History Main / BlindfoldedVision

* Kaede the ninja in ''Manga/NegimaMagisterNegiMagi'' wears one while taking down a ''dragon''. Then again, [[EyesAlwaysShut she rarely uses them in the first place.]]
* Aria from ''Manga/FairyTail'' uses the PowerLimiter variant but gets {{Curb Stomp|Battle}}ed regardless.
* ''Anime/RagnarokTheAnimation'': The party wizard has a blindfold on "to see the truth" relying instead on hearing/second sight to fight. She later wears it on her arm to remind her that the "truth" she believed was actually a deception by her master.
* Koyo Aoba from ''Manga/Reborn2004'' has completely blacked out sunglasses that function as a PowerLimiter, but only manages to fight [[HotBlooded Ryohei]] to a draw.

* ''Manga/SaintSeiya'''s Virgo Shaka deliberately keeps his eyes closed at all times to make his already huge Cosmo even more powerful.
* There is a competitor in the Genkai Tournament Arc of ''Manga/YuYuHakusho'' that wears a helmet to block out most of his senses to improve his ability to see mystical auras. It is ultimately used against him in his defeat.

* Galatea from ''Manga/{{Claymore}}'' has such incredible talent at [[SensorCharacter sensing yoma energy]] that she earned the [[RedBaron title]] "God-Eye". When she abandoned The Organization and went into hiding, the biggest thing she did to change her appearance was to ''[[EyeScream slash her own eyes]].'' Her sensor powers [[DisabilitySuperpower only increased]] after this, letting her see even ''better'' than she could when she still had eyes.
* Many of the humanoid youkai from ''Manga/NatsumesBookOfFriends'' wear paper masks which cover their eyes and Sasago keeps her eyes bandaged.
* ''Literature/GoblinSlayer'': Sword Maiden is blind and covers up her damaged eyes with a blindfold. She has little trouble getting around because she has AuraVision.
* ''Manga/MusukoGaKawaikuteShikataganaiMazokuNoHahaoya'': Demon shop owner Alice is almost always shown wearing a blindfold. She explains to Teresa that it's because of her sound abilities. They allow her a near 360-degree range of vision, but using them and her eyes at the same time makes her dizzy, so the blindfold helps. The downside is she can't read while wearing it, which resulted, on at least one occasion, in Alice sitting on a bench with a wet paint sign on it.
* Gojo, sorcerer teacher in ''Manga/JujutsuKaisen'' wears a blindfold most of the time. He can see completely fine with it on because according to the fanbook, his [[MagicalEye "Six Eyes" ability]] gives him AuraVision which lets him see [[{{Mana}} cursed energy]] in high detail. Without his blindfold he would get tired easily. His alternate form of eye wear, his [[CoolShades sunglasses,]] act as a blindfold too. If ordinary people put his sunglasses on, they would only see pitch blackness.

* The Veni-Yan monks in ''Comicbook/{{Bone}}'' wear hoods that cover their faces, allowing them to concentrate on their [[ThirdEye Dreaming Eye]] - giving them the ability to locate things without them being in sight.

* ComicBook/{{Nightwing}} blindfolds ComicBook/{{Robin}} (Tim Drake) for a training exercise where they balance on top of a train and keep track of their location while they chat and exercise. Dick has no trouble with the exercise but Tim is unamused when they get jumped and have to fight off their attackers blindfolded and trying not to fall off a moving train or accidentally kill their attackers, mostly because Dick thinks it's fun.

* ''Franchise/StarWars'':
** ''Film/ANewHope'' has Obi-Wan putting a helmet with the blast-shield down on Luke to teach him to see with the Force.
** The [[Franchise/StarWarsLegends EU]] also has the Miraluka, who have exceptional talent to see through the Force but are born without eyes.
** In ''Film/AttackOfTheClones'', we see Yoda teaching some Jedi younglings the same thing.

* ''Film/BirdBox''. While outside, the survivors walk around blindfolded to avoid the gaze of the [[BrownNoteBeing unseen monsters who can drive you insane just by looking at them]]. Malorie is shown training the children to navigate by echolocation, so they're capable of getting around blindfolded. Tom likewise demonstrates this when fighting the unhinged people, managing to take down three of them just from hearing where their voices are coming from. [[spoiler:However after he's wounded, [[HeroicSacrifice he takes the blindfold off]] as the only sure way of killing the others before they get to Malorie and the children.]]

* The titular character in ''Literature/TheWonderfulStoryOfHenrySugarAndSixMore'' was taught to see through things by a guy who did this for a living.

* In ''Literature/DishonoredTheReturnOfDaud'', it is revealed the Sisters of the Oracular Order wear blindfolds and see prophecies into the future, but they aren't blind. They wear blindfolds that obscure their vision from distractions, but the materials are thin enough that they can be seen through if needed.
* In ''Literature/FateStrangeFake'', True Archer wears a cloth over his face so that the "works of man never again enter [his] sight." He has no trouble moving around or fighting.

* In ''Series/AmericanHorrorStoryCoven'', Cordelia loses "The Sight" when her eyes are restored. In an attempt to regain the power, she stabs them out with a knife. [[spoiler:It doesn't work.]]
* An episode of ''Series/UltramanLeo'' deals with the fast-moving Alien Flip with DoppelgangerSpin abilities, which Leo must train himself to defeat by ''hearing'' the true Flip's footsteps. In the inevitable Ultra-vs-kaiju battle, Leo's mentor and trainer, Dan Moroboshi "helps" him out by spraying foam covering Leo's eyes, so that he can concentrate on hearing Flip's movements and counter-attack. It works, and Leo defeats the alien in no time.

* Any ''VideoGame/NetHack'' character with telepathy can be one of these. In fact, intrinsic telepathy ''only'' works when you're somehow blinded as if the developer team was trying to [[InvokedTrope invoke this trope]].
** Playing blindfolded even became an unofficial SelfImposedChallenge, the "Zen conduct". It is very, ''very'' hard to pull off.

* Illidan Stormrage, an AntiHero''/''WellIntentionedExtremist''/''BigBad from the ''VideoGame/{{Warcraft}}'' universe, has no eyes - a blindfold covers both the burned-out sockets where they were seared away. Nonetheless, he has magical vision that is actually superior to the naked eye, is quite happy with his new ability, and even appears to have a sense of humor about it - one of his default responses in the campaign is "I'm blind, not deaf."
** He also states in the opening cutscene of ''The Frozen Throne'', "Now my blind eyes see what others cannot!".
** It is revealed in [[AllThereInTheManual extra material]] that the other demon hunters, seeking to emulate Illidan's life, ritualistically bind a demon's soul into a knife and slice their eyes out with it to gain a magic-o-vision like him. Ouch. They also use the demon's soul to fuel their magic. While this is, in general, CursedWithAwesome: it comes with the major downside of having a demon whispering to you in your head. Demons, even the mostly harmless ones, are extremely annoying.
** On the bright side, the ''Illidan'' novel reveals they actually could use their magic to see like they used to, if they wanted.
** In ''VideoGame/WorldOfWarcraft'', one of the items on Illidan's loot table is his blindfold.
** Similarly, [[Literature/TheWarOfTheAncients in the novels]], the Highborne Lord Xavius traded his eyes for magic crystals which can see magical energies and other things normal eyes can't.
** As of ''Legion'', Demon Hunters are now a playable class, complete with (optional) blindfolds to cover their burned-out eyes. Also comes with the ability to shoot laser beams out of your eyes.
* ''VideoGame/GuildWars'' Ritualists are also blindfolded (or at least, have their eyes covered), to gain a better sense of surrounding spirits.
** Starting head armor for the Revenant class (added to ''VideoGame/GuildWars2'' in ''Heart of Thorns'') is a choice of blindfold, explained as helping the Revenant focus on whichever spirit they happen to be channeling. It doesn't appear to interfere with normal vision, and Revenant characters can replace their blindfold with a regular helmet without interfering with their class abilities.
* ''VideoGame/GuiltyGear's'' Zato-1 gave up his sight to gain a beast made out of his shadow. The ass-kicking he gave people seems to be unblinded. It appears that Eddie, the beast, does the seeing for him. [[spoiler:When Zato-1 dies and Eddie takes over his corpse, this is specifically the case.]]

* Jerec from ''Franchise/StarWars: VideoGame/JediKnightDarkForcesII'' is much the same. No eyes, but he's such a strong dark Jedi that this doesn't slow him down at all. The Extended Universe explains that like the later Visas he's a Miraluka, who see with The Force.
* The EdutainmentGame ''Troggle Trouble Math'' has enemies like this on the sixth level.
* The ''Franchise/{{Pokemon}}'' Uxie has the power to wipe the memory of anyone who looks into its eyes. As such, it keeps its eyes closed, being able to see things anyway given its psychic abilities.
%%* Kenshi from ''VideoGame/MortalKombatDeadlyAlliance''.

* The demon Sabe from ''VideoGame/WonderfulWorld'' either subverts this or exaggerates it depending on how you see it: he can see and wears a blindfold, but the blindfold makes no difference since [[EyeScream his eyes were cut out]], and he can see without eyes.
* In ''VideoGame/BloonsTowerDefense 5'', one of the upgrades for the Dart Monkey allows them to target camouflaged Bloons and slightly increases their range. When purchased, the monkey puts on a blindfold.
* In ''VideoGame/GemsOfWar'', the Priestesses of Whitehelm go into battle despite wearing blindfolds. So do Dryads, who presumably have some sort of nature sense.
* Flameslinger in ''{{VideoGame/Skylanders}}'' wears one of these. At one point he dramatically removes it, only to reveal a second blindfold beneath it.
* Subverted with Percy the Incongruous in ''VideoGame/RatchetAndClankFutureACrackInTime'', who tried to fight in the Battleplex with a blindfold on, only to be killed in eleven seconds after falling into a pool of molten lava.

* ''Webcomic/{{Homestuck}}'': Terezi alchemizes a [[ScarfOfAsskicking red scarf]] to tie around her eyes in order to [[spoiler:regain the [[DisabilitySuperpower powers]] she lost when Aranea healed her blindness and Gamzee's influence dulled her other senses]].
* BareFistedMonk Thaco in ''Webcomic/{{Goblins}}'' gains a blindfold that slightly obstructs his vision but highlights incoming attacks [[SpiderSense just before they happen]].
* Dame Madeline Goodlaw from ''Webcomic/RustyAndCo'' closes her eyes whenever she is actively fighting someone. There are a number of theories as to exactly why she does this, ranging from divine guidance to disliking the sight of blood.
** And when we meet her co-worker Derek the Cleric, he turns out to do the same thing. We still don't know why.

* Spoofed in ''WesternAnimation/SpongeBobSquarePants'', when [=SpongeBob=] was forced to learn to drive blindfolded and succeeded, but was unable to drive without it.
* ''WesternAnimation/ThePenguinsOfMadagascar'' episode "Hidden" begins with the penguins training to fight blindfolded. The only one to fail was Kowalski, who, being TheSmartGuy, was unable to turn off his brain and use his instincts. He eventually gets it right after all the others are taken by mysterious captors hidden in the reptile house. [[spoiler:They turn out to be friendly chameleons, who were too shy to invite the others to their housewarming party.]]
* ''WesternAnimation/SamuraiJack'' does this, when Jack is nearly killed by three blind archers with superhuman accuracy guarding a wish-granting well. Cue flashback to Jack as a young man learning to fight a group of monks based on hearing alone. After blindfolding himself and spending a minute or two listening to the forest, he's ready to 'fight on their level'.

* Used by Leo in an episode of ''WesternAnimation/TeenageMutantNinjaTurtles2003'' when he's attacked by a squad of Foot Tech ninjas wearing stealth armor. Realising his eyes won't help him against invisible enemies, he adjusts his bandanna so it covers his eyes and relies on the sound of their footsteps to figure out where they're coming from, and is able to defeat them.

-> ''"Your eyes can deceive you. Don't trust them."''
-->-- '''Obi-Wan Kenobi''', ''Film/ANewHope''

* ''Manga/SaintSeiya's'' Virgo Shaka deliberately keeps his eyes closed at all times to make his already huge Cosmo even more powerful.

* ''LightNovel/GoblinSlayer'': Sword Maiden is blind and covers up her damaged eyes with a blindfold. She has little trouble getting around because she has AuraVision.

** The episode "Blind Date", the VillainOfTheWeek is a blind female assassin. According to her Wolfram & Hart dossier, she wasn't born blind; she blinded ''herself'' at age 21 and spent five years in India studying with cave-dwelling monks.
** "Quickening" has a human psychic ninja assassin who is telekinetic and fights with a blindfold. ... and he's [[NegatedMomentOfAwesome taken down like a chump]] by a gaggle of vampires during his BigEntrance.
* ''Series/BuffyTheVampireSlayer''. Giles does this to Buffy while training her to fight in the dark.
-->'''Buffy:''' "Okay, you're just doing this to take funny pictures of me."

** In the episode "Lower Decks", Worf tells Ensign Sito that she can enter an advanced class by passing a test that involved fighting blind. After getting knocked down several times, she refuses to continue and tells Worf the test is unfair. Worf tells her she passed, and Sito realizes the test was never real, just Worf's way of nudging her into responding to an unfair dressing down earlier from Captain Picard (which itself was a test).

* [[FutureBadass Satsujinki]], what [[VisualNovel/{{Tsukihime}} Shiki]] might become in the future, has to bandage his eyes because his Mystic Eyes are so powerful his [[PowerLimiter glasses]] don't work anymore. ''He can assassinate Dead Apostles in seconds''.

[[folder:Web Comics]]

[[folder:Anime and Manga]]

[[folder:Film]]
* ''Film/ANewHope'' has Obi-Wan putting a helmet with the blast-shield down on Luke to teach him to see with the Force.

* In ''Manga/{{Basilisk}}'' ninja Hyoma keeps his eyes closed at all times because he possesses the Dojitsu, an ability that could kill anyone he makes eye contact with. He taught disciple Gennosuke to also fight without his eyes.

* In an episode of "Series/PowerRangersInSpace" called "Always a Chance", former Black Ranger Adam Park returns to help train the current Black Ranger, Carlos, after he accidentally hit and injured a teammate. The culmination of the training is a blind fight sequence, which only serves to shake Carlos' confidence further, and he storms off.

** Also, Will Riker has been fighting with his father Kyle Riker in a sport called anbo-jyutsu, which involves both combatants wearing helmets with opaque visors and using a staff that has a proximity sensor on one end (kind of like a theremin), which a trained practitioner could use to track his opponent.

* ''Webcomic/{{Homestuck}}'': Terezi alchemizes a [[ScarfOfAsskicking red scarf]] to tie around her eyes in order to [[spoiler: regain the [[DisabilitySuperpower powers]] she lost when Aranea healed her blindness and Gamzee's influence dulled her other senses]].

* The demon Sabe from ''VideoGame/WonderfulWorld'' either subverts this or takes it UpToEleven depending on how you see it: he can see and wears a blindfold, but the blindfold makes no difference since [[EyeScream his eyes were cut out]], and he can see without eyes.