Bandage around the head--what the @#$% does this mean?

[Redcoffin]

In at least half the animes ever made, at some point a character will be injured and end up with a bandage wrapped around his/her head, right over the hair. This makes freakin' absolutely no sense at all! What is a bandage like that supposed to accomplish? Have you ever seen a real injured person with a single strip of white bandage wrapped around their head? No--neither have I! And I never want to see it again in anime! But I will! Probably hundreds of times! Therefore I rant about it, screaming my anguish to the unresponsive heavens.

[jlazar]

*BANG*

(shoots you through the head right above the ears, requiring you to wear a single strip of bandage around your head)

I think it's just a generic 'he/she hurt his head indicator. Nothing to get worked up about.

Unless you're talking about a bandanna, in which case it's not a bandage at all. :)

[Fencedude]

You're thinking too hard.

[something]

What is a bandage like that supposed to accomplish?
When done on a cute girl, it makes her even cuter. That's all I really care about.

But no, it doesn't really do anything most of the time, it's just a way to indicate "hey, this person is hurt! their head got busted up!"

[Ty]

What better way to clearly label a person injured in a way that's instantly recognizable? Simple convenience more than anything. If you want to pick on anime staples that don't make sense then go after the fact that every anime character who has ever stayed out in the rain gets a cold and fever that night because of it. I mean c'mon this doesn't actually happen in real life so even if the Japanese are extremely superstitious about it common sense and reality has to take over at some point.

[Famicom]

Would you prefer the just as stereotypical yet even more inaccurate coughing up blood? :)

[Helschadenfreude]

Don't they do this in dramas too?

[beatmania]

http://newsimg.bbc.co.uk/media/images/40911000/jpg/_40911436_injuryafp203b.jpg

[XenoCrisis0153]

over half of all anime? seems slightly exaggerated

anyways, I think the bandage... or the injury itself... symbolizes a girl in need or a girl in distress. Since guys get a cuteness-boost out of helping and caring for an injured girl, it makes the girl more attractive by evoking inherent emotions.

As for single-strip, I've seen all sorts of bandages... few bandaids, couple patches, all the way up to the full-gauze helmet. The amount is usually used for comedic effect, but sometimes it's because the girl really did have a bad accident.

Regarding the bandages over the hair... well... who wants to see a bald anime girl? (although that episode of Galaxy Angel in which Minto-san lost her hair was pretty funny)

[Kellory]

Have you ever seen a real injured person with a single strip of white bandage wrapped around their head? No--neither have I!

Well, actually I have. Its a standard first aid wrap. If possible you go under the hair, but that isnt always possible or even timely if you have a number of people to treat. The bandage over the head isnt meant generally to be a bandage. It is merely meant to keep the piece of gauze under the bandage on the head. And it doesnt have to be that tight really. So over the hair works too in general. Of course, in Anime you are missing that gauze piece under the headband, but what the heck, this is fiction.

In Anime though, I agree your just overthinking it. Its just an quick and easy way of getting across an injury. They have a very limited time frame to get a lot of information across, so they go with easy. Plus its probably easier to animate as well since hair often sucks to draw.

[Yuriko]

It's usually accompanied by an eyepatch too, which makes equally little sense most of the time. Recently in the Hana-Kimi manga a character fell and ended up with the eyepatch and hair-bandage combo to look tragic and it just made me laugh because it looked so stereotypical.

~Y

[mrgazpacho]

Plus its probably easier to animate as well since hair often sucks to draw.

Why don't they just draw all hair straight and black then? *runs*

[Lego]

I'll add in my "wtf" question since it's in the same general area and a little bit related...

Whats with the eyepatch fetish? I mean I know some people like pirates and all(arr!) but I keep seeing it pop up in various shows, games, and pictures. I didn't realize that eye patches were that popular. The bandaged girl thing instantly reminds me of Rei from Eva though.

[LexiJ]

If you want to pick on anime staples that don't make sense then go after the fact that every anime character who has ever stayed out in the rain gets a cold and fever that night because of it. I mean c'mon this doesn't actually happen in real life...
Speak for yourself. I know of several people who will get sick if they stay out in the cold and rain. Have you ever had to deal with a child that ran out to play in the cold and snow without any covering. Runny noses and sore throats ahead. I know the actual cold weather doesn't hurt, but it does trigger something.

As for the bandage thing, American shows do it all the time, too. I mean, when was the last time you saw an actor on a soap opera get her head shaved?

[Ty]

If you want to pick on anime staples that don't make sense then go after the fact that every anime character who has ever stayed out in the rain gets a cold and fever that night because of it. I mean c'mon this doesn't actually happen in real life...
Speak for yourself. I know of several people who will get sick if they stay out in the cold and rain. Have you ever had to deal with a child that ran out to play in the cold and snow without any covering. Runny noses and sore throats ahead. I know the actual cold weather doesn't hurt, but it does trigger something.

As for the bandage thing, American shows do it all the time, too. I mean, when was the last time you saw an actor on a soap opera get her head shaved?
It's long been a scientifically proven fact that staying out in the wet or the cold has no direct connection with becoming sick. Unless of course you do so in conditions extreme enough to produce hypothermia but then that person is just retarded unless the situation was out of their control.

[Kellory]

Plus its probably easier to animate as well since hair often sucks to draw.

Why don't they just draw all hair straight and black then? *runs*


Because then it wouldnt be Anime anymore, it'd be live action. :P Well, assuming your not shooting in Shibuya anyway.

Seriously though, straight hair isnt any easier to animate really. There are always bangs and hair blowing in the wind and such. Color isnt really an issue. Just drop the paintbucket on top of the hair and instantly change the color.

As for the eyepatch, well, it makes a girl look vulnerable. I suppose that is supposed to be cute and appeal to a certain fetish. To me it just says she may not be able to take care of herself (assuming the opponent isnt in worse shape in which case all is good) but that is me. Well, I guess a wall could have fallen on her or something, but then it just becomes a standard injury to me. On a guy it makes them look macho to a degree I suppose (assuming they won or at least gave a good showing for themselves) and allows the girl to fuss over him and all that.

In other words, plot device or fanservice. Both cheap for the price.

As for fanservice/fetishes. Well, this is Anime. There is no other medium I am aware of that caters to fetish the way Anime does. If there is a normal to sick and twisted fetish that Anime does not cater to on a regular basis I am not aware of it.

[Funkatron]

If you want to pick on anime staples that don't make sense then go after the fact that every anime character who has ever stayed out in the rain gets a cold and fever that night because of it. I mean c'mon this doesn't actually happen in real life...
Speak for yourself. I know of several people who will get sick if they stay out in the cold and rain. Have you ever had to deal with a child that ran out to play in the cold and snow without any covering. Runny noses and sore throats ahead. I know the actual cold weather doesn't hurt, but it does trigger something.

As for the bandage thing, American shows do it all the time, too. I mean, when was the last time you saw an actor on a soap opera get her head shaved?
It's long been a scientifically proven fact that staying out in the wet or the cold has no direct connection with becoming sick. Unless of course you do so in conditions extreme enough to produce hypothermia but then that person is just retarded unless the situation was out of their control.

What kind of proof do you have? Cause I sure have more proof than you. I have allergies and whenever the weather changes or I get caught in a rainstorm, the next day my nose is running up a storm Sneezing, runny noses the works. Heck, just yesterday it was raining my sinuses were giving me hell and I ran through a roll of paper towels while blowing my nose.

[kit-kat]

If you want to pick on anime staples that don't make sense then go after the fact that every anime character who has ever stayed out in the rain gets a cold and fever that night because of it. I mean c'mon this doesn't actually happen in real life...
Speak for yourself. I know of several people who will get sick if they stay out in the cold and rain. Have you ever had to deal with a child that ran out to play in the cold and snow without any covering. Runny noses and sore throats ahead. I know the actual cold weather doesn't hurt, but it does trigger something.

As for the bandage thing, American shows do it all the time, too. I mean, when was the last time you saw an actor on a soap opera get her head shaved?
It's long been a scientifically proven fact that staying out in the wet or the cold has no direct connection with becoming sick. Unless of course you do so in conditions extreme enough to produce hypothermia but then that person is just retarded unless the situation was out of their control.

The cold and wet doesn't make you sick, but since your body and immune system is spending all it's energy in trying to keep your body warm, it is not protecting you as effectively when encountering germs and bacteria that can make you sick. So, the cold isn't making you sick, but leaving the door open to things that can make you sick.

[Fencedude]

What kind of proof do you have? Cause I sure have more proof than you. I have allergies and whenever the weather changes or I get caught in a rainstorm, the next day my nose is running up a storm Sneezing, runny noses the works. Heck, just yesterday it was raining my sinuses were giving me hell and I ran through a roll of paper towels while blowing my nose.

Informed, medical opinions and studies by people who have a fucking clue what they are talking about?

[HitokiriShadow]

I've always wondered why anime characters become practically deathly ill when they have the slightest fever. Whenever someone gets the tiniest fever, their vision blurs, their legs go out, they loose consciousness, and are practically comatose for the next several day.

[Lego]

As for the eyepatch, well, it makes a girl look vulnerable. I suppose that is supposed to be cute and appeal to a certain fetish. To me it just says she may not be able to take care of herself (assuming the opponent isnt in worse shape in which case all is good) but that is me. Well, I guess a wall could have fallen on her or something, but then it just becomes a standard injury to me. On a guy it makes them look macho to a degree I suppose (assuming they won or at least gave a good showing for themselves) and allows the girl to fuss over him and all that.

Yeah, I can see how it could be something where you'd get an episode about "what happened to Sally's right eye" but it's still kind of creepy when it starts showing up in a bunch of places. I'm not against a character with an eye patch depending on the series but I just can't see someone going "oooo this loli has an eyepatch on!" and jumping up and down about it.

[aquapermanence]

I'm not against a character with an eye patch depending on the series but I just can't see someone going "oooo this loli has an eyepatch on!" and jumping up and down about it.

:D Hence why it's a fetish. Some people have it, some don't. It's the same for characters who wear hair ribbons, have glasses, lipstick, high heels, braces, uniforms and other activity-specific attire. I think there was even a listing recently for a hentai about construction workers. So yeah, it runs the gamut.

In addition to the eyepatch being an accessory that changes the appearance of a character's face, it also falls into the category of the restraint fetish. Specifically, sensory restraint. Whether or not the eyepatch itself is causing her to be unable to see, it represents to the viewer that what would normally be an unimpaired visual sense is being restricted, and that this presents a challenge that the character will have to adapt to or overcome.

Like other medical restraint devices, the eyepatch ostensibly serves a healing purpose, and as such the reason for it being applied is not to hinder the wearer, but to correct some defect. Of course, there are always cases where this is untrue, such as in Jubei-chan where the eyepatch continually represents a burden to its wearer. But the benefit of the eyepatch, from a narrative perspective, is that it can be worn by characters who aren't strictly contained within a medical context. Anyone, anywhere, could be wearing an eyepatch for any of several reasons, and therefore it's a much more flexible and readily insertible restraint fetish than say, handcuffs, seatbelts, corsets, or masking tape.

[something]

It's the same for characters who wear hair ribbons, have glasses, lipstick, high heels, braces, uniforms and other activity-specific attire.
LEG RIBBONS > ALL!

Anyone, anywhere, could be wearing an eyepatch for any of several reasons
Lucia from Venus Versus Virus and Kenpachi from Bleach come to mind as two characters with good reasons for having eyepatches, and neither involves physical damage to their eyes.

[Fencedude]

[
LEG RIBBONS > ALL!




Hazuki's leg ribbon was the most unbelievably sexy accessory ever.

[Helschadenfreude]

The cold and wet doesn't make you sick, but since your body and immune system is spending all it's energy in trying to keep your body warm, it is not protecting you as effectively when encountering germs and bacteria that can make you sick. So, the cold isn't making you sick, but leaving the door open to things that can make you sick.


So isn't it effectively, It's cold, less white blood cells running around... = sick? :sd: Or am I looking at this wrong?

Btw, how do you treat a bad wound to the back of the head? Just disinfect it and stitch it up, that's it?

[Suwako Moriya]

Lucia from Venus Versus Virus and Kenpachi from Bleach come to mind as two characters with good reasons for having eyepatches, and neither involves physical damage to their eyes.

I think part of the coolness with Lucia is not just the eyepatch, but the fact the eye that's covered is a different color. Still in the case of Lucia it's less of an eye patch thing to me and more of a general I'm wearing this to restrict an ability until I decide to use it type thing. At least based on what I've seen of the first two episodes. Right now I'm watching the third one. Although this is now making me curious as to which eye is covered more often. Not that I feel like taking the insane amount of time and effort to actually figure out something like that.

[Isuzu Inugami]

Hazuki's leg ribbon was the most unbelievably sexy accessory ever.


The internet is a filthy morass of ill-conceived opinions and outright lies, in which, on very rare occasions, an unimpeachable truth shines through, like a sapphire in the muck.

This is one such truth.

[Redcoffin]

You know, the answers so far have been so good that it's hard to know what to say in response.

[Dylonius Funk]

Anyone, anywhere, could be wearing an eyepatch for any of several reasons
Lucia from Venus Versus Virus and Kenpachi from Bleach come to mind as two characters with good reasons for having eyepatches, and neither involves physical damage to their eyes.


What about Kakashi from Naruto? It's not technically an eyepatch but it serves the same function, to cover his eye that has
his Sharingin allways turned on

[Skywise]

Umm.. ever tried to put a bandaid on a head injury? Unless you have a shaved head it just doesn't work because the hair is in the way and will keep it from being properly stuck to skin. So, you use a wraparound gauze to make sure that the bandage/bandaid properly covers the injured area. Headwounds also tend to bleed a lot so putting a pressure bandage is advisable until you can get it stitched up. It's quick, easy and practical.

[Lego]

Heh everything thing is a fetish these days. I'd go with knee high stockings though :virgin:

[Fencedude]

Heh everything thing is a fetish these days. I'd go with knee high stockings though :virgin:

ZETTAI RYOUKI

[Lego]

I'd prefer something like Haruka from Hime instead :virgin: . With that said though bandages can be sexy as shown by(decent Hime spoilers) Miyu "reemerging" during the last part of Hime.

[The Great Bear]

Heh everything thing is a fetish these days. I'd go with knee high stockings though :virgin:

LSSS. I remember the thread that used to be on it.
:virgin: :virgin: :virgin:

[shadow_Hiei]

I'd prefer something like Haruka from Hime instead :virgin: . With that said though bandages can be sexy as shown by(decent Hime spoilers) Miyu "reemerging" during the last part of Hime.

Miyu = sexy =/= possible

And if you're talking about the headband, it just seems to mean that they're ready to get serious. Maybe its supposed to keep the sweat out of their eyes or something...

[Ty]

Heh everything thing is a fetish these days. I'd go with knee high stockings though :virgin:

LSSS. I remember the thread that used to be on it.
:virgin: :virgin: :virgin:
We all fail for letting the long stockings short skirts thread fall off the radar.

[something]

Heh everything thing is a fetish these days. I'd go with knee high stockings though :virgin: ZETTAI RYOUKI
For the fucking win. Thighhighs are divine.

[Lego]

The great thing about is that it has its own little doujin convention (http://project-d.biz/suteki/)(site might be a little NSFW) heh.