History Main / KungFuSonicBoom

[[folder:Anime & Manga(The master of this trope)]]

* The titular ''Anime/TengenToppaGurrenLagann'' versus the Great Zamboa. Standing on top of a galaxy...

* Happens in ''Series/{{Crisis on Infinite Earths|2019}}'', when [[Creator/JonCryer Lex Luthor]] uses the Book of Destiny to MindControl the ''ComicBook/KingdomCome'' [[Creator/BrandonRouth Superman]] into fighting the ''Series/{{Supergirl 2015}}'' [[Creator/TylerHoechlin Superman]]. The windows in the skyscrapers around them blow out.

* Literally illustrated between Thunder and Cyborg in in early ''WesternAnimation/TeenTitans''.

* In ''WesternAnimation/{{Castlevania}}'', {{Dracula}} sends his son [[{{Dhampir}} Alucard]] flying with a [[https://youtu.be/Hi4xPMKByJQ?t=7 shockwave strike]] that makes a dust cloud, then both Dracula and Alucard have a mid-air fight with plenty of shockwaves that are strong enough to break the castle around them.
* In ''WesternAnimation/YoungJustice'':

* Bull{{whip|ItGood}}s are another example; the famous crack is actually a miniature sonic boom caused by the tip reaching supersonic speed. As one might expect, the impact ''hurts''. Scale this up and you get the tails of certain particularly huge sauropods, which are [[https://www.livescience.com/52538-supersonic-sauropods.html theorized]] to have been able to break the sound barrier. [[https://www.geekwire.com/2015/nathan-myhrvold-builds-a-robo-tail-to-show-dinosaurs-could-create-whip-crackin-sonic-booms/ The resulting boom, as demonstrated with a robotic replica of the tail, would've been as loud as a naval gun]]--and the physical impact of that thing could presumably tear you in half.

** Near the end of the fight between Goku and Superman, their final attack, a collision between Goku's Dragon Fist and Superman's Infinite Mass Punch causes a double-shockwave, destroying the planet in the process.

* In the ''[[VideoGame/SuperSmashBrosForNintendo3DSAndWiiU Smash 4]]'' Robin trailer [[VideoGame/FireEmblemAwakening Lucina]] quickly learns why she shouldn't have [[NeverBringAKnifeToAFistFight brought a sword to a fist fight]] against [[VideoGame/FZero Captain Falcon]]. As the Captain parries her sword strike with a kick creating a [[https://78.media.tumblr.com/9df88adc2697924175e7462a1e41e7ed/tumblr_n8q0uovlJs1qzp9weo2_500.gif shockwave that blows her back.]]
** The final shot of [[Franchise/DonkeyKong King K. Rool's]] reveal trailer for ''VideoGame/SuperSmashBrosUltimate'' features one of these courtesy of K. Rool and Donkey Kong connecting their punches (with a flying kick from Diddy Kong thrown in for good measure).

** ''Anime/DragonBallZ'' does this a lot. From the Freeza saga onward, major fights would often include stretches of huge midair shockwaves with no other sign of the characters. Near the end of Goku's fight with Cell, the punches that missed were still shattering boulders' feet away from them.

* ''Anime/MagicalGirlLyricalNanohaTheMovie2ndAs'' uses this to show off the power of the [[MidSeasonUpgrade new Catridge System]], with the shock wave from the clash between Fate's [[AnAxeToGrind Bardiche Assault]] and Signum's [[FlamingSword Laevatein]] shattering all the windows of the buildings around them.

** Near the end of the fight between Goku and Superman, their final attack, a collision between Goku's Dragon Fist and Superman's Infinite Mass Punch causes the most powerful shockwave ever, destroying the planet in the process.

[[folder:Anime & Manga(The king of this trope)]]

** Near the end of the fight between Goku and Superman, their final attack, a collision between Goku's Dragon Fist and Superman's Infinite Mass Punch causes an instantaneous shockwave, destroying the planet in the process.

[[folder:Anime & Manga]]

* ''ComicBook/IncredibleHulk'':

** Taken [[UpToEleven even further]] with [[https://youtu.be/x7CtEs_w5iY?t=13 Luffy and Katakuri]]'s PunchParry.

* ''Anime/TransformersCybertron'': Megatron/Galvatron and Optimus Prime do this a few times. The Galvatron vs. Starscream fight takes it UpToEleven.

** Taken UpToEleven when [[GreaterScopeVillain All For One]] punches All Might with his [[FinishingMove Ultimate Quirk Combination]]. The anime adds an inverted colour effect around their fists, with reality itself seeming to glitch out for a second, before the whole area explodes.

* ''Anime/RebuildOfEvangelion 2.0'' has this two times, both performed by Unit 02: first against [[FanNickname Clockliel]] then against Zeruel. Both were caused by Unit 02 freefalling onto and impacting the relevant Angel's [[BeehiveBarrier AT-Field]], causing a shockwave powerful enough to kick up dust kilometers away. It reminds you of [[http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Domain_wall#String_theory a certain part of string theory.]]

* In the ''[[VideoGame/SuperSmashBrosForNintendo3DSAndWiiU Smash 4]]'' Robin trailer [[VideoGame/FireEmblemAwakening Lucina]] quickly learns why she shouldn't of [[NeverBringAKnifeToAFistFight brought a sword to a fist fight]] against [[VideoGame/FZero Captain Falcon]]. As the Captain parries her sword strike with a kick creating a [[https://78.media.tumblr.com/9df88adc2697924175e7462a1e41e7ed/tumblr_n8q0uovlJs1qzp9weo2_500.gif shockwave that blows her back.]]

* In the ''[[VideoGame/SuperSmashBrosForNintendo3DSAndWiiU Smash 4]]'' Robin trailer [[VideoGame/FireEmblemAwakening Lucina]] quickly learns why she shouldn't of [[NeverBringAKnifeToAFistFight brought a sword to a fist fight]] against [[VideoGame/FZero Captain Falcon]]. As the Captain parries her sword strike with a kick creating a [[https://78.media.tumblr.com/9df88adc2697924175e7462a1e41e7ed/tumblr_n8q0uovlJs1qzp9weo2_500.gif shockwave that blows her back]].

* The climax of ''ComicBook/TheDeathOfSuperman'' arc is one of the most iconic uses of this trope: the Big Blue Boy Scout realizes he's literally on his last gasp and is praying that Doomsday is as well. Franchise/{{Superman}} [[http://i0.wp.com/www.actionfigurepics.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/08/Death_of_Superman_TPB-161-Dan-Jurgens.jpg?resize=417%2C629 comes in a flying double axe handle, hitting Doomsday with an uppercut that could launch a space shuttle.]] The actual impact is a 2-page spread of a single panel, with numerous narration boxes talking about how some people remembered the sheer force of the impact creating a huge crater in the street, others how it shattered all the windows for blocks, or overturned cars and trucks. All of this was drawn in the most detail yet seen in a comic book. Truly a DyingMomentOfAwesome, so much so that it was used in (obviously) Superman: Doomsday, as well as referenced in the Justice League cartoon.

* A literally "kung fu" example; an issue of ''ComicBook/ImmortalIronFist'' has the title character and his arch-nemesis, both supremely skilled martial artists, strike each other with chi enhanced flying kicks. The resulting shockwave demolishes the office building they're inside.

* Several species of mantis and pistol shrimp can actually throw a 'punch' so fast that it breaks the sound barrier, creating a shockwave that stuns their prey before they eat it.

* Luffy vs. Rob Lucci in ''Manga/OnePiece'', when both initiate a PunchParry. The resulting [[https://media.tenor.com/images/14abd0a408eaa56dc775f75bc809dbab/tenor.gif shockwave is so powerful]], [[PunchedAcrossTheRoom it knocks both of them back to both sides of the room]].

** The Chinjao Family's martial art ''Hasshoken'' is literally Kung Fu Sonic Booms. When Don Chinjao and Luffy [[https://i.makeagif.com/media/6-26-2015/xQ2x9e.gif had a Punch Parry the shockwave actually blew people out of the ring]].

** The Yonkos are fond of this, see [[https://external-preview.redd.it/mOE4okwzqBOaCNG6viBHefXO2XjqLmu8Dipc23cQCfM.gif?format=mp4&s=7616f6f07cb10c98ba5e0cff8f9445a1000cb7d5 Shanks clashing with Whitebeard]], [[https://tenor.com/view/one-piece-big-mom-luffy-charlotte-linlin-monkey-dluffy-gif-15743435 Big Mom with Luffy]], [[https://tenor.com/view/onepiece-one-piece-kaido-beast-gif-7229398 Kaido clashing with Luffy]], [[spoiler: [[http://5b0988e595225.cdn.sohucs.com/images/20190821/e2d47bda22784898b6dbb8947a79723b.jpeg Kaido clashing with Big Mom]] and [[https://comicvine1.cbsistatic.com/uploads/scale_super/11134/111347991/7184631-one%20piece%20chapter%20966-4.jpg Whitebeard clashing with Roger]].]]

* ''Anime/RebuildOfEvangelion 2.0'' has this two times, both performed by Unit 02: first against [[FanNickname Clockliel]] then against Zeruel. Both were caused by Unit 02 freefalling onto and impacting the relevant Angel's [[BeehiveBarrier AT-Field]], causing a shockwave powerful enough to kick up dust kilometers away. It reminds you of [[http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Domain_wall#String_theory a certain part of string theory]].

* ''Manga/MahouSenseiNegima'': Negi and Kotaro cause this to happen when performing a [[HandshakeSubstitute Fist Bump]]. Which [[DeadpanSnarker Chisame]] promptly [[LampshadeHanging lampshades]].

* Saitama from ''WebComic/OnePunchMan'' does this all the time, usually as less lethal method of taking out his enemies (although he was still capable of blowing a huge hole through a massive cliff merely with the shockwave of a pulled punch).

* In ''WebAnimation/DeathBattle'', near the end of the fight between Goku and Superman, their final attack, a collision between Goku's Dragon Fist and Superman's Infinite Mass Punch causes an instantaneous shockwave, destroying the planet in the process.

[[caption-width-right:331:"[[WorldOfCardboardSpeech What we have here is a rare opportunity for me to cut loose and show you just how powerful I really am.]]"]]

** The GrandFinale shows that this is the perfect way to cap off a WorldOfCardboardSpeech when Superman punches Darkseid.

* Luffy vs. Rob Lucci in ''Manga/OnePiece'', when both initiate a PunchParry. The resulting [[https://youtu.be/6tmUWt4HZX4?t=9 shockwave is so powerful]], [[PunchedAcrossTheRoom it knocks both of them back to both sides of the room]].

* ''Manga/OnePiece'' features a couple different of instances of this trope.
** Whenever two of Youkou fight with one another, even briefly, the site of the conflict tends to be marked by the clouds- the very heavens overhead- getting split in two.
** Fights between two opponents with particularly potent [[KiManipulation Haki]] also tend to produce shockwaves when their attacks collide. Particularly [[FightingSpirit Armament Haki]].

The Kung Fu Sonic Boom is a visual effect that serves to further emphasize just how strong a character is, accompanying especially powerful kinetic impacts like punches and kicks. Unlike [[HitSpark its colorful, brighter, flashier cousin]] you'd see in more cartoonish works, it also serves to portray super-powered fights such as the above example more realistically, sometimes being potentially capable of inflicting collateral damage to surroundings. Anime in particular has its own distinct brand of Kung-Fu Sonic Booms; instead of the usual radial variant, it can also appear as a shockwave shooting out from ''behind'' a character like a shotgun blast, usually when said character happens to be the recipient of a super-powered punch, as if %70 percent of the punch's raw kinetic force just travelled through them, turning their bones and insides into smooth puree.