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| 3 | %% This page has been alphabetized. Please add new examples in the correct order. Thanks! |
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| 9 | [[quoteright:350:[[WesternAnimation/ParaNorman https://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/paranorman_babcocks.png]]]] |
| 10 | [[caption-width-right:350:Someone doesn't belong in the living room.]] |
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| 15 | |
| 16 | ->'''Cole Sear:''' [[TropeNamers I see dead people.]]\ |
| 17 | '''Malcolm Crowe:''' In your dreams?\ |
| 18 | ''[Cole shakes his head no]''\ |
| 19 | '''Malcolm:''' While you're awake?\ |
| 20 | ''[Cole nods]''\ |
| 21 | '''Malcolm:''' Dead people like, in graves? In coffins?\ |
| 22 | '''Cole:''' Walking around like regular people. They don't see each other. They only see what they want to see. They don't know they're dead. |
| 23 | -->-- ''Film/TheSixthSense'' |
| 24 | |
| 25 | In some stories with paranormal elements, there are certain characters who can see and/or speak to [[OurGhostsAreDifferent ghosts]]. Usually, the ghost will manifest itself as [[JacobMarleyApparel whatever it looked like at the time of death]], and will sound exactly the same. These characters are often the only ones who can see the ghost. Anyone else who walks into the room will see the spirit medium [[InvisibleToNormals talking to themselves]], and may take steps to get them "[[MedicateTheMedium proper care]]". This can be bestowed upon a character as a gift, or it can simply be something the character [[IJustKnew "just knows"]]. |
| 26 | |
| 27 | Curiously, it often seems that those who start seeing ghosts often don't know they are ghosts, mistaking them for living people. A character who sees dead people may become a MagneticMedium. Related to ISeeThemToo and YouCanSeeMe. |
| 28 | |
| 29 | The line is a StockParody, originally used by Creator/HaleyJoelOsment in ''Film/TheSixthSense''. Here is a [[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-xKA27kJWmE compilation]] with a lot of examples. |
| 30 | |
| 31 | ---- |
| 32 | !!Examples: |
| 33 | |
| 34 | [[foldercontrol]] |
| 35 | |
| 36 | [[folder:Anime & Manga]] |
| 37 | * ''Manga/{{Bleach}}'': |
| 38 | ** Ichigo's initial power. It turns out other people can catch this ability from him. |
| 39 | ** TV spirit medium Don Kanonji can do this, too, but he has a different method of getting rid of them. |
| 40 | ** Any human with ''any'' kind of special powers in ''Bleach'' can see ghosts. |
| 41 | * ''Manga/CardCaptorSakura's'' brother Touya. He mostly uses it to talk to his deceased mother when she comes to check on the family (from whom he inherited the ability), and privately admits that he's responsible for Sakura's intense fear of ghosts, since he used to tell her about all the ones he saw when they were younger. [[spoiler:He does eventually lose this ability, however, as he gives up his powers to save his boyfriend's life.]] In the sequel series ''Manga/CardCaptorSakuraClearCard'', [[spoiler:Touya eventually begins to develop new powers, and regains his ability to speak with his mother. Sakura also begins to see their mother's ghost, which frightens them both-- Sakura because she doesn't understand why, and Nadeshiko because she ''does'': Sakura subconsciously blocked her ability to see ghosts because she was so scared of them. The fact that the block is no longer in place is proof that her powers are growing out of her control.]] |
| 42 | * ''Manga/ChocottoSister'': |
| 43 | ** While visiting an amusement park, Choco meets the ghosts of Yasuoka's wife and daughter who died while they were on their way to the same park. Choco's abilities may be explained her own supernatural origin. |
| 44 | ** In the final chapters of the manga, Choco also has an encounter with her [[FluffyTamer beloved deceased kitty-cat Kuro]] and a woman revealed to be [[spoiler:Yurika's mother]]. |
| 45 | * Mashiro from ''Manga/DearNOMAN'' had been able to see ghosts (or nomans) since she was a little girl. As such, this wins her the interest of the Boundary Preservation Society. |
| 46 | * Laios from ''Manga/DeliciousInDungeon'' starts seeing a ghost after Marcille begins teaching him magic. At first he thinks it's a hallucination and tries to ignore it, but the party later realize it's actually there and trying to communicate with them. |
| 47 | * The main character Mitsuo Shiozu from ''Manga/EerieQueerie!'' has this power, they can also possess his body and talk to love ones. Throughout the series other people either gain this gift/curse or join the party always having it. |
| 48 | ** Eventually it gets to the point that the only character, Ichi Shirai, feels left out for not having the ability. |
| 49 | %%* ''Manga/GhostTalkersDaydream'' |
| 50 | * The protagonist of Shizuru Seino's ''Heaven!!'' can see ghosts, but it's mostly used as a [[HilarityEnsues plot device]] for Rinne to meet and interact with her [[RomanticComedy love interests]]. |
| 51 | * This is a very [[BlessedWithSuck dangerous ability]] to have in the ''Manga/HellTeacherNube'' world, as being able to see and hear ghosts means that you're SupernaturallyDeliciousAndNutritious -- ones with GhostlyGoals won't stop bothering you until you help them, and the ones that are dangerous will come after you first. |
| 52 | * Belarus from ''Webcomic/HetaliaAxisPowers'' according to the official deskop mascot. |
| 53 | * Kyouko from ''Manga/HoneyCrush'' has this ability. This allows her to see and bond with the ghostly main character. |
| 54 | * ''Manga/{{Inuyasha}}'': In the Soul Piper episode, Kagome is the only one capable of seeing the spirits until [[spoiler:the mother]] briefly gains the ability near the end). |
| 55 | * After gaining a [[FightingSpirit Stand]] in ''Manga/JojosBizarreAdventure'', Stand users are not only able to see other users' Stands, they can now see spirits of the deceased. There are a number of TearJerker moments throughout the series were the heroes can see and speak to the ghosts of their allies that had recently died. In ''[[Manga/JojosBizarreAdventureDiamondIsUnbreakable Diamond is Unbreakable]]'', Reimi Sugimoto is the resident CuteGhostGirl in Morioh and the Stand users in town often speak with her to discuss any leads that could help locate [[BigBad Yoshikage Kira]]. |
| 56 | * Miko from ''Webcomic/MierukoChan'' suddenly starts seeing ghosts one day and has to pretend she doesn't. |
| 57 | * Espers like Mob from ''Webcomic/MobPsycho100'' often have the ability to see the spirits of the dead, as well as the ability to exorcise them. |
| 58 | * The main point of the anime and manga ''Manga/NatsumesBookOfFriends''. The main character and his grandmother were able to see spirits to a great extent. |
| 59 | * ''Manga/NegimaMagisterNegiMagi'': |
| 60 | ** Mana has the "demon eye" ability, which apparently allows her to see ghosts. Of course, the only ghost around is Sayo, so the demon eye doesn't see a lot of use. |
| 61 | ** In the English dub of the second anime, Negi actually says the trope name after he successfully performs a spell that allows him to see all the ghosts in Mahora Academy. It's more than likely a ''ShoutOut'' to the Trope Namer. |
| 62 | * PlayedForLaughs in ''Manga/ReKan''. Hibiki can see ghosts, and talks to them regularly. But to most of the other characters, she seems to be speaking to thin air. It's also strongly hinted that Narumi can see them as well, but tries to avoid doing so as much as possible unlike Hibiki. |
| 63 | * In the religious film ''Anime/TheRebirthOfBuddha'', the main girl Sayako Amanokawa suddenly develops the ability to see ghosts of suicidal people after Tokuzo Kanemoto, a friend of her family's, threw himself into the train tracks after his latest report was proven false and it ruined his reputation. |
| 64 | %%* ''Manga/ShamanKing''. |
| 65 | * In ''Anime/TsukuyomiMoonPhase'' Kouhei's spiritual powers were so great that they became a danger to him, so his family had to seal them away when he was a child. They later kept the facade that he is so spiritually unaware that ghosts and spiritual barriers that are strong enough to affect ordinary people with minimal spiritual awareness have no effect on him. However, all the photos he takes end up having ghosts present in them, and once his powers begin to manifest again, he goes to the mountains to train. |
| 66 | * ''Manga/TheUnpopularMangakaAndTheHelpfulOnryoSan'': Only Senai can see Onryo-san, though his editor Kimura can feel her, especially when she starts bothering him for criticizing Senai's work. A neighbor also sees a rug apparently beating itself. Later on, [[InvisibleToAdults it's implied kids can see her just fine]]. [[spoiler:Though those kids might have been ghosts too.]] His neighbor Hakuu Ranko can see her too, but doesn't realize she's a ghost at first because she's drunk. |
| 67 | * Creator/{{CLAMP}} is fond of this one. Watanuki of ''Manga/XxxHolic'' spent most of the series trying to [[CursedWithAwesome lose this ability]] via a deal with Yuuko the Dimension Witch. |
| 68 | * This was Kuwabara's initial power in ''Manga/YuYuHakusho''. It's somewhat inconsistent as to whether he can ''see'' them or merely sense their presence-- he gives some pretty precise descriptions of ghosts he's seen in the past, but isn't initially able to identify Yusuke following him, and dismisses him as the spirit of some kind of animal. His sister, Shizuru, however, is stated to have stronger spiritual awareness and does clearly identify Yusuke following Keiko in a later chapter. |
| 69 | [[/folder]] |
| 70 | |
| 71 | [[folder:Comic Books]] |
| 72 | * Brody, the protagonist of ''ComicBook/BrodysGhost'', can do this (as well as other stuff) as part of his ghostseer schtick. |
| 73 | * Saarek of the [[ComicBook/GreenLantern Green Lantern Corps]]... not that anybody believes him, even though he's proven his abilities several times over. |
| 74 | * At the start of ''WesternAnimation/TheGrimAdventuresOfBillyAndMandy'' story "Present Tense," Billy, Mandy and Grim are at a carnival and Grim has his palm read by a psychic. She freaks out upon realizing she's reading a skeleton's palm and runs off. (Grim mistakes this as a premonition of his doom.) |
| 75 | * The protagonist of ''ComicBook/MajorBummer''. |
| 76 | * ''Franchise/MarvelUniverse'': |
| 77 | ** [[Characters/YoungAvengersTitleTeam America Chavez]] can apparently see ghosts and demons invisible to others, much to the demon Mephisto's surprise. This is first established in the ''[[Webcomic/MarvelsVoices2022 Marvel's Voices]]'' Infinity Comic (technically a webcomic) rather than a physical comic book. |
| 78 | ** ComicBook/TheIncredibleHulk and his ilk. Seriously. Although given some of the revelations of the ''ComicBook/ImmortalHulk'' run, perhaps it's not that surprising. An issue in the 90s states it's because of the fact Bruce accidentally killed his hideously abusive father. The ability to see the dead is to make sure Brian never sneaks up on him again. |
| 79 | ** Throughout Nick Spencer's run on ''ComicBook/UltimateXMen'' several characters are led along by the ghosts of deceased loved ones (Rogue sees Professor X, Havok sees Cyclops, William Stryker Junior sees his father). The implication is that they are [[spoiler:being caused by Apocalypse for some reason]], but the plot [[AbortedArc was dropped with the change of writers]]. |
| 80 | * Satori Deacon of ''ComicBook/PS238'' can do this; she really wishes she couldn't, because once the ghosts notice this they never leave her alone. |
| 81 | * ''ComicBook/{{Ragman}}'': Rory can converse with the dead, and take on the memories of their final moments. |
| 82 | * Jon Webb from ''ComicBook/TarotWitchOfTheBlackRose'' discovered he could communicate with the dead in the same manner as Frank from ''Film/TheFrighteners'': he survived a car crash that killed his significant other. |
| 83 | [[/folder]] |
| 84 | |
| 85 | [[folder:Fan Works]] |
| 86 | * Steam in ''Fanfic/DimensionalLinks'' can see ghosts, including Mask Spirits. It's how he could see Zelda in [[VideoGame/TheLegendOfZeldaSpiritTracks his game]]. |
| 87 | * In the ''Literature/{{Discworld}}'' works of Creator/AAPessimal, Johanna Smith-Rhodes has temporarily retired from active Assassination to raise a family. Her olderst daughter Rebecka, practically from birth, showed signs of having magic - the fact her father is wizard Ponder Stibbons practically sealed the deal here. Bekki discovers, at the age of nine, that her family take a proud interest in her, as the first magic-user in a family that has hitherto not really selected for magical ability. The drawback is that the family members who are most proud of this are not, conventionally speaking, alive. Previous generations of the Smith-Rhodes family - to be more exact, every ancestor who has ever carried the name Johanna Smith-Rhodes[[note]]There are four deceased Johannas going back to the founding of the Family[[/note]] - wants to speak to her. The Ancestors become, sort of, [[SpiritAdvisor spirit guides]] to Rebecka, and pop up (singly or together) frequently in her life. Usually if there's a crisis brewing, such as Rebecka's mother ignoring those funny little pains she gets in her chest now and again. The great-aunt who ''did'' die of heart failure gets Bekki to do something about this, as she fears Bekki's mother will carry on hoping the pains will go away - until one day, they ''do''. |
| 88 | * In the ''Literature/ASongOfIceAndFire'' fanfic ''Fanfic/GhostsAndDreams'', both Jaeherys and Aegon have the inherent ability to see and communicate with ghosts. Later, Ned and Robb get weirwood sap in their eyes that gives them the same power. |
| 89 | * ''Fanfic/{{Kitsune}}'': {{Discussed|Trope}}. Requiem, a medium, who can see and speak to ghosts and spirits, is described with "She sees dead people." |
| 90 | * In ''Fanfic/ParagonKimPossible'', Josh Mankey curses Ron so that he can see dead people. He ends up [[spoiler:[[SelfHarm gouging his]] [[EyeScream own eyes out]] to stop the visions]]. |
| 91 | * PlayedForLaughs in ''[[https://archiveofourown.org/works/8500183 Sarutobi Hiruzen's Third Worst Awakening]]''. Nobody in Konoha is able to see or interact with Hiruzen's ghost, but [[spoiler:Shimura Danzo]] is able to ''hear'' him. Much to their dismay, once Hiruzen [[YouCanSeeMe realizes this]]... |
| 92 | * In the ''Temeraire'' and ''Assassin's Creed'' crossover fanfic ''Fanfic/TradeWinds'', the Bleeding Effect in this fic manifests in the form of Desmond Miles (and eventually William Laurence) seeing spectral images of their Assassin ancestors. Desmond sees Arno Dorian, Shao Jun, and, most frequently since he spends most of the story on a ship of some kind, Edward Kenway. Laurence is quite distressed by the Bleeding Effect and keeps trying to ignore his ancestors, Robert Fitzwalter and Thomas de Carneillon, thinking he's gone mad and is seeing ghosts. |
| 93 | * ''Fanfic/YesterdayUponTheStair'' revolves around Izuku secretly having this ability as his Quirk. Not only did he [[InSpiteOfANail still have to deal with]] being singled out and bullied by Katsuki and his classmates for supposedly being Quirkless, he also has to handle the ghosts themselves. |
| 94 | * ''Fanfic/YouSeeThem'' is a ''VideoGame/Persona5'' fanfic with this premise - Ren has been able to see and hear people's ghosts since he was a child, much to his chagrin. As it turns out, though, so can Chihaya Mifune and Kaoru, Iwai's son. |
| 95 | ** Later, it's revealed that [[spoiler:Ren's grandmother could too - which led to her being viewed as insane, becoming an outcast, and her family getting the same treatment as her, which led to his parents being AbusiveParents to Ren in an effort to get him to stop saying he saw them as well]]. |
| 96 | ** Later on, [[spoiler:due to a NearDeathExperience, Akechi gets the power to see ghosts as well - and [[LaserGuidedKarma instantly gets swarmed by the spirits of all his past victims]]. And the other Thieves eventually get this power after beating Yaldabaoth]]. |
| 97 | [[/folder]] |
| 98 | |
| 99 | [[folder:Films -- Animation]] |
| 100 | * Dante in ''WesternAnimation/{{Coco}}'' can see the spirits of dead relatives and interact with them, [[spoiler:because he's an alebrije.]] Miguel temporarily gains this when he steals Ernesto de la Cruz's guitar, causing him to cross over to the spirit realm. |
| 101 | * Norman in ''WesternAnimation/ParaNorman''. The ability comes from his mother's side of the family, seen with his uncle, [[spoiler:and their distant ancestor, Agatha]]. |
| 102 | [[/folder]] |
| 103 | |
| 104 | [[folder:Films -- Live-Action]] |
| 105 | * The TropeNamer comes from a line in Creator/MNightShyamalan's film ''Film/TheSixthSense'', where Haley Joel Osment's character could speak with the dead. |
| 106 | |
| 107 | * Kenny Tyler in ''The 6th Man'' when he sees the ghost of his brother, Antoine. |
| 108 | * The protagonist of ''Film/TheAlphabetKiller'' is a police detective who begins to see the spirits of the victims murdered by the killer she's tracking. It is never fully explained if these spirits are real, or just a byproduct of her [[DefectiveDetective mental condition]]. |
| 109 | * ''Film/AnotherMe'': Fay and her dad turn out to be seeing Fay's dead twin Lila, who's come back intent upon revenge against them. |
| 110 | * ''Film/{{Always}}'': The crazy guy at the abandoned airstrip where Ted takes shelter seems to be able to hear Pete's ghost. Pete tries to use him to send Ted a message to stay away from Dorinda, but the guy only gets about half of it, so instead staying away, Ted thinks he's being told to go after her. |
| 111 | * Lydia in ''Film/{{Beetlejuice}}'', until the end of the movie. |
| 112 | * The eponymous character of ''[[Film/CharlieStCloud Charlie St. Cloud]]'' is able to see the spirits of dead people after his brother's death. |
| 113 | * UsefulNotes/MarieCurie as portrayed in the 2016 Polish film ''The Courage of Knowledge'' feels a strong connection to her husband Pierre long after his tragic death.[[note]]TruthInTelevision, they had both been investigating afterlife communication and she kept a diary she intended him to read; she also felt he talked to her sometimes.[[/note]] She keeps working in their shared lab and catches glimpses of him puttering around. The film leaves it ambiguous if he's really still there or if it's just beloved memory. Their daughter Irène opines that this God/afterlife business might be just "Father Christmas for grownups," but Pierre's father tells her there is something to it and she should look for her dad in her dreams. |
| 114 | * Edith from ''Film/CrimsonPeak'' has the ability to see ghosts when most people can't. |
| 115 | * ''Film/DarbyAndTheDead'': Darby has this ability, gaining it after she nearly drowned as a girl (while her mother died in the same incident). Since then she's devoted each Friday to speaking with the dead and then helping with their unfinished business so they can pass on. The film's plot is sparked when Capri, a former friend who now bullies her, dies then coerces Darby into helping her in another way. [[spoiler:It turns out Alex can also see them, after gaining it when he was in a car accident where his friend had died.]] |
| 116 | * In ''Film/TheDisappointmentsRoom'', Dana is the only one who can see the ghosts in the house, which leads David to believe she's going insane. |
| 117 | * ''Film/{{Endless}}'': Riley becomes able to communicate with Chris as a ghost, though most people think she's just hallucinating in grief over his death. |
| 118 | * In ''Film/TheEye'', a women starts seeing dead people and death omens, with the added complication that she was formally blind and has no visual memory. |
| 119 | * ''Film/TheFrighteners'', directed by Peter Jackson. Frank develops the ability to see and communicate with ghosts, and uses his ability to get the ghosts to haunt people's houses, from which he will exorcise them for a hefty fee. |
| 120 | * ''Film/Ghost1990'': Oda Mae is descended from a long line of mediums who have always been able to commune with the dead. It seems that the family power skipped a generation at first--but when Sam shows up, she realizes that she actually does have the power of mediumship, and before long, every ghost for miles around is using her as a channeler, too. |
| 121 | * ''Film/GhostEyes'' revolves around a woman who suddenly develops the ability to see spirits after being seduced by a vampiric ghost. |
| 122 | * Pincus of ''Film/GhostTown2008'' was an ordinary dentist until a near-death experience during a ''colonoscopy'' leaves him able to see ghosts. |
| 123 | * The horror flick ''Film/{{Gothika}}'' has Creator/HalleBerry as a woman dragged into a ghost's plot to gain revenge on her killers. Then, at the end, [[spoiler:it turns out she's one of these, as another ghost appears before her]]. Subverted in that [[spoiler:she says, "To hell with this," and just walks away -- slightly justified, as her involvement with the first ghost involved her being committed to an insane asylum and the murder of her husband]]. |
| 124 | * Nell in ''Film/TheHaunting1999'' is a clairvoyant when she sees ghosts of dead children from the sheets and curtains. |
| 125 | * The unfortunate tourist and Kevin Drummond in ''Film/TheHauntingOfWhaleyHouse'' can both see ghosts, which leaves them vulnerable to attack. |
| 126 | * In ''Film/{{Husk}}'', Scott experiences visions that allow him to see aspects of the farm's past. These visions allow him to piece together what happened and identify the cause of their current predicament. The actors in these visions apparently cannot see him, and do not acknowledge his presence at all. |
| 127 | * In ''Film/InYourAfterglow'', the autistic teenager Claire talks to the ghosts of George and Anne James, who owned her family's mansion during the Civil War. She hates it and wishes the ghosts would leave her alone. [[spoiler:In the end the ghosts leave once Leigh discovers Erin's diary, but Leigh tells Claire that she has a gift and warns her that she'll likely meet other ghosts in her life.]] |
| 128 | * Annie, sort of, in ''Film/TheInvisible''. [[spoiler:Nick is actually OnlyMostlyDead]], but the effect is the same. |
| 129 | * ''Film/JonahHex2010'': Jonah can bring dead people to life for as long as he's in contact with them. This leads to an interesting scene when he's getting beaten up by a furious man who turns back into a mummified corpse whenever Hex gets clear. Surprisingly enough, this power isn't scary (although the way he acquired it definitely is). |
| 130 | * ''Film/KarateAMuerteEnTorremolinos'': Spiritism is used to contact with a dead girl. She recommends contacting with the also deceased Miyagi, but the heroes find Miyagi is not available right now, they have contacted his family home. |
| 131 | * In ''Film/KillerToon'', poor Seo-hyun is visited against her will by the ghosts of murder victims. She then is compelled to draw graphic, disturbing pictures of their deaths. |
| 132 | * ''Film/LastNightInSoho'': Ellie has the ability to see ghosts and is used to seeing the ghost of her dead mother in mirrors. When she moves to London, she starts having visions of a girl called Sandie who lived in TheSixties, was forced into prostitution and then murdered by her pimp. After that, Ellie starts seeing Sandie's ghost everywhere. [[spoiler:Turns out Ellie is mistaken and Sandie actually murdered her pimp and went on to murder a bunch of johns, whose ghosts Ellie is stalked by. Meanwhile, Sandie is still alive, well into old age; seeing Sandie everywhere is likely a result of Ellie's obsession with her combined with SanitySlippage.]] |
| 133 | * Two of the characters in ''Film/MapsToTheStars'' are haunted by apparitions of dead people they knew. For past-her-prime actress Havana Segrand, it's her mother, also an actress; for spoiled-brat teen star Benji, it's a young cancer patient he visited in the hospital, in an attempt to generate some positive publicity for himself. |
| 134 | * Max in the ''Mostly Ghostly'' film series when he sees the ghosts of his friends, Nicky and Tara. |
| 135 | * The first ''Film/ScaryMovie'' parodied the line as used in ''The Sixth Sense''. Shortie says "I See Dead People" to his buddies. They all laugh and agree with each other that they scored some ''really'' good weed. |
| 136 | * ''Film/ShallWePlay'': Stacy is able to see spirits it turns out, as it's revealed Grandma Betty (whom she talks with regularly) has [[DeadAllAlong been dead for over a year]] and the two girls she has seen are also real. |
| 137 | * ''Franchise/StarWars'': In franchise lore, this is stated to be something that Force Sensitives can do. Luke was communing with the ghosts of his mentors in the original trilogy. Franchise/StarWarsLegends canon expands it out in much more variety (see Video Games and Literature) |
| 138 | [[/folder]] |
| 139 | |
| 140 | [[folder:Literature]] |
| 141 | * In ''Literature/AlternateRoutes'' by Creator/TimPowers, and its sequels ''Literature/ForcedPerspectives'' and ''Literature/StolenSkies'', ghosts can only be seen by those who have some significant link with someone who has become a ghost (such as being the one who killed them). People in that condition can see all ghosts, not just the particular one they're linked to, and may not be able to immediately tell that it's not a living person. |
| 142 | * In ''Literature/BonesOfFaerie'' [[spoiler:Liza]] has the ability to talk to the dead and can call back the recently deceased. |
| 143 | * Unusually, ''Literature/BridgeOfBirds'' has this as a learned skill. Master Li has it among his many skills, and teaches it to Number Ten Ox. |
| 144 | * In Creator/LoisMcMasterBujold's ''Literature/{{Chalion}}'' stories. When most people die, they are taken up by one of the gods, but some hang around [[OurGhostsAreDifferent for one reason or another]], gradually fading away. One of the side effects of sainthood is the ability to see them. |
| 145 | * A big part of the classic Creator/CharlesDickens tale ''Literature/AChristmasCarol'', wherein Ebenezer Scrooge is visited by the ghost of his old partner, Jacob Marley, heralding the coming of the three spirits of Christmas Past, Christmas Present, and Christmas Future, "yet to come". |
| 146 | * Chloe of the ''Literature/DarkestPowers'' series is a necromancer, and quite thoroughly BlessedWithSuck. She can certainly see ghosts, and they can see her... but there is ''nothing'' to alert her to the fact that they're ghosts. Absolutely nothing. She couldn't tell a ghost apart from a human if they were standing right next to each other, unless they walk through something, are dressed in period clothing, vanish, or actually tell her that they're dead. Or, alternatively, if she starts talking to them and people around her stare at her like she's crazy -- which is exactly the reason that she ended up in a group home for troubled kids and was diagnosed as having schizophrenia. Even more unfortunately? Ghosts can tell that ''she's'' a necromancer, because, to them, she has a glow around her -- and hers is so strong that she's the equivalent of a bonfire in the middle of a pitch-dark prairie. Her very presence in a graveyard [[spoiler:is enough to bring dozens of ghosts ''out of the afterlife'', all of them demanding things of her]]. |
| 147 | ** As another [[SarcasmMode wonderful perk of her powers]], Chloe can raise and control the dead. However, [[GeneticEngineeringIsTheNewNuke being as powerful as she is]] and depending on what she's dreaming about, she can accidentally raise the dead ''in her sleep''. And it's not just reanimating a corpse. Raising the dead involves [[FateWorseThanDeath shoving a soul back into its rotting corpse]]. Hence why she [[ProperlyParanoid tends to be paranoid about falling asleep in an unknown area]], lest there be a corpse around and she raises it without realizing, and then it's ''[[FateWorseThanDeath trapped]]'' that way. Even worse, if she even just concentrates too much on trying to summon a ghost -- not to raise a corpse, just to talk to a ghost -- the slight increase in her power output is strong enough to raise the dead anyway... or even [[spoiler:''tear open the earth'' in order to reach the corpses within, who have just had their ''souls'' shoved back inside of them]]. |
| 148 | ** And yet ''another'' bonus: [[spoiler:When a full demon from the Hell Dimension came through to our dimension, she attracted his attention -- he was ''very'' interested in her greatly-enhanced powers. Before he vanishes, he gently tilts her head up toward him and tells her, "Grow up strong, little one. Strong and powerful."]] Understandably, she is concerned by the possible implications of this. |
| 149 | *** Hopefully, he won't come back to check up on her in a few years. Or ever. [[spoiler:It's also unclear whether demons are interested in necromancers in general, or if he was interested in Chloe because he could tell that something or someone had severely messed with her powers]]. |
| 150 | ** There is a good reason why most necromancers eventually go insane. And the more powerful they are, the faster it happens. Considering Chloe is the most powerful necromancer in existence at the moment, or even possibly the most powerful to ''ever'' exist, this is very unfortunate. |
| 151 | * A character in the ''[[Literature/TheDarkswordTrilogy Darksword]]'' trilogy gains the ability to speak to the dead, but at a pretty nasty price: undergoing a MindRape which causes her to lose the ability to communicate with the living. |
| 152 | * ''Literature/DeadSilence'' has Claire, who sees what she thinks are hallucinations of the dead-- or so she assumes. |
| 153 | * Not too surprisingly, the witches and wizards of ''Literature/{{Discworld}}'', who can see Death himself, can also see ghosts. So can cats, and sometimes relatives of the deceased. |
| 154 | * In ''Literature/TheDoctrineOfLabyrinths'', Felix can see dead people while insane. (It isn't pleasant.) Vincent and Julian see them as part of their regular lives (which isn't pleasant either). |
| 155 | * Every magically aware person or entity in ''Literature/TheDresdenFiles'', even the ones that aren't human but still look the part. |
| 156 | ** Well, kind of. When Dresden's in the graveyard in ''Grave Peril'', he is uncomfortably aware of the fact that there are hundreds of spirits around him, but he's never shown any proficiency at sensing or dealing with spirits. Mortimer Lindquist, on the other hand, is highly skilled at sensing, seeing, and communicating with all sorts of shades, specters, and ghosts. |
| 157 | ** Mortimer names this trope live on telly, being, like Dresden, a PopCulturedBadass (the badass part comes 8 books later, but still). |
| 158 | * In ''Literature/AFineAndPrivatePlace'', Jonathan Rebeck has been living in a cemetery for decades, having wandered in one day after his life collapsed and deciding he had nothing outside to go back to; somewhere along the way, he gained the ability to interact with the ghosts of those interred there. At the end of the novel, he finally finds a reason to rejoin the land of the living, and when he leaves the cemetery he loses the ability to see dead people. |
| 159 | * In Robert Bloch's "Floral Tribute" the ghosts of the people buried in the local cemetery regularly visit the narrator and his grandmother, who live near it. As a child, the narrator believes they're living people with some exceedingly odd conversational topics. |
| 160 | * ''Literature/GhostGirl2021'': Zee, an ability she inherited from her mother. Nellie's aunt also has the ability. |
| 161 | * In the children's book series ''Golden & Grey'', Tom Golden can see and speak to ghosts (oddly enough, it turns out that ghosts aren't actually dead people). |
| 162 | * ''Literature/GrandmasterOfDemonicCultivationMoDaoZuShi'': The existence of ghosts and their exorcisms are a central part of this novel. |
| 163 | * Bod Owens, the boy raised by ghosts in ''Literature/TheGraveyardBook'' by Neil Gaiman, can see ghosts because he has the "favor of the graveyard," given him when he was adopted. |
| 164 | * In ''Literature/HarryPotter'', Muggles can't see, hear, or become ghosts but all Wizards and Witches can. [[InvisibleToNormals Same with some other creatures like Dementors]] though Muggles can still on some level "sense" that they are there. |
| 165 | * PlayedWith in ''Literature/TheHauntingOfCassiePalmer'' by Creator/VivienAlcock. Cassie assumes at first that she's the only person who can see Deverill, the ghost she inadvertently summoned up, and is surprised when other people acknowledge his presence. Deverill tells her that, having been brought into the world, he can be seen by any person, although animals aren't aware of him. Most people seem to assume that he's a living man, with only Cassie's mother, who has some psychic ability of her own, seeing anything strange about him. |
| 166 | * Austin from ''Literature/HollowPlaces'' begins to see apparitions of his dead sister after he uses a 'wishing well' found in an anomalous cave. He's the only person who can see her, though she's shown to be more than a vision through incidents where she opens doors with a touch or communicates through notes that remain even after she disappears. |
| 167 | * ''Literature/TheInfernalDevices'': Will Herondale is confirmed in the first chapter of ''The Clockwork Prince'' to be one of the few Shadowhunters that can. |
| 168 | * Literature/{{Johnny Maxwell|Trilogy}}, in ''Johnny And The Dead'', is the first (and for a long time the only) person who can see the Dead. He doesn't know why; it's just [[WeirdnessMagnet the sort of thing that happens to him]]. |
| 169 | * In Creator/JodiPicoult's book ''Literature/LeavingTime'', Serenity, to the point that she doesn't even realize they're ghosts and believes she no longer has her psychic powers. At the end, a little boy also admits to seeing the people who used to live in his house, and Serenity tells him that they won't hurt him, but they are real. |
| 170 | * One of the defining abilities of witches in ''Literature/LivesOfTheMayfairWitches'' and ''Literature/TheVampireChronicles''. |
| 171 | * This is one of the three ways psychic Talent manifests in ''Literature/LockwoodAndCo'' - the others are Hearing Dead People and Touching Emotional Echoes Of Dead People [[spoiler:and, for a sufficiently powerful Listener and sufficiently strong ghost, Talking To Dead People]]. Of the main characters, Lockwood is the most skilled at this, seeing much clearer details than his colleagues. |
| 172 | * Creator/MegCabot's ''Literature/TheMediator'' series is based around this ability. About [[spoiler:four]] characters can talk to/touch ghosts, including the heroine. |
| 173 | * Literature/MercyThompson, a rare Native American "walker" (= coyote shape shifter), can see and talk to ghosts. [[spoiler:It's ''because'' walkers can communicate with ghosts that they're rare, as vampires have exterminated most of Mercy's kind, for fear the walkers would track down their daytime hideouts by consulting their deceased victims.]] |
| 174 | * The eponymous "psychic doctor" of the ''Literature/MilesPennoyer'' stories is able to detect spirits of the deceased. Occasionally he can bring these spirits to the attention of those untrained in the mystic arts. |
| 175 | * ''Literature/Mouse2017'': Normally only babies and animals can see ghosts, and adults who can see them only see a shadow or static. Mouse has the rare ability to see ghosts in detail at age fifteen because he can perceive things without looking directly at them - when he does try to look at Anna, she disappears. |
| 176 | * Harry Keogh, the ''Literature/{{Necroscope}}'', is the most powerful medium ever to live: his mere presence wakes the souls of the dead from their previously eternal sleep and allows them to communicate not merely with him but with each other, enabling a worldwide post-life society. Don't threaten him -- the dead won't appreciate it, and they ''far'' outnumber the living. |
| 177 | ** Ironically, he cannot see the dead, only hear them, and yet he calls himself a 'Necroscope' which is combined from the Greek roots for 'seeing death'; he ought to call himself a 'Necrophone'. |
| 178 | * ''Literature/NinaTanleven'': Nine and Chris can see ghosts. In the case of the Woman in White, young women who truly love the theater can also see her (but lose the ability with age), and other ghosts have shown that they can ''make'' themselves seen by humans. |
| 179 | * In ''Literature/OddThomas'' by Creator/DeanKoontz, Odd can see and feel the spirits of the dead. However, he can't hear them. "The dead don't talk. I don't know why." They can find ways to communicate with him in other ways, which sometimes proves useful in resolving whatever problem keeps them here. He even quotes the line "I see dead people," and adds "but then, by god, I do something about it." |
| 180 | * Claude Sylvanshine in ''Literature/ThePaleKing'' has Random Fact Intuition, which makes him the only one who can glean any information about the ghosts that haunt Post 047. |
| 181 | * In ''Literature/PercyJacksonAndTheOlympians'' [[spoiler:Nico di Angelo, a son of [[Myth/ClassicalMythology Hades]],]] can talk to ghosts. |
| 182 | * In the Jennifer Lynn Barnes novel ''Platinum'', Lilah has the power of "retronition" or the ability to see the past. Part of what this entails is the ability to see ghosts, as ghosts are essentially fragments of the past trapped in the present. |
| 183 | * Rain Cacique in ''Literature/RainOfTheGhosts'' has the ability to see ghosts, but she requires a magical family heirloom in order to communicate with them. |
| 184 | * In ''Literature/TheRubyRedTrilogy'', Gwen can see ghosts and makes friends with some of them. She is the only character in the series who has this power, although [[SnarkyNonHumanSidekick Xemerius]] mentions that sensitive people can sometimes tell that there is ''something'' there. |
| 185 | * ''Literature/TheSecretsOfTheImmortalNicholasFlamel'': Perenelle can naturally see ghosts, a perk of being the [[MagicalSeventhSon seventh daughter of a seventh daughter]]. |
| 186 | * In Janet Lunn's ''Literature/ShadowInHawthornBay'', the protagonist Mairi Urquhart has second sight, which means she has visions of the future and also encounters the occasional ghost. She is very used to the ghosts; when she sees one, she just murmurs a polite greeting and then goes back to whatever she was doing before. |
| 187 | * Witkacy, the hero of ''Literature/ShamanBlues'', can see ghosts and spirits thanks to being a shaman. |
| 188 | * Ida, eponymous ''Literature/ShamanOfTheUndead'', is one of the few people who can see ghosts. As her job is to lead the dead to the afterlife, this is something of a {{Required Secondary Power|s}}. She can also sometimes see the moment they died, and has odd creepy life-like visions where BlackMagic was used. |
| 189 | * Lisa Hardman of ''Literature/TheShapeshifter'' book series has to spend a couple of hours a day writing out 'spirit communication slips' for dead people's relatives. |
| 190 | * ''Literature/TheSilerianTrilogy'': All of the Guardians have this ability, and it's the main thing they're known for besides their fire magic. |
| 191 | * ''Literature/SisterhoodSeries'' by Creator/FernMichaels: Barbara Rutledge comes back as a ghost after her unfortunate death in ''Weekend Warriors''. Her sister Nikki Quinn, her mother Myra Rutledge, and her father Charles Martin can see her and talk to her. Later, Countess Anne "Annie" Ryland de Silva finds herself able to see and talk to her dead family members. Interestingly enough, the author herself claims that there's a ghost in her house! |
| 192 | * Kalinda, Si Cwan's younger sister, in the ''Literature/StarTrekNewFrontier'' series. She's used her necromantic abilities to help solve a murder, and was actually [[spoiler:possessed by her deceased brother when his newborn son was in danger]]. |
| 193 | * ''Franchise/StarWarsLegends'' states that this is one of the side effects to Force Sensitivity. |
| 194 | ** Tash Arranda, being Force-Sensitive, is the only one who's ever been able to sense the titular spirit of ''Literature/GalaxyOfFear: Ghost of the Jedi''. Initially she could only sense him vaguely, but when she let go of her fear his form and voice became much clearer. |
| 195 | ** ''Literature/DarthBane'': In the second book, Bane sees his former rival everywhere. It's never made clear if it is some Force projection, or something going on in Bane's head. Either way, they disappear after leading him to the orbalisks on Dxun. |
| 196 | * This is the basis of one of the seven Blessings fae can possess in ''Stranger & Stranger''. |
| 197 | * The premise of ''Literature/TheSwallowAGhostStory'' is a girl named Rose can see ghosts, but she considers the power inconvenient because restless spirits are always hounding her. By the end, helping [[spoiler:her late aunt Winnie and [[DeadAllAlong her friend Polly]]]] cross over has inspired Rose to accept her ability and help more ghosts find peace. |
| 198 | * Beka Cooper in Creator/TamoraPierce's ''[[Literature/TortallUniverse Terrier]]'' can hear ghosts that ride on the backs of pigeons. Or possibly snatches of thought (from dead people) that are somehow attached to the pigeons. |
| 199 | * Xhea, protagonist of the ''Literature/TowersTrilogy'', has the ability to see and hear ghosts, which is an extremely rare talent in her world. |
| 200 | * Cyndricka in ''{{Literature/The Traveling Triple-C Incorporeal Circus}}'' can see and hear ghosts, and though she is mute, she can communicate with them in sign language. |
| 201 | * In ''Literature/VampireAcademy'', a side-effect of being shadow-kissed is that Rose can see ghosts and has to concentrate to shut them out completely. She first gets this ability in ''Shadow Kiss'', and it complicates her field experience— not to mention her life— a lot. It also becomes extremely useful later on in the series. |
| 202 | * In ''Literature/WarriorCats'', medicine cats occasionally are able to see spirits from [=StarClan=], but usually they're limited to dreams. Goosefeather's an unusual example in that he can see them all the time. Similarly, the members of a group called "The Sisters" have the genetic ability to see ghosts that are TrappedOnTheAstralPlane - dead but not yet passed on to their afterlife. Most Clan cats don't believe they can actually do this, not out of ArbitrarySkepticism, but because their religion leaves no room to ''be'' Trapped On The Astral Plane. You either go straight to "the good place" or to "the bad place" when you die, no lingering allowed, and the spirits that medicine cats see are already in one or the other. |
| 203 | [[/folder]] |
| 204 | |
| 205 | [[folder:Live-Action TV]] |
| 206 | * A witness in episode 5 of ''Series/AlmostHuman'' seems able to speak with the dead. |
| 207 | * In the ''Series/BabylonFive'' telemovie/failed pilot "[[Film/BabylonFiveTheLegendOfTheRangersToLiveAndDieInStarlight Legend of the Rangers]]", the Minbari Ranger is a psychic sensitive, and the ship they are assigned to is haunted by the ghosts of the previous crew. |
| 208 | * In ''Series/BeingHumanUK'', normal people can only see CuteGhostGirl Annie sometimes (the rules aren't clear, but it seems to have something to do with her emotional state, especially her self-confidence). Fellow supernatural entities--werewolves, vampires, other ghosts--can always see ghosts. |
| 209 | * In an episode of ''Series/{{Bones}}'', the ghost of one of Booth's old army buddies helps him survive. Bones herself thinks that there's a perfectly scientific explanation for this; naturally, she sees the ghost herself at the end of the episode, without realizing he is, in fact, a ghost. Of course, fast forward to the end of the season, and Booth has a brain tumor that's apparently been causing him to hallucinate said ghost, and also [[WesternAnimation/FamilyGuy Stewie]]. No, [[ItMakesSenseInContext it doesn't really make sense in context]]. At any rate, what that all means, is a bit of a FridgeLogic. |
| 210 | ** A more straightforward case is that recurring character PolicePsychic Avalon knows a lot of things she really oughtn't when it comes whatever situation happened to the corpse of the week. It was played very poignantly in one episode involving a dead teenager with some UnfinishedBusiness. To Avalon, it's quite normal for her to be chatting up spirits and passing along whatever they say to the authorities. |
| 211 | * In ''Series/Charmed1998'', witches (and other magical individuals) can see ghosts, but normal humans cannot. |
| 212 | * In ''Series/ColdCase'', at the end of the episodes when the cases have been solved, the officers and/or the victim(s)'s closest loved ones see the ghost(s) of said victim(s). Fairly often, the ghost is smiling, letting those watching them know they are now at peace. In one episode involving a very old case, the loved ones have all passed away as well, so it's Sam who sees the ghost. |
| 213 | * The band in ''Series/DeadLast'' [[BlessedWithSuck gains the power]] to see the dead in the Pilot, forming the basis for the series. |
| 214 | ** Tyler Labine later stars in ''Series/{{Deadbeat|2014}}'' where his character also has this power. |
| 215 | * The Reapers from ''Series/DeadLikeMe'', as it would render the entire premise unworkable if they couldn't. In a slight variation, they only see ghosts once that person's soul has been let out of its body, and the ghost looks as its body did when it left- resulting in some rather nasty disfigurement if the Reapers don't get to it before death. |
| 216 | * The title character on ''Series/TheFamousJettJackson'', demonstrates this ability on two different occasions, despite this not being a supernaturally-themed show. |
| 217 | * In ''Series/TheFades'' roughly half the cast is dead (the [[OurGhostsAreDifferent Fades]] of the title), and a fair chunk who aren't have the power to see them. |
| 218 | * Stark from ''Series/{{Farscape}}''. Helping tormented souls, alive or not, seems to be his day job. |
| 219 | * This is the basis for the TV shows ''Series/GhostWhisperer'' and ''Series/{{Medium}}''. |
| 220 | ** However, in ''Series/{{Medium}}'', the main character has more general psychic abilities, most prominently that she has visions of crimes. Seeing ghosts is mostly shown to be an irritating side effect of her abilities. In ''Series/GhostWhisperer'', on the other hand, this power is the protagonist's entire raison d'etre. |
| 221 | * The set-up for the sitcom ''Series/GhostsUK'' (and its American remake) has the titular ghosts engineer an "accident" to scare the new owners of the HauntedHouse, away - which instead results in one of them becoming able to see and hear the ghosts. Also, children can often see ghosts. It's where imaginary friends come from. |
| 222 | * Dr. Michael Holt, the main character of ''Series/AGiftedMan'', can see the ghost of his dead ex-wife, but it's not clear if he can see others. |
| 223 | * ''Series/HandOfGod'': Pernell begins to see his [[spoiler:dead son PJ]], though it's somewhat teased as just being hallucinations. |
| 224 | * Haley Joel Osment's [[Creator/EmilyOsment own sister]] reportedly debated with the producers of ''Series/HannahMontana'' '''not''' to use the line in an episode. [[ActorAllusion Evidently, the producers]] [[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uzKVGs9DyZc got their way]]. |
| 225 | * Parodied in the ''Series/ItsAlwaysSunnyInPhiladelphia'' episode ''The Gang Beats Boggs'', when Charlie and Dee both see the ghosts of the people they're trying to emulate: baseball great Wade Boggs, and [[Series/TheDukesOfHazzard Boss Hogg.]] Boggs [[AsHimself plays himself,]] telling Charlie that he [[EskimosArentReal isn't actually dead,]] he's just [[PinkElephants so drunk he's hallucinating]]. Hogg encourages Dee to continue pursuing her goals -- namely, drinking 71 beers in a cross-country flight; she's just too drunk to know or care that she got his name mixed up. |
| 226 | * Miles on ''Series/{{Lost}}'' has the ability to sense dead bodies and draw "impressions" from them. He apparently managed to use this to find the bodies of [[spoiler:Karl]] and [[spoiler:The French woman]]. "Some Like It Hoth" goes into detail about his ability: he just receives "impressions" from their last thoughts and he can't communicate with someone who was cremated. There needs to be an intact body-though he wasn't near a body when he first used it. |
| 227 | ** Ever since [[spoiler:leaving the island]], Hurley has begun to see dead friends and have conversations with them. What's more, other people can sometimes ''see'' the dead people when they come to Hurley. [[spoiler:The guy at the asylum saw Charlie, but for some reason Sayid couldn't see Eko...]] In season 6, [[spoiler:Jacob]] abuses this so he can continue to give Hurley guidance and carry out his plans despite being dead. |
| 228 | ** In one instance, leads to a funny scene in which the two of them argue about whose dead-people power is better. |
| 229 | * Marley Wise from ''Series/MarleysGhosts'' is capable of seeing ghosts, something which she first discovers when she comes face to face with her dead husband. This becomes complicated for her when the ghosts of said husband, her affair, and the local Vicar decide to move in with her. Other than that, one other person - a neighborhood child - is conclusively shown to see ghosts as well, which is used to reveal to Marley that she isn't going insane. An exorcist may also be able to see ghosts, even having a ghostly friend, but she's unable to see Marley's ghosts and is implied to be a PhonyPsychic anyway. |
| 230 | * ''Series/{{MASH}}'' featured an episode in which Klinger--out of sorts with a high fever--is the only person who can communicate with the spirit of a dead soldier. |
| 231 | * ''Series/TheMastersSun'': Gong Shil does and utters these words to Joo Won the first time he comes to her house. |
| 232 | * In ''Series/{{Misfits}}'', this is said exactly word-for-word by [[spoiler:Nathan]]. |
| 233 | * ''Series/OctoberFaction'': Geoff's individual power is being able to see ghosts. |
| 234 | * ''Series/ThePath'': Eddie sees his dead brother during a spiritual ritual, though it's ambiguous at first if he's just hallucinating due to a mind-altering drug. The vision of his brother then leads him to information on the internet questioning his religion, Meyerism. It sparks the beginning of his doubts. |
| 235 | * ''Series/{{Raines}}'': Subverted. Raines will meet every VictimOfTheWeek after they died and would even sometimes help him, but he knows full well that they're figments of his imagination, not actual ghosts. |
| 236 | * ''Series/TheRising'': Neve's dad sees her as a ghost, though at first he thinks it's due to his drinking (being TheAlcoholic, he's frequently drunk) or going nuts. Later it turns out Alex, her boyfriend Joe's cousin, sees Neve as well (while sober). [[spoiler:It turns out she's also visible to William Wyatt. Eventually the characters realize that all the people who can see Neve have had a near-death experience at some point in the past]]. Neve's stepbrother Max and Sergeant Diana Aird also get strange feelings and throw looks in her direction when Neve's around, without being able to actually see her. |
| 237 | * In ''Series/TheSchoolNurseFiles'', Ahn Eun-young can see dead people, including her friend who died in an accident. |
| 238 | * In the ''Series/StarTrekTheNextGeneration'' episode "[[Recap/StarTrekTheNextGenerationS7E13SubRosa Sub Rosa]]", Dr. Crusher meets up with a ghost known only to the women in her family, except that it turns out that [[spoiler:it's really a SufficientlyAdvancedAlien who must possess women with a specific gene to survive]]. |
| 239 | * ''Series/StarTrekVoyager'': [[MagicalNativeAmerican Chakotay]] uses the "vision quest" to communicate with his dead father. Neelix uses the same technique after his BackFromTheDead experience -- it doesn't end well. |
| 240 | * ''Series/{{Supernatural}}'': |
| 241 | ** Ghosts are usually visible to everyone. However, in the episode [[Recap/SupernaturalS01E05BloodyMary "Bloody Mary" (S01, Ep5)]], Sam seems to be the only one who sees Jessica, his dead girlfriend, in a white dress. |
| 242 | ** Ghosts of course can see other ghosts -- A dead Bobby Singer gets a nasty shock in "Of Grave Importance" when he enters a HauntedHouse and finds it full of ghosts killed by the MonsterOfTheWeek. That episode also shows that appearing to the living is a learned skill; Bobby has to get a more experienced ghost to appear to the Winchesters to pass on a warning. |
| 243 | ** In a variation, angels (and apparently high-level demons) are able see reapers, which are usually only seen by the person they're coming to reap (although Sam and Dean are also able to see them in an episode where they get a psychic [[AstralProjection to project them onto the astral plane]]). It's later indicated that reapers are a subspecies of angels. Or something. |
| 244 | * Grandpa Jerry from ''Series/TeenAngel'' can see angels (some of which are dead people) because of a near-death experience. |
| 245 | * In ''Series/TheVampireDiaries'' [[spoiler:Jeremy]] gains the ability to see at least some dead people after being resurrected. [[spoiler:Specifically, the ghosts of his dead vampire girlfriends Anna and Vicki.]] Later [[spoiler:Matt dies and is resuscitated, and starts to see his sister Vicki. And then the ghost (presumably) of Mason shows up and smacks Damon for killing him]]. |
| 246 | * KoreanDrama ''Series/WhoAreYou'' features as the protagonist a cop who awakens from a six-year coma to find that she is now having visions of ghosts. The ghosts are murder victims who want her to catch the people that killed them. |
| 247 | * In ''Series/{{Witchblade}}'', the eponymous weapon allows Sara Pezzini to speak to the shades of the dead, and she spends the entire first season with her former partner Danny Woo, murdered by a [[ProfessionalKillers Mafia hitman]] in the PilotMovie, as her ghostly companion. She has to be careful not to let people catch her talking to the air, too. Danny mentions there are "rules" about it when she asks to speak to the ghost of her BodyOfTheWeek, but these aren't explained. |
| 248 | * ''Series/TheXFiles'': Seeing ghosts is the X-file of the episode "[[Recap/TheXFilesS04E22Elegy Elegy]]". People report seeing wounded women who seemed silently asking for help in strange places where they had actually never appeared when alive. They always brought the ominous message "s/he is me". It turns out the apparitions happened very close to the moment of their death and only people who were close to death themselves could see them. |
| 249 | [[/folder]] |
| 250 | |
| 251 | [[folder:Roleplay]] |
| 252 | * Egg from ''Roleplay/{{AJCO}}'' is the only character who can see and hear dead people. Unfortunately for her, in the AJCO-verse this also means she is the only character who can be [[DemonicPossession possessed]] by dead people, leading to the fact that the Crew only find out she has the Sight when she's inexplicably taken over by a malevolent ghost hell-bent on killing them all. |
| 253 | * In ''Roleplay/TheGamersAlliance'', the Sinlarine can hear and see ghosts, allowing them to communicate with the spirits of the departed. This is why they are often referred to as ghost whisperers. |
| 254 | [[/folder]] |
| 255 | |
| 256 | [[folder:Tabletop Games]] |
| 257 | * In ''TabletopGame/ChangelingTheLost'', the Gravewight kith of the Darklings has the innate power to see and interact with ghosts. ''Winter Masques'' notes that Fate tends to send a number of ghosts the Gravewight's way. |
| 258 | ** In ''TabletopGame/ChangelingTheDreaming'', the sluagh likewise have an innate ability to see and interact with the dead. |
| 259 | * ''TabletopGame/GeistTheSinEaters'': Sin-Eaters get their {{powers|ViaPossession}} by dying and coming back possessed by a [[OurGhostsAreDifferent Geist]]. They automatically perceive ghosts, [[TranslatorMicrobes ignore any language barrier]] when speaking with them, and can exert themselves to [[TouchTheIntangible interact physically]] with the ghostly realm of Twilight. |
| 260 | * The imbued of ''TabletopGame/HunterTheReckoning'' have this as part of their various powers enabling them to see and identify the supernatural. |
| 261 | * Projectors in ''TabletopGame/{{Orpheus}}'' have the ability to see ghosts, even if they're not projecting themselves out of their bodies at the time. |
| 262 | * ''TabletopGame/WraithTheOblivion'' has two books devoted to those mortals who interact with the dead, ''The Quick and the Dead'' and ''Mediums: Speakers with the Dead''. |
| 263 | [[/folder]] |
| 264 | |
| 265 | [[folder:Toys]] |
| 266 | * In ''Toys/{{Bionicle}}'', [[MaskOfPower the masks]] Kanohi Rode (Mask of Truth) and Kanohi Elda (Mask of Detection) could sense the users of Kanohi Iden, a mask that allowed their users' souls to leave their bodies. |
| 267 | * Creator/GregWeisman is planning [[https://twitter.com/Greg_Weisman/status/582486299417841664?t=1&cn=cmVjb3NfZXhwbG9yZQ%3D%3D&sig=b590402104e003ee911b580df201340c9f14cfa2&al=1&refsrc=email&iid=643af5233da641e5822f371ce75e0dac&autoactions=1427754743&uid=1284968966&nid=244+143+20150329 an audioplay]] featuring a girl who can see and communicate with the dead. |
| 268 | [[/folder]] |
| 269 | |
| 270 | [[folder:Video Games]] |
| 271 | * In ''VideoGame/AmberJourneysBeyond'', Roxy set up a number of CCTV cameras and electromagnetic sensors that can do this to a degree, detecting sound signals and videos of manifestations around the HauntedHouse. The titular AMBER device, however, takes it a step further by allowing you to ''see into the memories'' of ghosts. |
| 272 | * Ashley from ''VideoGame/AnotherCode'' can converse with a ghost known only as "D". She's the first person to visit Blood Edward Island in over half a century who can see or talk to him. |
| 273 | * The title character in the ''Dana Knightstone'' games can see the ghosts of people who died with unresolved issues, which is a great professional help considering she writes historical novels. |
| 274 | * The first two ''VideoGame/DarkFall'' games play with this. In the first one, Polly and Nigel's surveillance system in the Dowerton hotel mostly just picks up splotches of dark and the occasional distorted voice message, and you can get a pair of ghost-hunting goggles to see how various rooms looked in the past, or occasionally find scrawled messages on walls. In the second, ''Lights Out'', however, an advanced pair of goggles allow you to see and speak to several ghosts in the Fetch Rock Lighthouse, and occasionally ''travel through time'' just by touching photos. |
| 275 | * In ''VideoGame/TheDarksideDetective'', one chapter features a boy who can see and hear ghosts. The protagonist temporarily acquires the ability as well (and it becomes a running gag that he has to keep stopping to explain what's going on to his sidekick, who has no idea why he's suddenly holding conversations with thin air). |
| 276 | * ''VideoGame/DivinityOriginalSinII'': {{Justified|Trope}} with [[MultipleChoiceChosen Godwoken]] like the player character. Their unique magic wields a form of SoulPower called Source, and the spirits of the dead are [[MadeOfMagic made of the stuff]], allowing them to perceive, speak with, [[GhostMemory share memories with]], and [[SoulEating even consume]] ghosts. |
| 277 | * In at least the book of the game ''VideoGame/FatalFrameI'', Miku and her brother Mafuyu are sensitive to spirits and received warnings from their relatives not to act on these spiritual intuitions. |
| 278 | ** This is true in the game too. Miku "sees things that other people don't", as does Mafuyu, and it's the reason they're so close; Mafuyu's the only one she can talk to about the visions she sees. |
| 279 | ** This extends far beyond Miku and Mafuyu. People with a strong enough sixth sense can "see things that other people don't", and said sixth sense doesn't require inheriting it via birth to someone with it: Those who had gone through a traumatic event in life that claimed the lives of their loved ones can develop it as well, as Yuuri and [[BigBad Ouse]] in the fifth game can attest (Yuuri lost her family in a car accident, whereas Ouse lost hers -- and everyone else in her native village -- in a flood, when she was alive; both developed a strong sixth sense as a result). |
| 280 | * Krile of ''VideoGame/FinalFantasyV'' is able to see benevolent ghosts and spirits, which helps the party a few times. It's never stated in-game how she can do it. |
| 281 | * ''VideoGame/GooseGooseDuck'': The initial version of the Medium Goose was able to activate their ability and see the ghosts of any and all dead players. Because this prompted the dead players to float around live players in an attempt to out their killer, later versions of the game changed this so instead of seeing the ghosts directly, the Medium could check how many ghosts there were. |
| 282 | * In ''VideoGame/IllusionOfGaia'', Will has psychic powers, see he can see and speak to spirits. |
| 283 | * Dawn Star from ''VideoGame/JadeEmpire''. Considering the dead do not rest easily across the Empire, [[spoiler:because the Water Dragon, keeper of the gates to the Underworld, has been imprisoned and all but one of her worshipers slaughtered]], it is a massive case of BlessedWithSuck for her. |
| 284 | * In ''VideoGame/TheLostCrown'', Nigel encounters [[spoiler:the Karswells]] without realizing they're ghosts until afterwards, and later deduces that [[spoiler:Nancy and Timmy]] are as well. In the latter case, Mr. Russett could sense their presence, but couldn't see them like Nigel could. It's obliquely implied that [[spoiler:the Vicar]] is a ghost as well, but Nigel apparently doesn't catch on to that one. |
| 285 | * In the endgame of the second ''VideoGame/MegaManBattleNetwork'', a NPC who can somehow see the ghosts of V3 bosses you've beaten appears in [=ACDC=] Town. |
| 286 | * The Sorrow in ''VideoGame/MetalGearSolid3SnakeEater'' and ''Webcomic/TheCobraDays''. |
| 287 | ** In the fanfic ''Fanfic/{{Stray|Dahne}}'', the Sorrow's son Ocelot has this ability as well. |
| 288 | *** Not entirely un-canon. Although Ocelot may not ''see'' ghosts, per say, it's implied that [[spoiler:Liquid's possession of him was due in part to inheriting the Sorrow's power]]. More a case of "talking to and getting taken over by" Dead People. |
| 289 | * ''VideoGame/Onmyoji2016'': Not only can Seimei "see" (視る ''miru'', with the radical on the left) spirits and other creatures living in the ''inkai'', he can also make ''other people'' in the vicinity see them. |
| 290 | * Marona from ''VideoGame/PhantomBrave'', which causes her great amounts of grief from [[AllOfTheOtherReindeer almost everyone]]. |
| 291 | * In ''VideoGame/PotionPermit'', Victor claims that he can see spirits at the graveyard and is best friends with two of them, Caenus and Amadeus. [[spoiler:Contrary to what Socellia believes, he isn't doing this for attention, but because that's just how he is.]] |
| 292 | * ''VideoGame/TheRewinder'' have it's protagonist, a ghost medium, who can see and communicate with folks from the netherworld. He's the last member in a long line of Rewinders, tasked with investigating a massive outbreak of spiritual activity. |
| 293 | * The ghost from ''VideoGame/StarcraftII'' claims to see dead people. [[ComedicSociopathy But not before firing off a few rifle rounds after seeing live people]]. |
| 294 | * ''Franchise/StarWarsLegends'' video games continue the tradition: |
| 295 | ** ''VideoGame/KnightsOfTheOldRepublic'' has an incident where your character goes to Korriban and meets one of the ghosts of the original Sith Lords that defected from the Jedi and was banished to Korriban. Your Jedi party members (and Carth, strangely [[note]]Which does ''not'' help the speculation into his possible [[ObliviouslySuperpowered Force Sensitivity]][[/note]]) are clearly able to see and understand the regretful spirit. |
| 296 | ** ''VideoGame/StarWarsTheOldRepublic'': The Consular and Inquisitor both have encounters with ancient Force Ghosts. With the Consular, they are brief conversations with important figures in history.[[note]]During the first such conversation, the Consular's companion directly states that he cannot see or hear the ghost that the Consular is talking to, making Carth's awareness of Ajunta Pal even more suspicious.[[/note]] The Inquisitor is drawing much of their power by having several ghosts bound to them. The Knight also encounters the spirit of their fallen Master in one of the expansions. |
| 297 | * In ''VideoGame/TownOfSalem'' the Medium can do this with dead Townies, asking them information anonymously in the Night Phase for any information that may be useful to relay to the living. |
| 298 | * ''VideoGame/WorldOfWarcraft'' has a few different levels. Most ghosts are visible to anyone, usually if they're trying to eat you. But some ghosts are invisible to players until you undergo some task or drink some potion to reveal them: the Ancient Orc spirits of Nagrand, or [[http://www.wowhead.com/quest=10227 the ghosts of Auchenai,]] fall into this third category. Ramdor the Mad is the only one who can see them... until you read from the Book of the Dead, after which you can see them too. |
| 299 | ** While we're on the topic of ''Warcraft'': a cheat in ''VideoGame/WarcraftIII'' is named directly after this trope ("iseedeadpeople"), but the result is not what you'd expect from the name - it only removes the 'Fog of War' from the map. |
| 300 | * Joshua of ''VideoGame/TheWorldEndsWithYou'' is mentioned to have been able to see the workings of the Reapers' Game before he was a part of it, which comes off like this [[spoiler: and, in fact, ''is'' this, because everyone playing the game is dead and trying to come back to life]]. Although it's possible that [[spoiler:Hanekoma was lying about this]], several background [=NPCs=] have scan quotes that imply a similar situation. The trope namer is even quoted: |
| 301 | -->'''Mr H:''' See, he's a little special...\ |
| 302 | '''Neku:''' "Special"?\ |
| 303 | '''Mr H:''' Yeah. He sees things.\ |
| 304 | '''Neku:''' Things? Like what? "I see dead people" kind of sees things? |
| 305 | * In ''VideoGame/YokaiWatch'', the {{Youkai}} are InvisibleToNormals without the titular SuperWristGadget. |
| 306 | [[/folder]] |
| 307 | |
| 308 | [[folder:Visual Novels]] |
| 309 | * In ''VisualNovel/HatofulBoyfriend'', the infamous "pigeon dating sim", the heroine sees dead birds. [[spoiler: LoveInterest Fujishiro Nageki, the mourning dove freshman who can only be found in the library, is a suicide victim with GhostAmnesia. Being befriended and romanced by the heroine fulfills his GhostlyGoals, and [[BittersweetEnding he has to leave for the afterlife once he remembers himself]].]] |
| 310 | ** Ghosts can also be seen by the unhinged Higure Anghel, a FallenAngel / [[MaybeMagicMaybeMundane mental case]]. In the manga and ''Holiday Star'' anyone with a pure heart can see them. |
| 311 | * The plot of ''VisualNovel/KindredSpiritsOnTheRoof'' is kicked off when Sachi and Megumi, two ghosts haunting a Japanese high school, realize that Yuna, a student at the school, can see and hear them, so they recruit her help in [[TheMatchmaker getting yuri couples together]]. It is never explained why Yuna can see or hear the ghosts, but she is apparently the only one who can do so [[spoiler:until it is revealed late in the game that Yuna's friend Ano can see the ghosts as colored outlines, and is aware that Yuna is conversing them, but cannot hear them herself. Shortly before the ghosts pass on, Yuna's ChildhoodFriend Hina also becomes able to see and hear them]]. |
| 312 | [[/folder]] |
| 313 | |
| 314 | [[folder:Web Comics]] |
| 315 | * In ''Webcomic/BeneathTheClouds'', Buddhist monk Genza and his assistant Masako can see ghosts, but only during their exorcism rituals. However the ghosts can possess Masako for a limited time, giving them the ability to interact with others. |
| 316 | * The titular ''Webcomic/{{Distillum}}'' see and hear ghosts that are part of the anomalies. BadassNormal in-training, Jamie, is the only one of the main cast who doesn't, and it freaks him out a bit. |
| 317 | * Psychics in ''Webcomic/AGirlAndHerFed'', like Hope, can see ghosts naturally. Turns out that through the use of their implant, OACET Agents can see them too, if they know what to look for. |
| 318 | * Song Yerin from ''Webcomic/{{Gosu}}'' inherited the ability to see and commune with spirits from her mother, [[spoiler:the Saintly Celestial Maiden]]. |
| 319 | * ''Webcomic/GuildedAge'': Gravedust does. |
| 320 | * Antimony Carver from ''Webcomic/GunnerkriggCourt''. While some ghosts (like Mort) are visible to anyone, it seems to be implied that other ghosts (like the boy in the hospital) can only interact with Mediums like Annie. |
| 321 | * In ''Webcomic/PlanesOfEldlor'', riftwalker dragons are able to see spirits as they depart from their bodies. |
| 322 | * Aradia Megido from ''Webcomic/{{Homestuck}}'' has a rather narrow version; she can only hear the dead and she can't control when they decide to talk to her. One of her friends, Sollux Captor, has a related ability in that he can hear the thoughts of those who are ''near'' death. |
| 323 | * ''WebComic/MierukoChan'' is a horror-comedy about Miko, a schoolgirl who tries to navigate her everyday life despite suddenly gaining the ability to see strange and terrifying ghosts, spirits, and monsters (many of which happen to be drawn to the "life aura" of her friend Hana). |
| 324 | * In ''Webcomic/MoonCrest24'', Lucy's eyes can only perceive heat signatures. As a consequence, she's able to see spirits. |
| 325 | * "Spectrals" in ''Webcomic/{{Paranatural}}'' can see ghosts and spirits. Initially, they only see them as "shades" (purple, see-through silhouettes) and later see them fully. |
| 326 | * Dylan from ''Webcomic/RainingKnives'' is able to see two ghosts: the brother he [[SiblingMurder murdered]] and an unknown man. |
| 327 | * In ''Webcomic/StandStillStaySilent'', all mages can see ghosts and spirits, at least part of which are apparently "souls" of trollfied people and animals. Reynir discovers it when he mistakes a prowling ghost for a living troll. |
| 328 | * In ''Webcomic/UndeadFriend'' people who have joined the Undead Friend game have the ability to see and hear ghosts. They can also physically interact with their designated ghost partner. |
| 329 | [[/folder]] |
| 330 | |
| 331 | [[folder:Web Original]] |
| 332 | * Lalita Necron from ''Literature/{{Phaeton}}'' can see and hear dead people, this extends to being able to recognise vampires and other corporeal undead by seeing the exposed part of them (fangs, scars, that spot where [[AndShowItToYou their heart was violently ripped out and shown to them]] before they died) glowing bright orange. |
| 333 | * ''Literature/WhateleyUniverse'': |
| 334 | ** Jimmy Trauger at Whateley Academy can see, hear, and talk to the dead as easily as to the living, and appears to have no trouble telling the two apart. It's a bit unclear where this power comes from, as he's supposed to be a "psychic null" (that is, immune to psychic powers but not possessing any of his own either) and it's not obviously related to his being otherwise a powerful shape shifter with some control issues. In any case, from his description it seems that any ghosts hanging out around the school are still pretty much normal people not overly given to angsting about their state or obsessing about 'moving on'. |
| 335 | ** Stygian also has this ability (appropriately enough, given that he's the incarnation of [[Myth/ClassicalMythology Hades]]), as well as the power to make the ghosts visible to those who blame themselves for their deaths. He uses this latter power against Tennyo in order to [[SuicideByCop provoke her into attacking him]], but it backfires as the ''billions'' of souls haunting the Star Stalker drive Billie into a HeroicBSOD. |
| 336 | [[/folder]] |
| 337 | |
| 338 | [[folder:Web Videos]] |
| 339 | * ''Series/TheCryOfMann'': Oddly, Tank is the only one of the family who can see and interact with Ghost Lady, without having to die first. He doesn't seem too fazed to be talking to a ghost, however. |
| 340 | [[/folder]] |
| 341 | |
| 342 | [[folder:Western Animation]] |
| 343 | * ''WesternAnimation/{{Beetlejuice}}'': Much like its live-action feature counterpart, Beetlejuice is this to Lydia Deetz. |
| 344 | * Subverted in ''WesternAnimation/DannyPhantom'', where ghosts are plainly visible to the average person and have to consciously become invisible if they want to go unseen. That said, it's left ambiguous how many of the ghosts seen throughout the series are actual dead people and how many are supernatural creatures native to the Ghost Zone: the show itself implies a healthy mix, while the creator says that [[WriterConflictsWithCanon all ghosts are just supernatural monsters]]. |
| 345 | ** Youngblood is only visible to kids or people with a child-like mindset. The only teenager who can't see the young pirate is Jazz, who already views herself as an adult. |
| 346 | * ''WesternAnimation/ElenaOfAvalor'': Elena has this power only on Dia de Los Muertos as revealed in the episode "A Day to Remember". |
| 347 | * In ''WesternAnimation/TheGhostAndMollyMcGee'', ghosts can control when humans are capable of seeing them, with them being invisible by default. The exception to this is when any ghost formally introduces themselves or makes a bond with a human, from which point that person is able to see ''all'' ghosts permanently. Throughout the show, this has led to Molly and other characters (namely her immediate family and Libby) having prolonged interactions with Scratch or other ghosts in public, only to cut to an outsider watching in fear/concern over the person talking to thin air. |
| 348 | * ''WesternAnimation/SouthPark'': |
| 349 | ** "Dead Celebrities" has Kyle's baby brother Ike be haunted by the ghosts of dead celebrities. |
| 350 | --->'''Ike:''' I see dead celebrities. |
| 351 | ** {{Parodied}} in "The Death of Eric Cartman": The other boys get so fed up with [[TokenEvilTeammate Cartman]] that they all start to ignore him, leading him to believe that he's died and become a ghost. [[ButtMonkey Butters]] was LockedOutOfTheLoop, however, and greeted him like normal, thus obviously demonstrating that he has this ability. |
| 352 | [[/folder]] |
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