History Main / DullEyesOfUnhappiness

* Ayumi Tachibana has these as her default expression in ''VisualNovel/FamicomDetectiveClub: The Girl Who Stands Behind''. Considering that Yoko Kojima, the murder victim, was her best friend, it's a pretty justifiable expression. Her homeroom teacher Tatsuya Hibino also has these as well, for similar reasons.

*** However, in the new UsefulNotes/PlayStation endings where [[spoiler: Sekai kills Kotonoha by either pushing her in front of a train or stabbing her off-screen]], she does '''not''' have these eyes. This implies that [[spoiler: while Kotonoha ''is'' effectively {{Yandere}} in her bad endings, Sekai is ''sane'' in hers, except for the Makoto-killing one.]]

* ''VideoGame/PokemonSwordAndShield'':
** [[{{Jerkass}} Bede]] notably sports these 24/7. [[spoiler:He loses them after Opal takes him in, signifying how he's much happier under her tutelage (not that he'd ever admit it) than he was trying to please Chairman Rose.]]
** The player character can get these via the salon, referred to as [[https://cdnen.samurai-gamers.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/11/19181729/hair-salon-customizations-eye-color-total-dark.png "total dark" eyes]].

* ''Manga/AhMyGoddess'': Invoked by Belldandy whenever she experiences jealousy over seeing other women flirting with Keiichi, after which she tends to [[PowerIncontinence accidently]] make [[StuffBlowingUp stuff blow up.]]

** BrokenBird Annie has them as a default expression, though she plays it off as being bored with everyone around her. The rare moments WhenSheSmiles reveal she's hiding a much warmer personality being her icy exterior.

* ''Manga/FullmetalAlchemist'''s characters have bright eyes, and the manga will usually show them dull and monochrome to hammer a point:

*** It's a blink-and-you'll-miss-it appearance, but Lio Shirazumi also has these during his brief cameo in the second movie. He loses them by the seventh movie.

* ''WebAnimation/TheAmazingDigitalCircus:'' Pomni's eyes go from colorful pinwheels to indistinct squiggles when she is feeling particularly stressed or upset.

* ''VideoGame/PrayerOfTheFaithless'': In the Tired and Judged routes, Aeyr and Mia's face portraits change to remove the shine in their eyes, [[spoiler:showing that they hit emotional rock bottom due to killing each other. According to the developer, this something they have in common with Vanessa, who has already hit rock bottom a long time ago]].

** In ''Anime/MagicalGirlLyricalNanoha'', [[TheWoobie Fate]] [[LoveMartyr Testarossa]] gets these during her [[HeroicBSOD Antivillainous BSOD]] after her [[EvilMatriarch mother]] [[AbusiveParents Precia]] reveals [[ArtificialHuman what her]] [[ReplacementGoldfish origins]] [[CloningBlues are]] and [[ThatThingIsNotMyChild how she]] [[IHaveNoDaughter really feels]] about her.
** Subaru gets them in her fight against [[spoiler: her BrainwashedAndCrazy sister Ginga]] in ''[[Anime/MagicalGirlLyricalNanohaStrikers StrikerS]]''.

* In ''Manga/SoulHunter'', during Taikoubou's first HeroicBSOD (where Dakki threw all the people from the village into the snake and alligator pit to get eaten), he is shown to [[http://www.onemanga.com/Houshin_Engi/8/14/ have eyes like this]]. He [[AngstWhatAngst gets over it within a few pages]], though.

* In ''VideoGame/FugaMelodiesOfSteel'', a child can adopt this state should they be unlucky enough to enter a Depressive state. [[spoiler:In ''VideoGame/FugaMelodiesOfSteel2'', [[TheLeader Malt]] ends up having this for about a third of the game [[ILetGwenStacyDie in response to the apparent death of her friend Hanna]]]].

* Nayuki Minase from ''VisualNovel/{{Kanon}}'' has a severe case of Dull Eyes during [[spoiler: her HeroicBSOD after Akiko got hit by a car.]] PowerOfFriendship snaps her out of it, though.
* ''Franchise/LyricalNanoha'':
** In ''Anime/MagicalGirlLyricalNanoha'', [[TheWoobie Fate]] [[LoveMartyr Testarossa]] gets these during her [[HeroicBSOD Antivillainous BSOD]] after her [[EvilMatriarch mother]] [[AbusiveParents Precia]] reveals [[ArtificialHuman what her]] [[ReplacementGoldfish origins]] [[CloningBlues are]] and [[ThatThingIsNotMyChild how she]] [[IHaveNoDaughter really feels]] about her.
*** She also gets them at least once before this while Precia is whipping her.
** Subaru gets them in her fight against [[spoiler: her BrainwashedAndCrazy sister Ginga]] in ''[[Anime/MagicalGirlLyricalNanohaStrikers StrikerS]]''.
* As Mima from ''Anime/PerfectBlue'' loses her grip on reality, she does this more and more often.
* ''Anime/PrettyCure'':
** ''Anime/FutariWaPrettyCure'': Characters usually have these when under the influence of villains, usually Pisard or Poisony.
** ''Anime/FreshPrettyCure'': Chiffon gets these when [[spoiler:she's kidnapped and turned into Infinity]].
** ''Anime/SmilePrecure'': Cure Happy gets these when she sees that none of her attacks even put a mark on Joker.
** ''Anime/KiraKiraPrecureALaMode'': In the last few episodes, Ichika/Cure Whip is transported to Ellios' world and loses all her memories, and also giving her blank blue eyes as opposed to her usual magenta.
** ''Anime/StarTwinklePrettyCure'': Cure Star gets these when she sees Aiwarn turn a Star Color Pen into a Dark Pen.
* Ikeda Kana in ''Manga/{{Saki}}'', [[spoiler: when she's at death's door due to having 0 point in the game]].
* In ''Manga/SoulHunter'', during Taikoubou's first HeroicBSOD (where Dakki threw all the people from the village into the snake and alligator pit to get eaten), he is shown to [[http://www.onemanga.com/Houshin_Engi/8/14/ have eyes like this]]. He [[AngstWhatAngst gets over it within a few pages]], though.
* ''Manga/TokyoMewMew'' has an interesting version; the iris goes completely grey, but still has shines on it.
* In ''Manga/MoonSubaruSolitudeStanding'', Subaru [[http://www.mangahere.co/manga/moon_subaru_solitude_standing/v02/c023/ sports them]] after her past has been broadcasted on Japanese TV without her knowledge.
* In ''Literature/FullMetalPanic: The Second Raid'', Sousuke is shown to have eyes like this during his HeroicBSOD. More pronounced in the Sigma manga, where there are several pages with his eyes looking like this. In fact, his eyes losing the light and [[ReflectiveEyes reflectiveness]] in them is actually brought up in-series by [[spoiler: [[StalkerWithACrush Gauron]]]], who laments how Sousuke has lost the [[WhatBeautifulEyes beautiful, untainted emotion and clearness in them]] (including a flashback shot of Sousuke's eyes being [[https://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/sousuke_eyes.jpg incredibly sparkly and glowy]], in a GaussianGirl manner).
** Also in ''TSR'', Mao notes the 'despair eyes' of CreepyChild Yu Lan, who with her sister has a similar tragic past to Sousake.

** Rose has these in the last few episodes of ''Anime/FullmetalAlchemist2003'' due to her trauma [[spoiler:from being raped.]]
* In the Alicization arc of ''Literature/SwordArtOnline'', following the battle with Quinella, Kirito's STL is affected by a power surge just as he was grieving over [[spoiler:Eugeo's death]] sending him into an AngstComa with hollow eyes.

* Hei from ''Anime/DarkerThanBlack'' always seems to have this combined with black eyes. Though, knowing his DarkAndTroubledPast it really isn't all that surprising.
* Asuna in ''Manga/NegimaMagisterNegiMagi'' is drawn this way based on her state of amnesia regarding her DarkAndTroubledPast. Upon regaining said memories, she went into a blank catatonia for days. She also sports these in the first anime [[spoiler: when she dies]] and again in chapter 352 upon [[spoiler: seeing Negi's grave]].

* Both Yamato and Sora get this in ''Anime/DigimonAdventure'' when they're being affected by the Dark Ocean.
** ''Anime/DigimonFrontier'': Taking advantage of Koichi's loneliness and sadness, Cherubimon erases his memory, resulting in his expressive blue eyes becoming pale black (and making a small slasher smile), before using his tainted Duskmon form to digivolve into Velgemon.
* Sakurako from ''Manga/AiKora'' gets these from time to time. Since the protagonist, Maeda, thinks she has beautiful eyes, he's quick to notice this (and freak out).
* Hiro from ''Manga/HidamariSketch'' has when she wakes up since she is NotAMorningPerson.

* ''Manga/DeathNote'':
** Light Yagami has these in episode 1 [[spoiler:before finding his "purpose."]] Also in episode 26 when [[spoiler:[[AntagonistInMourning trying to adjust to a world without L in it.]]]]
** Naomi gets these too once Light tells her he's Kira and she [[spoiler: walks off to die]]. Although, [[spoiler:considering ''how and why'' she's going to die, they could easily [[MindControlEyes be another look.]]]]
** Speaking of Light, he also has it in episode 19 when he's thinking about being Kira without having any memory of it.
** Happens to Mello when he removes his motorcycle helmet during the Takada mission. This is likely because a) he just found out that [[spoiler: his best friend Matt was killed]] and b) he knew he'd likely be next.

* ''Manga/HunterXHunter's'' Gon is currently featured for the trope image. He gets these in Chapters 304 and 305 (and for the anime, Episodes 130 and 131) after [[spoiler: finding out that Kite is dead]], after convincing himself that he was still alive.
* ''Manga/{{Bleach}}'':
** Momo Hinamori gets them when [[spoiler: finding Aizen impaled to the wall with his sword]]. It lasts until [[UnstoppableRage Gin shows up]]. [[spoiler: [[SubvertedTrope Her rage turned out to be stoppable, sadly]].]]
** She gets them like that again much later, when [[spoiler: Hitsugaya is tricked into impaling ''her''. By Aizen.]]
** Orihime gets it as well when [[spoiler:she's forced to admit to Ulquiorra that by wearing the Arrancar dress, she belongs to Aizen.]]
* ''Anime/{{Gankutsuou}}'': Seen in episode 9, while Franz is musing about his unrequited [[HoYay love]] for Albert.
* ''Manga/BlackLagoon'': Anytime Revy's eyes lose their luster, it's a sign that she's in [[AxCrazy Whitman Fever]] mode and is incredibly dangerous to be around.
* Souji Kuonji's eyes are drawn this way for most of the OAV adaptation of the H game ''Ko-ko-ro...'' to show how deeply the abuse at the hands of his parents, [[spoiler:as well as the trauma surrounding their deaths and that of his older sister, Kasumi,]] has scarred him. He begins to come out of his deep funk towards the end of the second episode, thanks to his budding relationship with Mizuki, but Asuka subtly nudges him into revisiting [[spoiler:the day of the murders]], stigmatizing him severely and causing his dull eyes to return, seemingly permanently.
* ''Manga/PandoraHearts'': Oz's eyes go dull upon finding out about [[spoiler: Alice's death]] in Cheshire's world. The eyes remain as his [[HeroicBSOD BSOD]] ends in favor of ''[[FreakOut trying to destroy the entire dimension.]]'' This, of course, would be very bad for everyone still inside.
* The {{Magical girl}}s from ''Anime/PuellaMagiMadokaMagica'' get this [[spoiler: after their Soul Gem is taken away from them. Though they're dead at that point, since the name of the Soul Gems is [[SoulJar quite literal.]]]] Sayaka also gets this a few times as [[spoiler:she inches ever so closer to the DespairEventHorizon]].
* Done chillingly with both Asuka and Shinji in ''Anime/NeonGenesisEvangelion'' during the respective points at which they reach catatonic levels of depression.
* All three main characters from ''Manga/{{Berserk}}'' have these eyes at one point or another during their angst-filled stories, most notably:
** After Guts [[spoiler:assassinates Count Julius and killed his son, which he was not anticipating and was quite disturbed by the aftershock.]]
*** Guts seems to have these persistently after the Eclipse. Guts has these mainly because his remaining eye is almost always in [[WideEyesAndShrunkenIrises shrunken iris mode]] and he is almost always either [[HeartBrokenBadass angry or sad.]] However, one notable moment gives life back to his eye when [[spoiler: he learns that Casca might be cured again, and he gives a genuine smile to match.]]
** When Casca [[spoiler:almost commits suicide by jumping off a cliff upon realizing her dream of being Griffith's sword and woman were over]], she gets this.
** [[spoiler:Post-tortured]] and [[spoiler: Post HeroicBSOD following Guts leaving him]] Griffith. All the time.
* After [[spoiler:Enishi's apparent murder of Kaoru]], the titular character of ''Manga/RurouniKenshin'' shows these eyes.

* In ''Manga/PokemonAdventures'', White gets these (as well as having them full of tears) after [[spoiler:her Tepig abandons her for N and she falls out of the Ferris Wheel out of shock]].
* The title character of ''Manga/MoritaSanWaMukuchi'' [[PlayingWithATrope plays with this]]; sure, she's got the eyes and freaks people out, but she's really just a fairly normal, if quiet, high school girl.
* Sion from ''Literature/No6'' gets these in episode 10 when [[spoiler:killing the guard who tried to kill Nezumi]].
* In ''Manga/WolfGuyWolfenCrest'', poor Aoshika is totally lifeless after being horrifically [[BreakTheCutie stripped of her personhood]] after undergoing hours of continuous [[spoiler: gang rape]] at the hands of Haguro and his men.
* ''Anime/NagiAsuALullInTheSea'': Manaka has these at the end of episode 22 when it's revealed that she [[spoiler: has lost the ability to fall in love.]]
* ''Manga/FutureDiary'':
** These are one of the most obvious tells that Yuno is in [[HeroicSafeMode kill]] [[TranquilFury mode]]: her eyes go from vibrant to ''completely dull and emotionless.''
** Yuki has these as he's being held captive by Yuno.
* ''Anime/TengenToppaGurrenLagann'': Simon suffers an extreme case that lasts for ''several episodes on end'' as he falls into a horrific stint of grief. The cause was [[spoiler: the death of his beloved blood brother and greatest friend, Kamina]].
* In ''Anime/SamuraiChamploo'', we watch as this happens to Okuru's eyes in his flashback. He returns to his village to find it destroyed and in flames, and his wife collapses and dies right in front of him. Over the course of a couple of seconds, his eyes change from normal to dull. [[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uEkNxpUhndk&t=0m59s Watch for yourself]]. Mugen later compares them to the eyes of someone who is already dead.
* ''Manga/{{Chobits}}'': In the anime, the characters' eyes are usually depicted this way, to the point of seeming to be a stylistic quirk, until a major shift occurs: [[spoiler: Chi's program gives all the [[RidiculouslyHumanRobots persocoms]] normal-looking eyes]]. By contrast, [[spoiler:the human characters]] continue to be drawn in this style. There are multiple [[LuddWasRight ways to interpret]] [[AloneInACrowd what this means]].
* Sekai and Kotonoha and even [[spoiler: Makoto]] get this once or twice in ''VisualNovel/SchoolDays''. It's more notorious in the latter's case as she gets them more often than the other two. See the Visual Novels part for more details.
* ''Anime/{{Noir}}'': When Kirika's eyes get like this, it serves as an indicator that she's just gone from dangerous to Death Incarnate.
* ''Literature/TheFamiliarOfZero'': Loiuse's eyes grow dim whenever she's about to cast a powerful spell.
* ''Manga/BlackButler'': [[DownplayedTrope Downplayed]] with Ciel. Although his eyes still have a normal amount of luster, he also had a ''lot'' more sparkle before [[YouKilledMyFather everything]] [[DoomedHometown went to]] [[BreakTheCutie shit]].
* [[spoiler:Shizuru]] from ''Anime/MyHime'' gets these briefly during her FaceHeelTurn, but they're only really noticeable right after [[spoiler:she attacks Haruka and Yukino]].
* Haruka Kotoura of ''Manga/KotouraSan'' initially has these (of the 'no iris' variety) after far too many {{Heroic BSOD}}s to count in her life, which thankfully doesn't last too long in-show. Her mother also has a pair of these, though they last far longer than her daughter's.
* Crona from ''Manga/SoulEater'' has them as [[AmbiguousGender hir]] default look. Which is not really surprising given hir awfully DarkAndTroubledPast.
* In ''Anime/{{Free}}'', though it's subtle, Haruka's eyes are much brighter as a child. We're given a comparison in the first episode with the scene cuts from a shot of kid Haruka's eyes to an older, much more apathetic-looking Haruka with duller eyes. As the anime progresses the brightness returns, and he also begins to express much more emotion.
* Happens frequently in ''Manga/AttackOnTitan'', thanks to the traumatic experiences endured by the cast. A few examples include:
** Mikasa gets them after Armin informs her that [[spoiler: Eren was (supposedly) dead]].
** BrokenBird Annie has them as a default expression, though she plays it off as being bored with everyone around her. The rare moments WhenSheSmiles reveal she's hiding a much warmer personality being her icy exterior.
** Levi looks fairly detached most of the time, but his eyes only become dead upon discovering [[spoiler: the bodies of his squad]]. It's a hint of the UnstoppableRage he's preparing to unleash.
** During the cleanup operation at Trost, the characters are all wearing handkerchiefs over their faces. This leaves the focus on their eyes, as they take in the horrible aftermath of the battle. When Jean discovers the body of [[spoiler: Marco]], his eyes become glassy and unfocused.
** Bertolt when [[spoiler: Eren calls him a monster and promises to make his death as painful as possible]]. Combined with his TroubledFetalPosition, it just makes him look defeated.
* Miho has this in the first episode of ''Anime/GirlsUndPanzer'', after being told to take Tankery by the student council, which results in her having a blank, unchanging stare, until she and her new friends, Saori and Hana, were in the nurse's office.
** Apparently PlayedForLaughs in the ''Motto Love Love Sakusen'' spin-off manga where some characters would sport these when they see something embarrassingly wrong. An example would be when [[http://www.batoto.net/read/_/216449/girls-und-panzer-motto-love-love-sakusen-desu_ch8_by_ak-scanlations/24 Miho received a Christmas picture message from her elder sister.]]
* [[NationsAsPeople Russia]] from ''Webcomic/HetaliaAxisPowers'' gets these to show when he gets too upset to keep his cool, since he's [[StepfordSmiler almost always calmly smiling regardless of his mood.]] [[http://i538.photobucket.com/albums/ff345/DarkBlueSinger/Hetalia%20Resources/Lithuania.jpg Looks like it rubbed off on Lithuania, too.]] Some characters have these permanently, such as Germany, Sweden, and Switzerland.
* A second before [[{{Yandere}} Katejina Loos]] of ''Anime/MobileSuitVictoryGundam'' snaps and gets blasted in the face by V2 Assault-Buster's Wings of Light, her eyes turn into this. [[spoiler: After the whole thing, she is seen on a wheelchair, completely blinded, completely dull, and completely helpless. FateWorseThanDeath indeed.]]
* Bruno from ''Anime/YuGiOh5Ds'' seems to naturally have these, despite being quite happy most of the time. They could signify his status as an amnesiac, [[spoiler: or the fact that he's actually a robot with a DarkAndTroubledPast]].
* In ''Manga/FushigiYuugi'', Miaka notes that Yui's eyes are unusually dull and that something seems different about her, when Miaka first sees her at the Palace of Kutou, before learning of Yui's [[spoiler: alleged]] rape. However, this is [[InformedAttribute not really apparent to the audience]].
* In the final episode of ''Anime/HaibaneRenmei'', Reki's already dark eyes have a dull, dead look to them after [[spoiler:she learns her true name]] and breaks down.
* A sure-fire sign that a Diclonius from ''Manga/ElfenLied'' has been pushed past the breaking point is their eyes going dead. Not even [[MySpeciesDothProtestTooMuch sweet, pacifistic little Nana]] is above this.
* Poor Fighter bears these eyes at the end of Episode 1 of ''Literature/GoblinSlayer'' after her [[BreakTheCutie horrific ordeal]] at the hands of the goblins.
* Chris Yuu Takigawa of ''Manga/AceOfTheDiamond'' appears this way when he's first introduced. The reason is that he's depressed due to being relegated to the second string of Seidou's baseball team after he suffered a GameBreakingInjury. He gets better thanks to training and mentoring Eijun Sawamura.
* In ''Manga/RentAGirlfriend'', Mami Nanami is a BitchInSheepsClothing [[StepfordSmiler whose smile is rarely out of genuine happiness]]. When Mami's in an especially bad mood, she'll gaze at someone with blank, lifeless eyes, which usually terrifies the person enough to scare them off.
* In ''Manga/AsteroidInLove'', Moe's eyes lose their gloss in the first chapter/episode, when Mikage presses her to join the geology side of the Earth Science Club, up to and including using a set of [[PowerCrystal power stones]] as [[IfYouCallBeforeMidnightTonight sweetener]].
* ''Anime/KemonoFriends'': Fans noticed that all the friends based on extinct animals such as [[https://japari-library.com/wiki/Thylacine Thylacine]] and [[https://japari-library.com/wiki/Passenger_Pigeon Passenger Pigeon]] sport this kind of eyes. This is all but confirmed to be directly related to their extinct status, as [[spoiler: Kaban's eyes go dim once she hears about human's apparent extinction]].
* ''Manga/AyakashiTriangle'': Shadow Mei is a SoulFragment [[MadeOfEvil filled with the original Mei's hate for humanity]], which shows in her eyes lacking any sheen. When she shows signs of getting over her grudge, her eyes are suddenly drawn normally.
* ''Anime/DeathParade'' deals with heavy themes and dark moments in a person’s life. This trope is often shown in flashbacks of characters in their DarkestHour, or when a character is about to cross a line they can’t come back from.
** In flashbacks, Chiyuki has these while staring blankly at trophies she won as a figure skater after a leg injury made it so that she’d never be able to skate again. Given the emphasis that’s been placed [[WhenSheSmiles on her smiles]] and positive demeanour up until then, it’s quite jarring to see.
* In ''Manga/TheLegendOfZeldaFourSwords2004'', the normally cheerful Red gets a pair after mistaking Green and Vio for dead. He snaps out of it when Blue saves him from a monster.

* Some of the artwork for the ''AudioPlay/YandereHeaven'' series depict the boys with empty eyes.

* A rare case of the trope happening in western comics: in ''Franchise/TheTwilightZone': The After Hours'', a young woman who believes she's being stalked by the department store's mannequins, discovers that she herself is a mannequin. Unable to accept that her entire life and memories as a human were all an illusion, she enters a very brief semi-catatonic state, where her eyes glaze over her tired face.

* Invoked in the Naruto fanfic [[https://www.fanfiction.net/s/8963527/14/Tale-of-the-Setting-Sun Tale of the Setting Sun]] after Naruto is told by Kakashi [[spoiler:he is a [[SealedInSideAPersonShapedCan jinchuuriki]] and that the Kyuubi was sealed inside him by his own father.]]
* In ''Fanfic/RobbReturns'', Willas sees the light in Mace's eyes fade when [[spoiler:Otherbane [[OnlyTheChosenMayWield rejects him]].]]
* In ''Fanfic/LiveAHeroMHA'', this is Izuku's default expression due to the [[BreakTheCutie horrid childhood]] he had while being raised by the League of Villains. He becomes significantly more chipper as he starts acquiring friends, but he hasn't smiled once in years and his "dead" eyes remain.

* In ''Literature/ASongOfIceAndFire'' while Arya is an apprentice among the Faceless Men, her mentor the kindly man refers to her "sad gray eyes that have seen so much".
* In ''Literature/HarryPotter'', seems to become the default state of those who have had a long stay at Azkaban. It is noted more than once that Sirius still has a dead look in his eyes, even a few years after he broke out. That doesn't mean he's always unhappy though.
* In ''Dustbin Baby'' by Creator/JacquelineWilson, April visits the grave of her former adoptive mother Janet, who committed suicide after many years of depression. The headstone has a picture of Janet on her wedding day. April notes how bright Janet's eyes are in the photo, and sadly remembers that the brightness was gone when April knew her.
* [[spoiler:Arwen]] in the appendix to ''Literature/TheLordOfTheRings'', after [[spoiler:Aragorn's death]]: "and the light of her eyes was quenched."

* In the HBO adaptation of ''Literature/HisDarkMaterials'', those who have [[spoiler:been severed from their Daemon, an animal manifestation of their soul]] display these, through post-production digitally removing the reflections in their eyes.

* Yurika Kirishima of ''VideoGame/RivalSchools'' has these almost all the time, largely because she's a reluctant LadyOfWar and her younger brother Kurow's a domineering PsychoForHire.
* In ''VideoGame/{{Gungnir}}'', most characters' eyes will have some highlight to them depending on the angle, but not so for Julio, the protagonist--in ''every'' released piece of art featuring him thus far. As it's also apparently his destiny to cause mass destruction with a horrifically powerful demonic weapon, it's fair to say that ''something'' is up with this kid. It doesn't show in his [[{{Keet}} perky, cheerful]] disposition, but it sure shows on his face.

* In ''VideoGame/ValkyriaChronicles'', Alicia has this [[spoiler: when she is in Valkyria mode]] in Chapter 14.
* ''Videogame/YandereSimulator'': Students who've had their minds broken through ColdBloodedTorture have this look. You can then take them to school and ask them to perform a MurderSuicide. The VillainProtagonist herself can have this if she becomes "visibly insane", though it's less unhappiness and more the MaskOfSanity slipping, revealing her true nature as a murderous psychopath.
* If the Inquisitor encourages Cullen to [[spoiler:continue taking lyrium]] for the sake of his duty in ''VideoGame/DragonAgeInquisition'', there will be a cutscene in which they discuss the fact that he has done so. Observant players can note that his normally warm brown eyes are much paler than usual, with smaller pupils, indicating that [[spoiler:the FantasticDrug is continuing to addle him]]. This is also the scene in which, if he has been in a romance with the Inquisitor up to this point, he will break it off, citing his duty as being more important.

* In ''VideoGame/FugaMelodiesOfSteel'', a child can adopt this state should they be unlucky enough to enter a Depressive state. [[spoiler:In ''VideoGame/FugaMelodiesOfSteel2'', [[TheLeader Malt]] ends up having this for about a third of the game [[ILetGwenStacyDie in response to the apparent death of her friend Hanna]]]].

* In ''VisualNovel/{{Tsukihime}}'', this is what [[spoiler:Kohaku]]'s facade looks like every now and then by the end of Hisui's ending; however, rather than appearing sad, it's actually rather creepy.

* In ''VideoGame/MeltyBlood'', Tohno Shiki's eyes completely lose their light and pupils whenever something angers him to a certain extent. For example, in Actress Again, Roa's very presence causes Shiki's eyes to become this way. Rather than unhappiness, this is meant to signify complete erasure of emotion; it's meant to show his will to kill.

** Also of the Franchise/{{Nasuverse}}, Shiki from ''Literature/TheGardenOfSinners''. Although her eyes reflect highlights just fine, they're never drawn with pupils; just dull brown irises. Shiki's personality isn't as simple as 'unhappy', but it's one of the first indicators that she's not quite right.
*** It's a blink-and-you'll-miss-it appearance, but [[spoiler: Lio Shirazumi]] also has these during his brief cameo in the second movie. He loses them by the seventh movie.

*** And none other than [[spoiler: '''Makoto''']] gets them in ''Cross Days''. [[https://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/makoto_wtffff_6533.jpg See them here.]] For worse, it's during quite the TearJerker scene: [[spoiler: when you fail to get Yuuki's good ending -- which means, Yuuki leaves Makoto's life completely and despite his own love for Makoto... who then gets these eyes as he crosses the DespairEventHorizon.]]
* Happens in ''VisualNovel/HigurashiWhenTheyCry'' frequently; Satoko (once shown above) gets these when she is in the hands of her uncle, and Rena when it's her turn to break [[spoiler:and when she's under influence the syndrome or remembering her dealings with Oyashiro-sama.]] It happens to Rika [[spoiler:whenever she dies. Or when anyone dies, for that matter.]]
* Bernkastel of ''VisualNovel/UminekoWhenTheyCry''. Always. For some reason. [[spoiler:Serves as a big fat red flag as to her true nature.]]
** Battler gets these during his HeroicBSOD in the anime.
** [[spoiler:Beatrice]] gets this after Arc 4, where [[spoiler:she can't leave the board until someone wins. This persists into the fifth arc when she becomes a hopeless, living doll.]] Also, [[spoiler:Battler, when he gets trapped in a logic error.]]
* Komari's bad end in ''VisualNovel/LittleBusters'' Add to it the creepy music and dialogue, and the brief moment that she shows her "sad face" instead is the silver lining of a very, very dark cloud.
** Also, Kud near the end of her route. Her eyes light up again when Riki speaks to her, though, and she ultimately gets better.
* [[{{Hikikomori}} Kouta Meoshi]] in ''VisualNovel/SweetFuseAtYourSide'' has flat black eyes with no highlights and no visible differentiation between iris and pupil. He's the only character whose eyes are drawn in this style, which serves to highlight his withdrawn, depressed demeanor.

* ''VisualNovel/AceAttorneyInvestigationsMilesEdgeworth'': Cammy Meele sports this kind of eyes. She's constantly falling asleep/waking up, so it's likely to represent that she's perpetually half-sleep.

* In the ''WesternAnimation/MyLittlePonyFriendshipIsMagic'' fan comic ''Webcomic/MotherlyScootaloo'', the titular character gets them [[http://motherlyscootaloo.tumblr.com/post/32001587370/part-1-part-2-part-3-part-4-part-5-scootaloo here]], [[http://motherlyscootaloo.tumblr.com/post/45885098673 here]], [[http://motherlyscootaloo.tumblr.com/post/36648073779 here]] and [[http://motherlyscootaloo.tumblr.com/post/36712378649/there-will-be-a-short-break-between-the-end-of here]].

* Stu in ''WesternAnimation/{{Rugrats}}'' has these when he's [[MemeticMutation lost control of his life]]. [[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1vs55Z7t7bk Here's your pudding, Angelica...]]
* WesternAnimation/{{Daria}}. Although the style of the show leaves most characters' eyes simplistic looking, hers seem flatter and more expressionless compared to everyone else's.

* In ''WesternAnimation/TangledTheSeries'' 4-year-old Varian is depicted that way when Rapunzel accidentally travels to the past. He doesn't say anything and spends his brief cameo looking tired and listless even as he sucks on a lollipop.
* Quilby from ''WesternAnimation/{{Wakfu}}'' has one of these after witnessing the 12 royal members of the World of 12 bicker selfishly amongst themselves about the minor details of who will pay for when his people escape from the dimension. How the camera focuses on his eyes at this time heavily suggests he is not pleased.