Scenery Censor: Difference between revisions

A completely nude character's "naughty bits" are blocked from the camera by a convenient prop or oddity of architecture, yet every other character in the scene gets an eyeful, usually resulting in either ogling and [[Nosebleed|nosebleeds]], or [[Squick|Squicks]] and grabs for the [[Brain Bleach]]. Usually this is used just out of cultural necessity, and/or to hide the fact that the cast members involved weren't really nude in the filming of the scene, but it can be turned into [[Naked People Are Funny|a gag]] due to the increasing absurdity of the covering elements, as seen in the ''[[Austin Powers]]'' films. Even when technically played straight, overuse of this trope tends to break the audience's [[Willing Suspension of Disbelief]] and effectively ''become'' a gag.

Another common example is when a female character takes a bath. The bubbles will generally cover her "naughty bits" -- somehow like a Modesty Bubble Bath or Modesty Foam Bath. See [[Censor Suds]] for more on this form of scenery censorship.

For hidden faces, see [[The Faceless]]. For bedtime Scenery Censor techniques, see [[Modesty Bedsheet]]. Related to [[Godiva Hair]] and [[Hand or Object Underwear]]. TV shows and movies (be they animated or live action) that use [[Shower Scene|bathing scenes]] usually rely on [[Censor Steam]] or [[Censor Suds]]. For cases in which an actress is pregnant but her character isn't, see [[Hide Your Pregnancy]].

** Shinji, panicked and shocked by discovering a [[Everything Is Better With Penguins|penguin]] in the bathtub, confronts his new roommate Misato while he is still undressed. As he rants, his "naughty bits" are hidden by a beer can on the table in the foreground. During the conversation that ensues, Misato picks up the can, revealing that Shinji's modesty is still defended -- by [[Crowning Moment of Funny|a much smaller container clearly labeled "toothpicks"]]. [[media:1139987684110.jpg|Click here]] for image.

* In ''[[Hunter X Hunter]]'' Chapter 158: "Reassembling Companions," [http://www.onemanga.com/Hunter_X_Hunter/158/09/ page 09] does this with a shout bubble over [[Fan Nickname|Pedoclown]] Hisoka's naughty bits; a panel cut-off on [http://www.onemanga.com/Hunter_X_Hunter/158/10/ page 10], and ''[http://www.onemanga.com/Hunter_X_Hunter/158/11/ page 11]'', which is probably '''[[NSFW]]''', actually uses two frames with strategically placed speech bubbles to indicate that he just got an ''erection''. Understandably, the two [[Cute Shotaro Boy|Cute Shotaro Boys]] who are our heroes are probably wishing that they'd stumbled upon Hisoka when he ''wasn't'' bathing. Luckily for them, they're the main protagonists of a [[Shounen]] action series, and the scene proceeds with Hisoka getting dressed and them working out an [[Enemy Mine]] situation because Gon and Killua [[Serious Business|desperately need to fill the membership quota]] [[It Makes Sense in Context|for their dodgeball team]].

* When a yaoi title doesn't want the awkwardness of invisible penises or censoring bars, it often adopts a Scenery Censor approach to genitals -- even during randy sex scenes. What covers the critical bits is most often another character or their body part.

* This trope is used quite often in the ''[[Ultimate Spider-Man]]'' comics, much in thanks to the more realistic depictions of certain supervillains. It is almost always very well done and almost never distracting -- it can take two read-throughs to realize that the Hobgoblin is naked during his entire first appearance.

** For example, read through volume 4 (''Legacy''). Norman Osborn reveals himself -- in many ways -- to Peter Parker. A desk obscures his naughty bits. Peter Parker's backside is also obscured, in volume 6 (''Venom'') by the remnants of the Venom symbiote.

* ''[[Batman]] Confidential'' #18 may set some kind of record for this trope as it features an issue long fight between Batgirl and Catwoman in a nudist club with masks being the only item of clothing either of them is wearing. The artist, Kevin Maguire, continually manages to cover up everyone's naughty bits, with a raised hand here, a well positioned turn, and my favorite, a bowl of fruit -- in particular, a pear -- to cover Barbara's butt.

* In an early issue of ''[[Incredible Hulk|The Incredible Hulk]]'', Betty Ross is transformed into the Harpy ''sans culottes'', with shadows hiding her breasts and genitals; when she changes back into human form--in midair, high above the ground--the subsequent splash page shows her wearing a brown bath towel. (This ignited a discussion on the letters page as to whether the [[Comics Code]] ban on nudity was necessary or appropriate).

* When [[Mercy Thompson]] shifts from coyote back to human, she ends up naked. The ''Mercy Thompson: Homecoming'' comic uses anything -- even shadows -- to cover up Mercy's breasts and genitals.

* ''[[The Simpsons Movie]]'', Bart, skateboarding in the nude, passes by several dozen conveniently placed objects... and then they subvert it when he passes a fence with a hole in the middle, resulting in a lengthy, uncensored shot of his animated genitalia, while the ''rest'' of him is covered up -- at least in the uncut version that was shown in the movies and is on DVD and Blu-Ray. The TV version plasters a censor box that reads, "European Version Only" over the hedge with the long hole in it.

* One of the ''[[Scary Movie|Scary Movies]]'' has the president naked in front of the UN. [[It Makes Sense in Context|Long story]]. He is censored by several heads and a man's arm. However, it turns disturbing when he stands in front of a flagpole, bends over (still in front of the flagpole) to look at a machine, and very suggestively starts to go lower (with his ass still ''right'' in front of the flagpole) all while talking about "loose flabby pink things."

* Ea, the main character of the Japanese made-for-TV drama ''[[Invisible Girl Ea]]'', is found nude by the main male character, and she stays that way pretty much the entire series. Partially justified as clothing (or anything touching her skin) causes her invisibility superpower to malfunction. Regardless, no effort is made to conceal her nudity, outside some clever camera work and the occasional lens flare blocking things that are too much even for late-night Japanese TV -- which, apparently, isn't much.

** Played with, possibly as a homage to the ''[[Neon Genesis Evangelion]]'' toothpick scene. Raiden is stripped of his clothes towards the end, and has to run around preserving his modesty -- he can, however, press himself to the torture rack he was originally strapped to. He reverts to an arms-stretched out pose, and the camera changes view -- to behind a drinks can, the [[media:raidensoda.jpg|close-up protruding straw]] completely preserving Raiden's dignity. There's also a hilarious moment when, if he's seen by an enemy soldier, Raiden can retreat to the rack and press himself against it to fool the soldier, who looks on in ''envy'' and says, "I wish I had that..." before leaving.

* ''[[Geist]]'' was given an "M" rating in the US for (among other things) a brief scene containing nudity -- but anything objectionable was covered by strategically-placed soap bubbles.

* [[Older Than Steam]]: The art that hangs in museums is no stranger to [[Scenery Censor]]. Take [http://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Lucas_Cranach_the_Elder_-_The_Close_of_the_Silver_Age_%28%3F%29_-_Google_Art_Project.jpg this 15th-century painting by Lucas Cranach the Elder]. By an improbable coincidence, all four men's genitals are obscure by leaves or other obstacles (the women and children don't mind showing theirs though).

* In ''[[The Adventures of Dr. McNinja]]'', one of Dr. McNinja's old college buddies transforms into a monster -- rather like Hulk -- and all his clothes rip off, hidden only by shadows, his arms, a tricky lobster person, and when he reverts back to normal an inexplicable stream of paper.

* ''[[Last Res0rt]]'': Adharia's top rips open ''during a live broadcast'', and all we see are the [http://www.lastres0rt.com/?p=39 tattered bits of her shirt covering up anything interesting]. To top it off, the two men with the best probable view were reptiles -- talk about a waste!

** There was also an earlier episode where Zuko tells Iroh to get out of a hotspring, but when he comes out, a visibly [[Squick|Squicked]] Zuko cringes while our view is blocked by the same hand he's using and he tells Iroh to go back in.

* [[Lampshaded]] in [[Tex Avery]]'s ''The Shooting of Dan McGoo'': the bartender, strategically positioned in front of a nude painting, announces, "I don't move from here all through the picture." When a fight breaks out, though, he ducks behind the bar -- revealing that the woman in the picture is ''missing'' everything from chest to mid-thigh. (In its place she [[Talking with Signs|holds a sign]] reading "[[Worldwide Punomenon|I ain't got no body.]]")

* ''[[Home Movies]]'': Mc Guirk is given a kilt, which brings out his suppressed passion for Highland dancing -- then a leg cramp sprawls him out on the ground, to the horror of everyone getting a full view.

* Many wedding websites sell tattoo cover-up kits for those who want to permanently mark their bodies and express themselves... except for one day, when they are generally expected to look like [[Princess|princesses]].