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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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Are a lot of butlers named "Sebastian"?

In Lucky Star, Konata calls Shiraishi, one of her classmates (and co-host of Lucky Channellu), Sebastian, apparently because he looks like a stereotypical butler. This is presumably an anime/manga reference. Any idea where this reference comes from?…
coleopterist
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Are tsundere/yandere/kuudere unisexual terms?

The terms "tsundere", "yandere" and "kuudere" are most often used when describing female characters. However, all the definitions of them start with "a person, who...", which kind of suggests that these terms should be applicable to male characters…
SingerOfTheFall
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Where did the concept of multiple endings originate?

A lot of games (and even anime like Oreimo) have multiple endings in addition to the Normal Ending -- most commonly the Good End, Bad End, and True End. Which series or what medias first popularized this concept? What was the intended effect back…
кяαzєя
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What is the triangle-shaped headband these characters wear?

I don't know what to call them, but I've seen these triangle-shaped things sometimes in anime: What does the triangle-shaped headband mean and what is it called?
looper
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What is this type of hairstyle?

Its a kind of hairstyle that has two hair strands hanging down from the top of the head maybe at the center of it
Daniel Rigg
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What is the significance of anime characters' catch phrases?

Uzumaki Naruto (Naruto) has a catch phrase "dattebayo". Ika Musume (Squid Girl) has a catch phrase "de geso". Himura Kenshin (Rurouni Kenshin) has a catch phrase "gozaru". And a lot more examples here. What is the significance of anime characters'…
xjshiya
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What is the origin of the face fault?

In many anime, when characters are surprised or seen to do something stupid, the other characters will sometimes fall or keel over on their faces in some comical positions with their legs in the air. Where did this originate and is it used in any…
iKlsR
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Where did the shining eye trope come from?

When an anime character is going to do something cool - or do something with fierce determination (Thank you @Ross Ridge), animators put in a sparkle on their eye usually accompanied by a metallic 'shiing' sound. It seems like a reflection of sorts,…
Toshinou Kyouko
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What is the origin of the trope where a person lays on the ground with their "soul" coming out of their mouth?

So I was re-reading the Fullmetal Alchemist series recently. I noticed this scene below with the man presumably on the verge of death with I presume to be his "soul" coming out of his mouth. I was wondering what the origin of this trope is, since I…
Cyberson
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Why is the Tiger/German Suplex wrestling move so popular among anime culture?

I see a lot of fan art that depict this move (even though nothing of the sort happens from the show/series where the characters came from) and even in Nichijou we have the school principal giving a deer a tiger suplex: Shuichi drops a suplex in…
Jon Lin
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What is the origin of the trope where a person says "I can't eat anymore" 「もう食べられないよ…」 in their sleep?

When we have scene showing a person (or many people) sleeping soundly, it's quite common to have one of them saying "I can't eat anymore" 「もう食べられないよ…」 in their sleep. According to this forum thread on ANN, this trope has been observed in: Cowboy…
nhahtdh
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What animes or trends in anime was Evangelion a response to?

It has been said that in some ways Evangelion is Anno's critique to what he saw as wrong with the mecha anime genre of the time. Lists of shows that Evangelion has influenced abound, but what were the titles that Anno was critiquing?
Tyson of the Northwest
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What's with this face in Nichijou?

In Nichijou, characters sometimes make this kind of face when something frustrating or very stupid happens: Is this a reference to some other popular animated character, or is it a unique way of expressing an emotion in Nichijou?
Hakase
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What are those weird three-line blushy things on some anime/manga characters cheeks?

Some anime/manga characters (OR, those inspired by anime/manga) have those weird three-line blushy things on their cheeks. These characters tend to be cutesy and childish. What are those lines called (a Japanese term would be appreciated)? What…
Vun-Hugh Vaw
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When was the anime toast in the morning trope started?

For the longest time we would see things like energy drinks and other such items in the mornings with anime now the big one is toast. How long ago did this start and how did it get so popular?
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