History Main / HandSignals

* ''Literature/HaruhiSuzumiya'': In the first season's BaseballEpisode, the title character uses overly complicated hand signals to give instructions to Kyon and Mikuru. Problem is, she didnt bother to tell her teammates what the signs meant, so Kyon snarks about her trying to [[MagicalGesture cast a spell]] to reduce the opposing pitcher's stats.
* The five main ninja villages in ''Manga/{{Naruto}}'' each have their own version of military Hand Signals, though some overlap is obvious and visible.

* In ''Manga/Eyeshield21'', Mamori and Hiruma devise a system of hand signals to use during games. Hiruma, smart-ass that he is, demonstrates by spelling out the message "The team manager secretly ate all [[TrademarkFavoriteFood the cream puffs]]."

* Manga/{{Toriko}}'s fellow Gourmet Hunter Zebra resorts to this whenever the latter wears out his voice through overuse of his SuperScream.
* ''Manga/StellaWomensAcademyHighSchoolDivisionClassC3'' has an excellent example of hand signals used to coordinate bounding overwatch and fire and maneuver.
* ''Manga/BlackLagoon'' anime episode 10 "The Unstoppable Chambermaid". Revy and Roberta are in a MexicanStandoff, each with a gun to the other's head. Balalaika raises one hand in the air to signal to two of her snipers to shoot the guns out of their hands.

* Used in ''Manga/JojosBizarreAdventureStardustCrusaders'' when the heroes are preparing to dive; Joseph explains how to communicate underwater by hand signals, when [[ChivalrousPervert Polnareff]] shows a hand signal of his own... which [[TheComicallySerious Kakyoin]] casually (and correctly) interprets as "your panties are showing".
* ''Manga/AssassinationClassroom'' has a brief moment during the island arc where [[FemmeFatale Ms. Jelavić]] uses her skills as a social manipulator to distract some guards with piano playing that amazes everyone present, including the students. When the guards are sufficiently distracted, she makes subtle hand gestures to signal them to move on. [[JustifiedTrope Justified]], since [[SternTeacher Mr. Karasuma]] offhandedly mentions earlier that he drilled the class on hand signals during PE.
-->'''Ms. Jelavić (via signalling):''' I just bought you your twenty minutes. Get moving.
* ''Manga/DungeonFriendsForever'': Ryuuka and Van have their own sign language they can use to talk to one another that's developed enough to have an entire conversation without either speaking a word out loud.
* In one episode of ''Anime/MartianSuccessorNadesico'', Jun accidentally injures himself on the neck while trying to pilot an Aestevalis (he forgot to wear a pilot suit), which leaves him unable to speak. While laying on a stretcher, he uses baseball signs to explain to Akito what he was doing, with [[MsExposition Inez]] translating for him.
* ''Manga/UzakiChanWantsToHangOut'': In Episode 2, Sakurai is eating at the cafeteria and Uzaki spots him from the other side. She then begins to do some hand signs to ask him if he's okay over there, and he only stares at her confused, not understanding what she's saying, to her annoyance.

* In a scene in ''Manhwa/{{Yureka}}'', a CloudCuckoolander and a [[StraightMan girl wondering about both their sanity]] hold a conversation from their respective windows on two opposite sides of a courtyard entirely in sweeping motions, conveniently translated for the reader.

** Also shows up in ''Series/StargateAtlantis'' under much the same circumstances. For example, during one confrontation with the Wraith, [=MacKay=] witnesses a group of marines using hand signals to communicate. Signals which [=MacKay=] fails to understand.

* ''Manga/UzakiChanWantsToHangOut'': In Episode 2, Sakurai is eating at the cafeteria and Uzaki spots him from the other. She then begins to do some hand signs to ask him if he's okay over there, and he only stares at her confused, not understanding what she's saying, to her annoyance.

* ''Series/TheLWord'': Jodi is deaf and speaks using ASL. Bette learned this language, too, so she could communicate with Jodi, after [[spoiler:they become a couple]]. We are also treated to a silent shouting match between Jodi and her ex which [[FlippingTheBird culminated in a sign that required no proficiency in a sign language to understand]], and a little bit of actual shouting which included dual [[PrecisionFStrike f-bombs]].

* Manga/{{Toriko}}'s fellow Gourmet Hunter Zebra resorts to this whenever the latter wears out his voice through overuse of MakeMeWannaShout.

* ''Day of Defeat'' has stock phrases in voice (which good bots understand) doubled in silent signals.

* In VideoGame/HalfLife2, combine soldiers often use hand signals to coordinate their squad's movement, [[ArtificialBrilliance with the other soldiers' AI actually responding to these signals]]. The possible signals are "Advance", "Forward", "Group", "Halt", "Left", "Right" and "Take Cover", and each signal has a unique animation.
** Similarly, in VideoGame/HalfLifeAlyx, combine ordinals will sometimes use hand signals to give orders to their squadmates.

** ''1st Gig'' episode "In the Forest of Pupae – PORTRAITZ". The Major and Batou use this when they infiltrate a youth reform facility for fear of having their comms intercepted/destroyed/hacked after losing contact with Togusa.

* In ''VideoGame/MetalGearSolid4,'' you can sometimes spot a PMC squad leader giving hand signals to direct his troops around an area. [[GeniusBonus Savvy players will notice]] that, in higher difficulties where the troops operate with more realistic tactics, the gestures actually indicate what they're going to do next, letting the player anticipate or track their movement.

-->-- '''Brock Samson''' to Hank Venture, ''WesternAnimation/TheVentureBrothers''

* ''WesternAnimation/TheVentureBrothers'':