History Main / NothingPersonal

* In the Film/JamesBond film ''Film/LicenceToKill'', drug lord Sanchez says "Nothing personal... it's purely business" as he feeds [[spoiler:Felix Leiter]] to a shark.

* In ''VideoGame/{{Nier}}'', [[spoiler:when Devola and Popola reveal that they've been [[UsingYouAllAlong manipulating Nier for their own ends the entire time]] and turn on him, they're somewhat apologetic about it and emphasize that they don't have anything against him. After Devola's killed in the ensuing battle, however, Popola completely unravels and vows to destroy Nier and his party at any cost, making things ''very'' personal.]]

* In ''VideoGame/{{Nier}}, [[spoiler:when Devola and Popola reveal that they've been [[UsingYouAllAlong manipulating Nier for their own ends the entire time]] and turn on him, they're somewhat apologetic about it and emphasize that they don't have anything against him. After Devola's killed in the ensuing battle, however, Popola completely unravels and vows to destroy Nier and his party at any cost, making things ''very'' personal.]]

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* ''Literature/TheMurderbotDiaries'': Said as part of a [[spoiler:foiled]] BodyguardBetrayal. Murderbot [[DiscussedTrope muses]] that by saying it instead of just killing the target without warning, the bodyguard was [[EvilGloating making sure the target knew they'd been betrayed]], which ''makes'' it personal.

* Played with in ''Series/BuffyTheVampireSlayer''; Warren says "it wasn't personal" when trying to persuade [[spoiler: Willow]] not to kill him for killing [[spoiler: Tara]]. Her response? [[ItsPersonal "This is."]]

* ''Fanfic/JWITCHSeason1'': The Dark Chi Enforcers, especially Ratso, state this attitude towards the Guardians several times -- they're only fighting them because Daolon Wong and Phobos are making them, not because they want to.

** This is Arturis's attitude towards the Borg. In "Hope and Fear", he says he doesn't take the Borg's actions personally because nothing they do is personal; they're driven by the single-minded desire to assimilate all life. He's desperate to win the war against them, but only to save his people and not to satisfy a desire for vengeance.

* In the original ''VideoGame/TombRaider'', the cowboy says this when you encounter him in Natla's Mines.

** As noted in The Other Wiki, those truces died out as the war progressed and became more personal.

* ''Anime/NeonGenesisEvangelion: End of Evangelion'', Shinji is about to be summarily executed by a JSSDF soldier, who tells him that shooting him in the head is nothing personal, Misato shows up [[BigDamnHeroes just in time]], [[TranquilFury guns blazing]], and explains to said grunt that he shouldn't take her blowing them away personally either (though it clearly ''is'' '''very''' personal, seeing how he was just about to kill Shinji). The wording differs in the translations:

* Played to [[DarkerandEdgier disturbing]] [[DudeNotFunny and offensive]] [[UpToEleven levels]] in ''{{Series/Jessie}}'' episode "What A Steal", seeing how it's used by [[CreepyChild a "precocious" girl]], Madeline, whom Ravi can't believe merely ''pretended'' to be his friend so that she could turn around and rob him and his entire family of their valuables. [[BlatantLies "Sorry, nerd, it's just business"]], she tells him. [[TroublingUnchildlikeBehavior She's only ten years old, and already she's a criminal in the making]], [[LittleMissBadass even barking orders at her accomplice, who happens to be her brother who is at least ten years her senior]].

* The player can choose to say this to Jaya during the Bar Tab mission in ''DeusExHumanRevolution''.

* In ''Webcomic/{{Sinfest}}'', [[http://www.sinfest.net/view.php?date=2009-07-03 Death tries this on the mob.]]

* From ''Website/TheOnion'': [[http://www.theonion.com/content/radio_news/local_man_glad_to_find_there Local Man Glad To Find There Was Nothing Personal Behind Murder Of Family]]

--> ''psssh...nothin [[EverythingSoundsSexierInFrench personnel]]...kid...''
* ''Wiki/{{Uncyclopedia}}'': [[http://uncyclopedia.wikia.com/wiki/UnBooks:Only_Business Only Business]]

* ''Literature/TheMurderbotDiaries'': Said as part of a [[spoiler:foiled]] BodyguardBetrayal. Murderbot [[DiscussedTrope muses]] that by saying it instead of just killing the target without warning, the bodyguard was making sure the target knew they'd been betrayed, which ''makes'' it personal.

[[folder: Audio Drama]]

* In ''Manga/{{Naruto}}'', after giving the titular protagonist a good beatdown during the Chunin Exams, Neji tries to convince him to give up by saying that he has nothing personal against him. For Naruto, however, it's ''very'' personal due to what Neji did to Hinata in the preliminaries.

* Used frequently in ''Series/BurnNotice'', both from the villains ''and'' the protagonists, although the protagonists use it more often to explain to the Victim of the Week that what the villains are planning to do to them isn't personal (as if that should matter).