I Wish It Was Real: Difference between revisions

''I breathe a sigh, and sadly smile, and lie awhile in bed''<br />

''I wish that it might come to pass, not fade like all my dreams''<br />

 

Remember when you were a kid playing with your favourite action figures/video games/television shows and you would go, "I wish it was real!" Well, that's the basis of this trope: a well-trodden storyline where the favourite fictional elements of the main characters somehow materialise into the [[Welcome to The Real World|real world]] (or the characters are transported into their home [[Alternate Universe]]) through some [[Applied Phlebotinum]] (frequently [[Make a Wish|a wish]]). Depending on the mood of the story, Zany Antics or horrific [[Deconstruction]] follows as the characters deal with their new circumstances. Remember, [[Be Careful What You Wish For]].

* ''[[The Melancholy of Haruhi Suzumiya]]''

* ''[[Digimon Tamers]]''

* ''[[MAR|Märchen Awakens Romance]]'' (an anime and manga series that is based on the idea of its hero, Ginta, entering a fantasy world and living out his dream of being a hero.)

 

* Played with slightly in ''[[Spy Kids]]'' ("I wish I could go away to your world, Floop. You'd be my friend."). Floop turns out to be the villain, {{spoiler|but as it happens, not the [[Big Bad]]. In fact, he makes a [[Heel Face Turn]] by the end of the movie.}}

* Subverted in ''[[Pleasantville]]'', in which the protagonists are drawn into an idealized-1950s TV-show universe, and introduce various forms of personal and sexual liberation that shake up the stereotypically stodgy inhabitants.

* ''[[Last Action Hero]]'' subverts this trope by showing how the "real" and "fictional" worlds may be entirely too different from each other for their inhabitants to cope.

* In ''[[The Last Starfighter]]'', Alex Rogan is really good at a video game -- and it turns out the video game is a training simulator for a galaxy-spanning space war.

 

 

== [[Literature]] ==

* The fantasy series ''[[Guardians of the Flame]]'' has the college professor DM of a gaming group turn out to be a wizard from a fantasy world who sends his players through to try and set things right there. Some benefit from the immigration (one guy, who's crippled in real life, becomes his physically whole dwarf character), but there is a ''high'' body count once the characters find out that this 'DM's world is much harsher than their usual 'game'.

* The ''[[Castlevania|Simon's Quest]]'' and ''[[Wizards and Warriors|Wizards & Warriors]]'' books in the ''[[Worlds of Power]]'' series begin this way.

* [[Terry Pratchett]]'s ''[[Johnny Maxwell Trilogy|Only You Can Save Mankind]]'', although the titular video game comes to life without any actual wishes being involved. It's partially a parody of ''The Last Starfighter'', mentioned above.

 

 

* ''[[Big Bad Beetleborgs]]''

* ''[[Super Sentai|Denji Sentai Megaranger]]''

* ''[[Ace Lightning]].''

* ''[[Power Rangers Ninja Storm]]'' at first, as well as ''[[Power Rangers Jungle Fury|Jungle Fury]]''.

 

== [[Web Comics]] ==

{{quote| "Over the years, Parson's had a lot of big ideas. But this is the first one I've ever seen him follow through on."<br />

"Dibs on his dice" }}

** Later, when he complains that "this isn't what [he] wished for", it's pointed out that in this case it was Erfworld that wished for ''[[The Chosen One|him]]''.

** [http://thephoenix.com/Boston/News/48208-wisdom-of-crowds/ "Maybe wanting something does make it real. Clearly, the comic needs to be corrected.?]

* In ''[[The Inexplicable Adventures of Bob]],'' after watching a VHS tape of ''[[Voltron]],'' Molly is inspired to build a [[Mechanical Monster|giant robot lion.]] Naturally, it [[Hilarity Ensues|runs amok and starts a panic.]] Later, she builds a steam-powered [[Frosty the Snowman]]. He melts because, well, he's steam-powered.

* In one episode of ''[[Chaotic]]'' {{spoiler|creatures from Perim [[Welcome to The Real World|invade Chaotic and Earth]]}}, but it turns out to be [[All Just a Dream]].

** Played straight with any newly-introduced characters. Until they receive an official invitation and password from a Codemaster, the "real" worlds of Chaotic and Perim are nothing but the crazy ramblings of others.

* At least one of [[The Fairly Odd Parents|Timmy Turner's]] wishes has been like this.

** To elaborate: In one episode, Timmy wishes to meet the Crimson Chin, his favorite superhero. The Chin suffers a [[Heroic BSOD]] after learning that he's a fictional character, and Timmy has to try and convince him to return to action. Another episode involves Timmy leaving the portal open and enabling a supervillain to escape into the real world.