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** Another Vegeta example involves him blowing himself up in order to destroy Majin Buu and save the world, while expressing his love for his wife and son.
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** Another Vegeta example involves him blowing himself up in order to destroy Majin Buu and save the world, while expressing his love for his wife wife, his son, and son.even his rival.
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*** A much more serious example happens when Luffy [[spoiler: vows not to eat any food unless it's prepared by Sanji, as an ultimatum to get him into the crew instead of going off to get married. Which Sanji clearly doesn't want, but he's being forced by explosive bracelets and assassins aimed at Zeff.]]
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** Millianna, an ardent cat-lover, is depressed enough after the end of the Grand Magic Games arc, [[spoiler:during which time she learns that her former friend Jellal, who's manipulated her into completing the Tower of Heaven and killed their friend Simon, was actually also a victim of manipulation himself]], initially doesn't respond when Erza pulls Happy, a cat-like creature known as an Exceed, [[VictoriasSecretCompartment out of her bosom]]. As such, [[SubvertedTrope Erza does it again with Carla and Pantherlily, and Millianna actually enjoys it this time]].
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** Millianna, an ardent cat-lover, is depressed enough after the end of the Grand Magic Games arc, [[spoiler:during which time she learns that her former friend Jellal, who's manipulated her into completing the Tower of Heaven and killed their friend Simon, was actually also a victim of manipulation himself]], initially doesn't respond when Erza pulls Happy, a cat-like creature known as an Exceed, [[VictoriasSecretCompartment out of her bosom]]. As such, [[SubvertedTrope Erza does it again with Carla and Pantherlily, and Millianna actually enjoys it this time]].time]].
* In ''Anime/GargantiaOnTheVerdurousPlanet,'' [[WiseBeyondTheirYears Bebel]] has a lung ailment that keeps him mostly bedridden or in a wheelchair; he only walks a handful of times in the series. However, when he sees how upset his sister [[ManicPixieDreamGirl Amy]] is about [[TrappedInAnotherWorld Ledo]] leaving the fleet, he runs across the ship to talk to him, gasping for air.
* In ''Anime/GargantiaOnTheVerdurousPlanet,'' [[WiseBeyondTheirYears Bebel]] has a lung ailment that keeps him mostly bedridden or in a wheelchair; he only walks a handful of times in the series. However, when he sees how upset his sister [[ManicPixieDreamGirl Amy]] is about [[TrappedInAnotherWorld Ledo]] leaving the fleet, he runs across the ship to talk to him, gasping for air.
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** Kagura, an ardent cat-lover, is depressed enough after the end of the Grand Magic Games arc, [[spoiler:during which time she learns that her former friend Jellal, who's manipulated her into completing the Tower of Heaven and killed their friend Simon, was actually also a victim of manipulation himself]], initially doesn't respond when Erza pulls Happy, a cat-like creature known as an Exceed, [[VictoriasSecretCompartment out of her bosom]]. As such, [[SubvertedTrope Erza does it again with Carla and Pantherlily, and Kagura actually enjoys it this time]].
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** Kagura, Millianna, an ardent cat-lover, is depressed enough after the end of the Grand Magic Games arc, [[spoiler:during which time she learns that her former friend Jellal, who's manipulated her into completing the Tower of Heaven and killed their friend Simon, was actually also a victim of manipulation himself]], initially doesn't respond when Erza pulls Happy, a cat-like creature known as an Exceed, [[VictoriasSecretCompartment out of her bosom]]. As such, [[SubvertedTrope Erza does it again with Carla and Pantherlily, and Kagura Millianna actually enjoys it this time]].
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** Maho, typically stoic and unquestioning of her mother's methods and beliefs, expresses her opinion about Oarai High School's victory over Pravda High School when said mother states that Oarai only won because Pravda became careless. Notable as her opinion is ''the opposite'' of her mother's, stating that Oarai won because of clever tactics and strategies and that Miho, who is viewed by their mother as a failure and a disgrace to their traditional sensha-do practice, is as skilled and talented as herself.
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** Maho, typically stoic and outwardly unquestioning of her mother's methods and beliefs, expresses her opinion about Oarai High School's victory over Pravda High School when said mother states that Oarai only won because Pravda became careless. Notable as her opinion is ''the opposite'' of her mother's, stating that Oarai won because of clever tactics and strategies and that Miho, who is viewed by their mother as a failure and a disgrace to their traditional sensha-do practice, is as skilled and talented as herself.
** In ''Der Film'', Shiho, who's generally calm and composed, slams her glass down on a table while telling [[spoiler:the official who reneged on his promise to keep Oarai open if they won the tournament]], that there's no luck in sensha-do.
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** In ''Manga/SakiShinohayuDawnOfAge'', Kanna is a short-tempered and fairly abrasive girl. As such, when she declines Kyouka's offer to hang out together with a smile and an apology, Kyouka knows something is amiss; Hayari had hoped to apologize to her friends for upsetting them, but none of them showed up, leading her to think she had driven them away.
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** In ''Manga/SakiShinohayuDawnOfAge'', Kanna is a short-tempered and fairly abrasive girl. As such, when she declines Kyouka's offer to hang out together with a smile and an apology, Kyouka knows something is amiss; Hayari Kanna had hoped to apologize to her friends for upsetting them, but none of them showed up, leading her to think she had driven them away.
** Teana's usually a {{Tsundere}} toward her best friend Subaru, so when she drops that attitude, Subaru usually takes notice. In the manga about their days at the academy, Teana once calmly informs Subaru that she has no desire to become friends with her, which saddens Subaru, although Teana does eventually change her mind. In [=StrikerS=], after Teana gets reprimanded for nearly shooting Subaru during the hotel incident as a result of a desperate need to prove herself, she politely tells the other forwards that she wants to train by herself, which concerns Subaru.
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* In the 11th volume of ''Manga/{{Yotsuba}}'', Yotsuba's prized [[SecurityBlanket teddy bear]] Juralumin is attacked by a dog. It smells afterwards, so she and the other children give Juralumin a bath. However, this damages Juralumin's voice box, meaning it no longer 'speaks'. Yotsuba leaves Juralumin with Asagi to 'have an operation'. As Yotsuba waits for it to be fixed, she is listless, morose, practically ''depressed'', finding no joy in things she normally does like stacking blocks and making origami. It's not just surprising from a five-year-old; it's particularly surprising from Yotsuba, who is normally extremely energetic and constantly bouncing back when she gets upset. It's so rare that her father tries to take a picture of her being sad, only for her to bluntly remind him that it's rude to take pictures of people without asking.
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* In the 11th volume of ''Manga/{{Yotsuba}}'', Yotsuba's prized [[SecurityBlanket teddy bear]] Juralumin is attacked by a dog. It smells afterwards, so she and the other children give Juralumin a bath. However, this damages Juralumin's voice box, meaning it no longer 'speaks'. Yotsuba leaves Juralumin with Asagi to 'have an operation'. As Yotsuba waits for it to be fixed, she is listless, morose, practically ''depressed'', finding no joy in things she normally does like stacking blocks and making origami. It's not just surprising from a five-year-old; it's particularly surprising from Yotsuba, who is normally extremely energetic and constantly bouncing back when she gets upset. It's so rare that her father tries to take a picture of her being sad, only for her to bluntly remind him that it's rude to take pictures of people without asking.asking.
* ''Manga/FairyTail''
** Porluscyia, a crotchety and grumpy old lady, actually breaks down in tears during the Battle of Fairy Tail arc when it looks like Makarov might die.
** Kagura, an ardent cat-lover, is depressed enough after the end of the Grand Magic Games arc, [[spoiler:during which time she learns that her former friend Jellal, who's manipulated her into completing the Tower of Heaven and killed their friend Simon, was actually also a victim of manipulation himself]], initially doesn't respond when Erza pulls Happy, a cat-like creature known as an Exceed, [[VictoriasSecretCompartment out of her bosom]]. As such, [[SubvertedTrope Erza does it again with Carla and Pantherlily, and Kagura actually enjoys it this time]].
* ''Manga/FairyTail''
** Porluscyia, a crotchety and grumpy old lady, actually breaks down in tears during the Battle of Fairy Tail arc when it looks like Makarov might die.
** Kagura, an ardent cat-lover, is depressed enough after the end of the Grand Magic Games arc, [[spoiler:during which time she learns that her former friend Jellal, who's manipulated her into completing the Tower of Heaven and killed their friend Simon, was actually also a victim of manipulation himself]], initially doesn't respond when Erza pulls Happy, a cat-like creature known as an Exceed, [[VictoriasSecretCompartment out of her bosom]]. As such, [[SubvertedTrope Erza does it again with Carla and Pantherlily, and Kagura actually enjoys it this time]].
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** The usually goofy and boisterous Bush Utan suddenly turns cold, desperate and violent [[spoiler:around the time he activates his IS "kit."]]
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** The usually goofy and boisterous Bush Utan suddenly turns cold, desperate and violent [[spoiler:around the time he activates his IS "kit."]]"]]
* In the 11th volume of ''Manga/{{Yotsuba}}'', Yotsuba's prized [[SecurityBlanket teddy bear]] Juralumin is attacked by a dog. It smells afterwards, so she and the other children give Juralumin a bath. However, this damages Juralumin's voice box, meaning it no longer 'speaks'. Yotsuba leaves Juralumin with Asagi to 'have an operation'. As Yotsuba waits for it to be fixed, she is listless, morose, practically ''depressed'', finding no joy in things she normally does like stacking blocks and making origami. It's not just surprising from a five-year-old; it's particularly surprising from Yotsuba, who is normally extremely energetic and constantly bouncing back when she gets upset. It's so rare that her father tries to take a picture of her being sad, only for her to bluntly remind him that it's rude to take pictures of people without asking.
* In the 11th volume of ''Manga/{{Yotsuba}}'', Yotsuba's prized [[SecurityBlanket teddy bear]] Juralumin is attacked by a dog. It smells afterwards, so she and the other children give Juralumin a bath. However, this damages Juralumin's voice box, meaning it no longer 'speaks'. Yotsuba leaves Juralumin with Asagi to 'have an operation'. As Yotsuba waits for it to be fixed, she is listless, morose, practically ''depressed'', finding no joy in things she normally does like stacking blocks and making origami. It's not just surprising from a five-year-old; it's particularly surprising from Yotsuba, who is normally extremely energetic and constantly bouncing back when she gets upset. It's so rare that her father tries to take a picture of her being sad, only for her to bluntly remind him that it's rude to take pictures of people without asking.
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* ''Manga/MyHeroAcademia'': when All Might hears that his students (including his protege, Izuku Midoriya) have been ambushed by villains while on a training field trip, he rushes to the scene. Once he arrives, his usual ear-to-ear grin is replaced with an ear-to-ear ''grimace'', signifying that he is ''pissed''!
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* In ''LightNovel/AccelWorld'', Kuroyukihime is generally cool, collected and self-confident at all times, a persona that nicely fits her being [[TheAce one of the handful of Burst Linkers at Level 9 out of 10]]. When Haruyuki suggests that she's spending time with someone like him out of a secret need to punish herself, a statement that's insulting to both of them, she angrily slaps him, calls him an "idiot,"[[note]]Most of the time, when he does something stupid, like walk around with his NeuroLinker connected to the global net, she smugly calls him a "fool."]] and bursts into tears, seeming much more like the 14-year-old girl she is. This is not lost on Haruyuki, who [[MyGodWhatHaveIDone realizes how much he hurt her feelings by saying this]].
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* In ''LightNovel/AccelWorld'', Kuroyukihime is generally cool, collected and self-confident at all times, a persona that nicely fits her being [[TheAce one of the handful of Burst Linkers at Level 9 out of 10]]. When Haruyuki suggests that she's spending time with someone like him out of a secret need to punish herself, a statement that's insulting to both of them, she angrily slaps him, calls him an "idiot,"[[note]]Most of the time, when he does something stupid, like walk around with his NeuroLinker [=NeuroLinker=] connected to the global net, she smugly calls him a "fool."]] "[[/note]] and bursts into tears, seeming much more like the 14-year-old girl she is. This is not lost on Haruyuki, who [[MyGodWhatHaveIDone realizes how much he hurt her feelings by saying this]].
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* In ''LightNovel/AccelWorld'', Kuroyukihime is generally cool, collected and self-confident at all times, a persona that nicely fits her being [[TheAce one of the handful of Burst Linkers at Level 9 out of 10]]. When Haruyuki suggests that she's spending time with someone like him out of a secret need to punish herself, a statement that's insulting to both of them, she angrily slaps him, calls him an "idiot,"[[note]]Most of the time, when he does something stupid, like walk around with his NeuroLinker connected to the global net, she smugly calls him a "fool."]] and bursts into tears, seeming much more like the 14-year-old girl she is. This is not lost on Haruyuki, who [[MyGodWhatHaveIDone realizes how much he hurt her feelings by saying this]].
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* In ''LightNovel/AccelWorld'', Kuroyukihime is generally cool, collected and self-confident at all times, a persona that nicely fits her being [[TheAce one of the handful of Burst Linkers at Level 9 out of 10]]. When Haruyuki suggests that she's spending time with someone like him out of a secret need to punish herself, a statement that's insulting to both of them, she angrily slaps him, calls him an "idiot,"[[note]]Most of the time, when he does something stupid, like walk around with his NeuroLinker connected to the global net, she smugly calls him a "fool."]] and bursts into tears, seeming much more like the 14-year-old girl she is. This is not lost on Haruyuki, who [[MyGodWhatHaveIDone realizes how much he hurt her feelings by saying this]].this]].
** The usually goofy and boisterous Bush Utan suddenly turns cold, desperate and violent [[spoiler:around the time he activates his IS "kit."]]
** The usually goofy and boisterous Bush Utan suddenly turns cold, desperate and violent [[spoiler:around the time he activates his IS "kit."]]
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* In ''Manga/BlackButler'', Tanaka is usually shown in super deformed style, and only saying "ho ho ho". When he's shown normally, and actually talking, it's when things are getting serious and he's about to prove himself a BadassGrandpa.
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* In ''Manga/BlackButler'', Tanaka is usually shown in super deformed style, and only saying "ho ho ho". When he's shown normally, and actually talking, it's when things are getting serious and he's about to prove himself a BadassGrandpa.BadassGrandpa.
* In ''LightNovel/AccelWorld'', Kuroyukihime is generally cool, collected and self-confident at all times, a persona that nicely fits her being [[TheAce one of the handful of Burst Linkers at Level 9 out of 10]]. When Haruyuki suggests that she's spending time with someone like him out of a secret need to punish herself, a statement that's insulting to both of them, she angrily slaps him, calls him an "idiot,"[[note]]Most of the time, when he does something stupid, like walk around with his NeuroLinker connected to the global net, she smugly calls him a "fool."]] and bursts into tears, seeming much more like the 14-year-old girl she is. This is not lost on Haruyuki, who [[MyGodWhatHaveIDone realizes how much he hurt her feelings by saying this]].
* In ''LightNovel/AccelWorld'', Kuroyukihime is generally cool, collected and self-confident at all times, a persona that nicely fits her being [[TheAce one of the handful of Burst Linkers at Level 9 out of 10]]. When Haruyuki suggests that she's spending time with someone like him out of a secret need to punish herself, a statement that's insulting to both of them, she angrily slaps him, calls him an "idiot,"[[note]]Most of the time, when he does something stupid, like walk around with his NeuroLinker connected to the global net, she smugly calls him a "fool."]] and bursts into tears, seeming much more like the 14-year-old girl she is. This is not lost on Haruyuki, who [[MyGodWhatHaveIDone realizes how much he hurt her feelings by saying this]].
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* ''Manga/SixHalf'' has everyone react like this when they first see Shiori act differently from what they are used to. Justified, she has amnesia and cannot remember what she was like before.
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** During the Whole Cake Island arc, [[ChivalrousPervet Sanji]] [[spoiler:turns down a beautiful woman he's set to marry to stay with the Straw Hat crew]]. Even the other Straw Hats are amazed by it.
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** During the Whole Cake Island arc, [[ChivalrousPervet [[ChivalrousPervert Sanji]] [[spoiler:turns down a beautiful woman he's set to marry to stay with the Straw Hat crew]]. Even the other Straw Hats are amazed by it.
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* In ''Manga/TsubasaReservoirChronicle'', it's clear that [[StepfordSmiler Fay's]] mental state has taken a turn for the worse not because he grows his hair out after [[EyeScream losing his eye]] and takes on a generally more gloomy disposition, but it's because he [[TheNicknamer drops the cutesy nicknames]] and actually calls Kurogane by his name. Later on when he starts using them again it's a huge relief to everyone since it indicates that he's getting better.
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* In ''Manga/TsubasaReservoirChronicle'', it's clear that [[StepfordSmiler Fay's]] mental state has taken a turn for the worse not because he grows his hair out after [[EyeScream losing his eye]] and takes on a generally more gloomy disposition, but it's because he [[TheNicknamer drops the cutesy nicknames]] and actually calls Kurogane by his name. name, with the framing of the scene making it clear it's intended to be a WhamLine. Later on when he starts using them the nicknames again it's a huge relief to everyone since it indicates that he's getting better.
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** During the Whole Cake Island arc, [[ChivalrousPervet Sanji]] [[spoiler:turns down a beautiful woman he's set to marry to stay with the Straw Hat crew]]. Even the other Straw Hats are amazed by it.
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** Maho, typically stoic and unquestioning of her mother's methods and beliefs, expresses her opinion about Oarai High School's victory over Pravda High School when said mother states that Oarai only won because Pravda became careless. Notable as her opinion is ''the opposite'' of her mother's, stating that Oarai won because of clever tactics and strategies and that Miho, who is viewed by their mother as a failure and a disgrace to their traditional sensha-do practice, is as skilled and talented as herself.
** In the anime's final episode, the perpetually stoic Maho '''smiles''' as she congratulates Miho for winning the tournament despite seemingly insurmountable odds, especially since Miho won against her. Notable in that despite her loss, Maho is proud of her younger sister for finding her own take on sensha-do, [[EarnYourHappyEnding which was what Maho wanted for her since the beginning.]]
** In the anime's final episode, the perpetually stoic Maho '''smiles''' as she congratulates Miho for winning the tournament despite seemingly insurmountable odds, especially since Miho won against her. Notable in that despite her loss, Maho is proud of her younger sister for finding her own take on sensha-do, [[EarnYourHappyEnding which was what Maho wanted for her since the beginning.]]
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* In ''Manga/DeathNote'', Near figures out Light's otherwise brilliant plan because Light's [[TheDragon Dragon]], Teru Mikami, otherwise an obsessive CreatureOfHabit, goes to the bank two days in a row, when he would normally only go once a month.
** Also, just after receiving the call from Halle about ThePlan to [[SuicideMission kidnap Takada]], Mello puts down his barely-eaten [[TrademarkFavoriteFood chocolate bar]]. And he obviously told Matt what was up, because Matt turned off all the electronics he had going. It's a very poignant moment for the two of them, whether you view them as [[HoYay a couple]] or whether you view them as [[HeterosexualLifePartners nothing more than close friends/roommates]].
** Also, just after receiving the call from Halle about ThePlan to [[SuicideMission kidnap Takada]], Mello puts down his barely-eaten [[TrademarkFavoriteFood chocolate bar]]. And he obviously told Matt what was up, because Matt turned off all the electronics he had going. It's a very poignant moment for the two of them, whether you view them as [[HoYay a couple]] or whether you view them as [[HeterosexualLifePartners nothing more than close friends/roommates]].
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* In ''Manga/DeathNote'', ''Manga/DeathNote''
** Near figures out Light's otherwise brilliant plan because Light's [[TheDragon Dragon]], Teru Mikami, otherwise an obsessive CreatureOfHabit, goes to the bank two days in a row, when he would normally only go once a month.
**Also, just Just after receiving the call from Halle about ThePlan to [[SuicideMission kidnap Takada]], Mello puts down his barely-eaten [[TrademarkFavoriteFood chocolate bar]]. And he obviously told Matt what was up, because Matt turned off all the electronics he had going. It's a very poignant moment for the two of them, whether you view them as [[HoYay a couple]] or whether you view them as [[HeterosexualLifePartners nothing more than close friends/roommates]].
** Near figures out Light's otherwise brilliant plan because Light's [[TheDragon Dragon]], Teru Mikami, otherwise an obsessive CreatureOfHabit, goes to the bank two days in a row, when he would normally only go once a month.
**
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* Played straight in the ninth ''Literature/TanteiTeamKZJikenNote'' novel which is animated as episodes 9-12, when everybody else's being gravely concerned with Uesugi's well-being after (1)Dropping off Top 50 in math when [[GoodWithNumbers he always gets the first place]], (2) skips both CramSchool and TheTeam's proposed investigation, and (3) for an AcademicAthlete, the impossible feat of [[StaircaseTumble slipping off the staircase]]. Kuroki has to skip the case because of it, possible to handle Uesugi's problem. [[spoiler:Turns out the serious business is his vision has deteriorated to a point that he is already unable to read and a complete loss of vision is not impossible.]]
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* Played straight in the ninth ''Literature/TanteiTeamKZJikenNote'' novel which is animated as episodes 9-12, when everybody else's being gravely concerned with Uesugi's well-being after (1)Dropping off Top 50 in math when [[GoodWithNumbers he always gets the first place]], (2) skips both CramSchool and TheTeam's proposed investigation, and (3) for an AcademicAthlete, the impossible feat of [[StaircaseTumble slipping off the staircase]]. Kuroki has to skip the case because of it, possible to handle Uesugi's problem. [[spoiler:Turns out the serious business is his vision has deteriorated to a point that he is already unable to read and a complete loss of vision is not impossible.]]]]
* In ''Manga/BlackButler'', Tanaka is usually shown in super deformed style, and only saying "ho ho ho". When he's shown normally, and actually talking, it's when things are getting serious and he's about to prove himself a BadassGrandpa.
* In ''Manga/BlackButler'', Tanaka is usually shown in super deformed style, and only saying "ho ho ho". When he's shown normally, and actually talking, it's when things are getting serious and he's about to prove himself a BadassGrandpa.
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* ''Manga/SkipBeat'' has spent a lot of time developing Ren's (psychotic) HiddenDepths, but mostly from the reader's perspective. In chapter 194 we have a ''literal'' out-of-character be SeriousBusiness when he freaks out at Kyoko for a personal matter while they're supposed to be the Heel siblings, and Kyoko is more astonished that he's breaking character while acting than that he's going full-on BastardBoyfriend [[DomesticAbuser psycho]] on her. Even though they're alone in a hotel room. And they are not a couple.His breaking character as "[[BecomingTheMask Tsuruga Ren]]" and letting suppressed emotions and behaviors like rage appear was used this way at first, but it became enough the norm that it's gone to the next level. Earlier in the course of being Cain Heel he ''actually'' lost his temper while rehearsing a fight scene as a psychotic murderer and enjoyed the attempt to kill his co-star much more visibly than the character would, but luckily at that point he was about four cover identities deep, so no one was able to accurately interpret what had just happened. Though some came close, even working with false information.
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* ''Manga/SkipBeat'' has spent a lot of time developing Ren's (psychotic) HiddenDepths, but mostly from the reader's perspective. In chapter 194 we have a ''literal'' out-of-character be SeriousBusiness when he freaks out at Kyoko for a personal matter while they're supposed to be the Heel siblings, and Kyoko is more astonished that he's breaking character while acting than that he's going full-on BastardBoyfriend [[DomesticAbuser [[DomesticAbuse psycho]] on her. Even though they're alone in a hotel room. And they are not a couple.His breaking character as "[[BecomingTheMask Tsuruga Ren]]" and letting suppressed emotions and behaviors like rage appear was used this way at first, but it became enough the norm that it's gone to the next level. Earlier in the course of being Cain Heel he ''actually'' lost his temper while rehearsing a fight scene as a psychotic murderer and enjoyed the attempt to kill his co-star much more visibly than the character would, but luckily at that point he was about four cover identities deep, so no one was able to accurately interpret what had just happened. Though some came close, even working with false information.
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** Zangetsu [[spoiler: specifically, the side that reflects Ichigo's Quincy-ness]] is normally pretty stoic and aloof. But when Ichigo's despair literally floods his inner world and weakens him in battle, the sword spirit makes his anger at his wielder's weakness loud and clear.
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** Zangetsu [[spoiler: specifically, (specifically, the side that reflects Ichigo's Quincy-ness]] Quincy-ness)]] is normally pretty stoic and aloof. But when Ichigo's despair literally floods his inner world and weakens him in battle, the sword spirit makes his anger at his wielder's weakness loud and clear.
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** Zangetsu [[spoiler: specifically, the side that reflects Ichigo's Quincy-ness]] is normally pretty stoic and aloof. But when Ichigo's despair literally floods his inner world and weakens him in battle, the sword spirit makes his anger at his wielder's weakness loud and clear.
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Changed line(s) 146 (click to see context) from:
* Nanoha from ''Franchise/LyricalNanoha'' is famous for being a {{Determinator}} of epic proportions. So when she suffers a HeroicBSOD in ''[=StrikerS=]'' due to [[spoiler: Vivio getting kidnapped]], it holds that much more weight since it is the only time in the entire franchise that she acts that way.
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* Nanoha from ''Franchise/LyricalNanoha'' is famous for being a {{Determinator}} of epic proportions. So when she suffers a HeroicBSOD in ''[=StrikerS=]'' due to [[spoiler: [[AdultFear Vivio getting kidnapped]], kidnapped]]]], it holds that much more weight since it is the only time in the entire franchise that she acts that way.
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** Also, just after receiving the call from Halle about ThePlan to [[SuicideMission kidnap Takada]], Mello puts down his barely-eaten [[TrademarkFavoriteFood chocolate bar]]. And he obviously told Matt what was up, because Matt turned off all the electronics he had going. It's a very poignant moment for the two of them, whether you view them as [[HoYay a couple]] or whether you view them as [[HeterosexualLifePartners nothing more than close friends/roommates]].
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* Exa from ''Manga/{{Superior}}'' is normally a nice guy, bordering of FriendToAllLivingThings, [[spoiler: but when he finally finds out that his love interest Sheila is the Demon King, he becomes single-mindedly obsessed with killing her, flat out stating that he will ''slaughter his friends and walk over their corpses'' if they get in his way.]]
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* Exa from ''Manga/{{Superior}}'' is normally a nice guy, bordering of FriendToAllLivingThings, on AllLovingHero, [[spoiler: but when he finally finds out that his love interest Sheila is the Demon King, he becomes single-mindedly obsessed with killing her, flat out stating that he will ''slaughter his friends and walk over their corpses'' if they get in his way.]]
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* Kofuku in ''Manga/{{Noragami}}'' is generally carefree, bubbly and ditzy but when Bishamon, who is looking to kill Yato, asks her about his whereabouts, she drops her childish personality and calmly tells her what happens between Yato and her is their business but if Bishamon does end up killing Yato, Bishamon better watch her back. And as the God of Poverty, she has the ability to summon more than enough damage-inducing gloom to make Bishamon back off.
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* Kofuku in ''Manga/{{Noragami}}'' is generally carefree, bubbly and ditzy but when Bishamon, who is looking to kill Yato, asks her about his whereabouts, she drops her childish personality and calmly tells her what happens between Yato and her is their business but if Bishamon does end up killing Yato, Bishamon better watch her back. And as the God of Poverty, she has the ability to summon more than enough damage-inducing gloom to make Bishamon back off.off.
* Played straight in the ninth ''Literature/TanteiTeamKZJikenNote'' novel which is animated as episodes 9-12, when everybody else's being gravely concerned with Uesugi's well-being after (1)Dropping off Top 50 in math when [[GoodWithNumbers he always gets the first place]], (2) skips both CramSchool and TheTeam's proposed investigation, and (3) for an AcademicAthlete, the impossible feat of [[StaircaseTumble slipping off the staircase]]. Kuroki has to skip the case because of it, possible to handle Uesugi's problem. [[spoiler:Turns out the serious business is his vision has deteriorated to a point that he is already unable to read and a complete loss of vision is not impossible.]]
* Played straight in the ninth ''Literature/TanteiTeamKZJikenNote'' novel which is animated as episodes 9-12, when everybody else's being gravely concerned with Uesugi's well-being after (1)Dropping off Top 50 in math when [[GoodWithNumbers he always gets the first place]], (2) skips both CramSchool and TheTeam's proposed investigation, and (3) for an AcademicAthlete, the impossible feat of [[StaircaseTumble slipping off the staircase]]. Kuroki has to skip the case because of it, possible to handle Uesugi's problem. [[spoiler:Turns out the serious business is his vision has deteriorated to a point that he is already unable to read and a complete loss of vision is not impossible.]]
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Recategorized as Literature per policy
Deleted line(s) 143 (click to see context) :
* Played straight in episode 9 of ''Literature/TanteiTeamKZJikenNote'', when everybody else's being gravely concerned with Uesugi's well-being after (1)Dropping off Top 50 in math when [[GoodWithNumbers he usually gets the first place]], (2) skips both CramSchool and the Detective Team's proposed investigation, and (3) for an AcademicAthlete, the impossible feat of [[StaircaseTumble slipping off the staircase]]. Kuroki has to skip the case because of it, possible to handle Uesugi's problem. [[spoiler:Of course there's something serious. His vision has deteriorated to a point that a complete loss of vision is not impossible.]]
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* Nanoha from ''Franchise/LyricalNanoha'' is famous for being a {{Determinator}} of epic proportions. So when she suffers a HeroicBSOD in ''[=StrikerS=]'' due to [[spoiler: Vivio getting kidnapped]], it holds that much more weight since it is the only time in the entire franchise that she acts that way.
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* Nanoha from ''Franchise/LyricalNanoha'' is famous for being a {{Determinator}} of epic proportions. So when she suffers a HeroicBSOD in ''[=StrikerS=]'' due to [[spoiler: Vivio getting kidnapped]], it holds that much more weight since it is the only time in the entire franchise that she acts that way.way.
* Kofuku in ''Manga/{{Noragami}}'' is generally carefree, bubbly and ditzy but when Bishamon, who is looking to kill Yato, asks her about his whereabouts, she drops her childish personality and calmly tells her what happens between Yato and her is their business but if Bishamon does end up killing Yato, Bishamon better watch her back. And as the God of Poverty, she has the ability to summon more than enough damage-inducing gloom to make Bishamon back off.
* Kofuku in ''Manga/{{Noragami}}'' is generally carefree, bubbly and ditzy but when Bishamon, who is looking to kill Yato, asks her about his whereabouts, she drops her childish personality and calmly tells her what happens between Yato and her is their business but if Bishamon does end up killing Yato, Bishamon better watch her back. And as the God of Poverty, she has the ability to summon more than enough damage-inducing gloom to make Bishamon back off.
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* Exa from ''Manga/{{Superior}}'' is normally a nice guy, bordering of FriendToAllLivingThings, [[spoiler: but when he finally finds out that his love interest Sheila is the Demon King, he becomes single-mindedly obsessed with killing her, flat out stating that he will ''slaughter his friends and walk over their corpses'' if they get in his way.]]
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* Exa from ''Manga/{{Superior}}'' is normally a nice guy, bordering of FriendToAllLivingThings, [[spoiler: but when he finally finds out that his love interest Sheila is the Demon King, he becomes single-mindedly obsessed with killing her, flat out stating that he will ''slaughter his friends and walk over their corpses'' if they get in his way.]]]]
* Nanoha from ''Franchise/LyricalNanoha'' is famous for being a {{Determinator}} of epic proportions. So when she suffers a HeroicBSOD in ''[=StrikerS=]'' due to [[spoiler: Vivio getting kidnapped]], it holds that much more weight since it is the only time in the entire franchise that she acts that way.
* Nanoha from ''Franchise/LyricalNanoha'' is famous for being a {{Determinator}} of epic proportions. So when she suffers a HeroicBSOD in ''[=StrikerS=]'' due to [[spoiler: Vivio getting kidnapped]], it holds that much more weight since it is the only time in the entire franchise that she acts that way.
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Kakashi Fourth World War
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** Kakashi does it again during the Fourth World War arc, when [[spoiler: Edo Tensei technique]] makes him angry ''for the first time in the series''.
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* In ''Manga/OnePunchMan'', if Saitama drops his laidback attitude, then he has come across someone that has pissed him off.
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* In ''Manga/OnePunchMan'', if Saitama drops his laidback attitude, then he has come across someone that has pissed him off.off.
* Exa from ''Manga/{{Superior}}'' is normally a nice guy, bordering of FriendToAllLivingThings, [[spoiler: but when he finally finds out that his love interest Sheila is the Demon King, he becomes single-mindedly obsessed with killing her, flat out stating that he will ''slaughter his friends and walk over their corpses'' if they get in his way.]]
* Exa from ''Manga/{{Superior}}'' is normally a nice guy, bordering of FriendToAllLivingThings, [[spoiler: but when he finally finds out that his love interest Sheila is the Demon King, he becomes single-mindedly obsessed with killing her, flat out stating that he will ''slaughter his friends and walk over their corpses'' if they get in his way.]]
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* Tetsuya Tsurugi from ''Anime/MazingerZ'' and ''Anime/GreatMazinger'' is serious, grim-looking and moody, and he seldom smiles. So when he grins, everyone freaks out and dons OhCrap stares. Mainly Warrior Monsters, since it usually means they are about to die horribly and painfully.
* Mark Ibaraki from ''Manga/SevenSeeds'' is usually very upbeat, friendly and goofy, with a [[PerpetualSmiler constant smile]] on his face. When that smile disappears off his face? You ''know'' things are looking really, really bad.
* ''Manga/SoulEater'':
** Inverted with Death -- if he starts acting ''in'' character, you know you're in some serious shit. He does occasionally put on his old scary voice just to scare his staff into paying attention, and is even more likely to treat the most dire of circumstances (Asura's resurrection, Kid's abduction) casually, even jokingly.
** Also played straight: if Black☆Star is [[ChewingTheScenery not yelling]] and Death The Kid is not [[SuperOCD OCD'ing over symmetry]], prepare for an asskicking. Kid's an interesting example because the occasions he faces disorder and doesn't have a fit over it tend to be when he instead fixes on another inherent characteristic, that of him being a {{Shinigami}} (e.g Mosquito, minor point in his second fight with Black☆Star).
** The death scene of Crona's mother Medusa definitely fits, their mother [[AbusiveParent Medusa]] who welcomed them back and praised her child with open arms along by [[YourFavorite offering Crona's favorite dish]]. Finally, she then hugged Crona, who knows that their mother would never be so nice to them, freaked out and killed her. [[spoiler: Which is what Medusa wanted]]
** Crona themself is a weird two-in-one example; [[TheWoobie Crona's]] [=OOCness=] has different meanings depending on what side [[AmbiguousGender they're]] on. When evil, if Crona stops [[TalkativeLoon rambling like a lunatic]] then [[AxCrazy it's time to run]]. When good, Crona dropping their [[TheEeyore usual gloominess]] means that they're about to kick some ''serious'' butt. A possible ''third'' [[spoiler: in the penultimate chapter of the manga. There, Crona calmly considers what has happened, what [[TitleDrop 'fear' is]] and what they can do about it and Asura. No fighting, no evil influence from Medusa. Just Crona. And it is awesome.]]
* ''Anime/AngelBeats'': [[{{Ninja}} Shiina]] (who is TheQuietOne) says something in the 10th episode. ''Everyone'' is shocked by this.
* In ''Anime/InuYasha'', as noted by Jaken, when [[PerpetualFrowner Sesshomaru]] smiles, some serious shit is about to go down.
* ''Manga/{{Bleach}}'':
** Gin Ichimaru never opens his eyes. When he does, expect the fandom to ''react''. It goes double for when he stops smiling.
** Then there's seeing Isshin Kurosaki as anything other than an [[OverprotectiveDad Overprotective]], [[BumblingDad Bumbling]], PervertDad.
** [[MartialPacifist Shunsui]] (or [[SpellMyNameWithAnS Syunsui]]) [[BrilliantButLazy Kyoraku]] never loses his temper, and his general demeanor never really elevates beyond "mildly concerned"--even when fighting his mentor who is implied to be thousands of years older than he is. However, when his HeterosexualLifePartner Ukitake appeared to have been killed, he [[BerserkButton lost it]]. For extra emphasis, even in the context of that story arc, his reaction was pretty extreme.
** Chizuru Honshou is the local GenkiGirl and PluckyComicRelief. She has only cried twice in canon,: the first happened when [[spoiler: she and others were subjected to BodyHorror and forced to attack Tatsuki and Orihime thanks to Numb Chandelier]], and the other was during her HeroicBSOD when [[spoiler: Aizen was chasing her, Tatsuki, Keigo, Mizuiro and Mahana through Karakura Town.]]
** When Ichigo [[spoiler: decides to murder Tsukishima (despite never having killed anything other than hollows at this point) on the off chance it will reverse his [[{{Brainwashed}} Fullbring's effect]] on his friends and family]], you know he's pissed.
** The usually cool-headed Byakuya completely loses his composure when [[spoiler:As Nodt steals his bankai.]]
** Much earlier on, on June 16, Ichigo begins acting oddly friendly to his classmates, and Orihime immediately picks up on the change, impressing her best friend and Ichigo's long-time friend Tatsuki, who took three years to figure it out. It's because it's the day before the anniversary of Ichigo's mother's death, which he blames himself for.
** When the Vandenreich have invaded Society, you know the situation is bad when Yumichika [[CoverBlowingSuperpower publicly uses kido and his true shikai.]]
* At the ending of ''LightNovel/DemonKingDaimao'': The student council member [[VerbalTic who always says "guga"]], said something else than guga.
* ''Manga/MahouSenseiNegima'':
** Similar to the ''Bleach'' example is Kaede; when she opens her eyes, something big is going down.
** Similarly to that, when [[spoiler:[[CuteMute Zazie]]]] shows up and starts talking in multi-syllabic sentences, you know there's something weird going on. [[spoiler:Actually, turns out that it wasn't her.]]
* Again like Gin, when Xelloss from ''LightNovel/{{Slayers}}'' opens his eyes, stops smiling, or [[EnigmaticMinion volunteers unambiguous information]], things have already gone completely downhill.
* ''Anime/{{Monster}}'':
** There are exactly two moments where Johan isn't [[DissonantSerenity smiling softly,]] and you will crap your pants both times.
** The show has a habit of doing this with drink orders -- for instance, the workaholic decides against ordering a coffee, because he's chosen to vacation in earnest.
* The phenomenon is examined with a "scientific experiment" in ''Manga/CromartieHighSchool''.
* Most fans of ''Anime/SailorMoon'' recognize protagonist Usagi to be something of TheDitz. So when she tells classmates to stay out of an impending fight ''and study instead,'' everyone present wonder if she's coming down with something. No one at this point realized that concern for her friends happens to be the one thing above all else that makes her [[LetsGetDangerous start taking things seriously]].
** An instance of the trope starts the series of events that triggers the major [[TheReveal Reveals]] in [[WhamEpisode episode 34]]. Usagi runs into Mamoru on the street and slaps him on the back (mostly to annoy him), but to her surprise, not only does he react in pain (she hit him right on the spot where Zoisite wounded him in the last battle), he doesn't talk his usual snide towards her. This immediately sets off alarm bells in Usagi which become klaxons when she discovers the blood on her hand. Which shows something since, in spite of all the grief he'd given her in the past, the moment something serious happens to him, she drops all her past animosity to figure out what's wrong. And things just start to come together from there.
* In an episode of ''Anime/SamuraiPizzaCats'', space-cadet Emperor Fred (who normally communicates by saying "Fuh-red!" and scat-singing) catches a nasty cold, and apparently upgrades from TheUnintelligible to TalkativeLoon ("This is to certify that kung pao chicken containing MSG may cause your BMW to have a headache...") This leads Al Dente to conclude that the emperor is ''very'' sick.
* Pippin, the GentleGiant of the Band of the Hawk in ''Manga/{{Berserk}}'', has his EyesAlwaysShut and usually remains silent during missions. He only opens his eyes twice in the series, both times to indicate his alertness during situations of mortal peril. And if he raises his voice and tells you to do something, you had better believe it's your only chance for survival.
* ''Manga/RanmaOneHalf'':
** One episode of the anime has Happōsai, the resident DirtyOldMan, acting extremely despondent and unlike himself. It culminates when Female!Ranma is forced by the fathers to put on a swimsuit and give the OldMaster a show in order to raise his spirits... and he just tells her to PleasePutSomeClothesOn. At this point, everybody know there's something very wrong with Happōsai.
** Akane, when Ranma does something silly, but she doesn't make him pay by [[RunningGag punching him to the sun or hitting him over the head with her hidden mallet]]. When she's ''really'' angry at him, she gives him the silent treatment. Ironically, Ranma is the main one who gets bothered by it.
* In the Sinnoh seasons of ''Anime/{{Pokemon}}'', how can you tell that [[TheDreaded Team Galactic]] is coming? Croagunk does nothing but stare at the door, and doesn't even move when Brock hits on Nurse Joy.
* Kenshin of ''Manga/RurouniKenshin'' has a couple versions of this. The most obvious is that his entire demeanor changes, but more subtly he'll drop the use of [[JapanesePronouns the extremely humble "sessha" and use the aggressive masculine "ore"]][[note]]In the translation, Kenshin refers to himself as "this one", and when he is in "Battousai mode" refers to himself in the first-person, using "I"[[/note]], which is when you know what the [[NamesToRunAwayFromReallyFast Hitokiri Battousai]] is present. Also, any time Kenshin the ThouShaltNotKill MartialPacifist seems to be seriously out for blood is cause to be very, ''very'' worried.
* ''Manga/{{Trigun}}''. Vash's reaction to Monev the Gale's wholesale slaughter of a small town in the anime is a definite example of this. Vash is usually a goofball and kind to the point of preferring to be injured himself [[ThouShallNotKill rather than hurt anyone else]], even when people are ''actively'' trying to kill him, but after seeing what happened to the town he puts a gun to Monev's head gets ''this close'' to just blowing his head off.
* ''Manga/OnePiece'':
** As a result of massive DespairEventHorizon, [[TheHero Luffy]] becomes so depressed that he [[spoiler:admits his own weakness and renounces his worthiness for the title of the Pirate King.]]
** PlayedForLaughs in an earlier moment, when Nami gave treasure to Lola. Luffy and Usopp were shocked, and actually shouted "A STORM IS COMING !" !
** Arguably any time that Luffy stops joking around and being a total moron it's clear that shit is about to go down.
** It is actually applied for every member of the Straw Hat AND the Straw Hat crew as a whole. They are usually very goofy and would get into fighting with each other for very silly reasons. But if you manage to make them stop fooling around, you know a lot of shits are coming down on you.
** If Luffy [[TheNicknamer stops calling a character by the nickname he's arbitrarily given them]], you know he's serious.
** Another moment where it was played for laughs is during a TV special: As the Straw Hats were performing a play, [[TheStoic Robin]] started overacting, [[NotSoAboveItAll dancing around and singing as if she was in an opera]]. Understandably, Chopper was completely freaked out.
** At one point in the Alabasta arc, Vivi says three words to Crocodile: "IllKillYou". Mind you, this is coming from a young princess who is such a NiceGirl that she can't stand the idea of ''a single person dying in a war''.
** Luffy actually uses this on purpose to relay a secret message to his crew after they've been separated [[spoiler: to meet up in Sabaody [[TimeSkip after two years.]]]]
** Corazon is thought to be mute by everyone, including his own brother. Which makes it so surprising when he [[SuddenlyVoiced finally talks]] to tell [[spoiler:Law that he needs to get away from Doflamingo.]]
** When Luffy points out the very harsh, but necessary truth that it's naïve to hope that all people involved in a war will survive, Nami gets angry at Luffy for being so blunt and not considering Vivi's feelings. It's extremely telling that ''Sanji'' is the one to tell Nami to shut up and not cut off Luffy. Usually, he would ''never'' show agreement with his male crewmates if he can please his female crewmates instead, but in this situation he apparently agreed with Luffy so much that he forgot his principles.
*** He later does this again in the Post-Enies Lobby arc, when Zoro is completely adamant that Usopp not be allowed back into the crew until he apologizes for disrespecting their captain. When Nami protests that Zoro is being too harsh, Sanji actually speaks up for the first time to say that, to his own chagrin, ''Zoro is absolutely right''. The fact that Sanji openly sides with ''[[VolleyingInsults Zoro]]'' over ''[[LoveInterest Nami]]'' says a lot about just how strongly he must have felt about the issue.
* In ''Manga/TsubasaReservoirChronicle'', it's clear that [[StepfordSmiler Fay's]] mental state has taken a turn for the worse not because he grows his hair out after [[EyeScream losing his eye]] and takes on a generally more gloomy disposition, but it's because he [[TheNicknamer drops the cutesy nicknames]] and actually calls Kurogane by his name. Later on when he starts using them again it's a huge relief to everyone since it indicates that he's getting better.
* ''Manga/{{Bakuman}}'':
** [[BrilliantButLazy Hiramaru]], infuriated over the reasoning behind putting Detective Trap on hiatus until Mashiro graduates, storms off ''to work on his manga''.
** Eiji Nizuma is a manga enthusiast who reads everything in Jump, especially the main characters' work, since they're his rivals. When he says he isn't reading Tanto, it's proof of how strongly he believes that it's inferior to their work and they are not living up to their potential by working on it.
* ''Anime/MaiOtome'':
** Arika's friends take note of how she isn't eating sweets when she's thinking about love, and become worried about her.
** During Nagi's coup, when Natsuki objects to [[YouShallNotPass Shizuru holding off the enemy forces herself to allow her to escape]], Shizuru angrily tells Natsuki not to act like a spoiled child and that she, as headmistress, has a duty to escape and help retake Garderobe and Windbloom, raising her voice for the only time in the series.
* ''Manga/ShinryakuIkaMusume'': Similar to the ''Bleach'' and ''Negima'' examples -- when Chizuru opens her eyes, you're screwed. Except for the one time she was trying to be friendly instead of intimidating. And it was ''[[WhenSheSmiles adorable.]]''
* ''Manga/DragonBall'':
** There is just ONE time in which [[BigEater Goku]] refused a meal. [[spoiler:When he sensed that his best friend Krillin was in danger and rushed to help him. It was too late: Krillin was ''already dead''.]]
*** Later on in the same arc, the typically happy-go-lucky Goku screams that he'll murder Tambourine, and rather brutally [[spoiler:does just that. He then fights King Piccolo and eventually strikes an honest death blow on him.]].
** Any time Gohan goes from "reluctant warrior" to "enraged doombringer" (or even worse, [[TranquilFury "calmly confident badass"]]) you better believe someone is about to be hurt.
** Vegeta was the BigBad of the first story arc of ''Anime/DragonBallZ''; one arc later, he breaks down, reveals his dark past, and cries during the Frieza Saga just as Goku arrives to fight Frieza.
** Another Vegeta example involves him blowing himself up in order to destroy Majin Buu and save the world, while expressing his love for his wife and son.
** Rounding out the trifecta, one of Vegeta's most recognizable character traits is his overwhelming arrogance; even against people who vastly outclass him, and he's aware of it, he tends to enjoy the challenge and trash talk them like none other. Therefore it is a major shock in two of the movies when Vegeta is so terrified of his opponent that he initially cannot muster the will to fight (against [[TheJuggernaut Broly]] and [[PhysicalGod Beerus]]), and a sign that these characters are ''seriously'' bad news. In both cases he eventually does get up to fighting, but the difference in what spurs him defines this even more. Specifically, the Beerus case is even worse than the Broly case: in the Broly case it was an appeal to his pride that eventually kicked in and finally got him to show his guts, but in the Beerus case it required that he [[AwLookTheyReallyDoLoveEachOther loves Bulma enough that Beerus slapping her into the ground would piss him off]].
* ''Anime/MawaruPenguindrum''
** The few times Shouma does ''not'' attempt to solve problems via words, things have got [[FromBadToWorse really bad]]. [[spoiler: Specially the last one.]]
** Similarly, his penguin #2, a BigEater ExtremeOmnivore, only once decided to share his meal with his "sister" #3. [[spoiler:She refused it and left him all dejected -- a {{foreshadowing}} of her and Himari ''leaving the Takakura family home'']]. And later, the "HandsomeLech" older brother penguin, #1, [[NotDistractedByTheSexy ignoring the sexy pictures]] that #3 is waving at him, and #2 cracking raw eggs on his forehead instead of cooing and eating them. This foreshadows [[spoiler:the GrandFinale, where Shouma and Kanba will be {{ret gone}}d.]]
* This is a general (but important) plot point in ''Anime/DarkerThanBlack''. Contractors are completely emotionless and self-serving, so when some of them ''aren't'', people always make note of it. Likewise, Dolls are so completely empty that they won't even eat without proper programming. At one point, one uses her [[{{Telepathy}} specter]] to call for help, which is about the same as your cell phone calling to tell your friend you're getting mugged.
* In the season 1 finale of ''Anime/CodeGeass'', the typically whimsical Lloyd freaks out when he notices Nina ready to detonate a homemade nuclear bomb. The Black Knights' chief engineer Rakshata immediately calls for a ceasefire because she was college classmates with Lloyd and realizes that if ''he's'' scared enough to act serious, it's definitely something to be afraid of.
* In ''Anime/AquarionEvol'', there's one way to make even the seemingly unflappable Zen Fudo [[OhCrap go stiff in horror]]: [[spoiler:the sight of Mykage killing off Jin, supposedly his ally, for pulling off a HeelFaceTurn]].
* In ''Manga/KatekyoHitmanReborn'', Reborn always pushes Tsuna to succeed in any given situation and never gives him a break because he knows that Tsuna has the potential to pull it off. So it's a huge shock to Tsuna when Reborn tells him that he has ''no'' chance of defeating [[spoiler:the strongest member of the Vindice]].
* Once in ''Manga/AxisPowersHetalia'', Germany joined Japan on a diet and gave up [[TrademarkFavoriteFood beer]]. This leaves various Germans completely stunned and his older brother Prussia is nearly brought to tears out of fear. Of course, this being Hetalia, it's all [[PlayedForLaughs presented as hilarious]].
-->'''Random German Guy:''' ZE VORLD IS COMING TO AN END!!!!
* ''Manga/OuranHighSchoolHostClub'': Kyoya Otori is a very cold, calculating, selfish man who never does anything that he can't gain from (at least, [[HiddenHeartOfGold nothing that he'll admit to.]]) So when he [[spoiler: blows up in Yuzuru Suou's face near the end of the manga and delivers an angry [[TheReasonYouSuckSpeech Reason You Suck Speech]] to him for forcibly wresting control of the Suou family businesses from Grandmother Suou ''and'' dashing Tamaki's hopes of someday reconciling his entire family in the process,]] despite there being nothing to gain and everything to lose from it, it comes off as a serious CrowningMomentOfAwesome for him.
* In ''Manga/SangatsuNoLion'', the normally meek Rei eventually becomes irritated over Nikaidou's taped lecture over his MHK Cup loss and is vocal about it as he shouts back at the screen. Someji and Momo's reactions play it off like a joke as they look in amazement and surprise over Rei actually getting angry. However, Hina, in a slightly more serious moment, is happy to see a side of Rei that she never gets to see.
* In ''Anime/LegendOfGalacticHeroes'', Alex Cazerne is renowned for his NervesOfSteel even in the deadliest conflicts (being a DeskJockey undoubtedly helps). However, he broke down once over the [[spoiler: death of Yang Wen-li]], showing the seriousness of the situation.
* ''LightNovel/{{Bakemonogatari}}'':
** In Hanekawa's arc, when told that she knows everything, she responds "I don't know everything, I don't know anything." By comparison, her catch phrase is "I don't know everything, I just know what I know."
** PlayedForLaughs in ''Nisemonogatari''. Araragi is so freaked out by seeing his tomboyish little sister Karen wear a skirt that he assumes she was bullied into it.
* ''VisualNovel/HigurashiWhenTheyCry'':
** In the first arc, Rena and Mion [[spoiler:or so we're lead to believe]] act... [[LaughingMad oddly]], prompting Keiichi to become defensive, ignore them outright, and to even carry a weapon around. [[spoiler:This in itself triggers a very serious reaction from Mion and Rena, who believe what's happening to him is what happened to Satoshi a year prior -- just before he vanished]].
** Those little moments where [[TokenMiniMoe Rika]] acts [[WiseBeyondHerYears oddly mature]]? [[spoiler:It's not a product of delusion or [[UnreliableNarrator faulty narration]]. It's because she's a '''major''' StepfordSmiler, and [[Really700YearsOld really ''is'' centuries older than she looks]]. It's not eventual [[TheReveal reveal]] that makes this important; it's the fact that if she's willing to break her persona, it's damn important.]]
** When Satoko (a.k.a. the Master of Traps) doesn't respond well (or at all) to her friends' playful jokes, it means [[spoiler:it's [[EvilUncle her turn to]] [[BreakTheCutie break]].]]
** If [[{{Cloudcuckoolander}} Rena]] is serious, it has two possible meanings: [[spoiler:she's snapped from HatePlague and is about to kill (or has already killed) someone]], or one of her friends is in serious danger.
** If Mion's [[GenkiGirl genkiness]] goes away for a while, she's either acting more girly (read: impersonating her twin sister) to get closer to Keiichi, or if it's played for horror, [[spoiler:''it's not her at all''; it's [[TwinSwitch Shion instead]]]]. And, like Rena above, she becomes very serious when her friends' lives are in danger, or when attending family meetings.
* ''LightNovel/HaruhiSuzumiya'':
** Throughout the Endless Eight arc, Yuki is frequently seen looking mildly bored or sad, which is pretty much the equivalent of a HeroicBSOD for her [[spoiler:from being trapped in a GroundhogDayLoop for almost ''[[AndIMustScream 600 years.]]'']]
** In the story "Snow Mountain Syndrome", when the Brigade gets lost on a mountain and finds a mysterious mansion, Yuki is even more listless and detached than normal, not saying a single word to anyone and [[BigEater barely nibbling her food]]. When pressed, we find out [[spoiler:her link to the Data Overmind has been cut, and she has no idea how]]. So this is her ''freaking out''.
** Later during "Snow Mountain Syndrome", Yuki actually ''faints'', which shocks Kyon, Koizumi, and Mikuru so much they can't even move to catch her when she falls. Thankfully, Haruhi (who is unaware that Yuki is a PhysicalGod in all but name) isn't quite so stunned, and is there to grab her before she hits the ground.
** One good way to check the seriousness of a situation is to check whether or not Koizumi is smiling. There have been two major times his perpetual smile has broken: when Mikuru accidentally began firing actual lasers from her eyes (nearly taking off his head with them), and when [[spoiler:Kyon nearly strikes Haruhi in anger when she ''seriously'' crosses the line, which Koizumi fortunately steps in to stop.]]
** In the anime, the last one involves maybe three other OOC moments: [[spoiler:the usually deadpan Kyon being angry enough to go from snark to physical violence (which he lampshades)]] and [[spoiler:the cheerful and selfish Haruhi [[CryCute being brought to tears]].]] Even [[spoiler:Tsuruya, who's almost always smiling and yukking it up, is shown totally silent and with a serious expression as Kyon and Haruhi almost come to blows]].
* ''Anime/GirlsUndPanzer'':
** Mako is typically coolheaded at her most energetic and lethargic and lazy at worst. When she hears about [[spoiler:her grandmother collapsing]], she becomes especially determined to reach [[spoiler:the hospital]] as soon as possible, even considering swimming an impossible distance if necessary.
** Mako, who detests having to get up early and is often shown napping, is said to be losing sleep over [[spoiler:her grandmother's condition, since the previously mentioned collapse is not the first one]].
** Mako typically snarks at Sodoko, [[AccidentalMisnaming calls her by her nickname against her wishes]], and displays a calm and stoic personality. When Sodoko [[spoiler:deletes all of Mako's tardinesses and absences, ensuring that she will be able to graduate on time]] Mako lets out a whoop and [[TheGlomp glomps]] her.
** Katyusha is quite arrogant, and enjoys sitting on the shoulders of [[HugeSchoolgirl Nonna]] to seem taller than everyone else because of her short height. When she's [[spoiler:defeated by Oarai]], she gets off Nonna's shoulders and shakes Miho's hand, something she had refused to do earlier, to congratulate them.
** In the ''Little Army'' prequel manga, Miho, upset by Maho's aloof behavior after [[spoiler:admitting to having shot an enemy flag tank when it went to rescue one of hers]], questions her mother on whether it was necessary, despite her timidity and unwillingness to [[CallingTheOldManOut call her own mother out]]. Her mother shrugs this off, but Maho makes note of this and later comes to speak with Miho privately to apologize and tell her to pursue her own style of tankery.
--->'''Maho:''' I was surprised today, to see Miho talk to Mother like that. [[LampshadeHanging That shows you were quite desperate]]... I'm sorry.
** Momo typically alternates between being relatively calm and getting comically angry over things like missing or being called "Momo-chan". On some occasions, though, she seems genuinely upset, such as when the team doesn't care whether or believe they can win, [[spoiler:especially considering the school will be shut down if they don't win the tournament]].
** Miho is generally a polite girl who can't find it in her to say anything bad about other people, even the [[JerkAss Jerkasses]]. When Emi begins saying she hates Miho's sister despite never having gotten to know her, Miho loses her temper and, in her anger, declares she hates Emi. Miho's friends are shocked at how Miho got angry, and [[ParentalSubstitute Sakuyo]] notes that it's rare for Miho to get angry.
** Anzu is typically a PerpetualSmiler, generally loses the smile under similar circumstances as Momo's own OOC Is Serious Business behavior.
--->'''Anzu:''' (''not smiling'') Losing is not an option for us...\\
'''Yukari:''' (''thinks'') The president became serious for once.
** After Saunders loses to Oarai, Kay, typically a cheerful LargeHam who likes competition, walks up to Arisa, whose unsportsmanlike [[spoiler:intercepting radio transmissions]] backfired and cost them the match, and tells her in a calm, yet stern tone of voice that they will be discussing what happened, prompting an OhCrap reaction from Arisa.
* During ''Manga/UruseiYatsura'', Ataru usually has either a goofy look or a perverted look on his face. When he's caught looking serious, things just got real. It's even pointed-out during the Anime itself.
* In ''LightNovel/ShakuganNoShana'', when Shana goes out of her way to avoid saying "[[{{Catchphrase}} Urusai! Urusai! Urusai!!!]]" for the most part, you know that some very serious shit is going down.
* In episode 9 of ''Manga/KotouraSan'', Daichi stops [[FrozenFace puffing up his lips strangely]] in front of people (he previously only stops doing that in front of ChildhoodFriend Yuriko) in order to discuss a series of serial muggings [[{{telepathy}} Haruka]] might have psychically picked up on.
* ''Manga/FullmetalAlchemist'':
** Ling Yao typically has his EyesAlwaysShut. When he does open his eyes, it's either because he means business or [[spoiler:after about the halfway point, Greed is currently in control of his body.]]
** In the [[Anime/FullmetalAlchemist 2003 anime]], you know [[ExtremeOmnivore Gluttony]] is upset over [[spoiler:the death of his [[PlatonicLifePartners platonic life partner, Lust]]]], when the thought of [[BigEater eating]] ''doesn't even cross his mind''.
* ''Manga/AttackOnTitan'':
** In chapter 23, Reiner is surprised that Jean is looking out for others.
** Likewise, [[spoiler:Annie's usual dreary-eyed expression giving way to [[VillainousBreakdown wide-eyed, cocky, high-pitched laughter]]]] should make people ''[[OhCrap very very afraid]]''.
** Related to the above, Eren, is a guy who swore to exterminate every single Titan on the planet because they killed his mother and destroyed his home town, and generally has a world view bordering on BlackAndWhiteInsanity. Upon learining his friend [[spoiler:Annie]] is a traitor responsible for the deaths of a large number of people including some of his teammates, first reacts with denial. Even after he gathers the resolve to use his special ability, he still shows [[spoiler:her]] a surprising amount of compassion, and seems willing to hear [[spoiler:her]] out. In other words, he simply cannot bring himself to completely dehumanize [[spoiler:her]] like he does any of his other enemies.
* ''Manga/XxxHolic'': If [[UnlimitedWardrobe Yuuko]] is wearing something she's has ''ever'' worn before, things are getting serious. [[note]]And yes, Creator/{{CLAMP}} designed ''that many outfits'' for Yuuko.[[/note]]
* ''Manga/ACertainScientificRailgun'':
** In the second season, after first discovering the Sisters, Mikoto is sufficently rattled that the next morning she fails to punch Kuroko for groping her and pays for something from the evil vending machine instead of kicking or electrocuting it. Kuroko becomes concerned that she may have been replaced by an impostor.
** When Mikoto is suffering from [[spoiler:a Level 6 Shift attempt, and is destructively mutating into an angel]], the extreme {{Cloudcuckoolander}} and IdiotHero Gunha Sogiita starts talking clearly and calmly, and defers to Touma to come up with a plan, since the situation is that serious.
* At the end of episode 12 of ''Manga/ServantXService'', [[TheSlacker the perpetually slacking]] Yutaka Hasebe comes into the office on Monday and... settles in to work with barely a word. His colleagues are massively creeped out to the point of staging an intervention to find out what's going on with him. Turns out there ''is'' some serious business afoot - [[spoiler:he's just recently learned that his own father is the civil servant who approved Lucy's OverlyLongName, i.e. the person that the girl he's in love with wants {{revenge}} on. And worse, his father's justification for approving such a ridiculous name is that he was distracted because Yutaka was ill with a fever at the time, making Lucy's situation indirectly ''his fault''.]]
* ''Manga/{{Saki}}'':
** Mihoko keeps her right eye constantly shut, since [[MismatchedEyes it's a different color from her left one]], and she's sensitive about it. When she becomes surprised, she sometimes opens that eye, such as when she played Hisa for the first time three years ago.
** In the quarterfinals, an interesting case happens when Hisa's teammates notice that she's not herself. Saki becomes worried when Hisa isn't trying for her "hell waits"- Hisa has a strategy for choosing waits that are unlikely to work, knowing that she's only likely to win with them- while Nodoka, who plays more logically, is happy that Hisa is not playing that way. Mako notices that Hisa was less than confident going into the match, and wonders if she really is alright after seeing her with a suddenly renewed confidence.
** In ''Manga/SakiShinohayuDawnOfAge'', Kanna is a short-tempered and fairly abrasive girl. As such, when she declines Kyouka's offer to hang out together with a smile and an apology, Kyouka knows something is amiss; Hayari had hoped to apologize to her friends for upsetting them, but none of them showed up, leading her to think she had driven them away.
* ''Manga/SkipBeat'' has spent a lot of time developing Ren's (psychotic) HiddenDepths, but mostly from the reader's perspective. In chapter 194 we have a ''literal'' out-of-character be SeriousBusiness when he freaks out at Kyoko for a personal matter while they're supposed to be the Heel siblings, and Kyoko is more astonished that he's breaking character while acting than that he's going full-on BastardBoyfriend [[DomesticAbuser psycho]] on her. Even though they're alone in a hotel room. And they are not a couple.His breaking character as "[[BecomingTheMask Tsuruga Ren]]" and letting suppressed emotions and behaviors like rage appear was used this way at first, but it became enough the norm that it's gone to the next level. Earlier in the course of being Cain Heel he ''actually'' lost his temper while rehearsing a fight scene as a psychotic murderer and enjoyed the attempt to kill his co-star much more visibly than the character would, but luckily at that point he was about four cover identities deep, so no one was able to accurately interpret what had just happened. Though some came close, even working with false information.
* In a story arc near the end of ''Manga/AnatoliaStory'', when [[spoiler:Urhi fakes holding Nakia hostage to keep everyone from learning about her involvement of the previous king's assassination,]] he whispers to her that he wishes they could start over where they first met. This initially just seems like him expressing sorrow at missed opportunities, but Nakia is confused over the uncharacteristic sentimentality Urhi is showing. [[spoiler:She realizes that it's a hint from him to go back to the pool where they first met. He hid Yuri's present-day clothing there, which she can use to magic Yuri to a different time period.]]
* ''Manga/FruitsBasket'': While Tohru Honda is normally sweet and upbeat to the point of silliness, there are a handful of times when she truly breaks down and shows despair. The first is when she admits to Kyo that she secretly thinks her father was a "bad man", even though she ''knows'' he loved her and her mother and took good care of them. [[spoiler:A later one would be when Kyo rejects her, causing her to run from the house in sorrow and run into an insane Akito]]. This is lampshaded at one point by her friend, who says that "hell would freeze over" if Tohru became overcome by sadness and stopped smiling. Also, alongside sweet and upbeat, Tohru herself is incredibly polite and well-mannered. The moment she pushes someone away from another person ''with her own hands'' happened when a very uncomfortable-looking Yuki was passive-aggressively harrassed by [[spoiler:someone Tohru had never been before until then -- '''Akito'''.]]
* ''Manga/{{Naruto}}'':
** Asuma is almost always seen [[SmokingIsCool smoking]], except for a few occasions. One instance is around the time his father, the Third Hokage, died. Another is when two Akatsuki members kill his friend Chiriku, and the rest of the members of his temple.
--->'''Shikamaru''': It's been two days since your last cigarette. When a chain smoker like you lays off, something's always up.\\
'''Asuma''': Sharp eyes, Shikamaru. If the likes of you can read my heart, then I'm still a rank amateur.
** Kakashi usually acts like a total flake, but when Guy tells him he taught Lee the [[DangerousForbiddenTechnique Hidden Lotus]] Kakashi is almost too mad to speak.
* Alucard from ''Manga/{{Hellsing}}'' is incredibly [[LargeHam hammy]], especially while fighting. The one time he acts completely solemn during a fight is when he ''begs'' Anderson not to become a monster like him.
* PlayedForLaughs during the HotSpringsEpisode of ''Manga/SayonaraZetsubouSensei''. When the class and Nozomu learn about a hot springs' detoxifying qualities, Nozomu goes on a rant about the dangers of recklessly detoxing. Cue the students coming out of the spring without any of their character flaws, like the lawsuit-happy MsFanservice tripping and revealing a wetsuit underneath her towel, while just asking for a band-aid instead of threatening to sue, and the StalkerWithACrush respecting Nozomu's personal space and staying away from him. Nozomu, being Nozomu, is horrified by all of this.
* In ''Manga/DeathNote'', Near figures out Light's otherwise brilliant plan because Light's [[TheDragon Dragon]], Teru Mikami, otherwise an obsessive CreatureOfHabit, goes to the bank two days in a row, when he would normally only go once a month.
* In ''LightNovel/FullMetalPanic'' Kaname begins acting completely differently after visiting [[spoiler:the ruined lab at Yamsk 11, including pulling a voluntary FaceHeelTurn]]. It turns out she's doing this because [[spoiler:it's ''not'' Kaname.]]
* ''Anime/RebuildOfEvangelion'' 2.0: Rei says "Good Morning". The entire classroom flies into a panic.
-->'''Toji:''' Well ''that'' was unexpected.
* In Chapter 75 of ''Manga/MyMonsterSecret'', an incident happened which causes the weather to get worse whenever someone acts out-of-character, and gets better when they act normal. When [[JerkAss Akane]] starts being nice, there were [[TheEndOfTheWorldAsWeKnowIt a huge storm with ''meteors'' falling down from the sky, as well as the Emperor of Fear descending to earth]]. Everything went back to normal, however, when [[ChristmasCake Akari]] shows up in a homely outfit. The chapter is also a BigLippedAlligatorMoment, as it was never explained what caused the phenomenon.
* ''VideoGame/KantaiCollection'':
** Fubuki is normally obsessed with Akagi. So in episode 10, Kaga points out how weird it is for Fubuki, who has become obsessed with training in order to [[spoiler:get her remodel]], to just run past Akagi with only a perfunctory greeting.
** In episode 12, Haruna and Hiei are surprised when Kirishima does a GlassesPull.
* Played straight in episode 9 of ''Literature/TanteiTeamKZJikenNote'', when everybody else's being gravely concerned with Uesugi's well-being after (1)Dropping off Top 50 in math when [[GoodWithNumbers he usually gets the first place]], (2) skips both CramSchool and the Detective Team's proposed investigation, and (3) for an AcademicAthlete, the impossible feat of [[StaircaseTumble slipping off the staircase]]. Kuroki has to skip the case because of it, possible to handle Uesugi's problem. [[spoiler:Of course there's something serious. His vision has deteriorated to a point that a complete loss of vision is not impossible.]]
* In ''Manga/OnePunchMan'', if Saitama drops his laidback attitude, then he has come across someone that has pissed him off.
* Mark Ibaraki from ''Manga/SevenSeeds'' is usually very upbeat, friendly and goofy, with a [[PerpetualSmiler constant smile]] on his face. When that smile disappears off his face? You ''know'' things are looking really, really bad.
* ''Manga/SoulEater'':
** Inverted with Death -- if he starts acting ''in'' character, you know you're in some serious shit. He does occasionally put on his old scary voice just to scare his staff into paying attention, and is even more likely to treat the most dire of circumstances (Asura's resurrection, Kid's abduction) casually, even jokingly.
** Also played straight: if Black☆Star is [[ChewingTheScenery not yelling]] and Death The Kid is not [[SuperOCD OCD'ing over symmetry]], prepare for an asskicking. Kid's an interesting example because the occasions he faces disorder and doesn't have a fit over it tend to be when he instead fixes on another inherent characteristic, that of him being a {{Shinigami}} (e.g Mosquito, minor point in his second fight with Black☆Star).
** The death scene of Crona's mother Medusa definitely fits, their mother [[AbusiveParent Medusa]] who welcomed them back and praised her child with open arms along by [[YourFavorite offering Crona's favorite dish]]. Finally, she then hugged Crona, who knows that their mother would never be so nice to them, freaked out and killed her. [[spoiler: Which is what Medusa wanted]]
** Crona themself is a weird two-in-one example; [[TheWoobie Crona's]] [=OOCness=] has different meanings depending on what side [[AmbiguousGender they're]] on. When evil, if Crona stops [[TalkativeLoon rambling like a lunatic]] then [[AxCrazy it's time to run]]. When good, Crona dropping their [[TheEeyore usual gloominess]] means that they're about to kick some ''serious'' butt. A possible ''third'' [[spoiler: in the penultimate chapter of the manga. There, Crona calmly considers what has happened, what [[TitleDrop 'fear' is]] and what they can do about it and Asura. No fighting, no evil influence from Medusa. Just Crona. And it is awesome.]]
* ''Anime/AngelBeats'': [[{{Ninja}} Shiina]] (who is TheQuietOne) says something in the 10th episode. ''Everyone'' is shocked by this.
* In ''Anime/InuYasha'', as noted by Jaken, when [[PerpetualFrowner Sesshomaru]] smiles, some serious shit is about to go down.
* ''Manga/{{Bleach}}'':
** Gin Ichimaru never opens his eyes. When he does, expect the fandom to ''react''. It goes double for when he stops smiling.
** Then there's seeing Isshin Kurosaki as anything other than an [[OverprotectiveDad Overprotective]], [[BumblingDad Bumbling]], PervertDad.
** [[MartialPacifist Shunsui]] (or [[SpellMyNameWithAnS Syunsui]]) [[BrilliantButLazy Kyoraku]] never loses his temper, and his general demeanor never really elevates beyond "mildly concerned"--even when fighting his mentor who is implied to be thousands of years older than he is. However, when his HeterosexualLifePartner Ukitake appeared to have been killed, he [[BerserkButton lost it]]. For extra emphasis, even in the context of that story arc, his reaction was pretty extreme.
** Chizuru Honshou is the local GenkiGirl and PluckyComicRelief. She has only cried twice in canon,: the first happened when [[spoiler: she and others were subjected to BodyHorror and forced to attack Tatsuki and Orihime thanks to Numb Chandelier]], and the other was during her HeroicBSOD when [[spoiler: Aizen was chasing her, Tatsuki, Keigo, Mizuiro and Mahana through Karakura Town.]]
** When Ichigo [[spoiler: decides to murder Tsukishima (despite never having killed anything other than hollows at this point) on the off chance it will reverse his [[{{Brainwashed}} Fullbring's effect]] on his friends and family]], you know he's pissed.
** The usually cool-headed Byakuya completely loses his composure when [[spoiler:As Nodt steals his bankai.]]
** Much earlier on, on June 16, Ichigo begins acting oddly friendly to his classmates, and Orihime immediately picks up on the change, impressing her best friend and Ichigo's long-time friend Tatsuki, who took three years to figure it out. It's because it's the day before the anniversary of Ichigo's mother's death, which he blames himself for.
** When the Vandenreich have invaded Society, you know the situation is bad when Yumichika [[CoverBlowingSuperpower publicly uses kido and his true shikai.]]
* At the ending of ''LightNovel/DemonKingDaimao'': The student council member [[VerbalTic who always says "guga"]], said something else than guga.
* ''Manga/MahouSenseiNegima'':
** Similar to the ''Bleach'' example is Kaede; when she opens her eyes, something big is going down.
** Similarly to that, when [[spoiler:[[CuteMute Zazie]]]] shows up and starts talking in multi-syllabic sentences, you know there's something weird going on. [[spoiler:Actually, turns out that it wasn't her.]]
* Again like Gin, when Xelloss from ''LightNovel/{{Slayers}}'' opens his eyes, stops smiling, or [[EnigmaticMinion volunteers unambiguous information]], things have already gone completely downhill.
* ''Anime/{{Monster}}'':
** There are exactly two moments where Johan isn't [[DissonantSerenity smiling softly,]] and you will crap your pants both times.
** The show has a habit of doing this with drink orders -- for instance, the workaholic decides against ordering a coffee, because he's chosen to vacation in earnest.
* The phenomenon is examined with a "scientific experiment" in ''Manga/CromartieHighSchool''.
* Most fans of ''Anime/SailorMoon'' recognize protagonist Usagi to be something of TheDitz. So when she tells classmates to stay out of an impending fight ''and study instead,'' everyone present wonder if she's coming down with something. No one at this point realized that concern for her friends happens to be the one thing above all else that makes her [[LetsGetDangerous start taking things seriously]].
** An instance of the trope starts the series of events that triggers the major [[TheReveal Reveals]] in [[WhamEpisode episode 34]]. Usagi runs into Mamoru on the street and slaps him on the back (mostly to annoy him), but to her surprise, not only does he react in pain (she hit him right on the spot where Zoisite wounded him in the last battle), he doesn't talk his usual snide towards her. This immediately sets off alarm bells in Usagi which become klaxons when she discovers the blood on her hand. Which shows something since, in spite of all the grief he'd given her in the past, the moment something serious happens to him, she drops all her past animosity to figure out what's wrong. And things just start to come together from there.
* In an episode of ''Anime/SamuraiPizzaCats'', space-cadet Emperor Fred (who normally communicates by saying "Fuh-red!" and scat-singing) catches a nasty cold, and apparently upgrades from TheUnintelligible to TalkativeLoon ("This is to certify that kung pao chicken containing MSG may cause your BMW to have a headache...") This leads Al Dente to conclude that the emperor is ''very'' sick.
* Pippin, the GentleGiant of the Band of the Hawk in ''Manga/{{Berserk}}'', has his EyesAlwaysShut and usually remains silent during missions. He only opens his eyes twice in the series, both times to indicate his alertness during situations of mortal peril. And if he raises his voice and tells you to do something, you had better believe it's your only chance for survival.
* ''Manga/RanmaOneHalf'':
** One episode of the anime has Happōsai, the resident DirtyOldMan, acting extremely despondent and unlike himself. It culminates when Female!Ranma is forced by the fathers to put on a swimsuit and give the OldMaster a show in order to raise his spirits... and he just tells her to PleasePutSomeClothesOn. At this point, everybody know there's something very wrong with Happōsai.
** Akane, when Ranma does something silly, but she doesn't make him pay by [[RunningGag punching him to the sun or hitting him over the head with her hidden mallet]]. When she's ''really'' angry at him, she gives him the silent treatment. Ironically, Ranma is the main one who gets bothered by it.
* In the Sinnoh seasons of ''Anime/{{Pokemon}}'', how can you tell that [[TheDreaded Team Galactic]] is coming? Croagunk does nothing but stare at the door, and doesn't even move when Brock hits on Nurse Joy.
* Kenshin of ''Manga/RurouniKenshin'' has a couple versions of this. The most obvious is that his entire demeanor changes, but more subtly he'll drop the use of [[JapanesePronouns the extremely humble "sessha" and use the aggressive masculine "ore"]][[note]]In the translation, Kenshin refers to himself as "this one", and when he is in "Battousai mode" refers to himself in the first-person, using "I"[[/note]], which is when you know what the [[NamesToRunAwayFromReallyFast Hitokiri Battousai]] is present. Also, any time Kenshin the ThouShaltNotKill MartialPacifist seems to be seriously out for blood is cause to be very, ''very'' worried.
* ''Manga/{{Trigun}}''. Vash's reaction to Monev the Gale's wholesale slaughter of a small town in the anime is a definite example of this. Vash is usually a goofball and kind to the point of preferring to be injured himself [[ThouShallNotKill rather than hurt anyone else]], even when people are ''actively'' trying to kill him, but after seeing what happened to the town he puts a gun to Monev's head gets ''this close'' to just blowing his head off.
* ''Manga/OnePiece'':
** As a result of massive DespairEventHorizon, [[TheHero Luffy]] becomes so depressed that he [[spoiler:admits his own weakness and renounces his worthiness for the title of the Pirate King.]]
** PlayedForLaughs in an earlier moment, when Nami gave treasure to Lola. Luffy and Usopp were shocked, and actually shouted "A STORM IS COMING !" !
** Arguably any time that Luffy stops joking around and being a total moron it's clear that shit is about to go down.
** It is actually applied for every member of the Straw Hat AND the Straw Hat crew as a whole. They are usually very goofy and would get into fighting with each other for very silly reasons. But if you manage to make them stop fooling around, you know a lot of shits are coming down on you.
** If Luffy [[TheNicknamer stops calling a character by the nickname he's arbitrarily given them]], you know he's serious.
** Another moment where it was played for laughs is during a TV special: As the Straw Hats were performing a play, [[TheStoic Robin]] started overacting, [[NotSoAboveItAll dancing around and singing as if she was in an opera]]. Understandably, Chopper was completely freaked out.
** At one point in the Alabasta arc, Vivi says three words to Crocodile: "IllKillYou". Mind you, this is coming from a young princess who is such a NiceGirl that she can't stand the idea of ''a single person dying in a war''.
** Luffy actually uses this on purpose to relay a secret message to his crew after they've been separated [[spoiler: to meet up in Sabaody [[TimeSkip after two years.]]]]
** Corazon is thought to be mute by everyone, including his own brother. Which makes it so surprising when he [[SuddenlyVoiced finally talks]] to tell [[spoiler:Law that he needs to get away from Doflamingo.]]
** When Luffy points out the very harsh, but necessary truth that it's naïve to hope that all people involved in a war will survive, Nami gets angry at Luffy for being so blunt and not considering Vivi's feelings. It's extremely telling that ''Sanji'' is the one to tell Nami to shut up and not cut off Luffy. Usually, he would ''never'' show agreement with his male crewmates if he can please his female crewmates instead, but in this situation he apparently agreed with Luffy so much that he forgot his principles.
*** He later does this again in the Post-Enies Lobby arc, when Zoro is completely adamant that Usopp not be allowed back into the crew until he apologizes for disrespecting their captain. When Nami protests that Zoro is being too harsh, Sanji actually speaks up for the first time to say that, to his own chagrin, ''Zoro is absolutely right''. The fact that Sanji openly sides with ''[[VolleyingInsults Zoro]]'' over ''[[LoveInterest Nami]]'' says a lot about just how strongly he must have felt about the issue.
* In ''Manga/TsubasaReservoirChronicle'', it's clear that [[StepfordSmiler Fay's]] mental state has taken a turn for the worse not because he grows his hair out after [[EyeScream losing his eye]] and takes on a generally more gloomy disposition, but it's because he [[TheNicknamer drops the cutesy nicknames]] and actually calls Kurogane by his name. Later on when he starts using them again it's a huge relief to everyone since it indicates that he's getting better.
* ''Manga/{{Bakuman}}'':
** [[BrilliantButLazy Hiramaru]], infuriated over the reasoning behind putting Detective Trap on hiatus until Mashiro graduates, storms off ''to work on his manga''.
** Eiji Nizuma is a manga enthusiast who reads everything in Jump, especially the main characters' work, since they're his rivals. When he says he isn't reading Tanto, it's proof of how strongly he believes that it's inferior to their work and they are not living up to their potential by working on it.
* ''Anime/MaiOtome'':
** Arika's friends take note of how she isn't eating sweets when she's thinking about love, and become worried about her.
** During Nagi's coup, when Natsuki objects to [[YouShallNotPass Shizuru holding off the enemy forces herself to allow her to escape]], Shizuru angrily tells Natsuki not to act like a spoiled child and that she, as headmistress, has a duty to escape and help retake Garderobe and Windbloom, raising her voice for the only time in the series.
* ''Manga/ShinryakuIkaMusume'': Similar to the ''Bleach'' and ''Negima'' examples -- when Chizuru opens her eyes, you're screwed. Except for the one time she was trying to be friendly instead of intimidating. And it was ''[[WhenSheSmiles adorable.]]''
* ''Manga/DragonBall'':
** There is just ONE time in which [[BigEater Goku]] refused a meal. [[spoiler:When he sensed that his best friend Krillin was in danger and rushed to help him. It was too late: Krillin was ''already dead''.]]
*** Later on in the same arc, the typically happy-go-lucky Goku screams that he'll murder Tambourine, and rather brutally [[spoiler:does just that. He then fights King Piccolo and eventually strikes an honest death blow on him.]].
** Any time Gohan goes from "reluctant warrior" to "enraged doombringer" (or even worse, [[TranquilFury "calmly confident badass"]]) you better believe someone is about to be hurt.
** Vegeta was the BigBad of the first story arc of ''Anime/DragonBallZ''; one arc later, he breaks down, reveals his dark past, and cries during the Frieza Saga just as Goku arrives to fight Frieza.
** Another Vegeta example involves him blowing himself up in order to destroy Majin Buu and save the world, while expressing his love for his wife and son.
** Rounding out the trifecta, one of Vegeta's most recognizable character traits is his overwhelming arrogance; even against people who vastly outclass him, and he's aware of it, he tends to enjoy the challenge and trash talk them like none other. Therefore it is a major shock in two of the movies when Vegeta is so terrified of his opponent that he initially cannot muster the will to fight (against [[TheJuggernaut Broly]] and [[PhysicalGod Beerus]]), and a sign that these characters are ''seriously'' bad news. In both cases he eventually does get up to fighting, but the difference in what spurs him defines this even more. Specifically, the Beerus case is even worse than the Broly case: in the Broly case it was an appeal to his pride that eventually kicked in and finally got him to show his guts, but in the Beerus case it required that he [[AwLookTheyReallyDoLoveEachOther loves Bulma enough that Beerus slapping her into the ground would piss him off]].
* ''Anime/MawaruPenguindrum''
** The few times Shouma does ''not'' attempt to solve problems via words, things have got [[FromBadToWorse really bad]]. [[spoiler: Specially the last one.]]
** Similarly, his penguin #2, a BigEater ExtremeOmnivore, only once decided to share his meal with his "sister" #3. [[spoiler:She refused it and left him all dejected -- a {{foreshadowing}} of her and Himari ''leaving the Takakura family home'']]. And later, the "HandsomeLech" older brother penguin, #1, [[NotDistractedByTheSexy ignoring the sexy pictures]] that #3 is waving at him, and #2 cracking raw eggs on his forehead instead of cooing and eating them. This foreshadows [[spoiler:the GrandFinale, where Shouma and Kanba will be {{ret gone}}d.]]
* This is a general (but important) plot point in ''Anime/DarkerThanBlack''. Contractors are completely emotionless and self-serving, so when some of them ''aren't'', people always make note of it. Likewise, Dolls are so completely empty that they won't even eat without proper programming. At one point, one uses her [[{{Telepathy}} specter]] to call for help, which is about the same as your cell phone calling to tell your friend you're getting mugged.
* In the season 1 finale of ''Anime/CodeGeass'', the typically whimsical Lloyd freaks out when he notices Nina ready to detonate a homemade nuclear bomb. The Black Knights' chief engineer Rakshata immediately calls for a ceasefire because she was college classmates with Lloyd and realizes that if ''he's'' scared enough to act serious, it's definitely something to be afraid of.
* In ''Anime/AquarionEvol'', there's one way to make even the seemingly unflappable Zen Fudo [[OhCrap go stiff in horror]]: [[spoiler:the sight of Mykage killing off Jin, supposedly his ally, for pulling off a HeelFaceTurn]].
* In ''Manga/KatekyoHitmanReborn'', Reborn always pushes Tsuna to succeed in any given situation and never gives him a break because he knows that Tsuna has the potential to pull it off. So it's a huge shock to Tsuna when Reborn tells him that he has ''no'' chance of defeating [[spoiler:the strongest member of the Vindice]].
* Once in ''Manga/AxisPowersHetalia'', Germany joined Japan on a diet and gave up [[TrademarkFavoriteFood beer]]. This leaves various Germans completely stunned and his older brother Prussia is nearly brought to tears out of fear. Of course, this being Hetalia, it's all [[PlayedForLaughs presented as hilarious]].
-->'''Random German Guy:''' ZE VORLD IS COMING TO AN END!!!!
* ''Manga/OuranHighSchoolHostClub'': Kyoya Otori is a very cold, calculating, selfish man who never does anything that he can't gain from (at least, [[HiddenHeartOfGold nothing that he'll admit to.]]) So when he [[spoiler: blows up in Yuzuru Suou's face near the end of the manga and delivers an angry [[TheReasonYouSuckSpeech Reason You Suck Speech]] to him for forcibly wresting control of the Suou family businesses from Grandmother Suou ''and'' dashing Tamaki's hopes of someday reconciling his entire family in the process,]] despite there being nothing to gain and everything to lose from it, it comes off as a serious CrowningMomentOfAwesome for him.
* In ''Manga/SangatsuNoLion'', the normally meek Rei eventually becomes irritated over Nikaidou's taped lecture over his MHK Cup loss and is vocal about it as he shouts back at the screen. Someji and Momo's reactions play it off like a joke as they look in amazement and surprise over Rei actually getting angry. However, Hina, in a slightly more serious moment, is happy to see a side of Rei that she never gets to see.
* In ''Anime/LegendOfGalacticHeroes'', Alex Cazerne is renowned for his NervesOfSteel even in the deadliest conflicts (being a DeskJockey undoubtedly helps). However, he broke down once over the [[spoiler: death of Yang Wen-li]], showing the seriousness of the situation.
* ''LightNovel/{{Bakemonogatari}}'':
** In Hanekawa's arc, when told that she knows everything, she responds "I don't know everything, I don't know anything." By comparison, her catch phrase is "I don't know everything, I just know what I know."
** PlayedForLaughs in ''Nisemonogatari''. Araragi is so freaked out by seeing his tomboyish little sister Karen wear a skirt that he assumes she was bullied into it.
* ''VisualNovel/HigurashiWhenTheyCry'':
** In the first arc, Rena and Mion [[spoiler:or so we're lead to believe]] act... [[LaughingMad oddly]], prompting Keiichi to become defensive, ignore them outright, and to even carry a weapon around. [[spoiler:This in itself triggers a very serious reaction from Mion and Rena, who believe what's happening to him is what happened to Satoshi a year prior -- just before he vanished]].
** Those little moments where [[TokenMiniMoe Rika]] acts [[WiseBeyondHerYears oddly mature]]? [[spoiler:It's not a product of delusion or [[UnreliableNarrator faulty narration]]. It's because she's a '''major''' StepfordSmiler, and [[Really700YearsOld really ''is'' centuries older than she looks]]. It's not eventual [[TheReveal reveal]] that makes this important; it's the fact that if she's willing to break her persona, it's damn important.]]
** When Satoko (a.k.a. the Master of Traps) doesn't respond well (or at all) to her friends' playful jokes, it means [[spoiler:it's [[EvilUncle her turn to]] [[BreakTheCutie break]].]]
** If [[{{Cloudcuckoolander}} Rena]] is serious, it has two possible meanings: [[spoiler:she's snapped from HatePlague and is about to kill (or has already killed) someone]], or one of her friends is in serious danger.
** If Mion's [[GenkiGirl genkiness]] goes away for a while, she's either acting more girly (read: impersonating her twin sister) to get closer to Keiichi, or if it's played for horror, [[spoiler:''it's not her at all''; it's [[TwinSwitch Shion instead]]]]. And, like Rena above, she becomes very serious when her friends' lives are in danger, or when attending family meetings.
* ''LightNovel/HaruhiSuzumiya'':
** Throughout the Endless Eight arc, Yuki is frequently seen looking mildly bored or sad, which is pretty much the equivalent of a HeroicBSOD for her [[spoiler:from being trapped in a GroundhogDayLoop for almost ''[[AndIMustScream 600 years.]]'']]
** In the story "Snow Mountain Syndrome", when the Brigade gets lost on a mountain and finds a mysterious mansion, Yuki is even more listless and detached than normal, not saying a single word to anyone and [[BigEater barely nibbling her food]]. When pressed, we find out [[spoiler:her link to the Data Overmind has been cut, and she has no idea how]]. So this is her ''freaking out''.
** Later during "Snow Mountain Syndrome", Yuki actually ''faints'', which shocks Kyon, Koizumi, and Mikuru so much they can't even move to catch her when she falls. Thankfully, Haruhi (who is unaware that Yuki is a PhysicalGod in all but name) isn't quite so stunned, and is there to grab her before she hits the ground.
** One good way to check the seriousness of a situation is to check whether or not Koizumi is smiling. There have been two major times his perpetual smile has broken: when Mikuru accidentally began firing actual lasers from her eyes (nearly taking off his head with them), and when [[spoiler:Kyon nearly strikes Haruhi in anger when she ''seriously'' crosses the line, which Koizumi fortunately steps in to stop.]]
** In the anime, the last one involves maybe three other OOC moments: [[spoiler:the usually deadpan Kyon being angry enough to go from snark to physical violence (which he lampshades)]] and [[spoiler:the cheerful and selfish Haruhi [[CryCute being brought to tears]].]] Even [[spoiler:Tsuruya, who's almost always smiling and yukking it up, is shown totally silent and with a serious expression as Kyon and Haruhi almost come to blows]].
* ''Anime/GirlsUndPanzer'':
** Mako is typically coolheaded at her most energetic and lethargic and lazy at worst. When she hears about [[spoiler:her grandmother collapsing]], she becomes especially determined to reach [[spoiler:the hospital]] as soon as possible, even considering swimming an impossible distance if necessary.
** Mako, who detests having to get up early and is often shown napping, is said to be losing sleep over [[spoiler:her grandmother's condition, since the previously mentioned collapse is not the first one]].
** Mako typically snarks at Sodoko, [[AccidentalMisnaming calls her by her nickname against her wishes]], and displays a calm and stoic personality. When Sodoko [[spoiler:deletes all of Mako's tardinesses and absences, ensuring that she will be able to graduate on time]] Mako lets out a whoop and [[TheGlomp glomps]] her.
** Katyusha is quite arrogant, and enjoys sitting on the shoulders of [[HugeSchoolgirl Nonna]] to seem taller than everyone else because of her short height. When she's [[spoiler:defeated by Oarai]], she gets off Nonna's shoulders and shakes Miho's hand, something she had refused to do earlier, to congratulate them.
** In the ''Little Army'' prequel manga, Miho, upset by Maho's aloof behavior after [[spoiler:admitting to having shot an enemy flag tank when it went to rescue one of hers]], questions her mother on whether it was necessary, despite her timidity and unwillingness to [[CallingTheOldManOut call her own mother out]]. Her mother shrugs this off, but Maho makes note of this and later comes to speak with Miho privately to apologize and tell her to pursue her own style of tankery.
--->'''Maho:''' I was surprised today, to see Miho talk to Mother like that. [[LampshadeHanging That shows you were quite desperate]]... I'm sorry.
** Momo typically alternates between being relatively calm and getting comically angry over things like missing or being called "Momo-chan". On some occasions, though, she seems genuinely upset, such as when the team doesn't care whether or believe they can win, [[spoiler:especially considering the school will be shut down if they don't win the tournament]].
** Miho is generally a polite girl who can't find it in her to say anything bad about other people, even the [[JerkAss Jerkasses]]. When Emi begins saying she hates Miho's sister despite never having gotten to know her, Miho loses her temper and, in her anger, declares she hates Emi. Miho's friends are shocked at how Miho got angry, and [[ParentalSubstitute Sakuyo]] notes that it's rare for Miho to get angry.
** Anzu is typically a PerpetualSmiler, generally loses the smile under similar circumstances as Momo's own OOC Is Serious Business behavior.
--->'''Anzu:''' (''not smiling'') Losing is not an option for us...\\
'''Yukari:''' (''thinks'') The president became serious for once.
** After Saunders loses to Oarai, Kay, typically a cheerful LargeHam who likes competition, walks up to Arisa, whose unsportsmanlike [[spoiler:intercepting radio transmissions]] backfired and cost them the match, and tells her in a calm, yet stern tone of voice that they will be discussing what happened, prompting an OhCrap reaction from Arisa.
* During ''Manga/UruseiYatsura'', Ataru usually has either a goofy look or a perverted look on his face. When he's caught looking serious, things just got real. It's even pointed-out during the Anime itself.
* In ''LightNovel/ShakuganNoShana'', when Shana goes out of her way to avoid saying "[[{{Catchphrase}} Urusai! Urusai! Urusai!!!]]" for the most part, you know that some very serious shit is going down.
* In episode 9 of ''Manga/KotouraSan'', Daichi stops [[FrozenFace puffing up his lips strangely]] in front of people (he previously only stops doing that in front of ChildhoodFriend Yuriko) in order to discuss a series of serial muggings [[{{telepathy}} Haruka]] might have psychically picked up on.
* ''Manga/FullmetalAlchemist'':
** Ling Yao typically has his EyesAlwaysShut. When he does open his eyes, it's either because he means business or [[spoiler:after about the halfway point, Greed is currently in control of his body.]]
** In the [[Anime/FullmetalAlchemist 2003 anime]], you know [[ExtremeOmnivore Gluttony]] is upset over [[spoiler:the death of his [[PlatonicLifePartners platonic life partner, Lust]]]], when the thought of [[BigEater eating]] ''doesn't even cross his mind''.
* ''Manga/AttackOnTitan'':
** In chapter 23, Reiner is surprised that Jean is looking out for others.
** Likewise, [[spoiler:Annie's usual dreary-eyed expression giving way to [[VillainousBreakdown wide-eyed, cocky, high-pitched laughter]]]] should make people ''[[OhCrap very very afraid]]''.
** Related to the above, Eren, is a guy who swore to exterminate every single Titan on the planet because they killed his mother and destroyed his home town, and generally has a world view bordering on BlackAndWhiteInsanity. Upon learining his friend [[spoiler:Annie]] is a traitor responsible for the deaths of a large number of people including some of his teammates, first reacts with denial. Even after he gathers the resolve to use his special ability, he still shows [[spoiler:her]] a surprising amount of compassion, and seems willing to hear [[spoiler:her]] out. In other words, he simply cannot bring himself to completely dehumanize [[spoiler:her]] like he does any of his other enemies.
* ''Manga/XxxHolic'': If [[UnlimitedWardrobe Yuuko]] is wearing something she's has ''ever'' worn before, things are getting serious. [[note]]And yes, Creator/{{CLAMP}} designed ''that many outfits'' for Yuuko.[[/note]]
* ''Manga/ACertainScientificRailgun'':
** In the second season, after first discovering the Sisters, Mikoto is sufficently rattled that the next morning she fails to punch Kuroko for groping her and pays for something from the evil vending machine instead of kicking or electrocuting it. Kuroko becomes concerned that she may have been replaced by an impostor.
** When Mikoto is suffering from [[spoiler:a Level 6 Shift attempt, and is destructively mutating into an angel]], the extreme {{Cloudcuckoolander}} and IdiotHero Gunha Sogiita starts talking clearly and calmly, and defers to Touma to come up with a plan, since the situation is that serious.
* At the end of episode 12 of ''Manga/ServantXService'', [[TheSlacker the perpetually slacking]] Yutaka Hasebe comes into the office on Monday and... settles in to work with barely a word. His colleagues are massively creeped out to the point of staging an intervention to find out what's going on with him. Turns out there ''is'' some serious business afoot - [[spoiler:he's just recently learned that his own father is the civil servant who approved Lucy's OverlyLongName, i.e. the person that the girl he's in love with wants {{revenge}} on. And worse, his father's justification for approving such a ridiculous name is that he was distracted because Yutaka was ill with a fever at the time, making Lucy's situation indirectly ''his fault''.]]
* ''Manga/{{Saki}}'':
** Mihoko keeps her right eye constantly shut, since [[MismatchedEyes it's a different color from her left one]], and she's sensitive about it. When she becomes surprised, she sometimes opens that eye, such as when she played Hisa for the first time three years ago.
** In the quarterfinals, an interesting case happens when Hisa's teammates notice that she's not herself. Saki becomes worried when Hisa isn't trying for her "hell waits"- Hisa has a strategy for choosing waits that are unlikely to work, knowing that she's only likely to win with them- while Nodoka, who plays more logically, is happy that Hisa is not playing that way. Mako notices that Hisa was less than confident going into the match, and wonders if she really is alright after seeing her with a suddenly renewed confidence.
** In ''Manga/SakiShinohayuDawnOfAge'', Kanna is a short-tempered and fairly abrasive girl. As such, when she declines Kyouka's offer to hang out together with a smile and an apology, Kyouka knows something is amiss; Hayari had hoped to apologize to her friends for upsetting them, but none of them showed up, leading her to think she had driven them away.
* ''Manga/SkipBeat'' has spent a lot of time developing Ren's (psychotic) HiddenDepths, but mostly from the reader's perspective. In chapter 194 we have a ''literal'' out-of-character be SeriousBusiness when he freaks out at Kyoko for a personal matter while they're supposed to be the Heel siblings, and Kyoko is more astonished that he's breaking character while acting than that he's going full-on BastardBoyfriend [[DomesticAbuser psycho]] on her. Even though they're alone in a hotel room. And they are not a couple.His breaking character as "[[BecomingTheMask Tsuruga Ren]]" and letting suppressed emotions and behaviors like rage appear was used this way at first, but it became enough the norm that it's gone to the next level. Earlier in the course of being Cain Heel he ''actually'' lost his temper while rehearsing a fight scene as a psychotic murderer and enjoyed the attempt to kill his co-star much more visibly than the character would, but luckily at that point he was about four cover identities deep, so no one was able to accurately interpret what had just happened. Though some came close, even working with false information.
* In a story arc near the end of ''Manga/AnatoliaStory'', when [[spoiler:Urhi fakes holding Nakia hostage to keep everyone from learning about her involvement of the previous king's assassination,]] he whispers to her that he wishes they could start over where they first met. This initially just seems like him expressing sorrow at missed opportunities, but Nakia is confused over the uncharacteristic sentimentality Urhi is showing. [[spoiler:She realizes that it's a hint from him to go back to the pool where they first met. He hid Yuri's present-day clothing there, which she can use to magic Yuri to a different time period.]]
* ''Manga/FruitsBasket'': While Tohru Honda is normally sweet and upbeat to the point of silliness, there are a handful of times when she truly breaks down and shows despair. The first is when she admits to Kyo that she secretly thinks her father was a "bad man", even though she ''knows'' he loved her and her mother and took good care of them. [[spoiler:A later one would be when Kyo rejects her, causing her to run from the house in sorrow and run into an insane Akito]]. This is lampshaded at one point by her friend, who says that "hell would freeze over" if Tohru became overcome by sadness and stopped smiling. Also, alongside sweet and upbeat, Tohru herself is incredibly polite and well-mannered. The moment she pushes someone away from another person ''with her own hands'' happened when a very uncomfortable-looking Yuki was passive-aggressively harrassed by [[spoiler:someone Tohru had never been before until then -- '''Akito'''.]]
* ''Manga/{{Naruto}}'':
** Asuma is almost always seen [[SmokingIsCool smoking]], except for a few occasions. One instance is around the time his father, the Third Hokage, died. Another is when two Akatsuki members kill his friend Chiriku, and the rest of the members of his temple.
--->'''Shikamaru''': It's been two days since your last cigarette. When a chain smoker like you lays off, something's always up.\\
'''Asuma''': Sharp eyes, Shikamaru. If the likes of you can read my heart, then I'm still a rank amateur.
** Kakashi usually acts like a total flake, but when Guy tells him he taught Lee the [[DangerousForbiddenTechnique Hidden Lotus]] Kakashi is almost too mad to speak.
* Alucard from ''Manga/{{Hellsing}}'' is incredibly [[LargeHam hammy]], especially while fighting. The one time he acts completely solemn during a fight is when he ''begs'' Anderson not to become a monster like him.
* PlayedForLaughs during the HotSpringsEpisode of ''Manga/SayonaraZetsubouSensei''. When the class and Nozomu learn about a hot springs' detoxifying qualities, Nozomu goes on a rant about the dangers of recklessly detoxing. Cue the students coming out of the spring without any of their character flaws, like the lawsuit-happy MsFanservice tripping and revealing a wetsuit underneath her towel, while just asking for a band-aid instead of threatening to sue, and the StalkerWithACrush respecting Nozomu's personal space and staying away from him. Nozomu, being Nozomu, is horrified by all of this.
* In ''Manga/DeathNote'', Near figures out Light's otherwise brilliant plan because Light's [[TheDragon Dragon]], Teru Mikami, otherwise an obsessive CreatureOfHabit, goes to the bank two days in a row, when he would normally only go once a month.
* In ''LightNovel/FullMetalPanic'' Kaname begins acting completely differently after visiting [[spoiler:the ruined lab at Yamsk 11, including pulling a voluntary FaceHeelTurn]]. It turns out she's doing this because [[spoiler:it's ''not'' Kaname.]]
* ''Anime/RebuildOfEvangelion'' 2.0: Rei says "Good Morning". The entire classroom flies into a panic.
-->'''Toji:''' Well ''that'' was unexpected.
* In Chapter 75 of ''Manga/MyMonsterSecret'', an incident happened which causes the weather to get worse whenever someone acts out-of-character, and gets better when they act normal. When [[JerkAss Akane]] starts being nice, there were [[TheEndOfTheWorldAsWeKnowIt a huge storm with ''meteors'' falling down from the sky, as well as the Emperor of Fear descending to earth]]. Everything went back to normal, however, when [[ChristmasCake Akari]] shows up in a homely outfit. The chapter is also a BigLippedAlligatorMoment, as it was never explained what caused the phenomenon.
* ''VideoGame/KantaiCollection'':
** Fubuki is normally obsessed with Akagi. So in episode 10, Kaga points out how weird it is for Fubuki, who has become obsessed with training in order to [[spoiler:get her remodel]], to just run past Akagi with only a perfunctory greeting.
** In episode 12, Haruna and Hiei are surprised when Kirishima does a GlassesPull.
* Played straight in episode 9 of ''Literature/TanteiTeamKZJikenNote'', when everybody else's being gravely concerned with Uesugi's well-being after (1)Dropping off Top 50 in math when [[GoodWithNumbers he usually gets the first place]], (2) skips both CramSchool and the Detective Team's proposed investigation, and (3) for an AcademicAthlete, the impossible feat of [[StaircaseTumble slipping off the staircase]]. Kuroki has to skip the case because of it, possible to handle Uesugi's problem. [[spoiler:Of course there's something serious. His vision has deteriorated to a point that a complete loss of vision is not impossible.]]
* In ''Manga/OnePunchMan'', if Saitama drops his laidback attitude, then he has come across someone that has pissed him off.
