History Main / VisibleInvisibility

* ''Anime/ModestHeroes'': The protagonist of ''Invisible'' is completely invisible, but the audience can see him by his clothes and fluids like water droplets from the rain running down his face, but society can't see him at all [[ThroughTheEyesOfTheBlind except for one blind man]] and [[MysteriousAnimalSenses his service dog]]. [[spoiler:After he saves [[BabyCarriage a baby from getting hit by a truck]], the infant seems to be able to see him clearly]].

* ''Radio/TheShadow'' does this in [[Film/TheShadow the 1994 film]], especially when he's throwing punches, but it's not true invisibility, merely "clouding men's minds".

* Fellow ''VideoGame/HalfLife2'' mod, ''VideoGame/NeoTokyo'', has its own variant for the Recon class, appearing as shadowy silhouettes if you looked close enough. They were worthless if a player was using them moving or out in the open, but in front of things that broke up their outline, such as rows of boxes or vehicles, they were barely noticeable.

* ''VideoGame/ShawsNightmare'': Some dogs (and Shaw whenever he picks up the invisibility cloak) are rendered this way.

* ''WesternAnimation/WolverineAndTheXMen'': The Blackbird's cloaking device is, when active, a blue-white outline of the plane's entire shape that phases into visibility for a second, then vanishes, strobing like that.

* In the WesternAnimation/{{Classic Disney Short|s}} "The Vanishing Private", Donald becomes completely invisible after getting doused in experimental "invisible paint". Sergeant Pete can only see where Donald is by his footprints or whatever props he's carrying.

* VideoGame/EccoTheDolphin, in ''Defender of the Future,'' is see-through with stealth, but the enemies can't see him, even if he bumps into them.

* The [[VideoGame/HarryPotter video game version]] of ''Literature/HarryPotterAndThePhilosophersStone'' uses the Partly Transparent method. And although we can see Harry the whole time, they didn't bother to put a cloak on him -- you know, the thing that's actually supposed to be making him invisible in the first place.

* In the [[VideoGame/HarryPotter Game Boy Color version]] of ''Literature/HarryPotterAndThePhilosophersStone'', Harry is portrayed as a white outline whenever he's wearing the invisibility cloak. This carries over to anyone [[AllInARow following him]].

* ''Film/HarryPotter''. The footprint method is used in the third movie when Harry wears the cloak outside while it's snowing. However, in any shot where he's putting on or taking off the cloak, it falls into the category of [[SpecialEffectFailure distortion]] due to the use of the [[ChromaKey green-screen technique]] to make the cloak appear invisible.

* All stealth units in ''VideoGame/CommandAndConquerTiberianSun'' (completely invisible to the enemy, of course).

* ''Anime/{{Doraemon}}'': In "Noby, the Great Illusionist", Noby uses his illusionist cape to make himself invisible so that he can sneak into Big G's room and retrieve his comic. While he is using the cape, he is still visible, but he is transparent.

* '''The invisible character is [[AvertedTrope completely invisible,]][[ParanoiaFuel even to ]][[TheFourthWallWillNotProtectYou the audience.]]''' Here, the only way to know what the character is doing is by indirect clues, such as the character leaving footprints, picking up objects, [[InvisibleStreaker wearing a hat]], [[InvisibleStomachVisibleFood eating something]], or walking through smoke or rain. If no such clues are given, the exact position of the character is still often indicated by the camera remaining focused on them to the exclusion of everything else.

* '''The invisible character is [[AvertedTrope completely invisible, even to the audience.]]''' Here, the only way to know what the character is doing is by indirect clues, such as the character leaving footprints, picking up objects, [[InvisibleStreaker wearing a hat]], [[InvisibleStomachVisibleFood eating something]], or walking through smoke or rain. If no such clues are given, the exact position of the character is still often indicated by the camera remaining focused on them to the exclusion of everything else.

** Wile E. Coyote, thanks to invisible paint, in "WesternAnimation/ClippetyClobbered". All that's visible are his footprints in the dirt--unfortunate for him when he walks onto a highway and is creamed by an oncoming truck. After that the tracks become noticeably staggered, until he wanders dazedly off a cliff and smashes several Coyote-shaped holes in the clouds as he falls.

** Wile E. Coyote, thanks to invisible paint. All that's visible are his footprints in the dirt--unfortunate for him when he walks onto a highway and is creamed by an oncoming truck. After that the tracks become noticeably staggered, until he wanders dazedly off a cliff and smashes several Coyote-shaped holes in the clouds as he falls.

[[quoteright:164:[[Webcomic/TheOrderOfTheStick https://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/oots_invisible.png]]]]
[[caption-width-right:164:Handy, ain't it?]]

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

* ''Film/AmazonWomenOnTheMoon'' has an interesting sendup: Ed Begley Jr. as the "Invisible Man", so he ''says'' he is, who is perfectly visible to everyone around him; they just play along with his antics. To make it more "authentic", Begley rips off all his clothes in order to carry out his pranks (sticking darts in the dartboard, stealing beer, etc). He's genuinely surprised when the police finally arrest him.

* Merlin, the experimental engine from ''WesternAnimation/ThomasTheTankEngine'', believes he has the power to become invisible, though all he does is release an enormous huff of steam. Thomas and his friends are aware of that, but they don't mind and still play along with it.

[[quoteright:200:[[Webcomic/TheOrderOfTheStick https://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/f9440274cfeb7e739694cb4f960b8d91.jpg]]]]
[[caption-width-right:200:Handy, ain't it?]]