Mobile Shrubbery: Difference between revisions

[[File:cardboardbox_irothtincardboardbox irothtin.jpg|link=Metal Gear|rightframe|''I can't begin to count the number of agents whose lives were saved by a cardboard box...'']]

{{quote|'''Strong Bad:''' I would first go to my old thieving standby: dress up like a bush.|''[[Homestar Runner]]'', sbemail "bike thief"}}

This can actually be [[Truth in Television]] to a degree. It's called "[http://en.[wikipedia.org/wiki/Change_blindness:Change blindness|Change Blindness]]." So long as Bob doesn't actually see the bush move, there's a good chance he won't notice that it's in a new location. There are some very [http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=voAntzB7EwE fascinating] [http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mAnKvo-fPs0 videos] on [[YouTube]] on the subject.

* In a chapter of ''[[Ranma One Half|Ranma ½]]'', a jealous Akane [[media:spyingwithbranches.jpg|does this]] to spy on Ranma and Nabiki.

* Team Rocket from ''[[Pokémon (Animeanime)|Pokémon]]'' does it often.

{{quote| '''Sapphire''': This is how you treat your savior? ''You ungrateful little brat!''}}

*** The "disguise cloth" is actually said to be a classic [[Ninja]] trick of the trade (Naruto himself uses it correctly in the first episode). A similar gag appears in ''[[DragonballDragon Ball]]'', where Agent Murasaki tries to hide from Goku by leaning against a tree and holding up a bark-pattened cloth, but instead holds it up backwards, the reverse side being an American flag. Oops.

* In an episode of ''[[Zone of the Enders]]: Dolores, i'', Dolores attempts to avoid detection by satellite cameras by carrying a tree while moving through the Florida swamp. It works until somebody monitoring the cameras notices a tree that suddenly appears in one shot and vanishes the next.

* In [[Muhyo and Roji's Bureau of Supernatural Investigation]], Roji and Muhyo walk into a client's house while hidden in large pots in order to stake out a haunt.

* At one point in the second series of ''[[Rosario to+ Vampire]]'', Kurumu, Mizore, and Kokoa begin trailing Gin, all three girls hiding under cardboard boxes and peering out through the slits normally used as handgrips. Oddly, they've drawn '''mouths''' on the boxes under these openings -- andopenings—and the "mouth" on Mizore's box has her trademark lollipop drawn sticking out.

* In the manga ''[[Ratman]]'' a [[Faceless Goons|Jacky]] reveals they got into the hospital by hiding in cardboard boxes [[Shout -Out|labeled]] [[Metal Gear Solid|MSG4]].

* In ''[[SD Gundam Force]]''{{'}}s second season, Grappler Gouf and Destroyer Dom sneak aboard the [[Cool Ship|Gundamusai]] while hiding under cardboard boxes. This wouldn't be so bad, (As that episode's [[Show Within a Show|Zako Zako Hour]] shows them successfully blending in) but they've also cut holes for their [[Cyber Cyclops|mono-eyes]]- in the shape of their eye-screens! (Grapper's even has the scar he has)

== [[Comic Books]] ==

* The "Wacky" ninjas from early on in ''[[The Tick (animation)]]'' try this, with about one branch each (even telling passers-by "we are a hedge, move along"). The image can be seen at [[Highly-Visible Ninja]].

* [[Unfortunate Implications|The native Americans]] in ''[[Peter Pan (Disney film)|Peter Pan]]'' actually do this to capture John, Michael, and the Lost Boys.

* Near the middle of ''[[The Aristocats (Disney)|The Aristocats]]'', the evil butler Edgar disguises himself as a haystack mounted on top of a sidecar in order to escape Napoleon and [[La Fayette]] the dogs.

{{quote| '''Napoleon''':Sounds like a one-wheeled...<br />

'''[[La Fayette]]''':A one-wheeled what?!<br />

{{quote| '''Stanley:''' This walking bush! He lives in two worlds, but is the master of both! OH, MAN-BUSH, YOU ARE NATURE'S GREATEST WONDEEEEEEEER!}}

* ''[[Throne of Blood (Film)|Throne of Blood]]'', [[Akira Kurosawa]]'s adaptation of ''[[Macbeth (Theatre)|Macbeth]]'', naturally uses this just as ''Macbeth'' itself does. The spirits tell the [[Villain Protagonist]] that he will never be defeated until the ''forest moves''. For what happens next, check what page you're on.

{{quote| '''[[Bill Murray|Carl Spackler]]''': Pay no attention to that bush, moving around over there by that tree, it's just a bush. Nothing to look twice at. Nothing to be alarmed about. This looks like it could be gravy.}}

* The Japanese soldiers who invade California in ''~[[1941~]]'' disguise themselves as Christmas trees. Hollis Wood even tries to chop one down.

* Happens in ''[[Muppets Fromfrom Space]]'' as Kermit, Fozzie, Miss Piggy, Animal and Pepe try to infiltrate COVNET to save Gonzo and Rizzo. The bush only goes as far as a short distance from the guard station- whereupon the Muppets apply some of Dr. Honeydew's invisibility spray.

* Radar attempts to shadow Hawkeye using this technique, to little effect, in the ''[[MASHM*A*S*H the Series(television)|M*A*S*H]]'' episode "I Hate a Mystery". Klinger also tries to escape from camp by disguising himself as a shrub in "Dear Peggy"; he says he would have made it if not for that dog.

* Trying to evade Siegfried, [[Get Smart (TV)|Max and 99]] sneak along under a cardboard box...only to see Siegfried following them in another box.

* Played for laughs in ''[['Allo 'Allo (TV)!|Allo Allo]]'', when Colonel von Strohm and Captain Geering don bulky and lifelike tree costumes for a spying mission. They end up having to give chase in them. Cut to two trees (plus other characters) running after a dog that had stolen an important Knockwurst sausage (it makes sense in context- honestly).

* Brainiac proved that this can actually be effective.{{context}}

* Parodied rather hilariously in ''[[The Mighty Boosh]]'' episode "Mutants". During a montage where Howard is tailing Dixon Bainbridge, Bainbridge is shown walking across the screen followed closely by a large, conspicuous hedge. Moments later, Howard himself walks past, looking around and on the alert.

== [[Music Videos]] ==

* Makes a brief appearance in the video for [[Lindsey Stirling (Creator)|Lindsey Stirling]] and [[The Piano Guys (Creator)|The Piano Guys]]' rendition of the ''[[Mission: Impossible (TV series)||Mission Impossible]]'' theme.

== [[Theater]] ==

* [[Older Than Steam]] examples in [[Shakespeare|Shakespearean]]an scripts:

** The title character of ''[[Macbeth]]'' is told by the witches that he shall be invincible until [[No Man of Woman Born|"great Birnam Wood to high Dunsinane Hill shall come against him."]] In the end, he's defeated after an invading army uses [[Mobile Shrubbery]] taken from Birnam Wood to conceal their numbers. (Incidentally, J.R.R. Tolkien felt this was a cop-out, and he decided to write a story where the trees could ''really'' come to attack. Thus, [[When Trees Attack|the Ents]].)

* In ''[[Finian's Rainbow]]'', the leprechaun Og disguises himself as a tree to follow Finian, who is secretly burying his stolen pot of Og's gold near Fort Knox in hopes it will grow. Finian is totally drunk and even ends up dancing with the moving tree.

** In ''[[The Legend of Zelda: theThe Wind Waker (Video Game)|Wind Waker]]'', you can hide in a barrel in this fashion.

** In ''[[Majoras Mask]]'', Link can wear the stone mask which acts like an invisibility cloak. It operates on the principle that anyone wearing the mask becomes so uninteresting that no-one notices them. The previous owner of the mask injured his leg and was unable to summon help due to the mask's "power". He remained stuck in the same spot for SEVERAL''several YEARSyears'' until Link came along.

* In the ''[[Metal Gear]]'' games, everyone knows there's no disguise more effective than a cardboard box. That is, until ''[[Metal Gear Solid 4: Guns of the Patriots]]'' came up with the Drum Can. Less conspicuous in the urban ruins, plus lots of fun to lay on its side and roll around in.

* ''[[Command and& Conquer|Red Alert 2]]'' has the Allied Mirage Tank, which takes on the appearance of a tree when idle.

{{quote| ''[[Nobody Here but Us Statues|Nobody here but us trees!]]'' - Mirage Tank}}

* In the ''[[Chip 'n Dale Rescue Rangers (Videovideo Gamegame)|Chip 'n Dale Rescue Rangers]]'' video games, you can duck while carrying a box to hide from enemies. The presence of blinking chipmunk eyes on the box does not give away your presence, amazingly enough.

* ''[[RunescapeRuneScape]]'' has Penguin Hide and Seek, where you try to find penguin spies disguised as bushes, rocks, giant mushrooms, crates, and for Halloween, pumpkins. [[It Makes Sense in Context]].

* ''[[Commander Keen (Video Game)|Commander Keen]] IV'': The Secret of the Oracle has enemies that hide under boulders (much like the ''[[Toy Story (franchise)|Toy Story]] 2'' traffic cones). They're harmless (and well camouflaged) when stationary, but deadly when moving.

* In ''[[Psychonauts (Video Game)|Psychonauts]]'', the "Milkman Conspiracy" level has mailboxes which'll open the mail slot and look at you. If you turn your back on them, they'll start sneaking toward you until you turn around.

* A cheat in ''[[Age of Empires I (Videovideo Gamegame)|Age of Empires I]]'' give you archers that walk on water, and turn to trees when standing still. Even when standing on water. Useless against CPU's, but fun against players.

* In the (hilarious) action/RTS hybrid ''[[Giants: Citizen Kabuto]]'', the Meccaryns has a ''literal'' Mobile Shrubbery in form of a backpack. When activated, it transforms the player into a shrubbery. Perfect for sneaking around behind [[The Guards Must Be Crazy|guards]], who fails to notice why there is a bush where there shouldn't be one!

* ''[[Team Fortress 2 (Video Game)|Team Fortress 2]]'' has an unofficial mod called Prop Hunt, where one entire team is disguised as props, frequently shrubbery, and hides from the other team among the scenery. [[Hilarity Ensues|Hilarity often ensues]].

* ''[[Yoshis Island (Video Game)|YoshisYoshi's Island]]'' has Spy Guys, Shy Guys who hide beneath a batch of yellow flowers. They make a reappearance in ''[[Paper Mario (Video Gamefranchise)|Paper Mario]]'', this time wearing camo and hiding under a bush.

* One of the stealthier [[Mook|mooksmook]]s in ''[[Donkey Kong Country Returns]]'' is almost entirely covered in shrubbery.

* Thief from ''[[8-Bit Theater (Webcomic)|8-Bit Theater]]'' hides behind a bush at one point, and follows Black Mage and Fighter ''through a city gate'' using the disguise.

* Bina and Julie use a recycling bin in ''[[Monster Pulse (Webcomic)|Monster Pulse]]'' to sneak through a shady facility and rescue their monsters, carrying it over their heads and hiding in it by crouching down. Complete with an [[Unsound Effect]] 'sit' when someone walks by.

{{quote| '''Strongbad''': ''(as a bush)'' Can I have some free pizza?<br />

* Appears frequently in ''[[Scooby -Doo]]'', mostly involving Scooby and Shaggy.

* [[The Simpsons (animation)|Sideshow Bob]] once hid behind a group of palm trees that just happened to have the exact shape as his hair.

* The Doctor uses the cardboard box version in the ''[[Doctor Who (TV)|Doctor Who]]'' animation "Dreamland". When his alien companion asks how he knows where he's going, he explains he counted his steps.

{{quote| '''Doctor''':Always count your steps, Saruba Velak. You never know when you'll need to escape in a box.}}

*** [https://web.archive.org/web/20080405152932/http://www.asianoffbeat.com/default.asp?Display=996 This] one] was being marketed as a safety thingy for women.

* The [http://en.[wikipedia.org/wiki/World_Famous_Bushman:World Famous Bushman|World Famous Bushman of San Francisco.]]

* James Coldwell of Manchester, New Hampshire, who attempted to rob a bank in 2007. [https://web.archive.org/web/20090120045511/http://www.boston.com/news/odd/articles/2007/07/09/robber_disguised_as_tree_hits_nh_bank/ Disguised as a tree]. ''Successfully''.

* There are some ads running for the Navy right now{{when}} that appear to be a picture of a rainforest. Until you read the caption at the bottom listing the half-dozen men in the picture. There's another one that shows a dozen security camera captures from a desert, taken every few seconds, with bushes visible. The bushes disappear somewhere between caps 7 and 8.

* A large amountnumber of animals, particularly the less intelligent ones, like reptiles and amphibians, aren't very adept at identifying threats unless they're moving. This means that you may be able to easily walk up to them from behind, and as long as you stay still when they turn around, they'll just assume that there was always a stationary, person-shaped object right there. This subverts the trope in that you don't need a shrubbery, but it follows the same pattern of "move while their back is turned, pretend to be a shrub when they look at you."