Leaning on the Fourth Wall: Difference between revisions

 

'''Bob:''' You mean like [[Fourth Wall Psych]]? What about [[Aside Glance]]? And the inverse would be [[This Is Reality]].

 

== Advertising ==

* A Bamzu.com commercial features [[Two Gamers On a Couch|two people on a couch]] talking about how great Bamzu is. It finishes with the man saying to the woman, "Hey, maybe ''we'' could do a Bamzu commercial!" to which she replies, "You think?"

* A series of Geico commercials feature extremely poorly "animated" characters speaking in robotic voices. One of the characters informs the other that the commercial -- in which they are currently appearing -- took only 15 minutes to produce (which they tie into the amount of time it takes to switch to Geico).

* Fairly early in the ''[[Mahou Sensei Negima]]'' manga, Ako tells an aged up version of Negi that she envies Negi because she feels like she's just a supporting character and he's the main character. She is, of course, absolutely right. Negi counters that even if she's a minor character in someone else's story, she's still the main character of her own. As she was the main character of [[A Day in The Limelight|that particular mini-arc]], he was right, too.

** In an especially tongue-in-cheek moment, Natsumi refers to herself as a side character right before making a casual observation that turns the chapter (#257) into a [[Wham Episode]].

*** Asuna says something similar when Kotaro first breaks out his demon form. Also a [[Lampshade Hanging]], as said demon form is a [[Homage]] to [[Inuyasha]].

** Similarly, in chapter 277, minor character Tosaka says to Ako and Akira, "Us side-characters gotta look out for each other."

* The last words spoken during the anime version of ''[[Death Note (Manga)|Death Note]]'' indicate Ryuk is [[Leaning On the Fourth Wall]]. They're spoken by Ryuk as {{spoiler|he kills Light}}, but the words of farewell ring on for the series, reminding everyone that all this time, the whole purpose of everything that's gone on from beginning to end was for Ryuk's entertainment.

{{quote| '''Ryuk:''' {{spoiler|It was good while it lasted. We eased each other's boredom for quite a while. Well, Light, it's been interesting.}}}}

* In [[Sayonara Zetsubou Sensei]], the characters all constantly point out that Kaere is only there as a [[Fan Service]] character.

* ''[[Katanagatari]]''. Togame tends to make comments that'd be fourth wall breaking if it weren't for the fact that she's writing everything down for publication.

* The first half of ''[[Baccano (Light Novel)|Baccano]]''!'s first episode is what seems two [[Meta Guy|Meta Guys]] arguing over [[Anachronic Order|when this whole thing supposed to start]], [[Loads and Loads of Characters|who the "main character" is]] and whether or not any of it actually had a point. Technically they're an eccentric [[Knowledge Broker]] and his assistant trying to sort out the data they have on immortal-related occurrences over the last couple of years, but it sure ''seems'' like they're picking apart the show you're just about to watch.

* An episode of ''[[Pokémon (Anime)|Pokémon]]'' had Misty say that when Jigglypuff drew on her, she looked like a cartoon character. Ash says how ridiculous it would be if they were in a cartoon.

** An ''Orange Islands'' episode has Ash and Pikachu take part in a stage show where the trainers do voice-overs that make the Pokémon look like they can talk. In the dub, Ash comments on how hard it is [[Lip Lock|to match the lip-flaps]].

** "Who watches the Watchm-"

** Also "I'm not a Republic serial villain..." (which becomes ridiculously meta in [[Watchmen (Film)|the movie]]: "I'm not a comic book villain")

** Young Justice loved to play around with this trope. In another scene, Wonder Girl and Arrowette are using the internet, but their connection dies. Arrowette angrily remarks that she hates ISPs. Wonder Girl nervously replies, "No you don't! You LOVE! ISPs! Especially the biggest one!" Arrowette realizes her mistake and says "Umm, I'm going to shut up now," as she and Wonder Girl look in the reader's direction. At the time, Time/Warner, the parent company of DC Comics, had just been purchased by AOL.

* Also done in the final part of the [[Blue Beetle]] backup in ''[[Booster Gold]]'' #29, where Paco laments the cancellation of his favorite comic and Brenda attempts to reassure him that the character will still be around.

'''Jason:''' ...Well, I wouldn't go THAT far.<br />

'''Paige:''' Okay, so there's a TINY chance that you didn't like it. }}

* There's a truly hilarious scene in ''[[Ultimate Spider-Man]]'' in which the title character lampshades many of the common trends in his life and how difficult it makes things for him. It fits the character since he just broke up with MJ due to [[Its Not You Its My Enemies]] and recovering from {{spoiler|Gwen's death}}, but it plays very much like he's actually angry at [[Cosmic Plaything|the writer's devotion to making his life a living hell]].

{{quote| "What else was I supposed to do? [[Its Not You Its My Enemies|She was going to get killed because she's Spider-Man's girlfriend]] and, frankly, [[Distress Ball|she's too stupid to stay out of trouble when I tell her to.]] Maybe I- Maybe I should talk to her about this. Maybe in a couple of months she'll figure out how to be smarter about being with me and I won't have to- no. [[Genre Savvy|NO! NO!]] [[Recycled Script|She almost got killed six times out of the last twelve big Spider-Man adventures.]] There is no way I'm putting her in danger because I don't have anything to do on Friday nights. No. [[I Want My Beloved to Be Happy|No, leave her alone.]] [...] So I break up with her, which had to be done, but now I have to sit next to her for... [[Comic Book Time|what year is it?]] [[Vague Age|What am I? A sophomore? Tenth Grade?]] Well that means I only have a couple of years left to sit and feel her not look at me as I don't look at her. [...] She'll be making out with [[Jerk Jock|Flash Thompson]] and I'll be NOT making out with anyone ever again because [[Being Good Sucks|I CAN'T HAVE A GIRLFRIEND BECAUSE I'M SPIDER-MAN AND WITH GREAT POWER MUST COME NOT MAKING OUT WITH MY GIRLFRIEND EVER AGAIN!"]]}}

* In one ''[[Lucky Luke]]'' album, Rantanplan (after having eaten [[Extreme Omnivore|a piece of soap]]) wonders whether he's the only one making [[Speech Bubbles|bubbles]].

{{quote| "The story is told all out of order -- you can't follow the damned thing... God, they just let any idiot write this stuff, don't they..."}}

* The ''[[Asterix]]'' book ''Asterix and the Roman Agent'' has a few panels where Impedimenta laments that Asterix received a valuable vase from a Roman for being "the most important man in the village." When Vitalstatisix mutters that he's the most important, she retorts, "If anyone was fool enough to write down the story of our village, they won't be calling it The Adventures of Vitalstatistix the Gaul!"

* Another ''[[Bleach]]'' fic, ''[[Winter War (Fanfic)|Winter War]]'', has one character musing that "sometimes the princess had to save the dragon, and sometimes she had to save the prince as well, and sometimes the princess and the dragon and the knight all teamed up together and [[Take That|went to argue with the person who’d written the story and complain about how they never got anything interesting and new to do.]]" Of course, it's also from [[Cloudcuckoolander|Orihime's POV.]]

* ''[[Turnabout Storm (Fanfic)|Turnabout Storm]]'':

** While Phoenix and Pinkie are investigating, she starts to hum ''[http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wq1jknZp0ic Pursuit ~ Cornered]'', one of ''Ace Attorney's'' most iconic themes. Phoenix comments that the tune sounds quite familiar to him.

* A rather gory ''Fan Fic'' of ''Digimon'', ''[[Fan Fic/The Interloper|The Interloper]]'', has [[Original Character|Christopher Van Numen]] regarding what had happened in that very day and how it all felt too perfect to be just a simple coincidence, all the while he infiltrates the DSI's R&D Wing, his thought process eventually goes into:

* ''[[Fight Club]]'' does this enough times to make the camera a supporting character. The narrator directly addresses the camera upon multiple occasions.

** The "film" even shakes during one of these, to the point where you can see the guide track at the edges.

{{quote| '''Holden:''' "Think about it. A ''Jay and Silent Bob movie?'' Who'd pay to see '''that?'''"<br />

'''Jay:''' *''wink at camera''*<br />

* Very subtly in ''[[X-Men (Film)|X-Men Origins: Wolverine]]'', when the group of mercenaries are in an elevator which is shut down, casting them into [[Hollywood Darkness]] indicated by a vague green light. [[Deadpool|Wade]] mentions that the green brings out Striker's eyes.

* In the film ''[[Deathstalker II Duel of the Titans]]'', the opening has Sultana exclaiming, "I'll have my revenge... and Deathstalker, too!" Cue title screen. Didn't Family Guy make a similar joke?

* In ''[[His Girl Friday]]'' editor Walter Burns describes Bruce Baldwin as "He looks like that fellow in the movies - Ralph Bellamy"; Baldwin is being played by Ralph Bellamy.

** ''[[The Seven Year Itch]]'' has a similar bit about [[Marilyn Monroe|The Girl]]:

'''Richard:''' Wouldn't you like to know! Maybe it's Marilyn Monroe! }}

* In ''[[Jeepers Creepers]],'' our heroes have just decided to go back and see if the creepy guy was really hiding a body. The sister comments to her brother, "You know the part in scary movies when somebody does something really stupid, and everybody hates them for it? This is it."

* In a 1980s Finnish comedy film from the ''Uuno Turhapuro'' series, a restaurant waiter has been tricked, by two alcoholics, into drinking a full bottle of vodka. Later, when a lady enters the restaurant, and listens to the waiter singing a song, she glances around, and [http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Xph5D2xExIM declares] with an enlightened face: "I see. This must be a Finnish movie. There is no other explanation for the presence of so many drunk people in one scene."

* [[Rango]] has the title character ask the Spirit of the West why he has to go back to town and save the day. The Spirit's response is "No man can walk out on his own story."

{{quote| It's a dreadfully long monster of a book, and I certainly won't have time to read it, but I'm giving it a thorough skimming. The authors are utterly incompetent -- no sense of style or structure at all. It starts out as a detective story, switches to science-fiction, then goes off into the supernatural, and is full of the most detailed information of dozens of ghastly boring subjects. And the time sequence is all out of order in a very pretentious imitation of Faulkner and Joyce. Worst yet, it has the most raunchy sex scenes, thrown in just to make it sell, I'm sure, and the authors -- whom I've never heard of -- have the supreme bad taste to introduce real political figures into this mishmash and pretend to be exposing a real conspiracy. You can be sure I won't waste time reading such rubbish.}}

** Of course, since this is [[Mind Screw|The Illuminatus Trilogy]], it's entirely possible he's reviewing the book he's in.

** The ''[[Lord Darcy (Literature)|Lord Darcy]]'' stories contain some similar references, usually about how terribly messed-up the world would be if Richard the Lion-Hearted hadn't survived his crossbow wound. In one story, Darcy speaks dismissively of detective-fiction fans, who treat the [[Serious Business]] of criminal investigation like it's some kind of entertainment.

* [[JRR Tolkien (Creator)|JRR Tolkien]]'s ''[[The Lord of the Rings]]'': "You and I, Sam, are still stuck in the worst places of the story, and it is all too likely that some will say at this point: 'Shut the book now, dad; we don't want to read any more.'"

* [[Jane Austen]]'s first novel ''[[Northanger Abbey (Literature)|Northanger Abbey]]'' is full of this, thanks to the main trio being [[Bookworm|Bookworms]].

* in [[Robert Jordan]]'s ''[[The Wheel of Time (Literature)|The Wheel of Time]]'' series, Thom Merrilin often says that one day people will read about their adventures in books. and that there is no way of knowing who the main character will be.

** On p229 (of 280) in the deeply [[Mind Screw]]-y ''The Infinity Doctors'', the Doctor, confronted with a book of infinite pages, says:

{{quote| "The best thing about a book is that you can always tell when you're getting to the end. No matter how tricky the situation the hero's in, you hold the book in your hand and say 'Hang on, I'm two hundred and twenty-nine pages in, with only another fifty-one to go. It started slow, but it's building to a climax.'"}}

** Possible example in the making: when Shawn's girlfriend told him she was {{spoiler|going to Uganda}}, she told him she'd be back briefly on February 24. What do you bet that's the date of the next episode she appears in?

*** Nope, it was a [[Red Herring]].

** Not to mention [[Star Trek (Film)|Spock]] being Sylar and President Whorfbama.

* Abed on ''[[Community (TV)|Community]]'' leans on the [[Fourth Wall]] quite a bit, even warning others in the conversation about upcoming "spoilers". The entire cast is pretty [[Genre Savvy]], but stop just short of [[Medium Awareness]], so they're all prone to it.

* In ''[[Studio 60 On the Sunset Strip]]'', Danny Tripp and Jordan [[Mc Deere]] discussing both the [[Show Within a Show]]'s low ratings while Jordan is in the hospital for complications with her pregnancy. Danny mentions that a crisis in a pregnancy is a surefire ratings boost. At the time, the real show was teetering on the brink of cancellation after falling ratings.

** Actually, almost any time they talk about ratings for the [[Show Within a Show]], it can also be almost directly related to the actual show's ratings.

* In the ''[[Firefly (TV)|Firefly]]'' episode "Objects in Space", the character Wash expresses his disbelief that someone could be psychic: "That sounds like something out of [[Science Fiction]]." When his wife, Zoë, responds with, "[[Arbitrary Skepticism|We live in a spaceship]], dear," he says, "So?"

** [[Fridge Logic]]: please note that, from Wash's perspective, the conversation looked a lot like this:

** Stars William Shatner and James Spader often have dialog that alludes to their previous film and television roles. For example, Shatner's character reacts with anxiety when he hears about salmon parasites known as "cling-ons," and Spader remarks to Shatner -- while both are dressed as flamingos -- that he looks "pretty in pink."

** At one point William Shatner's character say: "I'm Denny Crane! I once owned my own spaceship!"

* ''[[Charmed (TV)|Charmed]]'', in an episode dealing with Lady Godiva.

{{quote| '''Piper''': Woman. Keep your clothes on, this is a family show. Really.}}

** In the post-game portions of ''[[Pokémon Black and White]]'', {{spoiler|Cynthia}} explicitly compares the hero/ine's determined expression to that of the hero/ine of ''[[Pokémon Diamond and Pearl|Pokemon Platinum]]''.

* In ''[[Drawn to Life]]'', at one point, Marie asks Jowie how the Creator can see the Raposa; Jowie comes up with a theory that involves the Raposa living in [[Nintendo DS|a white box with two windows and a magic wand, and the Creator looking into the white box to perform experiments on them]]. Marie dismisses it as the [[Stupidest Thing Ive Ever Heard|stupidest idea she's ever heard]].

* In ''[[War Craft]] III: The Frozen Throne'', during the briefing before the final mission, Arthas exclaims something along the lines of: "It's time to end the game ... once and for all."

** Which is a reference to Malah's line from ''[[Diablo]] II: Lord of Destruction'': "You knew it would come to this. Kill Baal; finish the game!"

* Ciel and Kohaku in ''[[Tsukihime|Kagetsu Tohya]]'' both complain about their popularity. Kohaku is obviously referring to ''Tsukihime'' and breaking the fourth wall. Ciel... well, she breaks it a minute or two later (by commenting that even if she isn't popular, at least her sprite lets her carry an item. Yay umbrella) but hasn't yet by that point and is really referring to the school government play thingy. Oh, and she also complains about how it was called off because they didn't want to make sprites or anything for all the adults in the play... Uh... Yea, it's that kind of game, except when it isn't.

* In ''[[Persona 3]]'' Mr. Edogawa notes that [[Summon Magic]] is "widely seen in books, movies, better video games, and so on...". ''[[Shin Megami Tensei]]'' (except for ''[[Digital Devil Saga]]'', where the characters [[Shapeshifting|turn into them]] instead) combat is heavily reliant on summoning demons.

** Well, he ''did'' say "[[Take That Us|better]] [[Medium Awareness|video games]]."

{{quote| (While looking directly at the camera) Who can even ''think'' about doing something so disgusting?}}

** At the end of the credits for [[Silent Hill Shattered Memories]], Kaufman's analysis notes on the patient are directly referring to what he's deduced about ''you'' during the therapy sessions. Not the first game that's done this, until he ends the notes with "Lots of ground uncovered. Might be best to go back to the start and reexamine everything with the knowledge we have now. [[Macrogame|Think patient]] [[New Game Plus|will agree?]]"

* ''[[Touhou Project]]'' occasionally breaks the fourth wall, but more often makes passing comments in throwaway puns that give translators headaches that lean pretty heavily on the fourth wall. A good example is Marisa's comment in ''Imperishable Night'' where, when asked what she was doing out at night early on in the game, Marisa replies, "It's my annual [[Youkai]] Extermination Month. I'll go wherever youkai live." - ''Imperishable Night'' and the other Windows ''Touhou'' games before it were all released in the same month of consecutive years. It's worth noting that even though the game came out in the same month in real life, the games take place during different seasons in-game (with the seasons being important basic elements to several of those games, like ''Perfect Cherry Blossom'' being about someone stealing the season of Spring, keeping Winter from passing), meaning the joke only makes sense when it is referencing the fourth wall.

** In ''[[Mass Effect 3]]'' the player meets with recurring character Conrad Verner once again. A well-known glitch in the second game was that Conrad would claim you had drawn a gun on him, even if you had not taken that option in the first game. Conrad apologizes for the mistake, saying he was really stressed out.

* In ''[[No More Heroes 2]]'', after Travis kills Alice, the 2nd ranked assassin, he unleashes all his bottled rage due to [[Character Development]] at Sylvia. Except if you take the rant for yourself, [[You Bastard|it strikes]] ''[[You Bastard|really]]'' [[You Bastard|close to home.]]

{{quote| '''Cassius''': How many ages hence shall this our lofty scene be acted over in states unborn and accents yet unknown!}}

* Every ''[[Pantomime]]'' ever produced. It's a key part of the format that while one character will have [[No Fourth Wall]], the rest of the cast are only allowed to lean on it.

{{quote| '''Cyrano:''' Come all—the Doctor, Isabel, Leander,<br />

Come, for you shall add, in a motley swarm,<br />

{{quote| "[[Take Over the World|Take over the world]], Kingpin? Now you're starting to sound like a Saturday-Morning '''cartoon''' villain!"}}

** Over in ''[[The Spectacular Spider-Man]]'', Doc Ock has tired of the [[You Fight Like a Cow]] quips and asks Spider-Man why he won't just shut up already. Spidey smartasses back that his fans "expect a certain amount of quippage every battle."

* In the eleventh episode of ''[[Young Justice (Animation)|Young Justice]]'' Conner gets angry at M'Gann, when she's trying to help him with his daddy issues, and states that they "don't live in a fantasy world where all problems are solved in 30 minutes."

* In the [[X Men Evolution]] ''Spyke Cam'' Evan is given a video camera to do a class project. So he tapes Kitty and Rogue having an argument, Rogue catches him, and threatens straight into the camera (and speaking directly to the viewer) that if she sees any video on her on the camera "They're gonna be calling you [[Groin Attack|Spike-less."]]]

* On ''[[Phineas and Ferb]]'', Doofenshmirtz engages in [[Conversational Troping]] by comparing the misunderstanding between him and his daughter to a crazy sitcom. Then he says, "This isn't a sitcom, this is real life!" He and Perry then [[Aside Glance|glance uncomfortably in the direction of the audience.]]

* Used once in ''[[Recess]]'' when Gretchen wins a NASA contest because of her essay, and thinks she's going to be going on the space shuttle. This comes to T.J.'s attention, who's life long dream is to go on one of those, so he puts her through "training". One part has her having to swing from a rope attatched to the top of the swing set while a group of other kids throw dodgeballs at her, and she starts fooling around before they do, prompting T.J. to say this:

[[Category:Self Demonstrating Article]]

[[Category:Leaning On The Fourth Wall]]