Bishonen Line: Difference between revisions

* In ''[[Fullmetal Alchemist (manga)|Fullmetal Alchemist]]'', the [[Big Bad]] {{spoiler|[http://i13.photobucket.com/albums/a271/SanCerulean/Homuncurus.jpg Father] first appeared in the form of Hohenheim, a handsome [http://i13.photobucket.com/albums/a271/SanCerulean/462px-Father1.jpg older man]. He then reverted to a formless blob with too many eyeballs, until Chapter 104 where he finally settled for [http://i13.photobucket.com/albums/a271/SanCerulean/806px-Brotherhood61.jpg a teenage Hohenheim]}}.

* Followed by ''[[Zatch Bell]]'', save for the fact that very few characters actually transform there. Weakest mamodo opponents encountered at the beginning mostly look like humans with cosmetic differences, then much less human-like mamodo, up to and including gigantic dragons, make their entry, yet the first two [[Big Bad]]s, Zophise and Zeon, look like humans with cosmetic differences, and the final one, Clear Note, is virtually indistinguishable from a human, save from his monstrous [[Battle Aura]]. Then subverted, when he is revealed to have an [[One-Winged Angel]] uber-form after all.

** Another heroic example is Sage Mode. Jiraiya's imperfect Sage Mode gives him a goatey, warts, webbed fingers and other toad-like features. The only physical changes Naruto gains from perfect Sage Mode are toad-eyes.

 

 

== Tabletop Games ==

** Asmodeus, king of the Nine Hells and most powerful Archdevil of all, is most commonly encountered looking like "an unprepossessing humanoid with red eyes, horns, and well-tailored robes." Recent sourcebooks have increased his height to thirteen feet, though. (But it is mentioned in a few books that his true form is some kind of monstrous, serpent-like beast.) This example is pretty clearly based on certain depictions of Satan. Lucifer was traditionally both the most powerful and the most beautiful of angels, at least prior to his Fall. (And, in some versions, he retains both qualities even afterward.)

** D&D also has the slaadi, extradimensional spirits of Chaos which, as they get more powerful, get bigger and scarier—until you get to the Death Slaad. Although vastly more powerful than all the others and the only slaad that's [[Exclusively Evil|naturally evil]], death slaadi are human-sized and shaped. Sorta this trope without the "Bishonen" part. And then they leave the trope with the ''[[Epic Level Handbook]]'' White and Black Slaad—the white are gigantic and the black are vaguely froglike...''things'' made of pure darkness.

** Many lines of extraplanar beings follow this rule. for example the [[Lawful Neutral]] Modrons: the lowest have basic geometric shapes with eyes and arms; the higher you rise in their ranks, the more humanoids they are.

** Daelkyr of ''[[Eberron]]'', the ultimate rulers of the plane of madness, lords and creators of monstrosities such as beholders and mind flayers, resemble "perfectly formed athletic human males, possessing unearthly beauty."

** Generally proceeds like this: the weakest or stupidest daemons are entirely inhuman and animalistic. Daemonic foot-soldiers are bestial humanoids, but lack intelligence beyond basic tactics. Greater daemons are gigantic bestial humanoids that are basically avatars of their respective god and can lead entire armies of their ilk - depending on the god they might also be dangerously intelligent. Daemon princes are humans raised up to daemonic level - they're on par with greater daemons, but generally more humanoid and more dangerously intelligent. Finally in Warhammer 40,000 there are the Daemon Primarchs, who were demigods before they were raised to daemonhood and are now some of the most dangerous beings in existence. They can assume human or indeed any form seemingly at will, and will kill almost anything that gets in their way.

** Daemonic possession usually inverts the line - as the daemonhost becomes more dangerous, its form becomes less and less human until it reaches [[One-Winged Angel]] status. If the host is destroyed the wrong way, though, the daemon proper might emerge crossing the Bishonen Line.

* In ''[[Treasure of the Rudra]]'', {{spoiler|Mitra fits the theme, as she starts as a statue-like being, then a giant half-human, half-serpent monster, and then assumes a smaller, more humanoid form for the final battle.}}

* ''[[Castlevania]]''

** In ''Symphony of the Night'' and ''[[Castlevania: Harmony of Despair|Harmony of Despair]]'', Dracula's final form is a massive dragon, but Dracula's human form is visible slouching in the center of it.

** Graham in ''[[Castlevania Aria of Sorrow]]'' has a [[One-Winged Angel]] transformation, with him sitting comfortably within what appears to be two giant pale women ''joined at the eyes and ribs''. Dracula in general, with Dracula's incaration here as Soma Cruz, later in the series, being by far the bishiest.

[[Category:Japanese Media Tropes]]

[[Category:Personal Appearance Tropes]]