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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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What is the purpose of the watermelon in the ritual at the beach?

In the Zero no Tsukaima: Princesses no Rondo beach vacation OVA, the girls are told to perform an offering ritual to the Spirit of Water, using a watermelon. The "ritual" later turns out to be some sort of game set up by Saito and the other boys.…
Cattua
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Why do anime characters have pointy chins?

I've always wondered why a lot of anime characters, or at least some, have pointed chins. One example: Clannad I'm wondering why they have such pointy chins. Is it to make them cute or something? Or is it because that's the easiest way to draw…
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Name of classification/trope of anime with advanced/ancient civilizations

I would like to use "Laputa: Castle in the Sky" as an example, but the identifying features that I'm particularly interested in identifying are the ancient, yet advanced technological civilization(s) that left behind the city itself. Is there a word…
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Do many anime play the main theme during the final battle?

While watching an anime series with a friend, he pointed out that "all anime play their theme song during the final fight." Now, I doubt it's "all", but sure enough, the main theme song of Digimon Tamers and the (first) OP of Fullmetal Alchemist:…
Cattua
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What was the first anime to have characters blasting off?

Instantly, Pokemon's team rocket comes to mind when I think of characters blasting off after losing a battle, just to become a twinkle in the skytvtropes. However, it has become rather popular in lots of shows! I'd like to know what was the first…
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Is use of schools' rooftops a common thing in Japanese culture or just a cliché?

In many manga and anime involving modern schools, there is a scene on or at least showing the rooftop of the building. It is a place students can freely go to, often depicted with having a bust-height railing along the edge and the typical 'small…
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Why are bears in yaoi animes?

In Yaoi I have fairly noticed a highly recurring thing which is Bears. In particular I am aiming this at Yaoi's such as Sekai Ichi Hatsukoi and Junjou Romantica. Examples: So my question is what is the relationship between the re-occurring bears…
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What is purpose of these arm band?

In anime, people who in charge sometimes wear armband, from left to right: Haruhi Suzumiya - The Melancholy of Haruhi Suzumiya (Club president), Suzu and Tsuda - Seitokai Yakuindomo (student council), Kuroko - Toaru Kagaku no Railgun (Judgement,…
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Origin of witches incantations

Blair in Soul Eater says "Pum-pum-pkin, pumpkin" and Eva in Negima says "Lic, lac, La lac Lilac" before every spell they use. Is there any kind of source to this pattern or is it just a coincidence? Note: I didn't know how to be specific in the…
Wajih Aziza
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What is the origin of the curling-up tongue trope?

I've seen this curled-up tongue trope pop its head up every once in a while and I was wondering: Which trope is it, and where does it originate from?
Dimitri mx
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Why are there red strings around the MCs' body parts in some anime?

In some romance anime, there are red strings around the MCs' body parts, say hands. Why? Koi to Uso The Quintessential Quintuplets
Michael
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Why is "Hope and Despair" (希望と絶望) such a common theme?

It seems to be popular in a lot of Japanese writing, actually. The exact words 希望 and 絶望 are very common. Just look at Danganronpa. Anyone know the origins of such a theme, specifically of the specific words and why they have such relevance in…
Jack Pan
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Is puking blood when punched in the gut a common trope in anime?

I have often seen characters throwing and puking blood when they are punched in the gut especially in Shounen animes like BNHA and Naruto Shippuden(well there are other animes I have seen this trope but I could think of these two anime for the time…
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Why do cross-dressing characters like Hideri Kanzaki usually have high voices?

I see that in many Animes, there are cross-dressing (or maybe trans) characters, like Hideri Kanzaki of Blend-S, and they usually have awfully high-pitched voices. These characters in anime and manga fall into a trope and are usually referred to as…
user45359
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Oldest instance of Hanahaki Disease?

From Fanlore on the topic: The Hanahaki Disease trope was popularized with the Japanese shoujo manga,「花吐き乙女」(Hanahaki Otome), or The Girl Who Spit Flowers by Naoko Matsuda (松田奈緒子), which was released in 2009. The symptoms of the disease are…
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