History Main / PowerTattoo

* [[StockShoujoHeroine Marimo]] from the action {{Shoujo}} manga ''"Marimo no Hana ~The Legend of The Strongest Fighting Elementary School Student~"''[[note]]''"まりもの花～最強武闘派小学生伝説～"'' in Japanese[[/note]]. She has a glowing magenta flower tattoo on the back of her left hand, which appears when [[EmotionalPowers she reaches the breaking point of anger]].

* ''Literature/EmpireOfTheVampire'': The ''aegis'' is a beautiful, intricate full-body tattoo worn by the Silversaints of the Ordo Argent. It acts as both a conduit for channelling the power of their faith and a supernatural armour/repellent, since it is painted with silvered ink and depicts holy inconography, positively blinding to all creatures of the dark. It has three segments: the chest is inked after the '''Trial of the Blood''', after the initiate Silversaint survives his first fight with a lowly vampire and their bloodline is determined; the left afterr the '''Trial of the Hunt''', after the initiate survives his first hunt out in the field; and, finally, the sword arm is decorated after the '''Trial of the Sword''', where the initiate has to slay his first beat with his own sword. The chest centrepiece usually depicts the crest of the bloodline to which the particular paleblood belongs, but other designs are also known to exist.

** Also "Combustion Man" and [[WesternAnimation/TheLegendOfKorra P'Li]] can powerful beams from their third-eye tattoo. Tattoo most likely is just there for show as it rests right on his/her Ajna chakra point [[spoiler:which serves as an AchillesHeel; the style requires that chi must flow freely through the chakra point, which is easily blocked by anything be it a pebble or a well thrown boomerang. The latter had deadly consequences as it causes the beam to explode right in front of the user's head.]]
* In ''WesternAnimation/BattleTech'', Clan [[BrainComputerInterface Enhanced Imaging]] implants look like green facial tattoos that glow when activated. Though pics of Clanners from the gamebooks seem to suggest that EI subcutaneous implants aren't supposed to be visible.

* The fanfic novelization ''Fanfic/BreathOfTheWild'' faithfully adapts the story of the [[Videogame/TheLegendOfZeldaBreathOfTheWild namesake game]]. However, an original addition to the story is that three characters receive at least one of these. All of their tattoos glow with different colors.

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* In the ''Manga/{{Inuyasha}}'' ContinuationFic ''Fanfic/BeyondTomorrow'', Ren possesses a [[OurDragonsAreDifferent dragon]] tattoo on his back that enables him to [[VoluntaryShapeshifting morph]] into a dragon. [[spoiler: His younger sister Tomoyo]] has a [[ThePhoenix phoenix]] tattoo on her back that gives her similar powers.

* ''Fanfic/TheReapingOfHatsuneMiku'': Rather than the OneWingedAngel "Cantus" transformations of [[VideoGame/TheWorldEndsWithYou the source material]], most of the Game Masters in DIVA fight in human form by "branding" themselves with Noise-esque tattoos.

* In "Literature/WarlocksOfTheSigil" warlocks tend to have a tattoo that represents their power.

* In ''TabletopGame/DemonTheFallen'', a tattoo that you can change at will is something humans have been known to make a DealWithTheDevil to obtain.
* In ''TabletopGame/{{Rifts}}'', any of the various types of Tattooed Men (first introduced in Rifts: Atlantis).
* In the ''Advanced Fighting Fantasy''[[note]]The tabletop version of the ''Literature/FightingFantasy'' gamebook system[[/note]] supplement ''Port Blacksand'' there is a tattooist who can inscribe tattoos with magical effects onto characters.
* In ''TabletopGame/{{Shadowrun}}'', while practically any object can become a magic focus if given enough time and preparation, practitioners of some traditions prefer to use tattoos. The reasoning for tattoos can be for religious significance, effectiveness, or that it's hard to disarm somebody of a focus inked onto the body; but most commonly because [[RuleOfCool they look pretty badass]].

* ''TabletopGame/ArsMagica'': Magi of the mystery cult House Criamon spontaneously manifest tattoo-like symbols as they gain magical power and wisdom. They're a mark of accomplishment to each other, but leave them prone to being mistaken for {{Tattooed Crook}}s or [[MarkOfTheBeast worse]] by mundanes outside MagicalSociety.

** The Mystics in ''Legaia II: Duel Saga'' all have tattoo-like birthmarks on their body. One of them, of course, has it somewhere that doesn't get shown.

* In ''WesternAnimation/BattleTech'' Clan [[BrainComputerInterface Enhanced Imaging]] implants look like green facial tattoos that glow when activated. Though pics of Clanners from the gamebooks seem to suggest that EI subcutaneous implants aren't supposed to be visible.

** [[{{Portmanteau}} Electoos]] from ''TabletopGame/Warhammer40000''; they are a combination of tattoo, circuitry and cybernetics, which allow [[AveMachina Tech-Priests]] to do some technological miracles. ''How'' they work is something that not even they fully understand.
** The Savage Orcs from ''TabletopGame/{{Warhammer}}'', and their Bonesplitterz successors from ''TabletopGame/WarhammerAgeOfSigmar'', daub themselves in warpaint that they believe grants them the favour of their savage gods, giving them limited protection from even the most powerful of enemy attacks.

*** Ink has a different power for each tattoo he has. [[spoiler:At first he thought he was a {{mutant|s}} who would get powers based on his tattoos, but it turns out his tattoo artist is a mutant who could [[SuperEmpowering give people powers by giving them tattoos]].]]
*** Gentle {{invert|edTrope}}s this with his [[GreenRocks vibranium]] tattoos. It serves to limit his power of [[GrowingMusclesSequence increasing his muscle mass and strength]], because if the power goes out of control it'll potentially harm his body. Every time he activates his power, his peak strength increases from the last, reducing the effectiveness of them over time.

** In the sequel series ''Manga/{{Boruto}}'', [[spoiler: the Kama grants the user the power of the Otsutsuki clan. Unfortunately, the drawback is that the Karma is actually the backup data for the Otsutsuki that was slain and in time, the Otsutsuki's data will overwrite the user's, transforming them into a clone of said Otsutsuki.]]

** Zelda only has one [[spoiler: in the shape of a owl with its wings outstretch and an orb with the Triforce symbol in its talons. Its glow and the powers of the Owl glow gold.]]

* {{Inverted}} in ''Literature/Touch2017,'' where Caleb and his fellow "assets" have a tattoo that functions as a PowerLimiter[=/=]PowerNullifier. Their masters use this to control them, and if they try to escape it can drain their powers so much that they'll die.

* ''Series/{{Heroes}}''

* Gabrielle's [[http://images.ados.fr/television/photo/5535277553/dernier-episode/xena-gabrielle-883126441.jpg back tattoo]] in the ''Series/XenaWarriorPrincess'' finale, which only glows once, but protects her from a fireball that would've seriously injured or killed her.

* In ''VideoGame/DragonAgeInquisition'', Qunari characters cannot equip helmets due to their horns ([[StoryAndGameplaySegregation though this also applies for a hornless Qunari Inquisitor]]) so they instead use Vitaar, magical warpaint that hardens Qunari skin but is toxic to all other races.

* ''Webcomic/ElGoonishShive''

* Graham in ''Webcomic/WizardSchool'' receives a magical tattoo on his face while in a drunken stupor -- making him look like [[http://www.meetmyminion.com/?p=1228 "Rainbow F***ing Brite."]]

* In the AnimatedAdaptation of ''TabletopGame/BattleTech'' Clan [[BrainComputerInterface Enhanced Imaging]] implants look like green facial tattoos that glow when activated. Though pics of Clanners from the gamebooks seem to suggest that EI subcutaneous implants aren't supposed to be visible.

* ''WesternAnimation/MyLittlePonyFriendshipIsMagic'': Cutie Marks, a combination of this and individuallized DistinguishingMark, basically a symbol of a RiteOfPassage for ponies, but it means they've gained a magic connected to a skill or set of skills, related to the mark and what they did to achieve it. Sometimes, it's not even them, techinically, as Rarity, a {{unicorn}}, had her horn lead her to where she'd get her cutie mark, not something she did by her own volition.
* In the wolrd of ''WesternAnimation/{{Wakfu}}'', Sacriers (like Kriss Krass) get their powers from their tattoos. This is a LighterAndSofter change from the time of ''VideoGame/{{Dofus}}'', where Sacriers instead used BloodyMurder.

* Ai from ''LightNovel/DragonCrisis'' has red markings on her right shoulder caused by the [[TransformationTrinket Lost Precious]] inside her body.

* ''Anime/FullmetalAlchemist'':

* In the ''Manga/{{InuYasha}}'' ContinuationFic ''Fanfic/BeyondTomorrow'', Ren possesses a [[OurDragonsAreDifferent dragon]] tattoo on his back that enables him to [[VoluntaryShapeshifting morph]] into a dragon. [[spoiler: His younger sister Tomoyo]] has a [[ThePhoenix phoenix]] tattoo on her back that gives her similar powers.

* In ''Film/{{Constantine}}'', the title character has two symmetrical tattoos on his forearms. When he puts them together they form an alchemy design: A fire triangle with three radiating arrows below representing the “Perfect Red King,” the Sulfur of the Philosophers.

* ''TabletopGame/ArsMagica'': Magi of the mystery cult House Criamon spontaneously manifest tattoo-like symbols as they gain magical power and wisdom. They're a mark of accomplishment to each other, but leave them prone to being mistaken for {{Tattooed Thug}}s or [[MarkOfTheBeast worse]] by mundanes outside MagicalSociety.

* ''Franchise/{{Naruto}}'':
** ''Manga/{{Naruto}}'': Orochimaru's Curse Marks, although they turn into {{Marked Change}}s when activated.
** ''Manga/{{Boruto}}'': Karma grants the user the power of the Otsutsuki clan. [[spoiler: Unfortunately, the drawback is that the Karma is actually the backup data for the Otsutsuki that was slain and in time, the Otsutsuki's data will overwrite the user's, transforming them into a clone of said Otsutsuki.]]

* Used literally in ''VideoGame/PlanescapeTorment'' where Tattoos are one of the main pieces of equipment and confer numerous benefits on their wearer, as well as some playing a part in the plot. In addition, one of the Nameless One's non-equipment tattoos is [[MarkOfTheBeast the Symbol of Torment]], [[spoiler:a physical manifestation of pain that he always bears, even if he forgets it's there. Do things right in the game, and his torment ends -- and the tattoo falls off]].

** As the child of the Dragon Knight and a human, Dai possesses a replica Dragon Crest which grants the power but not the combat experience of the original. Because Dai's body is imbalanced towards humanity, later in the series [[HeroicWillpower through a surge of intense emotion]] his human heart manages to overwhelm his demon and dragon sides, compressing them into a single part of his body - this grants him the ability to move his Dragon Crest from his forehead to the back of his hand, greatly increasing his power and control. [[spoiler:Still later, Dai's father convinces the Mother Dragon to end the Dragon Knight line and transfer the true Dragon Crest to Dai as well, causing him to become a monstrously powerful "Super Dragon Knight" with Crests on both hands.]]

** As the child of the Dragon Knight and a human, Dai possesses a replica Dragon Crest which grants the power but not the combat experience of the original. Because Dai;s body is imbalanced towards humanity, later in the series [[HeroicWillpower through a surge of intense emotion]] his human heart manages to overwhelm his demon and dragon sides, compressing them into a single part of his body - this grants him the ability to move his Dragon Crest from his forehead to the back of his hand, greatly increasing his power and control. [[spoiler:Still later, Dai's father convinces the Mother Dragon to end the Dragon Knight line and transfer the true Dragon Crest to Dai as well, causing him to become a monstrously powerful "Super Dragon Knight" with Crests on both hands.]]

** When the Dragon Knight taps into their power, a crest resembling a stylised dragon face appears on their forehead. This crest contains the fighting instincts of [[EternalHero all previous Dragon Knights]], and is "collected" by the divine Mother Dragon after each Dragon Knight's death. It can also fire a blast of energy as a surprise attack, blasting a hole in the shape of the mark.

* Caste marks appear on the foreheads of all Celestial ''TabletopGame/{{Exalted}}'' if they spend peripheral Essence.