History Main / PerkyGoth

* Yugi, the eponymous character of ''Anime/YuGiOh'', dresses either in all black or in absurdly cute outfits, has wild hair (that's ''natural'') and wears chains, LOTS of leather and dog-collars... Yeah, collars. His monster theme is [[DarkIsNotEvil darkness and black magic]] and he is regularly possessed by a spirit that's at the very least EXTREMELY ruthless. None of this stops him from being a pacifistic, friendship-obsessed sweetheart. [[https://vignette.wikia.nocookie.net/gameideas/images/c/cd/Yugi_Mutou.png/revision/latest?cb=20200705082215 And also cute.]]

While the trope is sufficient to cover both, a character who is to {{Emo}} as this trope is to {{Goth}} would essentially be a "scene or cupcake emo", which are notable for their pink/black stripes. This is technically a different subculture than emo, but they're closely related and scene can be summarized as "Perky Emo with a little bit of rave culture".

* Jez from ''Literature/KingdomKeepers'' has pale skin and dresses like a stereotypical goth, yet acts more flirty than you'd expect. This could be because [[spoiler: she's really being {{brainwashed}} by Maleficent to spy on Finn]].

* Richmond from ''Series/TheITCrowd'', who listens to Cradle of Filth and is mistaken for a vampire on his first appearance, but who is generally cheery despite being severely demoted and spending most of his time supervising equipment he can't even identify. Although he almost seems completely [[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AKH0Ic-vOQ8 oblivious]] to the fact that he is a Goth... or at least [[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JMZ0L409lzw oblivious]] to other people's reaction to him or the stereotype associated with being a Goth. [[IgnoranceIsBliss I guess it makes sense for him to be happy]].

* Subversion: On the outside, Alisin in ''Webcomic/{{Fans}}'' is cheerful, fun-loving, and free-spirited, and it's only when you look closely that it's revealed that [[StepfordSmiler underneath the perky exterior]] she's a neurotic, self-loathing and nihilistic mess.
** In more recent arcs, Aly ([[ThatManIsDead she's no longer Alisin]]) was able to shed her self-loathing, due in large part to the unconditional love of her husband Rikk, and later Rumy when she joined them in a [[MarryThemAll triad marriage]], plus finding fulfillment in her job as a nurse in a juvenile cancer ward. She also grew her hair out and dropped most of her goth fashions. In one recent arc, she was held hostage by Keith Feddyg, who told the young patients about her past life, and then killed one [[LittlestCancerPatient 8-year-old who defended her]]. Aly, bolstered by Rikk and Rumy, was able to say the one thing Keith couldn't bear to hear; "I forgive you."

* Youtube vlogger Miss Hannah Minx is probably the most gratuitously perky goth in the whole world, especially in her Jinx and Elvira personas. [[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NfQfhfLHlDg Example.]]

* GenkiGirl Ako Udagawa from ''Anime/BanGDream!''. Her wardrobe consists almost entirely of blacks and reds, she accessorizes with chains and leather, and her {{Chuunibyou}} moments involve a lot of flowery talk about "the darkness" and such, yet she's one of the most chipper and upbeat characters in the cast, especially in contrast with her bandmates.

* Yamie from ''Anime/{{Kurenai}}'', who is at her perkiest when interacting with Murasaki.

* ''Film/LakePlacidVsAnaconda:'' Margo has several tattoos, wears all black clothing, and is a SnarkKnight extraordinaire, but the people she snarks at have it coming, she's a decent friend to Bethany, and she spends most of her screen time smiling before the monsters attack.
* Tim Burton’s films, when not being plain-old-gothic (the ''Franchise/{{Batman}}'' films or ''Film/SweeneyTodd''), are this in terms of overall tone (''Film/{{Beetlejuice}}, ''Film/EdwardScissorhands'', etc.). It’s even the caption on his creator page.

* ''Literature/ASeriesOfUnfortunateEvents'': Violet's character design changes from a rather innocent '50s girl style to a lolita-style goth.
* ''Literature/BloodAndChocolate:'' Most of Aiden's fellow {{Goth}}s are artistic, approachable, and mellow for most of the book (until being told malicious lies about Vivian), and she refers to some of them as "the gigglers."
* Eve Rosser from Literature/MorganvilleVampires. She dresses Goth to the hilt, but is almost always cheerful and, when excited, jumps about 'like a demented, goth bunny'.
* In the Creator/ChristopherMoore novels ''[[Literature/BloodsuckingFiends You Suck]]'' and ''Bite Me'', Abby Normal is determined not to show her perky side to the vampires she meets or to other Goths, but she does let the reader in on her secret.
* Steven Brust's ''Literature/{{Dragaera}}'' series has two examples:

* Raven Madison from ''Literature/VampireKisses'' is a mixure of highly sterotyped goth who listens to Him, Marilyn Manson, and strangly enough The Cruxshadows (Strange not because she's goth, but because most music references were ones that are what people think goths listen to), wears mostly black, is obsessive over vampires, and is disliked by most people, but besides that she acts like any other teenager.
* ''[[Franchise/FridayThe13th Friday the 13th: Carnival of Maniacs]]'' had an odd example. Pamela Voorhees possesses a teenage goth named Gloria Sowici (nicknamed Glo). So we end up with a woman with a SickeninglySweet attitude inhabiting the body of a girl described as pretty dour and unpleasant to look at. Suffice to say, characters, such as the guy who picks up the hitchhiking Pam-Glo, remark on the contrast.
* On a related note, Bella Morte (real surname Morrison) from ''Film/JasonX: Planet of the Beast'' is a Perky Goth [[RecycledInSpace IN SPACE!]].

* Zanna from the ''Literature/TheLastDragonChronicles'' has pale skin, and wears black make-up and black clothes, but is relatively happy and has fun a lot more than normal stereotypical goths. Though she has reformed into more {{Hipster}} territory by the time The Fire Eternal kicks off.

* A rare male example occurs with Corey in the ''Literature/EthanBanning'' novel ''Undertow.'' He's not really a Goth, though, he just thinks the look is appropriate for an apprentice necromancer.
* Lucy Danvers, the "Q" of the titular ''Literature/RedRoom'' division is basically an {{Expy}} for Abby. It's just she's also gay and works for the equivalent of the TheIlluminati and TheMenInBlack.
* Becky, aka Dharma, fills this role from beyond the grave in ''Literature/TheInfected.'' Ironic, considering that in life she was clinically depressed and suicidal. However, her spectre is firmly committed to supporting her friends, having fun and getting everyone to lighten up.
* ''Literature/ADogsWayHome'': Lucas' girlfriend, [[spoiler:and later his fiancee]], Olivia is described as "kind of Goth". She's a snarky but otherwise nice woman.
* In ''Literature/CastleHangnail'', Molly is more or less this, allowing for the fact that she's twelve and her relentlessly normal parents and sister have veto powers over her clothing preferences.
* Akura Mercy from the ''Literature/CradleSeries'' has black hair and clothing and [[CastingAShadow creepy shadow powers]], but she's one of the kindest and most cheerful people in the series.

* Abby Sciuto, TheLabRat on ''Series/{{NCIS}}''. As Tony [=DiNozzo=] put it, she's "A paradox wrapped in an oxymoron, smothered in contradictions in terms. Sleeps in a coffin. Really, the happiest goth you'll ever meet." [[BewareTheNiceOnes Unless you try something funny on her or her team.]] Or sneak a pantie peep.

* ''WesternAnimation/{{Megamind}}'' is a CardCarryingVillain whose aesthetic is all dark muted colors, [[SpikesOfVillainy spikes]] on everything that his inventive genius touches and heavy metal, but he is also friendly, chipper and ([[StepfordSmiler outwardly]]) full of joie-de-vivre, especially when dancing down the city streets to the aforementioned heavy metal.

* ''WesternAnimation/TeenTitans'': Jinx is this, serving as a [[PerkyFemaleMinion cheerful and perky villainess]] foil for the heroic, [[SugarAndIcePersonality gloomy goth]] Raven.

* Triana Orpheus in ''WesternAnimation/TheVentureBrothers'', in sharp contrast to the unrelenting weirdness surrounding her home life. Her dad, despite being a major contributor to the weirdness, is also as perky as his wardrobe is somber. And he's always offering homemade snacks to anyone who visits.
-->"''[cape flick] [dramatic music]'' Who wants... PIZZA ROLLS???"

* Misa Amane from ''Manga/DeathNote'', who wears lots of black, crosses, etc. but is always upbeat and cheery. There's also the cheery shinigami Ryuk.

* Jennifer "Jen" Tate, main character of ''VideoGame/{{Primal}}'', dresses in a crimson, midriff-baring shirt with black pants and lots of leather belts all about, on top of having pale skin, black eyeshadow, and a spiky-looking back tattoo. She also spends much of the game [[VoluntaryShapeshifting transforming]] into various creepy monstrous humanoids. She's nonetheless surprisingly cheerful and quippy overall.

* ''WebAnimation/{{RWBY}}'' has Ruby Rose, whose [[http://images.wikia.com/rwby/images/4/4d/Ruby_Rose_-_Full_Portrait4.jpg character design]] is best described as "goth meets LittleRedFightingHood", even fighting with a giant scythe. The initial [[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pYW2GmHB5xs "Red" trailer]] had fans presuming that she would have a more muted personality, but as more material about the series came out, it [[https://twitter.com/montyoum/status/285275420872560642/photo/1 became clear]] that she was a bit [[WideEyedIdealist more]] [[{{Fangirl}} upbeat]]. She has statues of [[AnimalisticAbomination creatures of Grimm]] in her room and is both fascinated by the monsters and utterly determined to annhilate them all. Even her color scheme (red, black, and white) resembles a Grimm.

* Bliss from ''WesternAnimation/RubyGillmanTeenageKraken'' is one, due to her having dark clothes and dark makeover, though initially lacking the black hair at the start of the film with her hair dyed a dark green, she fully switches to black [[spoiler:in time for the big Prom dance and witnessing the battle between Nerissa and Ruby]]. She also has a penchant for "catastrophizing", as in predicting bad things that happen, but most of it never happens.

* ''WebAnimation/{{hololive}} EN'': Calliope "Calli" Mori is a ''literal'' grimm reaper (and first apprentice to ''the'' Grimm Reaper), who dresses like a cross between a stereotypical evil queen and an ElegantGothicLolita, is seldom seen without her massive SinisterScythe on her back, and raps about her love of death and murder. She's also an incredibly sweet, friendly, and funny girl prone to blushing. The exception is when she's around [[SheIsNotMyGirlfriend Kiara]], who brings out her [[{{Tsundere}} Tsun]] side. Her song ''Deadbeats'' is half about her love of murder, and half about her love of her fans (who are called "Deadbeats").

* ''WesternAnimation/AmericanDragonJakeLong'': OneShotCharacter Joshua from wears dark clothing and has a poetic soul. He's happy and expressive while he and his girlfriend Tricia are in a relationship but gets much more gloomy during their brief breakup.

* The (never actually SEEN) Perky Goths from ''Once a Thief'', Episode 10, would seem to be the [[TropeNamer Trope Namer]].

* Gilly the Perky Goth of ''Webcomic/DorkTower''. Goth by design and perky by nature, which embarrasses her brother, who happens to be the Dark Lord of the Mud Bay Goth community[[note]] while the Goths in town were all meeting at an all-night pancake house, and the Dark Lord was going on like a cult leader, she actually ordered some pancakes. Agenda item 1: spread fear and darkness and general chaos. Then all back to Gilly's house for cookies and ice cream![[/note]]. She has much in common with Matt, including chronic datelessness and a feeling of not quite fitting in.

* Gilly Woods from Creator/JohnKovalic's gamer comic ''Webcomic/DorkTower'' is the quintessential Perky Goth; along with all of the typical goth mannerisms, she smiles all the time, collects plush animals, enjoys cookies and ice cream, and is [[WideEyedIdealist perpetually optimistic]]. This greatly annoys her brother Walden, who is a stereotypical Mopey {{Goth}}. One issue of the comic also includes as an insert "Clanbook: Perky", a {{parody}} of ''TabletopGame/VampireTheMasquerade'''s [[Main/{{Splat}} clanbooks]] by Creator/PhilMasters.

* Lash from ''VideoGame/AdvanceWars'' is a Perky Goth villain. It's not to say she isn't evil, but she's a chipper and cheerful ManChild of an EvilGenius, with a [[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Nd3241fSRos theme that absolutely slaps]], and easily the ''most'' cheerful of all the villains. In the "defeat" conversation at one point in the third game she even growls, "No more miss nice perky goth!"
* VideoGame/AnimalCrossing has Muffy, a sheep with black wool, pale white skin, black lipstick, and striped purple horns. [[VideoGame/AnimalCrossingNewHorizons New Horizons]] also makes her default outfit a dark purple Ruffled Dress. Her gothic appearance is contrasted with her CoolBigSis personality type, making her a TomboyWithAGirlyStreak who will become very protective of the player once they get close. Her birthday also happens to fall on Valentine’s Day, an overlap she enjoys for effectively giving her a double party.

* Gilly Woods from Creator/JohnKovalic's gamer comic ''Webcomic/DorkTower'' is the quintessential Perky Goth; along with all of the typical goth mannerisms, she smiles all the time, collects plush animals, enjoys cookies and ice cream, and is [[WideEyedIdealist perpetually optimistic]]. This greatly annoys her brother Walden, who is a stereotypical Mopey {{Goth}}. One issue of the comic also includes as an insert "Clanbook: Perky", a {{parody}} of ''TabletopGame/VampireTheMasquerade'''s [[{{Main/Splat}} clanbooks]] by Creator/PhilMasters.

* ''{{WebAnimation/RWBY}}'' has Ruby Rose, whose [[http://images.wikia.com/rwby/images/4/4d/Ruby_Rose_-_Full_Portrait4.jpg character design]] is best described as "goth meets LittleRedFightingHood", even fighting with a giant scythe. The initial [[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pYW2GmHB5xs "Red" trailer]] had fans presuming that she would have a more muted personality, but as more material about the series came out, it [[https://twitter.com/montyoum/status/285275420872560642/photo/1 became clear]] that she was a bit [[WideEyedIdealist more]] [[{{Fangirl}} upbeat]]. She has statues of [[AnimalisticAbomination creatures of Grimm]] in her room and is both fascinated by the monsters and utterly determined to annhilate them all. Even her color scheme (red, black, and white) resembles a Grimm.

* Yamie from ''[[LightNovel/{{Kurenai}} Kure-nai]]'', who is at her perkiest when interacting with Murasaki.

* Apoptygma Berzerk, originally rooted in dark [[{{Industrial}} EBM]], made a LighterAndSofter turn with ''Welcome To Earth'' and ''Harmonizer'', then turned the perkiness up with their {{New Sound Album}}s ''You And Me Against The World'' and ''Rocket Science''. Piston Damp, the spinoff band founded by Stephen Groth's brother Jonas, also embraces this trope.

* ''WesternAnimation/TotalDrama'': Gwen fits this bill pretty well when she's in a good mood.

* ''WesternAnimation/TotalDrama,'' Gwen fits this bill pretty well when she's in a good mood.

* ''{{WebAnimation/RWBY}}'' has Ruby Rose, whose [[http://images.wikia.com/rwby/images/4/4d/Ruby_Rose_-_Full_Portrait4.jpg character design]] is best described as "goth meets LittleRedFightingHood". The initial [[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pYW2GmHB5xs "Red" trailer]] had fans presuming that she would have a more muted personality, but as more material about the series came out, it [[https://twitter.com/montyoum/status/285275420872560642/photo/1 became clear]] that she was a bit [[WideEyedIdealist more]] [[{{Fangirl}} upbeat]].

%%* Jennifer "Jen" Tate, main character of ''VideoGame/{{Primal}}''.