Quick! Tie him to a stake and burn him with the fire of torn-up posters!
Mason: The new Star Wars movies are way better than the older ones anyway.
Shawn: Whoa.
Gus: ...We are dealing with a crazy person.
Shawn: Whoa.
Gus: ...We are dealing with a crazy person.
Among Fandom there are some topics which, once mentioned, will cause endless, passionate debate over which faction of the Fandom is correct. Then there are some things which it seems like everyone in the Fandom agrees on. Of course Alan Moore is one of the best comics scribes out there. Of course the American adaptation of Coupling sucked. And of course Garfield has been going downhill for years. How could anyone think otherwise?
Well, there are invariably fans who do indeed think otherwise. However, voicing these opinions which run contrary to Fandom consensus can entail some risk for the person in question. You might get some funny looks if you said you preferred the Japanese GoLion over the American Voltron Lion Force. If you say you liked Voltron Vehicle Force, however, prepare to be treated as a Fandom pariah, along with comments that you're obviously not a real/true fan. Essentially, this is the Fandom variant of The Complainer Is Always Wrong.
Sometimes, this can even extend to fans who hold opinions that are only tenuously related (or, in some case, entirely unrelated) to the work in question — which run contrary to Fandom consensus. This can exist in the form of "you can't be a true fan of Band X, if you also like Band Y or you don't also like Band Z".
By the extension of the above two paragraphs, in certain circles, the term "true fan" is the fandom equivalent of Godwin's Law. It's like declaring "I believe in [X] because I'm a 'regular' fan". In other words, if someone plays/invokes the "[X] because I am a true fan", then they automatically lose the argument.
"After a rather influential message by M Sipher in 1997 the term 'true fan' has taken on a whole new meaning among some TransFans. It's a sort of twist on Godwin's Law where anybody who accuses somebody of not being a true fan automatically loses any argument, and is often discounted as a buffoon afterwards."
—Steve-o's Transformers FAQ
Please note, to count as Fandom Heresy, it must be said by someone who is part of the Fandom. For example, someone saying, "Breaking Bad is stupid" or "Discworld is boring" doesn't count. However, a Breaking Bad fan saying, "Ozymandias is an overrated episode" or a Discworld fan saying, "Sam Vimes is the lamest character in the series" would definitely count.
A very commonplace, fandom-independent example of Fandom Heresy is disliking the main character, or the Ensemble Dark Horse if the main character isn't also the most popular character. Doubly so if you say that said character is a copy of a character from another series. Being a fan of a Hate Sink (in a non-Love to Hate way), The Scrappy, or a character with a despised trait (such as being an Abusive Parent) is just as universal an example of heresy, for equally obvious reasons.
See also Fan Dumb for another way to hit the Berserk Button of certain fandoms. Compare with Broken Base, where the two sides of opinion are more equal rather than one overwhelming majority against a minority "heresy"; as well as Sacred Cow, in which the "heresy" includes even non-fans. Not to be confused with Fandom-Enraging Misconception, which is for common factual errors about works that particularly annoy their fans.
This trope is extremely dependent on biases, and sometimes it may make you feel uncomfortable or even deeply ashamed if you do not hold their views. However, do not lose heart: It's all right to keep your opinions and be a "heretic" if it's being truer to your heart. You are not directly harming anyone, you're not a bad person for having an unpopular opinion (no matter how much people may try to make you believe you are), and you should not feel shame for enjoying what you personally enjoy, or for not enjoying what you personally don't enjoy. You probably just need to be extra careful on how you express your opinion, but you will eventually find a community or friend to whom your opinion wouldn't look too much like a heresy. Don't let the biases of any of the fandoms listed below prevent you from enjoying or not enjoying the media. They are not the boss of you, and giving in to their demands and refusing to enjoy/not enjoy something you know you like/dislike deep down to feel "closer" to the fandom will only make you feel worse in the long term due to the negative effects of denial.
Examples:
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Comic Books
- Archie Comics:
- Don't say that you like the new continuities better than the original.
- Never bring up the film adaptation of Josie and the Pussycats to the fans of the series.
- When it comes to ships involving Archie, don't say that you like the ship of him with Cheryl better than Betty or Veronica.
- Don't say that you like Ginger Lopez in her first appearances where she replaces Cheryl in those comics that Cheryl was originally in.
- Don't say that the Live-Action series is better than the comic book.
- Asterix: Do not say that you liked Asterix and the Falling Sky, due to its plot being about Ancient Astronauts and being a poorly written, poorly drawn, and borderline xenophobic story, or you'll be at the receiving end of a Megaton Punch from Obelix. To put it this way: even the main duo got their memories of that adventure erased.
- Batman:
- Don't speak positively about All-Star Batman & Robin, the Boy Wonder (unless it's ironic) unless you want to be beaten up by the goddamn Batman and be forced to eat rats in the Batcave, as it's widely regarded to be one of the worst Batman comics of all time. And especially don't say you like Batman's depiction in the comic.
- Don't say you don't think Cassandra Cain should be Batgirl unless you want to be beaten up by her and the rest of the Bat Family, as It's universally agreed that she is the one most suited for the Batgirl mantle besides Barbara Gordon herself.
- Don't suggest you agree with Cass' temporary Face–Heel Turn and her stint as the head of the League of Assassins in One Year Later, as many fans consider it to be one of the worst cases of character assassination in all of comic books, with DC quickly undoing it and handwaving it as her becoming Brainwashed and Crazy in response to the severe backlash, before brushing it under the rug shortly after.
- Saying you agree with Barbara Gordon getting crippled by The Joker in The Killing Joke is a good way to have The Joker come to your house and shoot you, as even fans who otherwise love the comic found it to be its worst aspect, with the book's writer — Alan Moore — deeply regretting it.
- Regardless of what one thinks of Frank Miller and his later Batman comics, it's not wise to criticize The Dark Knight Returns and Batman: Year One unless you want to be beaten up by fans, as both are considered to be classics that have played a huge role in modernizing Batman and revitalizing comic books as a whole.
- Go on, suggest that Batman should kill his foes, unless you don't want to be beaten to a pulp by the Dark Knight himself, on top of the fandom, as his Thou Shall Not Kill rule is one of his most defining characteristics and partly what separates him from other dark and edgy heroes/anti-heroes. You might get away with suggesting he should kill the Joker as an one-time exception, but even that should be done with extreme caution, given how divisive that subject is.
- Don't describe the Robins as Batman's "soldiers" unless you want to be beaten up by all of them at once. Most fans prefer to view them as Batman's sons or wards instead, especially since Bruce adopted most of them (and Damian is his biological son). In all fairness, some of the comics (especially those by Frank Miller) do go for this interpretation, but since many fans hate this interpretation, it's equally unwise to suggest you support it.
- The Boys: Never say Homelander can beat another Superman Substitute and even worse, never say he can beat up the original himself. It's up to the point where the "Omni-Man vs. Homelander" fight in DEATH BATTLE! shows just why. Ironically, this is despite DC themselves showing Homelander can go toe to toe with Supes in DC K.O., but most fans prefer to reject that.
- Captain America: Never state that you thought the "Captain Hydra/Stevil" plot twist from Captain America: Steve Rogers and the ensuing Crisis Crossover Secret Empire were great. Otherwise, expect to be beaten by the entire Marvel fandom for professing your approval of one of the most ill-thought attempts to upend the status quo in comic book history, one that went against everything the character stood for. And when the fandom comes to beat you up, they can and will do it all day.
- Daredevil: It's not a good idea to bring up the film adaptation to the fans. Otherwise you'll be shot in both hands by a sniper and thrown from a bell tower onto a car. The Elektra spinoff is even worse. Bring it up and Bullseye will take you out.
- The DCU:
- Do not speak positively about Identity Crisis (2004), as it's considered to have started one of the worst eras in the franchise. This also applies to the Spiritual Successor Heroes in Crisis which is just as hated.
- Speaking positively about The New 52 outside of the Batman run will get you in trouble, due to it being considered a misguided and terrible Continuity Reboot that was eventually (sort-of) undone.
- Fantastic Four: It's not a good idea to mention any of the film adaptations (with the sole exception of The Fantastic Four: First Steps) to fansnote , especially the 2015 movie due to its Ashcan Copy status. Otherwise you'll be subjected to the Ultimate Nullifier.
- The Flash:
- If you value your life, never say anything positive about Heroes in Crisis. It was so hated that DC decided to do a massive damage control for this story and make it look like it never happened in the first place. Otherwise you'll suffer an Infinite Mass Punch, relive your entire life in seconds, and explode into pixels.
- When it comes to live-action adaptations, don't say that Ezra Miller was more likable than Grant Gustin or you'll be erased from history.
- Judge Dredd: Do not say that you liked the 1995 Sylvester Stallone film, just two of the reasons being that the titular character took off his helmet, something that is considered sacrilege by the fandom, and shoehorning the characters from the other 2000 AD stories such as the ABC Warriors and the Angel Family.
- Spider-Man:
- Professing fondness for One More Day will have fans take you in to be on the receiving end of a brutal beating courtesy of Peter himself, as they despise that story for undoing Peter and Mary Jane's marriage via Ret-Gone, which was Joe Quesada's main goal with the story. To a lesser extent, the story reversed years of character development for Peter Parker and Aunt May (Peter being a teacher and an Avenger and May discovering Peter is Spider-Man). Needless to say, it's so horrifically bad that it's up to the point where there's actually a Revenge Fic fan-comic that shows Peter and Mary Jane themselves going all out to retcon Quesada out of existence as revenge for doing this story.
- Related to the above, it's best not to mention Joe Quesada at all when talking about the comic, due to his infamy.
- Any kind of appreciation for The Amazing Spider-Man (2022) is as dangerous as fighting Peter when he isn't making jokes, due to it starting off with a vaguely defined incident that rendered Spider-Man even more of a Hero with Bad Publicity than he usually is, followed by a blatant attempt to take Mary Jane off the table as a potential love interest, and then killing and resurrecting Kamala Khan at the drop of a hat for the sake of corporate brand synergy.
- In the same topic, you can debate of your favorite ship (either MJ, Felicia, Gwen, or any other girl he dated before, but definitely not Carlie Cooper), but the consensus in the fandom is still the same: Spider-Man should be married and have kids and if he should be separated from his wife, it should be via a divorce, and saying a married or a divorced Peter can't work or he should not age is 100% sure to make the fandom angry with you. Thanks to Spider-Man: Into the Spider-Verse, the fandom sees the idea can work.
- For the love of Stan Lee, do not say you like either Carlie Cooper or Paul — let alone mentioning either of them at all — due to how reviled both of them are as Mary Sue author self-inserts Marvel Editorial has used to break up Peter and MJ.
- Don't ever suggest that Miles Morales is not a "real" Spider-Man unless you want to be attacked by a venom blast. He may be a Legacy Character, but Miles Morales is just as much of a Spider-Man as Peter Parker is, which is only reinforced by the comics, as well as adaptations like Insomniac's Spider-Man games and the Spider-Man: Spider-Verse films.
- Professing fondness for One More Day will have fans take you in to be on the receiving end of a brutal beating courtesy of Peter himself, as they despise that story for undoing Peter and Mary Jane's marriage via Ret-Gone, which was Joe Quesada's main goal with the story. To a lesser extent, the story reversed years of character development for Peter Parker and Aunt May (Peter being a teacher and an Avenger and May discovering Peter is Spider-Man). Needless to say, it's so horrifically bad that it's up to the point where there's actually a Revenge Fic fan-comic that shows Peter and Mary Jane themselves going all out to retcon Quesada out of existence as revenge for doing this story.
- On the topic of Spider-Woman, never ever say that Mattie Franklin is better than Jessica Drew or Julia Cornwall.
- Superman:
- Never, ever bring up Matrix, Linda Danvers, Cir-El, or Ariella Kent to fans of Supergirl and when talking about Supergirl.
- If you ask who would win a battle between Superman himself and a Superman Substitute, the only good answer is Superman himself, especially if you decide to make him fight Homelander. In this case, the result is always "Superman wins without being touched once". Needless to say, any dissent will lead you to be epically curbstomped by Superman himself.
- Don't say that you prefer Jesse Eisenberg's portrayal of Lex Luthor over any other portrayals, or you will suffer a deadly beating from Doomsday.
- X-Men: It's not wise to say anything negative about the original five membersnote , unless you want to get thrown in the Danger Room.
Comic Strips
- The Addams Family: Bringing up the straight-to-video Addams Family Reunion will have you blown up by Uncle Fester.
- Calvin and Hobbes:
- Wanting merch tends to get people looked down on by other fans.
- Don't ship Calvin with anyone but Susie.
- Those who say any good things about Moe will incur the fans' wrath.
- Garfield:
- Do not speak positively of the two live-action movies other than Bill Murray's voice of Garfield unless if you want a cream pie to be thrown in your face on Monday.
- Do not call The Garfield Movie a good adaptation of the Garfield comics if you aren't okay with the titular orange cat eating all the food in your house, as the movie is infamous for being an extremely In Name Only take on the franchise.
- Peanuts:
- Regardless of the ships involving Charlie Brown, do not deny the ship of him with the little red-haired girl.
- Talking ill about Janice Emmons will have fans calling you a "blockhead". And do not say that you don't like the shipping of her with Linus, or the fans will slug you.note
- Saying anything healthy about Thibault, Melody-Melody, or Joe Agate is strongly discouraged.
Music
- Never say Black Metal isn't Satanic to the more serious fans, unless you want to end up like Euronymous and your house be the target of arson.
- Korn: Do not make any jokes regarding "Daddy", do not make any nightcore/daycore versions, and it's advised you only make a cover if you have similar experiences.
- Linkin Park: It used to be common during the band's heyday, but nowadays it's not recommended to poke fun at the band by calling them wangsty after Bennington's suicide showed people that there's more to their music. It says something that it's almost impossible to find a troll comment claiming they're overrated these days when it's common in practically every other popular band/musician circle even for those considered sacred cows.
- Several within Metallica:
- The first four albums, and to a lesser extent, The Black Album, are a Sacred Cow, so fans will have you ride the lightning if you criticize them.
- Don't say you like St. Anger (or God forbid Lulu) if you don't want the fans to make you broken, beaten, and scarred.
- Never put any other bassist above Cliff Burton. Otherwise, the fans will summon Cthulhu up your ass.
- Michael Jackson:
- Many fans of the King of Pop do not take kindly to those bringing up the child molestation accusations levied against him (especially since said accusations were reportedly proven to lack evidence), so don't accuse him of such to them.
- Mocking his lighter skin tone (which was at least partially caused by the skin condition vitiligo) or his cosmetic surgeries (since the exact number of procedures he had done is widely disputednote , and Michael reportedly suffered from Body Dysmorphic Disorder) are considered to be in poor taste after his passing, especially if you say he was "trying to be white", as Jackson was very much proud of being black.
- As far as his music goes, don't say anything negative about Thriller (though it's okay to speak negatively about "The Girl Is Mine", which is widely deemed the weakest song on the album) or to a lesser extent Bad. Otherwise you'll get hit by (!-!) you'll get struck by (!) a smooth criminal, so beat it.
- Pantera:
- Don't list pre-Cowboys From Hell albums as part of the band's music, unless you truly want to be fucked, as even the band considers it as a 'heresy'.
- Only good things are allowed to be said about Dimebag. You disagree, prepare to be fucked far beyond driven.
- Songdrops: Don't say anything negative about "The Long Word Song" or especially "The Duck Song".
- Vocaloid:
- Hatsune Miku is a character held in very high regard by the fandom, so speaking negatively about her is not a wise move unless you want to be beaten to a pulp by a leek. You might get away with criticizing her high exposure due to Hype Backlash or her NT version, which has become divisive amongst the fanbase, but criticizing Miku herself is a no go.
- In regards to producers, do not ever criticize the late Wowaka or Samfree, as both are considered to be legends amongst Vocaloid producers, especially after their unfortunate passings. Doing so is a quick way to invoke a entire fandom chasing you out of town.
- "Weird Al" Yankovic: You can get away with disliking a song or album of his, but never speak negatively about the man himself, unless you want the fanbase to literally smack a crowbar upside your stupid head.
- The Wiggles: Most fans won't care if you like Sam, just don't say he's a better yellow Wiggle than Greg. And whatever you do, never, ever bring up Emma, Lachey, and Simon.
- When it comes to indie acts, do not admit to streaming their music on services like Spotify, Apple Music, and YouTube Music, unless you already bought their music and are just using streaming services for convenience. Otherwise, their fans will call you worse than pirates, due to the infamous relationships between music artists and streaming services as well as the former's infamously low revenue share from playback of their music; ergo, they consider it more ethical to just pirate your favorite musicians' music than to stream since this means money doesn't go towards streaming companies that many fans consider as having questionable-at-best business practices.
Technology and Infrastructure
- Do not say you like the Model A of BBC Micro unless if you want the Beeb's fans to force you to like the Model B. The Model A was seen as a crippled piece of hardware stripped of its expandability by the Beeb's fans.
- Please, for goodness' sake, don't say you like the Amiga CD 32, CDTV or God forbid Amiga 600 or 300, if you want the Amiga fans not to burn you.
- Do not mention the Vegas Loop, the proposed Hyperloop system, or anything by Elon Musk's Boring Company around railfans, unless you want to be tied to a Shinkansen track.
- Although saying you like Windows Vista, 8.1 or 10 would still have half of the fandom defend you, having a positive opinion on Windows 8 (or worse, Windows ME) can cause Windows' fans to BSOD you.
- Likewise, having a low opinion on Windows XP is also a fast track to having the fandom attack you, as the version in question is treated as a Sacred Cow.
- Within the Commodore 64 fandom, don't say you prefer the 8580 revision over the original 6581 SID chip or say the former is a 'corrected' version. The SID fans and musicians regard the 6581's flaws as 'features', so saying 8580 is better would be interpreted as insulting and the fans would force you to forevermore listen to 6581 sounds.
- Within the Linux community, don't say you use Ubuntu. Their opinion on the distro is It's Popular, Now It Sucks!.
- If you prefer to use the chat app Discord in light mode, never let other users find out, as they describe light mode screenshots as melting users' eyeballs. Otherwise, whatever channel you're in will completely derail any pre-existing discussion to inflict some literal discord to your life.
- Amongst headphone fans, never ever admit to liking Bluetooth headphones, which are derided for their cost, audio latency, vulnerability to radio interference, battery life, and how the iPhone 7's infamous headphone jack removal kicked off an equally-controversial trend of other phone manufacturers doing the same. If you do get them, the only acceptable explanation is that you were forced to do so, either due to many phones post-iPhone 7 lacking a headphone jack and your unwillingness to get a headphone jack dongle that can be easily lost or your local electronics store just not stocking wired headphones. Do not explain any of the conveniences of wireless headphones (e.g. no need to worry about getting them caught on things or managing tangled wires) either. Otherwise, audiophiles will demonstrate a different advantage of using wired headphones...by strangling you to death with the cord.
Theatre
- Cats: Do not praise the 2019 film adaptation or fans will force you to commit terrible memories.
- Hamilton:
- It's not a good idea to claim Act 2 is superior to Act 1. The second act isn't bad per se, it's just that most fans tend to gravitate toward the high energy and iconic songs of the first act.
- At the same time, you also shouldn't claim the plot drags or loses momentum in certain parts of Act 2. (e.g.:, "The Adams Administration")
- Never claim that "Wait For It" is an overrated song.
- Lin-Manuel Miranda will always be remembered for his iconic role as the titular character in the musical. You're allowed to praise other actors, but never claim a replacement lead actor is downright better than Miranda.
- Never claim that Angelica Schuyler's role is overhyped or that her role is too large, considering her historical relationship with Hamilton.
- Never claim that King George's songs ("You'll be Back", etc.) are weak or skippable.
- It's not a good idea to claim Act 2 is superior to Act 1. The second act isn't bad per se, it's just that most fans tend to gravitate toward the high energy and iconic songs of the first act.
Theme Parks
- Disney Theme Parks:
- To any fans of The Enchanted Tiki Room, there is one thing you must never do- say you thought the Under New Management version was better in any way. All you can praise is Uh-Oa, but everything else must never be brought up.
- Don't ever suggest that you prefer the second or third incarnations of Journey into Imagination over the first incarnation and don't ever say that you prefer Dr. Nigel Channing over The Dreamfinder. Both are easy ways to inspire Disney fans to imagine creative ways of destroying you.
- Unless you want to get baked into a cake or TP'd by fans, don't say you like the infamous cake overhaul Cinderella Castle had gotten for Walt Disney World's 25th anniversary or that one time when Stitch "vandalized" the Castle for the opening day of his infamous Magic Kingdom ride. Likewise, don't ever suggest you like the Sorcerer Mickey arm placed on Epcot's Spaceship Earth from 1999 to 2007 or the Sorcerer Mickey hat at Hollywood Studios that served as the park's icon from 2001 to 2015, just don't.
- Although Guardians of the Galaxy – Mission: BREAKOUT! at California Adventure is not regarded as being a bad attraction in of itself, don't say you prefer it to The Twilight Zone Tower of Terror unless you want to die in a plummeting elevator.
- Saying that you prefer Space Mountain Mission 2 or Hyperspace Mountain over the original Space Mountain: From the Earth to the Moon is an easy way for Disneyland Paris fans to shoot you from a cannon to the moon.
- Saying anything positive about Superstar Limo is not a wise move unless you want to get run over by a limo driven by Disney fans and miss your movie premiere in the process, as the ride is widely considered to be the worst dark ride Disney has produced.
- Given it is regarded as the Magnum Opus of the Disney theme parks, don't talk negatively about Tokyo DisneySea unless you want Disney fans to throw you into Mount Prometheus.
- Unless you want to be shot with a blunderbuss by the Swedish Chef, regardless of how dated it might be, don't ever talk negatively about Muppet*Vision 3D, as the show is regarded to be a Sacred Cow by both Disney Park fans and Muppet fans alike due to it being the last Muppet project directed by the late Jim Henson prior to his tragic passing in 1990. And don't you dare say that you approved of it being removed from California Adventure in favor of a Frozen sing along, or its removal from Hollywood Studios in favor of a Monsters, Inc. land.
- Saying you approve of the decision to replace the Rivers of America and Tom Sawyer Island at Magic Kingdom with a Cars-themed expansion will result in you being thrown into Seven Seas Lagoon to drown.
- Universal Studios: While fans generally don't care if you like The Simpsons Ride, trying to suggest that it's superior to Back to the Future: The Ride is a very easy way for fans, especially Back to the Future fans, to want to hold you for treason.
Toys
- Lalaloopsy: Fans will sew your eyes with buttons if you say that the reboot Netflix line is better than the original.
- LEGO:
- Whatever you do, do not tell a LEGO fan (no matter what age) that you like stickers, or prefer them over printing, despite them being cheaper. Even worse is saying you're fine with it if they cover multiple pieces. Do any of this, and you'll be forced to step on a LEGO brick barefooted.
- Rather lighthearted compared to most examples, but if you own any LEGO Star Wars sets with Lightsabers in them, don't admit to sticking the saber onto any other part than the ringed side while building them, unless you're building a custom double-sided Lightsaber, or every single owner of such a LEGO set will force-choke you.
- Monster High: Saying that you like G2 will get fans in a tizzy.
- My Little Pony: Saying that you like G3.5 or that G5 is better than G4 will have fans sending out a horde of ponies to trample you.
- Transformers:
- Criticizing G1 will have fans send a Decepticon to destroy you, as G1 is considered a Sacred Cow. That being said, overly idolizing G1 and bashing everything else just for not being "GEEWUN" is considered to be just as big of a red flag.
- Saying you liked the IDW portrayal of Star Saber as a psychopathic religious zealot is a fandom sin so severe that even Primus would never forgive you for. On the other way around, saying you disliked Chromedome and Rewind's relationship will see you being handed over to the DJD.
- Saying that you like the third-party figures can sometimes leave the fandom unhappy. Third-party upgrade kits are fine, though.
- Do not say anything even remotely critical about the following Transformers characters or you will be fed to Unicronnote : Optimus Prime, Bumblebee, Jazz, Prowl, Wheeljack, Hound, Ironhide, Ratchetnote , Tracks, Inferno, Grimlock, Jetfire/Skyfire (and don't say that he didn't deserve his redemption), Megatron/Galvatron, Starscream, Soundwave, Laserbeak, Ravage, Shockwave, and Devastator.
- Saying that you support producer Lorenzo di Bonaventura is like saying you support Kathleen Kennedy to Star Wars fans. While the live-action film series has been rather divisive, especially the Bayverse, do not say you agree with di Bonaventura's statements linking the non-Bay films or Transformers One back to the Bayverse unless you want to give Optimus your face.
- Don't say anything remotely negative about Peter Cullen and Frank Welker's voices of Optimus Prime and Megatron respectively as they are considered to be the definitive voice actors in G1.
Visual Novels
- Ace Attorney:
- Do not tell a fan that you didn't find Phoenix Wright: Ace Attorney – Justice For All's final case exciting, as it's considered to be one of the best cases if not the best case in the series.
- On the subject of Justice for All, splurging out anything positive about the game's widely hated third case will cause the fandom to prosecute you so hard even Phoenix Wright himself wouldn't be able to get you out of it. Unless you're speaking of the anime edition, to which the fandom will pull a 180 and vouch for your acquittal, allowing Phoenix Wright to pull an easy 'Not Guilty' verdict.
- Saying that your favorite game in the series is any other than the first or third ones will get you completely torn apart with rage by the fanbase who are insistent that their opinion is the only valid one.
- Saying anything good about Quercus Alba, the Big Bad of Ace Attorney Investigations: Miles Edgeworth, who is strongly disliked for having not much personality besides (paraphrasing) "Ah ah ah! I have extraterritorial rights, you can't do anything about my crime!" and having an excessively long string of cross-examination sequences, will get you figuratively arrested, whether you're in the United States / Japan, Allebahst, or Babahl.
- You are perfectly allowed to like Apollo Justice, but don't ever admit you prefer him over Phoenix Wright unless you want your law badge revoked. Suggesting you prefer Athena Cykes over both of them is especially dangerous and is near-guaranteed to get you locked up with no defense attorney to save you. That said, saying Athena deserves her own game at least is generally okay.
- Saying that Barok Van Zieks is a bad character because he's racist will automatically have fans assume you didn't understand the story at all given how him being racist is the whole point of both his character and the setting along with being a major crux of his character development. Pray then you don't end up as the next victim of the Reaper of the Bailey.
- While it's ok for you to be annoyed by his behavior at first, saying that Eustace Winner deserved to be humiliated and verbally abused by Excelsius will have fans hoping you get crushed by the Taurusaurus.
- AIR:
- Do not say anything positive about the monks and soldiers responsible for Kanna's curse and death respectively, or you'll be riddled with arrows yourself.
- Say anything positive about Keisuke Tachibana, Misuzu's father who ignored her for most of her life, and you'll get punched in the face.
- Never, ever say you were okay with Misuzu's death or you'll be cursed to slowly and painfully deteriorate and die yourself.
- Class of '09: Unless it's in complete jest, absolutely do not say anything positive about the Counselor, Coach Colby, or other male adult figures, as they're pedophiles, and some of the most awful people out there.
- Danganronpa:
- The third trial from Danganronpa 2: Goodbye Despair has gained a whole lot of infamy from the fandom, due to reasons such as Mikan Tsumiki's motive being the much-maligned Despair Disease, the fact that it would have been impossible for her to pull off both murders in the way and timeframe she did, that Hiyoko Saionji's murder wasn't elaborated upon, the rushed nature of the trial itself, or most infamously, Mikan's execution. As such, it's not a good idea to mention anything positive about it, and if you do, just be sure prepared for what brutal execution you'll get from the thousands of fired-up individuals, especially those who like Mikan.
- For Danganronpa Another Episode: Ultra Despair Girls, do not say anything good about Haiji Towa (unless it's for his design or Matthew Mercer's phenomenal performance), as he is considered by the fandom to be the most hated character in the whole series.
- For Danganronpa V3: Killing Harmony, never say you like the Monokubs (besides Monodam), due to their annoying presence in the game, although given the true nature of V3's story, disliking them is likely the point of their character.
- Doki Doki Literature Club!:
- Do not say that Monika did nothing wrong, or else the fandom will delete you. You're still allowed to sympathize with Monika, like her, or say that her actions were understandable, but don't ever say she was in the right for what she did to Sayori, Natsuki, and Yuri.
- Do not say you dislike any of the girls, as all of them are liked by the fandom, even Monika. You can still debate as to which is the best girl or your favorite, but not liking any of them is usually off-limits.
- Saying even the slightest thing positive about Natsuki's father, due to his all but explicitly stated treatment of Natsuki, or that he's not as bad as fans make him out to be, will lead to your death and deletion, especially since despite never actually appearing, he's very unlikable.
- Higurashi: When They Cry: Do not say even one thing positive about Satoshi and Satoko's uncle, Teppei Houjou, due to him being one of the most awful people in the story, or else the fandom will get Rena and Shion to brutally murder you.
- LoveKami -Divinity Stage-: While she doesn't have to be your favorite, do not say you dislike Kagura Amauzu, arguably the most popular of the three goddesses.
- Majikoi! Love Me Seriously!:
- It's not a good idea to speak negatively about Momoyo Kawakami, easily one of the strongest and most badass characters in the story. If you do, you'll be obliterated Kawakami-style.
- Mainly due to his actions towards the end of Miyako's route, do not speak positively about Maro Ayanokoji (aka History Teacher), or else all the main characters will join Momoyo in obliterating you.
- Memory's Dogma CODE:01: Unless it's Love to Hate, do not say anything good about Kuroda Renjuro, due to his actions in both the story itself and the backstory, or else the fandom will lock you in a lab under the Connect Center.
- One: Kagayaku Kisetsu e does not have an anime adaptation as far as the few fans that the visual novel has are concerned. Claim it does and you'll be comboed to death and hit with every Final Memory in Eternal Fighter Zero at once.
- Princess Evangile: Are you considering speaking positively about Masaya's father or the Headmistress or sympathizing with either of them? If you do, expect to be punished by all of the heroines at once.
- Renai X Royale: Speaking positively about Mari will get you in trouble with fans and readers, mainly due to her personality as well as her actions, both past and present, towards the main character. Speaking negatively about Yuna will get you in trouble with pretty much those same people.
- Sakura Series: While the male protagonists in their early titles are derided for their density towards the heroines, never say anything positive about Seiji from Sakura Beach, who is widely considered to be the densest one of them all.
- Tsukihime: When it comes to the fanbase (as well as fans of the Nasuverse as a whole), one way to make them want to suck the blood out of you and hit you with every Arc Drive in Melty Blood at once is making a single mention of the anime Shingetsutan Tsukihime. In fact, there's no Tsukihime anime as far as they're concerned.
Web Animation
- The Amazing Digital Circus:
- Unless you have a knack for abstracting and being thrown into the Cellar, never say you were okay with Caine killing Gummigoo at the end of the second episode, or else many of the show's fans will make you witness what true agony feels like. To put it simply, it's regarded as the most bitter way to end off Pomni's torturous adventure.
- You're perfectly allowed to dislike or even hate Jax for how much of a Jerkass he is, but don't ever say he deserved to abstract in Episode 9 unless you want to be deleted and sent to the void like Caine.
- Battle for Dream Island: Don't EVER say that TPOT 15 is an overrated or bad episode in front of the fandom unless you want fans chasing you like how Leafy was chased in BFDIA 1.
- DEATH BATTLE!:
- While most if not all Death Battles have at least some contention regarding their victors from watchers, a literal death battle will ensure if you approve of who the victors were in Gaara vs Toph, Yang vs Tifa, Ben 10 vs Green Lantern, or, most infamously of all, the second Goku vs Superman fight, as those four are despised by fans for reasons such as awful characterization (especially for the winners), flawed research, accusations of favoritism, or even the victor cheating.
- Speaking of characterization, while you can maybe get away with liking the action itself, saying that the stories and characterization in Deku vs Asta and especially Ed vs Aang were any good will earn you the ire of both fans of Death Battle and any of the four series involved, seeing as how the actions of all combatants are so incredibly far-off from how any of them actually act (even by the standard of the series) that it almost comes across as impressive. Especially the endings where Asta stabs Deku's already dead body and insults Detroit to close the battle off or Aang reduces Ed to nothing and claims he had no other choice. Expect fans to wish those fates on you should you speak of them positively.
- On the other hand, there are a few bouts where nobody disagrees with the results and doing so is not a good idea. For example, everyone is in agreement that Omni-Man vs. Homelander had the correct victor, and any dissent will lead to the 3 fandoms coming at you to feed you your own heart, especially when considering that even the official Twitter accounts for both series approved the outcome.
- Fans are very insistent that the first real life person portrayed in the series was Chuck Norris in his fight against Segata Sanshiro, and any mention of the episode consisting of a "fight" between Justin Bieber and Rebecca Black will most likely end with you being roundhouse kicked in the face, especially considering that even the creators of the show treat the episode with scorn.
- GoAnimate: Don't ever defend the character who got grounded, or else be prepared to be the one to have a Punishment Day, courtesy of Boris himself.
- Happy Tree Friends: Even just belting out that "YouTube Copyright School" is not a bad episode to fans of the series is a surefire way to have them out for blood, as it's seen as less of an episode of HTF and more of a punishment for uploaders who get a copyright strike on YouTube note .
- hololive:
- Do not say that you approved of Rushia Uruha's termination, or else the fandom will scream at you as loudly as she does.
- If an idol graduates from hololive, do not express anything other than sadness for their departure, much less say that you're glad they've left, or else that idol's fans will converge upon you.
- Homestar Runner: Don't say that you liked the Robot Chicken parody, "Attack on Homestar Runner" if you don't want to get shot down multiple times like the citizens of Free Country, USA in the sketch, as it is loathed by both Homestar fans and even Strong Bad's official Twitter account mainly due to its use of Anvilicious political satire, traced assets, Gorn, and shallowness.
- Meta Runner: Never say anything positive about Dr. Sheridan or especially Evelyn Claythorne, or else you'll suffer the same fate as the former.
- Murder Drones: Never say you dislike N, as he's easily one of the most popular characters in not just the show, but out of any of Glitch Productions's shows. He doesn't have to be your favorite character, but saying you dislike him is asking for the fanbase to disassemble you.
- Nijisanji:
- Similar to the hololive example above, never speak positively about Selen Tatsuki's termination, or else countless Dragoons will descend upon you.
- As of early 2024, mentioning Nijisanji to VTuber fans is like mentioning Konami to Video Game fans. Things that they've done following Selen's termination, such as underpaying their talents, accusations of being an Abusive Workplace, attacks against former talents, cutting ties with their EN branch, and more, have alienated fans and former fans of the agency. Saying anything good about Nijisanji's 2024-onward output will get you lynched by the former Niji-fandom. The only positive thing you can say about the agency is in regards to their current talents, but even then, fans would prefer that those talents left Nijisanji's toxic environment.
- RWBY:
- Originally, the big draw to the show was that its creator was Monty Oum, a web animator known for his dramatic and Rule of Cool fight sequences. During the first three years of the show, it was difficult for fans who didn't know who Oum was and didn't like his fighting styles to state that without experiencing backlash. Even after a decade, the fandom still tends to target fans who don't like Oum's fighting style, or who prefer post-Monty fights to the Monty-era fights.
- For those fans who dislike the direction of the show after Volume 3, it is considered unfathomable that anyone could like it or the quality of it. However, while there is fandom consensus that Volume 5 hit Seasonal Rot, there's also a consensus that the show started Growing the Beard from Volume 6. New fans coming into the show post-Volume 6 also tend not to understand the hate for Volume 5 that exists among older fans, and have experienced backlash from older fans for admitting as much.
- There's a consensus among both the show's fans and hate-watchers that it's not acceptable for people to state
Monty Oum would dislike the show's direction after his death or would do things better.
- While you could get away with doing so in the first two Volumes, do not speak positively about Adam Taurus. His arrogant personality, his treatment of Blake, his goals for the White Fang, and his various other actions from Volume 3 onward have effectively made him arguably the most hated character in the entire series. The only positive thing that can be said about Adam are his fight scenes.
- Red vs. Blue:
- Caboose is almost universally loved, and believed to be the funniest and most likable character in the show. If you don't like him, it's best to keep that to yourself.
- Red vs. Blue: Zero may or not be the worst season, but it's definitely the most hated. Praising it is going to result in some major backlash.
- The general consensus among fans is that Red vs Blue lost a lot of its quality after Red vs. Blue: The Chorus Trilogy. You're still allowed to like the post-Chorus seasons (except for Zero) but you absolutely cannot prefer them over Seasons 1-13.
- Supermarioglitchy4's Super Mario 64 Bloopers:
- Even just saying something mildly positive about Francis or that you're okay with him will lead you to experience the fury of a thousand sun-related memes and get sent to the Cancelled Dimension (or The Internet Graveyard), as he's considered by the fandom to be one of the most despicable villains in the series, especially since he killed Desti.
- Due of the character's actions in SMG4 Movie: Western Spaghetti, do not speak positively about One-Shot Wren, other that the chain of events that lead to his Start of Darkness, lest you wanna be forced into a simulation and tortured via constant death.
- While you can say he's a good, interesting, or memorable villain, or praise his friendship with Toomp, if you want to steer clear of Karen and her kids giving you a No-Holds-Barred Beatdown, do not say that Mr. WPNZ isn't that bad of a father.
- Never say that Lottie Bourne is a better Tari than Celeste Notley-Smith.
- VShojo:
- Never say you dislike Ironmouse to the fandom, not just due to her status as one of the most loved VTubers in the agency, but one of the most loved VTubers, period! Otherwise, you'll suffer the same fate that she did upon looking at the face of the Creator.
- In the wake of VShojo's downfall and demise, never take the agency's side over their (former) talents, especially Ironmouse or Projekt Melody, or else the fans of every talent will lynch you without a warning.
- Wolf Song: The Movie:
- Cobalt is the only one who is allowed to hate on Alador, so if anyone else does this, they will have to be prepared to lose their throat.
- Even if Cobalt isn't your favourite villain, failure to appreciate him will result in him dispatching of you himself note .
- Speaking positively about Alador's death, apart from it being an impactful scene, will result in you experiencing his fate.
- You are allowed to like the sequel webcomic, but it's best not to deem it as superior to the original film, mainly due to Kara's characterization in said webcomic.
Webcomics
- Mani Mani People:
- In regards to their web-manga, do not speak positively about "The Girl Who Picked On Me Got Pregnant And Brought Her Baby To School", as it's regarded as one of the worst stories from them, due to how absurd its plot is, Madoka's reason for bullying the MC, why she decided to get pregnant, the fact that she never apologizes for her actions, and that the MC ultimately ends up with Madoka even though he's not the father of her child and also initially rejected her. If you do, you'll be the one paying child support and alimony.
- It's not a good idea to speak negatively about Shiki Moroboshi, the web-manga series' recurring businessman/doctor/scientist, mainly due to him being The Ace.
- Conversely, never say anything positive about Shiki Moroboshi's father, Fuga Moroboshi, mainly due to the way he and prior generations of the family produced heirs being through eugenics, lest the fandom throw you into the "chicken coop" and leave you to die.
- In regards to their web-manga, do not speak positively about "The Girl Who Picked On Me Got Pregnant And Brought Her Baby To School"
- Merryweather Comics: For Goth Girl and the Jock, while you can criticize Tyler for sometimes not understanding Ophelia's feelings, never say that he doesn't deserve her or that she should get with someone else.
- Oni Girlfriend: Do not ever say anything positive about Yuki, due to her being a manipulative Hate Sink and Yandere who orchestrated Kirika going berserk 10 years prior and was the actual attacker of Billy, or else the fandom will get Kirika herself to give you a major beatdown.
Web Original
- Darwin's Soldiers:
- Praising Lupis or Dragore will end with you locked in the Pelvanida sublevels. These two characters are almost universally disliked among the players and fans for their overpowered nature, constant wangsting, and tendency to steal the spotlight.
- Saying the Vulpine are a good addition to the setting will lead to your corpse getting dumped in a small New Mexico town's convenience store. The Vulpine are loathed by practically all the players and a good portion of the fans for being an Ethnic Scrappy as they're little more than a collection of negative Amerindian stereotypes, being depicted as alcoholic, sex-crazed savages, who live on poverty-ridden, filthy reservations.
- Calling Aydin a well-written character will get you punched out by Aimee. He's disliked by fans for being a flat character with little characterization beyond a Satellite Love Interest for Aimee. The fact that he shares his creator's views doesn't help matters. In addition, he's intended to be seen as one of "good" Vulpine, which given the Fantasy Counterpart Culture nature of the Vulpine, comes off as racist, which again, is more fuel to the fire the fans will use to roast you with if you praise Aydin.
- Saying anything good about the Rebooted Furtopia RP will cause all the players and fans to hand you over to the rogue scientists as it's considered the worst of any Darwin's Soldiers work thanks to the out-of-place babyfur elements; the character of Lupis and his derailment of the plot via his plotline causing the overemphasis of the role of the rogue scientists and the subsequent effect of the roleplay completely ignoring the terrorist assault (which is what the entire RP was intended to be about). Even the creator of the RP dislikes it.
- Game Theory: While the majority of videos are contentious, never speak positively about the first Five Nights at Freddy's 1 video, "Mario is Mental", "Link is Dead in Majora's Mask", or "Ness is Sans".
- The Slender Man Mythos: On a more serious note, don't bring up the real life stabbing incident. At all.
- YouTube:
- It's best for you not to say you were fond of any YouTube Rewind from 2018 onwards, as they're despised by viewers of the platform and contain far more dislikes than likes as a result.
- Speaking of dislikes, saying you approve of the site's removal of the dislike feature (the button's still there but the dislike count isn't viewable by the public) is the best and easiest way to get decried by basically everybody on the platform, likely in the form of several lengthy video essays. In addition, saying you approve of the heightened censorship and mislabeling of videos "for kids" due to COPPA, the increasing amount of videos whose comment sections have been disabled (both kids and music videos), and the heightened amount of inconvenient advertisements will get you a similar reaction.
- If you even have a slight approval of fraudulent copyright strikes, expect the whole of YouTube's userbase to start a violent Flame War on you.