A great shock is emphasized in the background with metaphorical lightning. As a gag, the character might be literally shocked as a result.
Not to be confused with
Lightning Glare or
Beam of Enlightenment. Or
Dramatic Thunder, which is...
dramatic. And thunder. For a more direct metaphor of the effects of being struck by
actual lightning (or other electric surges), see
X-Ray Sparks.
Also not to be confused with
Pikachu's signature attack.
Examples:
- Experienced by both Nagisa and her theatrical mother, Sanae, CLANNAD. In Nagisa's case, her antennae-hair is temporarily withered as a result.
- Many times in Lucky Star.
- Sakaki from Azumanga Daioh, overwhelmed by the cuteness of a photo of kittens.
- Same series, when Kaorin and Chihiro discover that Chiyo not only makes her own lunch, but is actually quite good at it.
- Exploited in Tsunami Channel, with one comic having the characters intentionally saying shocking (untrue) things (i.e. "I'm pregnant!") in order to repeatedly electrocute another character.
- Happened to Misaki in Kaichouwa Maidsama, when Hinata chooses "Misa-chan" in a photo op prize should he win the Sweets eating event in the Maid Latte.
- This happened to Setsuna in Negima!!? when she made a particularly bad word-play joke (uncharacteristic of her in that she made a joke at all). She apologized for it after the lightning cleared.
- Used often by the members of the Ouran High School Host Club, especially by the highly theatrical Idiot King, Tamaki.
- Amusingly enough in the anime the resulting lightning bolt will actually hit Tamaki resulting in X-Ray Sparks more often than not.
- In the Magical Girl Lyrical Nanoha StrikerS supplementary manga, privates Alto and Lucino gush over a cute, floating, child-like mage in a military uniform... shortly before said mage floats over to them and introduces herself as Sergeant Major Reinforce Zwei, their superior officer. Cue Thunder Shock.
- Shows up in a Freak Out in Phoenix Wright. Damon Gant's, to be specific.
- Used interchangeably with the Beam of Enlightenment in Ranma 1/2, both for comedic and serious purposes, but mostly the former.
- To Aru Majutsu no Index: Index and Aisa (plus a Color Failure), when Komoe starts happily talking about how Touma was a naughty boy, and how "various things" happened. Though in this case it's more like a Thunder Rage: "Another one?" "That bastard."
- Expertly lampshaded in Dexter's Laboratory with both Mandark and his Sister Olga.
- Scar, Serial Killer on a Roaring Rampage of Revenge in Fullmetal Alchemist, has this reaction when he sees Xiao Mei, a tiny panda.
