History Main / AbnormalLimbRotationRange

[[ExactlyWhatItSaysontheTin Exactly What It Says on the Tin]]. Someone who has the ability to rotate any part of their body beyond normal, which is either [[RuleOfCool awesome]] or [[HighOctaneNightmareFuel scary]]. Occasionally [[AccidentalNightmareFuel accidentally scary]].

* {{Skullgirls}}' Ms. Fortune is a catgirl with a gruesome twist-- she swallowed an immortality-granting gem, but had her head and limbs chopped off shortly afterward by a mafia assassin. Still bearing the scars of her dismemberment, Ms. Fortune can [[DetachmentCombat attack by separating her limbs]] along those scars. She can move her muscles independently of her skin along the lines she was cut apart, giving her the ability to stretch and twist her limbs beyond any normal capacity. [[HeadTurnedBackwards Her he]][[LosingYourHead ad, too.]]

* Being HumongousMecha, several Mobile Suits in the {{Gundam}} series have the ability to rotate their hands. In the case of the [[MobileSuitGundamF91 F91 Gundam]] and the TurnAGundam, they use this ability while holding their beam sabers to make whirling circles of death.

* The title character from Disney's ''{{Disney/Pinocchio}}''.

* Sasori from ''{{Anime/Naruto}}''.

Not to be confused for HeadTurnedBackwards. A specific sub-trope, for when the head rotates 180 degrees, is ExorcistHead.

Not to be confused for HeadTurnedBackwards. A specific sub-trope, for when the head rotates 180 degrees, is ExorcistHead.

Not to be confused for HeadTurnedBackwards.

* The Mad and Holy Old Witch from ''TheThiefAndTheCobbler'' does a complete 360 rotation with her head in mid-air during a long jump.

* Being HumongousMecha, several MobileSuits in the {{Gundam}} series have the ability to rotate their hands. In the case of the [[MobileSuitGundamF91 F91 Gundam]] and the [[TurnAGundam]], they use this ability while holding their beam sabers to make whirling circles of death.

* ''KingdomHeartsII''

[[ExactlyWhatItSaysontheTin Exactly What It Says on the Tin]]. Someone who has the ability to rotate any part of their body beyond normal, which is either [[RuleOfCool awesome]] or AccidentalNightmareFuel.

->''These aren't just pants, these are magic turnaround pants''
-->--'''John Behlmann''', on a ''Dairy Queen'' commercial in 2011

[[folder:Anime and Manga]]
* Marine Captain Sharingle from ''OnePiece'' can rotate any segment of his body under any line of axis from the power of the Wheel-Wheel Fruit.
* The Dolls from ''BlackButler''.
* Sasori from ''{{Naruto}}''.
* In ''DaiMahouTouge'', Paya's limbs can rotate 360 degrees in all directions, making him immune to all joint locks.
* [[ExcelSaga Excel]], justified because [[CrazyAwesome she's a crazy]] [[GenkiGirl genki girl]].
* ''Anime/HanaukyoMaidTai La Verite'' episode 9. Ikuyo Suzuki turns her head around 360° while talking to Mariel.
* Once in ''SayonaraZetsubouSensei'', the very jealous Chiri was so enraged by the suggestion that Nozomu try the TenchiSolution, that when she went into her frightening-looking AxCrazy mode, her head started spinning sideways.
* #9 Jean from ''{{Claymore}}'' corkscrews her sword arm 21 times in preparation for her special attack.

* Owl (Leland Owlsley) from Mainstream, Age of Apocalypse, Everyone knew Daredevil was blind, Super Spidey Stories and Last Gun on Earth Universe in MarvelComics.

* Played in a [[AccidentalNightmareFuel Nightmare Fuel]] manner with the owl from ''{{The Secret of NIMH}}'' who instead of turning his head backwards he turns it UPSIDE DOWN!
* Genie from Disney's ''Disney/{{Aladdin}}'' is another rare example where it also falls under LosingYourHead.
* The titular character from Disney's ''Disney/{{Pinocchio}}''.

* Mr. Turnbuckle from ''TreasurePlanet''.

* ''Film/{{Beetlejuice}}''

* ''[[Film/AliceInWonderland Tim Burton's Alice In Wonderland]]'' has Mad Hatter Play this trope Straight.
* ''TheUnborn'' plays this trope in a HighOctaneNightmareFuel and BodyHorror way.
* The demonic creature Sammael from the first ''ComicBook/{{Hellboy}}'' movie could do this...[[{{squick}} by dislocating its own joints and breaking its own bones]]. It could heal any injury almost instantly, but spinning your own pelvis around a full 180 degrees or bending every joint in your arm the opposite way they were intended to bend has to hurt.
* In the campy horror/comedy ''KillerKlownsFromOuterSpace'', one of the titular monsters is "arrested" by the teenager-hating {{Jerkass}} deputy sheriff. As the klown is being shown to a jail cell, the deputy strikes it in the back of the neck with his baton. In response, the klown growls and spins its head completely around.
* In the ''Film/{{Thor}}'' movie the Destroyer robot was impaled from the back and then completely rotated every part of its body to face its enemy, knocked her away, then removed the spear.
** Not so much 'removed' as [[NoSell stood up while the blade slid out by itself]].
* PitchBlack had Riddick do this by dislocating both his shoulders in order to escape from restraints.
* In ''AustinPowers: Goldmember'', the titular villain is able to dislocate his legs upwards, which is useful for kicking someone in the face behind him.

* In ''RomanceOfTheThreeKingdoms'', Sima Yi is said to be able to turn his head around like an owl - signifying his wary watchfulness by giving him, essentially, eyes in the back of his head. (Oddly enough, this is used to compare him to a wolf, rather then an owl)

[[folder:Live Action TV]]

* Used as a plot point in an episode of ''TheXFiles''. At the end Scully fakes rotating her own wrist 360 degrees.
* Happens to Curly's leg in ''TheThreeStooges'' short "Idle Roomers"

* ''{{Okami}}'' Averts this by having Onigiri-sensei's rotating head being an illusion.
* ''{{Kingdom Hearts II}}'' has Groundshaker, Living Bones and Shaman Heartless, Subverted this due to them having floating heads.

* A fairly well-known glitch can cause this to happen in FalloutNewVegas, [[http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HerwCYeiS_o as seen in this video]].
** [[http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VDanX-beShQ That's also been seen]] in ''DragonAgeOrigins''.

* The various incarnations of Yoshimitsu from Tekken and SoulCalibur all have artificial arms with complete wrist rotation. It's actually highlighted in the intro movie to Tekken 2. From 3 onwards he even uses this ability in conjunction with his sword to achieve short burst of helicopter style flight.

* ''SpongebobSquarepants'' has this happen to some of the characters including the titular character.
* ''TheSimpsons'' has this happen to Homer Simpson in "Treehouse of Horror XVI" to parody the above Exorcist.

* ''{{Lilo and Stitch The Series}}'' has Shortstuff (#297) who can rotate his upper body [[spoiler:(Which becomes a part of his one true place of being a ride in a carnival)]]
* ''RockosModernLife'' has this happen in a PlayedForLaughs manner with Widow Hutchison who accidentally turns her head upside down in "The Big Answer".

* ''{{Fanboy and Chum Chum}}'' has this happen to Chum Chum when he comes down with "Frosty Freezy Freeze Fever" in the episode "Berry Sick".
* In WesternAnimation/MyLittlePonyFriendshipIsMagic, Owlowiscious turns his head backwards. This is completely justified, as he's an owl, but it's made to look creepy.

[[folder:New Media]]
* The famous [[LetsPlay Let's Player]] {{Chuggaaconroy}} claims he can rotate his head 180 degrees in [[http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CiFqCIV96Q8 this video]].
[[/folder]]

* The demonic creature Sammael from the first ''{{Hellboy}}'' movie could do this...[[{{squick}} by dislocating its own joints and breaking its own bones]]. It could heal any injury almost instantly, but spinning your own pelvis around a full 180 degrees or bending every joint in your arm the opposite way they were intended to bend has to hurt.

* In MyLittlePonyFriendshipIsMagic, Owlowiscious turns his head backwards. This is completely justified, as he's an owl, but it's made to look creepy.

* ''HanaukyoMaidTai La Verite'' episode 9. Ikuyo Suzuki turns her head around 360° while talking to Mariel.