http://tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/ManWhoLaughs-726958.jpg
[[caption-width:260:[[GarfieldAndFriends HEEEEEEEEEY KIDS!]]]]

-->''"Some smiles show cheer; some merely show teeth."''
-->-- '''[[http://ww2.wizards.com/Gatherer/CardDetails.aspx?name=Abyssal%20Hunter Abyssal Hunter]] flavor text''', ''MagicTheGathering''.

There's something extremely disconcerting about a smile that doesn't have an ounce of happiness in it. It's downright scary when the smile is in anticipation of pain or death - yours, probably. Somehow, the thought of being attacked by someone who's clearly enjoying it is more terrifying than a faceless assailant, or even by someone who's dark and brooding. Needless to say, the Slasher Smile does not inspire confidence in anyone who sees it.

The Slasher Smile is the evil sibling of the CheshireCatGrin. In general, the difference is in the eyes of the character. If the eyes sparkle, or are mischievously wicked, it's a Cheshire Cat Grin. If, however, the eyes are clearly crazy or malevolent, it's a Slasher Smile. If the grinning person is [[KnifeNut holding a knife]] or [[AxCrazy an axe]], it's ''definitely'' a Slasher Smile.

While the CheshireCatGrin is a staple of the {{Trickster}}, generally one of the good guys, the SlasherSmile is the staple of the AxCrazy, unless said hero is a particularly dark or vicious AntiHero. Only expect to see a "nice" hero with a SlasherSmile if they've been possessed or suffered a major FreakOut or if they have been taken over by their SuperPoweredEvilSide. Also, a devious [[TheChessmaster Chessmaster]] or MagnificentBastard is unlikely to look like this - it's too obviously evil. They prefer the PsychoticSmirk. The Slasher Smile is the premise of TheDragon or the antagonistic MadScientist. Killers who are insane as well as evil quite like to use this as well. It isn't exactly the hallmark of a well-balanced, rational mind. Creatures who physically devour their victims ({{vampire}}s, etc.) also tend to use this... in their case, it means "Hello, lunch!"

Some characters with a Slasher Smile wear the grin all the time -- [[FrozenFace in fact, it's physically impossible for them to move their face out of it.]] This has the added worry of meaning that you can never tell what they're thinking, because their face betrays no expression beyond the smile.

May be part of the fear behind the MonsterClown.

Contrast DissonantSerenity for a calm mood which isn't the slightest bit more reassuring. When the smile is merely creepy, it's TheUnSmile.
----
!!Examples

[[foldercontrol]]

[[folder: Anime and Manga ]]

*''KatekyoHitmanReborn'': Birds. And Mukuro as well. Hooo Boooy...
** A few members of Tsuna's harem do this sometimes too, namely Gokudera, and Hibari.
** Xanxus too, his smile is ''terrifying''.
** No one mentioned Bel [[spoiler: and his twin]]? Who also adds CheshireCatGrin and [[GigglingVillain evil giggles]] to the mix.
* Xellos from ''TheSlayers'' has this in spades. It's less common to see him not smiling than to see him with a smile(or a convenient PsychoticSmirk) on his lips, but if he's smiling ''and'' his eyes are open, you're in serious trouble. Especially exemplified as he's sadistically torturing Valgaav in TRY and a highly amused smile never leaves Xellos' face, backed up by a truly psychotic giggle.
*[[SuperPoweredEvilSide Hollow Ichigo]] from ''{{Bleach}}'' has a constant psychotic grin when he takes over.
** Also from ''{{Bleach}}'', [[BloodKnight Kenpachi Zaraki]] wears one when he's really enjoying a fight.
*** Not to mention Ikkaku. In fact, I'd go so far as to say that even if they haven't been shown doing it, it's a fairly safe bet that any member of the Eleventh division is going to be prone to these.
** As well as [[PsychoForHire Grimmjow Jeagerjaques]].
** Gin Ichimaru always seems to have one of these plastered over his face at all times.
*** Though it may be fake. He's very much aware of the effect he has on people and intentionally plays it up for his own amusement.
** And let us not forget [[MadScientist Mayuri Kurotsuchi]]...
** How come no one's mentioned [[PsychoForHire Nnoitra]] [[BloodKnight Jiruga]] yet?
*** Subverted, the guy only smiles when he is enjoying the fight. When he's losing, that doesn't exactly register and when he grins, its really to hide the fact that he is getting on edge because he's losing.
* AntiHero example: Revy from ''BlackLagoon'' frequently gets this kind of grin when she's busy gunning down bad guys in one of the show's shootouts, in particular the first major shootout at the Yellow Flag against the Extra Order mercenaries in the first episode.
** In the manga arc ''El Baile De La Muerte'', Roberta, as her sanity continues to spiral downward into {{Ax Crazy}}ville, starts sporting these. And so came the time when she snapped one of Shenhua's throwing knives, WITH HER TEETH, while wearing THE SlasherSmile. BadAss.
** CreepyTwins Hansel and Greta takes this trope to a ridiculous level. Think vampires.
**Balalaika's a kid in a candy store during the "Fujiyama Gangster Paradise" Arc. She's ordering hits, snapping necks, and [[spoiler: holding a gun to Rock's head]] with that ''huge'' grin.
** Even ''[[NonActionGuy Rock]]'' get ones when he proposes something that just... ''incomprehensible'' by most villain standards (like asking mercy for their victims). Justified since he stated that he asked for it because ''[[ChaoticGood he likes it]]'', just like the bad dudes loves to blow themselves up.
* Touma of ToAruMajutsuNoIndex, episode nine. So very creepy and so very ''very'' [[CrowningMomentofAwesomeAnime awesome]].
** And [[InvokedTrope intentional]]. Considering he's not even an antihero, the psychological warfare aspect is neat.
**Accelerator is always seen with a evil smile when he is enjoying a good fight or a massacre, maybe because his awesome powers makes many times the fights boring, for example when an entire army tried to beat him,[[spoiler: when the Misaka sisters tried to fight him and one the most boring "fights" he had was when Mikoto Misaka tried to attack him, he really looked bored]].
*Agito of {{Air Gear}}. He has this whole shark fang thing going on.
* Osaka's attempt to "wake up" Yukari in ''AzumangaDaioh'' fell into this from a different angle. Osaka always looks a bit blank, and she was half-asleep when she tried it... which just resulted in her standing in the doorway with a blank, empty smile and a large knife. She had no violent intentions, but she sure as hell [[http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=37mPoKQijj8 looked like]] someone was gonna get stabbed.
** Probably ''her''. Earlier in the episode she expressed a lifelong dream of waking someone by banging a ladle on a pan next to their ear. The only thing keeping Osaka from cutting off her own hand was Yukari woke up when Osaka opened the door.
** A slightly more trope-y Slasher Smile (more of a Slasher Smirk) is [[http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QyPLkjD3-SI&feature=related here]], at about 0:40.
* Dilandau from ''VisionOfEscaflowne'' has every kind of slasher expression in the book.
* Lucy from ''ElfenLied'', especially in the manga, seems to only smile whenever she is about to brutally kill somebody.
** Then there's Bandou, the [[KidsAreCruel cruel kids]] from Lucy's childhood as they torment her and kill her puppy, and Mariko.
* Kuroudo Akabane from ''{{Getbackers}}'''s happy face.
** Ban pulls one as well, specifically just before he fights Fudou.
** Even [[spoiler:Kazuki]] gets to pull this in the manga, both while [[spoiler:BrainwashedAndCrazy]] and under the influence of [[spoiler:his SuperpoweredEvilSide.]]
* Legato Bluesummers from ''{{Trigun}}'' has probably the most nonchalant SlasherSmile ever.
** His boss, Millions Knives, has quite a few of his own.
* ''HigurashiNoNakuKoroNi''. Pretty much ''everyone'' has them by the dozens. [[spoiler:The ''real'' culprit, though, has a perpetually blank appearance, which is even creepier in contrast.]]
*Alucard from {{Hellsing}} is almost ALWAYS doing this. When he isn't, it's either a [[PsychoticSmirk Psychotic Smirk]] or the rarely-seen slasher ''[[http://manga.bleachexile.com/hellsing-chapter-66-page-7.html frown]].'' Anderson does it a lot, too.
* Asuka cracks a lovely example of this smile when fighting the Mass Production [=EVAs=] in ''[[NeonGenesisEvangelion End of Evangelion]]''.
** And the EVA Series [[NightmareFuelUnleaded gives it right back]].
** Some people regard [[CreepyChild Rei]]'s rare smiles this way as well.
**One word: [[http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=c3xgcvhR9bo Mari]](starts at 2:44).
* Compared to some other examples on this page, Akito from ''FruitsBasket'' tends to be a little understated. Still, his clear enjoyment when emotionally torturing the other members of the Zodiac warrant his inclusion, or when tormenting Tohru.
** For that matter, Hatsuharu (or rather, [[SplitPersonality Black Haru]]) has some pretty disturbing smiles, that are nonetheless better than the alternative (in the vein of "I'm going to ''love'' kicking your ass" is better than "I'm going to kill you").
* In ''{{Full Metal Alchemist}}'' anime, Gluttony adopts a slasher smile with the addition of a lolling tongue after [[spoiler:Dante destroys his vestiges of humanity.]]
** In the manga, both Kimblee and Envy are serial slasher smilers. It's almost a fixed feature of the latter's true form.
** Don't forget Barry the Chopper.
* When Guts, the AntiHero from ''{{Berserk}}'', smiles, it is usually one of these. This should be your signal to run, as he's usually in a blood-spilling mood when he's got that grin.
* Frequently sported by Viral from ''TengenToppaGurrenLagann''.
** Which is fitting, given that [[PettingZooPeople he's part shark.]]
* ''DeathNote'': [[spoiler: As L dies,]] before he [[spoiler:closes his eyes]] he sees Light looking at him with one of these. [[spoiler:Higuichi, too,]] after getting the Shinigami Eyes. One look at that creepy face and death will follow, without the Death Note.
** Light again, during the finale (at least in the manga), sports one so big he gets cross-eyed.
** Mikami Teru, one of the most psychotic of the Kiras, also sports one of these on occasion.
** The Death God Ryuk also has one permanently etched to his face, along with MoreTeethThanTheOsmondFamily. Light showed what a badass he is when he only was seriously freaked out for a few seconds, when Ryuk spontaneously appeared in his bedroom.
* In ''{{Naruto}}'', Gaara displays [[http://images2.wikia.nocookie.net/naruto/images/9/9c/Armor_of_Sand.jpg a particularly frightening one of these]] during his fight with Rock Lee during the Chuunin Exams, after Lee knocks off the sand armor covering his face. This troper backed away from the TV screen when he first saw it.
** Then during particularly grueling battles Naruto (or rather the Kyuubi displays this, most notably when Sasuke talks to the Kyuubi in Naruto's mind), as well as Hidan, Deidara, Orochimaru, and Sasuke.
* ''[=~D.Gray-Man~=]'''s Tyki Mikk will do this sometimes. This is a sign that he's [[BeatStillMyHeart about to pluck out your heart]]. The [[BigBad Millennium Earl]] is a cross between this, a StepfordSmiler, and a MonsterClown with his perpetual huge, cheery, and absolutely ''[[HighOctaneNightmareFuel horrific]]'' grin. In fact, every single member of the Noah family seems to do this occasionally.
** And the when the Earl is pissed off, the preexisting SlasherSmile goes [[BeyondTheImpossible so far off the deep end]] that [[HighOctaneNightmareFuel hiding under the bed begins to seem like a very attractive option]]. [[http://www.onemanga.com/D.Gray-Man/134/12/ Meep?]]
* PerpetualFrowner [[EvilCounterpart Vicious]] from ''CowboyBebop'' rarely smiles. This only makes it spookier when he flashes a particularly chilling slasher smile right as he's picking up the AntiHero lead ''[[NeckLift by the neck]]'' and ''throwing him through a stained glass cathedral window''.
* Nobody's mentioned Lil' Slugger from ''ParanoiaAgent''??
* Joshua Christopher of ''ChronoCrusade'' has a tendency to smile like this, thanks to the demon's horns on his head driving him insane.
* [[http://tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/DrossSlasherSmile.jpg Drosselmeyer's smile]] in ''PrincessTutu'' would almost seem like a CheshireCatGrin if it wasn't for the fact that he's [[WithGreatPowerComesGreatInsanity stark raving mad]] and takes pleasure out of people's suffering.
* Iwao Washizu from ''{{Akagi}}''. The smile gets wider and wider the more time he's on screen.
* The [[QuirkyMinibossSquad Numbers]] [[HollywoodCyborg Cyborg]] Due from ''MagicalGirlLyricalNanoha'' whenever she goes for the kill, which is almost every scene she's in.
* Warsman, from Kinnikuman, is a cyborg. Predictably, he normally can't smile... unless he's in his batshit psychotic personality, in which case he sports the [[DoesExactlyWhatItSaysOnTheTin Warsman Smile.]] He did use it once, while normal, to catch an arrow in his mouth, though.
* With ''{{Getter Robo}}'', it'd be easier to list the characters who ''don't'' have one of these plastered on their faces most of the time. Ryoma in particular seems to have this as his natural expression.
** You could say that about many of Go Nagai's works...
* [[AxisPowersHetalia Russia]] when he's not being a StepfordSmiler.
* Even a nice guy like Monkey D. Luffy of ''OnePiece'' gets one of these, in the 8th opening for the show after landing on a marine ship.
** Zoro does this often too, which is suitable for a character who is often accused of being insane.
* [[VinlandSaga Thorfinn]], when he does smile. Thorkell's is more of a Slasher Grin, with a big thumbs up thrown in there.
* Being possibly the [[AxCrazy craziest]] [[PsychoForHire bastard]] in the series, ''{{Baccano}}!'s'' Claire Stanfield has an entire [[http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v44/Dragynstorm/Baccano15/Baccano15_129.jpg warehouse]] [[http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v44/Dragynstorm/Baccano15/Baccano15_122.jpg full]] [[http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v102/Ensuing/Baccano9/Baccano_16.jpg of]] [[http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v102/Ensuing/Baccano9/Baccano_37.jpg psychotic]], [[http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v102/Ensuing/Baccano9/Baccano_28.jpg blood-soaked]] [[http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v102/Ensuing/Baccano_54-1.jpg grins]] [[http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v102/Ensuing/Baccano12/Baccano_50.jpg and]] [[http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v44/Dragynstorm/Baccano16/Baccano16_88.jpg smirks]] to put to use. Not to say that [[http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v102/Ensuing/Baccano_39.jpg Ladd]], [[http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v102/Ensuing/Baccano10/Baccano_4.jpg Czeslaw]], and [[http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v102/Ensuing/Baccano14_26.jpg Graham]] don't get their fair share.
* Kurogane from ''[[TsubasaChronicle Tsubasa Reservoir Chronicles]]'' often does this.
* Michiko from ''MichikoToHatchin'' sports one right before she breaks through a police roadblock.
* In SoulEater, Maka gets one of these when she [[spoiler: goes completely nuts while fighting Chrona]].
** Not to mention Medusa, whenever she makes one of her crazy faces.
** Stein on several occasions, but particularly when he goes nuts while fighting Medusa.
* The various [[BloodKnight Blood Knights]] in ''{{Samurai Deeper Kyo}}'' often have this in their faces while really enjoying a fight. Top dog Onime no Kyo combines it with RedEyesTakeWarning ''and'' the GlowingEyesOfDoom to create a visage unparalleled in its ominousness.
* Gyororo from {{Keroro Gunsou}}
* MahouSenseiNegima has [[PsychoLesbian Tsukuyomi]] doing one of these when she fights Setsuna.
* Two [[PersonOfMassDestruction teens of mass destruction]] of ''OutCode'' lapse into this when their real personalities are exposed (PsychoForHire and [[ManipulativeBastard Manipulative Bitch]], respectively). Interestingly, both of these characters were [[IllGirl frail-looking girls]]. The MadScientist who gave them their powers seems to owe his look to [[SailorMoon Dr. Tomoe]].
* [[MajinTanteiNougamiNeuro Neuro]] has a psychotic grin most of the time, and ''then'' he reverts to a parrot-headed-CosmicHorror. There's also the twisted, insane looks of the criminals as they confess.
* Grelle Sutcliffe the Shinigami from [[BlackButler Kuroshitsuji]] has one of these. Made even better and creepier by the fact he had just finished murdering someone a few seconds ago and covered from head to toe in blood. Too bad it isn't really seen again after this, because he's too busy being a goofball, playing with safety scissors. I'm not joking.
*[[SuperOCD Chiri]] gets one completely out of the blue at the end of an episode of ''SayonaraZetsubouSensei''. Its utterly random appearance combined with its [[MoreTeethThanTheOsmondFamily large number of teeth]] made it HighOctaneNightmareFuel in its purest form.
* ''{{Yu-Gi-Oh}}'' - [[http://www.mangafox.com/manga/yu_gi_oh/v01/c001/47.html This]].
** Yami Malik's constantly sporting a SlasherSmile.
* As a NeatFreak, Ryuuji from {{Toradora}} gets one whenever he ''cleans''. As in, dirt and dust and mold. Combined with his permanent death glare, he looks like he's rejoicing in the thought of committing genocide on entire societies of dust mites and mold colonies. There's a brief shot of one right in the opening theme.
* [[UminekoNoNakuKoroNi Beatrice, the Golden Witch]] has a rather good one, completely with [[FangsAreEvil not-so-]]CuteLittleFangs. It's a particularly common expression when she's trolling Battler.
* Gauron from ''FullMetalPanic'' usually cracks one of these whenever he's not wearing his PsychoticSmirk. [[MemeticMolester HE WANTS TO RAPE YOU!!!]]
* AngelDensetsu's Kitano. Combine this with FaceOfAThug and you get HighOctaneNightmareFuel.

[[/folder]]

[[folder: Comic Books ]]

* The Joker from ''Comicbook/{{Batman}}'' had this expression glued on his face. His "Joker Venom" induces the expression in those exposed to it.
** And, in ''TheDarkKnight'', the smile wasn't just glued on, it was ''carved into'' his face.
*** Actually, kind of subverted as, inspite of the [[GlasgowGrin Glasgow Smile]], The Joker rarely actually smiles in the movie.
**The literary example, ''The Man Who Laughs'' by Victor Hugo, which is commonly cited as inspiration for The Joker, involves a man whose face is horribly mutilated so that he cannot stop smiling and how his psyche is twisted by this. See the picture at the top of this page for just how disturbing-looking the effect is in the film version. In order to maintain the grin throughout the movie, actor Conrad Veidt had to get metal hooks in his mouth to pull back his cheeks.
***What's particularly sad about ''The Man Who Laughs'' is that the character in question, Gwynplaine, is actually a gentle and honorable man in spite of his NightmareFuel permanent grin.
**** In Frank Miller's ''All Star Batman'', the Dark Knight himself has one in both his costumed and civilian identity, especially when thinking about his young ward. {{Squick}}.
***** That [[DisContinuity Did Not Happen]].
* AntiHero example: The Midnighter, in ''TheAuthority''. He [[HeroicSociopath loves his job]] and he isn't afraid to show it in the scariest manner possible.
* Johnny of ''JohnnyTheHomicidalManiac'' would usually have one while torturing or killing victims. Mr. Eff and Psychodoughboy had permanent ones due to the fact that Johnny painted them onto their faces.
* [[JudgeDredd Judge Death]] does this all the time as well.
* In {{Spiderman}} Carnage's alter ego Cletus Kasady has one of these.
* WonderWoman villain Doctor Poison has a big creepy smile.
* George in A Game of You from the ''Sandman'' series.
* Evil Ernie. And maybe his button.

[[/folder]]

[[folder: Film ]]

* ''ANightmareBeforeChristmas'': Oogie Boogie constantly and Jack during his musical numbers sometimes.
**How did you forget about [[http://i643.photobucket.com/albums/uu159/Wibey/The%20Nightmare%20Before%20Christmas/Shock%20Lock%20Barrel/970406457a5625864977l.jpg Barrel?]]
* The Other Mother in ''{{Coraline}}'' does this, particularly towards the end of the movie.
* ''CorpseBride'' has Barkis Bittern use this constantly cause he's an evil bastard and some of the dead people when they go to the land of the living.
* While many horror films use this trope, the "Here's Johnny!" scene from ''The Shining'' merits a special mention.
** Yet again. Jack Nicholson uses this trope all the time, no matter what movie he's in.
** See also KubrickStare, which may or may not involve smiling depending on the film or the scene.
* The short horror film ''Smile'' revolves around body-snatching beings with hideous grinning faces. [[http://youtube.com/watch?v=OYk5SumcxQw It's well worth a watch.]]
* Jim Carrey has done this trope in ''Ace Ventura Pet Detective'', ''Lemony Snicket's ASeriesOfUnfortunateEvents'', and ''How The Grinch Stole Christmas'' to demonstrate how remarkable his rubberface really is when it comes to expressions.
* The ever lovable late comedian John Candy had this expression on his face in the film ''Uncle Buck'' during the scene where he comes to the bedroom of Tia's "boyfriend" Bug to rescue Tia by drilling a hole through the doorknob, he's also holding a drill and smoking a cigar. Although generally throughout the movie Buck comes out as kind of kooky such as when he asks Tia "How would you like to spend the next several nights wondering if your crazy out of work bum uncle will shave your head while you sleep?" and where he's talking to Tia's boyfriend about burying the hatchet.
--> Bug: "Ever hear of a tuneup? Ah-hee-hee-hee-hee!"
--> Buck: "Ah-hee-hee-hee-hee! Ever hear of a ritual killing? Ah-hee-hee-hee-hee!"
--> Bug: "...I don't get it..."
--> Buck: "You gnaw on her face in public like that again and you'll be one. Ah-hee-hee-hee-hee!"
* In the Tony Jaa movie ''Tom Yum Goong'', or ''TheProtector'', one of the many opponents that Tony faces is a Capoeira fighter, who has just attacked a Buddhist temple full of innocent people, set the place ablaze, and then attacks Tony as soon as he arrives to help. What qualifies "Mr. Fake Eddie Gordo" for this trope is the fact that while he fights Tony, he laughs, taunts Tony, and openly toys with him using feints and false moves.
* [[RockyHorrorPictureShow Dr. Frank N Furter]] has one of these right before he [[spoiler:kills Eddie with a pick axe]].
* In ''[[TheAddamsFamily Addams Family Values]]'', circumstances force [[TheDaria Wednesday]] to.. construct.. a smile; the result is so horrific it drives other children to tears.
* ''Mr. Sardonicus'' took liberal inspiration from the above ''The Man Who Laughs'' with the [[http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2364/2186924247_5cb2d6583f.jpg?v=0 carved smile]], but the character was much less of a sweet guy than Gwynplaine. It was up to the audience to decide whether he was an AntiVillain or a CompleteMonster - this being a William Castle film, they were polled, and a different ending would be screened based on whether they thought he should be treated mercifully. They killed him every time, and the mercy ending is probably lost for eternity.
** ThisTroper suspects that Castle-- a good showman if not the greatest filmmaker-- made a good guess of his audience's psychology and never filmed the other ending. (In the sequence where he's telling the audience to vote he also makes a special point of bringing up Sardonicus' more horrible moments.)
* Donnie Darko, every single time he [[spoiler: sees his giant bunny-friend Frank.]] It's a little creepy, to say the least. No teeth in this one, though.

[[/folder]]

[[folder: Literature ]]

* A few Death Eaters display this, as does Snape on occasion and Voldemort of course in the ''HarryPotter'' series.
* {{Coraline}}: Done by the Other Mother, when she's not busy being a StepfordSmiler.
* Literary example: In Robin Jarvis' ''The Deptford Mice: The Dark Portal,'' a rat called Smiler had a Slasher Smile on his face all the time...because he'd been rude to his superior as a child, and said superior had [[FamilyUnfriendlyViolence cut off his lips]].
* Both Carcer and Mr. Teatime of Terry Pratchett's ''{{Discworld}}'' books are described as smiling like this ''all the time''. The drawing of Mr. Teatime in ''The Art of Discworld'' perfectly illustrates this. Marc Warren does a good job with this in the TV adaptation, too.
** At one point in ''Jingo'' the seriously pissed off Captain "Vimes's grin was as funny as the one that moves very fast towards drowning men. And has a fin on top."
* A rare heroic version: [[TheBigGuy Ivarian Borenson]], of TheRunelords fantasy novels, is known for his chilling laughter and grin as he fights, which makes him feared even amongst warriors who have far more endowments (strength, stamina, speed, and so on taken from other people) than him. Not so much out of a love for killing, but [[GenreSavvy because it works far better at frightening other people than a war cry,]] so he got himself into the habit of laughing instead.
* Lijah Cuu from the ''{{Warhammer 40000}}: [[GauntsGhosts Gaunt's Ghosts]]'' novels has one of these. In ''Straight Silver'', it is explicitly noted that "the most evil servants of Chaos would have killed to have a smile that lethal."
* The titular creature of Edward Gorey's ''[[http://www.geocities.com/dav485q/wugglies/wuggly1.html The Wuggly Ump]]''.
* Jack Vance's character Iucounu the "Laughing Magician" perpetually supports one of these providing a clue that his sense of humor is not exactly benevolent
** Perhaps inspired by the above, [[{{Dragaera}} Steven Brust's]] novel ''Five Hundred Years After'' has the court wizard as a minor character and he is similarly described as always smiling creepily and chuckling in a questionably sane manner.
* [[TheNameOfTheWind Cinder of the Chandrian]], an EvilAlbino, has a smile that is described as "the expression a nightmare wore."
* The huge, catlike Kzinti of LarryNiven's Known Space universe instinctively show their teeth when they feel a certain way. That way is ''not'' happy.
* From AliceInWonderland:
-->"How cheerfully he seems to grin!
--> How neatly spread his claws
--> And welcomes little fishes in
--> with gently smiling jaws!"
*Mr. Grin from the ''Alex Rider'' book ''Stormbreaker''.
* Jaime Lannister of ASongOfIceAndFire recalls in his youth facing a particularly brutal and psychotic fighter known as 'The Smiling Knight'. 3 guesses why he is named that. Luckily even a slasher smile is no match for Ser Arthur 'The Sword in the Morning' Dayne and his [[ThunderboltIron greatsword Dawn]].
* The Hellebore family from the TadWilliams book ''The War of the Flowers'' liked these. Anton Hellebore was described as having a smile like someone who'd learned it from a book, Lord Hellebore one with absolutely no good feelings in it, and the Terrible Child had one like someone pulling up the corners of a corpse's mouth.
*Creepy caretaker Heimertz from the ''Edgar and Ellen'' series has a constant slasher smile. During the Tv adaptation it is shown that he has had this smile [[NightmareFuel since he was a child]].
* Skarp-Hedin Njalson in ''Njal's Saga'' demonstrates that this one is OlderThanPrint. "And he grinned." is a common phrase in the story that implies that something really bad is about to go down.
* Randall Flagg/The Dark Man, is described as having a grin of such good cheer and jolliness which comes across however as so unsettling the human mind seems to block it out.

[[/folder]]

[[folder: Live Action TV ]]

* ''{{Oz}}'': Displayed among the CompleteMonster characters like Shillinger, Adebisi, the Aryans, Timmy Kirk, Claire Howell, etc. ManipulativeBastard Chris Keller and Ryan have done this too. Even Beecher, when he was crazy in Season 2.
* An episode of ''XenaWarriorPrincess'' flashes back to the point in her past where Xena went from ruthless but otherwise sane and rational warlord to utterly psychotic rampager; she has one of these grins on her face when she snaps a Roman soldier's neck, but it's her ''eyes'' that are the most disturbing.
* The Gentlemen of the ''[[BuffyTheVampireSlayer Buffy]]'' episode "Hush" wear Slasher Smiles for the entirety of their appearance. And they never talk, despite gesturing at each other ''as if'' they were talking. The entire effect is [[NightmareFuel ridiculously creepy]].
* A particularly lame episode of StarTrekTheNextGeneration has Data practicing his dance moves on the Holodeck while wearing an [[NightmareFuel extremely disturbing]], frozen rictus-like smile.
* An interesting example is the Enzyte Commercials, where Smilin' Bob has one of the most unnatural smiles ever seen in an advertisement. It's not MEANT to be a SlasherSmile, but still... BRRR!
* Scorpius of ''{{Farscape}}'' fame is infamous for wearing slasher smiles during his [[CrowningMomentOfAwesome Crowning Moments Of Awesome]]- accompanied by his black gums and needle-sharp teeth.
* Not uncommon on ''TheLeagueOfGentlemen'', it being the HighOctaneNightmareFuel filling station that it is. Most notably used by [[MonsterClown Papa Lazarou]] (who combines a nasty, clownish grin with yellow teeth) and [[TheButcher Hilary Briss]] (whose smile [[TechnicallyASmile really does not reach his eyes]]).
* In the British TV series 'Jekyll' the main character's Hyde persona is equipped with a frightening SlasherSmile. It was slightly surprising that James Nesbitt could pull off something like [[http://spacepug.files.wordpress.com/2007/10/jekyll.jpg this.]]
* [[BuffyTheVampireSlayer Angelus, Spike, Warren, if I'm forgetting anyone, just insert it here.]]
* TheBigBangTheory's Sheldon has a particularly [[TheUnSmile disturbing smile]] that prompts his friends to say they're there to congratulate their friend, not kill {{Batman}}.

[[/folder]]

[[folder: Music ]]

* MichaelJackson turns to the camera with cat eyes and a creepy smile at the end of his Thriller music video.
* One of the detective's [[spoiler: other selves]] in the music video for {{Blind Guardian}}'s "Another Stranger Me." The band's singer also has a Slasher Smile at one point.
** The MonsterClown's in BlindGuardian's "Mr. Sandman".
* "The Guy," the {{mascot}} of the metal band {{Disturbed}}, is always depicted with this (''[[FrozenFace always]]''.)
* Danny Elfman practically made a living doing this in the 70's and 80's. There's hardly any Oingo Boingo music video (or film, for that matter) in which he doesn't spend a few seconds scaring the living crap out of the audience. Overly obnoxious talk show hosts occasionally got the silent treatment from him, combined with a trademark psychotic grin.
* And then there's...well, everyone but the band in the video for Soundgarden's Black Hole Sun. [[NightmareFuel Brr]].
* Does [[AphexTwin Richard D. James]] count?

[[/folder]]

[[folder: Toys ]]

* The Piraka of ''{{Bionicle}}'' all have giant Slasher Smiles plastered on their faces.

[[/folder]]

[[folder: Video Games ]]

* Slightly subverted in ''[[AmericanMcGeesAlice American McGee's Alice]]'': The Cheshire Cat had this expression (it's significantly scarier than the CheshireCatGrin his other incarnations wore), but he was one of the few allies the player has in the game, and he never attacks Alice. Still, when he appeared and disappeared grin-first, followed by his crazy eyes, it was prime NightmareFuel. It was never quite clear whether he was as mad as a box of frogs, or frighteningly sane.
** Considering the game takes the idea about Wonderland as a construct of Alice's mind to it's conclusion by making Alice [[AxCrazy batshit insane herself]] either possibility ends in NightmareFuel
* Kurow Kirishima of RivalSchools has pretty much perfected this trope.
* In the opening of ''SuikodenII'', Luca Blight has one of the most frighteningly evil {{Slasher Smile}}s imaginable, bordering on NightmareFuel (a look that he keeps consistent throughout the game) and isn't just holding an axe or a knife, he's holding a decapitated head.
* Normally, Akuma in ''StreetFighter'' is a PerpetualFrowner. On the occasions he becomes Shin Akuma, however, his face twists into a horrific grin.
* Magaki in ''TheKingOfFighters XI'' has a terrible smile frozen on his face the entire time you fight him.
* Two bosses in ''WarioLand 4'', Cractus and Spoiled Rotten, twist their faces into grotesque, rabid grins after they've been hit several times. The freakiness is magnified by the fact that their heads alone take up more of the screen than Wario does.
*Two characters in ''{{Drakengard}}'' display the SlasherSmile: Caim, the dark and vicious AntiHero, and Arioch, the AxCrazy ActionGirl.
**Caim's SlasherSmile is more noticeable in [[http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aWIAbF-Gr0o the sequel.]]
* Kefka, from ''FinalFantasyVI'', has a sprite with NoMouth much of the time, but you ''just know'' he's sporting one of these.
** Dissidia tells us that he definitely is. Complete with [[DarkKnightTrilogy Heath Ledger-style Joker makeup]].
** Sephiroth from FFVII is in love with this Trope
*** Technically, Sephiroth doesn't Slasher Smile at all, he just gives cold eyes.
* Jackle in ''{{NiGHTS into Dreams}}'' is constantly wearing one plastered over his otherwise invisible face. You kind of get the picture that he's absolutely insane, because just adding that evil cackle... *shudder*
* Sweet Tooth of ''TwistedMetal'', and in fact most {{MonsterClown}}s.
** Calypso from the same series might apply if you count most of the endings for ''TwistedMetal 2''.
* [[spoiler: Kotonoha]], in the one of the bad endings of ''SchoolDays''. [[spoiler: The one where she kills Sekai, more specifically]]
* Gilgamesh of ''[[FateStayNight Fate/Stay Night]]'' shows off a particularly disturbing one of these after [[spoiler: making the Holy Grail manifest in the U.B.W. story route]]. For a 'yippee, destruction and fire!' variant, watch the activation of his best Noble Phantasm, or get an eyeful of [[http://img40.imageshack.us/img40/2207/491i.jpg this image]].
* [[MeltyBlood Katto katto katto]] [[http://mypacekame.fc2web.com/mb/warakia.jpg katto KATTO]] [[http://anigiga.net/g4/data/file/etc_gallery/1994073914_c96c71c2_F2D8EAC5D3C9%2BEAC5FDEF%2BWarakiaA3AFTatari%2B01.jpg KATTO KATTO KATTO KATTOOO!!!]]
* Memorably done in ''TheLegendOfZelda: Twilight Princess'', by Midna in a flashback sequence. In fairness, she was a bit of a bitch at the time, but grew out of it with some CharacterDevelopment.
* Baraka from ''MortalKombat'' perpetually has a deranged, fanged SlasherSmile that distorts his entire face. This, along with his [[GlowingEyesOfDoom glowing]] cat-eyes, can be a bit [[NightmareFuel distracting]] to some players.
* The Happy Mask Salesman of ''TheLegendOfZelda: [[NightmareFuel Majora's Mask]]'' almost always combines this with EyesAlwaysShut. When he ''stops'' smiling and his eyes open, he shows his other expression: unimaginable rage.
* Emil of ''TalesOfSymphonia'' gets one of these during his [[http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=X6TBySMxhhI Devil's Hellfire]] [[LimitBreak Mystic Arte]]. Made all the more disturbing since Emil (outside of [[SuperpoweredEvilSide Ratatosk mode]]) is normally a milquetoast to rival [[TheCharlieBrownAndSnoopyShow Charlie Brown]] himself.
* The little ghosts that appear mostly in [[GhostTown Pumpkin Hill]], and dotted around other stages in ''[[SonicTheHedgehog Sonic Adventure 2 Battle]]'' each have a rather creepy, fanged, smile.
* Karel of ''FireEmblem'' is an AntiHero with this. He's also something of an AxCrazy guy, considering he both constantly talks about loving to kill and he also [[spoiler:murdered his whole family so he could get a sword]]. By the way, he looks like this [[http://www.rpgfan.com/pics/fire-emblem-rnk/art-024.jpg]].
* Do the [[http://www.ufopaedia.org/index.php?title=Chrysalid Chrysalids]] from {{X-COM}} and the [[http://fear.wikia.com/wiki/File:POAssassin.jpg Replica assassins]] from [[{{FirstEncounterAssaultRecon}} FEAR]] count?
* AxCrazy [[spoiler:pre-HeelFaceTurn Maverick Zero]], as seen before the climax of ''MegaManX 4''. And fitting, since ''he's built for the sole purpose of destroying the world''.
* Larxene of KingdomHearts does this while the camera provides an extremely close-up shot of her lips in the scene where Sora first meets her in Chain of Memories. It's both creepy and [[PerverseSexualLust PSL]]-inducing.
* In ''{{Persona 3}}'', the [[spoiler:Thirteenth]] Shadow of the [[spoiler:Death]] Arcana ([[spoiler: [[TheGrimReaper Nyx Avatar]]]]) sports a mask which is nothing but a pair of hollows for eyes and an immense grinning mouth; this is in contrast to other Major Arcana Shadows, whose masks are either inhuman or emotionless.
** The real killer in Persona4, [[spoiler:Adachi]], sports one of these when chased into the TV world.
* Certain levels in {{WET}} has a random {{mook}} charging Rubi, who promptly shoots them. Blood sprays onto her face, which triggers rage mode and she wears a psychotically evil {{slasher smile}} throughout the level.
** She also flashes one when she uses her sword to {{groinattack: slice someone's wee wee off}}

[[/folder]]

[[folder: Web Comics ]]

* The Jägermonsters (clawed, fanged, monstrous {{Super Soldier}}s) from the webcomic ''GirlGenius'' have been known to do this - and most of them are on the ''good guys''' side.
** The titular heroine herself, though not a violent person, is also prone to sporting a scary grin when she's in the "madness place", ie. in the throes of a bout of mad SCIENCE! And when she does, the ''Jägermonsters'' stay the hell out of her way...
* Played for laughs in ''QuestionableContent'' when Dora puts her foot down on Faye being friendly to customers, and the best she can manage is scaring them off with what Dora calls a [[http://www.questionablecontent.net/view.php?comic=1215 "horrible rictus."]] The title of the strip is even "[[DarkKnightTrilogy Why So Serious?]]"
** Dora sports one of her own [[http://www.questionablecontent.net/view.php?comic=1323 here.]] The broadsword doesn't hurt, either.
* Jenny Curtiss uses this to convince her boss in [[http://techfox.comicgenesis.com/d/20020703.html this]] scene from [[http://techfox.comicgenesis.com/ 21st Century Fox]].
** The author even hangs a Shoutout Lampshade on it.
*** Which leads us to...
* Florence Ambrose from ''{{Freefall}}'' often [[http://freefall.purrsia.com/ff1500/fc01453.htm falls prey]] to [[http://freefall.purrsia.com/ff400/fv00354.htm this by accident]] when trying to be friendly, probably because she's a genetically engineered anthropomorphic wolf.
** She uses it [[http://freefall.purrsia.com/ff100/fv00098.htm deliberately]] to convince Sam to do what she wants him to.
* [[Series/NoRestForTheWicked No Rest for the Wicked]] has [[http://www.forthewicked.net/archive/03-46.html a classic instance]] from the quite-probably AxCrazy [[LittleRedRidingHood Red]].
* {{Psycho For Hire}} Belkar from ''{{Order Of The Stick}}'' sports one in [[http://www.giantitp.com/comics/oots0620.html this issue]], causing his {{Dangerously Genre Savvy}} party members to run for their lives.
** [[http://www.giantitp.com/comics/oots0611.html This issue]] as well.
* Joel of {{Concession}} sports a prime example [[http://concessioncomic.com/index.php?pid=20090317 here]].
* This is the default facial expression for [[http://www.wncomic.com/images/characters/lawler.jpg Lawler]], the PsychoForHire of ''WhiteNoise''.
* Freckle [=McMurray=] of ''[[LackadaisyCats Lackadaisy]]'' is a good, innocent, law-abiding Catholic boy... until he gets his little hands on a gun. The SlasherSmile is just the first sign that his inner AxCrazy is coming out.
* [[HeroicSociopath Ken]] from ''NoNeedForBushido'' has a memorable one going [[http://www.noneedforbushido.com/archive_comments.php?strip_id=358 in the last panel of this comic]]. It's worth noting that he also has one both in the strip before that one and two strips after. Those poor {{mooks}}...

[[/folder]]

[[folder: Web Original ]]

* Tez On Toast from ''{{KateModern}}'', for whom this expression may as well be a smile of recognition. Truly chilling.
* The Tails Doll Short, which can be found [[http://comickpro.deviantart.com/art/Tails-Doll-79228090?offset=50#comments here]]. You will never, EVER look at [[SonicTheHedgehog Tails]] the same way again.
* Red, the fox from Ruby Quest has a slasher smile which is of [[EldritchAbomination Eldritch Origin]]
* ThatGuyWithTheGlasses will tell you all about the SlasherSmile, in great detail. Just ask him.
** Yes.

[[/folder]]

[[folder: Western Animation ]]

* Fred in the CourageTheCowardlyDog episode "Freaky Fred".
* Many cartoon sharks grin at their victims as they sneak up from behind. For instance, the ''FindingNemo'' promotional posters featured a blood-crazed Bruce looming over Dory and Marlin.
** Possibly an example of TruthInTelevision, or, more accurately, Urban Legend In Television. In the past, some people believed that sharks grinned and winked as they moved in for the kill. In actual fact, sharks' jaws swing down and forward to allow them to bite, and a membrane moves to cover their eyes so that they don't get damaged in the assault. The look certainly gives the appearance of a scary grin, which may go some way to explain why sharks are such demonised predators. Mind you, it seems unlikely that anyone being attacked by a shark would care whether it looked like it was grinning or not.
**In a similar vein: [[MobyDick "I grin at thee, thou grinning whale."]]
* ''InvaderZim'' typically dons one of these before unleashing [[DoomyDoomsOfDoom doom]] on the PunyEarthlings, more-likely-than-not followed by an EvilLaugh.
* Ratigan of ''TheGreatMouseDetective'' sports a huge one after he's convinced he's [[NoHoldsBarredBeatdown mauled Basil to death.]]
* Gaston sports one at the start of his fight with the Beast in ''Beauty And The Beast''.
** And yet another after stabbing the Beast in the side.
* Chuck Jones' ''How The Grinch Stole Christmas!'' has the titular character grow one that takes up most of his face when he gets the "wonderful, ''awful'' idea!" to steal Christmas.
* Psycho, aka "Smiley," TheDragon from ''MaxSteel''.
* Mr. Crocker from TheFairlyOddParents is an expert in these kinds of smiles.
** Timmy's massive grin from near the end of "The Five Days of Flarg" is where one of the page quotes comes from, but the smile itself probably counts as a CheshireCatGrin.
*** That grin was made even funnier when it shatters. Literally. Complete with a sound of breaking glass.
* Duncan from TotalDramaIsland shows these from time to time. More so in the second season.
* Played with in the YuGiOhTheAbridgedSeries with Kaiba's normal-looking, yet still-disturbing smile. "Every time Kaiba smiles, a puppy dies."
** He does it [[spoiler:twice]] in the newly released Episode 42.
---> ''[[spoiler: [As Odion summons Mega-Ultra Chicken] ]]''\\
'''Kaiba[Grinning]:''' Oh god yes! ''["+ 100 Dead Puppies" is written on the bottom]''
* [[AvatarTheLastAirbender Azula]]'s iconic PsychoticSmirk gradually morphs into one of these over the course of the last few episodes of the series.
* During his mental breakdowns Ren of {{Ren and Stimpy}} would often sport one of these.
* '''''''Kim Possible''''''' herself,from ''{{Kim Possible}}'',sported one of these at the end of [[TheMovie her movie]]. [[spoiler: Right after she kicked [[EvilCounterpart Shego]] into a falling electrical tower,to what seems to be her death. However,she [[NoOneCouldSurviveThat survives,]]without any injuries.]]
** She also flashes one to Drakken before flattening him (and not for the first time) as well as to Jim and Tim when she thinks of the idea of soccer being a contact sport, when she thinks of paying homage to {{TheIncredibles: Dash}} in Queen Bebe, and maybe a few other instances. And she's the good guy.
* Spongebob Squarepants wins a prize. He waits for it at the mailbox for an impossibly long time. He finally gets it, and it turns out to be a toy. Patrick, his idiot starfish friend, "breaks" it. Spongebob just has a frozen smile on his face as he looks down at it. The smile stays on the entire following conversation:
-->'''SpongeBob & Patrick:''' It's beautiful. (Patrick touches it and its springs pop out)\\
'''Patrick:''' SpongeBob?\\
'''SpongeBob:''' I waited so long...\\
'''Patrick:''' SpongeBob?\\
'''SpongeBob:''' And you broke it...\\
'''Patrick:''' You okay, buddy?\\
'''SpongeBob:''' Yes, yes I'm okay.\\
'''Patrick:''' (sighs) For a sec, I...\\
'''SpongeBob:''' YOU! YOU RUINED MY FREE TOY!!! \\

* The Joker, in [[JusticeLeague all]] [[BatmanTheAnimatedSeries of]] [[BatmanBeyond his]] [[BatmanTheBraveAndTheBold appearances]]. His good guy counterpart gets one of these in Brave and the Bold, too.
* ''{{ReBoot}}'' 's Hexadecimal had many masks with different emotions, with which she expressed herself, but her SlasherSmile mask is arguably the most (in)famous of all. Scarcely an episode went by without her using it at least once, and she always insisted on sticking her face right up against the camera when she used it. ''[[NightmareFuel Brrr...]]''
** This troper can proudly say that Hexadecimal single-handedly helped her get over her childhood fear of masks.

[[/folder]]

[[folder: Real Life ]]

* Actor JackBlack can be seen doing this trope in a wide number of photos.
* The "literally smiling from ear to ear" disfigurement smile as evidenced by characters such as Kakihara in Ichi the Killer, Gwynplaine (of the aforementioned The Man Who Laughs), and ''TheDarkKnight'''s Joker is commonly referred to as a [[http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Glasgow_smile "Glasgow smile"]] and is not a terribly uncommon humiliation injury by gangs. The actor Tommy Flanaghan sports one of these courtesy of being jumped outside a pub in his younger days.
* Two words: JackNicholson.
** [[TheShining "Heeeeeeere's]] [[http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=D7JB68sLGY8&feature=related Johnny!"]] (that tends to happen when you play those roles.)
** ''With new Joker brand I get a grin again and again and again.''
* Cillian Murphy. When he smiles all the cherubic androgyny disappears, and only the creepiness remains. Something about the emptiness of the eyes contributes to the effect.
* LonChaney was a master of this both [[http://www.doctormacro1.info/Images/Chaney%20Sr.,%20Lon/Chaney%20Sr.,%20Lon%20%28London%20After%20Midnight%29_01.jpg in]] and [[http://eric.b.olsen.tripod.com/images/chaney1.jpg out]] of makeup.
* Malcolm [=McDowell=]
* Dennis Hopper
* This kind of smile may have a long history. This troper recalls learning that, among chimpanzees, smiling is a fear or aggression behavior. Maybe it was the same for our ancestors.

[[/folder]]
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<<|MadnessTropes|>>
<<|PerpetualExpression|>>
<<|SmileTropes|>>
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