History Main / BicepPolishingGesture

[[folder: Anime and Manga]]

* Eastern European nations generally have a category of jokes about people there being [[MotherRussiaMakesYouStrong tougher]] and [[RatedMForManly manlier]] than their Western European and North American counterparts. Therefore, the joke goes "Americans flip you off with a middle finger, Eastern Europeans with the [[GagPenis arm up to the elbow]]".

* A lot of pics in ''Manga/BioMeatNectar'' shows Banba-kun doing this.

* Kanna does this frequently in the ''VideoGame/SakuraWars'' {{OVA}}s and [[Anime/SakuraWarsTV TV series]].

* Koizumi does this in the ''LightNovel/HaruhiSuzumiya'' episode where the SOS Brigade logo causes a breakdown of reality.

* A lot of pics in ''Manga/{{BioMeat|Nectar}}'' shows Banba-kun doing this.

* The [[VideoGame/{{Splatoon}} Inkling Girl]] originally used this gesture in ''VideoGame/MarioKart8 Deluxe''. Unlike the above Nintendo examples, this managed to stick for the international releases for a while before eventually getting replaced in the 1.10 update with a fist-bump.

* The song "THE [=iDOLM@STER=] [[VideoGame/TheIdolmaster from the game series of the same name]] has this gesture as a part of its choreography.

* Kanji from ''VideoGame/{{Persona 4}}'' does this in his victory pose. The way he executes it gives the impression he has ''both'' meanings in mind.
* The Sailor trainer class does this in ''VideoGame/PokemonGoldAndSilver'' and ''VideoGame/PokemonRubyAndSapphire''. The international versions of ''Ruby'' and ''Sapphire'' edited the sprite to put the hand below the elbow.
* The [[VideoGame/{{Splatoon}} Inkling Girl]] originally used this gesture in ''VideoGame/MarioKart8Deluxe''. Unlike the above Nintendo examples, this managed to stick for the international releases for a while before eventually getting replaced in the 1.10 update with a fist-bump.

A common Japanese gesture when preparing to take on a difficult task is to "make a muscle" and rub one's bicep, emphasizing strength. "''Yoshi!''" (''"OK!"'', or ''"Alright!"'') is frequently said with a determined expression when doing this, whereas Westerners usually just grunt. Compare to the [[http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:We_Can_Do_It!.jpg "Rosie the Riveter"]] image from World War II.

The gesture is [[AccidentalUnfortunateGesture frequently misinterpreted in other places]], as it looks very similar to the obscene "bras d'honneur" gesture, equivalent to FlippingTheBird, used in much of Eastern and Southern Europe and Latin America.[[note]]This is slightly less likely in moving pictures, as in the "bras d'honneur" one puts the hand on the bicep first and then bends the arm[[/note]]

* Frog from ''VideoGame/ChronoTrigger'' rubs his (surprisingly huge) bicep and grins smugly as his post-battle victory pose.

* ''VideoGame/TheKingOfFighters'': Ralph of Team Ikari Warriors sometimes does this as a taunt before or after a round. In his case it's just showing off the muscles that power his {{megaton punch}}es.

* Hefty was seen with this pose as he was preparing for the Mr. Smurf Contest in ''WesternAnimation/TheSmurfs'' episode of the same name.

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%%* ''Anime/SailorMoon''
%%* ''Manga/MarmaladeBoy''
%%* ''Manga/KashimashiGirlMeetsGirl''
* Kanna does this frequently in the ''VideoGame/SakuraWars'' {{OVA}}s and [[Anime/SakuraWarsTV TV series]].
* Fumio Usui in ''Manga/{{Karin}}'' does this in job interviews, declaring that she has faith in her body. Given that she is a mom who suffers from SoBeautifulItsACurse, this is definitely a mistake.

* [[MemeticBystander Random crowd member]] [[MemeticBadass Bruce Ironstaunch]] ([[FanNickname not his real name]]) in ''Anime/TengenToppaGurrenLagann''. He was most likely doing it for the original Japanese meaning, but [[Website/FourChan other parties]] figured he was just giving Rossiu an up-yours when he announced [[spoiler:he was executing Simon]]. His dour expression, on the other hand, doesn't really look all that supportive, which is why his gesture was interpreted as "Up Yours!" in the first place.

* This is a signature pose for Monkey D. Luffy of ''Manga/OnePiece''
* Shirley and Milly does this from time to time in ''Anime/CodeGeass''.
* A lot of pics in ''Manga/{{BioMeat|Nectar}}'' shows Banba-kun doing this.
* In the anime version of ''Manga/JojosBizarreAdventure'', as Joseph peeks on the bathing Lisa Lisa and admiring this pose, he does this pose to 'the audience' as he exclaimed ''[[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NpTEKTLVKCE "Niiiiice!"]]'' Which also goes for extra hilarity when you realize that [[spoiler:Joseph was actually peeking on his bathing ''mom'']]
* In one chapter of ''Manga/TheKurosagiCorpseDeliveryService'', Karatsu does this towards a villain, in a context that suggests he's going for a deliberate double meaning of both the Japanese gesture and the ''bras d'honneur''.

* In ''Film/BigTitsZombie'', two female characters sumo wrestle one another. The main character can be briefly seen making this gesture, although she does so while facing her opponent which could easily be interpreted as the Western version since both girls did not get along.

* Bowser had this as his victory pose in the Japanese version of ''VideoGame/SuperMarioRPG''. However, due to the above mentioned cultural miscommunication, it was changed to a double fist clench for the international releases.
* The Sailor trainer class does this in ''VideoGame/PokemonGoldAndSilver'' and ''VideoGame/PokemonRubyAndSapphire''. The international versions of ''Ruby'' and ''Sapphire'' edited the sprite to put the hand below the elbow.
* The [[VideoGame/{{Splatoon}} Inkling Girl]] originally used this gesture in ''VideoGame/MarioKart8Deluxe''. Unlike the above Nintendo examples, this managed to stick for the international releases for a while before eventually getting replaced in the 1.10 update with a fist-bump.
* Similar to Bowser, the ''Series/MightyMorphinPowerRangers'' fighting game for the UsefulNotes/SegaGenesis has the Green Ranger doing this as his victory pose.

* Bart from ''VideoGame/{{Xenogears}}'' does this from time to time, usually when showing his determination or when he does something awesome
* Kanji from ''VideoGame/{{Persona 4}}'' does this in his victory pose. The way he executes it gives the impression he has ''both'' meanings in mind.

* ''Franchise/StreetFighter'':
** Dan does this, which becomes more apparent in ''VideoGame/StreetFighterIV''.
** Ken sometimes does it too as first round VictoryPose.
* Both Marina and Theo do this during the intro to ''VideoGame/MischiefMakers''.

* Bowser had this as his victory pose in the Japanese edition of ''VideoGame/SuperMarioRPG''. However, due to the above mentioned cultural miscommunication, it was changed to a double fist clench for the USA and PAL releases.

* The [[VideoGame/{{Splatoon}} Inkling Girl]] originally used this gesture in ''VideoGame/MarioKart8Deluxe''. Unlike the above Nintendo examples, this managed to stick for the international releases for a while before removed in the 1.10 update and replaced with a fist-bump.

See also FlexingThoseNonBiceps, GlovedFistOfDoom and BicepKiss.

The gesture is [[AccidentalUnfortunateGesture frequently misinterpreted in other places]], as it looks very similar to the obscene "bras d'honneur" gesture, equivalent to FlippingTheBird, used in much of Eastern and Southern Europe and Latin America.

[[folder: Live Action TV]]

* Bowser had this as his victory pose in the Japanese edition of ''VideoGame/SuperMarioRPG''. However, since the gesture isn't very common in the west and looks a lot like slap-the-crook-of-your-elbow (which means the same thing as FlippingTheBird), it was changed to a double fist clench for the USA and PAL releases.

* The Sailor trainer class does this in ''VideoGame/PokemonGoldAndSilver'' and ''VideoGame/PokemonRubyAndSapphire''. Due to the aforementioned cultural miscommunication, the international versions of ''Ruby'' and ''Sapphire'' edited the sprite to put the hand below the elbow.

* The [[VideoGame/{{Splatoon}} Inkling Girl]] originally used this gesture in ''VideoGame/MarioKart8Deluxe''. It ended up removed in the 1.10 update and was replaced with a fist-bump.

[[folder: Anime and Manga]]]

[[folder: Anime and Manga ]]

* Armstrong in ''Manga/FullmetalAlchemist'' does this ''constantly''. Perhaps his tendency to do this '''''[[MemeticMutation WAS PASSED DOWN THE ARMSTRONG FAMILY LINE FOR GENERATIONS]]'''''...

[[folder: Film ]]

[[folder: Live Action TV ]]

[[folder: Music ]]

[[folder: Professional Wrestling ]]

[[folder: Video Games ]]

* Dan from ''Franchise/StreetFighter.'' Becomes more apparent in ''VideoGame/StreetFighterIV''.

* Both Marina and Theo do this during the intro to ''VideoGame/MischiefMakers''

[[folder: Western Animation ]]