Line #38 Main/GeekPhysiques


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4	[[quoteright:300:[[WebAnimation/YourFavoriteMartian https://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/rsz_1nerdrage_zpsf594d9d3_4689.png]]]]
5	[[caption-width-right:300:When they're not NerdsAreSexy, they must be one of these.]]
6
7	->''"No! My weak nerd arms!"''
8	-->-- '''Luz Noceda''', ''WesternAnimation/TheOwlHouse''
9
10	That thing where geeks, {{Stereotypical Nerd}}s, and other brainy characters are always fragile, skinny guys without a shred of muscle to their names. Except when they're morbidly obese and/or neckbearded. Rarely do we see an athletic, rugged, or only mildly pudgy geek, because they are {{Squishy Wizard}}s.
11
12	While both versions of geek have been around for some time, the "geeks are fat" version has become more dominant with the rise of world obesity rates. Inactivity and unhealthy eating habits can explain this in fiction and [[TruthInTelevision in real life]]. The other form also has justification in the "ForgetsToEat" aspect of things, or possibly because they have [[CrackIsCheaper an expensive hobby]] that eats up the bulk of their food budget. (The BasementDweller doesn't run into this problem, so they're far more likely to be portrayed as fat.) The reverse is also true as those entering such industries age and realize they're losing their youthful metabolisms and as such professions become more of a career and less a stepping stone to bigger and better things. Regardless, both versions have staying power as long as they are not considered conventionally attractive (hence why geeks are rarely portrayed as muscular.)
13
14	Compare SicklyNeuroticGeek, where a weak appearance is coupled with (possibly imaginary) health problems. Occasionally coupled with a NerdyInhaler and/or a NerdyNasalness to try and [[JustifiedTrope Justify]] it. {{Badass Bookworm}}s often, but not always, avert this. May overlap with FatAndSkinny if both are in the same scene together. Related to BrainsVersusBrawn.
15
16	----
17	!! Skinny Examples:
18
19	[[foldercontrol]]
20
21	[[folder:Anime & Manga]]
22	* ''Anime/CodeGeass'':
23	** Lelouch, the genius who plays chess on a country-sized game board, is regularly teased for being out of shape compared with Suzaku, Sayoko, and even Milly.
24	** Lloyd is an example of the skinny type.
25	** The two students credited as "otaku" - the racist ones seen in episodes 5, 6, and 18 - are an example of a pair of both types.
26	* ''Anime/CyberpunkEdgerunners'': David is smart enough to get into Arasaka Academy and maintain high grades. Lucy notes that David doesn't really have the physique of an edgerunner and takes him out jogging to build up his stamina. [[spoiler:Following the TimeSkip, David becomes incredibly toned and ripped as a result of his experiences and his steadily increasing cybernetic enhancements]].
27	* ''Manga/DeathNote'': L is a pale, skinny man who, in spite of being a BigEater, uses so much energy to think that he's rail-thin. He also turns out to be an adept martial artist.
28	* Nozomu Itoshiki the protagonist of ''Manga/SayonaraZetsubouSensei'' is a good-looking nerd, but is quite thin and physically puny, not to mention very pale. The only exercise he seems to do is strengthening his neck muscles, so he can attempt suicide without killing himself.
29	* Arguably Verde, [[NerdsAreSexy Shouichi]], and Spanner, from ''Manga/Reborn2004''. All three are rail-thin (especially Verde), and painfully intelligent (especially Verde) in their respective fields (science for Verde, mechanics for Shou, and robotics for Spanner). The three of them hardly ever leave their labs (once again, especially Verde).
30	* ''Manga/Eyeshield21'': Yukimitsu is incredibly skinny, which really doesn't help when playing American Football.
31	* ''Manga/SlamDunk'': Yoshinori Miyamasu of Kainan is a LethalJokeCharacter who looks every bit the stereotypical nerd.
32	* Harris, Clark, and Martin, Cindy's three colleagues (and fellow MIT grads) in ''Manga/SquidGirl'', are respectively on the skinny side of average, emaciated, and obese. At one point they sink into depression; Harris and Clark become fat, while Martin starves himself thin.
33	* In ''Manga/{{Genshiken}}'', Kousaka and Madarame are skinny, while Kugayama and Tanaka are fat. Resident asshole Haraguchi is also fat. Everybody else is pretty normal.
34	* ''Franchise/YuGiOh'' is fundamentally a series about gaming nerds, and the style gives basically everyone elongated proportions. Dark Yugi, Kaiba, and Bakura (both versions) are all particularly skinny and nerdy, although Kaiba subverts this by only ''looking'' the part and actually being genuinely athletic. Averted with Jonouchi, who basically grew up on the streets and can solve a problem with his fists as easily as with his cards.
35	* ''Manga/{{Bleach}}'': During the early stages of his fight with [[BadassBookworm Ishida]] and [[HotBlooded Renji]], [[MadScientist Szayelaporro's]] clothing is so badly damaged by Ishida's Sprenger explosion that his entire torso is exposed revealing how thin his body is. However, unlike other thin characters, such as [[TheLancer Ishida]], [[AxCrazy Nnoitra]] or even [[TheHero Ichigo]], there is no muscle definition to his form and every clear shot of his body heavily emphasises the shape and position of his ribs. While other thin characters are muscled or well-toned, Szayel simply looks emaciated. Unlike most other Espada, he doesn't fight physically. He takes the time to research his potential opponents [[SinisterSurveillance in advance]] so that, by the time he's confronting them, he's [[AwesomenessByAnalysis figured out]] how to negate their abilities; for him, battle is a [[CrazyPrepared scientific puzzle]] to be solved through the [[EvilGenius power of intellect]]. When physical fighting is required, he can create [[PowerCopying copycat]] [[VoodooDoll dolls]] of his opponents, forcing his opponents to fight the dolls instead of him.
36	* Actually a plot point in ''Manga/MyHeroAcademia''. Midoriya is a scrawny nerd at the start of the story, which means that if he tried to accept One For All immediately, his limbs would explode and go flying off his body. All Might puts him through TrainingFromHell over ten months to give him the [[HeroicBuild lean, muscular physique]] he needs to take the Quirk without dying. Even then, [[HeroicRROD he seriously damages himself whenever he uses too much of it.]]
37	* ''Manga/DontToyWithMeMissNagatoro'': Senpai (real name Naoto Hachiouji) is quite often made fun by Nagatoro and her friends for his scrawny and fragile physique (complete with the NerdGlasses). He's heavily mortified by the fact that they're girls and yet are much stronger than him, so whenever they get physical with him, he's completely helpless.
38	* Fuutarou Uesugi of ''Manga/TheQuintessentialQuintuplets'' is a borderline example. While visually he's not ''exaggeratedly'' skinny, it's a bit of a RunningGag that his physical capacities are clearly below average, probably due to focusing too much on his studies.
39	[[/folder]]
40
41	[[folder:Comic Books]]
42	* ''ComicBook/Robin1993'': While Ives did eventually fill in a bit he was a twig in his freshman year of high school, he also towered over all his friends by at least a foot so a growth spurt was likely a cause of his physique.
43	* ''ComicBook/WonderWomanWarbringer'': Theo is a gamer, programmer, and hacker who is skinny as a pole and the least muscular person in the cast, which is mostly made up of teenage girls.
44	[[/folder]]
45
46	[[folder:Fan Works]]
47	* In ''Fanfic/NeitherABirdNorAPlaneItsDeku'', Midoriya starts out as a scrawny nerd as he does in canon. But the fact that he manifested his Kryptonian SuperStrength at an early age means that nothing he encountered as a civilian could really make him exert himself, which only enforces this trope along with MusclesAreMeaningless. He subverts this after ten months of training, becoming as leanly muscular as most of his classmates thanks to making far more liberal use of his strength on Korusan Island.
48	* ''Fanfic/{{Brainbent}}'': Resident computer nerd Sollux Captor is described as "painfully skinny".
49	* ''Fanfic/HowFriendshipAccidentallySavedMagicalBritain'': Tom is skinny and has "noodle arms", as the twins put it. He's so out of shape that lifting his own uncharmed trunk with his noodle arms is a great burden to him, and climbing the rope ladder into the divination classroom presents a genuine challenge to his nonexistent core strength. Being a proud wizarding scholar, he considers any and all forms of physical labor and activity to be beneath him. Fred and George, who routinely undergo strength and endurance training as part of their roles as beaters on the Gryffindor quidditch team, are highly amused by this.
50	* Discussed in ''[[https://www.fanfiction.net/s/6275865/1 Remus Lupin, PI,]]'' where Voldemort that wizards tend to be skinny or fat, depending on their metabolism, lifestyle and how much they love their food, but there's never a fit wizard because magic makes physical fitness practically unnecessary.
51	[[/folder]]
52
53	[[folder:Films -- Animated]]
54	* ''WesternAnimation/AtlantisTheLostEmpire'' has one in the form of Milo.
55	--> '''Kida:''' ''(to Milo)'' You are a scholar, are you not? Judging from your diminished physique and [[ForeheadOfDoom large forehead]], you are suited for nothing else!
56	[[/folder]]
57
58	[[folder:Films -- Live-Action]]
59	* Anthony Michael Hall in ''Film/TheBreakfastClub'' and maybe a couple of other movies of that era.
60	* More skinny ones were in ''Film/RevengeOfTheNerds''.
61	* Owen in ''Film/LetMeIn'' is rather stereotypically nerdy. He gets horribly bullied a lot, he wears unfashionable clothes and his room has an outer space theme. He is extremely skinny, to the point he looks emaciated in his two shirtless scenes, with almost every bone in his upper body visible.
62	* Matt Farrell in ''Film/LiveFreeOrDieHard''. Warlock (played by Kevin Smith) is an example of the other type.
63	* Creator/EddieDeezen, famous for playing (among other roles) stereotypical nerd Eugene in ''Film/{{Grease}}'', Malvin in ''Film/WarGames'', and Eddie Lipschultz in [[http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0092210 The Whoopee Boys.]]
64	** Not to mention his most famous animated role, [[WesternAnimation/DextersLaboratory MANDARK!!]] ''[[EvilLaugh HA, HA-HA, HA, HA-HA, HA-HA!!]]''
65	** ''Film/WarGames'' actually paired up Deezen as the skinny geek, with Maury Chaykin playing an overweight geek.
66	%%* Tim in ''Film/AboutTime''.
67	[[/folder]]
68
69	[[folder:Literature]]
70	* ''Literature/ArtemisFowl'': It's a running gag that the only muscle that the titular character cares about is his brain. The rest of him is scrawny, and he's uncoordinated and small in stature.
71	* Creator/IsaacAsimov's ''Literature/FoundationSeries'': In "Literature/TheMule", Magnifico Giganticus, a geek in the more archaic sense of the word, is a clown. He's physically deformed in a way that makes people laugh at him, so he has been forced into the role of circus geek or jester. His short stature and long, spindly limbs has been the cause of years of ridicule and mockery. His [[GagNose enormous nose]] is assumed to be capable of holding onto things.
72	-->The clown was close enough now to be seen clearly. His thin face drew together in front into a nose of generous planes and fleshy tip that seemed all but prehensile. His long, lean limbs and spidery body, accentuated by his costume, moved easily and with grace, but with just a suggestion of having been thrown together at random.
73	* ''Literature/TheCanterburyTales'' has the clerk, making this trope OlderThanPrint. The clerk is described as a student of philosophy or theology at Oxford, who is wire-thin because he forgets to eat and would rather spend what little money he scrounges together on Aristotle's works than food or clothing.
74	* ''{{Literature/Discworld}}'': Ponder Stibbons, a computer/science geek wizard who is "by [his] own admission, a wet and a weed". (Interestingly, when he first appeared as a student, he was the overweight version, described as the beginnings of what decades of big dinners do to senior wizards. After a few years of instead working feverishly in the High Energy Magic Building and living on the occasional slice of pizza, later books portray him as decidedly scrawny, at least by wizard standards.)
75	* In Creator/CoryDoctorow's "Literature/WhenSysadminsRuledTheEarth": ([[https://craphound.com/overclocked/Cory_Doctorow_-_Overclocked_-_When_Sysadmins_Ruled_the_Earth.html link here]]) A major character is a "type-two sysadmin, over six feet tall, long pony-tail, bobbing Adam's apple. Over his toast-rack chest, his tee said CHOOSE YOUR WEAPON and featured a row of polyhedral RPG dice."
76	* ''Franchise/DoctorWho'''s ''Literature/EighthDoctorAdventures'': Fitz is described as looking like he's [[NoodlePeople made of pipecleaners]]. He's quite into SpeculativeFiction, particularly ''Literature/TheLordOfTheRings'', and once dubbed a sea monster "[[Franchise/CthulhuMythos Cthulhu]]", although his characterization generally isn't overtly geeky.
77	* Creator/MercedesLackey's ''Literature/HeraldsOfValdemar'': In ''Literature/VowsAndHonor'', Kethry says that magic takes so much energy that you'll almost never see a fat mage and if you do, it is an indication that she or he has a serious eating disorder.
78	* ''Literature/TheLockedTomb'': {{Necromancer}}s have an in-universe reputation for being [[SquishyWizard scrawny and unmuscular]]. If Harrowhark is anything to go by, it's from a combination of [[{{Workaholic}} obsessive study]], [[ForgetsToEat skipping meals]], putting their LifeEnergy to [[CastFromStamina other uses]], and [[MundaneUtility doing everyday tasks with magic]] instead of physical effort.
79	* ''Literature/MediochreQSethSeries'': The titular character is unquestionably a massive nerd, and is permanently stuck in the form of a weedy teenager.
80	* ''{{Literature/Parrotfish}}'': Grady's friend Sebastian is a skinny, 5'0 teenager. He's bullied for being a nerdy and geeky kid, but he brushes it off.
81	* Creator/BrandonSanderson: In ''Literature/TheStormlightArchive'', the Parshendi are a humanoid species that can adopt specialized forms to suit their role in society at the time. Scholars use nimbleform (the closest they can get to the long-lost scholarform), which is thin and markedly lacking in endurance.
82	* ''Literature/SherlockHolmes'': Holmes is thin as a rail because he simply ForgetsToEat half the time. This doesn't concern him, because he considers the only important part of himself to be his brain, of which everything else is merely an appendage. Otherwise inverted, though, as he is trained in several forms of fighting and can easily defend himself if need be. He's also likely ripped: in "The Speckled Band" he straightens a steel fireplace poker after a client's stepfather tries to threaten him by bending it. Straightening it would actually require more strength than just bending it.
83	* ''Literature/SkippyDies'': Skippy, a studious and quiet nerd who loves video games as well as science, is slight and skinny.
84	* ''Literature/{{Supergifted}}'': [[TheProtagonist Donovan Curtis]] describes Noah's physique in the first chapter in this manner.
85	-->''He was short and skinny, with an eager, slightly bent posture that always reminded me of an oversize praying mantis.''
86	[[/folder]]
87
88	[[folder:Live-Action TV]]
89	* Series/{{Sherlock}}, like his [[Literature/SherlockHolmes literary counterpart]], is ridiculously skinny and claims not to eat on cases -- the number of times he is shown eating in six episodes could be counted on one hand. Prior to filming, Creator/BenedictCumberbatch had another role as a cancer patient, but didn't want to shave his head because he was growing out his hair for ''Sherlock''. He opted to lose 15 lbs. instead, giving his character an emaciated appearance, then kept the weight loss for ''Sherlock'' because he wanted the impression of "mind over body."
90	* ''Series/TheBigBangTheory'': The main cast plays with a broad spectrum here.
91	** Sheldon is described by another character as looking like a praying mantis. His LimitedWardrobe also emphasizes his lanky frame.
92	** Leonard has HeightAngst and his LimitedWardrobe makes him look heavier than he is, contributing to a pseudo FatAndSkinny pairing he has with Sheldon. But, especially in the earlier seasons, Johnny Galecki is actually fairly slender himself, which can be seen whenever Leonard is just in a t-shirt.
93	** Howard is described as looking "like a human chicken wing" in his bathing suit. He also has only 3% body fat and is ''very'' proud of this. Of course, he also appears to have only 3% muscle.
94	** Raj is as close to an aversion compared to everyone else. He's taller than Leonard and Howard but shorter than Sheldon with an average build, although his own vanity makes him often bring up his love handles.
95	* Screech from ''Series/SavedByTheBell''.
96	* Steve Urkel in ''Series/FamilyMatters''.
97	* Jerry Steiner of ''Series/ParkerLewisCantLose''.
98	* Lucas on ''Series/PrettyLittleLiars'', a photography nerd. Plus points to the writers who actually made him look threatening and scary at one point. Then Hanna smacked him with a boat oar and knocked him into a pond.
99	* ''Series/DoctorWho'':
100	** The Doctor's [[TheNthDoctor incarnations]] tend to be on the skinnier side, particularly Ten and Eleven. Ten's case gets lampshaded the most - Donna jokes about it more than once, and Eleven's immediate reaction on meeting him was...
101	--->"How very skinny. That is proper skinny! I've never seen it from the outside, it's like a special effect! Oi, ha, matchstick-man!"
102	** Creator/PeterCapaldi as the Twelfth Doctor continues the trend. Clara calls him a "grey-haired stick insect".
103	** The Fourth Doctor usually just looked like a big bulky pile of clothes, but as Creator/TomBaker was a starving actor before he started on the show, he was pretty lanky underneath all the layers.
104	* Dr. Spencer Reid from ''Series/CriminalMinds'' almost looks like he's made of wire. From the episode "Identity":
105	-->''(Reid knocks on a guy's door)''
106	-->'''Militia Man''': ''(answers door, points to a no soliciting sign)'' What the hell do you want? Can't you read?
107	-->'''Reid''': I'm not a salesman, I'm with the FBI.
108	-->'''Militia Man''': FBI? You're not serious? You look like a pipe cleaner with eyes. I could snap you like a twig.
109	-->'''[[CoolOldGuy Rossi]]''': ''(stepping into view)'' But then, he isn't alone.
110	* Eric Forman from ''Series/That70sShow'' is often teased for his skinniness.
111	%%* ''Series/{{Chuck}}'', although it takes Adam Baldwin on the male side, and Yvonne on the female side to really count as this.
112	%%* Murray 'Boz' Bozinsky from the ''Series/{{Riptide\|1984}}'' series.
113	* Phillip from ''Series/KamenRiderDouble'' is on the skinny half of the trope - and while he may not be much skinnier than his co-star Shoutaro, his very tight clothing under a billowing coat emphasizes his skinniness.
114	* ''Series/{{Community}}'' Abed is rail-thin in spite of constantly eating buttered noodles.
115	* Ally of ''Series/AustinAndAlly'' is short and skinny, but still cute.
116	* Wesley from ''Series/{{Degrassi\|TheNextGeneration}}'' fits very cleanly into the thin and dorky mold, his geek cred being science and academics based. Adam, meanwhile, was the short thin comic book nerd variety.
117	* ''Series/AmericanGods2017'': The Technical Boy, god of the internet, looks like a skinny teenage hipster.
118	* ''Series/StrangerThings'': Mike is very thin whereas Dustin is on the chubby side.
119	[[/folder]]
120
121	[[folder:Roleplay]]
122	* In ''Roleplay/TheDaoOfTheAwakened'', Hua Yin starts off weak and bad at physical combat (he has been preparing for a desk job his entire life). He improves quickly though.
123	[[/folder]]
124
125	[[folder:Video Games]]
126	* Otacon in ''VideoGame/MetalGearSolid'' was going to be fat, but wound up a skinny nerd in the finished product. And by ''Sons of Liberty'', they'd [[{{Bishonen}} forgotten he was even supposed to be a nerd at all]].
127	* Bernard and Laverne on ''VideoGame/ManiacMansion'' and ''VideoGame/DayOfTheTentacle''.
128	* The "Super Nerd" trainer class in ''Franchise/{{Pokemon}}'' has this appearance.
129	* ''Franchise/ResidentEvil'': Dr William Birkin (while he's still human) is quite skinny and scruffy, and always wearing a lab coat.
130	* In ''Videogame/{{Bully}}'', there's an entire clique of nerds. Three of them (Algie, Fatty, and Melvin) are fat, and the others (Earnest, Bucky, Cornelius, Donald, and Thad) are scrawny with hunched postures.
131	* The PROGRAMMER cheat in ''VideoGame/GrandTheftAutoViceCity'' makes Tommy skinnier.
132	* Futaba Sakura in ''VideoGame/Persona5'' is noted to have a serious case of this. Due to her lifestyle as an agoraphobic shut-in, she's noted by a doctor to have a serious lack of growth and muscle tone for her age, making her a skinny nerd and generally very petite; this doesn't really improve when she becomes more social, since her main hobbies involve staying in anyway. Her trailer for the spin-off game ''VideoGame/Persona5DancingInStarlight'' has her remark that her athletics skills are mediocre at best and her coordination isn't that good either.
133	[[/folder]]
134
135	[[folder:Visual Novels]]
136	* Lampshaded in ''VisualNovel/DoubleHomework'' with this quip referring to Dennis:
137	-->'''Dr. Mosely/[[spoiler:Zeta]]:''' What a fashion statement, Dennis. Nice job showing your chicken legs and noodle arms.
138	* Player from ''VisualNovel/KokoroNoDokiDokiSenpai'' is a thin {{Otaku}} who watches anime.
139	[[/folder]]
140
141	[[folder:Webcomics]]
142	* Tedd from ''Webcomic/ElGoonishShive''. He even [[http://www.egscomics.com/?date=2007-11-24 sees himself as this]] during an ImagineSpot where he compares himself to other, "better" men [[MagicalGirlfriend Grace]] might meet at school.
143	* [[{{Keet}} Hanna]] from the eponymous ''Webcomic/HannaIsNotABoysName''. Tiny (around 5'3",) and skinny as a rail, but with wide shoulders and big hands that make him super awkward.
144	* [[{{Goth}} Jessica]] from ''WebComic/{{Freakwatch}}'' is quite nerdy, with an obvious fascination with puzzles, horror movies, and electronics, and is somewhat on the chunky side. [[BlackAndNerdy Warren,]] a fellow horror fan and RPG enthusiast, is rail-thin by contrast.
145	* Gary in ''Webcomic/MenageA3'' initially looks to fit the skinny pattern, exacerbated by his frequently poor posture. Really, though, he's just slim, and he seems to be in pretty good shape for someone who's never seen to take any exercise, to the point of averting the trope; the comic's female cast have no trouble finding him cute, even or especially when he's stripped. His friend Jung fits the overweight pattern (and lives in his mother’s basement) but is plump rather than morbidly obese. Other geeks seen in the comic mostly tend to the skinny, if only because they seem mostly to be gawky teens.
146	* Teenager Alex of ''Webcomic/SandraOnTheRocks'' more or less claims to fit the trope ("I'm a gamer! How would having abs help ME?"), but actually, he's pretty cute in a dorky way from the start -- and then his friend Marie (herself a slim teenage GamerChick) catches the physical fitness bug, and becomes determined to get him ripped.
147	[[/folder]]
148
149	[[folder:Web Original]]
150	* Ferret of the ''Literature/WhateleyUniverse''. So was Jobe, before he accidentally pulled a ProfessorGuineaPig and turned himself into a statuesque drow elf girl.
151	* Karl Hadrika's [[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YcchrgJgryo&t=655s "Becky Prim"]] proof-of-concept {{pilot}} has Norville, who's described in Hardika's Website/{{Tumblr}} [[http://karlhadrika.tumblr.com/ blog]] as a "horny sock puppet", which is not too far off of a description as he's pretty skinny chump with a [[LongNeck pencil neck]] that takes up a majority of his body.
152	[[/folder]]
153
154	[[folder:Western Animation]]
155	* ''WesternAnimation/{{Arcane}}'': Viktor is rather lean and gangly, and a highly intelligent scientist.
156	** Mostly justified in that he has a chronic illness ([[spoiler:which later becomes terminal]]) and has to walk with a leg brace and cane or crutch. Averted by his partner Jayce, who's built like a football linebacker and fights with [[CarryABigStick a massive hammer]].
157	* ''WesternAnimation/TheSimpsons'' had Homer's roommates when he was in college. Two thin, one fat, all geeks. The [[Recap/TheSimpsonsS6E14BartsComet Superfriends]] also had a mixture of thin and fat geeks.
158	** In episode 8 of season 6 Lisa gets a bad grade in gymnastics while she is excellent in all other school subjects. She is furious about this but when she tries to throw the [[https://media.tenor.com/QQ_66Eil-KYAAAAd/lisa-simpson-fail-gym.gif slip of paper into the rubbish bin she fails]], demonstrating that she is unfit for physical activity. Even though in the same episode she proves herself to be a good hockey goalie
159	* ''WesternAnimation/TotalDrama'':
160	** Harold
161	** To a lesser extent, Cody and Noah are both skinnier than any of the non-geeky guys, not to mention shorter.
162	* One of the scariest examples was found in an early episode of ''WesternAnimation/KingOfTheHill''.
163	* Flint Lockwood in Sony's ''WesternAnimation/CloudyWithAChanceOfMeatballs'', who also has [[EinsteinHair messy mad scientist hair]].
164	* ''WesternAnimation/{{Recess}}''.
165	** Gretchen Grundler.
166	** Vince's brother Chad as well. In fact, he looked nearly identical to [[Series/FamilyMatters Steve Urkel]].
167	* Steve, Snot and Toshi on ''WesternAnimation/AmericanDad''
168	* Ned from ''WesternAnimation/KimPossible''.
169	* Zoey from ''WesternAnimation/TheProudFamily''.
170	* Techrat from ''WesternAnimation/{{Jem}}'' is a lanky EvilGenius who works with Eric Raymond.
171	* In ''[[WesternAnimation/TeenageMutantNinjaTurtles2012 Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles]]'' (2012), Donatello, "The Brains", is taller and skinnier than his brothers. He also has a gap-toothed overbite.
172	* Timmy from ''WesternAnimation/WinxClub'' is rather scrawny compared to the uniformly-sculpted other male characters. This changes later on when he's no less muscular than the rest of them.
173	* Philly Phil from ''WesternAnimation/ClassOf3000'' is built like this despite being a BigEater. Possibly justified, as he tends to get caught up in Li'l D's shenanigans (which often require a good amount of physical activity) ''and'' a growing teenager.
174	* [[Characters/TheOwlHouseLuzNoceda Luz Noceda]] from ''WesternAnimation/TheOwlHouse'' is a RareFemaleExample, being a scrawny fantasy geek who in the first episode cursed her "weak nerd arms" for being unable to pull a lever. [[StrongAsTheyNeedToBe However, later episodes]] show that her time on the Boiling Isles has gotten her into much better shape [[MusclesAreMeaningless despite maintaining the same physique]], to the point that it takes several people to restrain her when she's delirious with a fever in "Eclispe Lake".
175	-->'''Gus:''' She is ''shockingly'' strong.
176	[[/folder]]
177
178	!! Fat Examples:
179	[[folder:Anime and Manga]]
180	* Choromatsu of ''Anime/OsomatsuSan'' generally averts it, as he looks fairly average despite his faux-intelligent attitude and geekery over his favorite idol. In "''Osomatsu-san'' Returns!", however, his popular self goes straight into this territory.
181	* ''Literature/{{Paprika}}'': Doctor Tokida is a genius scientist and neurologist who created the [=DC=] mini, a device that allows people to enter other people's dreams. He also compulsively overeats and is seriously obese because of it.
182	* ''Manga/LoveMeForWhoIAm'': Kame is a fat {{otaku}} and cosplay photographer who wears NerdGlasses.
183	[[/folder]]
184
185	[[folder:Comic Books]]
186	* Zodon of ''ComicBook/PS238''. Or at least his hologram. His true appearance appears to be rather normal, at least for a person with an oversized cranium whose lower body is never shown due to his hover chair.
187	%%* Kalish of ''ComicBook/UniversalWarOne''.
188	* ''ComicBook/TheBoys'': While it's unclear if the [=McGuinea=] brothers are actually geeks themselves, they do own a comic book shop and are both enormously fat.
189	[[/folder]]
190
191	[[folder:Films -- Live-Action]]
192	* ''Film/JurassicPark1993'': Dennis Nedry
193	* ''Film/LiveFreeOrDieHard'': [=W4RL0Q=]
194	* Maury Chaykin's "Jim Sting" in ''Film/WarGames'' (he's the one who calls Eddie Deezen "Mr. Potato Head").
195	* Glenn Whitman the hacker from ''Film/Transformers2007''.
196	[[/folder]]
197
198	[[folder:Literature]]
199	* ''Literature/BadNewsBallet'' has Gwen Hays, a straight A student in glasses who plays the piano--and while Mrs. [=McGee=] [[IAmBigBoned politely calls her "plump"]], her daughter [=McGee=] calls her fat.
200	* Oscar in ''Literature/TheBriefWondrousLifeOfOscarWao''--the 2008 Pulitzer Winner--is a hugely overweight Star Wars nerd from the Dominican Republic.
201	* One of Lisbeth Salander's few friends in Stieg Larsson's ''Literature/TheMillenniumTrilogy'' is an obese geek with poor social skills (except online).
202	* Harold Lauder of ''Literature/TheStand'' was overweight (in the novel, anyway; the miniseries turned him into a skinny geek).
203	%% * ''Literature/MaximumRide'''s [[MadScientist ter Borcht]] is described as fat. Is he evil? You get three guesses and the first two don't count.
204	* Literature/SherlockHolmes' brother Mycroft: possibly even more brilliant than Holmes but completely uninterested in physical activity beyond the minimum.
205	* In Cory Doctorow's ''[[http://baens-universe.com/articles/When_Sysadmins_Ruled_the_Earth When Sysadmins Ruled the Earth,]]'' the main character is "a type-one admin, with an extra seventy or eighty pounds all around the middle, and a neat but full beard that he wore over his extra chins. His tee said HELLO CTHULHU..."
206	* In ''Literature/ASongOfIceAndFire'', there's the bookish Samwell Tarly of the Night's Watch.
207	* Bill in ''Literature/DontCallMeIshmael''. He is bullied for both his weight and being a fan of Fantasy and science-fiction. He loses weight later in the series and becomes more self-confident, but even then he is still quite big.
208	* In ''Literature/AmericanGods'' the Technical Boy, new god of the Internet, is more often referred to as "the fat kid" because he looks like a portly BasementDweller crammed into a Matrix-reject trenchcoat. The tv series went for the opposite stereotype.
209	* Jim Cartright in ''[[Literature/TheFourHorsemenUniverse Cartwright's Cavaliers]]'' is a computer geek when he acquires control of his family's [[PrivateMilitaryContractors mercenary company]] after bankruptcy proceedings. He's quite fat as a consequence of his sedentary lifestyle and inheriting a genetic predisposition to obesity from his mother's side of the family; his employees finally browbeat him into exercising regularly on grounds that high-''g'' acceleration in space could actually kill him if he doesn't do more aerobics.
210	* ''Literature/{{Parrotfish}}'': Grady's little brother Charlie was born a sickly premature baby. He was spoiled rotten throughout his childhood and, as a result, he grew up lazy and bratty. Charlie's a chubby kid who is allowed to spend most of his time playing video games.
211	* ''Literature/SkippyDies'': Ruprecht, a string-theory obsessed TeenGenius with NoSocialSkills, is very fat and is constantly eating.
212	[[/folder]]
213
214	[[folder:Live-Action TV]]
215	* Sylvester from ''Series/{{Scorpion}}'' fits the "geeks are fat" dynamic.
216	* Wendell from ''Series/KeyAndPeele'', a morbidly obese geek with absolutely no social life. Best shown in a skit in which he fakes a conversation with his action figures so the pizza place doesn't realize his massive order is for just one person.
217	* Genius hacker Penelope Garcia in ''Series/CriminalMinds'', although like her colleague Reid in the “skinny geek” category, she manages double duty as MsFanservice. One episode has them prepping for a required FBI physical together, flopping and panting all over the place.
218	[[/folder]]
219
220	[[folder:Theater]]
221	* William Barfée from ''Theatre/TheTwentyFifthAnnualPutnamCountySpellingBee'', at least in most productions.
222	[[/folder]]
223
224	[[folder:Video Games]]
225	* ''VideoGame/ShovelKnight'' has [[GadgeteerGenius Tinker Knight]], who's not only fat, but also the tiniest member of the Order of No Quarter, and he prefers to work on his inventions rather than exploration like the others do. His boss battle shows this, as the only thing he does is running in panic while [[WrenchWhack throwing wrenches]] everywhere and breaking his nose on the ground. [[spoiler:When he pilots or commands at distance his [[HumongousMecha Tinker Tank]], however, it's another story.]]
226	[[/folder]]
227
228	[[folder:Visual Novels]]
229	* Sal Manella from the ''Franchise/AceAttorney'' games, more like a fat {{Otaku}}.
230	* Ultimate Fanfic Creator Hifumi Yamada (called Super High School Level {{Doujinshi}} Author in the original Japanese version) from ''Franchise/{{Danganronpa}}'' is so fat that [[spoiler:his weight becomes a key point in solving his murder case]].
231	* Marco from ''VisualNovel/DoubleHomework'' is way overweight with a homely face.
232	* In ''VisualNovel/SteinsGate'', MadScientist Rintaro Okabe is very skinny. PlayfulHacker Itaru Hashida, on the other hand, is extremely fat.
233	[[/folder]]
234
235	[[folder:Webcomics]]
236	* ''Webcomic/{{Erfworld}}'': Parson Gotti was a classic roleplaying nerd till he was summoned. He's slimming down recently. Those daily patrols through the whole city and the long rooms and tall stairwells in the main building must be helping. Natural Signamancy (the magic of making the appearance of things reflect their roles and personalities) would also play its part; Parson's determination to be more personally involved in the battles he directs is being represented in his physique.
237	* Jung in ''Webcomic/MenageA3'' definitely matches the plump version of the trope -- though he's not morbidly obese. See above on his "skinny" pal Gary.
238	* In ''Webcomic/OneOverZero'', when Marcus is walled, he asks Junior and Terra to describe [[AuthorAvatar Tailsteak]] to him. Terra figures that as a computer geek he must be either really fat or really skinny. Junior just lists a string of insults -- but since one of them was [[YouAreFat that he's fat]], Marcus concludes that as one of the few points the two agreed on, it must be true, and his Tailsteak effigy is made in that image.
239	* In ''Webcomic/SchlockMercenary'' Kevyn, resident MadScientist, has a bit of [[https://www.schlockmercenary.com/2007-03-21 a potbelly.]] Warrant Officer Thurl used to be obese before he got his head ripped off and the regeneration bot insisted on [[https://www.schlockmercenary.com/2001-11-07 fixing the problem.]]
240	* Downplayed in ''Webcomic/{{Megatokyo}}''--main protagonist Piro is a nerdy gamer and while it's not usually super obvious, one comic reveals that he's slightly chubby, though not obese.
241	[[/folder]]
242
243	[[folder:Web Original]]
244	* The [[AnthropomorphicPersonification Board-tan]] representing Website/FourChan's /tg/ (the board for discussing tabletop games) is drawn as either skinny or fat [[DependingOnTheArtist depending on the drawfag]].
245	* Website/SomethingAwful once featured a ''WebComic/{{XKCD}}'' parody with a shop that only sold T-shirts in sizes small and XXXXX-large.
246	* Open Source Greg of [[WebAnimation/TeenGirlSquad 4 Gregs]] is fat. The other 3 are skinny-ish, but in a StickFigureAnimation that's nothing unusual.
247	* ''Literature/WhateleyUniverse'' examples: Overclock, the Mountain Dew guzzling computer deviser, and Erlenmeyer, the chem deviser both. Belphegor (yes, his codename is Belphegor) definitely counts too.
248	[[/folder]]
249
250	[[folder:Western Animation]]
251	* ''WesternAnimation/{{Centaurworld}}'': The beartaur is a stereotypical fat, slovenly nerd, with double-bridged glasses and a prominent neckbeard.
252	* ''WesternAnimation/TheSimpsons'':
253	** The Comic Book Guy. In "[[Recap/TheSimpsonsS8E3TheHomerTheyFall The Homer They Fall]]", Comic Book Guy attempts to return a Franchise/StarTrek belt he won as a prize because it was sized medium, and "the average Trekker has no use for a ''medium-sized'' belt" (thus referencing both varieties of Geek Physique).
254	** Bart's nerdy classmate Martin Prince is pretty chubby. It's not usually referenced, but he does get sent to fat camp in "[[Recap/TheSimpsonsS4E1KampKrusty Kamp Krusty]]."
255	* Wade Load and Cousin Larry from ''WesternAnimation/KimPossible''.
256	* Reginald "Skull", a video-game crazed comic geek from ''WesternAnimation/MonsterHouse''.
257	* ''WesternAnimation/SpongeBobSquarePants'' has Bubble Bass, an obese bass. his recent appearances have portrayed him as a BasementDweller who obsesses over comic book characters like Mermaid Man and Barnacle Boy or Suburban Dad.
258	* On ''WesternAnimation/TotalDrama,'' both [[{{Meganekko}} Beth]] and [[IKnowMortalKombat Sam]] are {{Downplayed}} examples--she's plump and he is at least flabby, in contrast to the other characters who are mostly skinny girls, athletic guys or skinny geeks listed above.
259	* ''WesternAnimation/AmericanDad''
260	** Barry is obese. It's implied that the anti-psychotic meds he takes make him eat more.
261	** Steve is unusually strong when he's angry but always comes across as weedy whenever Stan tries to encourage him to do anything that involves strength. This is largely a case of DependingOnTheWriter.
262	* Lenny the obsessive Powerpuff Girls nerd in ''WesternAnimation/ThePowerpuffGirls1998'' episode "Collect Her".
263	[[/folder]]
264
265	!! Subversions:
266
267	[[folder:Anime & Manga]]
268	* At first glance, [[{{Otaku}} Hajime]] from ''Manga/ICantUnderstandWhatMyHusbandIsSaying'' appears to be a skinny example. [[ShirtlessScene Then he took off his shirt in episode 7]]. It's explicitly noted in the manga that he does exercises to keep himself fit, particularly in the abdominal region.
269	* Matt from ''Manga/DeathNote''. For someone who spends most of his time sitting around [[VideoGameCulture playing video games]] and appears to have a taste for junk food, he does have [[http://vignette2.wikia.nocookie.net/deathnote/images/c/c1/35.png/revision/latest?cb=20110507203616 nice biceps!]]
270	* Milluki Zoldyck of ''Manga/HunterXHunter'' looks and acts like a morbidly obese otaku... [[CrouchingMoronHiddenBadass but that doesn't change the fact that he's a member of the most dangerous assassin family on the planet.]]
271	[[/folder]]
272
273	[[folder: Live-Action TV]]
274	* In ''Series/TheGoodPlace'', Chidi, who was a philosophy professor and easily the nerdiest among the main cast, is quite ripped despite that. It's most evident in the episode [[Recap/TheGoodPlaceS3E04JeremyBearimy "Jeremy Bearimy"]], in which he gets a ShirtlessScene. The in-universe justification for this is because he started working out to deal with his anxiety.
275	* ''Series/LegendsOfTomorrow'' has Ray Palmer, who despite being the nerdiest on the team also is quite muscular.
276	[[/folder]]
277
278	[[folder:Video Games]]
279	* Homare Arisugawa from ''VideoGame/{{A3}}'' is a poet, a writer, and a huge fan of Creator/WilliamShakespeare, and is also known to wear glasses. However, he is a skilled ballroom dancer and has a strong core that helps him learn skateboarding quickly in ''SK∞ the Infinity × A3!'', and his bloomed [Emotional Orange] card also shows that he is quite built. [[spoiler:On top of that, in ''Snowfall Street'' PR event, he is capable of carrying Muku on his back while traversing through a snowstorm and the snowy terrain that caused Muku to slip and twist his ankle.]]
280	* [[MadBomber Plague Knight]] from ''VideoGame/ShovelKnight'' certainly is the skinniest of the Enchantress' knights, and he largely prefers to stay in his obscure lab experimenting new explosive potions. However, he's one of the hardest bosses to fight, as he [[TeleportSpam teleports everywhere]] and has various potions he throws in every directions, and his solo campaign shows that [[GeniusBruiser he's as much of a capable adventure]] as (if not more than) Shovel Knight himself.
281	* ''VideoGame/TalesFromTheBorderlands'': Vaughn is a typical short, skinny, bespectacled nerd, but when he takes his shirt off in the desert, both his best friend and worst enemy are shocked by how "weirdly buff" he is. He explains that he's been using the gym equipment in his office.
282	[[/folder]]
283
284	[[folder:Web Comics]]
285	* Justin from ''Webcomic/ElGoonishShive'' works at a comic shop, and has pretty much the personality you would expect considering his workplace, but since he's been doing martial arts for years he's actually in shape. Catalina's remark upon seeing him is [[http://egscomics.com/?date=2010-04-16 "Holy crap! Aren't comic book guys supposed to be grapefruit shaped?"]] like the nameless extras in the last panel (later [[http://www.egscomics.com/index.php?id=1873 identified]] as Rich [fat] and Larry [skinny]).
286	* Naps from ''Webcomic/{{SSDD}}'' actually works out, which is why Anne [[http://www.poisonedminds.com/d/20080515.html doesn't believe he worked in IT]] (not that he actually did, but his former co-workers did fit into both stereotypes.)
287	[[/folder]]
288
289	[[folder:Western Animation]]
290	* ''WesternAnimation/StarVsTheForcesOfEvil'' has an episode in which Marco arrives at a video store to purchase a rare tape in the hopes of getting his red belt. The store is run by what seems to be a guy that fits all of the stereotypes associated with nerdom. He tells Marco that he has the tape that he's been searching for. The price is two thousand dollars. Marco becomes discouraged but cheers up when the man offers him the tape for free on the condition that they fight for it. Marco agrees at which point the man stands up, revealing [[TestosteronePoisoning his perfectly fit and extremely muscular body.]]
291	[[/folder]]

Context Main / GeekPhysiques