History Main / InASingleBound

** It also helps that most jumping insects don't use muscle contractions themselves to jump. They compress or extend elastic material in their legs over several seconds. This potential energy is then released all at once and they go flying off like an arrow from a bow.

* ''VideoGame/{{Ultrakill}}'': Whether [[GoodBadBugs by accident]] or design, there are several ways to exploit the game's physics engine to enable V1 to jump impossible distances even without the assistance of explosions.

* In ''WesternAnimation/TurningRed'', the explosive poof of smoke Mei creates when she transforms can be used to jump very high.

* ''Literature/{{Domina}}'': Akane's SuperSpeed lets her do this. It seems to have something to do with stacking inertia or something, but she doesn't worry about the details too much. She just says that physics get "bendy" when she uses her power.

* Some of the {{Sub Boss}}es in ''VideoGame/OdinSphere'' have Mario-like jumping ability. The mains aren't far off, although at least two of them are wholly or partially capable of flight.
* ''VideoGame/RawFootage'': Whenever the monster you're tracking leaves the game map, it jumps straight up at high speeds.
* ''Franchise/SuperMarioBros'': Practically everybody. Mario in particular is FamedInStory as the best jumper in the Mushroom Kingdom, [[NoRespectGuy despite Luigi's jumps being visibly higher]].
* Lara Croft in the early ''Franchise/TombRaider'' games, though more recent installments have toned down her jumping ability to a more realistic level.
* Zigzagged in ''Franchise/MassEffect''. Most of the time anyone ever makes any kind of implausible jump, even in cutscenes, is while escaping a spacecraft in a high parking orbit where the gravity is pretty darned weak, but played straight with [[SuperpoweredMooks Geth Hoppers]] in the first game and Saren's OneWingedAngel form, which can leap many times their own height and stick to walls.

* Most {{fighting game}}s involve implausible jumping skills involving characters who can, from a standing position, reach vertical displacements of several times their height and great distances forward. ''VideoGame/BushidoBlade'' notably averted this, allowing the players to barely manage to jump their height, and that only with the lighter characters wielding smaller weapons.
* Probably the most extreme are some of Creator/{{Capcom}}'s ''[[VideoGame/CapcomVs Versus]]'' games where you could literally jump to heights around 50 times the height of your standard character. Even more impressive for the miniscule Servbot, who is jumping at least 200 times his height.
* ''Franchise/{{Metroid}}'': The ''[[VideoGame/Metroid1 original game]]'' and various sequels have the Space Jump Boots and/or the Screw Attack, which allow you to jump off of thin air once and/or many times. Combined with Samus' ability to jump several yards already, this makes for some impressive heights.
* In ''VideoGame/SlimeRancher2'', the rabbit-like cotton slimes can easily jump over the highest corral walls, so you'll need to buy an air net to keep them contained.

* ''VideoGame/TheElderScrollsIIIMorrowind'':
** A maxed out Acrobatics skill will allow the player to jump about 2 stories straight up into the air. One's jumping ability can also be augmented with a "Jump" spell, further increasing it.
** Spoofed when it comes to the enchanter Tarhiel and his Scrolls of [[IcarusAllusion Icarian Flight]]. Not far from the FirstTown, you may witness him plummet from the sky and die upon impact with the ground. (It is possible to save him by casting a Slowfall spell on him, but he'll only say "I don't want to talk about it..." and you can't get the scrolls unless you then kill him.) You'll find his journal and his three remaining scrolls on his body. Reading his journal, you'll find that he sought to create the ultimate Jump spell, allowing one to travel hundreds of miles in a single bound. [[GoneHorriblyRight And he succeeded]]. Unfortunately, the spell only lasts 7 seconds, which means you no longer have the power to safely ''land''[[note]]the way the game mechanics work, Icarian Flight ''does'' grant the RequiredSecondaryPowers to land safely, but only while the spell is active[[/note]]. The scrolls are NotCompletelyUseless though, as you can survive the jumps by using another scroll before landing, casting a Slowfall spell, casting a Levitate spell, or by landing in a [[SoftWater deep enough body of water]].

* ''VideoGame/KrazyIvan'' has a robot boss, Thunderfoot, who despite being a TopHeavyGuy (two skinny, dinky robot legs carrying a broad upper body containing dozens and dozens of shoulder-mounted turret) can jump effortlessly all over the area, hopping ''over'' you to avoid your attacks.
* Characters in ''VideoGame/SaintsRowIV'' can jump at least four stories upwards. And run UP the side of building to take a running leap off the top. ''And'' glide to descend. It all adds up to functional flight, at least insofar as traversing a single city is concerned.
* ''VideoGame/{{Unreal}}'', ''VideoGame/UnrealTournament'' and ''VideoGame/UnrealTournamentIII'' have [=AntiGrav=] Boots which will enhance your next three jumps, allowing you to catapult yourself to the top of a level. While walking, you won't boot-jump, just regular-jump.
* ''VideoGame/BanjoTooie'' has the Springy Step Shoes, and also the Leg Spring ability learned by Kazooie solo.
* Implemented poorly like everything else in ''VideoGame/RedNinjaEndOfHonor''. You have a high jump scroll that makes you do...high jumps. It however does not specify that you can actually jump anywhere except straight up, and they mean "high" as in "comparatively higher than your normal jump". Considering the titular character can simply use her grappling hook to launch her onto rooftops, one wonders why this thing is even in the game at all...

* Superman can jump really, really high in the NES Superman game. The perfectly ordinary Clark Kent can jump just as high.
** Jumping as Superman in that particular NES game, if you were right next to a building, would trigger a "Leap tall buildings in a single bound" cutscene and put you on a different part of the city
* ''[[VideoGame/UltimateSpiderMan2005 Ultimate Spider-Man]]'': Venom cannot webswing. However, he doesn't have to since the button for webswinging while playing as Spider-Man is changed to a super jump that easily lets Venom clear a ten story building and a couple city blocks.

* In ''VideoGame/InFamous2'', Cole gains the ability to leap high by boosting off of the tops of cars. [[spoiler:If he gains Kuo's ice powers, he can jump higher still by leaping off of a column of ice created at his feet.]]
* ''VideoGame/{{Canabalt}}'' is all about jumping higher then physically possible.
* Both averted and played straight in ''VideoGame/DeusEx''. By default J.C. can't even jump as high as a normal human being could, but with the right nanotech implant and upgrades he can jump absurdly high.

* In ''VideoGame/BlazBlue'', this is surprisingly performed by resident MightyGlacier Iron Tager. In his Genesic Emerald Tager Buster [[LimitBreak Distortion Drive]], he throws the victim into the air at least five times his considerable height, then jumps after him/her/it without apparent assistance and catches the victim for a MeteorMove. It hurts as much as you'd think it does.
* Tager's Astral Heat, which involves him jumping into [[TabletopGame/{{Warhammer}} SPESS]] and pile-driving them.

* The heroes of ''VideoGame/TheLegendOfKage'' and its SpiritualSuccessor, ''Demon Sword'' can jump nearly the height of the screen.
* Ditto for ''VideoGame/LowGMan'' who, when fully powered-up, can jump up to 20 times his own height.
* In the first ''VideoGame/DarkCloud'', every single human in Matataki Village and Seda have this ability, though it's usually just vertical. Goro is the best at it until he suffers from the Law of NPC Relativity upon joining your party. Monica Raybrandt in the second combines the horizontal and vertical aspects. Gaspard isn't quite as impressive, but flipping over Monica could qualify.
* [[PlayerCharacter The Agent]] in ''VideoGame/{{Crackdown}}'' initially can't jump higher than a normal person, but can [[CharacterLevel max out his agility]] to leap fifty feet in the air. At that point driving a car to get around the city is optional as the Agent can leap across rooftops.
* ''VideoGame/BloodRayne'': Rayne can jump insanely high (maybe ten stories or so) and land lightly on her feet, probably because she's a half-vampire. Oddly, most of the first game is set indoors, so the crazy jumping powers aren't usually necessary. They do make it convenient to get around, though.
* In ''VideoGame/LegendOfSuccessJoe'', the ruffian and Harimao can jump high enough to clear the screen. Yet the player has no jumping ability, which is odd for a video game.

* This is [[VideoGame/AsurasWrath Asura's]] usual method of jumping to really high distances.
* In addition to its original effect of SuperSpeed, the Bunny Hood item in the ''VideoGame/SuperSmashBros'' series greatly increasing the jumping ability of its wearer. In the case of characters like Luigi and Falco who already jump extremely high as it is, it'll make them go flying off the top of the screen on a small level (Which fortunately isn't fatal).
* Omnipresent in ''VideoGame/MetalGearRisingRevengeance''. Even generic mooks can jump their own height or more and custom cyborgs like Raiden and the Winds of Destruction can do much better.
* Artorias in the DLC for ''VideoGame/DarkSouls'' is capable of launching himself across the arena in which you fight him. Bonus points for seemingly hanging in the air for a split second after the jump before rocketing toward you sword first.
** Later in the series, [[spoiler:Slave Knight Gael]] manages some ''ridiculous'' leaps in ''VideoGame/DarkSoulsIII'' DLC, which generally end with his sword being brought into close proximity with your all too fragile internal organs. In another world, dude could have had a ''great'' basketball career.

* The cyberjump ability in ''VideoGame/EYEDivineCybermancy'' ramps up your [[CyBorg prosthetic legs]]' muscles, allowing you to vault several meters into the air. Leveling up the agility stat and buying improved cyberlegs allows you to jump several stories into the air, useful for {{Goomba Stomp}}ing enemies.
* Pantheon from ''VideoGame/LeagueOfLegends'' is famous for his ultimate, Grand Skyfall, where he jumps and a few seconds later, lands with a giant shockwave that deals massive damage and slowing enemies caught in the radius. He can jump as far as ''half'' the whole map, and before it was nerfed for CompetitiveBalance, he can jump to ''anywhere'' on the map.
* Appears as the hilarious result of a {{Good Bad Bug|s}} in ''[=Major League Baseball 2K6=]'', where an outfielder can [[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vr9sy37GIRc rob someone of a home run]] heading over the 35-foot-high Green Monster at Fenway Park.
* The monsters in ''VideoGame/WarOfTheMonsters'' have some impressive reach for {{Kaiju}}s that can easily knock buildings down with little trouble. Though somewhat justified for Preytor and Raptros, as they do propel themselves with their wings in the animation.
* The Hi-Jump ability allows Franchise/{{Kirby}} to pull off one of these, which he can also use as a means of tackling enemies.
* The Goliath in ''VideoGame/{{Evolve}}'' can make massive leaps to cover ground quickly through a combination of the physics fuckery innate to the monsters and raw physical power.
* Rean Schwarzer in ''VideoGame/TheLegendOfHeroesTrailsOfColdSteel'' jumps really high whenever he uses his SuperpoweredEvilSide to boost his jumping power. It only happens [[CutscenePowerToTheMax in cutscenes however.]]
* The Heat Spear from ''VideoGame/DragonProject'' allows the wielder to pull off its special attack, Skyfall, by moving a cursor on the Behemoth to jump high up into the sky and impale said Behemoth with massive elemental damage. To get the best damage, the Heat meter must be full before the wielder activates Skyfall.
* In the ''VideoGame/EarthAndSky'' series, the [[ClothesMakeTheSuperman earthsuit]] gives its wearer a collection of strength-related powers, including enhanced jumping. In "Another Earth, Another Sky", he circumnavigates a planet in four leaps -- admittedly it's quite a small planet, but that's still impressive.
* The high jump power-up from ''VideoGame/{{Ghostrunner}}'' lets you rocket maybe forty feet up in the air and launch forward with almost as much force. You only get one high jump per power-up though, and you only have a few seconds to use it. It is mainly used in platforming sections for some variety, but it also appears in a few battles to let you get the jump on enemies picking you off from the opposite side of the field.
* In ''VideoGame/SwordOfRapier'', Katharine can leap into the air to pursue launched enemies with either her rapier or spells with {{launch|erMove}}ing properties, and she can continue continue to pursue launched enemies each time they are launched upwards as much as their MP can allow.

* ''Webcomic/EightBitTheater'' has a Dragoon with the ability to make insanely high jumps... so long as there is someone to land on. It ''is'' a jump '''attack''', after all. In keeping with the series, Black Mage is [[TheChewToy the usual landing spot]].
** It also seems that he needs his spear, as after it accidentally got teleported away (it was stuck through Black Mage at the time), he hasn't jumped even once. He also commented "I ''needed'' that spear".

* ''Webcomic/KillSixBillionDemons'': In the Ring of Power, after [[spoiler: Allison puts on Cio's mask and the two enter a shared-body SuperMode via consensual DemonicPossession]], they jump up with such strength that they shatter the platform they were standing on and go right through the giant dome above.

** In fact, Cure Happy's secondary power in ''Anime/SmilePreCure'' is centered around this.

* Anyone in ''Film/TheMatrix'' can jump like this, while Neo later flies. However, when he first tried to jump between two skyscrapers as part of his training, he failed miserably... just like everyone else on their first time.

* ''ComicBook/SpiderMan'': [[Characters/SpiderManPeterParker Spider-Man]] leaps through the air like a spider can.

** Characters/{{Wolverine|JamesLoganHowlett}} also displays this power in the 2008 video game.

See also: BouncingBattler, RoofHopping, GoombaStomp, JumpPhysics, and SpringCoil. Also related to, and may be used to attain, the high ground. Contrast with LeParkour, which relies on a combination of climbing and running to achieve the same results, GroundShatteringLanding, which involves landing really hard, and SteppingStonesInTheSky.

See also: BouncingBattler, RoofHopping, GoombaStomp, JumpPhysics, and SpringCoil. Also related to, and may be used to attain, the high ground. Contrast with LeParkour, which relies on a combination of climbing and running to achieve the same results, and SteppingStonesInTheSky.

** A truer example is [[DemBones Brook]]. Having died once and [[CameBackWrong come back as a skeleton]], Brook has all of the strength he did before, but without the mass of those pesky muscles, organs, and skin weighing him down; this results in him having [[SuperSpeed amazing speed]], [[WalkOnWater the ability to run on water]] and, more importantly for this trope, the ability to jump distances that are impressive even by [[WorldOfBadass One Piece standards]]. One of his earlier scenes has him getting thrown from near the top of a fairly tall building, only to jump right back up to play BigDamnHeroes to Robin and Franky.

* [[Characters/SpiderManPeterParker Spider-Man]] leaps through the air like a spider can.

* In ''VideoGame/UltimateSpiderMan'', Venom cannot webswing. However, he doesn't have to since the button for webswinging while playing as Spider-Man is changed to a super jump that easily lets Venom clear a ten story building and a couple city blocks.

* In chapter 60 of ''Fanfic/ChildOfTheStorm'', [[spoiler: Harry]], having undergone a temporary PlotRelevantAgeUp, does this by accident, ending up about a quarter of a mile up. Thankfully, the strength came with durability, so he was fine. Just a little rattled.
** In ''Chaos Reigns'', the two shot spinoff, [[OurVampiresAreDifferent Thomas Raith]] leaps sixty feet to pounce on one of the [[EliteMooks N'Garai]]. It ends very badly for the N'Garai.

This tends to appear less in modern times; superpowered characters who want to, say, surmount [[WesternAnimation/SupermanTheatricalCartoons tall buildings]] are more likely to be [[IBelieveICanFly capable of true flight]]. However, the earlier ages of ComicBooks and even some new characters often feature high jumping as opposed to flight. After all, any character with SuperStrength should have this as a bonus, assuming the surface they launch from doesn't crumble under the sudden downward force. Some super-strong characters do, some don't (or haven't figured out yet that they can). Superman himself was a jumper before flying became an iconic feature of his. If you're an anime character, however, you'll be able to [[RuleOfCool do this effortlessly without any training]], most of the time.

* The [[BladeOnAStick Heat Spear]] from ''VideoGame/DragonProject'' allows the wielder to pull off its special attack, Skyfall, by moving a cursor on the Behemoth to jump high up into the sky and impale said Behemoth with massive elemental damage. To get the best damage, the Heat meter must be full before the wielder activates Skyfall.

** Spoofed when it comes to the enchanter Tarhiel and his Scrolls of [[IcarusAllusion Icarian Flight]]. Not far from the FirstTown, you may witness him plummet from the sky and die upon impact with the ground. (It is possible to save him by casting a Slowfall spell on him, but he'll only say "I don't want to talk about it..." and you can't get the scrolls unless you then kill him.) You'll find his journal and his three remaining scrolls on his body. Reading his journal, you'll find that he sought to create the ultimate Jump spell, allowing one to travel hundreds of miles in a single bound. [[GoneHorriblyRight And he succeeded]]. Unfortunately, the spell only lasts 7 seconds, which means you no longer have the power to safely ''land''. The scrolls are NotCompletelyUseless though, as you can survive the jumps by using another scroll before landing, casting a Slowfall spell, casting a Levitate spell, or by landing in a [[SoftWater deep enough body of water]].

* Even ''Manga/FullmetalAlchemist'' doesn't avert this trope. It's especially apparent with the Xingese characters.

* In ''Manga/HunterXHunter'', Neferpitou is the only one of the Chimera Ant Royal Guards who can't fly (the other two either have wings or can grow wings via shapeshifting). Neferpitou instead uses her insanely powerful leg strength to launch herself to where she wants to be.

* ''Literature/JourneyToTheWest'': Sun Wukong, the Monkey King, learned the ability to travel 108,000 li (approximately 54,000 kilometers) in a single somersault. This may sound like some arbitrarily huge number ([[Mystical108 it isn't]]), but worth noting that the Equator is a little over 40,000 km long.

[[folder:Anime and Manga]]

* ''LightNovel/ACertainMagicalIndex'': Accelerator can do this, either by amplifying his vertical motion vector... or by simply cancelling gravity's effect on himself. He can fly too, but jumping really high is a lot simpler (flight involves mini-tornadoes and lots of complex wind vector calculations).

* ''Anime/{{Pokemon}}'' tends to leave implausible acrobatics to the non-human characters, but [[http://bulbapedia.bulbagarden.net/wiki/Like_a_Meowth_to_a_Flame one episode]] in particular has Ash make what has to be a five-story jump into Team Rocket's balloon, [[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_x3eSkGu__8 which looked exactly as ridiculous as it sounds]]. The [[FridgeLogic weird]] part is the character of the day had a [[MindOverMatter Metagross]] that had to help him down with telekinesis. Why didn't they just have it toss him up there in the first place?

** ComicBook/{{Supergirl}} can also do this, although she nearly always sticks to flying. In ''ComicBook/SupergirlCosmicAdventuresInThe8thGrade'', Kara leaps above several buildings in order to run away from a mob of reporters. She resorted to jump high until she mastered flight.
** [[Characters/SupermanJonathanSamuelKent Jonathan Samuel Kent]], the most recent incarnation of ''ComicBook/{{Superboy}}'' also uses this power, since he hasn't learned how to fly yet. Lampshaded mercilessly by Damian.

** Earth-One: "Glitch" is less than a foot tall but can jump high enouch to kick a tweleve foot tall opponent in the face or leap handily to the top of a two story building with ease. They are under no delusions that a straight fall from this height would be safe for them reguardless of their alien physiology and are quite thankful to ComicBook/SteveTrevor and Wonder Woman for catching them when they miscalcutate or knowingly put themselves in danger this way.

* ComicBook/SpiderMan leaps through the air like a spider can.

** ComicBook/{{Wolverine}} also displays this power in the 2008 video game.

--->'''Tuxedo Mask:''' Impaled your foot on the weathervane, eh? Amateur.

* In ''Fanfic/HopToIt'', this is one of the powers of the [[WesternAnimation/{{MiraculousLadybug}} Rabbit Miraculous]].

* ''WesternAnimation/TheLandBeforeTime'': Sharptooth jumps on top of a large cliff in attempt to kill the kids, who are trying to push a boulder on him. [[spoiler:They still kill him anyways with the boulder]]. Before that, he was able to leap [[spoiler:on top of Littlefoot's mother and kill her]].

** ComicBook/WonderWoman has this as a power rather than {{Flight}}, though ''Film/{{Wonder Woman|2017}}'' proves she can do something close to flight for at least short periods.

* All vampires can do this in ''Series/Moonlight2007'', although their leaps are weak by comparison to someone like ComicBook/{{Superman}}. Mick's limit appears to be 5 stories. An old vampire is shown to be able to easily jump down from a high-rise without problems (also, without ruining his shoes). It's also implied that he got that to the balcony by jumping.

* [[http://powerisers.com Powerisers]] can't quite give you this ability, but they come close, with a maximum jump height of around seven feet for those sufficiently good at using them.

** Spoofed when it comes to the enchanter Tarhiel and his Scrolls of [[IcarusAllusion Icarian Flight]]. Not far from the FirstTown, you may witness him plummet from the sky and die upon impact with the ground. (It is possible to save him by casting a Slowfall spell on him, but he'll only say "I don't want to talk about it..." and you can't get the scrolls unless you then kill him.) You'll find his journal and his three remaining scrolls on his body. Reading his journal, you'll find that he sought to create the ultimate Jump spell, allowing one to travel hundreds of miles in a single bound. [[GoneHorriblyRight And he succeeded]]. Unfortunately, the spell only lasts 7 seconds, which means you no longer have the power to safely ''land''. The scrolls are NotCompletelyUseless though, as you can survive the jumps by using another scroll before landing, casting a Slowfall spell, casting a Levitate spell, or by landing in a [[SoftWater deep enough body of water]]. They are crucial for [[SpeedRun Speed Runners]], enabling you to complete the game [[http://speeddemosarchive.com/Morrowind.html in about 8 minutes]] instead of the usual 40 hours.

This tends to appear less in modern times; superpowered characters who want to, say, surmount [[WesternAnimation/SupermanTheatricalCartoons tall buildings]] are more likely to be [[IBelieveICanFly capable of true flight]]. However, in the earlier ages of ComicBooks and even some new characters often feature high jumping as opposed to flight. Superman himself was a jumper before flying became an iconic feature of his. If you're an anime character, however, you'll be able to [[RuleOfCool do this effortlessly without any training]], most of the time.

** A more true example is [[DemBones Brook]]. Having died once and [[CameBackWrong come back as a skeleton]], Brook has all of the strength he did before, but without the mass of those pesky muscles, organs, and skin weighing him down; this results in him having [[SuperSpeed amazing speed]], [[WalkOnWater the ability to run on water]] and, more importantly for this trope, the ability to jump distances that are impressive even by [[WorldOfBadass One Piece standards]]. One of his earlier scenes has him getting thrown from near the top of a fairly tall building, only to jump right back up to play BigDamnHeroes to Robin and Franky.

* Technically, any character with SuperStrength should have this as a bonus, assuming the surface they launch from doesn't crumble under the sudden downward force. Some super-strong characters do, some don't (or haven't figured out yet that they can).