The “No-Face Man” of Subway Stations: Who Started the Story?

The legend of The “No-Face Man” of Subway stations whispers of a terrifying figure seen in the peripheral vision of late-night commuters. It’s a chilling tale.

You may have searched for this entity, expecting a single, well-documented ghost story. The truth, however, is more complex and fascinating.

This figure is not one specific ghost but a powerful, modern amalgamation. It is a story started by the internet, blending distinct cultural elements into one terrifying concept.

We will explore the true origins of this digital-age myth. We will trace its DNA back to Japanese folklore, iconic animation, and the internet’s most infamous creation.

Summary of This Investigation

• What is the Noppera-bō? (The Original Faceless Ghost)
• How Did ‘No-Face’ (Kaonashi) Ride the Train? (The Ghibli Connection)
• Why is Slender Man the Real Digital ‘No-Face’? (The Modern Legend)
• How Do Urban Legends Form in 2025? (The Digital Melting Pot)

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What is the Origin of the “Faceless” Ghost Trope?

Long before subways, the fear of the faceless haunted Japan. This original entity is the Noppera-bō, or “faceless ghost.”

Its legend dates back centuries in Japanese folklore. The Noppera-bō appears as an ordinary person, perhaps a crying woman or a familiar friend.

It waits until a victim gets close. Then, it turns, revealing a smooth, blank orb of skin where its features should be.

Its goal is not violence. The No-Face-Man of folklore simply wants to cause paralyzing terror.

Many stories, like those collected by Lafcadio Hearn, detail these encounters on dark roads. The victim often runs, only to tell their story to another person, who then reveals they are also faceless.

Folklorists note this creature is often a mujina (badger) or kitsune (fox) in disguise. These trickster spirits enjoy pranks.

The Noppera-bō established the core concept: the most terrifying face is no face at all. It represents a complete loss of identity.

This ancient fear provides the deep, cultural root. It is the raw material for the modern specter we now associate with transit.

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How Did ‘No-Face’ (Kaonashi) Ride the Train?

The visual link—the ghost on public transit—was cemented in 2001. This came from Studio Ghibli’s masterpiece, Spirited Away.

The character is Kaonashi, known in English as “No-Face.” He is a silent, black-robed spirit wearing a detached white mask.

One of the film’s most serene and haunting sequences features No-Face. He sits silently on a train, moving across a vast, shallow sea.

This train is not a subway, but the visual resonance is undeniable. It connected a “faceless” entity with the quiet isolation of a public commute.

However, No-Face is not an urban legend. Director Hayao Miyazaki uses him as a powerful metaphor.

He represents the loneliness and emptiness of modern consumerism. He has no identity of his own; he only mimics and consumes.

When he enters the Bathhouse, he devours food and staff. He offers fake gold, reflecting the empty promises of a capitalist society.

His famous train ride occurs after he is purged of this greed. He becomes a simple, harmless companion traveling to a new beginning.

The image of The “No-Face Man” of Subway likely borrows heavily from this scene. It’s a quiet, eerie figure sharing your ride.

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Why is Slender Man the Real Digital ‘No-Face’?

If the Noppera-bō is the root and Kaonashi is the visual, the legend itself belongs to another. The true modern “faceless” monster is Slender Man.

This entity was not born from ancient folklore. He was created on the internet in 2009.

A user named Eric Knudsen, using the pseudonym “Victor Surge,” entered a Photoshop contest. The forum was “Something Awful.”

Knudsen submitted two black-and-white photos. They depicted children playing, with a tall, thin, suited figure lurking in the background.

Crucially, this figure had a completely blank, white, featureless face. Knudsen added fragmented, creepy text to his images.

He named his creation “The Slender Man.” The character immediately went viral.

Unlike folklore, Slender Man’s origin is documented. He is the first great “creepypasta” (internet horror story) legend.

His mythology was built collaboratively. Users added stories, videos (like the Marble Hornets series), and art.

They established his traits. He stalks children, causes paranoia (or “Slender sickness”), and has tentacles.

This is the key. Slender Man is the “faceless man” who actively hunts people in modern settings, a perfect fit for an urban legend.

He is the digital ghost. His story proves how the internet accelerates myth-making from years to mere weeks.

Learn more about the documented history and cultural impact of the Slender Man digital legend.

The horrific 2014 stabbing in Wisconsin, inspired by the myth, shows the dangerous power of “ostension”—when people act out a legend in the real world.

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What Makes The “No-Face Man” of Subway a Modern Myth?

You came here looking for one story. The reality is that The “No-Face Man” of Subway is a “digital folkloric” construct.

It is a name given to a feeling. It’s the result of three powerful ideas colliding in the public consciousness.

The internet acts as a “mythic melting pot.” It does not care about origins. It only cares about the power of the image.

An anonymous user, perhaps in 2025, thinks of a scary story. They remember the face of Slender Man. They recall the train scene from Spirited Away.

They may have also heard of the Noppera-bō from Japanese horror media.

These three distinct figures are blended. Their specific contexts are lost, but their shared traits—facelessness and a haunting presence—combine.

A new, hybrid legend is born. The “No-Face Man” of Subway is the perfect name for it.

This process is how modern myths are made. They are not passed down by word of mouth; they are assembled by algorithm and collective memory.

To clarify the distinct sources, here is a breakdown of the figures you might be thinking of.

Table: The Faces Behind the “Faceless” Legend

Feature	Noppera-bō (Folklore)	Kaonashi (Ghibli)	Slender Man (Creepypasta)
Origin	Ancient Japanese folklore	Spirited Away (2001 Film)	Something Awful Forums (2009)
Appearance	Appears as a normal human	Black robe, white mask	Tall, thin, black suit
Face	Smooth, blank skin orb	Detached, neutral mask	Blank, white, featureless head
Motive	To frighten (a trickster)	Loneliness, consumption, greed	To stalk, abduct, and terrorize
Location	Dark roads, isolated areas	Bathhouse, spirit-world train	Forests, suburbs, digital media

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How Does This Legend Reflect Modern Fears?

So, why does this specific blended myth resonate? Why a faceless man, and why the subway?

A subway station is a classic “liminal space.” It is a place of transit; it is neither the destination nor the origin.

These in-between places—stairwells, hallways, and stations—feel inherently unsettling. They are gateways.

The subway itself forces intimacy with strangers. You sit surrounded by people, yet completely isolated in your own world.

A faceless man exploits this specific anxiety. He is the ultimate “other.” He is the stranger you cannot read.

In our hyper-connected world, facelessness is a terrifying concept. It represents anonymity, a loss of humanity, and the unknowable.

The “No-Face Man” of Subway is not just a monster. He is a symbol of urban isolation.

He is the fear that the person sitting opposite you, hidden behind their phone, is entirely empty inside.

He is the anxiety of living in a crowded world but feeling completely and utterly alone.

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Conclusion: The Story We All Started

Ultimately, the search for the origin of The “No-Face Man” of Subway leads back to ourselves.

This entity is not a single ghost with a verifiable history. It is a story that feels true.

It is a composite specter, stitched together from the fabric of our culture. It has roots in ancient folklore and pixels from a digital forum.

“Who started the story?”

Eric Knudsen started Slender Man. Hayao Miyazaki started Kaonashi. Centuries of Japanese storytellers started the Noppera-bō.

But we—the internet users, the commuters, the storytellers of 2025—started The “No-Face Man” of Subway.

We created him by blending our fears, sharing our anxieties, and giving a name to the terror of the anonymous, faceless crowd.

For a deeper dive into the specific Japanese folklore, explore the myth of the Noppera-bō and other yokai.

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Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)

Is the No-Face Man of the subway real?

No. There is no single, documented urban legend by this name. The figure is a modern combination of other “faceless” characters, primarily Slender Man and Kaonashi from Spirited Away.

Who actually created Slender Man?

Slender Man was created in June 2009 by Eric Knudsen (user “Victor Surge”) on the Something Awful internet forum for a Photoshop contest.

Is Kaonashi (No-Face) from Spirited Away evil?

He is not considered truly evil. He is a lonely, empty spirit who reflects the surrounding environment. In the greedy Bathhouse, he becomes a monster. When shown kindness by Chihiro, he becomes a gentle companion.

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