History Main / WaterIsAir

* In any of the ''Creator/{{Nickelodeon}}'' crossover games, all characters that aren't from ''WesternAnimation/SpongebobSquarepants'' are able to walk around Bikini Bottom. However in ''VideoGame/NicktoonsUnite'', a justified reason the three other heroes are able to operate in {{SpongeBob}}'s world is that they chew on Jimmy Neutron's Neutronic Air Gum.

* Characters [[TwoDSpace move in two dimensions]], [[WalkDontSwim walking along the seafloor]] or swimming near it, despite even humans being capable of vertical movement in water. There's no such thing as swimming up. If they do, it'll be refered to as {{Flight}}.

** In [[WesternAnimation/TheLittleMermaidIIIArielsBeginning the prequel]], Ariel sees something she wants to check out from her bedroom window... and instead of swimming out the window to check it out, she goes ''all the way downstairs through the castle'' to get outside.

* In ''VideoGame/AliceMadnessReturns'', the ''HMS Gryphon'' sinks to the bottom of the Deluded Depths, starting the game's underwater level. It makes no difference in gameplay. You ''could'' say that it's because it's all in Alice's mind, but then, she ''did'' have to swim in ''VideoGame/AmericanMcGeesAlice'', and that was in her head, too.

* ''Anime/DoraemonNobitaAndTheCastleOfTheUnderseaDevil'' have the gang having an underwater ''barbeque'' using special coal from the 22nd Century. Which can produce smoke underwater.

* Played straight in the UsefulNotes/AtariLynx video game ''Turbo Sub''. The player's aquatic jet maneuvers equally well under the ocean as it does over it; underwater enemies might ''look'' different, but their attacks and movement are the same as their airborne counterparts.

* In an episode of ''Anime/{{Pokemon}}'', they have a battle underwater. Misty scolds Ash for forgetting that you can treat underwater like the sky when [[IdiotHero Ash]] gets confused after their opponent takes advantage of the surroundings to attack in 3 dimensions.
** Also happens in the third movie when the film's antagonist Molly challenges Misty. Since it takes place in a dreamworld created by the Unown, it's expected.

* Averted in an episode of ''WesternAnimation/ScoobyDoo'' where during the underwater chase from the glowing Scuba diver Captain Cutler, Shaggy and Scooby sees an underwater cannon that is said to be loaded, which they attempt to use against him by lighting the cannon's fuse. Only for [[SurprisinglyRealisticOutcome the match to fail to ignite, since they are scuba diving underwater.]]
--> '''Shaggy''': FIRE! [Strikes the match on the box, only for it to stay unlit.] Like, don't fire. [[LampshadeHanging I forgot matches don't light underwater.]]

* Averted in ''WesternAnimation/TeenTitans''. We don't get to see what Atlantis is like, but as for all the other aspects, they're either presented surprisingly realistically or just flat out not addressed. (The primary example of the former is Aqualad's hair; it just goes crazy while he's underwater.)
* Averted in ''WesternAnimation/YoungJustice''. When Dolphin is brought to Atlantis by Kaldur, he first has to cast a spell on her so that she can [[TranslatorMicrobes understand Atlantean]] as well as speak underwater.

* Averted in in an episode of ''WesternAnimation/ScoobyDoo'' where during the underwater chase from the glowing Scuba diver Captain Cutler, Shaggy and Scooby sees an underwater cannon that is said to be loaded, which they attempt to use against him by lighting the cannon's fuse. Only for [[SurprisinglyRealisticOutcome the match to fail to ignite, since they are scuba diving underwater.]]

* ''ComicBook/SubMariner'''s writers usually have Namor to walk around like a ground-dweller, and few artists realize that Atlanteans don't walk, they swim.

** From very early on in the series, the characters go to Goo Lagoon for any beach-themed episodes, complete with lifeguards. The Goo itself is not very gooey but is heavier than water, and it's implied to be what the characters use as an equivalent elsewhere, such as when [=SpongeBob=] takes a bath or the Krusty Krab lavatories. [[DontExplainTheJoke Of course the show]] [[FridgeBrilliance never points this out]], allowing the characters to appear to use [[DoubleNegative water underwater]] and keep the joke.
*** [=SpongeBob=] and Patrick nearly drown in the Goo Lagoon in "[[Recap/SpongeBobSquarePantsS3E1TheAlgaesAlwaysGreenerSpongeGuardOnDuty SpongeGuard on Duty]]". While it seems like this trope for an underwater creature to drown underwater, Goo Lagoon is a brine pool, and brine pools are saltier than seawater and contain no oxygen, so this is TruthInTelevision.

* ''WesternAnimation/ThePatrickStarShow'': In "[[Recap/ThePatrickStarShowS1E26BubbleBassReviewsPatricksPrisonPals Bubble Bass Reviews]]", Bubble Bass brings up a clip of Patrick and Squidina resting by a campfire and complains about how unrealistic the scene is, since it shouldn't be possible to light a fire underwater.

[[caption-width-right:350:"[[Recap/SpongeBobSquarePantsS2E7PrehibernationWeekLifeOfCrime Hey, if we're underwater, how can there be a--]]" (''[[PuffOfLogic psssh]]'')]]

** From very early on the series, the characters go to Goo Lagoon for any beach-themed episodes, complete with lifeguards. The Goo itself is not very gooey but is heavier than water, and it's implied to be what the characters use as an equivalent elsewhere, such as when [=SpongeBob=] takes a bath or the Krusty Krab lavatories. [[DontExplainTheJoke Of course the show]] [[FridgeBrilliance never points this out]], allowing the characters to appear to use [[DoubleNegative water underwater]] and keep the joke.

* ''WesternAnimation/SpongeBobSquarePants'' plays this trope arrow-straight, starting with the intro to every episode, in which [=SpongeBob=] takes a bath underwater. Within every episode, sea creatures walk on the ground...drink liquids out of cups...use fire...land heavily after falling from great heights. In fact, just about the only time this trope is averted are the nods to sea creatures not being able to breathe air (when Spongebob dries out after going into Sandy's treehouse), or the reverse with Sandy needing a spacesuit to go out and about. Frequently the cartoon [[LampshadeHanging hangs a lampshade]] on this concept.