Questions tagged [tropes]

A recurring element across anime, manga or works in other media. Tropes cover clichés, genre conventions and other recurring plot points, character types, narration styles, …

A trope, in the general sense used here, is a feature that is found in many creative works (anime, manga, or any other media), for example a plot point, a character type, a setting, a narration style, etc. It is expected that at least some readers or viewers will recognize the trope. Some tropes have a well-identified source that other works have imitated, departed from or alluded to; others are so old that their origin has long been lost.

The website TV Tropes collects tropes (in all media, including anime and manga, despite the name). If you're looking for a list of works using a certain trope, TV Tropes is the place to look. You'll also find lists of tropes seen in a particular work.

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Where this "box of swords" design comes from?

In a manga called Soul Eater, one of the characters - a fighter known as Mifune - is carrying a box of swords with himself. A striking visual piece. In a manga called "Attack on Titan" a similar yet substantially different device is used: a…
VienLa
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Where does the "No highlights on the eyes" trope come from?

When a character is unconcious or possessed by some supernatural entity, it often loses their highlights in their eyes. Here is an example from the Sailor Moon R movie. Where does this trope originate from?
Raildex
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What is the name of the garment worn by robbers in anime?

I have seen robbers wearing scarves that is tied to the nose and is carrying a huge bag on his back. This style is very common and is used to represent robbers as if it is a trope. If so, what is the name of the garment? Is it used for stealth…
Fumikage Tokoyami
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What does "crossing one's palm with fingers and gulping" signify?

I have seen in some anime where the character become nervous, sweats profusely and makes this action. For ex - Tadokoro Megumin from Food Wars: I have also seen Minoru Mineta from BNHA doing that. What does this action signify? Is there any…
Fumikage Tokoyami
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Why do supernatural titles contain the word 'Code'?

A lot of series about supernatural powers seem to contain the word 'Code' in the title. For example, Code Geass Code:Breaker Code:Realise Code-E Why is there a trend like this among anime titles? What does this signify, if any?
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Why do they tie their thumbs and don't use handcuffs?

I've seen lots of animes where a character is caught and interrogated by some authority. The captive is usually depicted sitting on the chair in the interrogation room. But instead of being handcuffed, their thumbs are tied with a zip tie. Why? Is…
High Hopes
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Why are there so many instance of young girls falling for older men?

Why are there so many instances of younger female characters falling in love with older male adult characters? Is it a cultural thing?
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Which might be the first anime and manga "time loop" type

In a few anime and manga the protagonist or entire group are stuck in certain time event can't make time move forward. I mean whatever the protagonist does, the day is always September 2 all the time. In order to change that, he needs to do…
Naing Lin Aung
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What is the origin of the one-horned rabbit so common in fantasy and isekai stories?

Dozens of fantasy and isekai stories have the one-horn-rabbit as a staple beginner's monster. Some examples: Re:Monster (day 4) I Said Make My Abilities Average! (ch. 19) Kenshi o Mezashite Nyūgaku Shitanoni Mahō Tekisei 9999 Nandesukedo!? (web…
Mindwin Remember Monica
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Do people in Japan really shower all the time after a rainstorm, or is that just an anime thing?

I just watched the latest Net-juu no Susume and there's the stereotypical caught-in-the-rain scene, and then usually accompanying shower scene. Since this anime makes a point to be more similar to the real world than others, it made me wonder if…
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Why do protagonist usually mispronounce or forget the name of opponent or others?

As we have seen in the popular series like Naruto and One piece where protagonist can't remember the name of opponent and even if they do, they mispronounce it. So I searched for the tropes and got to know about Malicious Misnaming. A person…
mirroroftruth
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Where is this scene originate from in Episode 5 of nichijou?

What is this thing that Mio's cloud refers to? And what does this text on the screen mean (The text on the screen, it's like an old Japanese font-style) ? "15:40 1-Q in front of the podium" Based from the word "sunk", is that like boat or…
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Where is the joke that Ishida said came from?

In Koe no Katachi, volume 1, chapter 2, page 37, first panel, Ishida said that. Because her ears don't have "H" What does Ishida mean by that? While his teacher did laugh too. What's funny with that joke? In Indonesian version, he said (I have…
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Which series features the most re-occuring named characters?

Recently I had a discussion with friends about how hard they find it to follow anime/manga series due to the sheer amount characters that get featured in a series. They claimed detective-conan featured more than 3000 characters (roughly 5 per…
Dimitri mx
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Why is "aku soku zan" used in different animes?

In Rurouni Kenshin, Hajime Saitoh had a philosophy of life or something like that called "aku soku zan" that was something like "kill the evil immediately" which he mentions when fighting Makoto Shishio. Now in Dragon Ball Super Toppo says to Goku…
Pablo
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