History Main / SticksToTheBack

* The stronger swords in ''VideoGame/MapleStory'' actually have scabbards that appear on a character's back when he or she is climbing a ladder. This trope is still played straight in that there is no sheathing animation and the swords just kind of "teleport" themselves to their storage position. Weaker swords just [[HyperspaceArsenal disappear]] under the same circumstances.

* In ''WesternAnimation/{{Xcalibur}}'', the 2nd episode has Herrik provide [[EverythingsBetterWithPrincesses Princess]] Djana with a magical scabbard for the eponymous sword. All she has to do is place it on her back, and the scabbard will form around it, essentially sticking it to her back. She doesn't even have to de-sheathe her sword either: she takes it off her back and the sheath disappears.

* In ''WesternAnimation/{{Reboot}}'', accessories like Guardian Keytools like Bob's Glitch, Matrix's gun, and even everyday items like zip boards or Enzo's yo-yo are simply stuck to their owner's wrist or hip without any form of strap or holster. [[JustifiedTrope Fully justified]], as the series takes place inside a computer-based world. Looking at how common this trope is in video games nowadays, it's also a case of AccidentallyAccurate.

* In ''VideoGame/GodOfWarSeries'', the Blade of Chaos/Athena/Exile just sticks to Kratos' back, but then [[AWizardDidIt it is a divine artifact.]]

* The martial artists of ''Manhua/{{ChivalricTornado}}'' (小俠龍捲風) all tend to wear their swords on their backs while doing long-distance travel, but only the ones capable of remotely operating their swords via telekenesis don't bother to switch to wearing their swords on their waist when they're expecting a fight.

* The martial artists of ''Manhua/Chivalric Tornado'' (小俠龍捲風) all tend to wear their swords on their backs while doing long-distance travel, but only the ones capable of remotely operating their swords via telekenesis don't bother to switch to wearing their swords on their waist when they're expecting a fight.

* This becomes especially obvious with any game that has a "nude mod" or "sex mod" applied to it, allowing to remove clothes but not necessarilly taking care of other equipment. Thus you can have quivers or weapons sticking to the back or to the hip of a naked character with no trace of any belt or strap to hold them.

** Ichigo from can keep his {{BFS}} in place surprisingly well with a tiny sash. Justified by his BFS not being an actual physical object but a sentient familiar spirit, and close inspection shows that the cloth that wraps around his sword to form a makeshift sheath does so while also wrapping itself around the sash he wears. In the Fullbring arc, [[spoiler:Ichigo's new intermediate Fullbring form allows him to magically clasp his sword to his back.]]

* In ''VideoGame/GodOfWar'' series, the Blade of Chaos/Athena/Exile just sticks to Kratos' back, but then [[AWizardDidIt it is a divine artifact.]]

* ''Anime/DragonBallZ'': Future Trunks has a sword he wears on his back, sheathe and all, the length of which seems just barely short enough to draw without problems.

* Link's shield and sword both Stick to the Back in some games of ''Franchise/TheLegendOfZelda'' series. Though scabbards and such are usually shown in art, graphical limitations often caused them not to appear in actual gameplay. He has an actual scabbard in ''[[VideoGame/TheLegendOfZeldaOcarinaOfTime Ocarina of Time]]'' (except for the Biggorron Sword), but the scabbard itself appears to stick to his back. ''[[VideoGame/TheLegendOfZeldaMajorasMask Majora's Mask]]'' and subsequent "realistic" games give him a proper belt with which to hold his scabbard. The baldric disappears again in ''[[VideoGame/TheLegendOfZeldaTheWindWaker The Wind Waker]]'', and other games that share the "Toon Link" CelShaded art style. Link was supposed to have the baldric in ''Ocarina of Time'', according to promotional art; its absence was an oversight and was corrected in the 3DS version. This lack led to a player asking ''Magazine/NintendoPower'' how Link keeps his sword attached to his back. The response? Hylian Velcro.

** Averted with Kratos's Leviathan Axe in the [[VideoGame/GodOfWarPS4 fourth game]] as it clearly attaches to a hoop om the straps that he's wearing. [[spoiler: played straight however once he regains the Blades of Chaos]].

* ''VideoGame/TheWitcher'' was originally going to avert this --- pre-release screenshots show both of Geralt's swords in sheaths on his back -- but the sheaths were dropped not long before release, making the game fall square into this trope. There is a third-party mod however that adds the sheaths back into the game (although they don't clip properly during the sheathing/unsheathing animations). This is also shown by how he draws his sword: rather then just removing it from his back like a fridge magnet he pulls it up and out, keeping it straight as if it were in a scabbard. He does the same when putting it away again, holding it partially by the blade. Proper back sheaths for Geralt's swords did manage to make it into ''VideoGame/TheWitcher2''.

* ''VideoGame/{{Xenoblade}}'' has this particularlhy blatantly, given [[{{BFS}} the size of some weapons]]. Something interesting is the two characters who don't use something with a sheathe (Sharna's [[{{BFG}} Ether rifles]] and Reyn's [[SwissArmyWeapon massive shields with gun and sword attachments]]) visibly duck under their weapons as they put them away, suggesting the presence of an invisible strap. Shulk uses the Monado for a great portion of the game, which makes it all the more blatant when some camera angles show you that the thing isn't even ''touching'' his back at all.

When you're an ActionAdventure Hero, lacking a HyperspaceArsenal can be somewhat problematic: carrying that {{BFS}} around is not only tiresome, it also takes away a free hand that would see much better use in [[LeParkour the complex acrobatics]] that are so common in your line of work. Luckily, TropeCo has the next best thing to offer: a form of {{Hand Wav|e}}ing that lets the badass just [[DoubleEntendre slide his pointy tool]] along his dorsum and have it held in place by some invisible force.

* The ''VideoGame/MonsterHunter'' series exhibits this in every game made so far. The games various {{BFS}}s, bows, lances, gunlances and hammers all stick to the players back or hips when not in use. Slightly averted with the Longsword as it is held in a sheathe, although the sheath itself SticksToTheBack. Shields however are attached firmly to the arm.

* ''Franchise/TheElderScrolls'' games also fall into it, though it is most noticeable in ''[[VideoGame/TheElderScrollsIVOblivion Oblivion]]''. Many one-handed swords and daggers do actually have sheaths. Sheaths that stick to the hip and clip through your leg when you crouch.

* ''VideoGame/TheWitcher'' was originally going to avert this --- pre-release screenshots show both of Geralt's swords in sheaths on his back -- but the sheaths were dropped not long before release, making the game fall square into this trope. There is a third-party mod however that adds the sheaths back into the game (although they don't clip properly during the sheathing/unsheathing animations). This is also shown by how he draws his sword: rather then just removing it from his back like a fridge magnet he pulls it up and out, keeping it straight as if it were in a scabbard. He does the same when putting it away again, holding it partially by the blade. Proper back sheaths for Geralt's swords did manage to make it into ''TheWitcher 2''.

** The trope is taken to absurd new heights in the prequel ''VideoGame/CrisisCore''. [[WalkingShirtlessScene Shirtless Zack]] wields an '''[[ParasolOfPain umbrella]]''' that does as much damage as the Buster Sword, and when the "DMW" FinishingMove associated with Angeal is activated, the umbrella is magically attached to his half-naked body while he does uppercuts and roundhouse kicks. To clarify, the round thing ''is'' a magnet. Angeal's being an ArtificialHuman might [[JustifiedTrope explain how he can easily overcome the pull of a magnet strong enough to carry a Buster Sword]]. Furthermore, cosplayers have replicated the effect in RealLife, just [[http://www.cosplay.com/photo/1460031/ see here]].

* Non-RPG variant example: The guitars in ''VideoGame/RockBand'' 1 and 2 have no shoulder straps. Yet they don't move... apparently because they stick to your ''belt buckle''.
** This has been done since the original ''VideoGame/GuitarHero'' game, and has never been addressed.

** ''VideoGame/FinalFantasyXIV'' goes the same route as XI and has the characters weapons hover slightly above their backs or waists.

* The Keyblade in Shiro Amano's ''Manga/KingdomHearts'' manga doesn't appear and disappear as needed as it does in the games, but instead sticks to Sora's back. One panel in the ''Chain of Memories'' manga shows that it's actually jutting out of his pants' belt.