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* ''Webcomic/CirqueRoyale'':
** Kingston's many tattoos cover his entire body (except his face, hands, and feet); he originally got them to [[TattooConcealsScars cover up the scars inflicted]] on him from the bombing he was in that killed both his parents. The ones near his right wrist of five elephants represent his family, and his back one is of the Mimopolis skyline, which is where he grew up; there's also one that's in memory of his pet rabbit. (The octopus is just because he thought it was cool). He also was in the FreakShow, and was called the Tattooed [[FantasticSlurs Harlequin]].
** Quinn has three stars near her c-section scar, representing her three children.
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** [[AllThereInTheManual According to Cal's concept art]], the partially-hidden tattoo on his chest is that of his pet dillypillar Socks, showing how close he was to her growing up.
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* In ''Film/BlackSwan,'' Lily has a tattoo on her shoulder blades that resemble wings, fitting the swan motif. Especially given Nina's recurring nervous rash on her back, it also marks Lily as her DarkerAndEdgier counterpart.
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* ''WebVideo/CriticalRole'':
** Mollymauk is ''covered'' in tattoos, having several large pieces across his arm, back, chest, and partially up his neck and face, mostly of flowers, animals, and mystic iconography. This makes sense for a vain, flashy AgentPeacock (ironically, one of his tattoos is of a large peacock) who, at the start of the campaign, makes his living as a circus performer and is very into things like tarot cards. [[spoiler:They're also his way of disguising the nine red eyes he discovered on his body after waking up with total amnesia two years prior, and help him feel like his body is really ''his.'']]
** Orym has a large sleeve tattoo of stylized clouds, with Exandria's two moons prominently shown on his shoulder. The clouds represent his connection to the Air Ashari, and the moons represent his relationship with [[spoiler:his late husband Will, with Will being the big moon and Orym the little moon]].
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** Naturally for the badass head of the military, Chief Rhett has army tattoos on his shoulders.

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Alphabetizing example(s), Crosswicking (Exocolonist), Fixing indentation


* Jr. of ''VideoGame/{{Xenosaga}}'' has the number 666 tattooed on the inside of his right hand to signify that he was [[spoiler:the 666th U.R.T.V. created]]. While it is implied, it is unknown if the others have similar tattoos.
* ''VideoGame/GearsOfWar'':
** Tai Kaliso has tribal patterns covering his face, arms and chest. He is the most relaxed and mild mannered character of the series, taking even horrible events in stride saying "Everything happens for a reason." He seems vaguely Samoan/Pacific Islander as well, he is one of the more spiritual characters.
** Dom can be seen with a tattoo of his wife on his arm as he is one of the few people who wear short sleeves, but in ''Gears 3'' everyone wears a stripped down armor and you see nearly everyone with military tattoos. As the games are heavily BandOfBrothers, it represents their united nature.
*** Dom also gets his tattoo reworked to depict his wife as an angel after [[spoiler:he had to MercyKill her]] along with growing a BeardOfSorrow, providing an example of "tattoo [[AccidentalPun marking]] character development."
* ''VideoGame/TattooAssassins'': As the title suggests, the assassins wear tattoos on their bodies. These are located on their bellies. One character, Lyla Blue, has tattoos on her back - the same tattoos that the assassins have!
* Zaeed Massani, introduced in ''VideoGame/MassEffect2'', has a tattoo on his neck, visible when he's first introduced. Its importance only becomes apparent during his loyalty mission.
** Subject Zero, a.k.a Jack, is unhinged [[WalkingWasteland super-biotic]] felon and required party member. An engineer on the ''Normandy'' notes that "the only thing she wears from the waist up is tattoos." {{Justified}}, as she was raised an tortured from infancy to become their biotic superweapon, and suffered permanent mental scarring once she escaped. Just like real-life victims of torture and abuse, Jack's tattoos are a way to both assert control over her own body and serve as a reminder of her own history and exploits that nobody can remove.



* Krystal of ''VideoGame/StarFoxAdventures'' has tribal tattoos wrapped around her upper arms and on each thigh. Despite being covered with fur ([[https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Freeze_brand freeze brands?]])



* ''VideoGame/GearsOfWar'':
** Tai Kaliso has tribal patterns covering his face, arms and chest. He is the most relaxed and mild mannered character of the series, taking even horrible events in stride saying "Everything happens for a reason." He seems vaguely Samoan/Pacific Islander as well, he is one of the more spiritual characters.
** Dom can be seen with a tattoo of his wife on his arm as he is one of the few people who wear short sleeves, but in ''Gears 3'' everyone wears a stripped down armor and you see nearly everyone with military tattoos. As the games are heavily BandOfBrothers, it represents their united nature.
*** Dom also gets his tattoo reworked to depict his wife as an angel after [[spoiler:he had to MercyKill her]] along with growing a BeardOfSorrow, providing an example of "tattoo [[AccidentalPun marking]] character development."
* ''VideoGame/GrandTheftAutoV'' has tattoos available for all three protagonists, reflecting their personalities and styles. Franklin has a selection of various gang related tattoos as well as tributes to family members and his dog, Chop. Michael has a selection of Celtic themed and Old School pin ups. Trevor, meanwhile, has a selection of janky looking joke tattoos such as a cat's butt around his bellybutton, and a "cut here" line on his throat. ''VideoGame/GrandTheftAutoOnline'' meanwhile lets the player customize their character with an absolutely dizzying array of different designs.
** Of the non-playable characters, Lamar is tattooed from wrist to neck, as is fitting for his gangsta lifestyle.



* ''VideoGame/{{Yakuza}}'' has these as it's about Yakuza themselves. For an example: Kiryu Kazuma has a tattoo of a dragon on his back, Akira Nishikiyama has a tattoo of a koi fish, and Goro Majima has a hannya on his. All three tattoos have meaning to the story of the man: Kiryu is "the Dragon of Dojima" and is as strong and powerful as a dragon but as wise as one too; Nishikiyama's [[LegendaryCarp koi fish]] calls to mind the koi fish swimming up a waterfall to become a dragon as Nishikiyama fights to become as powerful as he can; Majima's tattoo of a hannya (a female demon in Noh theater) shows that he's dangerous but also tormented inside as he can and will kill people who gets on his bad side and puts up a dangerous fight but beneath he's deep thinking and morally conscious, using his "Mad Dog of of the Shimano Family" to deal with his harsh life as a Yakuza and the loss that comes with it.

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* ''VideoGame/{{Yakuza}}'' ''VideoGame/IWasATeenageExocolonist'':
** Rex and Nomi have the same tattoo design running across their noses, indicating their close bond.
** The tattoos around Vace's eyes add more to his badassery as a soldier.
* ''VideoGame/LikeADragon''
has these as it's about Yakuza themselves. For an example: Kiryu Kazuma has a tattoo of a dragon on his back, Akira Nishikiyama has a tattoo of a koi fish, and Goro Majima has a hannya on his. All three tattoos have meaning to the story of the man: Kiryu is "the Dragon of Dojima" and is as strong and powerful as a dragon but as wise as one too; Nishikiyama's [[LegendaryCarp koi fish]] calls to mind the koi fish swimming up a waterfall to become a dragon as Nishikiyama fights to become as powerful as he can; Majima's tattoo of a hannya (a female demon in Noh theater) shows that he's dangerous but also tormented inside as he can and will kill people who gets on his bad side and puts up a dangerous fight but beneath he's deep thinking and morally conscious, using his "Mad Dog of of the Shimano Family" to deal with his harsh life as a Yakuza and the loss that comes with it.it.
* ''VideoGame/MassEffect2'':
** Zaeed Massani has a tattoo on his neck, visible when he's first introduced. Its importance only becomes apparent during his loyalty mission.
** Subject Zero, a.k.a Jack, is unhinged [[WalkingWasteland super-biotic]] felon and required party member. An engineer on the ''Normandy'' notes that "the only thing she wears from the waist up is tattoos." {{Justified}}, as she was raised an tortured from infancy to become their biotic superweapon, and suffered permanent mental scarring once she escaped. Just like real-life victims of torture and abuse, Jack's tattoos are a way to both assert control over her own body and serve as a reminder of her own history and exploits that nobody can remove.



* ''VideoGame/GrandTheftAutoV'' has tattoos available for all three protagonists, reflecting their personalities and styles. Franklin has a selection of various gang related tattoos as well as tributes to family members and his dog, Chop. Michael has a selection of Celtic themed and Old School pin ups. Trevor, meanwhile, has a selection of janky looking joke tattoos such as a cat's butt around his bellybutton, and a "cut here" line on his throat. ''VideoGame/GrandTheftAutoOnline'' meanwhile lets the player customize their character with an absolutely dizzying array of different designs.
** Of the non-playable characters, Lamar is tattooed from wrist to neck, as is fitting for his gangsta lifestyle.

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* ''VideoGame/GrandTheftAutoV'' Krystal of ''VideoGame/StarFoxAdventures'' has tribal tattoos wrapped around her upper arms and on each thigh. Despite being covered with fur ([[https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Freeze_brand freeze brands?]])
* ''VideoGame/TattooAssassins'': As the title suggests, the assassins wear tattoos on their bodies. These are located on their bellies. One character, Lyla Blue,
has tattoos available for all three protagonists, reflecting their personalities and styles. Franklin has a selection of various gang related on her back - the same tattoos as well as tributes to family members and his dog, Chop. Michael that the assassins have!
* Jr. of ''VideoGame/{{Xenosaga}}''
has a selection of Celtic themed and Old School pin ups. Trevor, meanwhile, has a selection of janky looking joke tattoos such as a cat's butt around his bellybutton, and a "cut here" line on his throat. ''VideoGame/GrandTheftAutoOnline'' meanwhile lets the player customize their character with an absolutely dizzying array of different designs.
** Of the non-playable characters, Lamar is
number 666 tattooed from wrist to neck, as is fitting for on the inside of his gangsta lifestyle.right hand to signify that he was [[spoiler:the 666th U.R.T.V. created]]. While it is implied, it is unknown if the others have similar tattoos.
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* Evangeline Navarro from ''Series/TrueDetective''' is a state trooper working in Alaska, so her uniform hides most of her tattoos. However, her neck tattoo is visible when she is not in her parka. She also sports dimple piercings, which seem impractical in winter weather and likely forbidden in appearance regulations for law enforcement.
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* ''Manga/RoosterFighter'': Impressed by a Yakuza tattoo, Piyoko asks her owner to give her one, and he writes "Justice" on her, which she's proud of.
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* Grey of ''Literature/KnightsOfTheBorrowedDark'' has a phoenix tattooed across one shoulderblade. He's a formidable warrior wielding light-based powers, and a good deal of his arc revolves around [[spoiler:returning ([[BrokenAce partly]]) from a crossing of the DespairEventHorizon]].



* ''Series/Kingdom2007'': Lyle is sent to deal with an old man who might lose his house because he has failed to pay rent on it. Frustrated with Lyle prying into his life, the old man pulls up his sleeve to reveal a series of numbers, asking Lyle if he knows what it is. He is a holocaust survivor.

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* ''Series/Kingdom2007'': Lyle is sent to deal with an old man who might lose his house because he has failed to pay rent on it. Frustrated with Lyle prying into his life, the old man pulls up his sleeve to reveal a series of numbers, asking Lyle if he knows what it is. He is a holocaust Holocaust survivor.
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* Briar Moss in ''Literature/CircleOfMagic'' got caught stealing twice at ten years old and got two X's tattooed on his hands, but was freed by Niko on his third strike due to his [[GreenThumb plant magic.]] He was brought to Winding Circle and taught to control his magic, and a few years later, Briar covers his original tattoos with vines that react strangely to his magic and become {{Animated Tattoo}}s.
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* The Franchise/DCExtendedUniverse version of ComicBook/{{Aquaman}} shows him with extensive tattoos that resemble fish scales, showing a duel [Polynesian/Atlantean cultural heritage, while also [[MythologyGag referencing his traditional orange fish hide shirt]]. This was actually based on Creator/JasonMomoa's own tribal tattoo, his left forearm design was mirrored on his right and integrated into the overall design. In his solo film ''Film/{{Aquaman|2018}}'' a flashback with him as a teenager shows him with the left forearm tattoo before the rest of the design was done.

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* The Franchise/DCExtendedUniverse version of ComicBook/{{Aquaman}} shows him with extensive tattoos that resemble fish scales, showing a duel [Polynesian/Atlantean cultural heritage, while also [[MythologyGag referencing his traditional orange fish hide shirt]]. This was actually based on Creator/JasonMomoa's own tribal tattoo, his left forearm design was mirrored on his right and integrated into the overall design. In his solo film ''Film/{{Aquaman|2018}}'' a flashback with him as a teenager shows him with the left forearm tattoo before the rest of the design was done. His father (played by Creator/TemueraMorrison) has Maori ancestry, and in one scene is shown encouraging his son to get the rest of the tattoo finished.
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** ''VideoGame/FinalFantasyXIV'' has two kinds.
*** The first is the "legacy" tattoo. This is exclusive to characters (and their Legacy Chocobo) who migrated from 1.0 to ''A Realm Reborn'', and are survivors of the Seventh Umbral Calamity that ended the original game.
*** The second of which is the Archon Mark, a tattoo that marks alumni that have successfully pursued higher education in Old Sharlayan's Studium. It's akin to receiving a Doctorate's in your chosen field, and becoming an Archon allows access to the restricted archives within the Noumenon, the public archive.
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* ''ComicBook/RobinSeries'': A small tribal tattoo on Star's arm and another wrapping around her waist are used as a visual shorthand to indicate she's a rebel.

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* ''ComicBook/RobinSeries'': ''ComicBook/{{Robin|1993}}'': A small tribal tattoo on Star's arm and another wrapping around her waist are used as a visual shorthand to indicate she's a rebel.
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Fixed work links.


* ''VideoGame/GTA5'' has tattoos available for all three protagonists, reflecting their personalities and styles. Franklin has a selection of various gang related tattoos as well as tributes to family members and his dog, Chop. Michael has a selection of Celtic themed and Old School pin ups. Trevor, meanwhile, has a selection of janky looking joke tattoos such as a cat's butt around his bellybutton, and a "cut here" line on his throat. VideoGame/GTAOnline meanwhile lets the player customize their character with an absolutely dizzying array of different designs.
** of the non-playable characters, Lamar is tattooed from wrist to neck, as is fitting for his gangsta lifestyle.

to:

* ''VideoGame/GTA5'' ''VideoGame/GrandTheftAutoV'' has tattoos available for all three protagonists, reflecting their personalities and styles. Franklin has a selection of various gang related tattoos as well as tributes to family members and his dog, Chop. Michael has a selection of Celtic themed and Old School pin ups. Trevor, meanwhile, has a selection of janky looking joke tattoos such as a cat's butt around his bellybutton, and a "cut here" line on his throat. VideoGame/GTAOnline ''VideoGame/GrandTheftAutoOnline'' meanwhile lets the player customize their character with an absolutely dizzying array of different designs.
** of Of the non-playable characters, Lamar is tattooed from wrist to neck, as is fitting for his gangsta lifestyle.
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* The BigBad of ''Film/NightTeeth'' has a design resembling flames poking out from underneath his shirt.
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* ''Literature/MillenniumSeries'': Lizbeth Salander has all manner of markings to show her rough life before the books began, including the Dragon Tattoo from her series' first book title, a small wasp on the back of her neck (used to represent her idea of vengeance as well as where she gets her Hacker alias), thorns and a Date tattoo (from when her therapist/guardian raped her -- she argued with her girlfriend about it because said girlfriend thought it was a Suicide Note).

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* ''Literature/MillenniumSeries'': Lizbeth ''Literature/TheMillenniumTrilogy'': Lisbeth Salander has all manner of markings to show her rough life before the books began, including the Dragon Tattoo dragon tattoo from her series' first book title, a small wasp on the back of her neck (used to represent her idea of vengeance as well as where she gets her Hacker hacker alias), thorns and a Date date tattoo (from when her therapist/guardian guardian raped her -- she argued with her girlfriend about it because said girlfriend thought it was a Suicide Note).suicide note).
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added / tweaked details, linked to an episode


** Subverted in "Yahrzeit." Klaus Braun had what appeared to be a concentration camp tattoo, but it was really part of his elaborate hoax, pretending to be Jewish to escape prosecution after the war. Also played straight with a Neo-Nazi RedHerring. He looks rather sterotypical.
** Played straight with the Tanglewood Boys. They used an electric sander to remove their signature tat that a wannabe had presumed to have placed on his back.

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** Subverted Zig-zagged in "Yahrzeit."[[Recap/CSINYS05E22 Yahrzeit]]." Klaus Braun had what appeared to be a concentration camp tattoo, tattoo on his arm, but it was really part of his elaborate hoax, pretending to be Jewish to escape prosecution after the war. Also played straight with But, the ep also features a Neo-Nazi RedHerring. He looks rather sterotypical.
RedHerring who has "white power" in all caps across the front of his neck and a large swastika on the back of his shaved head.
** Played straight with the Tanglewood Boys. Boys gang who all have a large signature tat across their shoulders. They once used an electric sander to remove their signature tat one that a wannabe had presumed to have placed on his back.get done.
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* ''Film/PacificRim'': Dr. Newton Geizler has tattoos of various {{Kaiju}} as arm sleeves with dominant coverage, with WordOfGod stating he has more on his torso. This shows his deep love of the creatures, even though they've killed millions. [[BunnyEarsLawyer Naturally, he's also one of the world's leading kaiju biologists.]]

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* ''Film/PacificRim'': Dr. Newton Geizler has tattoos of various {{Kaiju}} as arm sleeves with dominant coverage, with WordOfGod stating he has more on his torso. [[TheXenophile This shows his deep love of the creatures, creatures]], even though they've killed millions. [[BunnyEarsLawyer Naturally, he's also one of the world's leading kaiju biologists.]]

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