History Main / KafkaKomedy

* ''Manga/SayonaraZetsubouSensei'' - An interesting... Variation, of sorts, of this trope can be found in the anime, where eternally pessimistic teacher [[TheEeyore Itoshiki Nozomu's]] attempts at, [[ChewingTheScenery in the most dramatic way possible]], explaining what is currently [[DrivenToSuicide driving him to commit suicide]], as well as explaining why it is doing so, usually goes rather well for him... That is, until [[ThePollyanna impossibly optimistic]], [[StepfordSmiler or whatever it is]] [[BewareTheNiceOnes she really is]], Fuura Kafuka, ([[MeaningfulName notice anything about that name?]]) decides to explain her point of view, and/or put her spin, on things, at which point reality becomes unhinged and comes tumbling down in a chaotic mess with the accuracy of a precision strike upon one single target: Itoshiki Nozomu.

* ''Manga/SayonaraZetsubouSensei'' - An interesting... Variation, of sorts, of this trope can be found in the anime, where eternally pessimistic teacher [[TheEeyore Itoshiki Nozomu's]] attempts at, [[ChewingTheScenery in the most dramatic way possible]], explaining what is currently [[DrivenToSuicide driving him to commit suicide]], as well as explaining why it is doing so, usually goes rather well for him... That is, until [[ThePollyanna impossibly optimistic]], [[StepfordSmiler or whatever it is]] [[BewareTheNiceOnes she really is]], Fuura Kafuka, ([[MeaningfulName notice anything about that name?]]) decides to explain her point of view, and/or put her spin, on things, at which point reality becomes unhinged and comes tumbling down in a chaotic mess with the accuracy of a precision strike and one single target: Itoshiki Nozomu.

A story in which no matter how well-meaning, reasonable and cautious a character is, everything he does has awful repercussions for him and makes him look like a horrible person. Attempts to set things right just blow up in his face and aggravate the situation further, and generally the story ends when things are at their worst.

[[quoteright:350:[[ComicStrip/{{Peanuts}} https://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/charlie_brown_jbtyvrxj.jpg]]]]
[[caption-width-right:350:My mother didn't raise me to be Kafkaesque!!]]

->''"[[NoGoodDeedGoesUnpunished No good deed goes unpunished.]]"''

* ''WesternAnimation/TheLoudHouse'': Lincoln Loud can be selfish, but is still a sweet and nice kid most of the time. Doesn't stop him from getting hurt, humiliated, or screwed over at every chance possible.

* [[Memes/Touhou Yukkuri.]] While they are given some nasty traits, most of the time people abuse them for the sake of doing so. To make it worse, most victims are actually quite nice.

* {{Yukkuri.|Memes/Touhou}} While they are given some nasty traits, most of the time people abuse them for the sake of doing so. To make it worse, most victims are actually quite nice.

The subtrope of BlackComedy least likely to involve death. Contrast with PlagueOfGoodFortune, where ''good'' things keep inexplicably happening to the character's chagrin, and SpringtimeForHitler, where a character deliberately does something bad but is met with ''greatness'' for it, or KarmaHoudini where the villain gets off scot-free. May occasionally overlap with SomebodyDoesntLoveRaymond and definitely ButtMonkey and SadistShow.See also CantGetAwayWithNuthin. A ReformedButRejected character living in one of these stories is a VillainBallMagnet.

* In WebVideo/MemeHouse, the character of Johnny Zest is a pretty nice, ordinary person whose life has gone to hell due to the insane, murderous psychopaths in his neighbourhood deciding to make his life a TraumaCongaLine for no other reason than he's ''there'' and they ''can''.

* The entire plot of ''WesternAnimation/TheSimpsons'' episodes "[[Recap/TheSimpsonsS6E9HomerBadman Homer Badman]]" and "[[RecapTheSimpsonsS15E21BartMangledBanner Bart-Mangled Banner]]" revolve around Homer and Bart (later the whole family) respectively being publicly demonized for something they really didn't do. Thanks to any form of media assuming their guilt to keep with the public favor and maintain ratings, anything they say or do is [[TwistingTheWords twisted to be as incriminating as possible]] and [[TVNeverLies accepted as gospel truth by a credulous public]] even if it's obviously fake, like Homer's interview on "Rock Bottom" having sound-bites edited into a confession (even though you can see the clock and scenery in the background keeps jumping around).
** Of course, both these episodes rely upon some pretty insane circumstances that sound silly to begin with. In the former, Homer is accused of grabbing the babysitter's butt, when in reality he was trying to retrieve a piece of candy that was stuck to her pants. In the latter, Bart accidentally ends up mooning the American flag during the national anthem (a goat ate his shorts and he was temporarily deaf so he didn't know the anthem was playing), leading people to think he hates America. Things get exacerbated when the family goes on a Fox News parody to explain their case and the loudmouthed host annoys Marge so much that she sarcastically says she hates America.
*** This also occurs in the season 8 Simpsons episode "[[Recap/TheSimpsonsS8E23HomersEnemy Homer's Enemy]]" involving Frank Grimes: "the man who had to struggle for everything he got in life."
** Bart in the infamous episode "[[Recap/TheSimpsonsS18E18TheBoysOfBummer The Boys Of Bummer]]". He drops a fly ball costing the Springfield the Little League Championship and what follows is a KickTheDog HumiliationConga by everyone with a [[DrivenToSuicide nearly fatal end]]. Even Meg Griffin never got this much abuse.
** According to Krusty the Clown's backstory, he was often met with [[DisproportionateRetribution terrible]] [[GeorgeJetsonJobSecurity punishments]] [[FelonyMisdemeanor for silly reasons]], such as [[http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Day_of_the_Jackanapes being fired for 22 years because a pair of stage shutters wouldn't open]] or [[http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bart_the_Fink getting his bus pass revoked for drinking a soda]]. Of course Krusty himself is a corrupt MeanBoss who once abused one of his co stars to the breaking point that they framed him for armed robbery.
* The infamous "It's A Wishful Life" episode of ''WesternAnimation/TheFairlyOddParents'' begins with Timmy doing various difficult good deeds for the people in his life, like fixing up his parents lawn and painting a backdrop for his teacher. Regardless of how good a job he does, the person he did the deed for picks one thing they don't like about it and immediately start whining about it (his teacher claims that everything is ruined because the shade of blue he used for the sea was off). Things don't improve when he angrily wishes that he was never born - it turns out that EVERYONE is better off without him. Really, it's no wonder he immediately returns to {{Jerkass}} mode the next episode.
* ''WesternAnimation/TomGoesToTheMayor'': Tom comes up with ideas, and the Mayor's incompetence ruins them.
* This seems to be Meg's only role on ''WesternAnimation/FamilyGuy'' to the point that [[ComicStrip/{{Peanuts}} Charlie Brown]] would have to feel pity for her. When most of the cast [[ComedicSociopathy feel a need for a reason to]] [[ButtMonkey hate her anyway.]] Brian is also a victim to this trope at it's most extreme, constantly managing to get caught in the events of the story by inadvertently offending or provoking another (usually more obnoxious) being around him. A recurring gag in newer episodes involves him managing to inadvertently offend [[SomebodyDoesntLoveRaymond Quagmire]] in particular (outside the one point [[TheReasonYouSuckSpeech he called out Brian in "Jerome is the New Black"]]).
* This also happens a lot in ''WesternAnimation/{{Duckman}}''. Granted, most of the misery that befalls Duckman is the result of his being an [[JerkAss ignorant, self-righteous prick]], but even when he tries to do good he's still treated as if he [[KickTheDog kicked someone's dog]].
* [[IneffectualSympatheticVillain Plankton]] and [[JerkassWoobie Squidward]] from ''WesternAnimation/SpongeBobSquarePants'' have been [[UnintentionallySympathetic unintentional]] examples of this from ''WesternAnimation/TheSpongeBobSquarePantsMovie'' to ''WesternAnimation/TheSpongeBobMovieSpongeOutOfWater'', where it started to die down.
* Inverted on ''WesternAnimation/DanVs'', where the title character thinks that everything that happens to him is the fault of some obscure thing, when in reality he's just a {{Jerkass}} ([[WeirdnessMagnet most of the time]]). Oddly enough, 90% of the time, he's right. The first episode alone has him chasing down a real live werewolf, after roughly half the episode his friend [[OnlySaneMan understandably]] tries to convince him that a werewolf [[ItMakesSenseInContext didn't scratch his car]].
* The titular trio in ''WesternAnimation/EdEddNEddy'' suffer this constantly. While it is understandable why the kids dislike the Eds, what with what most of their scams have done to them (as well as Eddy being a complete {{Jerkass}} just for the heck of it, as shown in episodes like "If It Smells Like an Ed"), there are also moments where the Eds do nothing wrong and just simply want to join them in their friendly shindigs, yet the kids still exclude them from their hangout, and when they do invite them, it's mostly to get a good humiliation out of them, as shown in "Ed-N-Seek" and "Stiff Upper Ed". The one who takes this the worst, however, is Double D, who ends up on the short end of the stick whenever he tries to help the other kids (and even [[WithFriendsLikeThese his friends]]), and his attempts often backfire on him, as seen in "Dim Lit Ed" and "My Fair Ed".

* Dib from ''WesternAnimation/InvaderZim'' is like a magnet for these stories, since he's basically the only person on Earth with no WeirdnessCensor. Frequently falls victim to SelectiveEnforcement, CassandraTruth, ProperlyParanoid, and YouHaveToBelieveMe. His dad thinks he's crazy, his sister doesn't but still hates him, and he's frequently made a fool of in front of [[AgentMulder the few people who would believe him]].
* This is every episode of ''WesternAnimation/TheLifeAndTimesOfTim'', though Tim sometimes brings it on himself to some degree.
* Usually ''WesternAnimation/{{Spliced}}'' is a karma-based show, but it tends to turn into one of these whenever [[TheChewToy Fuzzy]] shows up.

* Some (actually, most) episodes of ''WesternAnimation/RockosModernLife'' exemplify this. Rocko is a kind-hearted, well-meaning individual who constantly gets beat-up, screwed over, and cheated. Of course, even his temper has its limits. The majority of the first season drives this home.
* No matter how much [[WesternAnimation/{{Futurama}} Zoidberg]] tries to help someone, it always blows up in both his and their face somehow. Especially if he's trying to save their life.
* Attempted in certain episodes of ''WesternAnimation/FostersHomeForImaginaryFriends'', such as "Imposter's Home For Um... Make 'Em Up Pals" and the notorious "Everyone Knows It's Bendy."

* ''WesternAnimation/StressedEric'' takes this to an '''[[SadistShow EXTREME]] [[UpToEleven LEVEL]]''', with the protagonist dying after having a mental breakdown in almost every episode.
* ''WesternAnimation/TheLoudHouse'': Lincoln Loud can be selfish, but is still a sweet and nice kid most of the time. Doesn't stop him from getting hurt, humiliated, or screwed over at every chance possible.

* ''WesternAnimation/CatDog'': This is the closest Nickelodeon ever came to "Schadenfreude: The Animated Show" arguably until ''WesternAnimation/InvaderZim''. Much of the humor is based around the misery and utterly awful life of the main characters, juxtaposing Dog's blissful, optimistic ignorance with Cat's anguished, cynical resignation.

* ''Film/CloudAtlas'': Cavendish's story.
* ''Film/StarWarsTheLastJedi'': The Finn and Rose subplot.

* The entire plot of ''WesternAnimation/TheSimpsons'' episodes "Homer Badman" and "Bart-Mangled Banner" revolve around Homer and Bart (later the whole family) respectively being publicly demonized for something they really didn't do. Thanks to any form of media assuming their guilt to keep with the public favor and maintain ratings, anything they say or do is [[TwistingTheWords twisted to be as incriminating as possible]] and [[TVNeverLies accepted as gospel truth by a credulous public]] even if it's obviously fake, like Homer's interview on "Rock Bottom" having sound-bites edited into a confession (even though you can see the clock and scenery in the background keeps jumping around).

*** This also occurs in the season 8 Simpsons episode "Homer's Enemy" involving Frank Grimes: "the man who had to struggle for everything he got in life."
** Bart in the infamous episode "The Boys Of Bummer". He drops a fly ball costing the Springfield the Little League Championship and what follows is a KickTheDog HumiliationConga by everyone with a [[DrivenToSuicide nearly fatal end]]. Even Meg Griffin never got this much abuse.

->''"No good deed goes unpunished."''

* It could be convincingly argued that some writers and editors at Marvel have done this to ComicBook/SpiderMan. He was intended to be a more realistic contrast to stereotypical highly idealized superheroes who seemed to have it all, instead facing the kind of problems, setbacks, dreams denied, worries and challenges that average readers could relate to and empathize with. Sometimes, though, this has been taken to such an extreme that it becomes this trope. Regular people have ups and downs, and can't get everything they want even if they deserve it. For Spidey, when this trope is active he has no ups just downs and downer downs and he can't get -anything- he wants no matter how much he deserves it or is realistically capable of earning it. Something has to go wrong, always, to ruin any good thing he might have. Really, the only other hero in Marvel to be so consistently treated so sadistically is ComicBook/DareDevil (who takes this trope plus DarkerAndEdgier and turns them UpToEleven)

* ''WebComic/{{Prequel}}''. Katia Managan leaves her homeland hoping to reinvent herself after a lifetime of everything going wrong, but things don't improve in Cyrodiil. Her heart's in the right place, but she suffers from a laundry list of personality flaws that are out of her control, including an extreme weakness to alcohol, a [[AudienceParticipation slew of voices in her head]] suggesting terrible ideas, and a lifetime of royalty-oriented nightmares preventing her from ever getting a good night's sleep.

* ''[[https://www.fanfiction.net/s/8354930/1/Stan-s-hell-on-earth Stan's hell on earth]]'', which [[PoesLaw may or may not be intended as comedy]]. The title says it all, really, being more-or-less a Kafka story with ''WesternAnimation/SouthPark'' characters, but without any of the surrealism one would expect from such a crossover. Most of the main character's misery is inflicted by [[VillainSue ludicrously powerful villains]] who [[AssPull somehow]] [[HeroWithBadPublicity turn all of his loved ones against him no matter how obvious it is they're lying]]. The author has said that [[EarnYourHappyEnding Stan will eventually get a happy ending]], but the story is now a DeadFic, ending just at the DarkestHour.

* ''WesternAnimation/TheLoudHouse'': Lincoln Loud can occasionally be selfish, but is still a sweet and nice kid overall. Doesn't stop him from getting hurt, humiliated, or screwed over at every chance possible.

A story where no matter how well-meaning, reasonable and cautious a character is, everything he does has awful repercussions for him and makes him look like a horrible person. Attempts to set things right just blow up in his face and aggravate the situation further, and generally the story ends when things are at their worst.

[[folder:Anime & Manga]]

* The standard for this type of plot is ''Series/CurbYourEnthusiasm'', in which everything Larry David does costs him money, destroys his aspirations and generally makes people revile him. While Larry is sometimes an awful person, he's often hated for his acts that are intended to be benevolent, like placing an obituary or indulging a little girl playing with her doll. Two of the most {{egregious}} cases occur in the same episode. Larry buys an effeminate young boy a gift and, after asking the kid what he wants, buys him a sewing machine. The mother reacts badly and Larry gets chewed out by his friends for buying the kid something that he clearly wanted. Later in the episode, Larry is explaining to his manager the replacement gift he bought the kid. Michael J. Fox is delivering a speech at the time and Larry, unable to be heard, mimes playing a violin. Due to his earlier confrontations with Fox, this is misconstrued as belittling his condition and leads to an entire crowds turning on Larry and the Mayor of New York kicking him out of the city. Most episodes usually make Larry's downfall a product of his own behaviour but this episode seemed unusually, and unfairly, mean to him.