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4[[quoteright:230:[[Manga/HunterXHunter https://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/gon2.png]]]]
5[[caption-width-right:230:'''Top:''' Normal mood.\
6'''Bottom:''' Oh no...]]
7
8->''"Bright eyes, burning like fire.\
9Bright eyes, how can you close and fail?\
10How can the light that burned so brightly\
11Suddenly burn so pale?"''
12-->-- '''Art Garfunkel''', "Bright Eyes"
13
14Normally, happy people's eyes shine and reflect their environment. This is because the coating of tears over the exposed eye to keep it from drying out reflects light sources within a certain distance.
15
16In anime and manga, though, when a character is feeling sad, very tired, depressed, or [[UnstoppableRage about to snap]], their eyes lose all the natural shine and have the appearance of being lifeless. Depending on the art style, this can range from merely a lack of highlights to the iris turning into a flat disc of the afflicted's base color. May or may not be accompanied by tired lines in the face. This trope is never a good sign.
17
18Often goes hand-in-hand with the HeroicBSOD, and can betray a StepfordSmiler to the audience, although none of the characters in-story seem to notice the eye problem.
19
20This can be TruthInTelevision, because sad, shocked, or tired people tend to slightly lower their head, which causes the upper part of the eyes, which is normally reflecting the light, to be concealed. When the person recovers naturally or when dealing with a recent trauma, this is a case of the ThousandYardStare; Dull Eyes of Unhappiness are a chronic problem that do not show noticeable improvement over time.
21
22SubTrope of ReflectionlessUselessEyes. See EmptyEyes for sister tropes.
23-----
24!!Examples
25
26[[foldercontrol]]
27
28[[folder:Anime & Manga]]
29* ''Manga/AceOfTheDiamond'': Chris Yuu Takigawa appears this way when he's first introduced. The reason is that he's depressed due to being relegated to the second string of Seidou's baseball team after he suffered a GameBreakingInjury. He gets better thanks to training and mentoring Eijun Sawamura.
30* ''Manga/AhMyGoddess'': Invoked by Belldandy whenever she experiences jealousy over seeing other women flirting with Keiichi, after which she tends to [[PowerIncontinence accidentally]] make [[StuffBlowingUp stuff blow up.]]
31* In ''Manga/AsteroidInLove'', Moe's eyes lose their gloss in the first chapter/episode, when Mikage presses her to join the geology side of the Earth Science Club, up to and including using a set of [[PowerCrystal power stones]] as [[IfYouCallBeforeMidnightTonight sweetener]].
32* Happens frequently in ''Manga/AttackOnTitan'', thanks to the traumatic experiences endured by the cast. A few examples include:
33** Mikasa gets them after Armin informs her that [[spoiler: Eren was (supposedly) dead]].
34** BrokenBird Annie has them as a default expression, though she plays it off as being bored with everyone around her. The rare moments WhenSheSmiles reveal she's hiding a much warmer personality behind her icy exterior.
35** Levi looks fairly detached most of the time, but his eyes only become dead upon discovering [[spoiler: the bodies of his squad]]. It's a hint of the UnstoppableRage he's preparing to unleash.
36** During the cleanup operation at Trost, the characters are all wearing handkerchiefs over their faces. This leaves the focus on their eyes, as they take in the horrible aftermath of the battle. When Jean discovers the body of [[spoiler: Marco]], his eyes become glassy and unfocused.
37** Bertolt when [[spoiler: Eren calls him a monster and promises to make his death as painful as possible]]. Combined with his TroubledFetalPosition, it just makes him look defeated.
38* ''Manga/AyakashiTriangle'': Shadow Mei is a SoulFragment [[MadeOfEvil filled with the original Mei's hate for humanity]], which shows in her eyes lacking any sheen. When she shows signs of getting over her grudge, her eyes are suddenly drawn normally.
39* All three main characters from ''Manga/{{Berserk}}'' have these eyes at one point or another during their angst-filled stories, most notably:
40** After Guts [[spoiler:assassinates Count Julius and killed his son, which he was not anticipating and was quite disturbed by the aftershock.]]
41*** Guts seems to have these persistently after the Eclipse. Guts has these mainly because his remaining eye is almost always in [[WideEyesAndShrunkenIrises shrunken iris mode]] and he is almost always either [[HeartBrokenBadass angry or sad.]] However, one notable moment gives life back to his eye when [[spoiler: he learns that Casca might be cured again, and he gives a genuine smile to match.]]
42** When Casca [[spoiler:almost commits suicide by jumping off a cliff upon realizing her dream of being Griffith's sword and woman were over]], she gets this.
43** [[spoiler:Post-tortured]] and [[spoiler: Post HeroicBSOD following Guts leaving him]] Griffith. All the time.
44* ''Manga/BlackButler'': [[DownplayedTrope Downplayed]] with Ciel. Although his eyes still have a normal amount of luster, he also had a ''lot'' more sparkle before [[YouKilledMyFather everything]] [[DoomedHometown went to]] [[BreakTheCutie shit]].
45* ''Manga/BlackLagoon'': Anytime Revy's eyes lose their luster, it's a sign that she's in [[AxCrazy Whitman Fever]] mode and is incredibly dangerous to be around.
46* ''Manga/{{Bleach}}'':
47** Momo Hinamori gets them when [[spoiler: finding Aizen impaled to the wall with his sword]]. It lasts until [[UnstoppableRage Gin shows up]]. [[spoiler: [[SubvertedTrope Her rage turned out to be stoppable, sadly]].]]
48** She gets them like that again much later, when [[spoiler: Hitsugaya is tricked into impaling ''her''. By Aizen.]]
49** Orihime gets it as well when [[spoiler:she's forced to admit to Ulquiorra that by wearing the Arrancar dress, she belongs to Aizen.]]
50* ''Manga/BungoStrayDogs'': It's stated by WordOfGod that this trope indicates a character (at least at the moment) is "evil, hopeless and beyond help". A lot of Mafia members show it.
51** One notable example is Dazai: Before his HeelFaceTurn, his eyes are almost always dull and he is a straight-played DeathSeeker. Currently his eyes are somehow brighter (except for the few times when he gets dark again), and his desire for death has become much more diluted compared with before.
52** During Kyouka's time as an assassin of the Mafia, her eyes show no light nor hope. Now at the agency, she finds the purpose of her life, and the dimness disappear from her eyes.
53* ''Manga/{{Chobits}}'': In the anime, the characters' eyes are usually depicted this way, to the point of seeming to be a stylistic quirk, until a major shift occurs: [[spoiler: Chi's program gives all the [[RidiculouslyHumanRobots persocoms]] normal-looking eyes]]. By contrast, [[spoiler:the human characters]] continue to be drawn in this style. There are multiple [[LuddWasRight ways to interpret]] [[AloneInACrowd what this means]].
54* In ''Anime/DarkerThanBlack'', Hei always seems to have this combined with black eyes. Though, knowing his DarkAndTroubledPast it really isn't all that surprising.
55* ''Manga/DeathNote'':
56** Light Yagami has these in episode 1 [[spoiler:before finding his "purpose."]] Also in episode 26 when [[spoiler:[[AntagonistInMourning trying to adjust to a world without L in it.]]]]
57** Naomi gets these too once Light tells her he's Kira and she [[spoiler: walks off to die]]. Although, [[spoiler:considering ''how and why'' she's going to die, they could easily [[MindControlEyes be another look.]]]]
58** Speaking of Light, he also has it in episode 19 when he's thinking about being Kira without having any memory of it.
59** Happens to Mello when he removes his motorcycle helmet during the Takada mission. This is likely because a) he just found out that [[spoiler: his best friend Matt was killed]] and b) he knew he'd likely be next.
60** This is L's default look [[spoiler: until just before he dies]]. Near has these as well
61* ''Anime/DeathParade'' deals with heavy themes and dark moments in a person's life. This trope is often shown in flashbacks of characters in their DarkestHour, or when a character is about to cross a line they can’t come back from.
62** In flashbacks, Chiyuki has these while staring blankly at trophies she won as a figure skater after a leg injury made it so that she'd never be able to skate again. Given the emphasis that’s been placed [[WhenSheSmiles on her smiles]] and positive demeanour up until then, it's quite jarring to see.
63* ''Franchise/{{Digimon}}'':
64** ''Anime/DigimonAdventure'': Both Yamato and Sora get this when they're being affected by the Dark Ocean.
65** ''Anime/DigimonFrontier'': Taking advantage of Koichi's loneliness and sadness, Cherubimon erases his memory, resulting in his expressive blue eyes becoming pale black (and making a small slasher smile), before using his tainted Duskmon form to digivolve into Velgemon.
66** ''Anime/DigimonAdventureTri:'' Himehawa's eyes have become like this by the fifth movie, by which point she has gone quite, ''quite'' mad.
67* A sure-fire sign that a Diclonius from ''Manga/ElfenLied'' has been pushed past the breaking point is their eyes going dead. Not even [[MySpeciesDothProtestTooMuch sweet, pacifistic little Nana]] is above this.
68* ''Literature/TheFamiliarOfZero'': Loiuse's eyes grow dim whenever she's about to cast a powerful spell.
69* In ''Anime/{{Free}}'', though it's subtle, Haruka's eyes are much brighter as a child. We're given a comparison in the first episode with the scene cuts from a shot of kid Haruka's eyes to an older, much more apathetic-looking Haruka with duller eyes. As the anime progresses the brightness returns, and he also begins to express much more emotion.
70* ''Manga/FullmetalAlchemist'': The characters have bright eyes, and the manga will usually show them dull and monochrome to hammer a point:
71** Edward Elric has these during his first meeting with Mustang due to still being traumatised from his failed attempt to resurrect his mother.
72** On closer inspection Maes Hughes actually has this, due to his experiences [[WarIsHell in Ishval]].
73** Rose has these in the last few episodes of [[Anime/FullmetalAlchemist2003 the 2003 anime]] due to her trauma [[spoiler:from being raped.]]
74* ''Literature/FullMetalPanic'':
75** Sousuke is shown to have eyes like this during his HeroicBSOD. More pronounced in the Sigma manga, where there are several pages with his eyes looking like this. In fact, his eyes losing the light and [[ReflectiveEyes reflectiveness]] in them is actually brought up in-series by [[spoiler: [[StalkerWithACrush Gauron]]]], who laments how Sousuke has lost the [[WhatBeautifulEyes beautiful, untainted emotion and clearness in them]] (including a flashback shot of Sousuke's eyes being [[https://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/sousuke_eyes.jpg incredibly sparkly and glowy]], in a GaussianGirl manner).
76** Mao notes the 'despair eyes' of CreepyChild Yu Lan, who with her sister has a similar tragic past to Sousake.
77* In ''Manga/FushigiYuugi'', Miaka notes that Yui's eyes are unusually dull and that something seems different about her, when Miaka first sees her at the Palace of Kutou, before learning of Yui's [[spoiler: alleged]] rape. However, this is [[InformedAttribute not really apparent to the audience]].
78* ''Manga/FutureDiary'':
79** These are one of the most obvious tells that Yuno is in [[HeroicSafeMode kill]] [[TranquilFury mode]]: her eyes go from vibrant to ''completely dull and emotionless.''
80** Yuki has these as he's being held captive by Yuno.
81* ''Anime/{{Gankutsuou}}'': Seen in episode 9, while Franz is musing about his unrequited [[HoYay love]] for Albert.
82* ''Literature/TheGardenOfSinners'':
83** Although Shiki's eyes reflect highlights just fine, they're never drawn with pupils; just dull brown irises. Shiki's personality isn't as simple as 'unhappy', but it's one of the first indicators that she's not quite right.
84** It's a blink-and-you'll-miss-it appearance, but Lio Shirazumi also has these during his brief cameo in the second movie. He loses them by the seventh movie.
85* ''Anime/GirlsUndPanzer'':
86** Miho has this in the first episode, after being told to take Tankery by the student council, which results in her having a blank, unchanging stare, until she and her new friends, Saori and Hana, were in the nurse's office.
87** Apparently PlayedForLaughs in the ''Motto Love Love Sakusen'' spin-off manga where some characters would sport these when they see something embarrassingly wrong. An example would be when Miho received a Christmas picture message from her elder sister.
88* Poor Fighter bears these eyes at the end of Episode 1 of ''Literature/GoblinSlayer'' after her [[BreakTheCutie horrific ordeal]] at the hands of the goblins.
89* In the final episode of ''Anime/HaibaneRenmei'', Reki's already dark eyes have a dull, dead look to them after [[spoiler:she learns her true name]] and breaks down.
90* [[NationsAsPeople Russia]] from ''Webcomic/HetaliaAxisPowers'' gets these to show when he gets too upset to keep his cool, since he's [[StepfordSmiler almost always calmly smiling regardless of his mood.]] [[http://i538.photobucket.com/albums/ff345/DarkBlueSinger/Hetalia%20Resources/Lithuania.jpg Looks like it rubbed off on Lithuania, too.]] Some characters have these permanently, such as Germany, Sweden, and Switzerland.
91* In ''Manga/HidamariSketch'', Hiro has dull eyes when she wakes up since she is NotAMorningPerson.
92* In ''Manga/HoshinEngi'', during Taikobo's first HeroicBSOD (where Dakki threw all the people from the village into the snake and alligator pit to get eaten), he is shown to have eyes like this. He [[AngstWhatAngst gets over it within a few pages]], though.
93* ''Manga/HunterXHunter'': Gon is currently featured for the trope image. He gets these in Chapters 304 and 305 (and for the anime, Episodes 130 and 131) after [[spoiler: finding out that Kite is dead]], after convincing himself that he was still alive.
94* Nayuki Minase from ''VisualNovel/{{Kanon}}'' has a severe case of Dull Eyes during [[spoiler: her HeroicBSOD after Akiko got hit by a car.]] PowerOfFriendship snaps her out of it, though.
95* ''Anime/KemonoFriends'': Fans noticed that all the friends based on extinct animals such as Thylacine and Passenger Pigeon sport this kind of eyes. This is all but confirmed to be directly related to their extinct status, as [[spoiler: Kaban's eyes go dim once she hears about human's apparent extinction]].
96* Souji Kuonji's eyes are drawn this way for most of the OAV adaptation of the H game ''Ko-ko-ro...'' to show how deeply the abuse at the hands of his parents, [[spoiler:as well as the trauma surrounding their deaths and that of his older sister, Kasumi,]] has scarred him. He begins to come out of his deep funk towards the end of the second episode, thanks to his budding relationship with Mizuki, but Asuka subtly nudges him into revisiting [[spoiler:the day of the murders]], stigmatizing him severely and causing his dull eyes to return, seemingly permanently.
97* Haruka Kotoura of ''Manga/KotouraSan'' initially has these (of the 'no iris' variety) after far too many {{Heroic BSOD}}s to count in her life, which thankfully doesn't last too long in-show. Her mother also has a pair of these, though they last far longer than her daughter's.
98* In ''Manga/TheLegendOfZeldaFourSwords2004'', the normally cheerful Red gets a pair after mistaking Green and Vio for dead. He snaps out of it when Blue saves him from a monster.
99* ''Franchise/LyricalNanoha'':
100** ''Anime/MagicalGirlLyricalNanoha'': Fate Testarossa gets these during her [[HeroicBSOD Antivillainous BSOD]] after her [[EvilMatriarch mother Precia]] reveals what her origins are and how she really feels about her.
101** Subaru gets them in her fight against [[spoiler:her BrainwashedAndCrazy sister Ginga]] in ''[[Anime/MagicalGirlLyricalNanohaStrikers StrikerS]]''.
102* In various instances, these happen in ''Manga/MermaidMelodyPichiPichiPitch'' whether by mind control or through the [[MagicMusic effects of]] the [[VillainSong songs some villains sing]].
103* A second before [[{{Yandere}} Katejina Loos]] of ''Anime/MobileSuitVictoryGundam'' snaps and gets blasted in the face by V2 Assault-Buster's Wings of Light, her eyes turn into this. [[spoiler: After the whole thing, she is seen on a wheelchair, completely blinded, completely dull, and completely helpless. FateWorseThanDeath indeed.]]
104* In ''Manga/MoonSubaruSolitudeStanding'', Subaru sports shineless eyes after her past has been broadcasted on Japanese TV without her knowledge.
105* The title character of ''Manga/MoritaSanWaMukuchi'' [[PlayingWithATrope plays with this]]; sure, she's got the eyes and freaks people out, but she's really just a fairly normal, if quiet, high school girl.
106* [[spoiler:Shizuru]] from ''Anime/MyHime'' gets these briefly during her FaceHeelTurn, but they're only really noticeable right after [[spoiler:she attacks Haruka and Yukino]].
107* ''Anime/NagiAsuALullInTheSea'': Manaka has these at the end of episode 22 when it's revealed that she [[spoiler: has lost the ability to fall in love.]]
108* ''Manga/{{Naruto}}'':
109** Naruto has these shown throughout after he is told that [[spoiler: Jiraiya is dead]].
110** Sasuke has these constantly due to his horrific past and present which is especially noticeable following the TimeSkip.
111** Sasuke's older brother [[HeartbrokenBadass Itachi]] is shown with eyes like these when is Sharingan isn't activated. And [[StoicWoobie with]] [[IDidWhatIHadToDo good]] [[DeathSeeker reason.]]
112* In ''Manga/NegimaMagisterNegiMagi'', Asuna is drawn this way based on her state of amnesia regarding her DarkAndTroubledPast. Upon regaining said memories, she went into a blank catatonia for days. She also sports these in the first anime [[spoiler: when she dies]] and again in chapter 352 upon [[spoiler: seeing Negi's grave]].
113* Done chillingly with both Asuka and Shinji in ''Anime/NeonGenesisEvangelion'' during the respective points at which they reach catatonic levels of depression.
114* ''Literature/No6'': Sion gets dull eyes in episode 10 when [[spoiler:killing the guard who tried to kill Nezumi]].
115* ''Anime/{{Noir}}'': When Kirika's eyes get like this, it serves as an indicator that she's just gone from dangerous to Death Incarnate.
116* ''Manga/PandoraHearts'': Oz's eyes go dull upon finding out about [[spoiler: Alice's death]] in Cheshire's world. The eyes remain as his [[HeroicBSOD BSOD]] ends in favor of ''[[FreakOut trying to destroy the entire dimension.]]'' This, of course, would be very bad for everyone still inside.
117* As Mima from ''Anime/PerfectBlue'' loses her grip on reality, she does this more and more often.
118* In ''Manga/PokemonAdventures'', White gets these (as well as having them full of tears) after [[spoiler:her Tepig abandons her for N and she falls out of the Ferris Wheel out of shock]].
119* ''Anime/PrettyCure'':
120** ''Anime/FutariWaPrettyCure'': Characters usually have these when under the influence of villains, usually Pisard or Poisony.
121** ''Anime/FreshPrettyCure'': Chiffon gets these when [[spoiler:she's kidnapped and turned into Infinity]].
122** ''Anime/SmilePrecure'': Cure Happy gets these when she sees that none of her attacks even put a mark on Joker.
123** ''Anime/KiraKiraPrecureALaMode'': In the last few episodes, Ichika/Cure Whip is transported to Ellios' world and loses all her memories, and also giving her blank blue eyes as opposed to her usual magenta.
124** ''Anime/StarTwinklePrettyCure'': Cure Star gets these when she sees Aiwarn turn a Star Color Pen into a Dark Pen.
125* The {{Magical girl}}s from ''Anime/PuellaMagiMadokaMagica'' get this [[spoiler: after their Soul Gem is taken away from them. Though they're dead at that point, since the name of the Soul Gems is [[SoulJar quite literal.]]]] Sayaka also gets this a few times as [[spoiler:she inches ever so closer to the DespairEventHorizon]].
126* In ''Manga/RentAGirlfriend'', Mami Nanami is a BitchInSheepsClothing [[StepfordSmiler whose smile is rarely out of genuine happiness]]. When Mami's in an especially bad mood, she'll gaze at someone with blank, lifeless eyes, which usually terrifies the person enough to scare them off.
127* ''Manga/RonKamonohashiDerangedDetective'': The titular character's eyes appear dead on introduction due to having spent years unable to pursue his one passion of solving crimes. Isshiki lampshades the artistic choice, complaining that even a dead fish's eyes still reflect light.
128* ''Manga/RurouniKenshin'': After [[spoiler:Enishi's apparent murder of Kaoru]], the titular character shows dull eyes.
129* ''Anime/SailorMoon'':
130** After [[spoiler:Rei fights a youma in the finale of the first season and is killed after all the other inner scouts have died fighting]], Usagi's eyes become blank and [[HeroicBSOD she shuts down.]]
131** She also gets blank eyes when she [[spoiler:turns into Princess Serenity]] for the first time.
132** People's eyes also become blank when their pure hearts are taken in the S season. [[spoiler: And Usagi also sports them briefly after her and Saturn's fight against Pharaoh 90, when she returns with baby!Hotaru in her arms.]]
133** Around half of ''Super S'', Usagi gets these eyes again [[spoiler: when her Dream Mirror is ''shattered'' in pieces]].
134** This also happens to Usagi when [[spoiler:the Silver Crystal is shattered on reentry]] at the end of the [[Anime/SailorMoonRTheMovie Sailor Moon R movie]] but it could be because [[spoiler:She's dead]]. It's about like it is with the before-mentioned Dream Mirror.
135* Ikeda Kana in ''Manga/{{Saki}}'', [[spoiler: when she's at death's door due to having 0 point in the game]].
136* In ''Anime/SamuraiChamploo'', we watch as this happens to Okuru's eyes in his flashback. He returns to his village to find it destroyed and in flames, and his wife collapses and dies right in front of him. Over the course of a couple of seconds, his eyes change from normal to dull. [[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uEkNxpUhndk&t=0m59s Watch for yourself]]. Mugen later compares them to the eyes of someone who is already dead.
137* Sekai and Kotonoha and even [[spoiler: Makoto]] get this once or twice in ''VisualNovel/SchoolDays''. It's more notorious in the latter's case as she gets them more often than the other two. See the Visual Novels part for more details.
138* Kaede Fuyou of ''VisualNovel/{{Shuffle}}'' starts displaying these in the anime at her mother's funeral, when she starts losing her will to live. Much later, the same happens after Rin starts spending more time with Asa.
139* In ''Manga/SoulEater'', Crona has shineless eyes as a natural part of [[AmbiguousGender their]] default look. Which is not really surprising given their awfully DarkAndTroubledPast.
140* In the Alicization arc of ''Literature/SwordArtOnline'', following the battle with Quinella, Kirito's STL is affected by a power surge just as he was grieving over [[spoiler:Eugeo's death]] sending him into an AngstComa with hollow eyes.
141* ''Anime/TengenToppaGurrenLagann'': Simon suffers an extreme case that lasts for ''several episodes on end'' as he falls into a horrific stint of grief. The cause was [[spoiler: the death of his beloved blood brother and greatest friend, Kamina]].
142* In the 2022 reboot of ''Manga/UruseiYatsura'', Ataru becomes depressed after Lum seemingly leaves him and his eyes go dull. The light comes back to them when he sees that she's returned. He tries to hide how happy he is to see her, [[{{Tsundere}} of course]].
143* In ''Manga/WolfGuyWolfenCrest'', poor Aoshika is totally lifeless after being horrifically [[BreakTheCutie stripped of her personhood]] after undergoing hours of continuous [[spoiler: gang rape]] at the hands of Haguro and his men.
144* ''Manga/YourLieInApril'':
145** PlayedForLaughs at the start of episode 5. Kaori's eyes suddenly become this when the gang visit her without knocking on the door and sneaks an accidental peek at her while she was naked and receiving a sponge bath from the nurse.
146** Played straight at episode 20 [[spoiler:from a traumatized Kousei on his way home after he was visiting Kaori only to see her health take a sharp turn for the worst]].
147* Bruno from ''Anime/YuGiOh5Ds'' seems to naturally have these, despite being quite happy most of the time. They could signify his status as an amnesiac, [[spoiler: or the fact that he's actually a robot with a DarkAndTroubledPast]].
148* ''Manga/YuruYuri'':
149** Played for laughs in the anime with [[spoiler: Akari]] getting them after [[spoiler: Chinatsu, rather forcefully, kisses her in Episode 5]]. Complete with teardrop for added effect.
150** Happens to [[spoiler: Akari]] again by [[spoiler: Chinatsu]]'s doing, again, in season 2. This time, she gave [[spoiler: Akari]] a torturous "massage."
151[[/folder]]
152
153[[folder:Arts]]
154* A characteristically understated field of modern art is neo-realism and its era/culture-specific splinters, such as the New Objectivity of Weimar Germany. While this trope is obviously not used in every single example of every single school, it is at least somewhat common when depicting and using the human "gaze". Examples include many works by [[http://www.all-art.org/art_20th_century/schad1.html Christian Schad]] (NSFW warning - some paintings depict nudity and sexual themes) and [[http://poulwebb.blogspot.com/2011/05/meredith-frampton-portraitist.html Meredith Frampton]].
155[[/folder]]
156
157[[folder:Audio Plays]]
158* Some of the artwork for the ''AudioPlay/YandereHeaven'' series depict the boys with empty eyes.
159* Each girl from ''AudioPlay/YandereNoOnnaNoKo'' show two pictures, one where she looks normal and another where her eyes lose their sparkle and she's wielding her [[WeaponSpecialization weapon of choice]].
160[[/folder]]
161
162[[folder:Comic Books]]
163* In the last arc of ''ComicBook/{{Runaways}}'', where the characters were often depicted with glossy eyes, Molly develops a pronounced case of dull eyes while watching over Klara, who's recently suffered a mild concussion and a bit of MindRape. In this case, the unhappiness stems from a mix of concern for her friend, profound exhaustion, and a growing distrust of her teammates (who were responsible for the aforementioned mind rape.)
164* A rare case of the trope happening in western comics: in ''Franchise/TheTwilightZone: The After Hours'', a young woman who believes she's being stalked by the department store's mannequins, discovers that she herself is a mannequin. Unable to accept that her entire life and memories as a human were all an illusion, she enters a very brief semi-catatonic state, where her eyes glaze over her tired face.
165[[/folder]]
166
167[[folder:Fan Works]]
168* ''Webcomic/HetaliaAxisPowers'' fanfic ''[[https://www.fanfiction.net/s/11886910/1/Gankona-Unnachgiebig-Unità Gankona, Unnachgiebig, Unità]]'': After Germany pulled out a Browning Hi Power on Japan and Japan pulled out his katana on Germany, Italy [[RageBreakingPoint had had enough of their]] CockFight.
169-->It only took one look at the utterly ''devastated'' form of their precious beloved, one look at normally limpid brown eyes ''dead'' with misery and grief to do all three to those two nations. Simultaneously. And then some.
170* Shows up in a few fanfictions by [[http://www.fimfiction.net/user/kalash93 Kalash93.]] The single greatest example is [[http://www.fimfiction.net/story/81159/1/racer-and-the-geek/predawn Racer And The Geek,]] where Sunny Breeze almost always has this expression. They also figure into [[http://www.fimfiction.net/story/72998/1/last-one-standing/last-one-standing Last One Standing.]]
171* Fanfic/TheKedaboryVerse:
172** Downplayed in ''Fanfic/HomeSickNoonboryKedabory''; [[VideoGame/PunchOut Disco Kid]]'s eyes are dull while he's worrying over a sickly Aran Ryan.
173** In ''Fanfic/ThatCatchInYourThroat'', Sierra's eyes are dull as she leaves the village, since she's going to miss her padre and sisters.
174* In ''Fanfic/LiveAHeroMHA'', this is Izuku's default expression due to the [[BreakTheCutie horrid childhood]] he had while being raised by the League of Villains. He becomes significantly more chipper as he starts acquiring friends, but he hasn't smiled once in years and his "dead" eyes remain.
175* In the ''WesternAnimation/MyLittlePonyFriendshipIsMagic'' fan comic ''Webcomic/MotherlyScootaloo'', the titular character gets dull eyes in moments of distress.
176* In ''Fanfic/RobbReturns'', Willas sees the light in Mace's eyes fade when [[spoiler:Otherbane [[OnlyTheChosenMayWield rejects him]].]]
177* Invoked in the ''Manga/{{Naruto}}'' fanfic [[https://www.fanfiction.net/s/8963527/14/Tale-of-the-Setting-Sun Tale of the Setting Sun]] after Naruto is told by Kakashi [[spoiler:he is a [[SealedInSideAPersonShapedCan jinchuuriki]] and that the Kyuubi was sealed inside him by his own father.]]
178[[/folder]]
179
180[[folder:Literature]]
181* In ''Dragon and Phoenix'', Shei-Luin sees the Emperor's newest concubine, the absolutely hapless Lady Nama. They meet eyes and Shei-Luin is shocked.
182--> She had never seen such emptiness in another's eyes; it was as if this woman's soul had fled. Even as Shei-Luin wondered if this was no human woman but a fox-ghost come to trick Xiane, the other woman stared up at the palace, and all-too-human despair filled her face.
183* In ''Literature/DustbinBaby'' by Creator/JacquelineWilson, April visits the grave of her former adoptive mother Janet, who committed suicide after many years of depression. The headstone has a picture of Janet on her wedding day. April notes how bright Janet's eyes are in the photo, and sadly remembers that the brightness was gone when April knew her.
184* In ''Literature/HarryPotter'', seems to become the default state of those who have had a long stay at Azkaban. It is noted more than once that Sirius still has a dead look in his eyes, even a few years after he broke out. That doesn't mean he's always unhappy though.
185* ''Literature/IAmNotASerialKiller'': When [[FriendlyNeighborhoodVampire Elijah]] gets a good look at John's face, the first thing he mentions is the "buried pain". Before learning his name, Elijah calls him "the boy with the dead eyes".
186* [[spoiler:Arwen]] in the appendix to ''Literature/TheLordOfTheRings'', after [[spoiler:Aragorn's death]]: "and the light of her eyes was quenched."
187* In ''Literature/ASongOfIceAndFire'' while Arya is an apprentice among the Faceless Men, her mentor the kindly man refers to her "sad gray eyes that have seen so much".
188* In ''Literature/ThoseThatWake'', people corrupted by hopelessness have these eyes.
189[[/folder]]
190
191[[folder:Live-Action TV]]
192* In the HBO adaptation of ''Series/HisDarkMaterials'', those who have [[spoiler:been severed from their Daemon, an animal manifestation of their soul]] display these, through post-production digitally removing the reflections in their eyes.
193[[/folder]]
194
195[[folder:Music]]
196* Referenced in Music/PinkFloyd's "Shine On You Crazy Diamond".
197-->''"Remember when you were young, you shone like the sun''\
198''Now there's a look in your eyes, like black holes in the sky."''
199[[/folder]]
200
201[[folder:Video Games]]
202* ''[[VideoGame/AdvancedVariableGeo Advanced V.G. II]]'': Seen during the storymode cutscene where Tamao visits Yuka at her hotel room and finds her [[HeroicBSOD virtually listless]], due to suffering from guilt [[ItsAllMyFault over the deaths of K-1 and K-2.]]
203* If the Inquisitor encourages Cullen to [[spoiler:continue taking lyrium]] for the sake of his duty in ''VideoGame/DragonAgeInquisition'', there will be a cutscene in which they discuss the fact that he has done so. Observant players can note that his normally warm brown eyes are much paler than usual, with smaller pupils, indicating that [[spoiler:the FantasticDrug is continuing to addle him]]. This is also the scene in which, if he has been in a romance with the Inquisitor up to this point, he will break it off, citing his duty as being more important.
204* [[spoiler: Orson]] from ''VideoGame/FireEmblemTheSacredStones'', after we learn that [[spoiler: not only he's a traitor to Renais, but that [[DespairEventHorizon he been gone off the deep end for a while already]].]]
205* In ''VideoGame/FugaMelodiesOfSteel'', a child can adopt this state should they be unlucky enough to enter a Depressive state. [[spoiler:In ''VideoGame/FugaMelodiesOfSteel2'', [[TheLeader Malt]] ends up having this for about a third of the game [[ILetGwenStacyDie in response to the apparent death of his friend Hanna]]]].
206* In ''VideoGame/{{Gungnir}}'', most characters' eyes will have some highlight to them depending on the angle, but not so for Julio, the protagonist--in ''every'' released piece of art featuring him thus far. As it's also apparently his destiny to cause mass destruction with a horrifically powerful demonic weapon, it's fair to say that ''something'' is up with this kid. It doesn't show in his [[{{Keet}} perky, cheerful]] disposition, but it sure shows on his face.
207* ''VideoGame/LonelyWolfTreat'': The wolf Trick is a PerpetualSmiler who is almost always in a good mood, but even they get upset sometimes. Whenever they are distressed, their smile falters a little bit and their eyes become greyed out.
208* ''VideoGame/MadFather'': Most of the eponymous character's former victims sport these, bar some. Maria has these [[spoiler:during her backstory (she was homeless and on the verge of starvation, it seems)]], and Aya also has them in one ending. [[spoiler:Because she's dead -- or more accurately a doll.]]
209* In ''VideoGame/MeltyBlood'', Tohno Shiki's eyes completely lose their light and pupils whenever something angers him to a certain extent. For example, in Actress Again, Roa's very presence causes Shiki's eyes to become this way. Rather than unhappiness, this is meant to signify complete erasure of emotion; it's meant to show his will to kill.
210* In ''VideoGame/PokemonSwordAndShield'', [[{{Jerkass}} Bede]] notably sports these 24/7. [[spoiler:He loses them after Opal takes him in, signifying how he's much happier under her tutelage (not that he'd ever admit it) than he was trying to please Chairman Rose.]]
211* In ''VideoGame/PokemonScarletAndViolet'''s DLC, [[spoiler:[[{{Woobie}} Kieran]]'s eyes turn into these after his SanitySlippage, showing just how obsessed he's become with wanting to defeat [[AlwaysSomeoneBetter the player]]. After his HeelRealization during the climax, they return back to normal to signify that he's back to his old self again.]]
212* ''VideoGame/PrayerOfTheFaithless'':
213** In the Tired and Judged routes, Aeyr and Mia's face portraits change to remove the shine in their eyes, [[spoiler:showing that they hit emotional rock bottom due to killing each other. According to the developer, this something they have in common with Vanessa, who has already hit rock bottom a long time ago]].
214** Similarly, Amalie's eyes only shine in flashback cutscenes before her community forcibly removed her powers, showing that this event weighs heavily on her.
215* Yurika Kirishima of ''VideoGame/RivalSchools'' has these almost all the time, largely because she's a reluctant LadyOfWar and her younger brother Kurow's a domineering PsychoForHire.
216* In ''VideoGame/ValkyriaChronicles'', Alicia has this [[spoiler: when she is in Valkyria mode]] in Chapter 14.
217* In ''VideoGame/WarioWareGold'' and ''[[VideoGame/WarioWareGetItTogether Get It Together!]]'', [[DarkIsNotEvil Ashley]] has dull {{red eyes|TakeWarning}}, to signal her quiet and gloomy personality.
218* In ''VideoGame/XenobladeChronicles3'', once you get a close look at [[spoiler:Moebius N]] without his usual mask, it becomes apparent that the one difference between him and [[spoiler:our hero Noah]] aside from hairstyle is the lack of eye highlights. Notably, [[spoiler:Moebius M, who is Mio's counterpart and N's lover,]] does ''not'' share this trait. A series of flashbacks later on reveals [[{{Deconstruction}} the]] [[ReincarnationRomance exact]] [[LoveMakesYouEvil reason]] [[MoralEventHorizon for]] [[BeingEvilSucks this]].
219* ''Videogame/YandereSimulator'': Students who've had their minds broken through ColdBloodedTorture have this look. You can then take them to school and ask them to perform a MurderSuicide. The VillainProtagonist herself can have this if she becomes "visibly insane", though it's less unhappiness and more the MaskOfSanity slipping, revealing her true nature as a murderous psychopath.
220[[/folder]]
221
222[[folder:Visual Novels]]
223* ''VisualNovel/AceAttorneyInvestigationsMilesEdgeworth'': Cammy Meele sports this kind of eyes. She's constantly falling asleep/waking up, so it's likely to represent that she's perpetually half-sleep.
224* ''Franchise/{{Danganronpa}}'':
225** In ''VisualNovel/Danganronpa2GoodbyeDespair'''s last chapter, Hajime and others are left with empty eyes after being given the AwfulTruth and left with the SadisticChoice of having to [[spoiler:stay in the virtual world and being under Junko's control or escape with the risk of losing their memories and reverting back into Ultimate Despair.]]
226** In ''[[VideoGame/UltraDespairGirls Danganronpa: Ultra Despair Girls]]'', Monaca's last effort to make Komaru past the DespairEventHorizon is showing her [[spoiler:parents' corpses]] effectively turning her eyes blank.
227* Ayumi Tachibana has these as her default expression in ''VisualNovel/FamicomDetectiveClubTheGirlWhoStandsBehind''. Considering that Yoko Kojima, the murder victim, was her best friend, it's a pretty justifiable expression. Her homeroom teacher Tatsuya Hibino also has these as well, for similar reasons.
228* When this trope is in play in ''VisualNovel/FateStayNight'', it generally means the character is so broken by that point, they're practically dead inside. For instance, Souichirou Kuzuki does not have light in his eyes at any point during any route. [[TheStoic Nor does he smile, or show any expression at all.]] [[spoiler: He only has an important role in UBW, and his character is explored enough that it's understandable.]]
229** Kotomine Kirei has these all the time as well; both no irises and both no eye reflection. He had them [[Literature/FateZero ten years ago back when he was younger]], too. It's most likely a reflection of his personality [[spoiler:the same way as Shiki's above--that he's an "empty" person.]] Kiritsugu's are drawn the same way and probably for a similar reason.
230** Sakura Matou likewise has eyes like this--a result of [[spoiler:being tortured and raped since age five by, respectively, her adoptive grandfather and brother.]]
231* Yukitsuki and Shizuku from ''VisualNovel/FragmentsNote''. Especially creepy due to their respective eye colors; purple for Yukitsuki, and a weird black-red meld for Shizuku.
232* ''VisualNovel/LittleBusters'':
233** In Komari's bad end, she has dull eyes during the brief moment that she shows her "sad face" instead is the silver lining of a very, very dark cloud.
234** Also, Kud near the end of her route. Her eyes light up again when Riki speaks to her, though, and she ultimately gets better.
235* ''VisualNovel/PhoenixWrightAceAttorneyDualDestinies''. Poor Athena gets these when a particular incident in her past is brought up... [[spoiler:and, during the flashback, her thousand-yard stare right after the actual murder. Unsettling, at the very least]].
236* Same with Kotonoha from ''VisualNovel/SchoolDays''. She gets better [[spoiler:but only briefly.]]
237** Koto has them in the two bad endings involving her [[spoiler: (when she's SpurnedIntoSuicide ''and'' when she cuts off Sekai's throat and kills her]]), but [[spoiler:Sekai]] has those too in the original game. Only once, but it's more than enough: [[spoiler:it's during the ''other'' bad ending, the one where she stabs Makoto to death.]]
238*** However, in the new Platform/PlayStation endings where [[spoiler:Sekai kills Kotonoha by either pushing her in front of a train or stabbing her off-screen]], she does '''not''' have these eyes. This implies that [[spoiler: while Kotonoha ''is'' effectively {{Yandere}} in her bad endings, Sekai is ''sane'' in hers, except for the Makoto-killing one.]]
239*** [[spoiler:Makoto]] gets them in ''VisualNovel/CrossDays''. [[https://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/makoto_wtffff_6533.jpg See them here.]] For worse, it's during quite the TearJerker scene: [[spoiler: when you fail to get Yuuki's good ending -- which means, Yuuki leaves Makoto's life completely and despite his own love for Makoto... who then gets these eyes as he crosses the DespairEventHorizon.]]
240* ''VisualNovel/ShiningSongStarnova'':
241** Nemu Akimoto's eyes lose their reflective sheen whenever she slips into a {{Yandere}} trance.
242** Julie Watanabe briefly sports these [[spoiler:while recovering in the hospital after a crazed fan tried to murder her]] in her route.
243* [[{{Hikikomori}} Kouta Meoshi]] in ''VisualNovel/SweetFuseAtYourSide'' has flat black eyes with no highlights and no visible differentiation between iris and pupil. He's the only character whose eyes are drawn in this style, which serves to highlight his withdrawn, depressed demeanor.
244* In ''VisualNovel/{{Tsukihime}}'', this is what [[spoiler:Kohaku]]'s facade looks like every now and then by the end of Hisui's ending; however, rather than appearing sad, it's actually rather creepy.
245* ''Franchise/WhenTheyCry'':
246** Happens in ''VisualNovel/HigurashiWhenTheyCry'' frequently; Satoko (once shown above) gets these when she is in the hands of her uncle, and Rena when it's her turn to break [[spoiler:and when she's under influence the syndrome or remembering her dealings with Oyashiro-sama.]] It happens to Rika [[spoiler:whenever she dies. Or when anyone dies, for that matter.]]
247** ''VisualNovel/UminekoWhenTheyCry'':
248*** Battler gets shineless eyes during his HeroicBSOD in the anime.
249*** Beatrice gets the same eyes after Arc 4, where [[spoiler:she can't leave the board until someone wins. This persists into the fifth arc when she becomes a hopeless, living doll.]] Also, [[spoiler:Battler, when he gets trapped in a logic error.]]
250[[/folder]]
251
252[[folder:Web Animation]]
253* ''WebAnimation/TheAmazingDigitalCircus:'' Pomni's eyes go from colorful pinwheels to indistinct squiggles when she is feeling particularly stressed or upset.
254* ''WebAnimation/{{RWBY}}:'' When [[WellIntentionedExtremist Ironwood]] and [[LegacyOfTheChosen Oscar]] argue about [[BigBad Salem]], Oscar suggests that Ironwood is [[HeWhoFightsMonsters becoming]] as dangerous as Salem. [[spoiler:Oscar calls him 'James' for the first time. Ironwood nods to himself and informs Oscar that only friends call him 'James'. His eyes suddenly lose all their eye shine to become dull and flat; he then tells Oscar to call him 'General', whips out his gun, and shoots the boy off the ledge they're standing on. His eyes remain completely dull as he watches Oscar fall.]] Volume 8 and supplementary material reveal that this is a visual indicator of when his Semblance [[HeroicWillpower Mettle]] is active, as he uses it to enforce his less moral decisions. In the episodes "Risk" and "Creation", he engages it full time to go through with his decision to [[spoiler:threaten to destroy Mantle]], making his eyes dull and flat right up until the moment when he lets it go [[spoiler:when he thinks he has Penny]], and in "Worthy", he switches between the two while talking to [[spoiler:Winter]].
255[[/folder]]
256
257[[folder:Web Comics]]
258* ''Webcomic/BittersweetCandyBowl'' does this with Lucy after [[spoiler: Mike completely destroys his friendship with her]]. Her eyes turn from bright and sparkly like everyone else's to dull and flat, and they don't get better until [[spoiler: she returns in Volume 6]].
259* ''Webcomic/LearningWithMangaFGO'''s version of Gudako has dull, lifeless eyes, but they're more a sign of her [[SociopathicHero inhuman depravity.]]
260* ''Webcomic/NekoTheCat'': Michiko's eyes become dull, blank black in the immediate aftermath of her mother's suicide, and are especially prominent in the wedding photo of her father and her stepmother.
261* ''Webcomic/WhaleStarTheGyeongseongMermaid'': Haeyeong's eyes are practically monochromatic after what he witnessed during the Yeonhaeju massacre.
262[[/folder]]
263
264[[folder:Western Animation]]
265* Lemongrab of ''WesternAnimation/AdventureTime.'' Seeing as how he's perpetually unhappy and has problems relating to people in social situations, it's understandable. (Of course, they'll get bigger and more expressive if you bother him enough...) Interestingly, his eyes are USUALLY like this, even when he's screaming.) He's one of the few examples where completely dull eyes are hilarious because his facial expressions often don't match his SCREAMING tone of voice.
266* WesternAnimation/{{Daria}}. Although the style of the show leaves most characters' eyes simplistic looking, hers seem flatter and more expressionless compared to everyone else's.
267* In ''WesternAnimation/{{Motorcity}}'', when a Burner succumbs to the effect of the Terra's gas pod and sees their greatest fears, their eyes go all black with a white dot (the opposite of their eyes' color palette).
268* In the ''WesternAnimation/MyLittlePonyFriendshipIsMagic'' episode ''[[Recap/MyLittlePonyFriendshipIsMagicS4E26TwilightsKingdomPart2 Twilight's Kingdom Part 2]]'':
269** Very briefly, but after Tirek drains Twilight, the color in her eyes goes to dull grey. Once Discord gives her the medallion and it's revealed to be the final key needed to open the box, her eyes and those of her friends are returned to normal.
270** Also happens to the other ponies and Discord when Tirek drains their magic. When the mane characters are locked in the cage, Spike is the only one whose eyes are normal.
271** It happens to Celestia, Luna, and Cadance, as well. If one watches closely as the Princesses are released and their magic is restored, their eyes are duller in color than when we saw them get sent to Tartarus, indicating they sensed when their magic became Tirek's, and lost hope. When their magic is returned, their eyes return to normal.
272* Stu in ''WesternAnimation/{{Rugrats}}'' has these when he's [[MemeticMutation lost control of his life]].
273* In ''WesternAnimation/TangledTheSeries'', 4-year-old Varian is depicted that way when Rapunzel accidentally travels to the past. He doesn't say anything and spends his brief cameo looking tired and listless even as he sucks on a lollipop.
274* Quilby from ''WesternAnimation/{{Wakfu}}'' has one of these after witnessing the 12 royal members of the World of 12 bicker selfishly amongst themselves about the minor details of who will pay for when his people escape from the dimension. How the camera focuses on his eyes at this time heavily suggests he is not pleased.
275[[/folder]]
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