History Main / ItCantBeHelped

* At the end of ''{{Clannad}}'' episode 24 (Kyou Chapter), Kyou cancels a date with Tomoya because her sister wants to go shopping. He shrugs it off with "shikata ga nai", unselfishly.

* A phrase often quoted by Western reporters who visited the afflicted area after the Touhoku Earthquake of 2011. Along with ''gaman'', it was used to describe the lives of the disaster victims after the earthquake and tsunami, mostly on how they coped with the grief, the anxiety, freezing weather, and uncomfortable living circumstances. Was picked up on particularly because of the stark difference of how the victims reacted to the disaster compared to the more unfortunate victims of Haiti and Hurrican Katrina.

* ''Manga/KissXSis'' - While on vacation with the gang, Keita sleepwalks into Mikuni's hotel room and starts to molest her. While shaken at first, she soon [[CovertPervert starts molesting back... while protesting]]. Upon waking up, he apologizes profusely; Mikuni, on the other hand, states that [[CrowningMomentOfFunny it can't be helped since he's a guy]].

* Kim Stanley Robinson's ''RedMars'' mentions "shikata ga nai" being introduced to the initial colonists en route to Mars by their sole Japanese member. [[MohsScaleOfSciFiHardness Even in the future, space flight is a long, slow endeavor]], so with a lot of things they can't help, the phrase quickly enters everyday usage.

This is the source of many instances of ValuesDissonance in imported/translated Japanese works. Americans, to put it politely, are very familiar with complaining--the nation was founded with free speech in mind, and the ability to speak one's mind is highly valued and constantly taught. Britons have the concept of the StiffUpperLip, the idea of dismissing troubles and snarking irreverently about it. The Japanese, however, will have a {{Salaryman}} suffer in silence when his boss demands more hours and his wife screams at him because of a miscarriage, or a mother suffer in silence as she keeps her husband's affair with the neighbor a secret while the child asks where Daddy is.

This is the source of many of ValuesDissonance in imported/translated Japanese works. Americans, to put it politely, are very familiar with complaining--the nation was founded with free speech in mind, and the ability to speak one's mind is highly valued and constantly taught. Britons have the concept of the StiffUpperLip, the idea of dismissing troubles and snarking irreverently about it. The Japanese, however, will have a {{Salaryman}} suffer in silence when his boss demands more hours and his wife screams at him because of a miscarriage, or a mother suffer in silence as she keeps her husband's affair with the neighbor a secret while the child asks where Daddy is.

* In ''Anime/Persona4'', Yukiko's buried resentment of Chie for not being able to save her from being trapped in her role at her family's inn is highlighted by Chie's careless comment that Yukiko will inherit the Amagi Inn and "it can't be helped." This prompts Shadow Yukiko to reject Chie as her "prince."

* ''Suki na Mono wa Suki Dakara Shouganai'', an incredibly melodramatic BoysLove manga, translated as "I Love Who I Love, So It Can't Be Helped''.
* At the end of ''VisualNovel/{{Clannad|After Story}}'' episode 24 (Kyou Chapter), Kyou cancels a date with Tomoya because her sister wants to go shopping. He shrugs it off with "shikata ga nai", unselfishly.

* ''Snow Falling on Cedars'' has Kabuo Miyamoto, who uses this to fuel his belief that he cannot change the circumstances surrounding his unfair trial due to prejudices remaining from WWII.

* On HBO's ''Carnivale'', as Ben drives out to confront another person, he runs into Libby and Jonesy along the side of the road. After saving them (which winds up taking the rest of the day), Libby apologizes to Ben for ruining his plans. He simply shrugs and replies, "It couldn't be helped."

* At the end of ''ClannadAfterStory'' episode 24 (Kyou Chapter), Kyou cancels a date with Tomoya because her sister wants to go shopping. He shrugs it off with "shikata ga nai", unselfishly.

* ''Manga/KissXSis'' - While on vacation with the gang, Keita sleepwalks into Mikuni's hotel room and starts to molest her. While shaken at first, she soon [[CovertPervert starts molesting back... while protesting]]. Upon waking up, he apologizes profusely; Mikuni, on the other hand, states that [[CrowningMomentofFunny it can't be helped since he's a guy]].

* ''Manga/KissXSis'' - While on vacation with the gang, Keita sleepwalks into Mikuni's hotel room and starts to molest her. While shaken at first, she soon [[CovertPervert strats molesting back... while protesting]]. Upon waking up, he apologizes profusely. Mikuni on the other hand states that [[CrowningMomentofFunny it can't be helped since he's a guy]].

* KissxSis - While on vacation with the gang, Keita sleepwalks into Mikuni's hotel room and starts to molest her. While shaken at first, she soon [[CovertPervert molests back...while protesting.]] Upon waking up, he apologizes profusely. Mikuni on the other hand states that [[CrowningMomentofFunny it can't be helped since he's a guy.]]

* KissxSis - While on vacation with the gang, Keita sleepwalks into Mikuni's hotel room and starts to molest her. While shaken at first, (understandable) she soon [[CovertPervert molests back (while protesting nonetheless)!]] Upon waking up, he apologizes profusely. Mikuni on the other hand states that [[CrowningMomentofFunny it can't be helped since he's a guy.]]

* KissxSis - While on vacation with the gang, Keita sleepwalks into Mikuni's hotel room and starts to molest her. While shaken at first, (understandable) she soon [[covertpervert molests back (while protesting nonetheless)!]] Upon waking up, he apologizes profusely. Mikuni on the other hand states that [[CrowningMomentofFunny it can't be helped since he's a guy.]]

* ''{{KissxSis.}}'' While on vacation with the gang, Keita sleepwalks into Mikuni's hotel room and starts to molest her. While shaken at first, (understandable) she soon [[covertpervert molests back (while protesting nonetheless)!]] Upon waking up, he apologizes profusely. Mikuni on the other hand states that [[CrowningMomentofFunny it can't be helped since he's a guy.]]

* In Kissxsis, Keita sllepwalks into Mikuni's hotel room and starts to molest her. While shaken at first, (understandable) she soon [[covertpervert molests back (while protesting nonetheless)!]] Upon waking up, he apologizes profusely. Mikuni on the other hand states that [[CrowningMomentofFunny it can't be helped since he's a guy.]]

* ''KingCrimson'' has a song titled "Shoganai".

This is the source of many of ValuesDissonance in imported/translated Japanese works. Americans, to put it politely, are very familiar with complaining--the nation was founded with free speech in mind, and the ability to speak one's mind is highly valued and constantly taught. Britains have the concept of the StiffUpperLip, the idea of dismissing troubles and snarking irreverently about it. The Japanese, however, will have a {{Salaryman}} suffer in silence when his boss demands more hours and his wife screams at him because of a miscarriage, or a mother suffer in silence as she keeps her husband's affair with the neighbor a secret while the child asks where Daddy is.

* In the non-fiction novel ''Hiroshima'', this is one of the character's catchphrases. It's even written out in romanji in GratuitousJapanese of sorts.

* At the end of ClannadAfterStory episode 24 (Kyou Chapter), Kyou cancels a date with Tomoya because her sister wants to go shopping. He shrugs it off with "shikata ga nai", unselfishly.

* HarryTurtledove has several characters - including non-Japanese - using the phrase in his ''Worldwar'' series.

* In the stage production of ''KamenRiderDecade'', there was a skit about [[KamenRiderFaiz Faiz]], [[KamenRiderKuuga Kuuga]], [[KamenRiderRyuki Ryuki]], [[KamenRiderKabuto Kabuto]], [[KamenRiderDecade Decade, and Diend]] being hungry and wanting to get a bite to eat. Decade argues with the other Riders about how there's no time, but Faiz calls in a reservation at [[KamenRiderKiva IXA's]] Italian restaurant anyway. Decade just sighs, says "It can't be helped", and goes along. [[http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XoUa-FFmixg Hilarity ensues.]]

* In ''[[GanbareGoemon Goemon's Great Adventure]]'', this is the party's reaction to Goemon being forced into doing a certain sidequest...though it only pops up if you're playing with a friend.

* In the stage production of ''KamenRiderDecade'', there was a skit about [[KamenRiderFaiz Faiz]], [[KamenRiderKuuga Kuuga]], [[KamenRiderRyuki Ryuki]], [[KamenRiderKabuto Kabuto]], [[KamenRiderDecade Decade, and Diend]] being hungry and wanting to get a bite to eat. Decade argues with the other Riders about how there's no time, but Faiz calls in a reservation at [[KamenRiderKiva IXA's]] italian restaurant anyway. Decade just sighs, says "It can't be helped", and goes along. [[http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2eGcGMXKl7o Hilarity ensues.]]

* In ''KamenRiderDouble'', Phillip bemoans this when Shotaro [[http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VzNoSHGmR1s starts spamming him to henshin]].