Times where somebody gets informed that "This is Not a Game" in Anime and Manga.
- In Accel World, Chiyuri "Chiyu" Kurashima initially thinks of Brain Burst as a fighting game and that her friends Takumu "Taku" Mayuzumi and Haruyuki "Haru" Arita are taking it too seriously. In reality, it's more than a game, since the ability to accelerate brings all sorts of real-life advantages, and people are willing to do unethical things to obtain the points they need to survive, so Haru and Taku make sure to warn Chiyu about this. Chiyu is disabused of her naivete when a hostile Burst Linker named Seiji Nomi shows up and forces her and Haru to do his bidding.
- Very early on in the Bokurano anime, Moji says this phrase almost verbatim early on, when the group is debating whether to continue with the game or to tell the authorities about it. At that point, the group has some inkling of the fact that they didn't sign up for a video game, but they don't yet realize that piloting the robot results in your death, and the loser's universe is destroyed.
- In Date A Live, Shido is very uncomfortable about his mission to seduce extremely powerful Spirits so they don't destroy the world. Kotori tells him that it doesn't matter if he gets killed, he can just press continue and start over with a new life. Annoyed, Shido says this is not a game, this is serious. Shido was not aware, but Kotori was, that he had a powerful Healing Factor and can come back from seemingly mortal wounds.
- Death Note
- After the task force meets L, he gives them special belts that, when pressed, call L's cell phone. Matsuda, the youngest and least experienced member, gets excited at what looks like a spy gadget, but Soichiro Yagami, chief of the task force, calls him out on acting like it's a game.
- During Light Yagami's first meeting with Misa Amane, who sent video tapes supposedly by Kira (Light's alias as a Serial Killer who kills criminals) to be broadcast nationally in hopes of arranging to meet him, Light warns her that this isn't a game, and that he's fighting to reform society. Since Misa's actions result in the task force gaining key information and getting that much closer to catching him, his irritation with Misa's carelessness is understandable.
- Digimon:
- In Digimon Adventure, Taichi gets reckless after he learns he's in Cyberspace, thinking that the Digital World's only virtual and there's no real danger. He's eventually set straight that it's as real as Earth, with no extra lives or continues, and has a Heroic BSoD over how his recklessness could've killed him.
- Ken mistakes the Digital World to actually BE a game in Digimon Adventure 02, not knowing he was enslaving real beings and, upon his defeat and before joining the group, threatens to "reset the Digital World".
- Also shows up in Digimon Tamers. After learning that Digimon are real, Hirokazu and Kenta think that being a Tamer and fighting evil Digimon is the coolest thing ever. When they want to accompany Takato to one of these fights, Takato nixes it, invoking this trope.
- Jiangliang got a taste of this trope before the series started. Prior to the series, he absolutely loved playing the Digimon computer game. Then one day after receiving a new edition of it from his father, he picked Terriermon as his starter. After some play, Jiangliang slowly realizes that it's real. After gaining Terriermon as his partner, Jiangliang swears off fighting and becomes an Actual Pacifist.
- Takuya from Digimon Frontier, who realises this after his reckless plan to defeat Duskmon fails. He's also told this by Kouji, who scolds him for the aforementioned plan before they carry it out.
- In Digimon Fusion, Yuu is tricked by Dark Knightmon into thinking that the Digital World is just a game (similarly to Ken, minus one Dark Seed).
- Dragon Ball Super: Trunks and Goten offer to help Officer Krillin lead a raid on Dr. Hedo's laboratory and start gushing about how cool and fun it is to be superheroes and beat up bad guys. Krillin angrily says this is not a game.
- In Final Fantasy: Lost Stranger, Randolph coldly tells Shogo to stop treating adventuring like a game after Yuko dies to the Mist Dragon. Of course, all of this was a game to Shogo until recently.
- Jojos Bizarre Adventure:
- In Jo Jos Bizarre Adventure Phantom Blood, when Jonathan fights Jack the Ripper, his mentor Baron Zeppeli gives him a test- he must defeat Jack without spilling a drop of the wine, or else Zeppeli will abandon him. Speedwagon says, "Hey, old man! This isn't a game we're playing! Are you sane?" but Zeppeli tells him to be quiet. Jojo, who understands what Zeppeli is asking of him, is able to pass the test and thus be prepared for future battles.
- In JoJo's Bizarre Adventure: Diamond is Unbreakable, when Josuke fights the Nijimura brothers, he gets the first hit in on Okuyasu, the younger brother, despite the latter having an extremely powerful Stand. Keicho, the elder brother, calls Okuyasu out on not using his ability to the fullest potential.Keicho: This isn't a game, Okuyasu! Just thinking of the terrific power of your Stand- The Hand- is enough to make even me quake, so use it properly!
- In the dub of JoJo's Bizarre Adventure: Golden Wind, when a young Narancia asks if Bucciarati can make him a mafioso, Bucciarati angrily says, "This isn't some game we're playing, you eager shithead!" Narancia is dissuaded for the moment, but eventually decides to join Passione, the organization Bucciarati is a part of, without the latter's knowledge.
- In MÄR, the evil Chess Pieces have created a War Game where the last remaining strong good guys can fight against them in a final struggle for the fate of the world. When attacking the land of wizards, Kaldea, the Big Bad Phantom comes across The Protagonist Ginta, and fights him off without any effort. As said fight was not during the war games, Phantom let him live, saying that "today's fight was just for fun." Ginta promptly goes berserk, exclaiming that it is NOT a game.
- Mobile Suit Gundam: The Witch from Mercury: At the Asticassia School of Technology, non-lethal duels between mobile suits determine everything. But when terrorists attack, the students are shocked and horrified at the deadly violence the mobile suits they've gotten used to piloting are capable of.
- In Naruto, Kakashi Hatake berates Sasuke, Sakura, and Naruto for not taking their training seriously enough. He even says, "You think this is all a game"; he makes a point by holding Sasuke hostage and giving Sakura the option to either kill Naruto or he [Sasuke] dies. After explaining how dangerous the shinobi world can really be, and how many lives are lost from mistakes or childishness, the trio finally get what it means to be "a team".
- One Piece:
- 10 years prior to the start of the story, Shanks told Luffy that being a pirate is not a game. When Luffy gets captured by the bandit Higuma, Shanks has to teach Luffy some lessons how dangerous it is to live as a pirate.
- When one of Dragon's subordinates in the Revolutionary Army celebrates winning a battle, Dragon sternly reminds him that this is war, and victories should not be celebrated.
- In a flashback, Igaram uses this phrase regarding Vivi's proposal to infiltrate Baroque Works to find out the identity of the mastermind behind the conspiracy threatening the kingdom of Alabasta. Vivi, however, is aware of the risks and entirely serious about wanting to save Alabasta, so Igaram goes along with her plan.
- In the Water 7 arc, Rob Lucci says this phrase verbatim to the Marines who greet him as he boards the sea train. Despite the fact that he's secured both his mission objectives, he's on his way out of the city and his enemies are dead(or at least unable to pursue him), he also scolds Kalifa for relaxing, since the mission isn't over yet. His caution is entirely warranted, since the Straw Hats are already planning on pursuing Lucci and the others to rescue Robin.Lucci: This isn't a game. Look sharp! Everyone board the train!
- After Zoro tells the crew that Usopp shouldn't be allowed back into the crew until he apologizes for his insubordination, he caps off the speech by saying that they "aren't playing a game of being pirates."
- Shinobu uses this phrase after an argument ensues over who leaked the plans to attack Orochi's forces on the night of the festival.Shinobu: We're not playing a game here! We've been waiting for this moment for 20 years! If we fail this time, we'll never have another chance!
- Kaido repeatedly uses this against the Worst Generation while dismissively deriding them as too weak to threaten him.
- In A Place Further than the Universe, Shirase says this phrase almost verbatim to Hinata when the latter asks to join Shirase and Kimari's plan to join a civilian expedition to Antarctica. Considering that the reason why Shirase joined is in an attempt to find her mother, who disappeared on the last expedition three years ago, and had previously tested Kimari's commitment, you can see Shirase means this. Hinata insists she's serious about it, and convinces Shirase to let her join.
- Pokémon: The Original Series: In the episode spent in the Orange Islands, Team Rocket tells the twerps that "this isn't a video game?"
- In Spy X Family, after Anya gets a Stella Star- an academic honor that allows one to become an Imperial Scholar if eight are collected- her adoptive parents Loid and Yor offer a reward, and she asks for a dog. Yor then cautions Anya that being a pet owner isn't game.
- Summer Wars is about an A.I. hacking into an online virtual world that the real world uses for nearly everything. When the protagonists try to stop it, their families gradually realize the activities they have been playing on their handheld devices isn't exactly a game...
- The eponymous Sword Art Online was designed so players who logged in couldn't log out, Permadeath was in effect, and in-game death (or attempting to remove the Nervgear headset in the real world) would kill the player in the real world. Panic sets in when most of the players realize that, until they can defeat the final boss, SAO has become their new reality. The Black Moon Guild in particular learn this the hard way when they go into a dungeon that's too high for that level and decide to open a treasure chest without checking it for traps first, which not only summons a horde of monsters but also traps them inside and disables their crystals, which could potentially be used to teleport themselves out or heal.
- In Yu-Gi-Oh! ARC-V, Shun Kurosaki uses this line when Reiji says his little sibling Reira will join them on their quest, pointing out life and death duels are no place for children. Reiji assures Reira's skills make up for his youth.
- In Yuri is My Job!, Mitsuki is not happy with Hime's frequent slip-ups while working at the salon. When Hime realizes that Mitsuki was her former friend from elementary school, tensions between the two reach an all-time high, which is especially troubling since their "characters" in the salon are "schwestern" with each other. When Hime considers breaking off their schwester relationship, Mitsuki asks her, "You do realize that this isn't something you can break off that easily, right? This isn't a game! This is part of your job!"
