Memetic Hand Gesture: Difference between revisions

{{trope}}

 

Any hand gesture that's become emblematic of the character, series, or situation in which it appears.

 

{{examples}}

* [[Sailor Moon]]'s sideways [["V" Sign|V-for-victory sign]] (while winking), as well as her thumb-index finger-pinky raised with both hands, called the [http://safebooru.org/index.php?page=post&s=list&tags=tsuki_ni_kawatte_oshioki_yo "Tsuki ni kawatte oshiyoki yo]" pose.

* [[media:GendoGlasses.jpg|Gendo Ikari]] of ''[[Neon Genesis Evangelion]]''. His trademark covering-the-mouth variant (which, coincidentally, cuts down on necessary animation) is often called "[http://knowyourmeme.com/memes/the-gendo-pose the Gendo pose]". For a while, it was a popular imageboard pastime to add the "Gendo Hands" to existing works via Photoshop.

* [[Macross Frontier]]: Ranka Lee's *sparkle* hand gesture.

* Pointing one's arm straight up with the index finger extended is synonymous with ''[[Gurren Lagann]]'' and specifically [[Arc Words|piercing the heavens.]]

 

== Comic Books ==

* [[Spider-Man]]'s web-shooting gesture.

* [[Transmetropolitan]]: Spider Jerusalem lighting a cigarette, head slightly cocked, hand cupped in front of it. Hard to describe, but if you've seen a picture of him, you've seen him do this. Gets lampshaded in-series; at one point, Channon comments that Yelenna is turning into Spider, and while Yelenna's denying it, she makes this exact pose.

 

== Film ==

* ''[[Star Wars]]'': [[Jedi Mind Trick|These are not the droids you're looking for.]] (waves hand once)

** Vader's force choke, too.

 

== Live-Action TV ==

** Attempts at memetic hand gestures would become more frequent in later seasons. ''[[Kamen Rider Den-O]]'' is best known for spamming this half to death, with the four Imagin characters each displaying their own. The current season ''[[Kamen Rider Fourze]]'' does this with both the title character and some supporting ones, to the extent that a recent scene with all the characters tied up has one guy with his hands somehow ''bound into his memetic hand gesture.''

* ''[[Power Rangers SPD]]'': Bridge likes his toast buttery, and can't help but wiggle his fingers whenever he ''says'' "buttery". When called on this, he denies it - only to realize it's still happening, even as he tries to stop himself.

 

 

== Professional Wrestling ==

* [[John Cena]]'s weird-assed [http://slam.canoe.ca/Slam/Wrestling/Bios/cena.jpg pinkies-extended fist-bump].

** And of course his "You Can't See Me" Hand wave

* [[Zack Ryder]]'s hand gestures in the shape of "L" and "I", for Long Island.

 

== Theater ==

** [[Journey to the West|Son Wukong]], in addition to a ton of monkey-like mannerisms (he'll scratch himself and pick imaginary ticks off his body, then "eat" them), is most often seen peering into the distance with his hand in an almost backwards military salute pose, to signify that he's using his telescopic vision.

 

* Revolver Ocelot of ''[[Metal Gear Solid]]'', honorary [[Trope Namer]]. His famous hand gesture was originally improvised by his motion capture actor; the directors decided to [[Throw It In]], because they couldn't get enough of it. It's so memetic he {{spoiler|uses his last breath to repeat the gesture in ''[[Metal Gear Solid 4: Guns of the Patriots]]''}}.

** Possibly memetic within the gameworld, too; in ''[[Metal Gear Solid 3: Snake Eater]]'', it's possible to see both The Boss and EVA doing the hand gesture.

* [[Super Mario Bros.]]: Mario and the [["V" Sign]].

* ''[[Sonic the Hedgehog]]'''s [[Finger Wag]].

 

== Western Animation ==

* Finn and Jake do a fist pound over the ''[[Adventure Time]]'' logo at the start of each show...and at random times during most episodes.

 

== Real Life ==

* The Queen's Wave, often attributed to HM Queen Elizabeth II is often used for royalty in British media.

* The <s>Nazi</s> [[Older Than They Think|Roman]] salute, used anywhere a writer wants to say "[[A Nazi by Any Other Name|these guys are evil]]".

** Unless it's in the pre-[[World War Two]] United States and the people doing it recite the Pledge of Allegiance; that's the Bellamy Salute, and it's totally patriotic.

 

{{reflist}}

[[Category:Body Language]]