Not Thriving: Punch Spin Gape

Tabs Since: Jan, 2001

#1: Oct 22nd 2021 at 3:14:43 PM

Trope has a tiny number of wicks despite existing for 12 years, and most entries are ZCE. Among those, many zero-context entries look like "someone punches someone" misuse, not the specific cartoony spin — probably because the trope was launched in a sorry state in 2009.

Though it's not required, on-page examples as well as the wicks have been checked because the latter results suggest this is not tropeworthy.

On-page examples

Correct: 5

Phil Connors does this to Ned Ryerson in Groundhog Day. In the DVD commentary, the director claims that all he had planned was a punch followed by a stunned/surprised reaction from Ryerson; actor Stephen Tobolowski (who played Ryerson) decided to turn it into a full-on, stare-in-the-camera spin-and-fall after the punch.
Some fighters in Punch-Out!! Wii. Disco Kid's unique KO animation bears special mention, as Mac's punch makes him twirl dozens of times while he bounces off the turnbuckles like a pinball, before he finally collapses in the center of the ring.
The standard takedown animation in Deus Ex: Human Revolution has this, complete with a camera shift to show the victim's face as they twist around before crumpling in a heap on the ground. Video Game Cruelty Potential was never so satisfying.
Yakuza 0 has the Beast Stance's Essence of Beast: Torment Heat Action: after dislocating the poor schlub's arms, Kiryu gives them a whack to the face that spins them 180 degrees, giving the camera a close up of the victim's slack-jawed face before Kiryu tosses him to the ground.
Invoked on The Jungle Book (1967) when Baloo teaches Mowgli how to fight. Mowgli lands a small punch on his snout and he fakes being knocked out by spinning around and stumbling a little before dropping.

Zero/Insufficient context. Some look like plain misuse: 25

Rossiu from Tengen Toppa Gurren Lagann gets punched like this so hard at one point, his hairband bursts in two.
Rock Lee did this to Gaara in the Naruto anime and manga. Guess who it got worse for afterwards?
Back to the Future
- This is George McFly's ultimate revenge against Biff Tannen in Back To The Future.
- Marty does it to Buford Tannen in Back to the Future Part III.
In Constantine, this is how Constantine introduces former angel Gabriel to their newly-imposed humanity.
In Pirates of the Caribbean, a version of this happens with slaps instead of punches, and is a Running Gag directed at Jack Sparrow.
Something of this sort happens in the movie Sabrina (both the original and the remake with Harrison Ford) where Linus Larrabee punches his brother David after he badmouths the girl. Of course, this is all a Batman Gambit to make Linus express his true feelings, so the reaction is less shock and more "I Knew It!!"
A gunshot instead of a punch, but this happens to Frank in Once Upon a Time in the West.
Hi is seated in a car, but still turns and flashes the camera a dumbstruck look when Ed decks him one in Raising Arizona.
It's brief but in Sin City, one of Marv's first punches to an advancing cop involves this.
Mackenzie Calhoun does this to Admiral Jellico in Star Trek: New Frontier. Multiple times.
Weirdly subverted during a bar brawl in Victor/Victoria. A dancer gets punched whil wearing a mask on the back of his head and it's the mask that ends up toward camera.
Magrat Garlick does this to a castle guard in Terry Pratchett's Wyrd Sisters. A lot of jewelry on her hand probably increases her punching power.
Vimes does this to Lupine Wonse in Guards! Guards!
Scrubs:
- Dr. Cox on executes one on Dr. Kelso at one point.
- One episode had a running gag where Turk and Carla had a way of faking one of these (one person pulls their punch, the other turns their head and claps to make a slapping sound, a trick used in theater).
Having this happen is a Running Gag on My Name Is Earl.
Used in Police Squad!. Memorable because of the dialogue between the KOed boxer and his manager.
"How many fingers do you see?"
"Thursday."
Shidou Mika of Chou Sei Shin Gransazer pulls this on Tenma when they first meet, with a roundhouse kick. This gets spun into an Actor Allusion two seasons later, when Mika's actress does the exact same thing to Takuto of Chousei Kantai Sazer-X.
Nick does this to Stephen late in season 2 of Primeval.
in Doctor Who, Rory to the Doctor at the beginning of "The Big Bang".
Truth in Television: This is a standard way to fake a punch, and has been used for probably hundreds of years in theatre.
The Soldier does this to a Spy in Team Fortress 2's "Meet the Soldier" video with a shovel.
A gameplay mechanic in Soulcalibur and later Street Fighter games.
If you play Resident Evil 5 as Chris and manage to pull 5-strike combo on Wesker, the combo will end with this. And if you don't run away immediately after, Wesker retaliates with Kick Spin Gape (as he does also after dodging your bullets).
Happens in Sluggy Freelance with Torg as the puncher and Riff as the punchee, if you can believe that.
This happens a lot on Justice League.

Wicks (all)

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P to R: Index
Boundless World of Danmaku: ZCE
Back To The Future: ZCE
Groundhog Day: ZCE
Once Upon a Time in the West: ZCE
Sabrina (1954): ZCE
Buffy the Vampire Slayer S1E10 "Nightmares": ZCE

Berrenta How sweet it is from Texas Since: Apr, 2015 Relationship Status: Can't buy me love

How sweet it is

#2: Oct 22nd 2021 at 3:20:22 PM

I'd say cut.

she/her | TRS needs your help! | Contributor of Trope Report

WarJay77 Bonnie's Artistic Cousin from The Void (Troper Knight) Relationship Status: Armed with the Power of Love

Bonnie's Artistic Cousin

#3: Oct 22nd 2021 at 3:39:05 PM

Cut

Current Project: The Team

Ordeaux26 Professor Gigachad from Canada Since: May, 2019 Relationship Status: [TOP SECRET]

Professor Gigachad

#4: Oct 22nd 2021 at 3:42:31 PM

Cut

CM Sandboxes, MB Sandboxes

Eiryu Since: Dec, 2013 Relationship Status: Above such petty unnecessities

#5: Oct 22nd 2021 at 4:24:22 PM

Cut.

MasterN Berserk Button: misusing Berserk Button from Florida- I mean Unova Since: Aug, 2016 Relationship Status: Shipping fictional characters

Berserk Button: misusing Berserk Button

#6: Oct 22nd 2021 at 6:22:37 PM

Adding a cut vote.

One of these days, all of you will accept me as your supreme overlord.

jandn2014 Very Spooky from somewhere in Connecticut Since: Aug, 2017 Relationship Status: Hiding

Very Spooky

#7: Oct 22nd 2021 at 7:04:49 PM

Cut.

back lol

eroock Since: Sep, 2012

#8: Oct 22nd 2021 at 8:18:18 PM

It's a valid trope, just poorly cross-wicked and lazy example writing. Keep it around but fix the issues.

GastonRabbit Cake's just a shot away. (he/him) from Robinson, Illinois, USA (General of TV Troops) Relationship Status: I'm just a poor boy, nobody loves me

Cake's just a shot away. (he/him)

#9: Oct 22nd 2021 at 8:19:52 PM

Cut. We can add the original idea to the Trope Idea Salvage Yard if it's workable.

Currently sick, so less active. If a Trope Repair Shop thread needs attention, holler or ask an engineer.

Walkinshadows Since: Jun, 2012

#10: Oct 22nd 2021 at 10:14:45 PM

Cut and yard.

WarJay77 Bonnie's Artistic Cousin from The Void (Troper Knight) Relationship Status: Armed with the Power of Love

Bonnie's Artistic Cousin

#11: Oct 22nd 2021 at 10:15:25 PM

Yeah, I'm okay to yard this.

Current Project: The Team

Tabs Since: Jan, 2001

#12: Oct 22nd 2021 at 10:52:36 PM

If this gets yarded, all the good examples are in the OP, so the page can just link this thread.

Berrenta MOD How sweet it is from Texas Since: Apr, 2015 Relationship Status: Can't buy me love

How sweet it is

#13: Oct 27th 2021 at 10:31:56 PM

Let's go yard this.

she/her | TRS needs your help! | Contributor of Trope Report

Berrenta How sweet it is from Texas Since: Apr, 2015 Relationship Status: Can't buy me love

How sweet it is

#14: Oct 28th 2021 at 7:12:27 AM

Okay, it's in the yard. Time to dewick and cut.

she/her | TRS needs your help! | Contributor of Trope Report

valozzy Since: Feb, 2013 Relationship Status: Desperate

#15: Oct 28th 2021 at 7:38:12 AM

It has been de-wicked and added to the Cut List.

Berrenta How sweet it is from Texas Since: Apr, 2015 Relationship Status: Can't buy me love

How sweet it is

#16: Oct 28th 2021 at 7:38:37 AM

And done. Closing.

she/her | TRS needs your help! | Contributor of Trope Report

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