History Main / SpeedEchoes

* ''Gundam'' has this for [[SuperPrototype some suits]] in various series. Often [[Anime/MobileSuitGundamF91 occurs]] [[Anime/MobileSuitGundamSEEDDestiny when]] [[Anime/MobileSuitGundam00 the Gundam]] enables a SuperMode. One of the most prominent examples of this was the titular mech in ''Anime/MobileSuitGundamF91''; in the climax Seabook used its ability to ablate molecule-thin layers of its armor (ostensibly to dissipate excess heat) to create a trail of illusory Gundams that distracted the BigBad, allowing Seabook to go in for the kill. While the F91 ''is'' a fast machine, it's capable of shedding those armor layers regardless of how fast it's moving at the moment.

* A variation is found in The Picard Maneuver of ''Series/StarTrekTheNextGeneration''. The premise is that making a short warp jump allows a ship to overtake their own image traveling toward the observer and thus appear in two places at once. This maneuver only works on low-tech enemies, who rely on light-speed sensors only; an enemy ship with FTL sensors (i.e. most of the ones ''Enterprise'' runs across) can easily distinguish between the echoes and the real thing.

** First seen when Sonic became [[SuperMode Hyper]] [[UpToEleven Sonic]] in ''VideoGame/Sonic3AndKnuckles''.

* ''{{Magazine/Analog}}'': The cover of the October 1941 issue, advertising [[Creator/RobertAHeinlein Anson MacDonald]]'s "Literature/ByHisBootstraps", has a man with two after-images, each going in a different direction.

** During his fight in Volume 8, [[LegacyOfTheChosen Oscar]] unconsciously begins tapping into his Semblance for the very first time. He strikes [[FourStarBadass Ironwood]] multiple times, his arm speeding up so much that he leaves behind multiple echoes of it that almost blur together into ColorfulContrails. [[spoiler:As [[ResurrectiveImmortality Ozpin's successor]], it's the first sign that he has the same ability that [[BigGood Ozpin]] used against [[TheHeavy Cinder]] in Volume 3.]]

** During his fight in Volume 8, [[LegacyOfTheChosen Oscar]] unconsciously begins tapping into his Semblance for the very first time. He strikes [[FourStarBadass Ironwood]] multiple times, his arm speeding up so much that he leaves behind multiple echoes of it that almost blur together into ColorfulContrails. [[spoiler:As [[ResurrectiveImmortality Ozpin's successor]], it's the first sign that he has the same ability that Ozpin used against Cinder in Volume 3.]]

** During his fight in Volume 8, [[LegacyOfTheChosen Oscar]] unconsciously begins tapping into his Semblance for the very first time. He strikes [[FourStarBadass Ironwood]] multiple times, his arm speeding up so much that he leaves behind multiple echoes of it. [[spoiler:As [[ResurrectiveImmortality Ozpin's successor]], it's the first sign that he has the same ability that Ozpin used against Cinder in Volume 3.]]

* ''Manga/AyakashiTriangle'': Muga's "Dance of the Falling Leaves" creates an afterimage by rapidly accelerating to dodge at the last second and then slowing back down just out of reach. To his opponent, Muga confusingly appears to be both slow-moving yet completely untouchable. His Soga ends up managing to use the technique [[MundaneUtility to avoid an awkward conversation with Matsuri]].

One common way of portraying a character as moving very, very quickly in fiction is to make multiple images (technically speaking, afterimages) of them viewable at once. They appear to be moving so fast that they're in several places at once. For the sake of preventing confusion, usually the "non-static" parts are shaded with less color, so we're sure that a character is moving really fast as opposed to being a monster with eight arms. Indeed, this trope is much easier to show than it is to describe -- it's one of those effects that usually has to be pointed out to a casual viewer for them to even realize it's there.

One common way of portraying a character as moving very, very quickly in fiction is to make multiple images of them viewable at once. They appear to be moving so fast that they're in several places at once. For the sake of preventing confusion, usually the "non-static" parts are shaded with less color, so we're sure that a character is moving really fast as opposed to being a monster with eight arms. Indeed, this trope is much easier to show than it is to describe -- it's one of those effects that usually has to be pointed out to a casual viewer for them to even realize it's there.

** During their fight in Volume 3, [[TheHeavy Cinder]] throws a FlechetteStorm of glass shards at [[BigGood Ozpin]], who reduces every single one of them to dust without moving from the spot he's standing in. While his feet never move, his upper body moves so fast it leaves echoes of himself all around him.

** During his fight in Volume 8, [[LegacyOfTheChosen Oscar]] unconsciously begins tapping into his Semblance for the very first time. He strikes [[FourStarBadass Ironwood]] multiple times, his arm speeding up so much that he leaves behind multiple echoes of it. [[spoiler:As [[ResurrectiveImmortality Ozpin's successor]], it's the first sign that he has the same ability Ozpin used against Cinder in Volume 3.]]

** Harriet's speed Semblance allows her to move so fast that she leaves behind an extremely faint echo of herself. It usually manifests when she either starts running from a standing start or when she changes direction in mid-run. Her lightning-themed ColorfulContrails are much more visible and easier to spot.

** During his fight in Volume 6, [[NotSoWellIntentionedExtremist Adam]] can channel his Semblance to increase his speed, running so fast that he leaves behind multiple silhouettes of himself that look like shadows.

** Harriet's speed Semblance allows her to move so fast that she leaves behind an extremely faint echo of herself. It usually manifests when she either starts running from a standing start or when she changes direction in mid-run. Her lightning-themed ColorfuContrails are much more visible and easier to spot.

* ''WebAnimation/{{RWBY}}'' features these infrequently. The only characters seen to pull them off are Adam and Harriet.

This is somewhat distinct from DoppelgangerAttack, although technically a work can employ both at once. Related to SpeedStripes and FlashStep, both of which often employ this trope in their basic function. Indeed, you can see examples of speed echoes in action in both of those pages' images.

[[folder:Web Comics]]

!!Examples:

* ''VideoGame/WarcraftIII'''s take on the DoppelgangerSpin has the Blademaster vibrate from side (making it look like three of them are trying to stand in the same place) before his mirror clones pop up.

* ''Gundam'' has this for [[SuperPrototype some suits]] in various series. Often [[Anime/MobileSuitGundamF91 occurs]] [[Anime/MobileSuitGundamSEEDDestiny when]] [[Anime/MobileSuitGundam00 the Gundam]] enables a SuperMode. One of the most prominent examples of this was the titular mech in ''Anime/MobileSuitGundamF91''; in the climax Seabook used its ability to ablate molecule-thin layers of its armor (ostensibly to dissipate excess heat) to create a trail of illusory Gundams that distracted the BigBad, allowing Seabook to go in for the kill.

* Frequently used in comics to display either superhuman speed or acrobatics. Franchise/SpiderMan and ComicBook/{{Nightwing}} are the undisputed masters of the latter effect.

* ''WebAnimation/RWBY'' features these infrequently. The only characters seen to pull them off are Adam and Harriet.