History Main / VariableLengthChain

* ''Manga/DemonSlayerKimetsuNoYaiba'': It's very subtle but it is there. Tengen Uzui's dual cleavers are connected by a medium length chain, so he can swing his blades like one during some of his attacks; how long the chain is depends if and when Tengen's cleavers are resting on his back or in use during battle, when the swords are on his hands the chain connecting them appear a little longer so Tengen is never restricted during his wide swings; obviously, no explanation is given for the variable lengths, they are just subtle enough so the audience can give a pass, possibly not even noticing it.

* ''Franchise/LyricalNanoha'': Signum's EmpathicWeapon Levantine can change into a Variable-Length Chain form, since it's a magical weapon with a connection to hyperspace.

** In the [[Anime/NarutoTheMovieGuardiansOfTheCrescentMoonKingdom third movie]], Lee combines a set of metal bars into nunchaku, then pulls them apart into a chain which is somehow long enough to wrap around a GiantMook and propel him high into the air.

* ''Manga/RanmaOneHalf'': Mousse's entire fighting style consists of things stored in [[HyperspaceArsenal Hammerspace]], so it's not surprising that his arsenal contains chains which, when he does use them, shoot out rapidly and usually instantly wrap themselves around his target. In fact, whipping an arm towards an opponent, instantly tossing out a half-dozen weapons which trail chains or ropes into the depths of his sleeve is his favorite opening move. Kunai, meteor shots, huge iron claws, sai, daggers, and, yes, the occasional yo-yo all fly out to ensnare anyone too slow to dodge the barrage, somehow ''not'' impaling them or slashing them to ribbons. (Of course, this has the added benefit that, if the enemy ''does'' dodge, Mousse can easily reel in those weapons back into their hiding places.)

** Andromeda Shun's armor is mystic in nature and the chains are [[EmpathicWeapon somewhat]] [[EvilDetectingDog sentient]] on their own, but some of his attacks can get downright ridiculous. In the Poseidon arc his fight with Io Scylla has him create a giant web of chains to stop an attack... and ''still'' have enough to attack Scylla. When idle, the lengths of the Nebula Chain hang about 1 or 2 feet long from each of his arms. However, he can unspool them to several dozen yards in a defensive ring around himself; by his own words, the chain can extend across the entire galaxy (and across dimensions!) to strike at a foe. During the Dark Saints arc, when, after Seiya has fallen into a ravine, Shun pulls him up with one of his chains not by hoisting the chain up like rope, as anyone else would have done, but by ''retracting'' it into {{Hammerspace}} as if it were measuring tape. Shun did explain during the battle against the [[EvilCounterpart Cerberus Saint]] that the length and power of the chains is directly proportional to the amount of cosmos the user possesses, and if we take into account the flashback in which his teacher lectures him and his fellow trainees about how a Saint's cosmos is limitless... well, [[MoreThanInfinite you get the idea]]. And Shun loves to mention his chain can reach even ''different dimensions''.

* ''ComicBook/LadyDeath'': In "Goddess Returns", [[TheBlacksmith Brock]] gives Lady Death a MorphWeapon called the Scynister which has three forms -- a short sword, a sickle and a kusarigama-like weapon whose chain can be as short or long as Lady Death needs.

* ''Literature/JudgeDee'': [[ThoseTwoGuys the Shrimp and the Crab]] fight with [[EpicFlail a chain fitted with iron weights]], lengthened and shortened as required (or rather, the Shrimp does, the Crab coaches him) and hidden under the Shrimp's robes. An envious Ma Jong asks if he can learn this technique, but the Crab tells him [[TheBigGuy large men]] can't master it, because they always try to hit too hard. Using it correctly requires mastering the exact distance for the short end and the long end of the chain, as well as reeling one in to lengthen the other.
* ''Literature/KnownSpace'': The "variable sword" consists of a handle which contains a spool of monofilament wire. A variable length is then extended from the handle, and an electrical charge causes it to go rigid. Since the wire is so thin as to be practically invisible to the naked eye, a large colorful ball is stuck on the far end so the user can visually gauge how far the wire is extending.

** Gilgamesh's Chain of Heaven (also known as "Enkidu," named for his sole friend) tends to vary in length and thickness from scene to scene as well, and even sometimes appears like multiple separate chains instead of a single one. Expanded universe material heavily implies, but hasn't confirmed yet, that this is because [[spoiler:the chain is ''literally'' the corpse of Enkidu, who in this setting is a shapeshifting clay doll.]]

** Penny Polendina's weapons are floating swords connected to her by, and controlled via, metal strings. The strings do appear to have a finite length at times, but due to the show's visual style it's hard to tell what it might be. They're always exactly as long as she needs.

* Most incarnations of Dead Master in the ''Franchise/BlackRockShooter'' franchise can summon these out of nowhere.
* Shizuru Viola in ''Anime/MyOtome'' has some sort of dual-bladed fighting stick (a bit like Darth Maul, only less -- [[MagicFromTechnology or arguably more]] -- teched-up). Said blades discombobulate into chains of blade-chunks, but these appear to be variable-length and often greatly exceed the length of blade available when the weapon is in one piece. That said, all Otome technology seems to rely heavily on [[HammerSpace hammerspace]] so anything is probably possible. Her ''Anime/MyHime'' incarnation's element (a naginata with WhipSword capabilities) also works this way, as she's able to swing it, wrap the blade around a bell several feet away several times, destroy the bell, and then wrap it around Natsuki before pulling it in.

* ''Anime/GaReiZero'': Michael-12 comes with an attachable chain so the blade isn't lost when it's [[ThrowingYourSwordAlwaysWorks launched]]. Where Kagura keeps several dozen metres worth of chain? Who knows?

* Kurapika of ''Manga/HunterXHunter'' uses an arsenal of such chains in combat. Justified, as the in-universe magic (Nen arts & skills) features a school of controlling items and [[spoiler:averted as the chains are actually the manifestation of Kurapika's summoning Nen skill]].

** Andromeda Shun IS this trope. It's justified, in that his armor is mystic in nature and the chains are [[EmpathicWeapon somewhat]] [[EvilDetectingDog sentient]] on their own, but some of his attacks can get downright ridiculous. In the Poseidon arc his fight with Io Scylla has him create a giant web of chains to stop an attack... and ''still'' have enough to attack Scylla. When idle, the lengths of the Nebula Chain hang about 1 or 2 feet long from each of his arms. However, he can unspool them to several dozen yards in a defensive ring around himself; by his own words, the chain can extend across the entire galaxy (and across dimensions!) to strike at a foe. During the Dark Saints arc, when, after Seiya has fallen into a ravine, Shun pulls him up with one of his chains not by hoisting the chain up like rope, as anyone else would have done, but by ''retracting'' it into {{Hammerspace}} as if it were measuring tape. Shun did explain during the battle against the [[EvilCounterpart Cerberus Saint]] that the length and power of the chains is directly proportional to the amount of cosmos the user possesses, and if we take into account the flashback in which his teacher lectures him and his fellow trainees about how a Saint's cosmos is limitless... well, [[MoreThanInfinite you get the idea]]. And Shun loves to mention his chain can reach even ''different dimensions''.

* ''Franchise/SailorMoon''
** Sailor Venus' ''Love Me Chain'' is shown to work this way (justified via magic).
** Tuxedo Mask has a Variable Length ''Cane''.

* Touka of ''Anime/{{Grenadier}},'' who wields a ball and chain that must be several hundred feet long, yet somehow retracts into her staff.
* In ''Manga/DemonSlayerKimetsuNoYaiba'', it is very subtle but it is there, Tengen Uzui's dual cleavers are connected by a medium length chain, so he can swing his blades like one during some of his attacks; how long the chain is depends if and when Tengen's cleavers are resting on his back or in use during battle, when the swords are on his hands the chain connecting them appear a little longer so Tengen is never restricted during his wide swings; obviously, no explanation is given for the variable lengths, they are just subtle enough so the audience can give a pass, possibly not even noticing it.
* Tsubaki, kusarigama mode, in ''Manga/SoulEater''. Especially apparent when Black Star uses his Trap Star technique. Given that she's one of the ridiculously large proportion of human-weapon shapeshifter characters in the series, this is passable.
* ''Franchise/LyricalNanoha'': Signum's EmpathicWeapon Levantine can change into a Variable-Length Chain form, since it's a magical weapon with a connection to hyperspace.
* Gojyo's Shakujo chain in ''Manga/{{Saiyuki}}''; justified in that it's a magical artifact.
* In ''Manga/PokemonAdventures'', Yellow's fishing line. This would be averted if her rod had a reel, but no, her line is simply tied to the end of her rod.
* ''Anime/PuellaMagiMadokaMagica'': Kyouko's [[WhipSword Whip Spear]] can disassemble into several segments, connected by extendable chains, and the whole mess moves as if it's controlled by telekinesis. It's powered by magic, of course, so it doesn't have to make physical sense (the spear itself can also spontaneously grow or shrink).
* Pretty much any whip-type weapon in the ''Franchise/{{Gundam}}'' franchise, the most JustForFun/{{egregious}} being:
** The [[Anime/MobileSuitGundam Gouf's]] heat rod, a metal tentacle that somehow all fits within a forearm only slightly larger than normal. The Gouf got two "corrections" which made the concept more believable: ''Anime/MobileSuitGundamThe08thMSTeam'' introduced the Gouf Custom, a remodel whose heat rod is simply a wire with a magnetic anchor on the end, while ''Manga/MobileSuitGundamTheOrigin''[='s=] redesigned the original with a substantially beefed-up arm and slimmed-down heat rod.
** The redesign of [[Anime/MobileSuitGundamWing Altron Gundam's]] dual dragon fangs in ''Anime/MobileSuitGundamWingEndlessWaltz'' to be dragon-shaped claws with a seemingly endless "chain" of red boxes that connected them to the Gundam's arms, officially stated to be 250 meters in length.
* From ''Manga/RanmaOneHalf'', Mousse's entire fighting style consists of things stored in [[HyperspaceArsenal Hammerspace]], so it's not surprising that his arsenal contains chains which, when he does use them, shoot out rapidly and usually instantly wrap themselves around his target. In fact, whipping an arm towards an opponent, instantly tossing out a half-dozen weapons which trail chains or ropes into the depths of his sleeve is his favorite opening move. Kunai, meteor shots, huge iron claws, sai, daggers, and, yes, the occasional yo-yo all fly out to ensnare anyone too slow to dodge the barrage, somehow ''not'' impaling them or slashing them to ribbons. (Of course, this has the added benefit that, if the enemy ''does'' dodge, Mousse can easily reel in those weapons back into their hiding places.)
* In ''Anime/RoninWarriors'', the Dark Warlord Anubis carries a kusarigama that has a claw attached via a long chain. The length of the chain varies according to his wishes.
* Hades from ''Manga/FairyTail'' produces powerful magical chains from his hands as his signature magic. It's later revealed that before he used magic his preferred weapon was a chain-blade.
** [[{{Meido}} Virgo]] wears a pair of chain shackles in her wrists. She uses them to attack in a {{filler}} episode by extending the chains.
* Nate Mitotsudaira from ''Literature/HorizonInTheMiddleOfNowhere'' has chains like these.
* ''Manga/{{Hellsing}}'': In one scene Walter's RazorFloss stretches across a corridor, in another he slices skyscrappers with it.

* Hsiao Pin-fu, one half of the titular ''Film/TheDeadlyDuo'', uses a compressed bladed flail as his weapon, which he could carry in one hand... and somehow extend across an ''entire'' pier, almost effortlessly.
* The hooked chains that Pinhead uses as his weapon in the ''Franchise/{{Hellraiser}}'' series.
* In ''Film/ScottPilgrimVsTheWorld'', Roxy wears her chain whip as a belt when not in use. It seems to get a lot longer when she actually wields it. Considering that Ramona pulls a giant war hammer out of her purse a few seconds after Roxy shows off the belt, it could just be the Pilgrim-verse's CartoonPhysics coming into play.

* Melek's rope in ''Literature/TheAncestralTrail'' explicitly lengthens on several occasions when they need it to. It's ambiguous whether this is a property of the rope or Melek himself.
* Played with in ''[[Literature/GarrettPI Petty Pewter Gods]]'', in which a creepy goddess loans Garrett a length of magical cord that can be manipulated in various ways, including elongating it as needed.
* In the ''Literature/{{Xanth}}'' novel ''Ogre, Ogre'', Smash must solve some puzzles using a ball of twine that can be rolled out to any length.
* The "variable sword" in Creator/LarryNiven's ''Literature/KnownSpace'' universe consists of a handle which contains a spool of monofilament wire. A variable length is then extended from the handle, and an electrical charge causes it to go rigid. Since the wire is so thin as to be practically invisible to the naked eye, a large colorful ball is stuck on the far end so the user can visually gauge how far the wire is extending.

* The ArchangelMichael has one for binding up Satan before tossing him into the BottomlessPit in the Literature/LeftBehind book ''Glorious Appearing''.
* In ''Literature/TheWheelOfTime'' series, the leash between a ''damane's'' collar and her ''sul'dam's'' bracelet seems to be jointed, or woven, or even both, and is explicitly noted to be of variable length, from about a metre long to roughly three depending on need.
* The ''Unbound'' series has Evie and her spiked chain - bonus points as she can also manipulate the weight of it to increase the damage.

* This is a justified trope with the monowire whips from ''TabletopGame/{{GURPS}}'': Ultra-Tech can switch automatically from one to seven yards long, allowing the user to enjoy the benefits of different-sized whips. It's justified because there is a spool of monowire in the whip, and being so thin it could be miles long. ''TabletopGame/{{Shadowrun}}'' has it pretty much the same way.
* Employed by Choke Chain of ''TabletopGame/MutantsAndMasterminds'''s META-4 setting due to her having been empowered by an agent of chaos.

* ''Franchise/MortalKombat'''s Scorpion and his Bloody Spear.
* The Belmont Clan's upgraded Vampire Killer whip in ''Franchise/{{Castlevania}}'' games. Some games also have the whip Nebula, which is a direct ShoutOut to ''Manga/SaintSeiya'', with the more common version of it automatically homing towards enemies.
** The whip equivalent of the ''VideoGame/CastlevaniaLordsOfShadow'' trilogy is combat cross, an alchemically/magically-enhanced weapon with a ''very'' long chain conveniently stored [[{{Hammerspace}} inside the cross]]. With the suitable upgrade, a player can use the weapon as a grappling hook to slowly descend from the anchoring point to the floor a few stories below.
* Kratos' Blades of Chaos/Athena/Exile in the ''VideoGame/GodOfWar'' series have less than a foot of chain when on his back, and can become several dozen meters long when in BossBattle cinematics. Justified because the blades are explicitly stated to be magical.
* Selphie in ''VideoGame/{{Kingdom Hearts|I}}'', with a jump rope substituting for the nunchucks she wielded in ''VideoGame/FinalFantasyVIII''. Interestingly, she doesn't have this trope in ''FFVIII''.
* If this trope doesn't make you think of Ivy's weapon, then you haven't played ''[[VideoGame/SoulSeries Soul Calibur]]''. Justified since she used alchemy and a fragment of [[EvilWeapon Soul Edge]] to forge it. The prototype that she made using only alchemy is so pathetic it's her [[JokeItem Joke Weapon]] in ''Soul Calibur II''. Oddly enough, while most examples of this trope grow infinite chain links, Ivy's weapon keeps the same number and stretches the length between them the further out her weapon extends.
* The Dark Prince's [[WhipSword Daggertail]] from ''VideoGame/PrinceOfPersiaTheTwoThrones'' fits pretty well. In its normal form, it's a few links of spiked chain that are embedded in the Prince's arm, but the [[SuperpoweredEvilSide Dark Prince]] can lengthen it into a combat-worthy chain.
* ''VideoGame/BloodRayne'''s harpoon which sounds exactly like the Prince's daggertail.

* The chains connected to Giganscudo Duro's Rocket Anchors in ''VideoGame/SuperRobotWars''. The attachments on its arms they come out of don't look nearly big enough for them to retract into.
* Averted with Chang Koehan of ''VideoGame/TheKingOfFighters'', as the chain to his iron ball ''is never animated''.

** In the Wii edition of ''VideoGame/TheLegendOfZeldaTwilightPrincess'', in one region of the Arbiter's Grounds, a chain which you pull out of the wall ''visibly'' grows as needed: you can see links popping into existence on the wall end of the chain. It's presumably a level layout error rather than really this trope, though.

* Similarly to the above, ''Franchise/RatchetAndClank'''s Swingshot always has enough cable to reach the next Versa-Target, despite not having any obvious storage space or rapid fabrication/deconstruction ability for said cable. This goes away after the second game, where the Swingshot (briefly called the Hypershot) fires a light-based cable.
* Catwoman gets a Variable Length Whip in ''VideoGame/BatmanArkhamCity''. It's necessary to jump across streets between buildings.
* Scharlachrot from ''VideoGame/ArcanaHeart 3'' has one, and she can throw magical fulcrums onto the field to temper/strengthen her special attacks.
* Remilia Scarlet from ''Franchise/TouhouProject'' uses those in the fighting games. They also chase you wherever you are.
* Axl Low from ''VideoGame/GuiltyGear'' is this, BIG TIME. In his [[IdleAnimation idle sprite]], the chain on his kusarigama is short enough that the whole thing isn't as long as he is tall. However, when battle comes around, some attacks can extend the chain the entire length of the screen! And his [[OneHitKill Instant Kills]] show the chains stretching ''beyond'' that. His intro pose in ''Xrd'' additionally depicts Axl [[WeaponTwirling twirling]] twin rods in his hands before [[BifurcatedWeapon linking them together]] to form a longer staff that's seen during a scant number of attacks in the ''XX'' installments. He then yanks on both ends to free the chains holding his weapon together, leaving Axl with his default kusarigama. Apparently, the chains are stored in {{Hammerspace}}.

* In the Creator/DataEast UsefulNotes/ArcadeGame ''VideoGame/DarkSeal'', the Knight can extend and twirl around his Morning Star very quickly.
* Dhelmise's [[AnchorsAway anchor]] in ''VideoGame/PokemonSunAndMoon'' is attached to one such chain, and it uses it in an EpicFlail fashion. It is also used to coil around Pokémon during the Anchor Shot move, preventing them from escaping.

* ''VideoGame/GardenGnomeCarnage'': The rope holding the garden gnome, it shrinks and lengthens, always the distance from him to his house, even as both move around.

* In ''WebAnimation/{{RWBY}}'', Blake's weapon, Gambol Shroud, is attached to a ribbon which lets her whip it around. The ribbon's length is not set, with the reach depending on whatever would make the [[RuleOfCool coolest]] fight. ''[[GutPunch Cruelly]]'' subverted towards the end of Volume 8, where the ribbon is not long enough for Blake to be able to save [[spoiler:Yang]] from falling into the [[spoiler:VoidBetweenTheWorlds.]]
** Also present with Penny Polendina; her weapons are floating swords connected to her by, and controlled via, metal strings. The strings do appear to have a finite length at times, but due to the show's visual style it's hard to tell what it might be. They're always exactly as long as she needs.
** Ditto for Emerald's [[BladeOnARope Chain Scythes]], as well as the harpoon-like blades on Ren's upgraded guns.

* In ''Webcomic/WickedAwesomeAdventure'', JET makes use of a variable-length [[http://www.wickedawesomeadventure.com/2010/06/117-use-hose-to-fill-terrarium.html rubber]] [[http://www.wickedawesomeadventure.com/2010/06/131-use-hose-lasso-with-plot-hook.html hose.]]
* One of the bandits in ''Webcomic/HeroOhHero'' uses a chain which expands from his sleeves. [[http://www.neorice.com/hoh_68 Not that it does him much good.]]

* In ''Literature/{{Worm}}'', Flechette has a chain-generating machine that effectively grants her this.

* In ''Film/{{Sockbaby}}'', Ronnie can use his leisure suit neck chain as a weapon. (Apparently it's electrified, too.)
* On ''WebVideo/AtopTheFourthWall'', Linkara sent the "Scales of Justice" weapon image from ''ComicBook/JLAActOfGod'' to Spoony, who said one of the main things it would need to work was a ''much'' longer chain. Lo and behold this trope en effect when Linda Danvers uses it later, much to Linkara's frustration. Seeing as how the chain went from about a foot to six feet, it's ''really'' noticeable. Bear in mind that this is a universe where magic explicitly does not exist anymore.

* In the "Alaskan Bull Worm" episode of ''WesternAnimation/SpongebobSquarepants'', Sandy uses a necklace-length piece of string to {{MacGyver|ing}} a grappling hook for she and Spongebob to swing to safety on.
* In "Shirley the Medium," [[WesternAnimation/CourageTheCowardlyDog Courage]] uses an average-length clothesline to save Eustace and Muriel from being dragged into the demonic box, by wrapping it around the house three times.
* In ''[[WesternAnimation/TheLegendOfKorra Avatar: The Legend of Korra]]'', the Republic City police are metalbenders, and can move around the city on cables attached to their wrists. No specific length has been noted for them, but they seem to be as long as they need to be. They are connected to a spool mounted on the officers' backs though, so it does not have to resort to {{Hammerspace}}.
* In ''WesternAnimation/StevenUniverse'', Amethyst's whip is as long as it needs to be, being anywhere from her height to ten times that length (in the same scene, even). Justified, as Gem weapons are made of a magical HardLight, same as their bodies.
* ''WesternAnimation/MiraculousLadybug'': The string of Ladybug's KillerYoYo is as long as she wants it to be. Of course, it is magical.
* ''WesternAnimation/Castlevania2017'': When Trevor finds the Morningstar whip in the abandoned Belmont estate, it's only a few feet long. In the battle against Dracula and his generals, the whip is suddenly long enough to reach across the massive hallways of the castle. And it's chain's length keeps on varying from episode to episode where it's used. The most likely explanation for this is the fact that it's an ancestral Vampire-killing Flail from the Belmont family, who are sufficiently gifted scientists and engineers that making a flail with a compact, retractable chain would be well within their competence.

* "Literature/Unbound" series has Evie and her spiked chain - bonus points as she can also manipulate the weight of it to increase the damage.

* Shizuru Viola in ''Anime/MyOtome'' has some sort of dual-bladed fighting stick (a bit like Darth Maul, only less - [[MagicFromTechnology or arguably more]] - teched up). Said blades discombobulate into chains of blade-chunks, but these appear to be variable-length and often greatly exceed the length of blade available when the weapon is in one piece. That said, all Otome technology seems to rely heavily on [[HammerSpace hammerspace]] so anything is probably possible. Her ''Anime/MyHime'' incarnation's element (a naginata with WhipSword capabilities) also works this way, as she's able to swing it, wrap the blade around a bell several feet away several times, destroy the bell, and then wrap it around Natsuki before pulling it in.

* ''ComicBook/LadyDeath'': In "Goddess Returns", [[TheBlacksmith Brock]] gives Lady Death a MorphWeapon called the Scynister which has three forms - a short sword, a sickle and a kusarigama-like weapon whose chain can be as short or long as Lady Death needs.

* In ''WebAnimation/{{RWBY}}'', Blake's weapon, Gambol Shroud, is attached to a ribbon which lets her whip it around. The ribbon's length is not set, with the reach depending on whatever would make the [[RuleOfCool coolest]] fight. ''[[GutPunch Cruelly]]'' subverted towards the end of Volume 8, where the ribbon is not long enough for Blake to be able to save [[spoiler: Yang]] from falling into the [[spoiler: VoidBetweenTheWorlds.]]

* ''WesternAnimation/ElTigreTheAdventuresOfMannyRivera'' -- El Tigre's claw hands are on chains whose length is plot-appropriate.

* In her modern outfit, ComicBook/CatWoman stores her whip on her back where it hangs down like a cat's tail when she's not using it. It's not nearly long enough compared to when she draws it, and there's no obvious means of where the extra length is stored (especially since she can draw or store it instantly).
* ComicBook/GhostRider, possibly justified by the fact that his chain is a magical artifact.
* In "Goddess Returns", [[TheBlacksmith Brock]] gives ComicBook/LadyDeath a MorphWeapon called the Scynister which has three forms - a short sword, a sickle and a kusarigama-like weapon whose chain can be as short or long as Lady Death needs.
* Justified for ComicBook/{{Spawn}}, what with having made a DealWithTheDevil for his powers.

* [[Franchise/LyricalNanoha Signum's]] EmpathicWeapon Levantine can change into a Variable-Length Chain form, since it's a magical weapon with a connection to hyperspace.

* In her modern outfit, Comicbook/CatWoman stores her whip on her back where it hangs down like a cat's tail when she's not using it. It's not nearly long enough compared to when she draws it, and there's no obvious means of where the extra length is stored (especially since she can draw or store it instantly).
* Comicbook/GhostRider, possibly justified by the fact that his chain is a magical artifact.

* Justified for Comicbook/{{Spawn}}, what with having made a DealWithTheDevil for his powers.

* Remilia Scarlet from ''VideoGame/{{Touhou}}'' uses those in the fighting games. They also chase you wherever you are.

* One of the bandits in ''WebComic/HeroOhHero'' uses a chain which expands from his sleeves. [[http://www.neorice.com/hoh_68 Not that it does him much good.]]

* In "Shirley the Medium," [[WesternAnimation/CouragetheCowardlyDog Courage]] uses an average-length clothesline to save Eustace and Muriel from being dragged into the demonic box, by wrapping it around the house three times.

* In the ''Film/ScottPilgrim'' movie Roxy wears her chain whip as a belt when not in use. It seems to get a lot longer when she actually wields it. Considering that Ramona pulls a giant war hammer out of her purse a few seconds after Roxy shows off the belt, it could just be the Pilgrim-verse's CartoonPhysics coming into play.

* ''ComicBook/WonderWoman'': It has been stated that being able to extend is one of the Lasso of Truth's abilities. In Volume 2, Issue #219 of ''ComicBook/TheFlash, Diana states the Lasso's length has no limit.

* Variable length or, "elasticity", is explicitly one of the qualities of the magical rope of ComicBook/WonderWoman's lasso of truth.

* ''WesternAnimation/Castlevania2017'': When Trevor finds the Morningstar whip in the abandoned Belmont estate, it's only a few feet long. In the battle against Dracula and his generals, the whip is suddenly long enough to reach across the massive hallways of the castle. And it's chain's length keeps on varying from episode to episode where it's used. The most likeliest explanation for this is the fact that it's an ancestral Vampire-killing Flail from the Belmont family.

* Shizuru Viola in ''Anime/MyOtome'' has some sort of dual-bladed fighting stick (a bit like Darth Maul, only less - [[MagicFromTechnology or arguably more]] - teched up). Said blades discombobulate into chains of blade-chunks, but these appear to be variable-length and often greatly exceed the length of blade available when the weapon is in one piece. That said, all Otome technology seems to rely heavily on [[HammerSpace hammerspace]] so anything is probably possible. Her ''Anime/MyHime'' incarnation's element (a [[BladeOnAStick naginata]] with WhipSword capabilities) also works this way, as she's able to swing it, wrap the blade around a bell several feet away several times, destroy the bell, and then wrap it around Natsuki before pulling it in.

* Nate Mitotsudaira from ''LightNovel/HorizonInTheMiddleOfNowhere'' has chains like these.

Lots of characters use {{chain|Pain}}s and {{whip|ItGood}}s, mostly [[ImpossiblyCoolWeapon because it's cool]]. However, these often have the pesky problem of having limited reach, and if they're long they'll be heavy and bulky to carry. So how do you keep the cool while downplaying these inconveniences? By using Variable Length Chains! They grow long to reach a target, short when being carried, and even disappear entirely depending on needs. A necessity for function of most {{Whip Sword}}s.

* In ''WesternAnimation/StevenUniverse'', Amethyst's [[WhipItGood whip]] is as long as it needs to be, being anywhere from her height to ten times that length (in the same scene, even). Justified, as Gem weapons are made of a magical HardLight, same as their bodies.

Usually paired with WhipItGood, ChainPain, ChainedByFashion, WhipSword, and LightningLash, especially the [[PureEnergy Pure Electricity]] variant. Sometimes uses InstantKnots.

* In ''[[WesternAnimation/TheLegendOfKorra Avatar: The Legend of Korra]]'', the Republic City police are metalbenders, and can move around the city on cables attached to their wrists. Out of the episodes released, so far, no specific length has been noted for them, but they seem to be as long as they need to be. They are connected to a spool mounted on the officers' backs though, so it does not have to resort to {{Hammerspace}}.

* Shizuru Viola in ''Anime/MyOtome'' has some sort of dual-bladed fighting stick (a bit like Darth Maul, only less - [[MagicFromTechnology or arguably more]] - teched up). Said blades discombobulate into chains of blade-chunks, but these appear to be variable-length and often greatly exceed the length of blade available when the weapon is in one piece. That said, all Otome technology seems to rely heavily on [[HammerSpace hammerspace]] so anything is probably possible. Her ''Anime/MyHime'' incarnation's element (a [[BladeOnAStick naginata]] with WhipSword capabilities) also works this way, as she's able to swing it, wrap the blade around a bell several feet away several times, destroy the bell, and then wrap it aroind Natsuki before pulling it in.

[[folder:Real Life]]
* Not a weapon, but there's a brand of garden hose that extends when water is flowing through it and then retracts to a shorter length for storage.
[[/folder]]

* Hades from ''Manga/FairyTail'' produces powerful magical chains from his hands as his signature magic. It's later revealed that before he used magic his [[WeaponOfChoice preferred weapon]] was a chain-blade.

* The hooked chains that Pinhead uses as his WeaponOfChoice in the ''Franchise/{{Hellraiser}}'' series.

* Selphie in ''VideoGame/{{Kingdom Hearts|I}}'', with a jump rope substituting for the [[FightingWithChucks nunchucks]] she wielded in ''VideoGame/FinalFantasyVIII''. Interestingly, she doesn't have this trope in ''FFVIII''.

* Axl Low from ''VideoGame/GuiltyGear'' is this, BIG TIME. In his [[IdleAnimation idle sprite]], the chain on his kusarigama is short enough that the whole thing isn't as long as he is tall. However, when battle comes around, some attacks can extend the chain the entire length of the screen! And his [[OneHitKill Instant Kills]] show the chains stretching ''beyond'' that. His intro pose in ''Xrd'' additionally depicts Axl [[WeaponTwirling twirling]] [[MartialArtsStaff twin rods]] in his hands before [[BifurcatedWeapon linking them together]] to form a longer staff that's seen during a scant number of attacks in the ''XX'' installments. He then yanks on both ends to free the chains holding his weapon together, leaving Axl with his default kusarigama. Apparently, the chains are stored in {{Hammerspace}}.

* Axl Low from ''VideoGame/GuiltyGear'' is this, BIG TIME. In his [[IdleAnimation idle sprite]], the chain on his kusarigama is short enough that the whole thing isn't as long as he is tall. However, when battle comes around, some attacks can extend the chain the entire length of the screen! And his [[OneHitKill Instant Kills]] show the chains stretching ''beyond'' that. His intro pose in ''Xrd'' additionally depicts Axl [[WeaponTwirling twirling]] [[SimpleStaff twin rods]] in his hands before [[BifurcatedWeapon linking them together]] to form a longer staff that's seen during a scant number of attacks in the ''XX'' installments. He then yanks on both ends to free the chains holding his weapon together, leaving Axl with his default kusarigama. Apparently, the chains are stored in {{Hammerspace}}.

* In ''WebAnimation/{{RWBY}}'', Blake's weapon, Gambol Shroud, is attached to a ribbon which lets her whip it around. The ribbon's length is not set, with the reach depending on whatever would make the [[RuleOfCool coolest]] fight.

* [[Franchise/LyricalNanoha Signum's]] EmpathicWeapon Levantine can change into a VariableLengthChain form, since it's a magical weapon with a connection to hyperspace.