Line #4 Main/ArtisticLicenceAnatomy


1	%%Licence is the correct spelling in Commonwealth English. Do not change it to the US English spelling. When crosswicking, any spelling is fine. See Administrivia/AmericanAndCommonwealthSpellings for more details.
2
3	[[quoteright:350:https://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/qcwk3trzpgd41.jpg]]
4	[[caption-width-right:350:Even skeletons can't escape from SecondarySexualCharacteristics.]]
5
6	->''The thigh bone connected to the back bone,\
7	The back bone connected to the neck bone,\
8	The neck bone connected to the head bone.''
9	-->-- A variant of the nursery rhyme '''Dem Bones'''
10
11	Anatomy is the study of the structure of an organism, specifically in relation to humans and animals. It has become an essential part of biology and the study of it is also important for art. However, some rules are [[ScrewTheRulesIMakeThem made to be broken]]. Fictional works have taken the human form to its logical extremes, from impossible figures to organs that work differently to reality.
12
13	These are usually played for {{fanservice}}, [[PlayedForLaughs comedy]], or [[PlayedForHorror horror]]. Occasionally [[BreadEggsBreadedEggs all three]] at the same time.
14
15	This is a SubTrope of ArtisticLicenceBiology and AnatomyTropes, and related to ArtisticLicenceMedicine, AnatomicallyImpossibleSex, and PregnancyDoesNotWorkThatWay.
16	----
17	!!A SuperTrope to:
18	[[index]]
19
20	%% Tropes: %%
21	* NinetyPercentOfYourBrain: People ''do'' use all of their brains in reality, just not all at once, which would cause a seizure.
22	* AccordionMan: Even if you survived being crushed, your body won't look like an accordion.
23	* AmbiguouslyHuman: When a supposedly human character's physiology deviates too much from the norm.
24	* AmusingInjuries: The artistic licence PlayedForLaughs.
25	* AnatomicallyIgnorantHealing: When a body part is accidentally reattached to the wrong place.
26	* AnatomicallyImpossibleSex: Sexual intercourse that would be painful at best and debilitating at worst if it was ever attempted.
27	* AnatomyAnomaly: One character has a more or less stylised body than the others.
28	* ArtShift: When the new art style changes the body proportions.
29	* BalloonBelly: In reality, even a very full stomach doesn't cause this much bloating, while gaining weight is slower and more evenly distributed than this trope suggests.
30	* BarbieDollAnatomy: Nipples and genitalia removed for stylistic or ratings-related reasons.
31	* BizarreAlienBiology: Using the artistic licence to emphasise that something is not from this world.
32	* BizarreHumanBiology: The artistic licence is used to show that a human character is physically different from others.
33	* BlackBeadEyes: Animated characters' eyes are just dots when that is not normal for their species.
34	* BlackBlood: Changing the colour of blood for stylistic or ratings-related reasons.
35	* BlackDotPupils: Cartoon characters are stylised without irises when they would have them in real life.
36	* BloodlessCarnage: Shooting or stabbing someone will cause bleeding in real life.
37	* BloodstainedDefloration: Widely disparaged as inaccurate because it does not happen ''reliably'' in real life -- although it's also far from unheard of. When it ''does'' happen, it also usually doesn't have anything to do with the hymen as is popularly believed, but rather insufficient lubrication causing the woman to suffer vaginal tears.
38	* BodyHorror: The artistic license is PlayedForHorror.
39	* BonesDoNotBelongThere: Animated skeletons or beings given an x-ray view have bones in parts of the body that usually don't have them, or invertebrate animals are depicted with internal skeletons.
40	* BoobsAndButtPose: More stylised examples have the character contort their back in an unnatural manner.
41	* BreastExpansion: Unless surgery is used, boob growth is much slower in real life.
42	* CPRCleanPrettyReliable: While CPR has saved lives, effects like shattered ribs aren't usually portrayed in fiction.
43	* CranialPlateAbility: When a character acquires new abilities thanks to a steel piece implanted (accidentally or via surgery) in their head.
44	* CraniumCompartment: It's impossible to remove the top of your own head and survive.
45	* DinnerDeformation: Even if you could eat something bigger than your head, your body wouldn't take its shape.
46	* DismembermentIsCheap: In real life, [[AnArmAndALeg losing a limb]] is a life-altering event even if you get a good prosthetic.
47	* ForciblyFormedPhysique: An adult body cannot be forced into another shape without killing them.
48	* HardHead: Head injuries tend to be more traumatic in real life.
49	* HartmanHips: More stylised art styles have hips that are unnaturally bigger than the rest of the body.
50	* HeartInTheWrongPlace: Normally a human heart is just a little to the left of center, not nearly as far as media often shows.
51	* ImpossibleHourglassFigure: The waist is too thin relative to the bust and hips.
52	* InflatingBodyGag: Inhaling too much helium does not make you float.
53	* InvulnerableKnuckles: Combatants punching things/other combatants don't injure their fists.
54	* {{Kevlard}}: Body fat does not make you ImmuneToBullets.
55	* LiterallyShatteredLives: Even if a body has been frozen, it cannot be shattered to pieces.
56	* MadeOfBologna: Internal anatomy is portrayed as a homogeneous solid without bones, organs, or blood.
57	* MadeOfIron: Characters shrugging off physical punishment that would leave a real person incapacitated or dead.
58	* MadeOfPlasticine: Bodies are shown being sliced, diced, and torn apart far too easily.
59	* MisterSeahorse: It's anatomically impossible for a cisgender, perisex man to get pregnant.
60	* MyBrainIsBig: A large brain does not automatically equal increased intelligence.
61	* NoDeadBodyPoops: Showing a corpse pooping would ruin the mood of a scene.
62	* NoPeriodsPeriod: Periods aren't usually mentioned unless it's a plot point.
63	* NobodyPoops: This bodily function is seldom mentioned unless it's a plot point.
64	* NoodlePeople: This art style shows people as disproportionately tall and skinny.
65	* OddOrganUpTop: A different part of the body is where the head would normally be.
66	* OnlyAFleshWound: Even if you get injured in what seems like a non-essential bodypart or only take what seems like superficial damage, there's still a high chance that it'll impede your functionality in some way and/or you'll bleed out or at very least get an infection.
67	* OpenTheIris: The iris doesn't change size in real life.
68	* OrganTheft: It takes a lot of skill and resources to remove an organ without damaging it.
69	* OverdrawnAtTheBloodBank: Your body has only so much blood at one time.
70	* OvernightAgeUp: Rapid aging is impossible, with the exception of some genetic conditions.
71	* RubberHoseLimbs: Limb movement is normally limited to the joints.
72	* RubberOrifice: Bodily holes and cavities can only stretch so far without injury.
73	* ShrunkenOrgan: In real life, this would cause serious complications.
74	* SkintoneSclerae: The whites of a cartoon character's eyes are the same color as the rest of their face.
75	* SillyBrainDiagram: The brain does not have certain areas with specific options like "giant robots", although it does have parts dedicated to more general areas like motor skills.
76	* SteelEardrums: Characters don't suffer hearing loss from being too close to something loud like they would in real life.
77	* SuddenAnatomy: New body parts and/or organs don't come out from nothing.
78	* {{Surrealism}}: If an artwork of this style features people, their proportions will be impossible in real life.
79	* SymbolFace: The biological variant where a character somehow has a symbol for a face and suffers no consequences, even though they usually lack basic things required to live like the ability to eat, drink, and breathe. Or being able to do those things despite their face.
80	* TechnicolourEyes: While there are several different eye colours in real life, the colour spectrum isn't as wide as it is in fiction.
81	* TemporaryBulkChange: Changing size or body shape takes time and effort.
82	* ThroughAFaceFullOfFur: In reality, blushing does not cause fur or feathers to change colour.
83	* TopHeavyGuy: The legs are too small relative to the rest of the body.
84	* UnexplainedRecovery: While people can survive things that would seemingly guarantee their death, it happens far less often than in fiction and they usually sustain massive injuries in the process.
85	* UselessSpleen: The spleen is involved in the immune and lymphatic systems.
86	* VertebrateWithExtraLimbs: Animals have a set number of limbs for a reason and any benefits from having any extra ones will generally be outweighed by negatives such as increased energy consumption, having more things to injure or [[ArsonMurderAndJaywalking being forced to redo your entire wardrobe]].
87	* WeightTaller: An increase in fat and/or muscle might make somebody heavier, but they'll stay the same height.
88	* WeWillNotHaveAppendixesInTheFuture: It is unlikely that "useless" organs and body parts will be completely absent in a species in the future.
89	* WorstAid: Things you shouldn't do when administering First Aid. Misconceptions could be caused by the other tropes on this page.
90	* XRayOfPain: It is not possible to instantly see what body parts are damaged by an injury.
91	* YouHaveResearchedBreathing: Vital functions are carried out unconsciously. You're paying attention to your breathing right now because of this trope.
92	[[/index]]
93	----
94	!!The following examples do not fit any sub-tropes:
95
96	[[foldercontrol]]
97
98	[[folder:Advertising]]
99	* Adverts generally edit images to make their product more appealing. However, their tendency to edit human bodies to sometimes unrealistic extents has been linked to AppearanceAngst. As a result, some countries have drafted laws that force these companies to declare any image editing.
100	* In the late 2000s, fashion brand Ralph Lauren attracted controversy after [[https://www.reddit.com/r/Instagramreality/comments/8leaxj/this_ralph_lauren_adphotoshopped_image_versus_the/ blatantly photoshopping their models]]. The model was edited to have an ImpossibleHourglassFigure, unnaturally thin legs, and differently-sized hands.
101	[[/folder]]
102
103	[[folder:Anime & Manga]]
104	* ''Anime/{{Gravion}}'' features characters whose boobs can move independently of each other and move while the character is still. While boobs do move, they don't bounce around like that.
105	[[/folder]]
106
107	[[folder:Arts]]
108	* ''Art/TheBirthOfVenusBotticelli'': Venus' neck is unnaturally long and bends at an improbable angle.
109	* Creator/MichelangeloBuonarroti is normally strict about adhering to human anatomy, but he deliberately made the hands and head of the ''{{Art/David}}'' overly large, most likely so that people viewing it from far away in a chapel could distinguish these important elements easily. It was originally placed on a rooftop.
110	* ''Art/DanteAndVirgilInHell'': Gianni Schicchi's torso bends at an unnatural angle, which reinforces his inhumanity as he bites Capocchio's neck.
111	* ''Art/GrandeOdalisque'': Various art critics have pointed out that by the woman's design, she has five more vertebrae in her back than any real human woman would have.
112	* ''Art/TheNudeMaja'': Her feet are abnormally small in comparison to the rest of the body, which may have been done to emphasise the midsection.
113	* Creator/PabloPicasso:
114	** The cubist art style popularised by him uses geometric shapes to capture the human form. They don't necessarily have to be in the right order.
115	** ''Art/{{Guernica}}'': Like many Picasso {{paintings}}, people are depicted as geometric shapes. However, this piece uses to emphasise the chaos that befell Guernica.
116	* ''Art/TheRapeOfProserpinaBernini'': While the sculpture was well-received, Jerome de la Lande famously commented on the inaccuracies in its anatomy, particularly, the unnatural way Pluto's back bends and the gaudiness in the details of his head.
117	* ''Art/SevenVirtues'': JustifiedTrope. The reason all the depicted women have a larger lower part of their body compared to the smaller upper part is one of [[MediaNotes/GraphicalPerspective perspective]]: the panels were hung high on the walls of the Palazzo della Signoria, so the onlooker could have a more even view of them from below.
118	* ''Art/VenusCupidFollyAndTime'': The way Cupid's back bends is borderline painful to look at. Considering the Mannerist movement is known for depicting human posing in ''figura serpentinata'', or "serpentine figure", to give it an otherworldly quality, this was likely deliberate.
119	[[/folder]]
120
121	[[folder:Comic Books]]
122	* Comics illustrated by Creator/RobLiefeld are distinguishable by their incredibly stylised anatomy. This typically manifests as [[MusclesAreMeaningFul excessive muscles]] on the men and [[ImpossibleHourglassFigure impossible hourglass figures]] for the women.
123	[[/folder]]
124
125	[[folder:Fan Works]]
126	* ''[[Fanfic.BloodRainingNight Blood Raining Night]]'': In the first chapter, Reicheru's breasts are described as "delecately [sic] bouncing in the wind". In real life, breasts are too heavy to be moved by the wind.
127	[[/folder]]
128
129	[[folder:Literature]]
130	* ''Literature/{{Animorphs}}'' has the alien Yeerks taking over human hosts by slithering into the brain via the ear. In real life, though, there is no real connection between the two that they could use. The ear canal area is extremely tight and although it's stated Yeerks can flatten themselves very thin, it's still a stretch. Plus, there's the matter of the eardrum being in the way.
131	* ''Literature/{{Hoot}}'': To explain how scary Beatrice is, Garrett mentions a past incident where a football player slapped her butt and she chased him down and shoved him into the water fountain, breaking three of his collarbones. Humans only have two collarbones.
132	[[/folder]]
133
134	[[folder:Music]]
135	* The children's nursery rhyme ''Dem Bones'' sings about what bones are connected to each other. There are many variants with differing degrees of accuracy, one of the less accurate ones provides the page quote.
136	* The cover art for Music/{{Sabaton}}'s album ''Heroes'' depicts an Allied soldier {{Megaton Punch}}ing a German soldier in a way that would've required him to dislocate his shoulder to extend the arm that far.
137	[[/folder]]
138
139	[[folder:Toys]]
140	* The [[Franchise/{{Barbie}} Barbie and Ken dolls]] have been the centre of controversies regarding their stylised body proportions, especially as they are marketed towards children. In response to this criticism, Mattel added curvy, petite, and tall dolls to their line in 2016.
141	* The ''{{Toys/Bratz}}'' dolls are known for their stylistically larger heads and fuller lips than a normal human.
142	[[/folder]]
143
144	[[folder:Video Games]]
145	* The ''Franchise/MortalKombat'' series has several fatalities that don't make any anatomical sense. This is done on purpose in later games so said fatalities couldn't be replicated in real life.
146	[[/folder]]
147
148	[[folder:Web Animation]]
149	* In ''WebAnimation/RedVsBlue'', Tex rips out someone's skull and beats them to death with it. The victim even questions how Tex was able to do that while she's beating them.
150	[[/folder]]
151
152	[[folder:Web Original]]
153	* {{Website/Tumblr}} user thebibliosphere recounts a book she edited, which she simply calls [[https://thebibliosphere.tumblr.com/post/140364171806/crucifix-nail-nipples Crucifix Nail Nipples]]. The story ends with the PuritySue protagonist being attacked by a vampire, and is saved when her boyfriend rips out the vampire's heart by cutting off her breasts.
154	-->'''thebibliosphere:''' i screamed “THAT’S NOT HOW YOU REACH THE HEART” and my brain short circuited completely
155	[[/folder]]

Context Main / ArtisticLicenceAnatomy