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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

MacronNotes (she/her) (Captain) Relationship Status: Less than three
(she/her)
#26: Mar 13th 2023 at 8:43:14 AM

I downvoted everything that related to large boobs in the crowner because the trope isn't actually limited to large breasts.

Edited by MacronNotes on Mar 13th 2023 at 11:49:09 AM

Macron's notes
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
Sounds good on paper (he/him)
#27: Mar 13th 2023 at 8:49:19 AM

[up]Adjusted my own votes accordingly.

Patiently awaiting the release of Paper Luigi and the Marvelous Compass.
Gosicrystal Since: Jun, 2016 Relationship Status: Who needs love when you have waffles?
#28: Mar 13th 2023 at 9:23:00 AM

It's not limited to large boobs? Says who? According to the definition: "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."

Edited by Gosicrystal on Mar 13th 2023 at 5:24:19 PM

Snicka Since: Jun, 2011
#29: Mar 13th 2023 at 9:24:43 AM

Isn't it in the same vein as Gag Nose and Gag Penis, where the punchline is the disproportionately large size of the boobs?

MacronNotes (she/her) (Captain) Relationship Status: Less than three
(she/her)
#30: Mar 13th 2023 at 9:27:47 AM

The description acknowledges that while large breasts are most commonly used in breast related humor, the trope is for all breast related jokes and comedy (including "man boobs").

Edited by MacronNotes on Mar 13th 2023 at 12:29:16 PM

Macron's notes
StarSword Captain of USS Bajor from somewhere in deep space Since: Sep, 2011
Captain of USS Bajor
#31: Mar 13th 2023 at 10:28:33 AM

I like Boob-Based Gag the most because it opens the way to gags about small chests in addition to big ones.

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
Sounds good on paper (he/him)
#32: Mar 13th 2023 at 11:03:13 AM

[up]That's probably also my favorite, and it's currently the top option.

Patiently awaiting the release of Paper Luigi and the Marvelous Compass.
MasterN Berserk Button: misusing Berserk Button from Florida- I mean Unova Since: Aug, 2016 Relationship Status: Shipping fictional characters
#33: Mar 13th 2023 at 5:04:39 PM

But how would that differ from A-Cup Angst, which as far as I can tell is typically played for comedy?

One of these days, all of you will accept me as your supreme overlord.
MacronNotes (she/her) (Captain) Relationship Status: Less than three
(she/her)
#34: Mar 13th 2023 at 5:08:44 PM

While A-Cup Angst specifically about the inferiority the flat chested character feels about their chest so gags that don't revolve around that can count.

Macron's notes
Gosicrystal Since: Jun, 2016 Relationship Status: Who needs love when you have waffles?
#35: Mar 13th 2023 at 5:22:25 PM

A-Cup Angst could be considered a subtrope of this when played for laughs, but it can be played for drama or deconstructed or any other way. It doesn't have to be comedic.

StarSword Captain of USS Bajor from somewhere in deep space Since: Sep, 2011
Captain of USS Bajor
#36: Mar 14th 2023 at 8:53:11 AM

E.g. it's Boob Based Comedy when Tales of Symphonia has a brief joke in a Hot Springs Episode about Colette being flat-chested and then gives her the title "Ironing Board". It's A-Cup Angst when Kris Longknife has legit body-image problems about her small chest.

Edited by StarSword on Mar 14th 2023 at 11:53:31 AM

blankygoof Since: Jan, 2023
#37: Mar 14th 2023 at 11:54:31 AM

I think we should rename it to Comical Boobs. The 'Gag' is no more, and causes confusion!

Edited by blankygoof on Mar 14th 2023 at 6:54:50 PM

Gosicrystal Since: Jun, 2016 Relationship Status: Who needs love when you have waffles?
#38: Mar 14th 2023 at 12:24:33 PM

The gag is the most important part of the trope. Its absence in examples is what led to misuse in the first place. We need to emphasize the comedy part.

MasterN Berserk Button: misusing Berserk Button from Florida- I mean Unova Since: Aug, 2016 Relationship Status: Shipping fictional characters
#39: Mar 15th 2023 at 9:59:53 AM

[up][up][up] Does Colette feel bad about her flat chest? If so, I do not see how that doesn’t qualify as A-Cup Angst despite being a comedic variant. Really, jokes about flat chests are so common, especially in Japanese media (for example, its a staple gag of the Harem Genre for the local Tsundere to lash out due to other haremettes having bigger chests) that A-Cup Angst could probably qualify as a subtrope of this that occasionally gets played for drama.

Edited by MasterN on Mar 15th 2023 at 10:02:25 AM

One of these days, all of you will accept me as your supreme overlord.
amathieu13 Since: Aug, 2013
#40: Mar 15th 2023 at 11:06:30 AM

[up]two tropes can overlap quite a bit and still be separate ideas. A-Cup Angst includes dramatic examples (i mean, if we want to really be pedantic about it, the "angst" suggests that the dramatic examples are more "core" to the trope than comedic examples. the description is written that way as well.) that would not fit under this trope, so it is not a subtrope.

Edited by amathieu13 on Mar 15th 2023 at 2:12:51 PM

StarSword Captain of USS Bajor from somewhere in deep space Since: Sep, 2011
Captain of USS Bajor
#41: Mar 15th 2023 at 2:51:10 PM

[up][up]AFAIK it's a one-time joke in a single cutscene (I never finished the game but I got pretty far), so yeah, [up]pretty much this.

Whereas Kris comparing herself unfavorably to better-endowed women is a recurring thing in the early books and not meant humorously (it gradually go away towards the middle of the series due to Character Development).

GastonRabbit MOD 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
Sounds good on paper (he/him)
#42: Mar 15th 2023 at 10:52:38 PM

Calling in favor of Boob-Based Gag.

Patiently awaiting the release of Paper Luigi and the Marvelous Compass.
Yindee Just stoic wisdom. from New England Since: Jul, 2016
Just stoic wisdom.
#43: Mar 16th 2023 at 6:59:20 AM

Removed some of the chairs-iest zces on the page and the part of the description acknowledging trope decay.

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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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#44: Mar 16th 2023 at 7:46:28 AM

Added this to Administrivia.Renamed Tropes and the Renamed and Split Tropes thread because I forgot to do that earlier.

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Berrenta How sweet it is from Texas Since: Apr, 2015 Relationship Status: Can't buy me love
Acebrock He/Him from So-Cal Since: Dec, 2009 Relationship Status: My elf kissing days are over
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#46: Mar 16th 2023 at 9:26:45 PM

I let the pantheon thread know about the rename.

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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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#47: Mar 17th 2023 at 3:31:26 PM

I forgot to carry over these pages' "No Google Ads" status when I moved them, even though I meant to. It looks like the main page for the new name had the "No Google Ads" flag set to Yes automatically, so I did that part manually for just the subpages since the old names had them set to that.

Patiently awaiting the release of Paper Luigi and the Marvelous Compass.
Yindee Just stoic wisdom. from New England Since: Jul, 2016
Yindee Just stoic wisdom. from New England Since: Jul, 2016
Acebrock He/Him from So-Cal Since: Dec, 2009 Relationship Status: My elf kissing days are over
He/Him
#50: Mar 19th 2023 at 10:08:06 PM

1839 left. Cleared out Anime, Comics, and Let's Play, as well as Characters A and B. Main was also cleared out, earlier but not by me.

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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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