History Main / SuperDrowningSkills

* ''In ''Fanfic/NeitherABirdNorAPlaneItsDeku'', the {{Kaiju}} spawn that Izuku encounters on Korusan Island are completely incapable of swimming, recoiling after they touch water for the first time. Ironically enough, they have the appearance of a [[MixAndMatchCritters shark's head atop a pile of tentacles]].

* ComicBook/{{Wolverine}} can't float and can barely swim because of the dense metal covering his skeleton. Same goes for Colossus in his steel form.

* [[ButtMonkey Nautilator]] has always been depicted as enthusiastic but completely incompetent in the water in all continuities of ''Franchise/TheTransformers'' comics. He rusts like a '67 Fiat, has the [[NoSenseOfDirection navigational skills]] of [[Manga/OnePiece Roronoa Zoro]], and in spite of being a giant living robot with an alternate mode made to traverse the ocean, he's been defeated by ''the tides changing.'' [[TheLoad The Decepticons are hampered by just having him around]]. Inexplicably, [[WTHCastingAgency the Decepticons made him part of their main underwater strike team]].

* Ironically enough, despite being an aquatic animal, the common hippopotamus can't swim. Its bones are so dense that it sinks in water, instead of swimming it walks across the bottom, then hops to the surface when it needs to breath. This limitation means that it's restricted to fairly shallow rivers and lakes.

Some more recent games have decided that it ''is'' worth it, and thus attempt more realistic solutions, with varying degrees of effectiveness. ''VideoGame/{{Quake}}'', an early example, would deal damage to your health if you were underwater too long. However, armor protects against this damage -- meaning you can stay underwater longer if you wear full body armor. Earlier still, the ''VideoGame/UltimaUnderworld'' or ''VideoGame/TheElderScrollsArena'' games didn't let you go underwater--swimming was essentially the same as walking except you bobbed up and down more and couldn't use a weapon, but after some amount of time your health would start taking a battering. More recently, the ''Tomb Raider'' games and the later ''Franchise/TheElderScrolls'' have {{Oxygen Meter}}s that would deplete as you swam, with running out causing lots of damage to be dealt, resulting in swift death. Other techniques have also been used to increase realism and decrease the prevalence of this trope.

* A line from Maui's IAmSong in ''Disney/{{Moana}}'':

** To be fair Maui is shown to be able to swim, quite well. Just not where he can swim around the Pacific Ocean region by himself without a boat.

* In the ''GuardiansOfTheFlame'' series, dwarves are noticeably denser than humans, with the result that they sink like a stone in water. This leads to a panic-inducing incident in one book when the dwarven member of the cast is tossed off a ship in the middle of a battle, with no one available to rescue him. Fortunately the ship is anchored, and he manages to get to the anchor chain and climb up it before drowning.

[[caption-width-right:284:[[VideoGame/RedDeadRedemption John Marston]], [[VideoGame/{{Halo}} Master Chief]] and [[VideoGame/AssassinsCreed Altaïr]] give a whole new meaning to the [[{{Pun}} Dead Man's Float]].]]

* In ''ComicBook/SonicTheComic'' this is played straight with Sonic then subverted. Handwaved by Sonic as him having taken swimming lessons.

** In the first episode, Sonic falls into a swimming pool and after trying to get out for several seconds, seems to give up and sit placidly on the pool floor, waiting to drown.
** Even better, in the ''Sonic X'' episode "Sonic vs Knuckles", Sonic gets knocked into water by Knuckles. He instantly has a panic attack, splashing wildly and yelling. It takes him a few seconds to realise he's barely ankle deep, with Knuckles looking on at him with a wry smile.

* ''WesternAnimation/DragonHunters'': Gwizdo. As a pilot among the flying islands, he doesn't remember about this skill until it suddenly becomes a matter of life and death. And even after, he prefers to not caring about it, while his lifestyle of traveller gives a lot of chances to improve the situation with Lian-Chu's support.

* ''WesternAnimation/DragonHunters'': Gwizdo. As a pilot among the flying islands, he doesn't remember about this skill until it suddenly becomes a matter of life and death. And even after, he prefers to not caring about it, while his lifestyle of traveller gives a lot of chances to improve the situation with Lian-Chu's advice.

* ''WesternAnimation/DragonHunters'': Gwizdo. As a pilot among the flying islands, he doesn't remember about this skill until it suddenly becomes a matter of life and death. And even after, he prefers to not caring about it, while his lifestyle of traveller gives a lot of chances to improve the situation.

* ''WesternAnimation/DragonHunters'': Gwizdo. As a pilot among the flying islands, he doesn't remember about this skill until it suddenly becomes a matter of life and death. And even after that he prefers to stay careless about it, while his lifestyle of traveller gives a lot of chances to improve the situation.

* ''WesternAnimation/DragonHunters'': Gwizdo. As a pilot among the flying islands, he doesn't remember about this skill until it suddenly becomes a matter of life and death. And even after that he prefers to stay careless about it, while his lifestyle of traveller gives many of chances to improve the situation.

* ''WesternAnimation/DragonHunters'': Gwizdo. As a pilot among the flying islands, he doesn't remember about this skill until it suddenly becomes a matter of life and death. And even after that he seems to stay careless about it, while his lifestyle of traveller greatly allows him to improve the situation.

* Fry from ''WesternAnimation/Futurama'', especially at the beginning.

* ''Futurama'': Fry,especially at the beginning.

* ''WesternAnimation/Futurama'': Fry,especially at beginning.

* ''WesternAnimation/DragonHunters'': Gwizdo. As a pilot among the flying islands, he doesn't remember about this skill until it suddenly becomes a matter of life and death. And even after that.

* Adolescent Injun Shimiwe, from Inami, french cartoon about Amazonian tribes. This case resulted in a lot of problems, because the river was always near.

* ''WesternAnimation/Dragon Hunters'': Gwizdo. As a pilot among the flying islands, he doesn't remember about this skill until it suddenly becomes a matter of life and death. And even after that.