Inverted Portrait

Do you think she's getting a headache?

This is when a character's full-body portrait is shown, as commonly seen in Title Sequences, only they're upside-down. May also appear in other parts of a work as well.

Used for artistic effect or perhaps to symbolize something about the character, such as being in pain in strange ways, or in deep thought. Whether the character is really upside-down, or is lying on his or her back (or floating) and is merely seen from a perspective that puts their head down, is not necessarily clear.

Note that this only applies when the character is seen in a stylized portrait. Although it could appear anywhere within a work, if the character is literally floating upside-down within the story, it is not an example of this.

Examples of Inverted Portrait include:

Anime

• Some of the female characters in Baldr Force EXE Resolution, along with upright and sideways variations.
• Rai in Jyu-Oh-Sei, with his twin brother Thor upright next to him.
• Makina in Shikabane Hime, as seen in the page picture to the right.
• In the opening to Azumanga Daioh, it happens with Yukari upside-down and Nyamo right-side up. Then Yukari glares at Nyamo, and their positions are switched.
• The Closing Credits of Neon Genesis Evangelion.
  • The OP too: at an early point, Asuka and Rei's naked silhouettes pan over the screen in the background. Asuka is upside-down while Rei is upright.
• Arcueid in the OP of Shingetsutan Tsukihime, for quite a while even.

Other media

• The cover art for the musical Funny Girl.
• Battler in the Umineko Motion Graphic 6 has a couple of seconds where he's shown upside down, flashing through a sea of memories.