Losing Face
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What happened?
—Mikuru, Suzumiya Haruhi
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The girl is about to confess to the object of her affections. She stutters over those holy words, but manages to get them out: "Suki desu!"
But wait. Where's her face?
Losing Face happens when a character's inner, well, character becomes so exposed to the audience it's almost shameful. Some or all of the character's facial features vanish, or just as often are deliberately obscured from view.
This may be related to the Japanese concept of On, the public face. The irony is that the moment the character becomes so transparent, so clear to viewers, their facial expressions can't be recognized—and often, there's no need.
This occurs most often during extremely emotional scenes, or scenes of shame or embarrassment. Though characters in anime are shown crying and breaking down all the time, Losing Face happens quietly and is always serious.
Compare with Hidden Eyes.
- Suzumiya Haruhi: This happens to Haruhi when she leaves after witnessing Kyon saving Mikuru's pictures. Also annoyingly subverted because she immediately walks into Mikuru, who can see her face and quickly reacts.
- After Asuna's tragically unexpected and sudden death at the end of Mahou Sensei Negima's first animated adaption, Konoka is shown sitting alone, her bangs obscuring her eyes and the rest of her face a near-blank. Nodoka is common to this as well.
- School Rumble: Happens to Tenma as well when she resolves to sit beside Karasuma on the bus.
- Happens often in Ai Yori Aoshi—and often just the eyes vanish.
- Ogiue in Genshiken shows this trope shortly after she's revealed to be a Yaoi Fangirl and shortly before she tries jumping out a third story window because of it.
- Code Geass: Lelouch is shown with his bangs obscuring his eyes at the funeral for his friend Shirley's father - because he's responsible for Mr. Fenette's death, however unintentionally.