History Main / NoCanOpener

* The ending of the ''SouthPark'' episode "Starvin' Marvin" has Kenny's family saying grace over their Thanksgiving dinner, a can of green beans Kenny got for them in the "Canned Food Grab". After that, they realize that they don't have a can opener.

* ''WesternAnimation/LooneyTunes'': In the short "Canned Feud", Sylvester is left in the house while his owners are away. There is plenty of canned tuna, but only one can opener, and the mouse has it. Hijinx ensue.

* The Wayward Vagabond in ''{{Homestuck}}'', when we first meet him, has discovered a wide range of canned foods, but no can-opener. He attempts to open the cans with his [[http://www.mspaintadventures.com/?s=6&p=002572 teeth]], his [[http://www.mspaintadventures.com/?s=6&p=002573 claws]] and his [[http://www.mspaintadventures.com/?s=6&p=002583 trusty knife]], all of which are completely useless. So [[MakesExactlyAsMuchSenseInContext he declares himself]] [[http://www.mspaintadventures.com/?s=6&p=002585 Mayor of Can Town]] instead.

** Creator/RobertAHeinlein's ''HaveSpaceSuitWillTravel'' mentions this story but otherwise has no relation to this trope.

Mostly becoming a DiscreditedTrope as a result of the above, and the fact that most companies are making the transition to pull-tabs on their cans. Still, enough cans remain un-tabbed that it should still be relevant for a while. As a side note, this is a bit of TruthInTelevision: The sealed tin can was invented in 1810, but the first tin can opener was produced in 1858, meaning that for almost 50 years, ''everyone'' had to rely on the chisel-and-brute-force method... of course, that just makes you wonder why fictional characters are so freaked out by it.

* ''LooneyTunes'': In the short "Canned Feud", Sylvester is left in the house while his owners are away. There is plenty of canned tuna, but only one can opener, and the mouse has it. Hijinx ensue.

* ''LooneyTunes'': In one short, Sylvester is left in the house while his owners are away. There is plenty of canned tuna, but only one can opener, and the mouse has it. Hijinx ensue.

* ''ThreeMenInABoat'': On a boat trip.

* During the island arc of ''NadiaTheSecretOfBlueWater'', the kids discover a wreck and manage to salvage some canned goods. Deciding to "live with nature", Nadia abandons Jean and Marie and sets off into the jungle, but not before taking some food with her - only to realize too late that her "even the simplest technology is bad" mentality is far from conductive to getting any of it out of the cans. She keeps smashing them flat with big rocks.

** RobertAHeinlein's ''HaveSpaceSuitWillTravel'' mentions this story but otherwise has no relation to this trope.

* In ''{{Literature/Animorphs}}'', Marco forgets a can opener after he and his family are forced to flee and hide in the Hork-Bajir valley. Fortunately, there are more than enough blades on the Hork-Bajir themselves to make it not a problem at all.

* ''DennisTheMenaceUK'': Dennis tells Gnasher a parody of ''Jack and the Beanstalk'', where Dennis (in the role of Jack) gets a tin of beans, but can't open it because tin openers have yet to be invented.

* ''{{Futurama}}'', "Mother's Day": Subverted: After all electrical appliances rebel, Fry boasts that he can still open cans with his pocket knife. It's only when he can't that he starts to despair. Dr. Zoidberg then uses his claws to open the can, and is happy about being useful for once.

* In ''{{Akira}}'', two soldiers eat food out of a can stash an old woman had. The old lady had starved to death, because she was afraid someone would steal the stash, so she wouldn't dare ask anyone for a can opener.

* In ''{{Literature/Animorphs}}'', Marco forgets a can open after he and his family are forced to flee and hide in the Hork-Bajir valley. Fortunately, there are more than enough blades on the Hork-Bajir to make it not a problem at all.

* There is a short story about a family of tortoises who go on a picnic, packing a number of canned things, and forget to pack the can-opener. Being tortoises, going back for the can opener would take a very very long time.

A situation wherein a character hopes to demonstrate his preparedness by showing the massive amounts of canned foods he has stocked in case of an emergency. The demonstration is ruined when he, or another character, points out that he has no can opener. This is usually played for laughs, though it can work as a dramatic situation if the characters are starving. However, the drama of the scenario is somewhat undercut by how [[FridgeLogic any tin can can be cracked open by brute force and a chisel]]. (Or even just brute force if you're really desperate/creative. Tin can lids work as chisels, by the way.)

* During the island arc of ''NadiaTheSecretOfBlueWater'', the kids discover a wreck manage to salvage some canned goods. Deciding to "live with nature", Nadia abandons Jean and Marie and sets off into the jungle, but not before taking some food with her - only to realize too late that her "even the simplest technology is bad" mentality is far from conductive to getting any of it out of the cans. She keeps smashing them flat with big rocks.

* This is also the plot of DFE's ''The Ant and the Aardvark'' short "Odd Ant Out". The blue and green aardvarks fight over a can of chocolate-covered ants, but neither of them has a can opener.

* During the infamous island arc of ''NadiaTheSecretOfBlueWater'', the kids discover a wreck manage to salvage some canned goods. Deciding to "live with nature", Nadia abandons Jean and Marie and sets off into the jungle, but not before taking some food with her - only to realize too late that her "even the simplest technology is bad" mentality is far from conductive to getting any of it out of the cans. She keeps smashing them flat with big rocks. ([[CharacterDerailment This is quite out of character on her part.]])

** RobertAHeinlein's ''Have Space Suit — Will Travel'' mentions this story but otherwise has no relation to this trope.

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* In ''{{Akira}}'', two soldiers eat food out of a can stash an old woman had. The old lady had starved to death, because she was afraid someone would steal the stash, so she wouldn't dare ask anyone for a can opener.
* Averted and discussed in the ''CromartieHighSchool'' episode "Joshua Tree".
--> '''Hayashida:''' Do we have a can opener?
--> '''Maeda:''' Yeah, you idiots, I brought one.
--> '''Hokuto:''' On television, most of the time, people have canned food but no way to open it. Good job, Maeda.
* During the infamous island arc of ''NadiaTheSecretOfBlueWater'', the kids discover a wreck manage to salvage some canned goods. Deciding to "live with nature", Nadia abandons Jean and Marie and sets off into the jungle, but not before taking some food with her - only to realize too late that her "even the simplest technology is bad" mentality is far from conductive to getting any of it out of the cans. She keeps smashing them flat with big rocks. ([[CharacterDerailment This is quite out of character on her part.]])

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** In the end, he [[spoiler: uses his third wish [[FantasyKitchenSink from a genie]] to get an electric can opener, thus his family are able to dine on beans]].

* During the infamous island arc of ''NadiaTheSecretOfBlueWater'', the kids discover a wreck manage to salvage some canned goods. Nadia tears off into the jungle after a spat with Jean, but not before taking some food with her - only to realize too late that her "even the simplest technology is bad" mentality is far from conductive to getting any of it out of the cans. She keeps smashing them flat with big rocks.

* ''IHaveNoMouthAndIMustScream'': A rare effective dramatic example, as the canned goods in question are the goal of the tortuous SnipeHunt the cast is send on by the evil AI, and thus it makes sense that they could not be opened by brute force.