History Main / SinisterSilhouettes

* The original ''VideoGame/SuperSmashBros'' plays with this for the opening cinematic. It shows off all the normal playable characters, but the four {{Secret Character}}s ([[Franchise/SuperMarioBros Luigi,]] [[Franchise/{{Pokemon}} Jigglypuff,]] [[VideoGame/FZero Captain Falcon,]] and [[Videogame/{{Earthbound}} Ness]]) are only shown as silhouettes until you actually unlock them. Despite the silhouettes and [[FourIsDeath number]] though, they definitely aren't ''evil'' characters by any means.

* In ''VideoGame/NoMoreHeroes'', entering a new ranking area shows the boss's name and their silhouette.

* In ''Film/TheLordOfTheRings'' our heroes run into a Sinister Silhouette in the forest. It [[spoiler:turns out to be Gandalf, though]].

** Hidden Star in Four Seasons: Okina Matara [[spoiler:in her BonusBoss form]]

** The opening of ''Anime/StarTwinklePrettyCure'' has the faces of the Notraiders obscured by shadow. After the episode where each commander first battles the Cures, their faces are revealed.

** The opening of ''Anime/StarTwinklePrettyCure'' has the faces of the Knot Raiders obscured by shadow. After the episode where they first battle the Cures, their faces are revealed.

** The opening of ''Anime/StarTwinklePrettyCure'' has the faces of the villains obscured by shadow.

* The Guyzoch Space Pirates are introduced this way in ''VideoGame/TheWonderful101'', with their leaders, Prince Vorkken and Chewgi, shown as silhouettes illuminated only by the red TronLines and GlowingEyesOfDoom on their suits. The GEATHJERK Federation's commanders later get the same treatment [[spoiler:in the flashback detailing Vorkken's tragic backstory]].

This shot is frequently used to either show that the hidden characters are the kind that you wouldn't want to mess with unless you were TheHero or TooDumbToLive, or to depict them as ShroudedInMyth. May be subverted in that the silhouetted person [[Discworld/FeetOfClay turns out to be not as badass as had been implied]]. Typically a trope associated with villainous characters, though it being of TheRival is not uncommon. May have rare heroic cases.

* The Ginyu Force from ''Anime/DragonBallZ''.
** Silhouettes of Vegeta and Nappa in the first opening sequence are shown doing a PowerWalk with fire and lightning in the background.

* ''Manga/{{Naruto}}'': The Five Kages, as one would expect from the name

* The legendary Digidestined from ''Anime/DigimonAdventure'' is another heroic case, although they don't show up later on.
** In the first OP for ''Anime/DigimonTamers'', the evolutionary stages of the Tamers' {{Mons}} are shown, but their top levels are shown only as silhouettes.

* ''Manga/YuYuHakusho''

* Every suspect gets one of these in ''Manga/DetectiveConan'' if the ColdOpen decides to show the crime in progress.
** Hilariously parodied in ''Manga/{{Gintama}}'' where the principal suspect is a sinister silhouettes that is revealed be an alien and the silhouette its true appearance.

* ''Anime/PrettyCure'' franchise is full of this, usually to conceal the bad guys that have not make their debut yet in the SpoilerOpening, but the queen of this trope might be from the [[Anime/PrettyCureAllStars ''DX3'']] movie. The franchise's movies' {{Big Bad}}s (at the time) surround themselves with a black BattleAura, creating this effect pictured above. Before that, just about every completed series' and previous ''All Stars'' movies [[BigBad Big Bads]] are shown in this manner, their faces twisted in NightmareFace, as a visual presentation of their evil gathered and formed the ''[=DX3=]'' BigBad, [[CosmicHorror Black Hole]].

* The ''Manga/{{Berserk}}'' manga, after a brief mention of the God Hand in the first chapter as Guts is torturing the Snake Baron, introduces the {{Big Bad}}s this way after Guts learns that Vargas has a Behelit and lays down just what the thing is to him and the audience.

* Played for drama in ''Comicbook/ThePulse''; When Lucia attacks Luke, all Jessica sees is her standing in front of the setting sun.

* ''Series/BuffyTheVampireSlayer''

* The X-Hunters are introduced in ''VideoGame/MegaManX2'' as silhouettes observing a [[SurveillanceAsThePlotDemands hologram recording]] of X.

* [[GeneralRipper Ishijima Kaigen]] from the Creator/{{Nitroplus}} VisualNovel ''Hanachirasu'' is only ''mostly'' silhouetted, but she makes up for it with GlowingEyesOfDoom. See [[http://img37.imageshack.us/img37/8836/kaig02.jpg here]]

** Urban Legend in Limbo: Sumireko Usami; whose appearance, name, and contribution in the overall lore of ''Touhou'' is giant WhamEpisode for several reasons.

* Loki in ''Webcomic/TheKAMics'' likes to appear as a shadowy figure.

* The [[FourIsDeath Four Kings]] from ''Manga/GetBackers''.

* In ''Manga/BlackButler : Book of Circus'', the {{Shinigami}} are shown this way early on, before any of them appear. The image includes the three in the series and the two who were [[CanonImmigrant only in the second musical]].

** A particularly funny shot of SinisterSilhouettes is when Doflamingo warns Tsuru about the increasing number of pirates who seek to take control of the world in the place of World Government. On [[https://www.opbforums.com/manga/One-Piece/chapter-801/page-8 the depiction of potential enemies of the world]], there is [[IdiotHero Luffy]] at the center, wearing his trademark stupid grin. In the shade that all the pirates are in, [[SlasherSmile Luffy's grin]] [[AccidentalNightmareFuel ends up making him look like the creepiest one of the lot]].

* The manga of ''Manga/YuYuHakusho'' does this with Hiei and Kurama (and Gouki, who was unimporant) before we get to know them.

* ''Anime/BestStudentCouncil'''s OP sequence has a part where each special division of the eponymous AbsurdlyPowerfulStudentCouncil are shown together. While Assault Division has its members performing their signature attacks one after the other, the Vice President for Covert and the Covert commander are shown standing between two silhouettes, the other members of Covert Division. Their faces are revealed after the episodes where they are introduced.
** The entire StudentCouncil is shown in a sinister silhouettes TeamShot before the opening credits start rolling.

** Hilarious parodied in ''Manga/{{Gintama}}'' where the principal suspect is a sinister silhouettes that is revealed be an alien and the silhouette its true appearance.

* The [[FourIsDeath Four Kings]] from ''Manga/GetBackers''

* Various openings of Anime/{{Pokemon}} do this for Gym Leaders or Frontier Brains. Because, you know, the gym leader is totally the one you fight...
* ''Manga/FistOfTheNorthStar'' does this with the introduction of Kenshiro's adoptive brothers and then with the six Nanto Stars. The latter is a bit more egregious, since it depicts Shin and Rei alongside four male silhouettes, but one of them later [[spoiler:turns out to be a [[SamusIsAGirl woman]].]]

* The ending credits for Anime/IronMan showed all of the enemies as sinister silhouettes with glowy red eyes, up to and including the BigBad.

* ''Anime/PrettyCure'' franchise is full of this, usually to conceal the bad guys that have not make their debut yet in the SpoilerOpening, but the queen of this trope might be from the [[Anime/PrettyCureAllStars ''DX3'']] movie. The franchise's movies' [[BigBad Big Bads]] (at the time) surround themselves with a black BattleAura, creating this effect pictured above. Before that, just about every completed series' and previous ''All Stars'' movies [[BigBad Big Bads]] are shown in this manner, their faces twisted in NightmareFace, as a visual presentation of their evil gathered and formed the ''[=DX3=]'' BigBad, [[CosmicHorror Black Hole]].

* ''Franchise/{{Batman}}'' does this a lot, on purpose.

* The X-Hunters are introduced in ''VideoGame/MegaManX2'' as silhouettes observing a [[PalantirPloy hologram recording]] of X.
** Also, arguably invoked in ''VideoGame/MegaManX4'' by [[spoiler:Dr. Wily appearing to his "son"]] Zero. Invoked as in it's a nightmare the latter was having, yet [[spoiler:Dr. Wily]] looked like he was standing behind a spotlight. And then the "mysterious man" does it ''again'' in ''VideoGame/MegaManX5'', [[spoiler:in a {{montage}} of Zero's previously unknown past life, just as he was dying.]]

* [[GeneralRipper Ishijima Kaigen]] from the [[Videogame/{{Nitroplus}} Nitro+]] VisualNovel ''Hanachirasu'' is only ''mostly'' silhouetted, but she makes up for it with GlowingEyesOfDoom. See [[http://img37.imageshack.us/img37/8836/kaig02.jpg here]]

* Although they aren't silhouettes, Organization XIII from ''Videogame/KingdomHearts'' invoke this by wearing a hood that obscures their face, revealing their appearance only when Sora meets the individual members properly.
* In ''Franchise/AceAttorney'', the profiles of unknown/unintroduced characters are shown as dark silhouettes, with question marks for their age and profession. A larger version is seen in the first case of ''VisualNovel/AceAttorneyInvestigations'' when a mysterious figure catches Edgeworth at gunpoint in his darkened office--and since the dialogue is completely text we don't even know what gender the person is. It turns out to be [[spoiler: Detective Badd.]]

* The Guyzoch Space Pirates are introduced this way in ''VideoGame/TheWonderful101'', with their leaders, Prince Vorkken and Chewgi, shown as silhouettes illuminated only by the red TronLines and GlowingEyesOfDoom on their suits. The GEATHJERK Federation's commanders later get the same treatment [[spoiler:in the flashback detailing Vorkken's tragic backstory.]]

* The Creature Counsil in ''[[Webcomic/DanAndMabsFurryAdventures DMFA]]'' meet as a cabal of sinister silhouettes... except the Phoenix representive ''who has an open flame on her head, and cannot lurk in shadows''.

* In ''Literature/{{Worm}}'', [[NebulousEvilOrganization Cauldron]] attempts to invoke this when they assemble a coalition of the most powerful and influential parahumans in the world, hero and villain alike, to combat the threat of the [[OutsideContextProblem Endbringers]], with each group standing in front of a light-producing panel in a circular pattern. The reasoning behind this is unclear, as everyone at the meeting clearly knows who the others are, and no attempt is made to conceal identities. The protagonist speculates that it's meant to send a message about secrecy.

* The original ''VideoGame/SuperSmashBros'' plays with this for the opening cinematic. It shows off all the normal playable characters, but the four {{Secret Character}}s ([[Franchise/SuperMarioBros Luigi,]] [[Franchise/{{Pokemon}} Jigglypuff,]] [[VideoGame/{{F-Zero}} Captain Falcon,]] and [[Videogame/{{Earthbound}} Ness]]) are only shown as silhouettes until you actually unlock them. Despite the silhouettes and [[FourIsDeath number]] though, they definitely aren't ''evil'' characters by any means.

* ''King of the Rocket Men'' (1949). The sinister [[BigBad Dr Vulcan]] is only shown as a shadow on the wall [[MurderByRemoteControlVehicle taunting his victims]] and instructing his {{mooks}} via radio, before his real identity is unmasked by the JetPack-wearing hero. Unfortunately he lacks an [[EvilIsHammy appropriately sinister voice]] to go with it.

* ''King of the Rocket Men'' (1949). The sinister [[BigBad Dr Vulcan]] is only shown as a shadow on the wall [[AutomatedAutomobiles taunting his victims]] and instructing his {{mooks}} via radio, before his real identity is unmasked by the JetPack-wearing hero. Unfortunately he lacks an [[EvilIsHammy appropriately sinister voice]] to go with it.

* ''King of the Rocket Men'' (1949). The sinister [[BigBad Dr Vulcan]] is only shown as a shadow on the wall [[AutomatedAutomobiles taunting his victims]] and instructing his {{mooks}} via radio, before his real identity is unmasked by the JetPack-wearing hero.

* The "tree" figures in Shiverburn Galaxy in VideoGame/SuperMarioGalaxy2

Where TheFaceless meets ChekhovsGunman. It comes in several different flavors, with a common theme. It is an abstract (i.e. not an actual scene) shot of one or more characters, who will eventually be revealed, with said character(s) shown as silhouettes. The background can be anything from bland to suitably ominous, but either way, the sinister silhouettes will typically be just standing there in a {{badass}} manner. The background music will most likely be ominous.

* ''VideoGame/GrandTheftAutoII'': The Zaibatsu executive in the cinematic.

* ''Many'' characters in ''Manga/OnePiece'', at least in the manga (Zoro, Arlong, the Seven Warlords of the Sea, the Four Emperors, just to name a few).
** The Warlords in their silhouettes look nothing like they really do. Except for Mihawk maybe. They were also shown to be sword wielders, which doesn't help.
*** Those figures were meant to be Yosaku's idealized mental image of the Warlords. Since Yosaku had never seen any of them except Mihawk, it makes sense that he wouldn't know their appearances. While it's unclear if Oda had designed all of them yet, at that point he had designed at least two (Mihawk and Crocodile) and he knew they wouldn't all be sword users.

* The Ginyu Force from ''Manga/DragonBall Z''.

* ''{{Hellsing}}'': Millennium gets a shot like this in the manga and the OVA.

* ''SamuraiDeeperKyo'' is the ''embodiment'' of sinister silhouettes.
* The [[FourIsDeath Four Kings]] from ''GetBackers''
* The Suzaku Seishi in ''FushigiYuugi'' (with the exception of Tamahome and Hotohori) are first depicted as silhouettes with their body symbols when Hotohori explains the legend of Suzaku.

* ''FistOfTheNorthStar'' does this with the introduction of Kenshiro's adoptive brothers and then with the six Nanto Stars. The latter is a bit more egregious, since it depicts Shin and Rei alongside four male silhouettes, but one of them later [[spoiler:turns out to be a [[SamusIsAGirl woman]].]]

* ''[[Anime/TheIdolmaster THE iDOLM@STER]]'' - Subverted. Kuroi's face is never shown, but the first few times he appears is only his silhouette.

* In ''Literature/{{Worm}}'', [[NebulousEvilOrganization Cauldron]] attempts to invoke this when they assemble a coalition of the most powerful and influential parahumans in the world, hero and villain alike, to combat the threat of the [[OutsideContextVillain Endbringers]], with each group standing in front of a light-producing panel in a circular pattern. The reasoning behind this is unclear, as everyone at the meeting clearly knows who the others are, and no attempt is made to conceal identities. The protagonist speculates that it's meant to send a message about secrecy.

* ''WesternAnimation/YoungJustice'' features "The Light", an TheOmniscientCouncilOfVagueness who are nothing but sinister silhouettes on a set of screens till TheReveal of their identities near the end of season 1. For an added touch, the sihouettes are ''white'', running with the team's name.

* ''FlameOfRecca'' had the tendency to introduce the next team of opponents this way.