History PerpetualFrowner / AnimeAndManga

* Jotaro Kujo (pictured to the right) from ''Manga/JoJosBizarreAdventure'' hardly ''ever'' smiles throughout the series. (In fact, one of the few times he does, it's because he's inches away from losing his mind.)
* Dr. Hell from ''Anime/MazingerZ'' has mostly three default expressions: angry, worried and disappointed/frustrated. He seldom smiles (fortunately, since when he actually does so, it is a very creepy SlasherSmile).

** Among the Vizards, [[HairTriggerTemper Hiyori]] and [[TheComicallySerious Kensei]]. Hiyori is implied to have led a rough life even before Aizen's experiments, and Kensei is probably perpetually annoyed by [[WomanChild Mashiro]]. Kensei's case is somewhat [[LampshadedTrope Lampshaded]] when he is trying to smile and comfort a young Shuuhei Hisagi - and ends up with an unintentionally evil version of TheUnsmile.
* ''Manga/{{Naruto}}'':
** Even after rising to become the first Chuunin in his class, achieving the place as team leader of the group, being subjected to considerable CharacterDevelopment, and getting a [[{{Shipping}} potential girlfriend]], Shikamaru still doesn't seem to find a reason to wipe that big ugly frown off his face.
** Sasuke also started out as a frowner due to his tragic past and fervent mission in life to kill his brother. However, following his FaceHeelTurn and the series' timeskip, Sasuke gains a more impassive look, adding to his growing similarity with his AloofBigBrother.
** Gaara, even after accepting his companions, has almost never smiled a non-murderous smile. In the later manga chapters, Gaara smiles ''once in awhile'' and generally shows far more emotion than he used to, but it's still pretty rare in comparison to other characters.
** Shikamaru's son Shikadai has inherited his serious expression in ''Manga/{{Boruto}}''.

** Piccolo got the occasional grin as well, mainly when interacting with Gohan - even with the eyebrows up at least once (during his death in DBZ.) Vegeta, however, had somehow managed to master scowling even when asleep or unconscious.

* Mugen from ''Anime/SamuraiChamploo'' always has a nasty, twisted, "don't trust anybody/ya wanna mess with me?" look on his face. Unless [[BigEater presented with food]].
** Jin as well, since he's TheStoic.
* Kaiba from ''Anime/YuGiOh''. This was commented on in ''WebVideo/YuGiOhTheAbridgedSeries'', with Yugi remarking "Every time Kaiba smiles, a puppy dies."
** Could we argue that Yami is one of these too? His face seems to be stuck that way. Even when he's happy he's frowning!
*** The latter's expression does lighten occasionally, but otherwise pulls of the 'stern' expression 90% of the time. Applies to a good number of the cast.
* ''Anime/YuGiOhGX'':
** Kaiser Ryo. Oddly enough, his FaceHeelTurn to Hell Kaiser caused him to ''smile''... [[SlasherSmile evilly, with a touch of insanity]].
** Edo is initally introduced as the opposite of this trope, but as we get to see more and more of him, his smiles become much rarer. He's serving as the ShadowArchetype of Judai after all.
*** His new Ace Monster, Destiny HERO Bloo-D/[[DubNameChange Plasma]], takes this trope UpToEleven, who is always depicted with an angry expression on his face.
* Aur from ''LightNovel/MaouNoHajimekata'' has this as his default look, properly portraying the kind of man he is; although he sometimes makes gentle expressions towards those he has recruited, mostly women, even flat out manipulating his facial structure with magic to give those who meets him for the first time a false impression that he is a benevolent man.
* Sesshomaru from ''Manga/InuYasha'' is characterized by his constant aloof, disdainful frown, though it is said that he is all the more dangerous when he actually does smile; on one occasion when he ''did'' smile, Jaken was so freaked out by it that he literally ''begged'' Sesshomaru to get angry and beat him instead.
* Scar from ''Anime/FullmetalAlchemist'' has smiled a grand total of three times in the entire anime. He smiles once in the [[Manga/FullmetalAlchemist manga]], in the Ishbalan refugee camp when he is told that there are many survivors of the genocide in camps all over the country.
* Kasanoda from ''Manga/OuranHighSchoolHostClub'' is an unfortunate example. He looks scary as hell, and his default expression is an angry frown... because he's been trained from childhood to take over the position of {{Yakuza}} boss of his family. Unfortunate, because he's not such a bad guy, but nearly everyone is too freaked out to notice.

* Gwendal in ''LightNovel/KyoKaraMaoh'' is an extreme example, even other characters comment on his perpetual frowning.
* Let's see... constantly frowning? Check. Arms often crossed? Check. Tragic backstory? Check. Frowns even when he's sleeping? At least sometimes. Certainly does it when he's coming out of the shower. Yup, Fakir from ''Anime/PrincessTutu'' is definitely an example of this trope.

* Thorfinn from ''Manga/VinlandSaga'', when he does smile, those smiles are rather....[[SlasherSmile vicious]].

* Try to find canonical pictures of Zoro from ''Franchise/OnePiece'' where he's just smiling happy and friendly-like as opposed to scowling or just [[SlasherSmile smirking]]. ''It's very hard.''
** Especially recently, though. He used to smile and laugh quite frequently in [[CharacterizationMarchesOn early appearances]]. It gets rarer after he loses to Mihawk. In the Arlong Arc, Sanji notes that Zoro developed a bad temper after he lost to Mihawk, so this change is very, very intentional on Oda's part.
*** It's gotten to point where [[https://external-preview.redd.it/SVEmdNIBBzvc1WEfDcsSXUaik4DeSYm3GLlpXAmrIfE.jpg?width=704&auto=webp&s=886a35368d5b0d79bec402ab60b2fc604e0b9ece Sanji]] and [[https://i.pinimg.com/originals/03/50/dc/0350dc9cd2892e7dc67fcdf8db8b82dc.jpg random strangers]] literally [[FingerForcedSmile force Zoro to curl his lips up]] because otherwise he just ain't doing it.
** Speaking of Mihawk, the world's greatest swordsman has smirked a few times (when Zoro challenges him, when Zoro accepts his loss and turns around so he won't have a swordman's greatest shame of a wound to the back, and when Luffy states that he'll become Pirate King) and outright laughed when [[spoiler:Zoro asks Mihawk to tutor him]], but otherwise has a constant dispassionate frown.
** Similar case with Tashigi. She smiled a lot early on, but after some bad experiences in Alabasta, likely disillusioning her in many important ways, she generally looks either impassive or rather miserable.
*** She smiles again after taking care of the giant children at the end of the punk hazard arc.
** Jinbei has this as his regular face with him rarely changing it.
** Trafalgar Law is an interesting example in that, [[CharacterizationMarchesOn in his first appearance]] and all other pre-timeskip appearances to a lesser extent, he was established as a PerpetualSmiler instead. Post-timeskip, however, he has become this, being portrayed as a much more serious character.
** Once his true appearance was actually revealed, contrasting with the SlasherSmile of his unfinished character design, Kaido just seems to be perpetually pissed off at something, never changing his dour grimace. It seems fitting enough, considering he's the sort of DeathSeeker that would set the whole world on fire and walk into the flames to see if they could finally kill him (which would be [[NighInvulnerable up for debate]]).
*** Averted in later chapters and episodes, Kaido can smile [[https://api.duniagames.co.id/api/content/upload/file/18945802431600080647.jpg it just ain't pretty]].
* ''Franchise/LyricalNanoha'':
** [[FieryRedhead Nove]] in ''Anime/MagicalGirlLyricalNanohaStrikers'', whose expression is [[GrumpyBear always in some form of angry]], and maybe some bits of embarrassment. In fact, fans reacted with shock when the artwork for an audio drama showed her with a slight smile on her face. She would later [[TookALevelInCheerfulness lose this characteristic]] after a few years of being HappilyAdopted.
** Rinne from ''Anime/VividStrike'' is noted to never smile, even after she wins fights. The only time she is shown to smile is while she has breakfast with her adoptive parents.
* Exedore/Exsedol's redesigned version, when seen in ''Anime/Macross7''. The only time he ever smiles is...
* Kurogane from ''Manga/TsubasaReservoirChronicle''. The only times you see him smiling are when he's fighting... And it's more of a SlasherSmile than everything. He only really smiled in the flashbacks from his childhood... And in chapter 167.
* Kenshiro from ''Manga/FistOfTheNorthStar'' used to be a happy camper but after his best friend kidnapped his fiancee and left him for dead in the desert, it's understandable that he doesn't smile much.
* The title character of ''Manga/Golgo13'' fame is one of the trope's fathers.
* Sagara Sousuke from ''LightNovel/FullMetalPanic''. He is described numerous times to be a very attractive boy... except for the problem that he looks perpetually angry, with his eyebrows slanting down and lips pressed firmly in a grim straight line, giving him a ''very'' unapproachable appearance. He's actually pretty well known for never smiling in the story. [[https://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/Sousuke_smile.jpg Here's his attempt at trying to, for the sake of his photo ID.]] Though more unnervingly, one of the few times he's shown to smile naturally [[http://www.mangafox.com/manga/full_metal_panic_sigma/v05/c019/24.html can be seen here.]] Yikes, Sousuke, you SociopathicHero, you.
* ''Anime/CowboyBebop'''s Vicious is also not a happy camper. The only smiles that he actually gives are {{Slasher Smile}}s that live up to his name.

* Kaede Rukawa from ''Manga/SlamDunk'' has this expression as a standard. He only gives ''one'' smile throughout the entire story, in the second-to-last volume. Doesn't stop girls from fawning over him, though. The fact that he's TheAce of Shohoku certainly helps.
* Xanxus from ''Manga/Reborn2004'' is in a permanently bad mood and nearly always scowling, but his smile is even ''more'' frightening.
** Tsuna in Dying Will form has been described several times as having "his brows always furrowed".
* Saionji from ''Anime/RevolutionaryGirlUtena'' fits this trope to a t, given that his life has been a bit... complicated.
* ''Manga/BattleAngelAlita'': Alita, in addition to her Perpetual Frown, usually has a Perpetual Pout as well, amply {{lampshaded}}. She even got nicknamed "Octopus Lips" in-story, and when [[GenkiGirl Zwoelf]] has to pose as her she loudly complained that Alita's constantly sullen expression is very boring. Though, given [[TheWoobie her backstory]], it's somewhat justified.
* [[TheRival Paul]] in the ''Anime/{{Pokemon}}'' anime, which is probably fitting of his nature as StopHavingFunGuys incarnate.
* [[{{Tsundere}} Hitomi]] [[VictoriousChildhoodFriend Mizumura]] from the Hentai manga ''Boys Empire'' is like this at first. Makoto even [[LampshadeHanging lampshades]] it for us:
-->'''Makoto:''' Mizumura looks like she's always angry or something.
* ''Anime/NeonGenesisEvangelion'':
** Along with a [[ClaspYourHandsIfYouDeceive certain pose]], Gendo Ikari is a reliable owner of one of these. While he is occasionally seen smiling, in the vast majority of the cases it is when he smirks in triumph over something going JustAsPlanned. His only truly warm smiles only really ever happens around Rei.
** Likewise Gendo's son Shinji being a {{Angst}} filled [[TheWoobie woobie]] with many mentally issues naturally has a sad frown on his mug 24/7. In the manga when Shinji does smile, Misato his [[ParentalSubstitute caretaker]] immediately takes note of it and she tells Shinji he's much cuter when smiles and he should do it more often.
** Rei Ayanami being the TropeCodifier for EmotionlessGirl naturally has a impassive frown on her face all the time [[spoiler: justified since she's a clone of Shinji's dead mom]]. When Rei [[https://i.pinimg.com/originals/66/27/f3/6627f3e21a4f9ea88eceede22e8c60a0.png does smile]] for Shinji (whom is also smiling and crying with happiness over the fact she's not hurt) in Episode 6, it's a SugarWiki/CrowningMomentOfHeartWarming.
* The number of times L had smiled in ''Manga/DeathNote'' can most likely be counted in less than fifteen panels. Near? [[CheshireCatGrin Not really]].
* Does ''Manga/BlackButler's'' William T. Spears ever smile?
** He laughs once, in the ''Ciel in Wonderland'' OVA. [[NightmareFuel And no, you don't want to see it.]]
* ''Anime/PuellaMagiMadokaMagica'': Homura Akemi. At least [[BrokenBird she's got a lot of reason to]].
* ''Manga/{{Berserk}}'': Guts during his days as the Black Swordsman after the Eclipse. Again, he doesn't have much reason to smile after watching [[spoiler:his entire team get slaughtered and eaten by demons, and the love of his life get raped to insanity by his former commander turned demonic god]]. In fact, when he does smile, it's either a sneer (usually directed toward Puck) or [[SlasherSmile a murderous and bloodthirsty grin]] (which he reserves for his demonic enemies).
* ''Manga/BusoRenkin'': Tokiko is rarely seen without smiling during the first half of the series as she is totally dedicated to her mission to destroy [[OurHomunculiAreDifferent homunculi]]. This [[DownplayedTrope changes in the second half of the series]] when [[DefrostingIceQueen she begins to soften]] her expressions due to her relationship with [[StockShonenHero Kazuki]].
* As mentioned above, Athrun Zala from ''Anime/MobileSuitGundamSeed''.

* In ''LightNovel/MyTeenRomanticComedySNAFU'', the anime version of Hachiman Hikigaya nearly always has his eyebrows in a knit. He does smile but usually it's a wry smile.
* Renge from ''Manga/NonNonBiyori'' is affixed with a perpetual half-open eyed frown. Though it's not very indicative of her mood, as she's your average CheerfulChild.

* Ogami Itto from ''Manga/LoneWolfAndCub'' seems to have only two expressions: Grim scowl, or [[OhCrap horrified surprise]].

* Professor Hoot from ''Manga/HappyHappyClover'' is mostly seen with a serious expression and pretty strict with the younger animals since he's the teacher and doctor of Crescent Forest. But he does smile a few times when he gets very impressed.
* Ichimatsu from ''Anime/OsomatsuSan'', though he becomes increasingly NotSoStoic as the show goes on.
* ''Manga/SgtFrog'': Giroro, presumably, though the Keronian biological structure disguises this a little.
* In ''Manga/Brave10'', Nobuyuki never looks happy.
* Wagner from ''Manga/Classi9'' usually has expressions ranging from "positively annoyed" to "pissed as hell". When Liszt mentions Wagner laughed when he got drunk once, Bach and Mozart immediately dismiss the thought as NightmareFuel. He smiled a grand total of two times in the manga and had ''one'' chuckle in the last chapter.

* [[YakuzaPrincess Momo]] from ''Manga/KaguyaSamaLoveIsWar'' seems to only be capable of three emotions: boredom, annoyance, and anger. [[spoiler:She is, however, shown giving a smirk in Chapter 202 when Shirogane gets her and the other members of the previous student council together to throw a small graduation party for his predecessor.]]
* ''LightNovel/FateZero'': Kirei Kotomine smiles very rarely and usually has an emotionless expression on his face. Considering it's a prequel to ''VisualNovel/FateStayNight'', people who started with ''stay night'' first, learn how he went from a PerpetualFrowner to a PerpetualSmiler. And indeed, every time Kotomine smiles in ''Fate/Zero'', it's always a wicked smile.
* Numerous characters in ''Manga/AttackOnTitan'', including the protagonist Eren Yeager, Annie Leonhart, Levi, and [[spoiler: Eren Kruger]]. [[CrapsackWorld They all have very good reasons]].

* Numerous characters in ''Manga/AttackOnTitan'', including the protagonist Eren Yeager, Annie Leonhart, Levi, Zofia, Porco Gaillard and [[spoiler: Eren Kruger]]. [[CrapsackWorld They all have very good reasons]].

* ''LightNovel/FateZero'': Kirei Kotomine smiles very rarely and usually has an emotionless expression on his face. Considering it's a prequel to ''VisualNovel/FateStayNight'', people who started with ''stay night'' first, learn how he went from a PerpetualFrowner to a PerpetualSmiler. And indeed, every time Kotomine smiles in ''Fate/Zero'', it's always a wicked smile.

* The title character of ''Manga/{{Golgo 13}}'' fame is one of the trope's fathers.

* Tomoe from ''Manga/KamisamaKiss.'' He actually has a lot to be pissed about; like the fact that his master and best friend Mikage abandoned him twenty years before the start of the story or the fact that he was made an indentured servant to an OrdinaryHighSchoolStudent. However, he also manages to be pissed at anything and everything.

* Kii the dryad from ''Manga/DailyLifeWithMonsterGirl'' always looks either bored or vaguely annoyed. Lala also very rarely smiles, but mostly to keep up her "reaper of souls" facade.

* ''Manga/{{Naruto}}''

* Tetsuma Jou, receiver for the Seibu Wild Gunmen from ''Manga/{{Eyeshield 21}}'', has had a permanent serious frown on his face from (at least) the tender age of four. Although he did once adopt an expression of raging, unholy killing intent when [[spoiler:Gaou [[BerserkButton broke Kid's arm]],]] if that counts as a change.

* ''Franchise/LyricalNanoha''

* Xanxus from ''Manga/KatekyoHitmanReborn'' is in a permanently bad mood and nearly always scowling, but his smile is even ''more'' frightening.

* Germany and Sweden from ''Webcomic/AxisPowersHetalia'' rarely smile, though not because they're unhappy. Hong Kong may be [[EmotionlessGirl a straighter example]], and Belarus mixes this with {{Yandere}}. Germania so much so that he couldn't smile when he tried to.

* ''Manga/BusoRenkin'': Tokiko Tsumura's default expression is "I'm about 5 seconds away from disembowelling someone."

[[quoteright:250:[[Manga/JoJosBizarreAdventure https://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/jotaro_acrylic.png]]]]

* Jotaro Kujo from ''Manga/JoJosBizarreAdventure'' hardly ''ever'' smiles throughout the series. (In fact, one of the few times he does, it's because he's inches away from losing his mind.)

* ''LightNovel/FateZero'': Kirei Kotomine smiles very rarely and usually has an emotionless expression on his face. Considering it's a prequel to ''VisualNovel/FateStayNight'', people who started with ''stay night'' first, learn how he went from a PerpetualFrowner to having a PerpetualSmile. And indeed, every time Kotomine smiles in ''Fate/Zero'', it's always a wicked smile.

* [[YakuzaPrincess Momo]] from ''Manga/KaguyaSamaLoveIsWar'' seems to only be capable of three emotions: boredom, annoyance, and anger. [[spoiler:She is, however, shown giving a smirk in Chapter 202 when Shirogane gets her and the other members of the previous student council together to throw a small graduation party for his predecessor.]]

* ''Anime/NeonGenesisEvangelion'': Along with a [[ClaspYourHandsIfYouDeceive certain pose]], Gendo Ikari is a reliable owner of one of these. While he is occasionally seen smiling, in the vast majority of the cases it is when he smirks in triumph over something going JustAsPlanned. His only truly warm smiles only really ever happens around Rei.

*** Averted in chapter 943 Kaido [[https://i6.mangareader.net/one-piece/943/one-piece-12199573.jpg can smile]] it just ain't pretty.

*** It's gotten to point where [[https://external-preview.redd.it/SVEmdNIBBzvc1WEfDcsSXUaik4DeSYm3GLlpXAmrIfE.jpg?width=704&auto=webp&s=886a35368d5b0d79bec402ab60b2fc604e0b9ece Sanji]] and [[https://i9.mangareader.net/one-piece/930/one-piece-11784307.jpg random strangers]] literally [[FingerForcedSmile force Zoro to curl his lips up]] because otherwise he just ain't doing it.

* ''Manga/{{Gunnm}}'': Gally, in addition to her Perpetual Frown, usually has a Perpetual Pout as well, amply {{lampshaded}}. She even got nicknamed "Octopus Lips" in-story, and when [[GenkiGirl Zwoelf]] has to pose as her she loudly complained that Gally's constantly sullen expression is very boring. Though, given [[TheWoobie her backstory]], it's somewhat justified.

* Sheila from ''Anime/TweenyWitches'' wears a stern expression at almost all times.

* A well known anime frowner is Ichigo in ''Manga/{{Bleach}}'', early on revealed to be a result of losing his mother at a young age and trying very hard to cultivate a badass image ever since. (In one episode when Kon runs amok in Ichigo's body, Ichigo bemoans Kon ruining his image that he'd worked so hard on.) The example is particularly interesting considering the fact that he is the main protagonist. Hitsugaya is also a major frowner, probably a result of frequently being [[OnlySaneMan the most professional among a group of wackier characters]]. [[BloodKnight Kenpachi]] is usually frowning whenever he's not in the middle of a fight, in which case he'll have a big SlasherSmile.

* Kaiser Ryo of ''Anime/YuGiOhGX''. Oddly enough, his FaceHeelTurn to Hell Kaiser caused him to ''smile''... [[SlasherSmile evilly, with a touch of insanity]].
** Kaiba from the original ''Anime/YuGiOh''. This was commented on in ''WebVideo/YuGiOhTheAbridgedSeries'', with Yugi remarking "Every time Kaiba smiles, a puppy dies."

* ''Manga/BusouRenkin'': Tokiko Tsumura's default expression is "I'm about 5 seconds away from disembowelling someone."

* ''Anime/PuellaMagiMadokaMagica'': Homura Akemi almost never smiles. It's [[BrokenBird not like she's got a lot of reason to]].

** Her friend, Shiro Iori is much the same way, as in all the time we've seen him, he has annoyed/serious expression.

* Satsuki from ''Anime/KillLaKill'' often has a scowl on her face. Ryuko once even referred to her as a "perpetually frowning, [[BigOlEyebrows caterpillar-eyebrow]] bitch."

** [[SplitPersonality Launch]] from the [[Anime/DragonBall original series]] always has a frown in her blonde-haired form, opposite to her blue-haired side's PerpetualSmiler.

* Exedore/Exsedol's redesigned version, when seen in ''Anime/{{Macross 7}}''. The only time he ever smiles is during his CrowningMomentOfAwesome.

** Once his true appearance was actually revealed, contrasting with the SlasherSmile of his unfinished character design, Kaido just seems to be perpetually pissed off at something, never changing his dour grimace. It seems fitting enough, considering he's the sort of DeathSeeker that would set the whole world on fire and walk into the flames to see if they could finally kill him (which would be [[NighInvulnerable up for debate).

---> '''Makoto''': Mizumura looks like she's always angry or something.