Search/Recent Changes
DBTropes
...it's like TV Tropes, but LINKED DATA!

Shapes of Disappearance

 Shapes of Disappearance
type
FeatureClass
 Shapes of Disappearance
label
Shapes of Disappearance
 Shapes of Disappearance
page
ShapesOfDisappearance
 Shapes of Disappearance
comment
A character is either looking for something or expecting a person or object to be with them or in a specific location. Whether it's the MacGuffin or an important individual that needs to be present, this trope is to point out something or someone that isn't there but should be there, whether it's because the missing object or person was taken away or left on their own without being noticed. Or perhaps after someone remarks about something they forgot. The trope makes for a suiting visual cue, especially in works that don't want to use too much dialogue, to indicate that something is missing or out-of-place without having to make someone exclaim that they're gone.
This can take place in the form of a dotted outline or silhouette of the missing object or person in question, or a still afterimage of whatever disappeared, that blinks in to momentarily take the place of whatever disappeared. While this visual cue is about something that isn't there at all, this trope is a case of Rule of Perception where it tells the audience that something was there before.
Can be paired with Alertness Blink, which would be when nearby characters realize that something important is missing, and Double Take, where the characters don't initially notice what's missing at first until that blinking silhouette gives a reminder. Can also be used with It Was Here, I Swear! and Inconveniently Vanishing Exonerating Evidence, where something that really should be there suddenly isn't.
Not to be confused with Chalk Outline, which indicates the outline of a dead person instead of one who vanished and hasn't been found, or a variant of Visible Invisibility where an invisible character is indicated by an outline. Also not to be confused with a variant of briffits, where a character fast enough to suddenly disappear from a scene leaves behind a cloud of dust that may be shaped like them.
 Shapes of Disappearance
fetched
2023-10-14T20:17:06Z
 Shapes of Disappearance
parsed
2023-10-14T20:17:06Z
 Shapes of Disappearance
processingComment
Dropped link to GagDub: Not an Item - FEATURE
 Shapes of Disappearance
processingComment
Dropped link to Nichijou: Not an Item - UNKNOWN
 Shapes of Disappearance
processingUnknown
Nichijou
 Shapes of Disappearance
isPartOf
DBTropes
 Shapes of Disappearance / int_14afa9d
type
Shapes of Disappearance
 Shapes of Disappearance / int_14afa9d
comment
Sleepless Domain: When Rue is trapped between the two halves of a large insectoid monster, Zoe steps in to get its attention by shooting one of the halves with her slingshot. When Rue turns around, she realizes that the other half is no longer behind her, as indicated by a dotted outline of where it just was. She promptly looks up to find that it had climbed the buildings and was rearing to attack Zoe.
 Shapes of Disappearance / int_14afa9d
featureApplicability
1.0
 Shapes of Disappearance / int_14afa9d
featureConfidence
1.0
 Sleepless Domain (Webcomic)
hasFeature
Shapes of Disappearance / int_14afa9d
 Shapes of Disappearance / int_1ffdd2f5
type
Shapes of Disappearance
 Shapes of Disappearance / int_1ffdd2f5
comment
Let's Get Divorced!: The security guard at Baek-hui's apartment is replaced by a dotted outline whenever he does his Stealth Hi/Bye.
 Shapes of Disappearance / int_1ffdd2f5
featureApplicability
1.0
 Shapes of Disappearance / int_1ffdd2f5
featureConfidence
1.0
 Let's Get Divorced! (Webcomic)
hasFeature
Shapes of Disappearance / int_1ffdd2f5
 Shapes of Disappearance / int_245313a1
type
Shapes of Disappearance
 Shapes of Disappearance / int_245313a1
comment
Something About: In Something About Super Mario All-Stars, when Mario reaches the castle, a blinking outline of Peach appears on the throne in her stead.
 Shapes of Disappearance / int_245313a1
featureApplicability
1.0
 Shapes of Disappearance / int_245313a1
featureConfidence
1.0
 Something About (Web Animation)
hasFeature
Shapes of Disappearance / int_245313a1
 Shapes of Disappearance / int_256c8a06
type
Shapes of Disappearance
 Shapes of Disappearance / int_256c8a06
comment
Wario Land II: In the second chapter's intro, Wario discovers that his treasure has been stolen when he enters an empty room and sees only a blinking afterimage of his missing treasure bags.
 Shapes of Disappearance / int_256c8a06
featureApplicability
1.0
 Shapes of Disappearance / int_256c8a06
featureConfidence
1.0
 Wario Land II (Video Game)
hasFeature
Shapes of Disappearance / int_256c8a06
 Shapes of Disappearance / int_2755a17
type
Shapes of Disappearance
 Shapes of Disappearance / int_2755a17
comment
Mechamato: In episode 3, Pian and Amato find Goosar, the robotic goose who's been stealing people's doors. They catch sight of it from a distance with binoculars, but after Pian gets his turn looking through them, he looks back to his right, but all that's left of Amato is a red blinking dotted outline. Pian uses the binoculars again to see Amato advancing toward Goosar.
 Shapes of Disappearance / int_2755a17
featureApplicability
1.0
 Shapes of Disappearance / int_2755a17
featureConfidence
1.0
 Mechamato (Animation)
hasFeature
Shapes of Disappearance / int_2755a17
 Shapes of Disappearance / int_2b3ba9e
type
Shapes of Disappearance
 Shapes of Disappearance / int_2b3ba9e
comment
In Chapter 23 of Asteroid in Love, Mira goes to Ao's homeroom to invite her for lunch, only to find Ao isn't there. In the manga, this is portrayed by having a shaded outline of Ao with her name on it, with blinking effects.
 Shapes of Disappearance / int_2b3ba9e
featureApplicability
1.0
 Shapes of Disappearance / int_2b3ba9e
featureConfidence
1.0
 Asteroid in Love (Manga)
hasFeature
Shapes of Disappearance / int_2b3ba9e
 Shapes of Disappearance / int_2b4ed8de
type
Shapes of Disappearance
 Shapes of Disappearance / int_2b4ed8de
comment
In the Yo-Kai Watch episode "Yo-Kai Spenp", whenever one of the guys is influenced by Spenp to make an impulsive purchase, their disappearance is punctuated with a dotted-line silhouette of their shape, marked in their designated colour (red for Nate, blue for Bear, green for Eddie).
 Shapes of Disappearance / int_2b4ed8de
featureApplicability
1.0
 Shapes of Disappearance / int_2b4ed8de
featureConfidence
1.0
 Yo-kai Watch
hasFeature
Shapes of Disappearance / int_2b4ed8de
 Shapes of Disappearance / int_35e05f2a
type
Shapes of Disappearance
 Shapes of Disappearance / int_35e05f2a
comment
RWBY:
In "Players and Pieces", after riding alongside Nora to the relic site atop an Ursa (which promptly drops dead from Nora's.... enthusiasm), Ren is clearly out of breath and between gasps asks Nora to never do that again. Unfortunately for him, Nora already left his side, leaving behind a pink-colored outline of herself.
In "Black and White", when Ruby tries to politely decline Penny's offer to help find Blake, she looks to Weiss and Yang for support, only to find that they're gone, with dotted outlines of them in their respective colors blinking where they just were.
 Shapes of Disappearance / int_35e05f2a
featureApplicability
1.0
 Shapes of Disappearance / int_35e05f2a
featureConfidence
1.0
 RWBY (Web Animation)
hasFeature
Shapes of Disappearance / int_35e05f2a
 Shapes of Disappearance / int_3ccd4125
type
Shapes of Disappearance
 Shapes of Disappearance / int_3ccd4125
comment
The 100 Girlfriends Who Really, Really, Really, Really, Really Love You: During Meme's introduction to the harem in Chapter 46, she hides behind Rentarou, meaning that she isn't standing where the new girl usually is when Rentarou says his catchphrase, instead showing a blink effect in Rentarou's hand.
 Shapes of Disappearance / int_3ccd4125
featureApplicability
1.0
 Shapes of Disappearance / int_3ccd4125
featureConfidence
1.0
 The 100 Girlfriends Who Really, Really, Really, Really, Really Love You (Manga)
hasFeature
Shapes of Disappearance / int_3ccd4125
 Shapes of Disappearance / int_3da335e4
type
Shapes of Disappearance
 Shapes of Disappearance / int_3da335e4
comment
In one episode of Delicious Party♡Pretty Cure, Yui realizes that defeating the episode's Monster of the Week made their cooking pot disappear, and a translucent image of the pot paired with a dotted-line circle around it indicates where it should be. This warrants a Big "WHAT?!" reaction from Kokone, Ran, Rosemary, and Amane.
 Shapes of Disappearance / int_3da335e4
featureApplicability
1.0
 Shapes of Disappearance / int_3da335e4
featureConfidence
1.0
 Delicious Party♡Pretty Cure
hasFeature
Shapes of Disappearance / int_3da335e4
 Shapes of Disappearance / int_410978c2
type
Shapes of Disappearance
 Shapes of Disappearance / int_410978c2
comment
Interspecies Reviewers: Chapter 5 has the intrepid reviewers venture toward the brothel of cyclops girls. En route, however, Kanchal the halfling and Crim the angel notice Ginny the minotaur and her enormous chest, and are drawn toward her. Stunk and Zel don't notice until Stunk tries to query Crim, and notices he's not there. Where Crim should be is only Crim's dotted outline. Stunk has to backtrack and collar Crim away from Ginny.
 Shapes of Disappearance / int_410978c2
featureApplicability
1.0
 Shapes of Disappearance / int_410978c2
featureConfidence
1.0
 Interspecies Reviewers (Manga)
hasFeature
Shapes of Disappearance / int_410978c2
 Shapes of Disappearance / int_43577d61
type
Shapes of Disappearance
 Shapes of Disappearance / int_43577d61
comment
Alphabet: When N's semicolon gem is stolen by F, it is noted by a close-up at the bracelet it was supposed to be, with a dotted outline blinking at where the gem was.
 Shapes of Disappearance / int_43577d61
featureApplicability
1.0
 Shapes of Disappearance / int_43577d61
featureConfidence
1.0
 Alphabet
hasFeature
Shapes of Disappearance / int_43577d61
 Shapes of Disappearance / int_46518682
type
Shapes of Disappearance
 Shapes of Disappearance / int_46518682
comment
Sesame Street: In the 50th anniversary special, Elmo sees that the Sesame Street sign is missing and imagines yellow dotted line on the pole it usually hangs from.
 Shapes of Disappearance / int_46518682
featureApplicability
1.0
 Shapes of Disappearance / int_46518682
featureConfidence
1.0
 Sesame Street
hasFeature
Shapes of Disappearance / int_46518682
 Shapes of Disappearance / int_583d2746
type
Shapes of Disappearance
 Shapes of Disappearance / int_583d2746
comment
Tokyo Mew Mew New: In episode 10, Ryou is talking to Ichigo (transformed into a cat by Power Incontinence), when he is briefly distracted by a phone call. Meanwhile, Ichigo's cat instincts take over and she runs off after a girl with a cute bag ornament. When Ryou turns back to Ichigo, all he sees is a distinct lack of a cat, indicated by an appropriate outline.
 Shapes of Disappearance / int_583d2746
featureApplicability
1.0
 Shapes of Disappearance / int_583d2746
featureConfidence
1.0
 Tokyo Mew Mew New
hasFeature
Shapes of Disappearance / int_583d2746
 Shapes of Disappearance / int_85698529
type
Shapes of Disappearance
 Shapes of Disappearance / int_85698529
comment
Paper Mario 64: During the Prologue chapter, Mario needs a Hammer from Goompa to destroy a block blocking the exit to Goomba Village, so he goes to the veranda of his family's house to ask him. However, Mario notices that the veranda is missing when he steps out the door, and an afterimage of it flashes when Mario recalls that it used to be there before he falls.
 Shapes of Disappearance / int_85698529
featureApplicability
1.0
 Shapes of Disappearance / int_85698529
featureConfidence
1.0
 Paper Mario 64 (Video Game)
hasFeature
Shapes of Disappearance / int_85698529
 Shapes of Disappearance / int_878d4e49
type
Shapes of Disappearance
 Shapes of Disappearance / int_878d4e49
comment
Bunny Drop: As Daikichi is walking along a street with preschool Rin, he suddenly discovers she's no longer beside him. Only Rin's outline is shown, indicating where Daikichi thought she was. Rin had been sidetracked by some fallen leaves, which she selects for a preschool project. A later chapter has Daikichi and Rin shopping in a grocery store. As Daikichi heads for the produce section, he discovers that Rin is missing, indicated once more with a dotted outline where Daikichi thought Rin would be. "What!?" Daikichi gasps, "Again?!" Rin has once again been sidetracked, this time by the colorful and cartoonish boxes of dry cereal. He has to chasten Rin not to wander away from him. His concern is justified, as Daikichi has adopted Rin, acting in loco parentis.
 Shapes of Disappearance / int_878d4e49
featureApplicability
1.0
 Shapes of Disappearance / int_878d4e49
featureConfidence
1.0
 Bunny Drop (Manga)
hasFeature
Shapes of Disappearance / int_878d4e49
 Shapes of Disappearance / int_959f1374
type
Shapes of Disappearance
 Shapes of Disappearance / int_959f1374
comment
Naruto: In the "Konoha Sports Festival" short, Naruto dispels his Shadow Clone while the latter is in a bathroom stall. He then tries to access the toilet but realizes it's impossible because the clone had locked the door from the inside. This is comically pointed out by showing the viewer a shot of the stall, with a blinking outline where the clone used to be.
 Shapes of Disappearance / int_959f1374
featureApplicability
1.0
 Shapes of Disappearance / int_959f1374
featureConfidence
1.0
 Naruto (Franchise)
hasFeature
Shapes of Disappearance / int_959f1374
 Shapes of Disappearance / int_987e0d48
type
Shapes of Disappearance
 Shapes of Disappearance / int_987e0d48
comment
Dat Intelligence: In "Who Captured Dat Intelligence'', Spaaps and his allies attempt to get to their van to go somewhere, unaware that the van was already taken. When they find out, the camera shows a blinking afterimage of the missing van.
 Shapes of Disappearance / int_987e0d48
featureApplicability
1.0
 Shapes of Disappearance / int_987e0d48
featureConfidence
1.0
 Dat Intelligence (Web Animation)
hasFeature
Shapes of Disappearance / int_987e0d48
 Shapes of Disappearance / int_9c929e6
type
Shapes of Disappearance
 Shapes of Disappearance / int_9c929e6
comment
EK Doodles
In "Don't Wake Parents", when Ryan sees Emma and Kate are not drawing on their table, dotted outlines of the twins appear briefly.
Something similar happens in "Candyland", when Gus the Gator sees that the twins are missing.
 Shapes of Disappearance / int_9c929e6
featureApplicability
1.0
 Shapes of Disappearance / int_9c929e6
featureConfidence
1.0
 EK Doodles (Web Animation)
hasFeature
Shapes of Disappearance / int_9c929e6
 Shapes of Disappearance / int_9e2dbb4d
type
Shapes of Disappearance
 Shapes of Disappearance / int_9e2dbb4d
comment
Regular Show: The Big Bad of the show's final season Anti-Pops plays with this trope. He has the power to erase anything from existence, leaving behind a white void shaped like who or what he erased. In other words, he makes actual, permanent shapes of disappearance after making someone or something disappear.
 Shapes of Disappearance / int_9e2dbb4d
featureApplicability
1.0
 Shapes of Disappearance / int_9e2dbb4d
featureConfidence
1.0
 Regular Show
hasFeature
Shapes of Disappearance / int_9e2dbb4d
 Shapes of Disappearance / int_a48bef99
type
Shapes of Disappearance
 Shapes of Disappearance / int_a48bef99
comment
BoBoiBoy: In Season 2's first episode, Gopal, Yaya, and Ying talk about their disdain for Fang, a student who's too stubborn to make friends in the 6 months he's been present, and yet has garnered admirers nonetheless. Said fans peer from the classroom door, and Yaya remarks that she doesn't know what their problem is, before turning back to Gopal. The girls notice that Gopal disappeared from his seat to join the admirers, and we see a blinking dotted outline of where he was at his desk. 
 Shapes of Disappearance / int_a48bef99
featureApplicability
1.0
 Shapes of Disappearance / int_a48bef99
featureConfidence
1.0
 BoBoiBoy (Animation)
hasFeature
Shapes of Disappearance / int_a48bef99
 Shapes of Disappearance / int_b4f817ae
type
Shapes of Disappearance
 Shapes of Disappearance / int_b4f817ae
comment
The Leftovers: The credits for Seasons 2 and 3 depict the Departed like this. Through a series of photographs, those who "departed" (the 2% of the population who inexplicably disappeared) are represented by the cut-out of their body, which is replaced by a natural landscape, such as stars or sea.
 Shapes of Disappearance / int_b4f817ae
featureApplicability
1.0
 Shapes of Disappearance / int_b4f817ae
featureConfidence
1.0
 The Leftovers
hasFeature
Shapes of Disappearance / int_b4f817ae
 Shapes of Disappearance / int_b85dfb9f
type
Shapes of Disappearance
 Shapes of Disappearance / int_b85dfb9f
comment
Pixie Trix Comix: When Gwynn learns that Zadie's girlfriend is Roxie, the next panel has Zadie suddenly gone, a dotted outline of her left in her place.
 Shapes of Disappearance / int_b85dfb9f
featureApplicability
1.0
 Shapes of Disappearance / int_b85dfb9f
featureConfidence
1.0
 Pixie Trix Comix (Webcomic)
hasFeature
Shapes of Disappearance / int_b85dfb9f
 Shapes of Disappearance / int_ba6e04f6
type
Shapes of Disappearance
 Shapes of Disappearance / int_ba6e04f6
comment
The Cuphead Show!: In "The Devil's Revenge", when the Devil sees that Cuphead has come to rescue Mugman from the Underworld, he attempts to teleport to them by knocking with his pitchfork, only to remember that he doesn't have it anymore, which is shown with a pitchfork-shaped dotted line blinking in his hand.
 Shapes of Disappearance / int_ba6e04f6
featureApplicability
1.0
 Shapes of Disappearance / int_ba6e04f6
featureConfidence
1.0
 The Cuphead Show!
hasFeature
Shapes of Disappearance / int_ba6e04f6
 Shapes of Disappearance / int_c326acd9
type
Shapes of Disappearance
 Shapes of Disappearance / int_c326acd9
comment
Inazuma Eleven:
In episode 27, after Raimon wins the Football Frontier, Endou gives Shishido permission to hold the trophy as some other members are staring at it. When the trophy is snatched by Kageno without them noticing, its outline appears on Shishido's hands.
Doctor Arno Crossword from Chrono Stone has the habit of disappearing suddenly when the kids want explanations from him, leaving behind an afterimage or his outline.
 Shapes of Disappearance / int_c326acd9
featureApplicability
1.0
 Shapes of Disappearance / int_c326acd9
featureConfidence
1.0
 Inazuma Eleven (Video Game)
hasFeature
Shapes of Disappearance / int_c326acd9
 Shapes of Disappearance / int_d02fbb8e
type
Shapes of Disappearance
 Shapes of Disappearance / int_d02fbb8e
comment
Vs. Auditor: Gateway to Hell: In the demo version of this Friday Night Funkin' mod, there are only two songs instead of the usual 3, so it ends with the Auditor throwing a rock at the wall behind Boyfriend before vanishing. Only a blinking red outline of him is seen once Boyfriend looks his way again.
 Shapes of Disappearance / int_d02fbb8e
featureApplicability
1.0
 Shapes of Disappearance / int_d02fbb8e
featureConfidence
1.0
 Vs. Auditor: Gateway to Hell (Video Game)
hasFeature
Shapes of Disappearance / int_d02fbb8e
 Shapes of Disappearance / int_d22a9a66
type
Shapes of Disappearance
 Shapes of Disappearance / int_d22a9a66
comment
In Pleasant Goat and Big Big Wolf, outlines are frequently used to give info on where something is missing and should be.
 Shapes of Disappearance / int_d22a9a66
featureApplicability
1.0
 Shapes of Disappearance / int_d22a9a66
featureConfidence
1.0
 Pleasant Goat and Big Big Wolf (Animation)
hasFeature
Shapes of Disappearance / int_d22a9a66
 Shapes of Disappearance / int_d7ae372a
type
Shapes of Disappearance
 Shapes of Disappearance / int_d7ae372a
comment
Episode 3 of D-Frag! has Roka and Kenji try to spy on the real Game Development Club, and when Takao catches them she allows Kenji to enter and take a look at what they're up to even when they're from rival clubs. However, she stops Roka from entering, and when Roka was standing at the door with real Game Development Club members she disappeared with an outline signifying this just so can go and push Takao's boobs into Kenji's face.
 Shapes of Disappearance / int_d7ae372a
featureApplicability
1.0
 Shapes of Disappearance / int_d7ae372a
featureConfidence
1.0
 D-Frag! (Manga)
hasFeature
Shapes of Disappearance / int_d7ae372a
 Shapes of Disappearance / int_e8d13e52
type
Shapes of Disappearance
 Shapes of Disappearance / int_e8d13e52
comment
Urusei Yatsura, 2022 anime remake: The final part of the opening sequence shows Ataru waking up in the real world in the 1970s, from a dream where he was using a modern-day smartphone. In a blink-and-you-miss-it detail, he glances at his hand, where a dotted outline in the shape of a smartphone pops up.
 Shapes of Disappearance / int_e8d13e52
featureApplicability
1.0
 Shapes of Disappearance / int_e8d13e52
featureConfidence
1.0
 Urusei Yatsura (Manga)
hasFeature
Shapes of Disappearance / int_e8d13e52
 Shapes of Disappearance / int_f7c2aa8f
type
Shapes of Disappearance
 Shapes of Disappearance / int_f7c2aa8f
comment
Spy & Pyro: The RED Pyro realizes an enemy Spy is nearby due to a bite-shaped piece of the sausage they were cooking being missing, with the eaten part of the sausage being outlined with a question mark at the center.
 Shapes of Disappearance / int_f7c2aa8f
featureApplicability
1.0
 Shapes of Disappearance / int_f7c2aa8f
featureConfidence
1.0
 Spy & Pyro (Web Animation)
hasFeature
Shapes of Disappearance / int_f7c2aa8f

The following is a list of statements referring to the current page from other pages.

 Shapes of Disappearance
processingCategory2
Graphical Tropes
 BoBoiBoy (Animation) / int_238a0ec4
type
Shapes of Disappearance
 Mechamato (Animation) / int_238a0ec4
type
Shapes of Disappearance
 Pleasant Goat and Big Big Wolf (Animation) / int_238a0ec4
type
Shapes of Disappearance
 Sonic the Hedgehog (IDW) (Comic Book) / int_238a0ec4
type
Shapes of Disappearance
 Bunny Drop (Manga) / int_238a0ec4
type
Shapes of Disappearance
 Interspecies Reviewers (Manga) / int_238a0ec4
type
Shapes of Disappearance
 Nichijou (Manga) / int_238a0ec4
type
Shapes of Disappearance
 The 100 Girlfriends Who Really, Really, Really, Really, Really Love You (Manga) / int_238a0ec4
type
Shapes of Disappearance
 The Leftovers / int_238a0ec4
type
Shapes of Disappearance
 Inazuma Eleven (Video Game) / int_238a0ec4
type
Shapes of Disappearance
 Paper Mario 64 (Video Game) / int_238a0ec4
type
Shapes of Disappearance
 The Cubearth Saga (Video Game) / int_238a0ec4
type
Shapes of Disappearance
 Vs. Auditor: Gateway to Hell (Video Game) / int_238a0ec4
type
Shapes of Disappearance
 Wario Land II (Video Game) / int_238a0ec4
type
Shapes of Disappearance
 Alphabet Lore (Web Animation) / int_238a0ec4
type
Shapes of Disappearance
 EK Doodles (Web Animation) / int_238a0ec4
type
Shapes of Disappearance
 Let's Get Divorced! (Webcomic) / int_238a0ec4
type
Shapes of Disappearance
 Sleepless Domain (Webcomic) / int_238a0ec4
type
Shapes of Disappearance
 YooHoo & Friends / int_238a0ec4
type
Shapes of Disappearance