History Main / HarshWordImpact

** This also happens to Tamaki in the first episode of the live-action adaptation, when Haruhi calls him "annoying".

* The word "[[AManIsNotAVirgin virgin]]" does this to Hideki in ''Manga/{{Chobits}}''.

* A comedic ''Anime/CodeGeass'' manga has Lelouch react this way whenever people talk about his [[NonActionGuy lack of physical fitness]]. [[HotScientist Rakshata]]'s out-and-out insulting and [[TheGeneral Tohdoh]]'s attempt to be polite both affect him like a punch to the face, while Suzaku's unintentionally BrutalHonesty results in actual arrows striking him in the chest and knocking him down.

* Sasuke telling Sakura "You're as bad as {{Naruto}}." At which point a huge rock labelled "AS BAD AS NARUTO" crushes her head. ...then Sasuke realizes -and tells her- that she's actually worse. At which point a massive rock lands on top of the other. Something similar happens in the Konoha 11 filler arc, in which Sakura realizes she was even less observant on the night of a ninja's attempted escape than even Naruto was.

* In KungFuChaos, Shao Ting's special move is to scream criticisms down his megaphone as people, which turns the words into a massive laser beam.

This is mainly a {{Manga}} trope, though it's also used in anime. Someone says something, and the object of the statement is stabbed by an arrow emerging from the speech bubble or legend, because it's almost always an uncomfortable truth or BrutalHonesty. Quite often the person is knocked off their feet. Usage:

* In one episode of ''Anime/OsomatsuSan'', the Matsunos visit a coffee shop that Todomatsu works at and are promptly asked to leave. When they ask why, Todomatsu makes a disparaging speech about how embarrassing and lowly they are -- with a barrage of arrows hitting the brothers after each insult. By the time he's finished, everyone's riddled with arrows and [[TheEeyore Ichimatsu]] has already laid down in preparation for death.

* ''DGrayMan'' features this with a sidearc-relevant character admits his mistakes and asks to redeem himself by taking care of the boy he wronged. Cue a collective “No Way!" from the rest of the present cast and some multi-piercing.

* At around Episode 4 of ''VisualNovel/UminekoNoNakuKoroNi'', the battles of red truth and blue truth become this PlayedForDrama. So we have Beatrice stabbed by giant blue spikes when she can't counter Battler's theories, Dlanor and her red and blue swords, a giant red sword falling from the sky and piercing [[spoiler:Battler]], who eventually picks himself up, pulls out the sword and turns it [[spoiler:gold]], and so on...

* Takamizawa gets this treatment in ''MidoriDays'', when Seiji says he doesn't remember him.

->[-'''Aerith:''' (to Bob) "You're clumsy ("Clumsy" appears -- stab), stupid ("Stupid" -- stab) and you won't ever have a chance with me!" ("No chance" appears -- pierces Bob right through his chest)-]

[-'''Aerith:''' (to Bob) "You're clumsy ("Clumsy" appears -- stab), stupid ("Stupid" -- stab) and you won't ever have a chance with me!" ("No chance" appears -- pierces Bob right through his chest)-]

[- And thy own soul a sword shall pierce...-]
[-Luke 2:35, {{The Bible}}-]

* Used in [[http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1j6YA03hm4k this]] PSA from a few years back.

* In one episode of ''Anime/OsomatsuSan'', the Matsunos visit a coffee shop that Todomatsu works at and are promptly asked to leave. When they ask why, Todomatsu makes an disparaging speech about how embarassing and lowly they are -- with a barrage of arrows hitting the brothers after each insult. By the time he's finished, everyone's riddled with arrows and [[TheEeyore Ichimatsu]] has already laid down in preparation for death.

* ''Manga/MahouSenseiNegima'' uses this when Chisame, pleading for the existence of at least a couple of {{Ordinary High School Student}}s left in the class, is bluntly told [[spoiler: that Yuuna's father and MissingMom are mages]].

* Keitaro of ''Manga/LoveHina'', when Su asks if it's true he can't get a girlfriend, gets stabbed by Su's speech balloon.
** Strangely, in the French translation, the sound effect makes it sound like he's ''slapped'' by the balloon. Though to be fair, we don't have a sound/unsound effect for stabbing.

* Western example: When Jeremy from ''{{Zits}}'' accidentally says something callous to his girlfriend, the word bubble hovers between them until he's apologized sufficiently.

** Also in both versions of ''[[VideoGame/{{MarvelVsCapcom3}} Marvel vs. Capcom 3]]'', SelfDemonstrating/{{Deadpool}}'s taunt spawns a word balloon, which also damages the opponent on contact. Unlike Phoenix Wright's "Objection!", however, it does [[CherryTapping minimal damage]], though it ''can'' be comboed into.

* Happens in volume 2 of ''ScottPilgrim''. When Knives admits she's in love with Scott (who is trying to break up with her), the world "love" forms a cloud that smacks Scott in the face.

* In ''WesternAnimation/{{Animaniacs}}'', Slappy Squirrel gets hammered by some critics ({{Captain Ersatz}}es of SiskelAndEbert, actually), and she reacts as if she's being punched in the face with every insult.

* In the early chapters of ''Manga/JitsuWaWatashiWa'', Asahi is occasionally impaled or punched by Youko telling him what a wonderful '''FRIEND''' he is. Also happens when he is bluntly rejected (before he even confessed) by Aizawa before the start of the story. It's a case of EarlyInstallmentWeirdness, though, as this gag is only used in the first dozen chapters.

* Happens a lot in ''PerfectGirlEvolution''. Sunako, in particular, has a tendency to reel back whenever the word 'ugly' gets bandied about. In one particular episode, when this is combined with guilt, she ends up walking around with a lot of 'arrows' stuck in her... until Takenaga delivers a particularly pointed barb that demonstrates that her thoughtlessness was very similar to the same comment that, years back, crushed her self-confidence and turned her into a withdrawn, horror-obsessed loner... at which point a giant arrow descends from space, obliterating the entire mansion. REALLY painful realization, apparently.

* In the early chapters of ''Manga/JitsuWaWatashiWa'', Asahi is occasionally impaled or punched by Youko telling him what a wonderful '''FRIEND''' he is. Also happens when he is bluntly rejected (before he even confessed) by Aizawa before the start of the story. It's a case of EarlyInstalmentWeirdness, though, as this gag is only used in the first dozen chapters.

* Done a few times in ''KeroroGunsou'', such as an early chapter where Tamama wonders why the Keron invasion was suddenly canceled, and Keroro looks awkward as a caption reading "[[NiceJobBreakingItHero His Fault]]" appears, with a pointing arrow poking him in the back of the head.

* ''LadiesVersusButlers'' has Sernia do this twice to Akiharu in the second episode. One abridged series lampshades (duh) this by having him respond with: "Quit throwing your damn Japanese symbols at me!"
* ''SilverSpoon'''s Hachiken becomes Vice-President of the Equestrian Club. Later, they adopt a dog... and name it Vice-President. When the girl Hachiken likes scolded the dog, he reacted like her words were physical blows. With blood splatter and, eventually, explosions.