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Fist Pump

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I swear that our cause will not fail!

A Stock Pose where a character, usually a guy, proclaims something he is determined to accomplish, or to express pride, where he holds up his fist to his shoulder, palm facing inward, and the fist might even shake a little.

The girly version of this has the arm bent outwards while the fist still faces inward. A variation is to pump one hand all the way up with the other hand doing a downward pump as if stretching.

This is called "Guts Pose" (Gatsu Pozu) in Wasei Eigo, which was apparently coined by Guts Ishimatsu.

Being Hot-Blooded or a Genki Girl will make this pose more likely. It can be accompanied by shouting Big "YES!".

This is so common, that it's spoofed as often as it's played straight. Some parodies even have the guy crying Manly Tears of pride.

Do not confuse with the Handshake Substitute "Fist Bump".

Compare Fist of Rage, Angry Fist-Shake or Milking the Giant Cow.


Examples:

    open/close all folders 

    Advertising 
  • In a Geico commercial with the figures from He-Man and the Masters of the Universe, Skeletor does a fist pump ("Yes!") after he distracts the heroes with the product's tag ("Switching to Geico could save you hundreds on car insurance") long enough to make a clean getaway.

    Anime and Manga 
  • Some of the club members in Cosplay Complex do this at various points.
  • In Azumanga Daioh, the boys are actually proud of the teacher Kimura admitting up front that he likes high school girls, and one guy does this pose.
  • Jun does this when he introduces Yurika as a singer in Martian Successor Nadesico.
  • Limone does this in a Wedding Peach Omake video.
  • Rock Lee of Naruto often does this, as does Sakura's inner alter ego early in the series.
  • One Piece: Luffy, more often than not.
  • Natsu from Fairy Tail when he gets FIRED-UP!
  • In Fate/stay night, Shirou does a subdued version of this, explaining that it's right and proper for people who are mortally wounded to die of their wounds, and thus, that it's okay for him to relinquish the power that had kept him alive when he should have died many times over, for the sake of protecting the one he loves.
  • In the Dragon Half OVA, Princess Vina slowly curls her fingers into one of these when she hears of the plan to get her self-proclaimed rival Mink into the Brutal Killer Martial Arts Tournament — Vina chooses to join as well in order to be the one to eliminate Mink.
  • Dr. STONE: When they part ways, Taiju raises his fist as a farewell gesture to Senku. Senku returns it by raising his "Science Flag".
  • Pokémon: The Series does this a lot when the main characters are excited after catching a Pokémon, landing a strong hit with an attack, or they win a Pokémon battle, or just about any other time that evokes excitement.

    Film — Animation 
  • Megamind: When Megamind is in disguise, trying to train Titan, he does this.
  • In Turning Red, Mei does this when declaring that she and her friends are 4*Townies.

    Film — Live Action 
  • Armageddon (1998): During the NASA meeting, Dr. Quincy does this gesture while explaining the person closes his/her fist around the firecracker and set it off.
  • Pirates of the Caribbean: At World's End: After Swann's Rousing Speech, Gibbs and the pirates erupted in a cheer. The pirates that weren't holding weapons pumped their fists in the air.
  • Star Trek: Generations:
    • After the Klingon Bird-of-Prey is destroyed, Data (who is under the influence of the emotion chip) does this gesture and gives a Big "YES!".
    • There's an extra in the background who also does a fist pump just before Data does it, then (out of universe) tries to hide the fact that he did it in order to not ruin Data's moment.
  • Used in Bruce Almighty, when Bruce ends his disastrous Maid of the Mist report by saying, "Back to you, fuckers!" In a cable TV edit anyway, because on VHS and DVD, Bruce gives us the finger.
  • The Breakfast Club fades out on Bender with his fist in the air, triumphant over the events of the day.
  • In Hot Shots! Part Deux, an Iraqi soldier does this after he and the protagonist manage to kill the Energizer Bunny.
  • Early on in Bumblebee, the titular character finds himself watching The Breakfast Club on Charlie's TV, and upon seeing the above-mentioned example replicates it out of amusement. By the end of the film, as Burns thanks Bumblebee for saving the day and shoots him a formal military salute, Bee responds by repeating the fist-pump.

    Literature 
  • Animorphs: When Cassie rescues Ketran from the Yeerk pool, she sees one of the Controllers shaking his fist in what looks like impotent rage. Except she knows that he's a mole, so he's really cheering her on.
  • In the Aunt Dimity series: After the successful confrontation with the Bowenists and their guru near the end of Aunt Dimity and the Village Witch, Bree Pym does one of these (with her arm out of her car window) as she drives away from Fairworth House.

    Music Video 
  • In the video 'The Final Countdown" of the Europe band, vocalist Joey Tempest makes this pose before the guitar ground, as we can see exactly 2:48.

    Live-Action TV 
  • The X-Files, "Arcadia": Agent Mulder wants to prove his theory on the case of the week, which involves people obsessing with housing rules and neatness. He carries out a very kitschy pink plastic flamingo and puts it up in the front yard. He looks around confidently and pumps his both fists, and says: "Bring it on!"
  • Power Rangers, obsessively. Comes in the same package as the exaggerated gesturing done when wearing those face-concealing helmets. It's especially big in Mighty Morphin' Power Rangers, where Jason would say something with a fist-pump and a Head Bob, and the others would repeat it or say "right!" with the same gesture.
  • Murphy does it in an episode of Murphy Brown while expressing enthusiasm for getting a scoop interview.
  • On Arrow, Oliver and Diggle are impatiently waiting for Felicity to hack a bad guy's computer. "Just so you know, when I finish, I'll put my fist in the air and say 'Yeah!'". Later, when she finally succeeds, she does exactly that.
    Felicity: Wow. I really do do that.
  • Arrested Development: Steve Holt's catchphrase is shouting "STEVE HOLT!" with raised arms.
  • Young Sheldon: In The Tag of "Seven Deadly Sins and a Small Carl Sagan", Sheldon does one after one of the adults he trick-or-treats finally recognizes him as Carl Sagan and he feels vindication, "the sweetest candy of all".

    Video Games 
  • Flash Gitz in Dawn of War occasionally does this while firing their enormous, two-handed BFGs.
  • In Chrono Trigger, Chrono does this after every battle. And once in the ending when he's called to action one last time.
  • Ace Combat: Assault Horizon: In the final scene, William Bishop does a fist pump in front of a cheering crowd upon climbing out of his plane after the Final Battle. The fact that this action is implemented as a Quick Time Event led to a minor Memetic Mutation among the fans.
  • Final Fantasy:
    • In the Nintendo DS remake of Final Fantasy III, Ingus does this gesture when he levels up.
    • Barrett of Final Fantasy VII repeatedly pumps his fist for his victory pose.
    • Zell of Final Fantasy VIII has this in his stock body language animations, as well as a more enthusiastic version in his victory pose.
  • Persona 4:
    • Kanji being the youngest on the investigation team, and easily excited, does a fist pump as his victory pose.
    • In the updated rerelease "Golden", The Main Character will do a fist pump as his victory pose when he's wearing the red ranger costume.
  • Marion does this at the end of the opening movie of Gunbird on the Sega Saturn.
  • Krazy Ivan have you doing this at the start of a mission, when you receive news of more aliens to kill using your giant mecha. Appropriate, since your character is quite a Blood Knight.
  • The Legend of Heroes: Trails of Cold Steel has Rean constantly do this when he's firing up his classmates and students.

    Webcomics 

    Web Original 

    Web Video 
  • The Lizzie Bennet Diaries: According to Lizzie, this is what Mrs Bennet did at Ellen Gibson's wedding when she was enjoying her success as a matchmaker when her daughter Jane and Bing hit it off, dancing together song after song. Let's hope Lizzie meant it metaphorically.
    Lizzie: Then [I was] watching mom pump her fist so that everyone in the world knew of her unbridled success.

    Western Animation 

Alternative Title(s): Fist Of Enthusiasm

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