History Main / Vibroweapon

* In the 1943 ''Captain America'' FilmSerial, the supervillain gets his hands on the "Dynamic Vibrator" (insert joke here). It was originally created for mining purposes, but the supervillain would rather crank up the vibes to turn it into a WeaponOfMassDestruction.

* Vibiroblades, popular in various ''Franchise/StarWars'' comics and novels throughout the years, finally make live-action appearances in ''Series/TheMandalorian'' and ''Series/TheBookOfBobaFett''. Various Mandalorians can be seen wielding blades with a visible blurring around their edges in both shows.

* ''Manhua/SchoolShock''[='s=] [[spoiler: Bai Hua]] utilizes a large set of these. They cut really good, especially through [[spoiler:her lover's chest]].

* ''VideoGame/FinalFantasyXIV'''s Gunbreaker job wields gunblades similar in function to those in ''VIII'', in contrast to the more standard MixAndMatchWeapon gunblades used by [[TheEmpire Garlean]] forces.

* The fourth installment of the {{VideoGame/Etrian Odyssey}} series has Drive Blades, large mechanical engine-powered swords wielded by the Imperial class.

** linear back-and-forth motion is used in [[https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Reciprocating_saw reciprocating saws]] like power hacksaws, jigsaws, and scroll saws, which work like a normal toothed saw operated at super-speed, using rapid short strokes of a small blade[[note]] as opposed to slower full-blade strokes with a hand saw, or the bulky, single-direction blade of a band or rotary saw.[[/note]] to precisely and efficiently saw through material. This form is much older than most people realize- early stationary examples powered by wind, water, or muscle are OlderThanPrint, and hand-cranked portable versions were being mass-produced by the mid-1800s.

* An upcoming melee weapon in ''VideoGame/TerraTech'' is literally called the [=Vibro-Blade=]. If it [[ObviousBeta actually worked]], it would cause heavy damage upon contact.

** A couple of times, Asuka gets Unit 02's hands on the [[BladeOnAStick Sonic Glaive]] and Smash Hawk, which are in all likelihood also "progressive" weapons.

* ''Manga/OnePiece'':
** Whitebeard technically used this trope with his Tremor-Tremor Fruit power (which is stated by WordOfGod to make him a "Vibration Man"), putting a bubble of vibrations around his [[ElementalPunch fist]] and his [[BladeOnAStick bisento]] to augment their damage potential.
** The Chinjao Family uses a [[FantasticFightingStyle martial art]] called Hasshouken (Fist of Eight Impacts) which teaches them to manipulate vibrations to augment their attacks and bypass an opponent's shielding and armor.

** ComicBook/DaisyJohnson aka Quake is an Agent of ComicBook/{{SHIELD}} who can control and manipulate vibrations to devastating effect. Her feats include destroying [[ComicBook/DoctorDoom Castle Doom]] and blowing up ComicBook/{{Wolverine}}'s heart ([[GoodThingYouCanHeal good thing he heals pretty fast]]).
** ''ComicBook/SpiderMan'' villain the Shocker has vibrational weapons mounted on his wrists, which he uses for both break-ins and combat.

* ComicBook/{{Vibe}} of the Franchise/{{Justice League|of America}}. Once demonstrated just how powerful and dangerous he is while talking about his powers [[PerpSweating while interrogating someone]]:
--> '''Vibe''': I can conduct shock waves equal to an earthquake registering 8.5 in the Richter Scale. ''I'm holding you by the neck''.
* Franchise/{{Superman}} did this to defeat the Cyborg Superman at the end of ''ComicBook/TheDeathOfSuperman'', punching through his chest and vibrating so fast that his body, weakened by Kryptonite exposure, was completely obliterated.

** A couple of times, Asuka gets Unit 02's hands on the [[BladeOnAStick Sonic Glaive]] and [[AnAxeToGrind Smash Hawk]], which are in all likelihood also "progressive" weapons.

* ''TabletopGame/EclipsePhase'' has vibroblades as one of the available melee weapons. Slight subversion of the trope as it's actually a fair bit less effective than the good melee weapons (the [[AnAxeToGrind Diamond Axe]] and [[SharpenedToASingleAtom Monofilament Sword]]) but it's more realistic in that when used for extended sawing, it is better than any other melee weapon (double damage and armor piercing when sawing).

* ''WesternAnimation/JusticeLeagueUnlimited'': After taking over Franchise/TheFlash's body, ComicBook/LexLuthor threatens to use his super speed to vibrate his finger through a man's head if he doesn't comply with the villain's wishes.

* In the 80s ''WesternAnimation/TheTransformers'' cartoon, Computron is able to stop the combiner Abominus by using intense vibrations to separate him into his Terrorcon componants.

* In reality electric bone saws vibrate back and forth very quickly as a ''safety'' feature -- the rapid vibration will saw through bone easily, but a person's flexible skin will just jiggle back and forth and remain uncut. Similar saws may be used to remove plaster casts.
** Accidents do occasionally happen and demonstrate why the vibration is necessary: The blade can make a long, clean cut.
* The basic principal is TruthInTelevision to a sufficient extent to have actually been in use for centuries, in two primary forms:

A futuristic bladed weapon that has AbsurdCuttingPower because it vibrates. The idea is that high-frequency vibrations in the blade allow the weapon to cut through nearly anything, essentially making it an electric turkey carver turned UpToEleven. Often, this results in a humming noise and the blade of the weapon visibly blurring or even [[PowerGlows glowing]].

* The Standard GiantRobot in ''Series/GekisouSentaiCarranger'', the RV Robo, uses a scaled-up version of the Ranger's [=ViBlades=]. What makes this noteworthy is that this essentially makes it the only Sentai Robo that does ''not'' use a sort of "magical energy" for its sword-based final attack -- it just starts the sword up, drives towards the enemy, ''[[EverythingsBetterWithSpinning starts spinning]]'', and crashes through with nothing more than blunt kinetic force.

* Being based on the ''StarWars'' universe, the ''VideoGame/KnightsOfTheOldRepublic'' series features vibroswords as low-level melee weapons. Like most anything else, these usually become obsolete once you're able to get your hands on a [[LaserBlade lightsaber]], though. The sequel has things such as the 'Sith Tremor Sword' and various Echani vibroblades which are only a little less potent than a well engineered lightsaber, even at the very end of the game.

* ''StarWars'' is host to all sorts of vibroweapons. Some even appear in the movies. Pretty much any time you see what looks like a normal bladed weapon, it's a vibroweapon. Unless it's a "[[AppliedPhlebotinum cortosis woven blade]]" because cortosis is one of the few materials that can stand up to a lightsaber.

** Daisy Johnson aka ComicBook/{{Quake}} is an Agent of ComicBook/{{SHIELD}} who can control and manipulate vibrations to devastating effect. Her feats include destroying [[ComicBook/DoctorDoom Castle Doom]] and blowing up ComicBook/{{Wolverine}}'s heart ([[GoodThingYouCanHeal good thing he heals pretty fast]]).

->''His right arm transformed into a sword whose sonic-vibrations caused orgasms throughout Neo-Tokyo.''

A futuristic bladed weapon that has AbsurdCuttingPower due to the fact that it vibrates. The idea is that high-frequency vibrations in the blade allow the weapon to cut through nearly anything, essentially making it an electric turkey carver turned UpToEleven. Often, this results in a humming noise and the blade of the weapon visibly blurring or even [[PowerGlows glowing]].

Bonus points if it cleans itself -- rather explosively. Potentially has great MundaneUtility: it is the descendant of real tools very closely related to the fast cleaner/washer/perfect blender. These weapons may be as dangerous to the user as the enemy. Often, the only thing that can stop a vibroweapon is [[LikeCannotCutLike another vibroweapon,]] although that doesn't really follow if you think about it.

A variant of this is blunt weapons (sometimes even the person's own body) that are charged with high frequency vibrations; in this case it's used to deliver higher striking power, as well as giving the target a violent dose of vibrations, which [[AntiArmor can bypass defenses]].

** The Gundam Exia's GN Sword not only boosts its sharpness through use of GN Particles, but also increases its cutting-power by vibrating. It only has this power Setsuna's battles against the Thrones, though.

--> '''Thancrus(the aforementioned zoanoid), after his and the Guyver's blades strike one another and everybody groans at the horrifying feedback noise:''' "Shit! You have high frequency swords, too!"

** Seele Schneider is a very powerful, but old-fashioned, Quincy weapon that collects reishi from the atmosphere via the handle, concentrating it into a blade that vibrates at a rate of 3 million times a second. Although the weapon looks like a sword, it's actually an arrow. Uryuu stole five from his father's secret armoury for his trip to Hueco Mundo and easily defeated Cirucci's vibrating wing-blades due to the greater vibration rate. Using five together allows for a phenomenal explosion of power, but [[AwesomeButImpractical only if the wielder has the opportunity to set up a Quincy Cross formation around the opponent]].

* Similarly, it's suggested that this is one of the reasons the heroes in ''Anime/SamuraiSeven'' are able to cut through the [[HumongousMecha Nobuseri]]. This is demonstrated when [[spoiler: Kikujiyo uses a giant Nobuseri sword to stop the falling capital. Because of the sword's size, it literally ''sings'' while he's holding it up]].

* The SuperPrototype Lancelot from ''Anime/CodeGeass'' uses [[DualWielding twin]] "Maser Vibration Swords", initially making it the only powered weapon-wielding [[HumongousMecha Knightmare Frame]] in the world. In the second season, similar blades are given to the Lancelot's production model version as well as the Ace Customs descended from it. The Guren SEITEN has a dagger version. The Black Knights were also able to get a Katana version developed for use with their newer frames, referred to as a Revolving Blade Sword, ostensibly developed from different technologies (it's really a ''[[ChainsawGood chainsaw]] [[KatanasAreJustBetter katana]]'') and meant as a counter to the [=MVSs.=]

* In ''Manga/ElfenLied'', the remarkable cutting capabilities of vectors are justified by high frequency vibration.

** The Chinjao Family use a [[FantasticFightingStyle martial art]] called Hasshouken (Fist of Eight Impacts) which teaches them to manipulate vibrations to augment their attacks and bypass an opponents' shielding and armor.

* The [[AbsurdlySharpBlade Dimension Sword]] technique in ''Manga/RosarioPlusVampire'' is a combination of Vibroweapon and {{Telefrag}}. By shifting dimensions, a user can pass through objects unchallenged - and by shifting back, they will promptly ''destroy'' whatever they are currently within - from a block of wood to a suit of armour to human flesh. The most efficient form is doing this 'shift away, shift back' action ''one hundred times per second.''[[note]]Ling-Ling Huang uses a less practiced form of sixteen shifts per second, and promptly gets her ass kicked against a user of the 100 s/s version.[[/note]]

*** Weirdly, some types of Vibranium can melt metal without coming in contact with it. There are two types of Vibranium, the stuff from Wakanda (Black Panther's kingdom) and a different lode found in Antartica, they are almost identical but seem to posses different properties when put into contact with other types of {{unobtanium}}.

* ''StarWars'' is host to all sorts of vibroweapons. Some even appear in the movies. Pretty much any time you see what looks like a normal bladed weapon, it's actually a vibroweapon. Unless it's a "[[AppliedPhlebotinum cortosis woven blade]]", because cortosis is one of the few materials that can stand up to a lightsaber.
** More conventional vibroblades of all shapes and sizes ranging from small knives and "vibroknucklers"(brass knucks, but with a vibrating blade at the front) to full-sized swords and spears, can be found in Expanded Universe stories. Most Star Wars citizens are mildly creeped out by the concept of a "dead" blade, since by their standards it's tantamount to deliberately dulling a knife so that it hurts more.

* In Creator/RobertAsprin's ''Literature/PhulesCompany'' books, they are common from the third book onwards. Anyone who wants to look badass has a vibroknife and one of characters even mentions it in reference to his hooligan childhood.

* In ''Literature/LordValentinesCastle'' by Creator/RobertSilverberg, the group meet and recruit a gigantic amazon who wields a vibroblade.

* In Creator/RichardKMorgan's ''Literature/WokenFuries'', Takeshi Kovacs uses a "vibroknife" to cut the soul-containing cortical stacks out of the necks of his enemies (and one friend). They're already dead, though, and it's clear that the knife is a tool rather than a weapon.

* Creator/IsaacAsimov and Creator/RobertSilverberg's ''Literature/ThePositronicMan'': One household item in the Martin family is an electric vibro-blade, useful for carving wood.

* ''TabletopGame/SLAIndustries'', a futuristic role-playing game by Nightfall Games, actively encourages Players to undertake Melee combat through various means. One of these methods is to include a really cool list of powered weapons, ranging from a fairly humble vibroknife to a [[FridgeLogic vibroboxing-glove]] and even a [[SinisterScythe vibroSCYTHE.]] [[RuleofCool Which also has a retractable 'flick' blade.]] [[RefugeinAudacity And can have a tazer built into it.]]