History Main / UnusualEars

* A manga story based on ''VideoGame/{{Tamagotchi}}'' depicts Yumemitchi with abnormally stretchy ears that she uses to catch a ball and [[EarWings as wings to fly with]]. This is the only time in the franchise that she demonstrates this (makes sense, as [[spoiler:this specific manga story is AllJustADream]]).

* In the "extra chapter" of ''Manga/HayateTheCombatButler'', Hinagiku gains [[http://img35.tx.us.mangafox.com/store/manga/708/267.0/compressed/echp267.1pg02.jpg donkey ears]] (Though they look much more like kyuubi ears). Something similar happens when Arthur of the series ''Series/{{Merlin|2008}}'' gains donkey ears.

* The Rehda in ''VideoGame/{{Ys}} VI'' have long, outward-pointing ears and fox-like tails. Some of them dismissively call humans "Small-ears", as well.

* A minor one in ''WesternAnimation/TotalDrama,'' but the way [[CrazyAwesome Izzy]]'s ears are drawn is upside-down [[https://www.google.com/search?q=total+drama+izzy&rlz=1CALKNW_enUS712US714&sxsrf=ALeKk000o7FGvLXInfPsklyz9Ysh7xjBBA:1611074318178&source=lnms&tbm=isch&sa=X&ved=2ahUKEwj58cPDt6juAhXCwFkKHX_iA1UQ_AUoAXoECAoQAw&biw=1366&bih=617#imgrc=OJ7n19vySoZPPM compared to the other characters]].

* The blue Andorians from ''Franchise/StarTrek'' have some expressive antenna in addition to regular ears. According to ''Series/StarTrekEnterprise'', their function is to help with balance, suggesting they're the Andorian equivalent of the human vestibular system (the "inner ear"). In the ''Deep Space Nine Relaunch'' novels, they also detect electrical fields.

!!Antenna

* Ichigo/Mew Ichigo from ''Manga/TokyoMewMew''.

* The other Mew Mews in ''Manga/TokyoMewMew'' also have two animal parts; Bu-ling/Mew Pudding (monkey), Zakuro/Mew Zakuro (wolf) and Berii/Mew Berry (cabbit) all have animal ears.

* Any ''VideoGame/{{City of Heroes}}'' character can have cat ears, and the normal human ears only "go away" if you hide them.

* Chachamaru and Chachazero from ''Manga/MahouSenseiNegima''. In Chachamaru's case, most people don't seem to take enough notice of it [[PaperThinDisguise to figure out that she's a robot]].

In SpeculativeFiction and {{Mythology}}, it is not surprising to see characters with non-standard ears. Having non-human ears is a common way of indicating that a character that otherwise looks mostly human is NotQuiteHuman, whether it be an alien, supernatural creature or human significantly modified through magical or pseudo-scientific means. UnusualEars are particularly popular in SpeculativeFiction television and film, where they are used as a relatively cheap way of making RubberForeheadAliens. PointyEars are by far the most common type, having been associated with everything from demons and [[TheFairFolk magical faeries]] to [[Franchise/StarTrek Vulcans]]. In Japan, the ability to hear extremely well is called jigokumimi, which translates to "hell ears".

* SproutingEars - UnusualEars that appear temporarily, often for comedic effect and intended to be symbolic of personality traits rather than indicating actual ears.

* In the ''{{LARP}}'' campaign set "TabletopGame/IsoleDelCielo" (Island of the Sky), some races have UnusualEars. Dremmach have furry ears, while Arno have big, pointed ears, with big earrings. Those are needed to calibrate the magic perception sense, so that Arno can feel a single kind of magic, instead of every kind at the same time (that would be uncomfortable). Underworld LARP has Savar and Wolven (cat and dog/wolf people respectively) who wear unusual ears as part of their costume.

* All of the Reploids in ''VideoGame/MegaManZero'' & cyborgs in ''VideoGame/MegaManZX'' seem to have these strange white headphone-like things instead of human ears, which is strange, considering that the first ''VideoGame/MegaMan'' had proper ears, despite being much less advanced. Certain Robot Masters in ''Mega Man'' tend to have these ears, such as Metal Man and Turbo Man.

* In ''Manga/DailyLifeWithMonsterGirl'' most of the {{Cute Monster Girl}}s of the cast have odd ears. [[SnakePeople Miia's]] are pointy and scaly, [[OurCentaursAreDifferent Centorea]] has horse ears, [[OurMermaidsAreDifferent Mero's]] ears look like fins, and it's ambiguous whether [[SlimeGirl Suu]] even ''has'' ears at all.

* Antenna ears, floppy pig and bear ears, and most other things you can staple to the side of your head are available in ''VideoGame/{{City of Heroes}}''/''[[VideoGame/CityOfVillains Villains]]''.

* "WesternAnimation/TotalDrama" Izzy's ears are upside down.

* Nekoko in ''Manga/KannazukiNoMiko'' has cat ears (and a tail) due to experimentation by unscrupulous scientists/doctors.

* In ''Manga/MahouSenseiNegima'':

* ''Webcomic/AxisPowersHetalia'' fanfics ''[[https://www.fanfiction.net/s/11989539/1/Hakkōna Hakkōna]]'' and ''[[https://www.fanfiction.net/s/12023508/1/Kaitō-Kokoro Kaitō Kokoro]]'': When Kiku is in his true [[spoiler:[[VoluntaryShapeShifter nekomataneko form]], in addition to having human ears, he also has pointy cat ears.]]

* ''VideoGame/{{Touhou}}'':

In SpeculativeFiction and {{Mythology}}, it is not surprising to see characters with non-standard ears. Having non-human ears is a common way of indicating that a character that otherwise looks mostly human is NotQuiteHuman, whether it be an alien, supernatural creature or human significantly modified through magical or pseudo-scientific means. UnusualEars are particulary popular in SpeculativeFiction television and film, where they are used as a relatively cheap way of making RubberForeheadAliens. PointyEars are by far the most common type, having been associated with everything from demons and [[TheFairFolk magical faeries]] to [[Franchise/StarTrek Vulcans]]. In Japan, the ability to hear extremely well is called jigokumimi, which translates to "hell ears".

* Hayama Akito from ''Manga/KodomoNoOmocha'' occasionally sprouts leopard ears (and tail) for comedic effect.

In Japanese Manga and Anime, cat ears (''{{nekomimi}}'') and other types of animal ears (''{{kemonomimi}}'') are particularly popular. Expect some FurryEarDissonance. Another common anime ear type is "antenna ears," which can be seen primarily on {{Robot Girl|}}s.

[[folder:Live-Action Television]]

[[folder:Live Action TV]]

* And the blue Andorians from ''Franchise/StarTrek'' have some expressive antenna in addition to regular ears. According to ''Series/StarTrekEnterprise'', theyir function is to help with balance, suggesting they're the Andorian equivalent of the human vestibular system (the "inner ear"). In the ''Literature/DeepSpaceNineRelaunch'' novels, they also detect electrical fields.

* Koma in ''Manga/AsagiriNoMiko''.

* Beastmen of the ''Franchise/{{Lunar}}'' series have these. The women of the species do, too, but usually they tend towards daintier PointyEars.

** ''Series/StarTrekPicard''. Played for laughs when Narej mocks his sister, a DeepCoverAgent disguised as a human with MagicPlasticSurgery.

** ''Series/StarTrekPicard''. Played for laughs when Narej mock his sister, a DeepCoverAgent disguised as a human with MagicPlasticSurgery.

[[quoteright:320:[[LightNovel/SpiceAndWolf https://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/Holo_Ears_7860.jpg]]]]

* ''Manga/MyHeroAcademia'': Kyoka Jiro's Quirk gives her elongated earlobes, ending in jack plugs. She can extend and plug them into objects to catch extremely faint sounds or channel the sound of her own heartbeat into them in the form of powerful vibrations.

[[folder:Web Comics]]

[[folder:Web Comics]]

** Cat, tiger, lion, and wolf Laguz in ''[[VideoGame/FireEmblemTellius Fire Emblem: Path of Radiance/Radiant Dawn]]'' have ears like the animals they can [[VoluntaryShapeshifting turn into]].

[[folder: Web Original]]

Noticeably, human-like characters with any kind of animal ears on the top of their heads will nearly always possess hair long enough to cover the spots where normal human ears would usually be located, likely to draw attention to said characters' not-so-human ears.