History StepfordSmiler / FanFic

[[AC: ''VisualNovel/DanganRonpa'']]
* ''FanFic/DespairsLastResort'' has [[spoiler: Shizuka Matsuki]] as a Depressed type, and reveals that she started acting this way to give herself a new image upon starting at Hope's Peak Academy.

* In ''[[https://www.fanfiction.net/s/2693964/3/The-Demon-s-Contract The Demon's Contract]]", Kasumi Tendo is deeply broken from being forced to be the caretaker for her family since she was nine years old. While everyone reacted normally (for them) to Ranma's rampage before he goes back in time, Kasumi simply kept on smiling, even when Ranma explicitly said he was going to kill her. After he used pressure points to break down her mental barriers, Kasumi cries, curses, and breaks everything in sight before taking it out on the one she blames most for her life: her father.

* In ''Fanfic/AmazingFantasy'', Peter keeps up a chipper and joking persona around Izuku, but weeps at night out of worry for his ex-wife and daughter as well as the stresses of being a superhero.

[[AC: ''Manga/MyHeroAcademia'']]
* In ''Fanfic/KarmaInRetrograde'', Touya used to cheer up Shouto by flashing him a brave smile while assuring him that everything was going to be okay after Endeavor's grueling training sessions. Unfortunately, it was a strained and painful lie.
-->He would see how exhausted, sick, and terrible he felt after training and it would terrify him. He didn’t want Shouto to go through the same thing. All Ryouta could do was put a warm hand on Shouto’s head, put on a brave smile, and tell him it was going to be fine. It was always a lie.

* There is a fair share of ''Manga/AzumangaDaioh'' fics that portray Tomo, [[GenkiGirl of all people]], as one of these. [[http://www.fanfiction.net/s/2552320/1/Cold_Nights Such]] [[http://www.fanfiction.net/s/3594480/1/Fallen_Happiness as]] [[http://www.fanfiction.net/s/2724513/1/Rouge_et_Noir these]] [[http://www.fanfiction.net/s/3313358/1/Wednesday_Morning_3am ones]].

[[AC: ''Franchise/TheHungerGames'']]

[[AC: ''Franchise/{{Pokemon}}'']]
* Ash in ''Fanfic/PokemonResetBloodlines'' is a downplayed example. While he's not secretly wallowing in despair, he has his moments, especially when he's reminded of something he lost from the original timeline, and he can't share his pain with anyone else but his Pokémon.

[[AC: ''WesternAnimation/TotalDramaIsland'']]
* ''WesternAnimation/{{Total Drama|Island}}'' {{fanon}} sometimes portrays Sierra with tinges of this, suggesting that her LoonyFan antics are either the cause or effect of an inability to form any close, real-life friendships.

* [[WesternAnimation/MyLittlePonyFriendshipIsMagic Pinkie Pie]] can appear anywhere on the spectrum in fanfics. In ''Fanfic/ThePartyNeverEnded'', Pinkie Pie is Depressed, as she breaks under her GenkiGirl cover as she dreads over [[HoYay her love for Rainbow Dash]]. As for ''Fanfic/{{Cupcakes}}'', well, let's say she's Unstable and leave it at that.

* The author of FanFic/TravelsThroughAzerothAndOutland writes [[WorldOfWarcraft draenei]] rather like [[Literature/GreenSkyTrilogy Kindar]]. You do, however, get a few eccentrics ([[PerkyGoth Vasalyan]]), basket cases ([[BrokenBird Balaa]]), and characters who mean well but really don't ''get'' other races ([[GoodShepherd Kastoor]]).

* In ''[[https://www.fanfiction.net/s/10048990/1/Laughing Laughing]]'' not only is Harry Depressed but Ron and Hermione are helping him keep up the pretense.
* In ''[[https://www.fanfiction.net/s/10536445/1/The-Lily-Potter-Foundation The Lily Potter Foundation]]'' Harry's been Depressed for much of his life, thanks to his abusive relatives and the indifference of the wizarding world.

* ''WesternAnimation/InvaderZim'' fanfics about [[CheerfulChild Keef]] are pretty rare, but those that exist often portray him as having neglectful of abusive parents. Given JhonenVasquez' style, this is entirely plausible (compare ''{{Squee}},'' for example.)

* In ''[[https://www.fanfiction.net/s/2693964/3/The-Demon-s-Contract The Demon's Contract]], Kasumi Tendo is deeply broken from being forced to be the caretaker for her family since she was nine years old. While everyone reacted normally (for them) to Ranma's rampage before he goes back in time, Kasumi simply kept on smiling, even when Ranma explicitly said he was going to kill her. After he used pressure points to break down her mental barriers, Kasumi cries, curses, and breaks everything in sight before taking it out on the one she blames most for her life: her father.

* [[Series/KamenRiderGaim Mitsuzane Kureshima]] in ''[[https://www.fanfiction.net/s/11772125/1/Metroid-Kamen-Rider-Generations-Full-Series Metroid: Kamen Rider Generations]]'' is both the Type A and B example, combined with [[StepfordSnarker poorly cynical sarcasm]] in spades. Deep inside, he is heavily insecured with guilt because of the actions he committed in the past. As the story progresses, Mitsuzane starts depending on new friends -- [[Series/KamenRiderDrive Gou]] in particular since Kouta and Mai are now colonizing a new planet, and a SecondLove -- [[Franchise/{{Metroid}} Samus]], to keep himself at check.

* In most ''Fanfic/TheConversionBureau'' Deconstruction Fics, the Newfoals (humans transformed into ponies) are the Empty version. They ''look'' like normal ponies, but their minds have been changed by the potion. Often, there's really nothing left of the original human at all.
** '''Fanfic/TheConversionBureauTheOtherSideOfTheSpectrum'' has what's probably the most extreme portrayal. Newfoals are ''always'' unshakable fanatics of [[GodSaveUsFromTheQueen Queen]] Celestia and can feel no emotions other than happiness. Oh, and they're all blank flanks. This is all taken to the point where they're nothing more than TechnicallyLivingZombies. It's not so much GettingSmiliesPaintedOnYourSoul as Getting Your Soul Shattered And Rearranged Into A Smiley.

* FanFic/TheConversionBureau, along with its RecursiveFanfiction, has the [[GettingSmiliesPaintedOnYourSoul Newfoals]], who are Empty with elements of Unstable.

* [[Series/KamenRiderGaim Mitsuzane Kureshima]] in ''[[https://www.fanfiction.net/s/11772125/1/Metroid-Kamen-Rider-Generations-Full-Series Metroid: Kamen Rider Generations]]'' is both the Type A and B example, combined with [[StepfordSnarker poorly cynical]] [[TheSnarkKnight sarcasm]]. Even [[Franchise/{{Metroid}} Samus]] learns the hard way when Micchy's cheerful and carefree personality actually hides a SadClown with SurvivorsGuilt within him.

* [[WesternAnimation/MyLittlePonyFriendshipIsMagic Rarity]] is Unstable in ''Fanfic/TheKillerRarityverse'' fic ''The Secret life of Rarity'', in which she maintains her social life over a period of 16 years in which she murders over 100 ponies/other races. She starts to slip towards the end, leading to her confrontation by Applejack