Line #79 Main/SlipknotPonytail


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9	[[quoteright:300:[[WesternAnimation/AvatarTheLastAirbender https://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/azula_slipknot.jpg]]]]
10	[[caption-width-right:300:Hairpin up, hair down.]]
11
12	->'''Author:''' Couldn't you put it up in some way that it will fall down ''dramatically'' in the middle of a fight scene, or possibly when you're having a really involved argument with your hot enemy?\
13	'''Heroine:''' It's... really more likely to fall down at random, rather than at appropriate dramatic moments.
14	-->-- ''WebVideo/FantasyHeroine'' episode 1x6
15
16	If a character has long hair tied in a ponytail there is a chance that the hair will become undone during a fight or action scene. The probability of this happening increases with the intensity of the situation and the challenge the opponent poses. Of course, this isn't restricted to ponytails alone. [[GirlishPigtails Braids, twintails]], hair loopies, and other hairstyles just begging to get undone while in the heat of battle also count.
17
18	It serves to give the character an instantly [[WildHair rougher, more primal]] and badass look that can underscore the seriousness or desperation of the situation. At the same time, unbound hair can also create a vulnerable look. In classical Japanese paintings defeated {{Samurai}} were often shown with messy or disheveled hair, so naturally many [[ActionGirl long]] [[AgentPeacock haired]] {{anime}} characters end up looking like this when things are getting rough. It can also be used as {{Fanservice}} to make a character [[LettingHerHairDown that much hotter]] while fighting, especially in combination with ClothingDamage.
19
20	Compare CloseCallHaircut. When the character undoes the hair willingly on camera see ShakingHerHairLoose. If the ponytail gets severed completely, it becomes a TraumaticHaircut. If the character is using a CombatHaircomb to fasten their hair, then it naturally will go loose once used.
21
22	This can be very much TruthInTelevision, especially for those with hair that's not much longer than shoulder-length.
23
24	This has nothing to do with the HeavyMetal band Music/{{Slipknot}} in ponytails.
25
26	----
27	!!Examples:
28
29	[[foldercontrol]]
30
31	[[folder:Anime & Manga]]
32	* Parodied in ''Manga/AoiHouse'', where every female character goes into a trance when Alex's ponytail comes undone and become completely subservient to him.
33	* Several times in ''Manga/AyakashiTriangle'' Matsuri's CompressedHair drops down when the elastic tying it up is destroyed, though this is less noticeable than the accompanying ClothingDamage.
34	* Inverted in ''Manga/AzumangaDaioh''. When Sakaki gets upset during the third sports fest, she responds by removing a headband, letting her hair flow a little more freely than it had before, but then ties it back for the only time in the series.
35	* From ''Anime/BakutenShootBeyblade'': You know Rei is about to get seriously injured when an errant Beyblade severs his headband, releasing his long hair. Happens thrice throughout the series.
36	%%(ZCE)* Happens to Renji Abarai and Byakuya Kuchiki in ''Manga/{{Bleach}}''. Also to Kenpachi.
37	* In ''Manga/BloodPlus'', Hagi's hair coming loose from its ponytail is almost always a sign that he's getting his ass kicked.
38	* In ''Anime/CarriedByTheWindTsukikageRan'', Ran gets into a fight with a near-identical swords-woman, ending with both of them in the same pose. Ran's ponytail comes undone as her enemy crumples to the ground.
39	* Happens to Shin in the last episode of ''Anime/CodeGeassAkitoTheExiled''. [[LongHairedPrettyBoy It might be fanservice]], [[OmnicidalManiac or it might not be]], depending on your tastes.
40	* In ''Manga/CynthiaTheMission'', the title character's hair comes out of her ox horns during a couple of dramatic fights.
41	* ''Manga/DGrayMan'':
42	** There was [[SeriousBusiness an epic battle]] when Bookman stole Kanda's hair tie. It involved Kanda beating much of the Black Order senseless in order to find out who was responsible.
43	** Also, Lenalee's pigtails came off when she saves Allen from an Akuma.
44	%%%** Kanda in a grand showdown.
45	* In ''Manga/DragonBall'', for a time Future Trunks had long hair, which he kept in a ponytail (though he left the hair that framed his face loose, sort of defeating the point). When he went Super Saiyan, the ponytail stayed bound, letting the front bits spike up. When he went to his most powerful form, however, the band broke and the result was a large golden starfish for a haircut. Seriously.
46	** As well, when Gohan has a stress-induced dream about Perfect Cell, when he strikes and kills Chi-Chi, the power of the blow ends up undoing her hair bun.
47	** In ''Anime/DragonBallSuper'', Kale's ponytailed hair with bangs functions this way whenever she transforms into her [[HulkingOut Super Saiyan Berserk]] form.
48	* In Chapter 94 of ''Manga/FullmetalAlchemist'' [[LadyOfWar Riza Hawkeye]] gets this treatment during her battle with Envy. It doesn't make her any less badass seeing as she pumps several guns' worth of ammo into him at once.
49	** Edward Elric himself sports an undone ponytail a few times during particularly grueling battles.
50	* Done in virtually every fight scene involving Kumiko in the 3 seasons of the J-drama version of ''Manga/{{Gokusen}}''. Oddly enough, this transformation also involves losing her geeky glasses, possibly showing her to be BeautifulAllAlong.
51	* In ''Manga/HajimeNoIppo'', Saeki's hair gets undone during his match against Itagaki in chapter 971.
52	* Is part of the transformation of D'eon into his sister Lia, when he needs to fight in ''Anime/LeChevalierDEon''.
53	* Happened to Signum of ''Franchise/LyricalNanoha'' during her final battle with Zest in the third season. This may have been a MythologyGag to Miyuki's CloseCallHaircut during the ''VisualNovel/TriangleHeart3SweetSongsForever'' OVA.
54	* Played with and subverted in ''Manga/NegimaMagisterNegiMagi''. Setsuna and Kaede's hair fell rather undramatically only because Chao used a [[TimeStandsStill time stop]] with her [[TimeMachine Cassiopeia]] to take their hairbands from them within a single instant. This wasn't for a show in badass-edness or to [[IAmNotLeftHanded show that they'll win the fight]]. This was used to show how [[OhCrap utterly screwed they are]]. Played straighter with [[spoiler:her final battle against Negi at the end of the SchoolFestival when her hair buns loosened]]. Tsukuyomi also has a way of loosening her elaborate hairstyles during combat (why anyone would wear extravagant, Victorian-stylized clothes to sword fights... who knows).
55	* In the climax of ''Anime/OjamajoDoremi'''s second season, Doremi's {{Odango}} come loose when she's hit by the BigBad's curse and her magic crystal shatters. This finally reveals her hair to be waist-length, since it was the first time in the franchise she "let" it down. It seems to be symbolic for Doremi's CharacterDevelopment into a more mature girl since neither Onpu nor Hazuki (both already rather mature to begin with) loses their ponytails upon shattering their crystals.
56	* Akitsu and Yaichi from ''Manga/HouseOfFiveLeaves'' are seen once or twice with their topknots down.
57	* During the final arc of the ''Manga/{{Inuyasha}}'' manga, Sango's hair falls down when her hair tie is eaten away by Naraku's miasma.
58	* Lampshaded in an episode of ''Anime/LuckyStar'' - it's [[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=anD3t0ufMPs 'Ponytail Day']] and three of the girls redo their signature hairstyles into ponytails. Kagami suddenly gets annoyed at this and rips her ribbon clean off, to which Konata squees "You looked so manly with it, like a samurai!"
59	* ''Anime/MarvelAnimeWolverine'': This happens to Amiko (Yukio's mother) when she's murdered by Shingen.
60	* Neji from ''Manga/{{Naruto}}'' gets his headband (and hairband) knocked loose in his fight against Kidomaru, and then [[spoiler:it's used to save his life once everything is over]].
61	** This trope is more or less ubiquitous for any ninja who wear a headband. When that is knocked off (leaving their hair loose), it's a sign that they are in big trouble.
62	* ''Anime/NeonGenesisEvangelion'': Asuka loses her trademark pigtails in ''End of Evangelion''. [[FanDisservice This is NOT fanservice]], at least, not by the end of the fight.
63	* In ''Webcomic/OnePunchMan'' (manga), when Suiryu receiving the punch from Saitama (which he stopped just in time), his ponytail comes off.
64	* ''Manga/OutlawStar'': happens to Suzuka in her first fight against Gene. she was disarmed, Gene knocked Suzuka's sword out of her hand, forcing her to chase him in order to reach it first. When she gained ground, Gene pulled the sash from around her kimono. her kimono and SamuraiPonytail were going down.
65	* ''Anime/PrettyCure'':
66	** Happens a number of times in ''Anime/HeartcatchPrettyCure'' to Tsubomi/Cure Blossom. Whenever Tsubomi is knocked into the transition stage between normal and Precure, it differs if the animators want to keep her hair down or put them back in the usual twintails. In TheMovie, Tsubomi takes a hit Erika directed at Olivier, blowing off her hairbow. Her loose hair causes him to snap out of his SuperpoweredEvilSide, though it's shown that Tsubomi can put it back to normal at any time by pulling her hair back into the ponytail again and her magic will fix it.
67	** In ''Anime/SmilePrettyCure'', when Akane's trying to catch up with a boy she was smitten with, her attempt to ride a bike to reach the airport ends up with her crashing into a bush. As she gets out and keeps running, her small rat tail gets mostly undone and she pulls the band off in frustration, spending the rest of the episode with her hair loose.
68	* This happens to Fakir in ''Anime/PrincessTutu'' during the first season finale.
69	* ''Manga/RanmaOneHalf'': When Ranma's pigtail comes undone, [[spoiler:his hair won't stop growing -- fast. Yet ''another'' curse for the boy, this time because he ate a bowl of ramen with dragon's whisker on it; his ponytail holder is another dragon's whisker, which can stop the curse. Oh, and his hair doesn't grow when he's a girl. But once the men of the series know about it, they ''all'' want the dragon's whisker to solve their own problems with baldness - all of them, including his dad]]. Despite what common Fanon will tell you [[spoiler:the hair growing ended in the same issue where it was introduced. Untying the ponytail does absolutely nothing now, and he just keeps it for the sake of LimitedWardrobe]].
70	* ''Manga/RurouniKenshin'':
71	** Tomoe's ponytail loosens in right before [[spoiler: her HeroicSacrifice by throwing herself between Kenshin and his enemy.]]
72	** Likewise, this happens to Kenshin himself in his first battle with Saito, though in this case it's played as unsettling rather than hot as Kenshin's [[SuperpoweredEvilSide Battousai mode]] is coming out simultaneously.
73	** Also happened to Kenshin in the second prototype story. The girl he rescued tied his hair up with her ribbon afterward, and he apparently had no clue that ribbons were for women, thereby making it an opportunity for "Kenshin is hot and scary" followed by "Kenshin is adorable and clueless".
74	** Also happens to Yumi during the Kenshin/Shishio fight in the anime. [[spoiler:When Shishio runs through her with his sword, her headgear breaks and her hair is loose as she falls into Shishio's embrace]].
75	** happens to kenshin in Ova Rurouni Kenshin Reflection when he fights against Enishi
76	* In ''Literature/TheSagaOfDarrenShan'' manga, this happens to Kurda at the end of vol. 5, right at the moment where he [[spoiler: stabs Gavner Purl]].
77	* In ''Anime/SailorMoon'', after fighting Pharaoh 90 and Mistress 9 alone behind a huge barrier maintained by the other soldiers, Sailor Moon walks out from the epicenter of the destruction holding baby Hotaru and with her signature odango hairstyle messed up and partially falling loose from her buns and missing some feathers from her hairclips. Not surprising since the battle took most of the night and she only emerges victorious the next morning after the dust clears. Her sailor suit is also extremely damaged and ripped. The other soldiers almost thought she was dead. This is the only time that her hair ever gets messed up or her suit damaged to that extent without her transformation failing.
78	* ''Anime/SamuraiChamploo'' with Jin in one of the obviously female-aimed {{Fanservice}} moments.
79	* Happens to Hyakkimaru in "Anime/Dororo2019" after his fight against his brother in final episode.
80	* Happens to Onizuka in ''Manga/SketDance'' - her long hair makes her more recognisable as the 'Onihime', a legendary fighter.
81	* It happens ''partially'' to Sasami in the 3rd ''Anime/TenchiMuyo'' OVA. When confronted with a high-ranking member of the Galaxy Police who's insistent in taking her and the rest of the gang in, she ends up grabbing one of her hair braids and pulling it off, converting it into a staff. She spends the battle with one pigtail up and one pigtail down, but once it's over, she's back to two pigtails.
82	** On the other hand, it happens fully in the first Tenchi movie, ''Tenchi Muyo in Love''. Achika, having seen Noboyuki's broken body, enters a state of TranquilFury that, when she faces BigBad KAIN, the first thing that goes is her hair ties, which let her hair hang loose.
83	* Happens to Rossiu from ''Anime/TengenToppaGurrenLagann''. By someone punching him. In the face. Whether he looks better afterwards is debatable, if only because it doesn't last very long.
84	* Happens frequently to Abel Nightroad in ''Literature/TrinityBlood'', though somewhat subverted. When his usually neatly tied-up ponytail comes undone, you've just succeeded in really ticking him off. When he deliberately takes it down, it's time to [[OhCrap run]]. Justified (sorta) in that his TransformationSequence involves his hair becoming prehensile and flailing around before appearing to blow straight upward. I kept waiting for him to strangle someone with it.
85	* Variation: Souichi's ponytail always comes loose or undone by Morinaga during foreplay in ''Manga/TheTyrantFallsInLove''. Since he's normally domineering and bad-tempered, this is designed to make him look more feminine and consequently more {{uke}}ish and controllable when Morinaga gets to dominate him in bed.
86	* Happens to Elsee during a fight in Chapter 26 of ''Manga/TheWorldGodOnlyKnows''.
87	* ''Anime/VirtuaFighter'': happens to Sarah Bryant in her final fight against his brother.
88	[[/folder]]
89
90	[[folder:Comic Books]]
91	* In an issue of ''ComicBook/MegaManArchieComics'', Roll's trademark ponytail comes undone when she rushes out to help rescue survivors of a wrecked liner.
92	* ''ComicBook/{{NYX}}'': Zebra Daddy normally wears his hair neatly slicked back. However, as things continue to escalate out of control on him during the climax, his hair gets more and more wild until it's hanging in his face.
93	[[/folder]]
94
95	[[folder:Fan Works]]
96	* ''Fanfic/LinkedChronicles'':
97	** Tetra is forced to wear her hair loose after losing her barrette in a storm. This causes her to resemble Princess Zelda even more than she already did.
98	** In a straighter example, Eyne's braids come undone when she [[spoiler:increases her size in order to attack the Links]].
99	* ''Fanfic/OnceUponASmile'': All six of the heroines have their hairstyles unravel during the FinalBattle with [[spoiler:Joker]] in order to emphasize how desperate the situation is.
100	[[/folder]]
101
102	[[folder:Films -- Animation]]
103	* ''WesternAnimation/AtlantisTheLostEmpire'': The badass German DarkActionGirl Helga goes through the movie with a ponytail that comes loose during [[spoiler:[[EtTuBrute her final fight with Rourke which leads to her being thrown to her death]].]]
104	* ''WesternAnimation/BeautyAndTheBeast'':
105	** Belle loses her (easily animated) ponytail only when things get dramatic, such as when she gets attacked by wolves during her escape from the Beast's castle.
106	** Less dramatically, a single lock of Belle's hair frequently comes loose and falls over her eyes. She occasionally smooths it back up, but she ends up spending more time with hair in her face than not.
107	*** The producers did this to make her less perfect and more human.
108	** The same thing happens with Gaston during his final fight with the Beast, starting out in a ponytail and ending up loose. The reverse happens to the Beast over the course of the film, as his hair goes from disheveled to trimmed and tied back. The exchange is both intentional and symbolic of the Beast becoming more civilized while Gaston reveals his evil heart.
109	* Happens to Wonder Woman/Diana Prince in ''WesternAnimation/TheDeathOfSuperman''; her hair ring shatters during the battle against Doomsday.
110	* Happens to the human Twilight Sparkle twice in ''WesternAnimation/MyLittlePonyEquestriaGirlsFriendshipGames'', once when Pinkie Pie starts messing with her when she recognizes her and again when the device capturing Equestrian Magic finally overloads and is unleashed.
111	* It happens to Kayley in ''WesternAnimation/QuestForCamelot'' as she ends up escaping into a forest, a branch snagging her hair tie.
112	* Happens to Pocahontas in ''WesternAnimation/PocahontasIIJourneyToANewWorld''. Her hair is done up for the ball but loosens and comes down while she's in prison.
113	[[/folder]]
114
115	[[folder:Films -- Live-Action]]
116	* In ''Film/CurseOfTheGoldenFlower'':
117	** The Empress' hair comes undone while fighting with her stepson over a robe she wants him to wear. They're also apparently carrying on an illicit affair, and things almost get intimate before he runs off.
118	** The Emperor also gets one of these later in the film, as he [[spoiler:takes off his belt to beat his youngest son, Yu, who had just murdered his older half-brother both because of the aforementioned affair and Yu's own status as TheUnfavorite]].
119	* Antonio Banderas from ''Film/{{Desperado}}'' during the Tarasco Bar shootout and various other fights.
120	* Since Alexander Dane, the [[IAmNotSpock extremely regretful]] [[ClassicallyTrainedExtra classically-trained actor]] who played ''Film/GalaxyQuest'''s [[Series/StarTrekTheOriginalSeries Spock]][[{{Expy}} -analogue]], is [[AlienAbduction abducted]] in full costume including [[RubberForeheadAliens his prosthetic head covering]], we don't actually see ''any'' of his hair for most of the film, except near the end, when the latex finally gives out [[spoiler:sometime during his [[OffscreenMomentOfAwesome off-screen]] RoaringRampageOfRevenge]] and splits in one part, letting an incongruous lock slip out, adding to his overall wild-eyed [[spoiler:[[NormallyIWouldBeDeadNow "I can't believe I'm not dead"]]]] demeanor at the time.
121	* Happens to Will Turner in ''Franchise/PiratesOfTheCaribbean'' a lot.
122	** Elizabeth Swann, too, a couple of times.
123	* ''Film/SoClose'': detective Kong has her long hair tied in a Ponytail. When she fights the main villain in a sword duel, one blow from her opponent makes her ponytail undone.
124	* ''Film/WonderWoman2017'': Used for symbolic purposes in the No Man's Land scene. Through the first half of the film or so, Diana mostly wears her hair tied up and out of the way, even on Themyscira. When Steve takes her to the front lines and she sees what trench warfare is really like, she refuses to simply stand by and do nothing, pulling her hair out and dropping her cloak, revealing her full, iconic comics visage for the very first time.
125	[[/folder]]
126
127	[[folder:Literature]]
128	* In ''Dark Heavens'', both the Xuan Wu (and later the protagonist, Emma) have this issue. They stop to tie their hair back roughly once a chapter - Xuan Wu because his body naturally tries to return to the state it was in when he became Immortal (IE: At the end of a battle. He tends to lose his shoes as well!) and Emma... presumably because she's an active girl doing insane things in Hong Kong, which is humid at the best of times. Oh, and [[spoiler: because she's 'Rapidly turning into a smaller version of the Xuan Wu']]
129	* Tash, in ''Literature/GalaxyOfFear'', wears her hair in [[BraidsOfAction one neat braid]]. When she's locked into a room with the air being slowly vented in ''The Doomsday Ship'' and the room is later opened, she's found lying on the ground with her hair undone.
130	* In ''Stardance'' by Spider and Jeanne Robinson, the story revolves around a zero-gee dance company (in space, of course.) This trope comes into play in an unexpected way when one of the dancers auditioning insists on wearing his long, thick hair in a ponytail "held by one hairband" despite having been warned of the dangers. The band ''does'' break during a rehearsal, his spacesuit helmet fills with hair, and he suffocates on it before he can be gotten to a pressurized area.
131	* ''Literature/TheTrialsOfApollo'': In ''The Dark Prophecy'', Hemethea keeps her hair in a single Braid until the end of Siege of Waystation.
132	[[/folder]]
133
134	[[folder:Live-Action TV]]
135	* Series/AvatarTheLastAirbender2024: happens to Katara when she fights Pakkun. The waterbending master blows a frozen breeze that undone Katara's Main/BraidsOfAction
136	* Subverted in the ''Series/{{Firefly}}'' episode "Jaynestown"; when Book lets down his hair, it is not sexy, but (hilariously) ''terrifying'', to the point of freaking River out and sending her running for cover. The sight is enough to give even [[TheStoic Zoe]] pause.
137	* In ''Series/{{Highlander}}: The Series'', Duncan [=MacLeod=] generally had his hair securely tied back during duels. Only during very difficult battles would it loosen. And only the most dangerous fights with the most skilled foes would cause it to come completely loose.
138	* ''Series/MyCountryTheNewAge'': Seong-gye fires an arrow at Bang-won's head. It doesn't hurt Bang-won but tears out his hair-pin, undoing his topknot and making his hair fall loose.
139	* ''Series/StarTrekVoyager :''
140	** Although not quite fanservice, Capt. Janeway's hair was apparently psychically linked to the well-being of Voyager itself. Every time a battle started going badly, Janeway's hair started escaping its pins. It looks very dramatic -until some smart-aleck starts going "Hairstyle at 86% integrity" "That last shot took out the braid, bobby pins are failing"
141	** On the other hand, it was definitely fanservice whenever Seven of Nine's hairdo started coming apart--it implied that she was [[DefrostingIceQueen defrosting a little]], if only from sheer stress.
142	* ''Series/StarTrekDeepSpaceNine'':
143	** In the episode "Crossfire", there's a scene where Odo (distraught over his UnrequitedLove for Kira) is seen in his quarters with a single strand of 'hair' falling across his face. This was an improvisation by actor Rene Auberjonois, based on a Japanese print he'd seen of a warrior in defeat. Some of the producers weren't happy (because Odo doesn't actually have hair as he's a shapeshifter) but eventually rationalized it as a symbol that Odo is going to pieces, in that he's no longer controlling all of his body. ([[FridgeLogic You'd have thought that creating individual strands of hair would take more control than a single textured "hair" shape]]. The guy had problems duplicating lips and ears, for goodness' sake!)
144	** The standard Cardassian hairstyle is very severely slicked back and shiny, to compliment their reptilian features and sleek metallic uniforms. Whenever Garak, or Dukat, or any other Cardassian gets their hair out of order, it is a sign something very, very serious is going on. It makes Garak look positively insane when he is pulling his 'wide eyes for emphasis' thing.
145	[[/folder]]
146
147	[[folder:Pro Wrestling]]
148	* Wrestling/ChrisJericho had begun wearing his hair tied back in a braid by 2003. During a particularly physical match against Test (the one where he chair-shotted Wrestling/StacyKeibler by accident) his hair came almost completely undone.
149	* ''Summerslam 2002'' is the '''only''' time this has ever happened to Wrestling/RobVanDam. He manages to keep his ponytail almost completely intact in every other match.
150	* Wrestling/{{Melina}}'s hair was half-up half-down at the ''Survivor Series 2009'' PPV. By the end of the match, her hair had come completely down.
151	* If a woman in wrestling ever wrestles with a fancy updo, you can expect this.
152	** Defied by Miss Madness in WCW. She would remove her hair clip before she wrestled.
153	* Happened to Wrestling/DrewMcIntyre during his first loss. It only served to make him look more deranged.
154	[[/folder]]
155
156	[[folder:Theater]]
157	* A famous example from the ballet ''Giselle'' is [[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7apjZDnE9qM Giselle's Madness]]. where the main character dances to the memories of everything that happened to her so far [[spoiler:right before she dies]] [[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iJtZQnhnlM4 with her hair loose]]. The ballerina playing Giselle has to have the tight bun ballerinas use undone, on stage; this is done by whoever plays Giselle's mother, while apparently crying over her unconscious body.
158	* The titular character in ''Theatre/JekyllAndHyde'' wears his hair in a ponytail while the good doctor is in control, but has it loose when Hyde comes out. It takes a bit of creative positioning and lighting to make it still appear that way when the two sides of his personality are arguing with each other.
159	[[/folder]]
160
161	[[folder:Video Games]]
162	* The newcomer in ''VideoGame/ArcanaHeart 2'', Zenia Valov. If you beat her with certain attacks (ones that would make Kira's blob get torn off, for example), she will fall down with her hair tie (which makes her hair look rather short) torn off, revealing waist-length hair.
163	* In ''VideoGame/BattleMoonWars'', Haruna's hair is let loose whenever her PowerLimiter is removed. It's unclear exactly how [[LesYay Natsuki kissing her]] makes her hairstyle come undone.
164	* ''VideoGame/DeadOrAlive'':
165	** A shuriken does this for Kasumi during her ending in ''Dead or Alive 3''.
166	** In ''VideoGame/DeadOrAlive6'', happened to every character with ponytail when they were stroke by Break Blow (a special attack) from the Opponent.
167	* In ''VideoGame/DevilMayCry4'', Kyrie's hair clip gets broken and her hair comes undone when Agnus kidnaps her.
168	* In ''VideoGame/DragonQuestHeroesTheWorldTreesWoeAndTheBlightBelow'', the female protagonist's hair falls loose when she enters [[LimitBreak high tension]]. Naturally, it miraculously ties itself back up as soon as she goes back to normal.
169	* The [=PS1=] fighting game ''VideoGame/EvilZone'' has two characters whose ponytails come undone after taking enough damage: Keiya (male) and Erel (female).
170	* ''Franchise/FinalFantasy'':
171	** In ''VideoGame/FinalFantasyVI'' and ''VideoGame/{{Dissidia\|Final Fantasy}}'', Terra/Tina's hair is up as a human and down as an esper to show the more that her esper form is her primal side.
172	** Aerith's ponytail comes undone in ''VideoGame/FinalFantasyVII'' when [[spoiler:Sephiroth [[ItWasHisSled runs her through]]]].
173	* In ''VideoGame/GuiltyGear Xrd'', if you deal sufficient damage to [[CulturedBadass Ky Kiske]], his ponytail will come undone and [[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=h71Qh2pDORU his theme song]] from ''Overture'' will start playing. Presumably, he's had enough of your shit at this point.
174	* In ''VideoGame/MetalGearRisingRevengeance'' when the player fights Mistral her hair starts out mostly brushed off to one side and almost looks like it's tucked into her suit somehow. By the time Raiden pushes her into last phase of the battle, it's loosely splayed around her shoulders.
175	* In ''VideoGame/TalesOfTheAbyss'', this happens in the second half of the final battle with [[spoiler: Van Grants. Considering how he managed to pull off the same effect that most final Tales bosses have to [[OneWingedAngel transform into large, grotesque creatures]] in order to achieve just by taking off his shirt and letting his hair down, the battle ended up being that much more badass for it.]]
176	* The ''Franchise/TouhouProject'' protagonist Reimu pulls off her hair tie in the outlandishly exaggerated fangame ''VideoGame/TouhouSoccer'' as part of her ultimate technique, [[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Z5eZJ2VGQQE Fantasy Heaven.]] Naturally, it blows through almost anything.
177	** The defeat portrait of PC-98 exclusive ''VideoGame/TouhouYumejikuuPhantasmagoriaOfDimDream'''s final boss, Yumemi Okazaki, includes her braid coming undone.
178	* If you shoot an arrow ''just'' over one of your opponents' heads in a ''VideoGame/{{Towerfall}} Ascension'' match, it knocks off their hat or whatever headgear they had on. The unlockable [[MysteriousWaif Ancient Exile]] keeps her hair tied, so, if the above happens to her during a battle, her [[MysticalWhiteHair silvery locks]] flow down.
179	* ''VideoGame/ToyPop'': If Acha takes one hit, in addition to ClothingDamage, her hair gets loose from her braids.
180	[[/folder]]
181
182	[[folder:Visual Novels]]
183	* ''Franchise/AceAttorney'':
184	** In ''VisualNovel/PhoenixWrightAceAttorney'', Maya Fey ends up wearing her hair completely open for the first time in the series when [[spoiler:the evil spirit of Dahlia Hawthorne is finally exorcised out of her body]]. She collapses out of exhaustion seconds after this.
185	** There is also [[spoiler:Kristoph]] in ''VisualNovel/ApolloJusticeAceAttorney'' after his breakdown. By the time it ends, his hair flows down in a complete mess.
186	* ''VisualNovel/YoJinBo'''s Muneshige has his hair come undone during the final battle in his Good ending. [[spoiler:He later takes it down again at Sayori's request.]]
187	[[/folder]]
188
189	[[folder:Webcomics]]
190	* ''Webcomic/GrrlPower'' analyzed the trope in the author's notes, where the author confessed that he discussed Maxima's hair coming out of its bun so easily at the press conference with his wife, noting that Max's slippery hair would take even more bobby pins than most. They decided [[AWizardDidIt the resident magic user gave her a magic scrunchie.]]
191	* ''Webcomic/KeychainOfCreation'' features this on at least two occasions. A little unusually, rather than making the victim look more badass, it actually makes them look silly- it's a symbolic loss in a contest of skill and control. Said instances are a friendly competition [[http://keychain.patternspider.net/archive/koc0201.html here,]] and the outcome of a SingleStrokeBattle [[http://keychain.patternspider.net/archive/koc0246.html here.]]
192	* There are several occasions of this happening to Miho in ''Webcomic/{{Megatokyo}}''. The creator notes in the margins of the bound collection that he's been told that Miho's hairstyle is one that's very difficult to maintain.
193	* Happens to Haley in [[http://www.giantitp.com/comics/oots0035.html this]] ''Webcomic/TheOrderOfTheStick'' strip.
194	* {{Invoked\|Trope}} by Teddy in ''Webcomic/WeakHero'', who lets his hair loose to make himself look more unhinged before he confronts the class bully Phillip.
195	[[/folder]]
196
197	[[folder:Web Original]]
198	* Sarah does this in "Bad Decision?", Chapter 2 of ''WebVideo/LG15TheResistance'', when she takes her hair out of her "Research Nerd" bun.
199	* In the final episode of ''WebAnimation/{{RWBY}}''[='s=] Volume 7, Winter's normal bun is completely loose due to her battle with Cinder.
200	[[/folder]]
201
202	[[folder:Western Animation]]
203	* In the episode ''The Dinner'' of ''WesternAnimation/{{Amphibia}}'', Sasha hides a dagger in her ponytail after supposedly leaving behind her weapons. When the dinner is attacked by monsters, she unties it and spends the rest of the fight with her hair down.
204	* ''WesternAnimation/AvatarTheLastAirbender'':
205	** Any time Katara is in a prolonged fight, her normal [[InSeriesNickname hair-loopies]]-with-bun-and-{{braid\|sOfAction}} hairstyle will slowly become more and more disheveled until she's left with just a loose mass of hair. The first and most notable of these being her fight with [[spoiler:[[GrumpyOldMan Master Pakku]]]].
206	** The page image is of the time Azula had to use her royal hairpin as a {{blade brake}}.
207	* ''WesternAnimation/TheAvengersEarthsMightiestHeroes'' has Carol Danvers undo her bun after becoming Ms. Marvel.
208	* ''WesternAnimation/TheLegendOfKorra'':
209	** This happens to Tarrlok during his battle with Korra in "When Extremes Meet".
210	** As well as Korra herself when battling Unalaq.
211	** Happens to Kuvira during both her fights with Korra.
212	* ''WesternAnimation/DuckDodgers'': "Behold, my messy hair of determination."
213	* In the ''WesternAnimation/MiraculousLadybug'' episode "Heart Hunter", Marinette's pigtails come loose while she plays in a ball pit. Both her LoveInterest and [[LesYay her]] [[TheRival rival]] agree that she looks good with her hair down.
214	* ''WesternAnimation/SamuraiJack'' does this so very often, along with [[ClothingDamage losing]] [[ShirtlessScene his shirt]]. ("And he's got his sword in his teeth!" ''Shing!'')
215	* Happens during Jessica's dramatic ballad "My World is Beginning Today" in ''WesternAnimation/SantaClausIsCominToTown''.
216	[[/folder]]

Context Main / SlipknotPonytail