History Main / ExpressiveMask

* In ''Film/ScoobyDoo2MonstersUnleashed'', the BigBad wears an expressive metallic mask with eyes that not only change shape, but also colour, turning [[RedEyesTakeWarning bright red]] when they get angry. Taken UpToEleven at the end when [[spoiler:the villain is unmasked as Heather Jasper-Howe, and ''she'' is then unmasked as Jonathan Jacobo wearing a LatexPerfection mask. Jacobo was thus wearing an ExpressiveMask ''on top of'' an ExpressiveMask]].

* In ''Manga/AxisPowersHetalia'', Turkey has this, combined with his NiceHat.

-->> "INTRIGUED! I've never been more in touch with my emotions!"

* All characters in the ''Toys/{{Bionicle}}'' films (save for a few such as Krekka who do not wear masks). An interesting double example, given that most of these characters are bio-mechanical robots without the parts necessary to move their faces, wearing solid full-face masks that all still move to express emotion onscreen. This was toned down in the fourth film, ''The Legend Reborn'', where the characters' helmets remain static for the most part, save for their expressive eyebrows. Whenever Mata Nui (the only one in the film with a classic MaskOfPower instead of a helmet) is outside of battle, the mouth part of his mask folds away so his actual mouth can be seen moving.

* Mr. Earthworm wears expressive sunglasses in the film of ''Film/JamesAndTheGiantPeach'' to compensate for his lack of actual eyes, as an [[ExactlyWhatItSaysOnTheTin earthworm]].
* Jack Skellington in ''WesternAnimation/TheNightmareBeforeChristmas'' not only has expressive eyesockets, he ''[[UpToEleven even can stretch his face into a terrifying roar]]''. This helps to make him more endearing to the audience, obviously, but some fans have come up with an in-universe explanation that, this paired up with the fact that Jack apparently has a need to eat and can feel pain, that Jack is a skeletal ''creature'' ([[FanNickname Bone Demon]]) rather than an actual skeleton.

* Numbuh Two from ''WesternAnimation/CodenameKidsNextDoor''.

** Hawkodile from ''WesternAnimation/Unikitty''.

** Hawkodile from WesternAnimation/Unikitty

[[folder:Web Comics]]

* ''WesternAnimation/Miraculous:TalesOfLadybugAndCatNoir'': Marinette (as Ladybug) and Adrien (as Cat Noir) has their masks to change shape of an expression.

* ''WesternAnimation/MiraculousTalesOfLadybugAndCatNoir'': Marinette (as Ladybug) and Adrien (as Cat Noir) has their masks to change shape of an expression.

** Clippy has a curved magnetic strip which [[http://freefall.purrsia.com/ff2900/fc02862.htm he moves and flips around on his face]] to make a frown or smile. He can literally turn a frown upside-down.

* Justified in ''Webcomic/{{Freefall}}'': Sam Starfall's mask was purpose-built to mimic human expressions, and [[MobileSuitHuman he can control it with his tentacly face]].
** But the same strip contains robots whose normally-oval eyes appear as semicircles when they're annoyed, or as lines. (The latter made sense when it appeared on Sawtooth Rivergrinder, however, as the ^ shapes were displayed ''inside'' his eyes, which are confirmed to be capable of functioning as a graphical display.)

* ''WesternAnimation/SpiderManIntoTheSpiderverse'': All the characters' masks have eyes that move with theirs (and in Peter Porker's case, the nostrils too), except for Miles while he is wearing his store-bought costume. [[spoiler:And when he wears his new, custom-graffitied Spider-Man suit, the eyes move just like on the other Spider-people's suits.]]

* Destro in ''ComicBook/GIJoe'' was a very good example of this, given that despite his wearing of a metal mask that completely covers his head, it was in essence "painted on", in regards to being able to furrow his brow, smile, frown, move his lips, etc. Destro's mask was played with in the live-action film where [[spoiler:his severely burned face is turned to flexible metal through the AppliedPhlebotinum of the nanomites.]]
** ''WesternAnimation/GIJoeRenegades'': Destro is a subtler example, as only the parts surrounding his eyes move and even then it's so little that it's only ever shown in close-ups.

* The titular WesternAnimation/{{Freakazoid}}'s mask.
* In WesternAnimation/GIJoe, Destro wears a polished metal mask which behaves in all ways like his real face would.

* The ''Film/{{Deadpool}}'' movie uses an expressive mask, making this a first for live-action comic book films (since the Batman and Spider-Man movies usually eschew this). The look was achieved by using CGI to have the eyes appear to move whenever his expression changes.

A character's mask is usually intended to obscure the face. In animation this used to also be a helpful cheat to draw something similar.

In order to look less wooden it is very common for the mask to become a character's face. The eyeholes and even the shape of the mask will [[LatexPerfection contort seamlessly]] depending on the character's mood. At the very least the mask will move as if painted on. This is especially true when a character's eyes are not drawn while in costume.

** Spoiler's mask is similar to Spider-man and Deadpool [[http://27.media.tumblr.com/tumblr_lj5gtqoxW51qzecq2o1_500.jpg below]], complete with the cocked [[http://media.comicvine.com/uploads/1/10978/454679-spoiler4_super.jpg eyebrow]]

** Lampshaded in a recap issue of Comicbook/SuperiorSpiderMan, where the in-character design sketch for the new costume's reactive eye-lenses has a note saying "lens can also be used for emotion!"

** Comicbook/SpiderMan has retractable lenses that allow him to mimic this effect. This is justified by the fact his SpiderSense risks giving him SensoryOverload whenever it activates, so Tony Stark crafted the adjustable lenses to let Spidey modulate how much he sees at once (beforehand, he made do with welding goggles).

* ComicBook/SpiderMan and ComicBook/{{Deadpool}}, both of the MarvelUniverse, often manage some pretty goofy expressions even though they wear masks concealing their entire face. These are usually of the "[[FascinatingEyebrow cocked eyebrow]]" variety. DependingOnTheArtist, Deadpool's mouth can be seen through his mask, making his expressions even ''goofier''. Most dramatic is when Spider-Man narrows his eyes. Somehow this makes the whites of his mask narrow as well. (During the [=McFarlane=] big-eyes era, this was particularly emphatic.) They experimented with this for [[Film/SpiderMan1 the movie]], but decided that in live-action it moved the mask firmly into the UncannyValley.

* In an inversion, ''{{Reboot}}'''s character Hexadecimal, a computer virus of an excessively chaotic and unpredictable behavior, had no facial animation for most of the series. Her face was a "drama mask", and her expression would always [[CreepyChangingPainting change on a cut or while her face was not visible (usually blocked by her hand)]].

[[caption-width-right:290:Not pictured: Robin swapping from his usual mask to his custom "eyebrow raised" mask faster than 1/24th of a second.]]

[[caption-width-right:290:[[{{Emoticon}} O_o]]]]

* No Face's noh mask in ''Anime/SpiritedAway'' was meant to be a complete blank and rely on tricks of lighting to convey mood, both as real masks do and to suggest his lack of individual personality. It wound up betraying some emotion, though, with the mouth and eyes seeming to tilt up and down slightly.

* In ''Manga/DemonSlayerKimetsuNoYaiba'', Inosuke spends most of his time wearing a Boar Mask, presumably skinned from a real boar, to portray his feral warrior nature, the mask is usually still like a dead animal’s skin should be regardless of what Inosuke is saying or doing, but in some stances of comedy Inosuke’s reactions will make the boar mask express his emotions through it.