10 Times The 'Prank Goes Wrong' Trope Backfired Spectacularly In Manga And Manhwa

The "Prank Goes Wrong" trope is a foundational element of comedy and drama across all media, but in the world of Japanese manga and Korean manhwa, it often takes a uniquely explosive and sometimes controversial turn. As of December 2025, the conversation around this trope remains dominated by specific titles that push the boundaries of humor, romance, and dark comedy, turning a simple joke into a life-altering, or even heated, consequence.

This deep dive explores the most talked-about instances where a character's attempt at a harmless (or not-so-harmless) prank backfired, including the specific adult comic that gave the keyword its infamous reputation. From romance that ignites unexpectedly to dark tales of revenge, these stories prove that in comics, the biggest laughs—and the wildest twists—happen when the joke is on the prankster.

The Infamous Case of 'Prank Goes Wrong' Manhwa: Jerry and Laura

The core of the "prank goes wrong manga" search often leads directly to a specific adult comic series, often categorized as a manhwa or webcomic, that centers on two main characters: Jerry and Laura. The series gained notoriety for its provocative premise and the dramatic escalation of its core conflict.

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Biography and Profile: Jerry and Laura

• Jerry: The redhead teen protagonist. He is characterized as a mischievous and often vulgar prankster who enjoys targeting his stepsister. His jokes are the catalyst for the entire series' plot.
• Laura: Jerry's blonde and fiery stepsister. She is the primary target of Jerry's pranks, which she finds obscene and unbearable. Her explosive reactions and the subsequent "heated consequences" form the backbone of the story's controversial themes.
• Genre: Adult Manhwa/Webcomic.
• Core Conflict: Jerry's relentless and often sexually-charged pranks against Laura, which eventually backfire into unexpected romantic or dramatic situations.
• Key Themes: Humor, drama, bold themes, and realistic reactions to boundary-crossing behavior.

The plot foundation is simple yet volatile: Jerry's jokes are consistently vulgar and cross the line, driving Laura to her breaking point. The narrative hook is the moment the tables turn, and Jerry's actions lead to a complex, often intimate, reaction from Laura. The series is frequently cited for its blend of humor with intense, adult-oriented drama.

One notable story arc revolves around a "wild St. Valentine's surprise" resulting from Jerry's dirty jokes, showcasing how the series uses the prank-gone-wrong mechanism to deliver high-stakes, dramatic plot twists.

The Trope in Dark Comedy and Horror Manga

Beyond the adult genre, the "prank goes wrong" mechanism is a staple in dark comedy and horror, where the consequences are less about romance and more about psychological terror or life-and-death stakes. These examples use the backfiring joke to explore themes of karma, cruelty, and the uncanny.

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1. Soichi's Pranks in Junji Ito's Works

The master of horror, Junji Ito, has a character named Soichi who embodies the ultimate prankster whose jokes always backfire—often with supernatural or grotesque results. Soichi's pranks are usually petty curses or attempts at revenge that, thanks to his strange, often self-inflicted, misfortune, end up humiliating or harming him instead of his intended target. This delivers Ito's unique brand of "dark comedy."

2. The Psychological Backfire

In stories that focus on psychological horror or drama, the prank often goes wrong not physically, but emotionally or socially. A character attempts a cruel joke to assert dominance, only to expose their own weakness or trigger a devastating chain reaction they can't control. This narrative technique heightens the drama by making the prankster the new victim of their own malice.

When Prank Confessions Lead to True Romance

Perhaps the most popular and wholesome sub-genre of the "prank goes wrong" trope is the "prank confession." This is a classic romantic comedy setup where a character, usually a Tsundere or a shy protagonist, confesses their love as a joke or a dare, only for the confession to be accepted unexpectedly, forcing them into a real relationship.

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3. It Should Have Been a Prank Confession... (告白ドッキリ)

This manga title is the perfect encapsulation of the trope. A character makes a confession as a "dokkiri" (prank), only to realize they've accidentally started a genuine romantic relationship. The comedy and tension stem from the prankster trying to navigate a real relationship while pretending the initial confession was sincere.

4. The Tsundere's Backfired Joke in Yuusha ga Shinda!

The manga *Yuusha ga Shinda!* (The Hero is Dead!) features a memorable instance of a Tsundere character's confession backfiring. The Tsundere archetype, known for hiding affection behind hostility, finds their attempt at a joke or a mean-spirited confession taken seriously, leading to a hilarious and heartfelt shift in their dynamic with the protagonist.

5. The Revenge of My Youth: My Re Life with a Girl Who Was Too Much of an Angel

This series features the main character becoming the target of a prank confession. The premise of the story involves a girl who was "too much of an angel" in the past, and the prank confession acts as a major turning point, setting up the entire "re-life" narrative.

Other Notable 'Prank Backfires' in Webtoons and Comics

The modern webtoon format, with its focus on slice-of-life and short-form comedy, is a fertile ground for the "prank goes wrong" narrative. These examples highlight the diversity of the trope in contemporary digital comics.

6. Prank (GONE WRONG)

A Webtoon series featuring the protagonist, Luke Williams, who is a "stinky" YouthTuber desperate for content ideas. His search for viral pranks leads to predictably disastrous, and often embarrassing, results, highlighting the modern-day pressure of content creation.

7. Prank gone Wrong (Hiro Kobayashi)

Another Webtoon with a similar title, this one features Hiro Kobayashi, a high school senior involved in a regional journalism contest. The prank in this narrative likely intertwines with his journalistic ambition, leading to a public scandal or personal crisis as his joke unravels.

8. Sleeping Prank Gone Wrong (The Comics Club)

This episode from *The Comics Club* Webtoon focuses on a slice-of-life scenario where a simple sleeping prank escalates into a hilarious, weird, or sometimes cute moment, proving that even minor pranks can have big, unexpected consequences in a comedic setting.

9. The Golden Time Example

In the popular romance anime/manga *Golden Time*, a "prank gone wrong" is a key plot point. While not the central theme, it is cited by fans as a memorable instance of the trope, demonstrating how a misguided joke can have serious emotional ramifications in a developing relationship.

10. Just a Prank Manga

This title on WebComics explicitly warns readers that when a "prank goes wrong it may lead to different things," suggesting a variety of unpredictable outcomes, from the humorous to the dramatic, cementing the trope's versatility across genres.