredibly well trained and strong enough to make such a cut. |
** To be fair, they did spend a good part of the episode clarifying at the person wielding said katana was incredibly well trained and strong enough to make such a cut. |
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* Happens in pretty much every episode of ''[[Highlander the Series]].'' |
* Happens in pretty much every episode of ''[[Highlander the Series]].'' |
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* Most bladed weapons shown on ''[[Deadliest Warrior]]'' leave jagged, messy wounds; even those that hack limbs off. Of course, more often than not they're cutting through gel torsos. Though in a few instances, this was played straight. The samurai cleanly cut through two pigs with a katana. |
* Most bladed weapons shown on ''[[Deadliest Warrior]]'' leave jagged, messy wounds; even those that hack limbs off. Of course, more often than not they're cutting through gel torsos. Though in a few instances, this was played straight. The samurai cleanly cut through two pigs with a katana. |
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* In the 1998 ''[[Merlin |
* In the 1998 ''[[Merlin (TV miniseries)|Merlin-1998]]'' miniseries, the titular wizard demonstrates this with Excalibur, cutting cleanly through a regular sword used by an enemy just by ''parrying'' it. |
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== Tabletop Games == |
== Tabletop Games == |
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* ''[[ |
* ''[[Fading Suns]]'' has wireblades - monomolecular swords that ''will'' cut through anything with ease. In game mechanics, this means they ignore any armor the opponent is wearing. |
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* ''[[ |
* ''[[Shadowrun]]'' had monomolecular whips which were often as dangerous to the user as they were to the enemy, but its Crowning Moment of Awesome has to be the monomolecular Axe; an axe with a monofilament edge capable of cutting through virtually anything. It tended to lose its edge quickly though. |
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* More critical hits, regardless of system, than can ever be counted. Completely justified by the [[Rule of Cool]], too. |
* More critical hits, regardless of system, than can ever be counted. Completely justified by the [[Rule of Cool]], too. |
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== Videogames == |
== Videogames == |
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* ''[[Final Fantasy]]''s Odin does this to his enemies when using his Zantetsuken (effectively, decapitating iron sword), slicing them cleanly into two pieces. |
* ''[[Final Fantasy]]''s Odin does this to his enemies when using his Zantetsuken (effectively, decapitating iron sword), slicing them cleanly into two pieces. |
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* ''[[ |
* ''[[Devil May Cry]]'' has Yamato, a katana apparently so sharp it can effortlessly cut through several feet of stone. From about half a mile away. Also used to separate dimensions. |
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** Not to mention Dante's Rebellion. It cuts a cubic meter of solid steel/stone/magic die neatly in half. |
** Not to mention Dante's Rebellion. It cuts a cubic meter of solid steel/stone/magic die neatly in half. |
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** With Yamato, Vergil swishes his sword, turns around, puts it in his scabbard, waits a second... and then as he clicks it in the enemy is slashed apart by the attack -- multiple times. It's like a time delayed series of slashes. |
** With Yamato, Vergil swishes his sword, turns around, puts it in his scabbard, waits a second... and then as he clicks it in the enemy is slashed apart by the attack -- multiple times. It's like a time delayed series of slashes. |
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*** One of the enemies even manages to speak several lines after the slash, before its head goes in pieces. |
*** One of the enemies even manages to speak several lines after the slash, before its head goes in pieces. |
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* ''[[ |
* ''[[Call of Duty]] 4'' and ''World at War'' kind of exhibits this trope for bullets, as the game allows you to shoot through certain materials - many things make sense for the bullets to go through, like wood and sheet metal, and they always do so with reduced damage. However, once they start shooting through stone, it kinda stretches it since the bullets can still go through and actually hurt. If they implemented a mechanic that allows you to permanently damage all material, it might make more sense with continuous shooting, but, there currently isn't. |
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* In ''[[Dark Forces Saga|Jedi Knight 2]]'', there is a cheat setting that allows the lightsaber to do this, accurately slicing models along the cuts, making it possible to filet enemies and friends alike. The setting to allow this implies that it was a feature of the game that was censored. |
* In ''[[Dark Forces Saga|Jedi Knight 2]]'', there is a cheat setting that allows the lightsaber to do this, accurately slicing models along the cuts, making it possible to filet enemies and friends alike. The setting to allow this implies that it was a feature of the game that was censored. |
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* ''[[Metal Gear Rising Revengeance]]'' has this as one of its [http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FMdu_dUzjfE newest gameplay features.] |
* ''[[Metal Gear Rising: Revengeance]]'' has this as one of its [http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FMdu_dUzjfE newest gameplay features.] |
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* One of Yashas attgacks from ''[[Asura's Wrath]]''. |
* One of Yashas attgacks from ''[[Asura's Wrath]]''. |
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== [[Web Comics]] == |
== [[Web Comics]] == |
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* In ''[[ |
* In ''[[Sluggy Freelance]]'' Torg's [[Empathic Weapon|magic, talking sword]] Chaz never seems to just cut partway through something. Either it clangs harmlessly off of demons and aliens, or it cuts them clean in two. [[Justified Trope]] by its magical nature, which lets it kill just about anything with one stroke when "powered up." |
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* [http://drmcninja.com/page.php?pageNum=39&issue=14 Lampshaded] in ''[[ |
* [http://drmcninja.com/page.php?pageNum=39&issue=14 Lampshaded] in ''[[The Adventures of Dr. McNinja]]'' and subverted in the same page. |
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* Anywhere one of the four invincible swordsmen shows up in ''[[Twelve Dragons]]''. |
* Anywhere one of the four invincible swordsmen shows up in ''[[Twelve Dragons]]''. |
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* The web only comic strip Pibgorn has seen this at least once. |
* The web only comic strip Pibgorn has seen this at least once. |
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* [http://www.rhjunior.com/totq/00069.html Early on] in ''[[ |
* [http://www.rhjunior.com/totq/00069.html Early on] in ''[[Tales of the Questor]]''. |
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== Western Animation == |
== Western Animation == |
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* An assassin in ''[[ |
* An assassin in ''[[Batman Beyond]]'' has a sword that can cut through ''anything'' (e.g. cutting a moving car in half). Examination by Wayne reveals that the blade terminates in an edge thinner than a molecule. |
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** Making it a mono-atomic blade? |
** Making it a mono-atomic blade? |
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** Wait, then what is it made of? It can't be an alloy, and no existing element would hold an edge like that. |
** Wait, then what is it made of? It can't be an alloy, and no existing element would hold an edge like that. |
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*** [[Memetic Mutation|It's the future, we don't have to explain it.]] |
*** [[Memetic Mutation|It's the future, we don't have to explain it.]] |
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* ''[[Samurai Jack]]'': One of his signature moves is to leap at the enemy, perform a series of lightning-swift slashes in mid-fly, then land and pose dramatically with his eyes closed as the enemy falls apart and explodes behind his back. |
* ''[[Samurai Jack]]'': One of his signature moves is to leap at the enemy, perform a series of lightning-swift slashes in mid-fly, then land and pose dramatically with his eyes closed as the enemy falls apart and explodes behind his back. |
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* A couple of ''[[ |
* A couple of ''[[Looney Tunes]]'' shorts like "Tree For Two" and "The Honey-Mousers" featured a gag where a character would get slashed by a pair of giant claws or a sword. After a few seconds the character appears to be fine and then says the strike missed only to fall into pieces on the ground. They would usually put themselves back together. |
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** Done also in [[De Patie Freleng]] shorts such as The Inspector and The Ant and the Aardvark. Little wonder, as many of DPF's directors were old Warner Bros. alums. One particularly memorable gag involved the Aardvark actually flying through a wire fence and then plucking a small square out of his own hindquarters. |
** Done also in [[De Patie Freleng]] shorts such as The Inspector and The Ant and the Aardvark. Little wonder, as many of DPF's directors were old Warner Bros. alums. One particularly memorable gag involved the Aardvark actually flying through a wire fence and then plucking a small square out of his own hindquarters. |
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* In an episode of ''[[The Flintstones]]'', Wilma warns Fred not to tease the cat, it will scratch him. Fred denies that the cat would do that. After Fred teases the cat several times, the cat emits its razor-sharp claws and slices across him. "He never touched me," Fred says, before falling apart like sliced bread. |
* In an episode of ''[[The Flintstones]]'', Wilma warns Fred not to tease the cat, it will scratch him. Fred denies that the cat would do that. After Fred teases the cat several times, the cat emits its razor-sharp claws and slices across him. "He never touched me," Fred says, before falling apart like sliced bread. |