Illusion Manipulation

For a gallery of examples for Illusion Manipulation, see here.

"Beware of false knowledge; it is more dangerous than ignorance."

― George Bernard Shaw

The power to manipulate illusions.

Also Called

Genjutsu (Naruto)
Hallucikinesis
Hallucinogen
Illusion Casting/Creation
Illusions
Mirage Generation
Vision Manipulation
Visual Projection

Capabilities

User can create, shape and manipulate illusions, causing targets to see, hear, touch, smell and/or taste things which do not actually exist or cause them to perceive things differently from what they truly are. Some users can create complex and detailed worlds, others may be able to only alter the way they or the target are perceived.

Applications

Afterimage Creation
Death by Illusion: If the illusion is powerful enough, it can literally convince the brain to copy anything that happens to the victim within the illusion, making it possible to kill the target with illusions.
- Illusion of Death: Target thinks they are being killed over and over again. This may lead to insanity.
Decoy Creation
Holographic Projection: Users of Light Manipulation can create illusions out of pure light.
Illusive Appearance: Most users who are not exactly combat savvy would use their ability as a defense mechanism to camouflage themselves, and even alter their physical appearance to look like someone or something else.
Mazes: Users display large walls.
Pain Illusion
Phobia Exploitation: Targets experience their worst fears.
Sense Inducement
Sensory Overload: Targets are forced with overlapping visions, causing several negative symptoms.
Torment Inducement

Techniques

Variations

Hallucination Solidification the ability to solidify any/all illusions or hallucinations.
Illusion Eye: To project illusions via eyes.
Mental Hallucination, also called Delusion Inducing or the Psychedelic Effect is a faculty of Illusion in which one can induce psychedelic hallucinations in subjects at will. This ability psychically causes the subject's imagination to overact, resulting in paranoia and delirium. This ability may even cause the foe to feel as though only experiencing that which is pleasurable to him instead of what’s actually happening (called the Rose-Colored Glasses Effect) or the like. This ability has no need for the user's imagination; the subject's mind does all of the work (and has a compelling sense of the hallucination’s reality).
Mirage Inducing is a version of Illusion (a mix of Summoning or limited Reality Warping and Illusion) in which the user can generate illusions which last, and are entirely real, as long as the targets do not know that they are illusions. One with this ability could cause any type of illusion they desire, but the second that someone calls out “It’s not real!”, shakes subjects out of their deluded state or the subjects see the illusionist working his power, then the illusions will wear off, entirely (or until the user can go unnoticed to use his ability again).
Psychosomatic Illusion is the ability to create illusions that are so realistic and powerful they can cause physical effects on the target.
Self Perception The user can alter their own perception of reality.

Associations

Limitations

Some users are limited to creating illusions that affect only certain senses, sight being the most common as a result people with Enhanced Senses might be able to see through it.
Some users may have to limit the amount of mental powers to control the illusion.
Some targets may be immune, mainly those who either have this ability as well or other mental ability.
User may be unable to create accurate illusions, such as making things that don't exist or situations that would never happen in a million years. One common mistake is misplacing a feature on a person, or forgetting to add shadows to their forms.
Illusion Awareness
User of Psychic Shield are either immune or highly resistant.
People with Danger Sense may be able to distinguish a fake illusion by telling which one is really a threat.

Known Users

See Also: Master of Illusion

Western Comic

Mastermind/Jason Wyngarde (Marvel Comics)
Lady Mastermind/Regan Wyngard (Marvel Comics)
Mastermind/Martinique Jason (Marvel Comics)
Blackheart (Marvel)
Professor X (Marvel Comics)
Mysterio (Marvel); via technology
Mesmero (Marvel)
Spellbinder (Batman Beyond)
Scarlet Witch (Marvel)
Pixie (Marvel Comics)
Myresto Mor (Angel: After the Fall)
Betta George (Angel: After the Fall)
Zatanna (DC Comics)
Scarecrow (DC)
Doctor Strange (Marvel)
Selene (Marvel)
Doctor Fate (DC Comics)
Wiccan (Marvel Comics)
Danielle Moonstar (Marvel Comics)
Calavera (Marvel Comics)
Psylocke (Marvel Comics)
Silver Surfer (Marvel Comics)
MODOK (Marvel Comics)
Circe (DC Comics)
Maxima (DC Comics)
Loki (Marvel)
Nanase (El Goonish Shive)
Justin (El Goonish Shive)

Manga/Anime

Zorua and Zoroark (Pokemon)
Midnight (Fairy Tail)
Ai Enma (Hell Girl)
Ririn (Bleach)
Sosuke Aizen (Bleach); via sword release
Shinji Hirako (Bleach); via sword release
Muramasa (Bleach); via sword release
Koga Kuchiki (Bleach); via sword release
Chrome Dokuro, Rokudo Mukuro and Viper/Esper Mammon (Katekyo Hitman Reborn)
Phoenix Ikki (Saint Seiya)
Fran (Katekyo Hitman Reborn)
The Illusion Card (Card Captor Sakura)
Kanchome (Zatch Bell)
Baal (O-parts Hunter/666 Satan)
Zorin Blitz (Hellsing)
Ninja (Naruto); via Genjutsu
Itachi Uchiha (Naruto)
Sasuke Uchiha (Naruto)
The Uchiha Clan (Naruto)
Kurenai Yūhi (Naruto)
Princess Snake (Dragon Ball)
Raiti and Zaacro (Dragon Ball Z)
Enrico Pucci (Jojo's Bizarre Adventure); via Whitesnake
Naraku (InuYasha)
Mirage (Transformers)
Ban Mido (Get Backers!)
Nue (Air Gear)
Blackburn (Air Gear)
JunJun/Sailor Juno (Sailor Moon)
Najimi Ajimu (Medaka Box); with Fantasy Illusion (Magic Skills)
Yoshikatsu Utsunomiya (Alive: The Final Evolution)
Neko (K Project)
Kano Shuuya (Kagerou Project)
Dark Schneider (Bastard!!)
Devils (Bastard!!)
Medea (Saint Seiya Omega)
Hypnos (Saint Seiya)
Thanatos (Saint Seiya)
Hades (Saint Seiya)
Virgo Saints (Saint Seiya)

Television

Ghosts (Ghost Whisperer)
Silas (The Vampire Diaries)
Candace Wilmer (Heroes)
Sylar of the Explosion future (Heroes)
Rex Buckland (Charmed)
Demon of Illusion (Charmed)
Black Heart (Charmed)
Avatars (Charmed)
Tess Harding (Roswell)
Illusionists (Mutant X)
Emma de Lauro (Mutant X)
ShadowEmz (Super/Lette)
Glarghk Guhl Kashmas’nik Demons (Buffy the Vampire Slayer)
Willow Rosenberg (Buffy the Vampire Slayer)
Ecliptor (Power Rangers in Space)
Tygra (Thundercats)
Skeletor (Masters of the Universe)
Rahkshi (BIONICLE)
Kraata (BIONICLE)
Dr. Clef (SCP Foundation); his face does not appear in photographs
Gabriel/The Trickster (Supernatural)

Western Animation

Mirage (Aladdin: the Animated Series)
Chaos (Aladdin: the Animated Series)
Karzahni (Bionicle)
Makuta (Bionicle)
Matau (Bionicle)
Darcy (Winx Club)
Mirta (Winx Club)
Charmcaster (Ben 10)
Hobgoblin 2099 (Spider-Man: Shattered Dimensions)
Thuglett slugs (SlugTerra)
Bill Cipher (Gravity Falls)

Film

Naga Sadow (Star Wars)
Connor MacLeod (Highlander)
Jeon Woo-chi (Jeon Woo-chi)
Lillith "Lily" Sullivan (Case 39)
Evil (Time Bandits)

Video Games

Tisiphone (God of War)
Reisen Udongein Inaba (Touhou Project)
Chakravartin (Asura's Wrath)
Mirage (Static Shock)
Mariska (Lollipop Chainsaw)
Zexion (Kingdom Hearts)
Xemnas (Kingdom Hearts)
Halicarnassus (Final Fantasy 5)
Tezca Tlipoca (Soul Eater)
Asura (Soul Eater)
Sasha (inFamous)
Talim (Soul Calibur)
Terumi Yuuki (BlazBlue)
Princess Zelda (The Legend of Zelda)
Black Doom (Sonic the Hedgehog)
Ixis Naugus (Sonic the Hedgehog/Archie Comics)
Mammoth Mogul (Sonic the Hedgehog/Archie Comics)
Jack Norman/Ultimate Abyss (Resident Evil: Revelations)
Number Six (Battlestar Galactica)
Psycho Mantis (Metal Gear Solid)
Shang Tsung (Mortal Kombat)
Desann (Jedi Knight II: Jedi Outcast)
Shen (Valkyrie Crusade)

Literature

Pennywise the Dancing Clown/It (Stephen King's It)
Ghosts (Shadow Falls/Shadow Falls: After Dark)
Penny (GONE Series)
The Infectus Markers (Dead Space, Exodus Trilogy)
Harry Potter (Harry Potter)
Zafrina (Twilight)
Olivia Vertigo (Charlie Bone)
Larkin Kent (The Caster Chronicles); Illusionist Caster
Hécate (Greek mythology)
Hazel (Heroes of Olympus)