History Main / NoIAmBehindYou

[[AC:{{Anime}} and {{Manga}}]]

* ''[[Manga/DragonBall Dragon Ball Z]]'' did this all the time. Character A would attempt to punch Character B, only to have Character B vanish and reappear behind Character A aiming a punch at ''him''. Depending on how evenly matched the fight was, characters might dodge each others' attacks like this multiple times in a row. Possibly the TropeMaker.

[[AC:{{Fanfiction}}]]

[[AC:{{Film}}]]

* Towards the end of ''SmokeyAndTheBandit'', after Sheriff Justice has chased the Bandit back to Atlanta and ''still'' hasn't captured him, Bandit radios to him and tells him he's at the bottom of the hill dressed in a yellow cowboy outfit with a little guy who looks just like him (actually Big and Little Enos). After a change of heart, he tells Sheriff Justice to look over his left shoulder. He does so and sees Bandit, Carrie, Cletus and Fred (the basset) in another car en route to Boston.

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[[AC:LiveActionTV]]

[[AC:VideoGames]]
* ''VideoGame/DirgeOfCerberus'' played it completely straight in the battle between [[SuperMode Chaos]]!Vincent and Weiss (after Weiss had already impaled Vincent with [[DualWielding twin katana]], no less).

[[AC:{{Webcomics}}]]

* [[http://www.pbfcomics.com/81/ This]] ''Webcomic/ThePerryBibleFellowship'' comic is basically the same idea. (Still not a serious example, though.)

[[AC:WesternAnimation]]
* [[WesternAnimation/LooneyTunes Bugs Bunny]] is an undisputed master of this; if he's not on screen, [[OffscreenTeleportation he could be anywhere off-screen]], even if his foil thought he was looking right at him.
** Naturally, [[TinyToonAdventures Babs and Buster]] were pretty good at this, too.

-->'''Papa Smurf:''' Handy, Hefty, where are you?
-->'''Handy and Hefty:''' We're here, Papa Smurf.
-->'''Papa Smurf:''' Where is "here?"
-->'''Handy and Hefty:''' Behind you.
-->'''Papa Smurf:''' ''(looks behind and sees them)'' Oh, there you are.

[[AC:WebOriginal]]
* Linkara shows this skill to a reporter while he was the head of the Intelligence unit in WebVideo/{{Kickassia}}.

A {{subtrope}} of FlashStep. Almost certain to cause a SnapToTheSide or an OhCrap expression.

* ''RurouniKenshin'': Kenshin defeats an early opponent this way, by baiting the much bigger opponent into a round of chasing each other into circles with a game of "behind you!", and each time they go around Kenshin made the circle smaller. Eventually, the much larger opponent's body couldn't take it any more and his knees gave out. Cue one very painful ankle-snapping.

* A crucial element of ''VideoGame/AceCombatAssaultHorizon'': when you are behind an enemy in dogfight range, particularly skilled pilots can "reverse" the manuever (generally by applying the brakes and doing a barrel roll or a ''really'' fast loop) and get behind you. However, there is a very brief moment where you can reverse their reversal, which not only allows you to stay behind them, but also gives you a free [[ForMassiveDamage critical hit missile shot]].

* ''GilligansIsland'': The Skipper tries to send out a radio call, with Gilligan standing behind him:
-->'''Skipper:''' (''into radio handset'') Can anybody hear me?
-->'''Gilligan:''' I can hear you fine! (''Skipper gets excited'')
-->'''Skipper:''' Where are you?
-->'''Gilligan:''' Right behind you! (''Skipper deflates; gives Gilligan a DopeSlap'')

* A crucial element of ''AceCombat Assault Horizon'': when you are behind an enemy in dogfight range, particularly skilled pilots can "reverse" the manuever (generally by applying the brakes and doing a barrel roll or a ''really'' fast loop) and get behind you. However, there is a very brief moment where you can reverse their reversal, which not only allows you to stay behind them, but also gives you a free [[ForMassiveDamage critical hit missile shot]].

* Possible in Skyrim's dawnguard DLC - Vampire Lords can disintegrate into swarms of bats and reintegrate anywhere they wish. Say, right behind an enemy.
* One of the most common maneuvers in the "Assistance OFF" mode in ''Creator/TomClancy's H.A.W.X.'' is a somersault to get behind an enemy.

%%* ''{{Drowtales}}'': [[http://www.drowtales.com/mainarchive.php?id=932 Naal]]
* [[http://www.pbfcomics.com/81/ This]] ''PerryBibleFellowship'' comic is basically the same idea. (Still not a serious example, though.)

* Linkara shows this skill to a reporter while he was the head of the Intelligence unit in {{Kickassia}}.

* [[Series/KamenRiderRyuki Kamen Rider Odin]] does this every time. His fighting style usually involves minimal movements taken from his default BadassArmFold. He can also FlashStep. In his first battle, nobody can touch him, literally. Shinji/Ryuki manages to hit him (with the help of [[NoteToSelf many a sticky note]] during a time travel adventure)... yet it [[NoSell doesn't do a thing anyway]].
** Though a very different character, his ''Series/KamenRiderDragonKnight'' counterpart Kamen Rider Wrath will also do the FlashStep. Even if you think he doesn't notice you, he ''does'' and you're ''screwed.'' (He even avoids Kit's [[FinishingMove Final Vent]] this way, then reappears... and turns his own - not seen in ''Ryuki!'' - on Kit.)

* ''{{Drowtales}}'': [[http://www.drowtales.com/mainarchive.php?id=932 Naal]] shows how its done.

* In ''GodHand'', some mooks may attempt to grab Gene, upon which you see them appear behind him and get ready to suplex him. If you hit the ActionCommands in time, Gene will somehow get free and appear behind them to use his own suplex. The enemies can also try to counter your counter-suplex, which can cause this to be repeated several times.

* In ''LightNovel/OreTwintailNiNarimasu'', Crab Guildy has a fetish for the back of girls' necks. As a result, he specially trained to get behind people.

* In the WheelOfTime books this is a staple of the duels between Perrin and Slayer, due to their ability at shifting from one place to the other immediately when in [[DreamLand Tel'aran'rhiod]].[[spoiler: ...Or outside of it.]]

* ''BusouRenkin'' plays with this in the manga version, where Kazuki and his opponent chain a long string of flashes behind each other's backs... to the point where they've wound up somewhere else entirely when they stop.

* [[Manga/JoJosBizarreAdventure Dio Brando]] is very, very fond of this, and his ability to use it was the first major clue as to the nature of his [[TimeStandsStill Stand ability]].

* The ultimate spell of the character Vengeful Spirit in ''DefenseOfTheAncients'' can have this effect.
* In ''{{Dishonored}}'', the Assassins' main method of attack is to teleport behind Corvo and backstab him. After the prologue and first level are done, [[TouchedByVorlons Corvo can do it too.]]

* ''FinalFantasyVII: DirgeOfCerberus'' played it completely straight in the battle between [[SuperMode Chaos]]!Vincent and Weiss (after Weiss had already impaled Vincent with [[DualWielding twin katana]], no less).

* In ''CodeGeass'', Lelouch walks up behind Rolo and points a gun at his head. Suddenly, Rolo uses [[TimeStandsStill his geass]] to pull this trope, ''and'' steals Lelouch's gun while he's at it.

* Towards the end of ''SmokeyAndTheBandit'', after Sheriff Justice has chased the Bandit back to Atlanta and ''still'' hasn't captured him, Bandit radios to him and tells him he's at the bottom of the hill dressed in a yellow cowboy outfit with a little guy who looks just like him (actually Big and Little Enos). After a change of heart, he tells Sheriff Justice to look over his left shoulder. He does so and sees Bandit, Carrie, Cledus and Fred (the basset) in another car en route to Boston.

* In ''{{Dishonored}}'', the Assassins' main method of attack is to teleport behind Corvo and backstab him.

* In the WheelOfTime books this is a staple of the duels between Perrin and Slayer, due to their ability at shifting from one place to the other immediately when in Tel'aran'rhiod

* The ''BusouRenkin'' and the first ''RurouniKenshin'' examples on FlashStep are examples of this trope mentioned in the second ''RurouniKenshin'' example above.
** The same author plays with this again in the manga version of ''BusouRenkin'', where Kazuki and his opponent chain a long string of flashes behind each other's backs... to the point where they've wound up somewhere else entirely when they stop.
*** It perhaps must be mentioned, [[RuleOfCool due to the nature of this trope]], that [[http://6.p.s.mfcdn.net/store/manga/23/029.0/compressed/rbuso_renkin_ch029.buso_renkin_vol04_p053.jpg this example is not serious at all and absolutely hilarious]].

* [[http://www.pbfcomics.com/?cid=PBF081-Q.P._Inc..gif This]] ''PerryBibleFellowship'' comic is basically the same idea. (Still not a serious example, though.)

In the story [[https://www.fanfiction.net/s/10096343/1/Invisible-Fox Invisible Fox]], Shisui and Naruto pull this by prior agreement during the opening of the Chunin Finals. While Shisui plays it straight, using his [[FlashStep Shunshin]], Naruto uses his naturally-invisible clones, pre-positioning them and having them switch with him to make it look like he's doing the same.

* In episode 22 of ''Anime/KillLaKill'', during the battle between Ryuko and Nui Harime, [[spoiler:after Ryuko reclaims both Scissor Blades, Nui tries to take control of Ryuko's friends, and when Ryuko slashes the Life Fibers she uses apart to stop this, Nui {{Flash Step}}s behind Ryuko and drives a needle through the back of her neck -- only for Ryuko to appear behind Nui, the stabbed Ryuko turning out to have been an afterimage, shortly before using the Scissor Blades to slice both of Nui's arms off]].

** [[spoiler: This is also the ability of the Vindice, combined with a side order PortalCut, thanks to their eight type of flame]]

[[quoteright:350:[[Manga/DeathNote http://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/Death_Note_In_A_Nutshell350px.jpg]]]]

A {{subtrope}} of FlashStep.

Alice suddenly appears behind Bob, and is ready to attack him. When he notices, she says [="=]I am behind you![="=] Then Bob performs a FlashStep, reversing their relative positions. "No, I Am Behind You."

Almost certain to cause a SnapToTheSide or an OhCrap expression.

* ''{{Negima}}''