History Main / DramaticHighPerching

* ''WesternAnimation/KungFuPanda''. The short Master Shifu makes sure to leap onto a suitably high rock when declaring "THEN I AM YOUR MASTER!", upon finally taking on the responsibility he'd been shirking to train Po.

Supernatural, magical, or just plain awesome beings know there's no better place to be effortlessly standing on than tall objects, be they pine trees, lampposts or the nearest available tall building. This is flying for people who cannot fly. Or even the ones who can.

* ''VideoGame/Splatoon2: Octo Expansion'': [[spoiler:Agent 3]] does this before their BossBattle, standing atop one of the beams supporting a massive elevator platform, before jumping down on to the platform with a GroundShatteringLanding and starting the fight. Likewise, the OptionalBoss [[spoiler:Inner Agent 3]] appears atop an Octarian UFO before leaping onto the battlefield in a similar fashion.

* Ciel from ''VisualNovel/{{Tsukihime}}'', above. Lampshaded and mocked frequently in the {{Oddly Named Sequel|2ElectricBoogaloo}}.

* The first ''Anime/GhostInTheShell'' movie opens with Kusanagi standing on top of a skyscraper while eavesdropping on the Net. Similar scenes in the various anime spin-offs are shown as a CallBack.

* ''LightNovel/{{Dokkoida}}'' villain Edelweiss attempted this in her first appearance, but a combination of her frilly dress and high winds caused it to backfire.

* ''Anime/GhostInTheShellStandAloneComplex''. Togusa has a conversation with Major Kusanagi on the roof of a skyscraper. The Major is standing on the wrong side of the safety rail at the very edge of the building, at one point casually turning to face Togusa and crossing her feet, as if to show off her NervesOfSteel and the perfect balance enabled by her cyborg body. The first ''Anime/GhostInTheShell'' movie opens with Kusanagi standing on top of a skyscraper while eavesdropping on the Net. Similar scenes in the various anime spin-offs are shown as a CallBack.

%%* James from ''Anime/{{Pokemon}}'' pulls this stunt when [[MakesJustAsMuchSenseInContext he think's he's a Moltres]]. (DontAsk.)

* A recurring trope in ''Manga/{{X1999}}'' in which almost every character gets to pose dramatically in an absurdly high place at one time or another. (Sorata even comments on this when he first meets Yuuto standing on the top of a rather tall tree.) They always seem to prefer leaping from telephone pole to telephone pole at perilously high speeds rather than take the public transportation, and they're also often seen [[RoofHopping leaping from building roof to building roof]], among other tall things; it's implied that this is a power that all of the Dragons share.

* ''VideoGame/Splatoon2: Octo Expansion'': [[spoiler:Agent 3]] does this before their BossBattle, standing atop one of the beams supporting a massive elevator platform, before jumping down on to the platform with a GroundShatteringLanding and starting the fight. Likewise, the BonusBoss [[spoiler:Inner Agent 3]] appears atop an Octarian UFO before leaping onto the battlefield in a similar fashion.

* In ''Film/{{The Avengers|2012}}'', when Captain America throws his shield at Thor and Iron Man to get them to stop fighting and catch their attention, he does so from the top of a tree trunk.

[[folder:Web Comics]]

* Occurs in ''[[Anime/{{Bakemonogatari}} Nisemonogatari]]'': Yozuru Kagenui is constantly standing atop some object or another. This includes sculptures, mailboxes, and even her humanoid familiar when nothing else is available. In fact, she refuses to stand on the ground at all. We eventually learn that the reason for this is because [[spoiler:she and her colleague are subject to a curse, though the details are not explained]]. This devotion to keeping the high ground is made all the more impressive when you consider she's doing it in heels.

* Amelia is introduced in ''LightNovel/{{Slayers}}'' doing this as she confronts a bandit. She explains to Gourry later that as an "ally of justice", she is expected to make this sort of entrance. The problem is that she's still working on the dismount; every time she does a dramatic jump down to begin the battle, she crashes. One of the ''Slayers'' movies takes this even further, with two characters climbing stone precipices to hurl verbal abuse at each other (at a distance of less than fifty feet).

* Not supernatural, but Sumire Kanou is overly fond of this in ''LightNovel/{{Toradora}}''. In fact, in a flashback in episode 16, where she's standing on a roof speaking to Kitamura, there's a ladder present, implying she made a point of climbing up before even speaking.

** And in both ''VisualNovel/FateStayNight'' and ''LightNovel/FateZero'', [[ItsAllAboutMe Gilgamesh]] makes his formal appearance in the war like this (the former on a wall, the latter on a lamppost), because even standing on the same ground as lesser heroes is an insult to him.

* Parodied in ''Manga/AyakashiTriangle'': Sosuke broods about getting revenge on Matsuri while standing on a telephone poll, [[FailedAttemptAtDrama but is interrupted]] by a police officer shouting at him to get down.

* ''Anime/GhostInTheShellStandAloneComplex''. Togusa has a conversation with Major Kusanagi on the roof of a skyscraper. The Major is standing on the wrong side of the safety rail at the very edge of the building, at one point casually turning to face Togusa and crossing her feet, as if to show off her NervesOfSteel and the perfect balance enabled by her cyborg body.
** The first ''Anime/GhostInTheShell'' movie opens with Kusanagi standing on top of a skyscraper while eavesdropping on the Net. Similar scenes in the various anime spin-offs are shown as a CallBack.

* Occurs constantly in ''Manga/{{Naruto}}'', related to the ninja's ability to channel [[KiManipulation chakra]] into their feet. Also used in the WalkOnWater combination with logs that balanced on the surface of a lake in a pivotal point during the climactic Naruto vs. Sasuke battle.
** Sasuke's first warning that his charming big bro Itachi has gone Ax Crazy is catching a glimpse of his blacked-out silhouette on a telephone pole, against a rising red moon, with only his crazy eyes visible. Shortly afterwards, Sasuke stumbles on the first of many, many bodies...

* Not supernatural, but Sumire Kanou is overly fond of this in '' LightNovel/{{Toradora}}.'' In fact, in a flashback in episode 16, where she's standing on a roof speaking to Kitamura, there's a ladder present, implying she made a point of climbing up before even speaking.
* Ciel from ''VisualNovel/{{Tsukihime}}'', above. Lampshaded and mocked frequently in the {{Oddly Named Sequel|2ElectricBoogaloo}}.
** Arcueid in the MassiveMultiplayerCrossover ''VideoGame/BattleMoonWars'' was immensely fond of this, at one point revealing that she hadn't shown herself until then because there wasn't a cool lamppost that she could stand upon when making her entrance.
** And in both ''VisualNovel/FateStayNight'' and ''LightNovel/FateZero'', [[ItsAllAboutMe Gilgamesh]] makes his formal appearance in the war like this (the former on a wall, the latter on a lamppost), because even standing on the same ground as lesser heroes is an insult to him.
** Assassin in ''VisualNovel/FateStayNight'' uses the stairs on Ryuudou Temple to give himself an advantage against other Servants attempting to enter.

* Waka in ''VideoGame/{{Okami}}'' does this all the time. ''[[http://www.emploom.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/01/Okami-waka.jpg Those shoes...]]''

* [[spoiler:Wesker]] in the extension of the good ending of ''VideoGame/ResidentEvilTheDarksideChronicles''.

[[folder:Webcomics]]

** One of the few times it's used purely for dramatic effect is during TheMovie, when [[spoiler: Gintoki returns to the past to eliminate himself to save the future.]]

* Occurs in ''[[Anime/{{Bakemonogatari}} Nisemonogatari]]'': Yozuru Kagenui is constantly standing atop some object or another. This includes sculptures, mailboxes, and even her humanoid familiar when nothing else is available. In fact, she refuses to stand on the ground at all. We eventually learn that the reason for this is because [[spoiler: she and her colleague are subject to a curse, though the details are not explained]]. This devotion to keeping the high ground is made all the more impressive when you consider she's doing it in heels.

* ComicBook/{{Spawn}} likes to stand [[http://www.oocities.org/vanrichen/spawnTAS/s1e6.jpg on the top of a church steeple]], and sometimes on top of the cross on top of the steeple (especially in the comic).

* A LampshadeHanging in ''Webcomic/{{Drowtales}}'' where [[MediumAwareness Kiel'ndia]] [[http://www.drowtales.com/mainarchive.php?sid=8852 uses this when making her dramatic entrance]], only to be asked how she got up there. Her response?

* Burk of ''Webcomic/HeroOhHero'' watches the [[spoiler:real]] bandits (who he's agreed to defeat) enter the town from a [[http://www.neorice.com/hoh_52 vantage point on a roof]].

[[WMG:[[center:[[AC:This trope is [[https://tvtropes.org/pmwiki/posts.php?discussion=1652479416056217600 under discussion]] in the Administrivia/TropeRepairShop.]]]]]]

* All gímik anime feature this at least once. In ''Anime/KiddyGrade'' there was Armbrust and his habit of smoking atop skyscrapers; ''Anime/UtaKata'' has Saya standing on clock towers, in trees, and on magic flying scythes; the closing sequence of ''Gigantic Formula'' features Mana standing on a spire; in ''Anime/KiddyGirlAnd'' it is Shade spending a week hanging around on a tower spying on dreams.

** Master Asia of ''[[Anime/MobileFighterGGundam G Gundam]]'' clearly one-upped almost everyone at this trope when he once performed it by standing on the tip of ''his own martial arts belt twisted into a pole shape'' while balancing on top of the wreckage of the HumongousMecha that he'd just defeated with nothing but said cloth and ''his bare hands''. He also tended to do it in the traditional manner, and at times even did so ''while in his Gundam'', despite the fact that its weight ''should'' have caused the collapse of what he was balancing on.
*** ''[[Anime/MobileFighterGGundam G Gundam]]'' being a SuperRobot series that runs on RuleOfCool, elite Gundam Fighters like Master Asia can simply tell the laws of physics to shut up and sit down.

** Norris Packard did this with his Gouf Custom on top of an already bombed out Vietnamese office block in ''Anime/MobileSuitGundamThe08thMSTeam'', to scare the protagonists and give him a psychological edge.

** Yoshiyuki Tomino also does this in ''Manga/GundamSousei''.

* Anju and Ren both do this in ''Manga/{{Karin}}''. Both are able to fly by various means but seem limited by the vampire creed to the RuleOfCool.

* Inumari does it on his first appearance in ''Manga/TheLawOfUeki''.
* In ''Anime/MagicalGirlLyricalNanoha'', Fate is standing on a telephone pole firing magic when Nanoha first sees her. Justified insofar as Fate has true flight.
** Later, Einhart of ''[=ViVid=]'' makes her first appearance standing on a street light as she challenges Nove to a fight.
** It's practically a RunningGag in ''Nanoha'' for every DarkMagicalGirl (the ones who can fly, anyways) to do this at least once.

** Sasuke's first warning that his charming big bro Itachi has gone Ax Crazy is catching a glimpse of him doing this in blacked-out silhouette on a telephone pole, against a rising red moon, with only his crazy eyes visible. Shortly afterwards, Sasuke stumbles on the first of many, many bodies...
* Evangeline of ''Manga/NegimaMagisterNegiMagi'' does this when trying to look scary. It usually works.

* Happens everytime when a new major character, mostly antagonists, appears in ''Webcomic/{{Noblesse}}''.
* All of the cloaked Dragon Knights from ''Anime/{{Noein}}'' do this, it's an aspect of their otherworldliness.
* "Twilight Suzuka" in ''Manga/OutlawStar'' does this several times, usually as she's about to enter battle.

* James from ''Anime/{{Pokemon}}'' pulls this stunt when [[MakesJustAsMuchSenseInContext he think's he's a Moltres]]. (DontAsk.)
* The villains from the various ''Anime/PrettyCure'' series do this often. In an [[AntiHero anti-heroic]] example, [[Anime/SuitePrettyCure Cure Muse]] is also introduced this way.
* Reiri the vampire girl is doing this on the steeple of a church in the opening of ''Manga/PrincessResurrection''.
* ''Manga/RanmaOneHalf'': Ranma and his father trained by sparring atop bamboo poles... and were CursedWithAwesome by falling off into the Cursed Springs of Jusenkyō. Ranma also frequently runs along fence railings. And Kodachi Kunō does this as part of her MartialArtsAndCrafts.

* Lucia from ''Manga/VenusVersusVirus'' does this quite often.

[[folder:Pro Wrestling]]
* Wrestling/TheUndertaker has done this on numerous occasions. Easily the coolest was during the first Undertaker/Kane feud in which {{Wrestling/Kane}}, [=Undertaker=]'s "[[UnrelatedBrothers brother]]", is starting to menace [[Characters/WWEDivas female wrestler]] {{Wrestling/Sable}}. The Undertaker appears on top of the Titantron, proceeds to cut a promo on Kane for their upcoming Wrestling/WrestleMania XIV match, and ends it by summoning a bolt of lightning, which summons a standing casket with an effigy of Kane within it that then bursts into flames.
* Similarly, Wrestling/{{Sting}}, who started doing mind games similar to The Undertaker during his "Crow" phase, could often be found looking down on the rest of Wrestling/{{WCW}} from the rafters.
* The "high flyer" style incorporates wrestlers perching on the top rope before jumping off onto their opponent. While the UrExample, at least outside of Mexico, is most likely Edouard Carpentier, the TropeCodifier is definitely [[Wrestling/JimmySnuka Jimmy "Superfly" Snuka]]. Wrestlers that fit this include Wrestling/ShawnMichaels, Wrestling/JeffHardy, Wrestling/TooColdScorpio, Wrestling/ReyMysterioJr, Wrestling/EvanBourne, Wrestling/AJStyles, Wrestling/JohnMorrison, Wrestling/LowKi, and Wrestling/RobVanDam.
* The more extreme form involves jumping from the top of a steel cage or ladder in the appropriate [[GimmickMatches gimmick match]]. Wrestling/RingOfHonor's scramble cage has platforms designed specifically for this.
* Wrestling/{{CMLL}} has at least two tournaments specifically for high flyers, Reyes del Aire for men of multiple weight classes and Pequeños Reyes del Aire, which is usually limited to those 1.52 meters or shorter, sometimes as high as 1.72 meters when they're being more generous.
* The recurring Volador [[TheGimmick gimmick]] seen on the Mexican wrestling circuit is a reference to an ancient dance performed by several pre Hispanic American groups that involved a man dancing on top of a pillar or pole while several other men dived off of it. It substitutes ring posts for the usual setup.
* Jack Evans gained {{memetic|badass}} status for leaping off some compressed bleachers and disarming Juventud Guerrera of a chair in midair...because he did it in an actual fight, not a [[AllPartOfTheShow part of an]] Wrestling/{{AAA}} match.
* ''Wrestling/DramaticDreamTeam'': Special mention goes to Wrestling/KotaIbushi and Wrestling/KennyOmega's synchronized 450 splashes from the same turnbuckle.
* Wrestling/{{Progress Wrestling}} Wrestling/WillOspreay, Mark Andrews, Flash Morgan Webster and El Ligero (before his Heel Turn) were the most notable high flyers in the company.
* The Magnificent Fireman Luther Black has been lowered into arenas by the aerial platform of a fire engine, and yes, he has dove off of it to at least one opponent too.
* Wrestling/ShaneMcMahon is famous for his willingness to ''jump off'' from a (very) high place, despite being the son of Wrestling/VinceMcMahon and not a regular in-ring performer. This ranges from a simple turnbuckle, to the top of the Titantron (the big-ass screen above the entrance ramp), to the top of Hell in a Cell[[note]]Mind you, the modern HIAC that Shane jumped off is ''several feet taller'' than the old HIAC, such as the one used during the (in)famous Mankind vs Undertaker match[[/note]]. He's considered the craziest badass of the [=McMahon=] family for a reason.
* In his prime, Wrestling/ElixSkipper was light on his feet and had a massive arsenal of high flying attacks. He could even do Wrestling/ChristopherDaniels' BME.
[[/folder]]

* In one episode of ''WesternAnimation/TeenTitans'', Robin also fights atop a bamboo grove against an anthropomorphic monkey while journeying up a mountain to meet a martial arts master. He later perches on top of the bad guy's staff (really his, which was stolen), and then leaps off, causing the staff to smack the bad guy.

* Used in a couple of Angel battles in ''Manga/AngelicLayer''.

* In ''Manga/CardcaptorSakura'', Syaoran and Meiling do this a lot.

* Chii from ''Manga/{{Chobits}}'' does it too, with some impressive DramaticWind.

* ''WebVideo/YuyuHakushoAbridged'' takes Hiei's tendency to perch on tree tops, and Kuwabara's strength building exercise of punching down trees to its logical conclusion. The two then bicker over who's behavior was more ridiculous (and thus was at fault).
* ''WebVideo/CodeMENT'' makes fun of this trope more than once.
-->'''Cornelia:''' This One character seems to be our most dangerous threat.\\
'''Lelouch:''' [[GilliganCut HOW DID I GET UP HERE?!]]

[[folder:Web Comics]]

* [[OurAngelsAreDifferent Angels]] in ''Webcomic/{{Misfile}}'' are fond of watching folks from rooftops… when they aren't [[{{Flight}} hovering in mid-air]].

-->"With difficulty."

* In one episode of ''WesternAnimation/TeenTitans'', Robin also fights atop a bamboo grove against an anthropomorphic monkey while journeying up a mountain to meet a martial arts master. He later perches on top of the bad guy's staff (really his which was stolen), and then leaps off, causing the staff to smack the bad guy.

* ''LightNovel/{{Dokkoida}}'' villain Edelweiss attempted this in her first appearance, but a combination of her frilly dress and high winds caused it to [[PantyShot backfire]].

Supernatural, magical, or just plain awesome beings know there's no better place to be effortlessly standing on than tall and usually thin objects, be they pine trees, lampposts or the nearest available tall building. This is flying for people who cannot fly. Or even the ones who can.

The {{Trope Namer|s}} is Obi-Wan Kenobi in ''Film/StarWarsEpisodeIIIRevengeOfTheSith'', although [[ThisIndexIsNotAnExample this is not actually an example of the trope]]; when [[WebVideo/BackstrokeOfTheWest the geography that you stands compares you superior]], you are playing with GeoEffects. See also SittingOnTheRoof.

* ''ComicBook/RobinSeries'' & ''ComicBook/RedRobin'': If Tim wants to intimidate his enemies he usually finds a high spot to glower or grin at them from before leaping to attack them, although there is the occasion where he just needs to toss some batarangs and/or gas grenades while hopping from one spot out of their reach to another.

The TropeNamer is Obi-Wan Kenobi in ''Film/StarWarsEpisodeIIIRevengeOfTheSith'', although [[ThisIndexIsNotAnExample this is not actually an example of the trope]]; when [[WebVideo/BackstrokeOfTheWest the geography that you stands compares you superior]], you are playing with GeoEffects. See also SittingOnTheRoof.

* ''VideoGame/NightsIntoDreams'': One of the most famous (if not the most famous) pose/s from the titular protagonist in both this game and [[VideoGame/NightsJourneyOfDreams its sequel]] is them standing on the top of a tower by one feet, playing [[MysteriousFlutist a invisible flute]].