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Misused: Gag Boobs

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To-do list:

  • Clean up examples that simply refer to large breasts existing, since the trope is about breasts as a source of comedy (regardless of size, and including male examples involving "man boobs" or fake breasts worn by crossdressing men).
    • Clean up on-page examples.
    • Clean up wicks.

    Original post 
NOTE: The following thread was proposed by Acebrock. Please give credit to them.


Gag Boobs is another ancient trope that has serious misuse problems. It's for large boobs played for laughs in some way but is more often used for giant boobs in general. A wick check is here and it's bad. I found five examples of giant breasts played for laughs (and two borderline examples that may qualify with a rewrite) out of 64 examples on 52 pages. All the other examples were either just giant boobs in general, sinkholes, or ZC Es.

I suspect the name is part of the problem and think a rename at minimum is the best option. As a proposed name, Hilariously Large Bosom might work (though that may draw similar misuse) or Large Boob Comedy. Alternatively, we could rename and expand the trope to include all examples of breasts in general being used for comedy, instead of just limiting it to large boobs. In which case, I would suggest naming it something like Boob-Based Gag, Comedic Boobs, or something similar.

If it's decided to cut/redirect/disambig the page, unless I'm explicitly forbidden from doing so, I'll grab any examples of boobs being used for comedy and see if there's enough for a TLP. if there is, I'll go ahead and run it.

BTW, the trope description itself admits to widespread trope decay. From there: "Contrary to what widespread Trope Decay would have us believe, this trope is not synonymous with "any pair of breasts bigger than a D cup", but refers specifically to large breasts regularly and intentionally used to comedic effect."

Wick check:

    open/close all folders 
    Big boobs actually used for comedy 5/ 64 
  • (Laser Hallway) In Good Luck Ninomiya Kun, this trope is combined with gag boobs to comical effect. After much careful sidestepping, eventually Tsukimura Mayu's breast obscures one of the (sensory-only) beams and sets off the security response. Needs a rewrite, though
  • (Characters.Ladies Versus Butlers) Gag Boobs: Selnia boobs are the main source of this. For example, in episode 5, when Sanae trips once again falling onto Akiharu, dessert from his tray lands on Selnia's chest. And it was standing. Even lampshaded by both Tomomi and Akiharu. Again, could stand a rewrite
  • (Characters.Skullgirls Main Characters) Gag Boobs: Certainly not as Gag-worthy as others, but she measures at 36E and lists "Back pain" as one of her dislikes.
    • It's actually made into a constant visual gag, as many of Valentine's animations have her adjusting her top or supporting her breasts as she pulls items from her cleavage.
    • Eliza makes note of her cup size in her pre-round introduction, rather than trash talking like she would with anyone else.
    Are you blessed by Taweretnote , or a scalpel? Borderline
  • (VideoGame.Tales Of Xillia) Gag Boobs: Not in a direct way, while Milla has big knockers, they instead use Jude's lack of knowledge about that for humor (TEACH ME ABOUT BAZONGAS!). After all, 'bazongas' is a slang word for 'boobs'. Definitely could stand to get more detail, though
  • (VisualNovel.High School Romance Magi Trials) Gag Boobs: When turned into a girl, Shaun finds himself with rather big mammaries. Both he and Charlie poke fun at their size, the latter at one point claiming that she could use them as cupholders.

    Sinkhole 13/ 64 
The links to the trope will be bolded for convenience

    Giant boobs in general 33/ 64 

    ZCE 13/ 64 

Edited by GastonRabbit on Mar 15th 2023 at 1:08:21 PM

themayorofsimpleton Now a lurker. Thanks for everything. | he/him from Elsewhere (Experienced, Not Yet Jaded) Relationship Status: Abstaining
Now a lurker. Thanks for everything. | he/him
#1: Mar 10th 2023 at 6:36:15 AM

To-do list:

  • Clean up examples that simply refer to large breasts existing, since the trope is about breasts as a source of comedy (regardless of size, and including male examples involving "man boobs" or fake breasts worn by crossdressing men).
    • Clean up on-page examples.
    • Clean up wicks.

    Original post 
NOTE: The following thread was proposed by Acebrock. Please give credit to them.


Gag Boobs is another ancient trope that has serious misuse problems. It's for large boobs played for laughs in some way but is more often used for giant boobs in general. A wick check is here and it's bad. I found five examples of giant breasts played for laughs (and two borderline examples that may qualify with a rewrite) out of 64 examples on 52 pages. All the other examples were either just giant boobs in general, sinkholes, or ZC Es.

I suspect the name is part of the problem and think a rename at minimum is the best option. As a proposed name, Hilariously Large Bosom might work (though that may draw similar misuse) or Large Boob Comedy. Alternatively, we could rename and expand the trope to include all examples of breasts in general being used for comedy, instead of just limiting it to large boobs. In which case, I would suggest naming it something like Boob-Based Gag, Comedic Boobs, or something similar.

If it's decided to cut/redirect/disambig the page, unless I'm explicitly forbidden from doing so, I'll grab any examples of boobs being used for comedy and see if there's enough for a TLP. if there is, I'll go ahead and run it.

BTW, the trope description itself admits to widespread trope decay. From there: "Contrary to what widespread Trope Decay would have us believe, this trope is not synonymous with "any pair of breasts bigger than a D cup", but refers specifically to large breasts regularly and intentionally used to comedic effect."

Wick check:

    open/close all folders 
    Big boobs actually used for comedy 5/ 64 
  • (Laser Hallway) In Good Luck Ninomiya Kun, this trope is combined with gag boobs to comical effect. After much careful sidestepping, eventually Tsukimura Mayu's breast obscures one of the (sensory-only) beams and sets off the security response. Needs a rewrite, though
  • (Characters.Ladies Versus Butlers) Gag Boobs: Selnia boobs are the main source of this. For example, in episode 5, when Sanae trips once again falling onto Akiharu, dessert from his tray lands on Selnia's chest. And it was standing. Even lampshaded by both Tomomi and Akiharu. Again, could stand a rewrite
  • (Characters.Skullgirls Main Characters) Gag Boobs: Certainly not as Gag-worthy as others, but she measures at 36E and lists "Back pain" as one of her dislikes.
    • It's actually made into a constant visual gag, as many of Valentine's animations have her adjusting her top or supporting her breasts as she pulls items from her cleavage.
    • Eliza makes note of her cup size in her pre-round introduction, rather than trash talking like she would with anyone else.
    Are you blessed by Taweretnote , or a scalpel? Borderline
  • (VideoGame.Tales Of Xillia) Gag Boobs: Not in a direct way, while Milla has big knockers, they instead use Jude's lack of knowledge about that for humor (TEACH ME ABOUT BAZONGAS!). After all, 'bazongas' is a slang word for 'boobs'. Definitely could stand to get more detail, though
  • (VisualNovel.High School Romance Magi Trials) Gag Boobs: When turned into a girl, Shaun finds himself with rather big mammaries. Both he and Charlie poke fun at their size, the latter at one point claiming that she could use them as cupholders.

    Sinkhole 13/ 64 
The links to the trope will be bolded for convenience

    Giant boobs in general 33/ 64 

    ZCE 13/ 64 

Edited by GastonRabbit on Mar 15th 2023 at 1:08:21 PM

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#5: Mar 10th 2023 at 8:24:47 AM

Rename since the concept is tropeworthy/tropeable despite misuse. [tup]

Gosicrystal Since: Jun, 2016 Relationship Status: Who needs love when you have waffles?
#6: Mar 10th 2023 at 9:08:17 AM

Yeah, I've noticed that people use it a lot to refer to just big boobs. [tup]Rename, but we need to be careful with the new name so it doesn't happen again (it's misused even though it has the word "gag" in it). The emphasis should be in the comedy itself. Out of the proposed names, I like Large Boob Comedy and Boob-Based Gag the most.

themayorofsimpleton Now a lurker. Thanks for everything. | he/him from Elsewhere (Experienced, Not Yet Jaded) Relationship Status: Abstaining
Now a lurker. Thanks for everything. | he/him
#7: Mar 10th 2023 at 9:11:52 AM

Rename, but since there are just 5 examples of the correct use I wonder if this may need to go through the TLP/be yarded in the future.

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MacronNotes (she/her) (Captain) Relationship Status: Less than three
(she/her)
#8: Mar 10th 2023 at 9:26:39 AM

Rename[tup]

I did a cursory glance at the on-page examples and there seems to be enough examples with appropriate context so I don't think we have to worry about sending it back to the TLP.

Edited by MacronNotes on Mar 10th 2023 at 1:07:18 PM

Macron's notes
themayorofsimpleton Now a lurker. Thanks for everything. | he/him from Elsewhere (Experienced, Not Yet Jaded) Relationship Status: Abstaining
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Malady (Not-So-Newbie)
#10: Mar 10th 2023 at 12:11:18 PM

Boob Prop Humor? Since they're not a joke in and of themselves, they're used as a prop, or are propped, as in the page image.

EDIT: Prop Comedy, got the phrase wrong.

    Trying for a punnier name, but no good ones? 
Could try a pormanteau of Comedy / comedienne and Mammary... comammary... Nevermind, doesn't seem like good fruit.

... "Assets" slang, however. 'Comedic "Assets"'? Too vague.

Edited by Malady on Mar 10th 2023 at 12:19:05 PM

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Gosicrystal Since: Jun, 2016 Relationship Status: Who needs love when you have waffles?
#11: Mar 10th 2023 at 12:26:33 PM

[up]...Mammedy? (Mammary + Comedy)

Edited by Gosicrystal on Mar 10th 2023 at 9:26:48 PM

Malady (Not-So-Newbie)
#12: Mar 10th 2023 at 12:34:51 PM

Ah. Good flip!

EDIT: But how to fit the idea of "prop(erty)" in there. Or do we allow verbal jokes without physical use?

Edited by Malady on Mar 10th 2023 at 12:36:26 PM

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BlackMage43 Since: Jun, 2014 Relationship Status: Armed with the Power of Love
#14: Mar 10th 2023 at 1:23:01 PM

Is this really tropeworthy on its own when we already have so many tropes about boob gags?

We already have specific tropes about the most popular boob gags like Breast Expansion, Fake Boobs, Funbag Airbag, Popping Buttons, Marshmallow Hell, and Thanks for the Mammary. And a D-Cup Distress entry that is Parodied or Played for Laughs can cover the "big boobs gets in the way of a character" gags, and similarly, a complimentary joke or gag about big breasts could fall under Buxom Beauty Standard.

Malady (Not-So-Newbie)
#15: Mar 10th 2023 at 2:03:28 PM

[up] - Where would you put the page image?

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Acebrock He/Him from So-Cal Since: Dec, 2009 Relationship Status: My elf kissing days are over
BlackMage43 Since: Jun, 2014 Relationship Status: Armed with the Power of Love
#17: Mar 10th 2023 at 3:18:35 PM

[up][up] I'd say it counts like a Marshmallow Hell example to me.

[up] I suppose making it a Super-Trope that covers the rare boob gags that are Too Rare to Trope could work.

Edited by BlackMage43 on Mar 10th 2023 at 3:19:19 AM

amathieu13 Since: Aug, 2013
#18: Mar 10th 2023 at 8:12:52 PM

super trope could work. should still probs rename it too. Boob Gags?

Edited by amathieu13 on Mar 10th 2023 at 11:13:38 AM

RandomTroper123 She / Her from I'll let you guess... (Not-So-Newbie) Relationship Status: [TOP SECRET]
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#19: Mar 11th 2023 at 12:30:38 AM

I like Large Boob Comedy and I feel the concept is tropeworthy. Also, most of the large breast tropes at [up](x5) don’t have to be comedic like Gag Boobs has to be.

captainpat Since: Sep, 2010
#20: Mar 11th 2023 at 7:00:22 AM

[up] Yea I agree, there are a lot of ways to use large breasts for humor that wouldn't really fit most of those sub tropes. I feel like this just needs a rename so people can’t say "x character has Gag Boobs."

Edited by captainpat on Mar 11th 2023 at 8:20:15 AM

GastonRabbit Sounds good on paper (he/him) from Robinson, Illinois, USA (General of TV Troops) Relationship Status: I'm just a poor boy, nobody loves me
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#22: Mar 13th 2023 at 6:29:00 AM

It's been three days and I think we already have enough votes in favor of renaming (plus it's been pointed out that the supertrope idea wouldn't work when multiple proposed "subtropes" aren't actually subtropes). Now to decide on a name. What are our options?

Edited by GastonRabbit on Mar 13th 2023 at 8:33:16 AM

Patiently awaiting the release of Paper Luigi and the Marvelous Compass.
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#23: Mar 13th 2023 at 6:33:29 AM

Never mind; we already have plenty of options. Hooked a crowner.

Patiently awaiting the release of Paper Luigi and the Marvelous Compass.
GastonRabbit Sounds good on paper (he/him) from Robinson, Illinois, USA (General of TV Troops) Relationship Status: I'm just a poor boy, nobody loves me
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#25: Mar 13th 2023 at 8:40:42 AM

[up]Added it because it's better than the names I came up with by swapping out synonyms of previous suggestions.

Edited by GastonRabbit on Mar 13th 2023 at 10:40:56 AM

Patiently awaiting the release of Paper Luigi and the Marvelous Compass.

Trope Repair Shop: Gag Boobs
13th Mar '23 6:30:03 AM

Crown Description:

Gag Boobs is heavily misused, and it was decided to rename it to something that more clearly matches the definition. What should its new name be?

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