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* ReverseMole: A Defense Corps spy has been on board the aliens' mothership all along. Later revealed to be [[spoiler:Mao's father]].
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* ReverseMole: TheMole: A Defense Corps spy has been on board the aliens' mothership all along. Later revealed to be [[spoiler:Mao's father]].
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* HeyYou: Haru never refers to Mao by her real name, even after being told what it is; she's always "the girl with [[HairDecorations the funky ribbons]]".
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* HeyYou: Haru never refers to Mao by her real name, even after being told what it is; she's always "the girl with [[HairDecorations the funky ribbons]]".ribbons".
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* MilitaryMoe: Invoked, where the girls are specifically chosen for their roles because of how adorable they are.
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moved to YMMV subpage as it's a subjective, Just For Fun wick
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* XMeetsY: Let's see, this series is about a group of politicians and grizzled military types who recruit [[PowerTrio three children]] to battle against [[MonsterOfTheWeek strange creatures]] that have come from outer space to threaten the safety of [[TheTokyoFireball Japan]]. And they do so using technology stolen from the enemy, and with much destruction of the scenery. Yeah, it's sort of like if ''Anime/NeonGenesisEvangelion'' were put under the {{Moe}}ification ray.
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* EpicFail: The Cute Alien's schemes, occasionally. Once one of them ''missed'' the Earth completely.
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** Most of the Cute Aliens I general are this. Often they don't even cause any real damage and sometimes girls don't even have to ''try'', because some of the outright fail on there own.
to:
** Most of the Cute Aliens I in general are this. Often they don't even cause any real damage and sometimes the girls don't even have to ''try'', because some of the them outright fail on there own.
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** Most of the Cute Aliens I general are this. Often they don't even cause any real damage and sometimes girls don't even have to ''try'', because some of the outright fail on there own.
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* LargeHam: Chief Onigawara
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* LargeHam: Chief OnigawaraOnigawara, down to wearing a cape over his uniform.
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* MagicalGirl
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* MagicalGirlMagicalGirl: The titular character and her friends are these, curtacy of some alien pendants. Though it's played with at first, as the uniform she gets after the TransformationSequence, initially seems to be the ''only'' thing the pendants give them and it isn't till a little bit after their first deployed, that they discover they actually have powers.
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* TransformationSequence
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* TransformationSequenceTransformationSequence: Comes with the territory. LampShaded in one episode, where they realize their enemy managed to get too far ahead, while they were transforming.
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** In the dub, Misora usually ends her lines with "I say" or "I must say" and Silvia occasionally begins sentences with "I the officer".
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* WhamLine: "But.. I don't have a mom!"
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** There's also a one-shot appearance by a ''very'' obvious Keitarō expy. Like, so thinly disguised you'd think they were WritingAroundTrademarks. Unlike the real Keitarō, "Keinosuke" failed the fourth attempt at getting into Tokyo U, though.
to:
** There's also a one-shot appearance couple of appearances by a ''very'' obvious Keitarō expy. Like, so thinly disguised you'd think they were WritingAroundTrademarks. Unlike the real Keitarō, "Keinosuke" failed the fourth attempt at getting into Tokyo U, though.though.
*** On his second appearance, he's working alongside his girlfriend, "Nana Nanasegawa", an equally obvious Naru expy, and he points out the [[IdenticalStranger uncanny resemblance]] between Nanasegawa and Kagome.
*** On his second appearance, he's working alongside his girlfriend, "Nana Nanasegawa", an equally obvious Naru expy, and he points out the [[IdenticalStranger uncanny resemblance]] between Nanasegawa and Kagome.
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* HeyYou: Haru never refers to Mao by her real name, even after being told what it is; she's always "the girl with [[HairDecorations the funky ribbons]]".
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* SupremeChef: Sylvia's the best chef in the whole class.
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* IdiotHair: Sylvia and Mao both have them.
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* IdiotHair: Sylvia and Mao both have them.them, as does Sakura.
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* YouGottaHaveBlueHair: Misora's is purple and Mao's is bright pink. Sakura, one of the support staff, has teal hair.
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* YouGottaHaveBlueHair: Misora's is blue in the anime and purple on the covers of the manga, and Mao's is bright pink.pink on the covers of the manga and a slightly lighter pink in the anime. Sakura, one of the support staff, has teal hair.
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* JapaneseDelinquents: A gang of ''dogs'', which [[SapientTank Mi-kun]] joins when Mao rejects him after his upgrade makes him too powerful.
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* BeachEpisode: Chapter 16
* BeautifulAllAlong: Chinami, something that Yuriko and the Defense Corp girls trick her into discovering.
* BeautifulAllAlong: Chinami, something that Yuriko and the Defense Corp girls trick her into discovering.
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* InterruptedSuicide: "Keinosuke", though after it fails, he admits that this is his fourteenth attempt.
** MythologyGag: While he was never suicidal even at his lowest points, [[Manga/LoveHina Keitaro]], whom Keinosuke is a blatant expy of, was NighInvulnerable, making Keinosuke's failure to die seem perfectly reasonable.
** MythologyGag: While he was never suicidal even at his lowest points, [[Manga/LoveHina Keitaro]], whom Keinosuke is a blatant expy of, was NighInvulnerable, making Keinosuke's failure to die seem perfectly reasonable.
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* PerpetualPoverty: Chinami and Yuriko
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* SapientShip[=/=]SapientTank: Mi-kun, Hayate, and Nah-chan.
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* GirlishPigtails: Mao
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* GirlishPigtails: MaoMao, Riho
* MeaningfulName: "Rikushiro" and "Sorajiro" mean "warrior of the land" and "warrior of the sky", respectively.
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* MsFanservice: Sakura, who's practically a {{Recurring|Extra}} FanserviceExtra. While she does appear in a normal Ground Defense uniform as well, her outfit in the ChristmasEpisode is a [[BareYourMidriff midriff-baring]] [[SexySantaDress Sexy Santa Top and Skirt Combo]] (which Kagome [[LampshadeHanging asks her about]]), and she later shows up in a PlayboyBunny outfit to host the Defense Corp Cherry Blossom party.
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* MsFanservice: Sakura, who's practically a {{Recurring|Extra}} FanserviceExtra. While she does appear in a Her normal Ground Defense uniform as well, uses [[WhoWearsShortShorts short shorts]] [[CustomUniform instead of the skirt that Kagome has]], her outfit in the ChristmasEpisode is a [[BareYourMidriff midriff-baring]] [[SexySantaDress Sexy Santa Top and Skirt Combo]] (which Kagome [[LampshadeHanging asks her about]]), and she later shows up in a PlayboyBunny outfit to host the Defense Corp Cherry Blossom party.
* [[TheCobblersChildrenHAveNoShoes Vocational Irony]]: The leader of the Ground Forces is a poor runner; the leader of the Marine forces can't swim; and the leader of the Air Forces gets queasy in high places. The first two seem to have [[GenerationXerox passed these traits down to their granddaughters.]]
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* YouGottaHaveBlueHair: Misora. Mao's are bright pink.
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* YouGottaHaveBlueHair: Misora. Misora's is purple and Mao's are is bright pink.
pink. Sakura, one of the support staff, has teal hair.
* ZettaiRyouiki: Misora in her school uniform is a Grade A. Riho's casual outfit includes leg warmers that just barely cover her knees, making her a borderline example.
* ZettaiRyouiki: Misora in her school uniform is a Grade A. Riho's casual outfit includes leg warmers that just barely cover her knees, making her a borderline example.
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** Earlier than that, they find a hidden natural hot spring in the jungle, protected by a group of monkeys whose leader looks suspiciously like a simian version of Mao's grandfather.
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* MsFanservice: Sakura, who's practically a {{Recurring|Extra}} FanserviceExtra. While she does appear in a normal Ground Defense uniform as well, her outfit in the ChristmasEpisode is a [[BareYourMidriff midriff-baring]] [[SexySantaDress Sexy Santa Top and Skirt Combo]] (which Kagome [[LampshadeHanging asks her about]]), and she later shows up in a PlayboyBunny outfit to host the Defense Corp Cherry Blossom party.
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* ClothingDamage: Happens to Yuriko when she and Mao are ingested by a snake alien. This ''is'' Creator/KenAkamatsu we're talking about, after all.
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* ClothingDamage: Happens to Yuriko when she and Mao when they are ingested by a snake alien. This ''is'' Creator/KenAkamatsu we're talking about, after all.all, so the former ends up completely naked.
* GodivaHair: Yuriko after her clothes are melted away by the snake alien.
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* PantyShot: It ''is'' still an Akamatsu production, after all. Rarely happens to the three leads, though.
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* PantyShot: It ''is'' still an Akamatsu production, after all. Rarely happens to the three leads, though.
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* CuteKitten: One of the aliens inovkes this, and later the girls start sneaking around and making everyone suspicious of their goodness, all to protect a mother cat they'd found just before she gave birth to her kittens.
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* ButNotTooForeign: Sylvia is introduced as being "Russian and a quarter Japanese".
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* ButNotTooForeign: Sylvia is introduced as being "Russian and a quarter Japanese". Curiously, though, her grandfather's name is "Adalberto '''von''' Maruyama", suggesting that he himself is of mixed ancestry.
* CuteClumsyGirl: Mao may be the Ground Forces' defense unit against the aliens, but she's hopeless in athletic competitions.
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* {{Dojikko}}: Mao
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* FluffyTheTerrible: Mao's [[TankGoodness tank]], Mi-kun.
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* FluffyTheTerrible: Mao's [[TankGoodness tank]], Mi-kun.Mi-kun, and Sylvia's submarine, Nah-chan.
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* FunnyBackgroundEvent: At the start of the athletic meet, Yuriko's nametag has "Outer Space Spy" instead of the name of her team, alarming Chinami.
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* ManChild: Chief Tsukishima, what with his constant talking to a hand puppet named "Okita-san".
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* PantyShot: It ''is'' still an Akamatsu production, after all. Rarely happens to the three leads, though.
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* ButNotTooForeign: Sylvia is introduced as being "Russian and a quarter Japanese".
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* IdiotHair: Sylvia
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* IdiotHair: SylviaSylvia and Mao both have them.
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* InterserviceRivalry
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* InterserviceRivalryInterserviceRivalry: The three commanders. Their granddaughters, the ones who are actually ''fighting'' the aliens, would much rather work together.
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* FluffyTheTerrible: Mao's [[TankGoodness tank]], Mi-kun.
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* HotSpringsEpisode: At a run-down place that looks an awful lot like [[spoiler:[[Manga/LoveHina Hinata-sou]]]]. Complete with [[spoiler:Narusegawa Naru]], although they aren't specifically named.
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* HotSpringsEpisode: At a run-down place that looks an awful lot like [[spoiler:[[Manga/LoveHina Hinata-sou]]]]. Complete with [[spoiler:Narusegawa Naru]], [[spoiler: Naru Urashima nee Narusegawa]], although they aren't specifically named.
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Removing bolded titles.
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'''''Mao-chan''''' (陸上防衛隊まおちゃん '''''Rikujō Bōetai Mao-chan''''' -- '''''Ground Defense Force! Mao-chan''''' or '''''Earth Defender! Mao-chan''''') was written by Creator/KenAkamatsu (post-''Manga/LoveHina'', pre-''Manga/MahouSenseiNegima'') and illustrated by RAN.
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!!''Mao-chan'' provides examples of the following tropes:
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* MonsterProtectionRacket: [[spoiler:The new Prime Minister, to promote his "Three Aces" team.]] Turns into a game of ZanySchemeChicken when the Defense Force leaders launch their own fake alien at the same time to try to get the Defense Corps girls back in the public's good graces ''and'' independently, Yuriko launches a ''real'' alien for the girls to fight... and all three aliens look like [[EverythingsBetterWithPandas pandas.]]
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* MonsterProtectionRacket: [[spoiler:The new Prime Minister, to promote his "Three Aces" team.]] Turns into a game of ZanySchemeChicken when the Defense Force leaders launch their own fake alien at the same time to try to get the Defense Corps girls back in the public's good graces ''and'' independently, Yuriko launches a ''real'' alien for the girls to fight... and all three aliens look like [[EverythingsBetterWithPandas [[PandaingToTheAudience pandas.]]
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* RoseHairedGirl: Mao
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* InTheNameOfTheMoon: Each of the girls has one. Mao: "I will defend Japan in high spirits today!" Misora: "I will protect the skies of Japan!" Sylvia: "Japan's seas are my seas!"
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* InTheNameOfTheMoon: Each of the girls has one. Mao: "I will defend Japan in high spirits today!" Misora: "I will protect the skies of Japan!" Sylvia: "Japan's seas are my seas!"
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Moving to proper title.
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[[quoteright:242:http://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/11149lw0_3510.jpg]]
'''''Mao-chan''''' (陸上防衛隊まおちゃん '''''Rikujō Bōetai Mao-chan''''' -- '''''Ground Defense Force! Mao-chan''''' or '''''Earth Defender! Mao-chan''''') was written by Creator/KenAkamatsu (post-''Manga/LoveHina'', pre-''Manga/MahouSenseiNegima'') and illustrated by RAN.
What do you do when [[TheTokyoFireball Japan is under attack]] by [[RidiculouslyCuteCritter Ridiculously Cute Aliens]]? Fight back with even cuter kids! It's the story of Mao Onigawara, Misora Tsukishima, and Sylvia Maruyama, three second-graders tasked with protecting Japan's national landmarks from the aliens... and keeping their grandfathers, the heads of the Ground, Air, and Naval Defense Forces, respectively, from fighting with one another about which one is superior, a problem that often gets in the way of their jobs.
----
!!''Mao-chan'' provides examples of the following tropes:
* AntiVillain: Yuriko, who [[FriendlyEnemy really doesn't want to have to fight Mao-chan and the others]].
* BigOlEyebrows: Sylvia
* BlushSticker: Misora
* CatGirl: Half-alien spies Chinami Noki and Yuriko Ozora, whose ears and tail come out when they get flustered. This happens quite a bit to Yuriko.
* ChildSoldiers: Well, technically. Done in the most adorable way possible, of course.
* ClothingDamage: Happens to Yuriko when she and Mao are ingested by a snake alien. This ''is'' Creator/KenAkamatsu we're talking about, after all.
* CutenessProximity: Everyone gets like this whenever the cute aliens show up, which is part of what makes them a threat -- it's difficult to defend yourself or the world when you're being distracted by cuteness.
* DefeatMeansFriendship: But not necessarily in that order.
* DisproportionateRetribution: The new prime minister was bullied by the heads of the defense forces back in grade school... so he undermines the Defense Corps with a ''[[SpearCounterpart male]]'' trio of elementary school children who manage to get to the scene of every alien sighting first. This is because the Prime Minister's lackeys are sabotaging the girls. [[spoiler:..and also because the aliens ''aren't real''.]]
* TheDitz: Sylvia is ''very'' spacey.
* {{Dojikko}}: Mao
* EasyAmnesia: Chief Onigawara gets caught in an explosion and suffers amnesia, thinking he's 20 again and mistaking [[SubordinateExcuse Kagome]] for his late wife. HilarityEnsues.
* {{Expy}}
** Kagome-sensei looks an awful lot like [[Manga/LoveHina Naru]], especially in Chapter 8, when she's not wearing her glasses and has her hair down... and is wearing the exact same outfit Naru was wearing in volume 7 of the manga. No, seriously, it's ''exactly'' the same.
** There's also a one-shot appearance by a ''very'' obvious Keitarō expy. Like, so thinly disguised you'd think they were WritingAroundTrademarks. Unlike the real Keitarō, "Keinosuke" failed the fourth attempt at getting into Tokyo U, though.
** One last one: among the many [[RidiculouslyCuteCritter ridiculously cute animal-shaped aliens]] is what appears to be an expy of Tama-chan.
* TheFaceless: Mao's parents and grandmother.
* FriendlyEnemy: Yuriko really ''likes'' Mao-chan and her friends. Unfortunately, as Chinami keeps reminding her, they're supposed to be the villains.
* GiantEnemyCrab: Chapter 21.
* GirlishPigtails: Mao
* GivingSomeoneThePointerFinger: Chief Onigawara
* HeadbuttThermometer: Mao uses this to check Yuriko's temperature in the manga. She is unaware of [[FoeYay Yuriko's heart going all]] [[WrittenSoundEffect doki-doki]].
* HeelFaceTurn: After Chinami and Yuriko get captured by their bosses as punishment for their failures, Chinami decides to try to help Yuriko to escape and live a normal life, as she is really a good person. Yuriko insists that Chinami come along, too, and both of them join the forces of Japan in fighting off the aliens.
* HonestyIsTheBestPolicy: The commanders knew all along that the girls had gone to Hokkaido, and Mao-chan's honesty keeps her from getting punished.
* HotSpringsEpisode: At a run-down place that looks an awful lot like [[spoiler:[[Manga/LoveHina Hinata-sou]]]]. Complete with [[spoiler:Narusegawa Naru]], although they aren't specifically named.
* IdiotHair: Sylvia
* InTheNameOfTheMoon: Each of the girls has one. Mao: "I will defend Japan in high spirits today!" Misora: "I will protect the skies of Japan!" Sylvia: "Japan's seas are my seas!"
* IneffectualSympatheticVillain: Chinami. Yuriko's not even villainous enough to be this.
* InterserviceRivalry
* JokeWeapon: Used by the Chief of Operations: a giant squeaky hammer.
* KansaiRegionalAccent: Sylvia
* KillerRabbit: all of the aliens are ''extremely'' cute. The "Chief of Operations" turns out to be like this as well, and less than a foot tall. And then there was the "legendary alien that can't be controlled or tamed", Omega...[[spoiler:which turns out to be Mao's lost cat Mi-kun]].
* LargeHam: Chief Onigawara
* LethalChef: Mao's cookies, made with cement mix instead of flour.
* MagicalGirl
* {{Meganekko}}: Chinami
* MegaNeko: The alien from Episode 1.
* MonsterProtectionRacket: [[spoiler:The new Prime Minister, to promote his "Three Aces" team.]] Turns into a game of ZanySchemeChicken when the Defense Force leaders launch their own fake alien at the same time to try to get the Defense Corps girls back in the public's good graces ''and'' independently, Yuriko launches a ''real'' alien for the girls to fight... and all three aliens look like [[EverythingsBetterWithPandas pandas.]]
* {{Omake}}: Two: One that takes place 10 years later, and then a "summer vacation special" after the higher-ups had been introduced.
* PaperThinDisguise: Chapter 20, when the girls sneak off to Hokkaido.
* PsychopathicManchild: Emperor Galactica.
* ReverseMole: A Defense Corps spy has been on board the aliens' mothership all along. Later revealed to be [[spoiler:Mao's father]].
* RoseHairedGirl: Mao
* ScrewTheRulesIHaveMoney: You will not ''believe'' some of the things that Sylvia can afford.
* ShoutOut: Episode 20 is one long [[LampshadeHanging Lampshaded]] shout out to ''Manga/LoveHina''.
* StudentCouncilPresident: Yuriko
* SubordinateExcuse: Kagome has a crush on Chief Onigawara. If these feelings were ever returned, it would be a MayDecemberRomance, as she's 27 and he's in his late 60s.
* TakeOurWordForIt: That alien in episode 14 of the anime was too cute!
* ThemeNaming: The Three Aces are Haru, Natsu, and Tou -- Japanese for spring, summer, and winter.
* TransformationSequence
* TransformationTrinket: The smiling clover pins. Unusual in that the Defense Forces obtained them from the enemy.
* VerbalTic: Misora ends her lines with ''arimasu'', which is translated as "don'tcha know" and "if you please", while Sylvia's casual manner of speech is translated with the liberal use of "yo" and calling everyone "[[TotallyRadical dude/dudette]]".
* WhatMeasureIsANonCute: This trope is exactly why the aliens are so tough to take down, and why the military has to use a special force of 8-year-olds to accomplish the task.
* WingedHumanoid: Misora when she transforms. Justified as her plane doesn't have a cockpit, so she needs something to help her fly.
* XMeetsY: Let's see, this series is about a group of politicians and grizzled military types who recruit [[PowerTrio three children]] to battle against [[MonsterOfTheWeek strange creatures]] that have come from outer space to threaten the safety of [[TheTokyoFireball Japan]]. And they do so using technology stolen from the enemy, and with much destruction of the scenery. Yeah, it's sort of like if ''Anime/NeonGenesisEvangelion'' were put under the {{Moe}}ification ray.
* YouGottaHaveBlueHair: Misora. Mao's are bright pink.
----
'''''Mao-chan''''' (陸上防衛隊まおちゃん '''''Rikujō Bōetai Mao-chan''''' -- '''''Ground Defense Force! Mao-chan''''' or '''''Earth Defender! Mao-chan''''') was written by Creator/KenAkamatsu (post-''Manga/LoveHina'', pre-''Manga/MahouSenseiNegima'') and illustrated by RAN.
What do you do when [[TheTokyoFireball Japan is under attack]] by [[RidiculouslyCuteCritter Ridiculously Cute Aliens]]? Fight back with even cuter kids! It's the story of Mao Onigawara, Misora Tsukishima, and Sylvia Maruyama, three second-graders tasked with protecting Japan's national landmarks from the aliens... and keeping their grandfathers, the heads of the Ground, Air, and Naval Defense Forces, respectively, from fighting with one another about which one is superior, a problem that often gets in the way of their jobs.
----
!!''Mao-chan'' provides examples of the following tropes:
* AntiVillain: Yuriko, who [[FriendlyEnemy really doesn't want to have to fight Mao-chan and the others]].
* BigOlEyebrows: Sylvia
* BlushSticker: Misora
* CatGirl: Half-alien spies Chinami Noki and Yuriko Ozora, whose ears and tail come out when they get flustered. This happens quite a bit to Yuriko.
* ChildSoldiers: Well, technically. Done in the most adorable way possible, of course.
* ClothingDamage: Happens to Yuriko when she and Mao are ingested by a snake alien. This ''is'' Creator/KenAkamatsu we're talking about, after all.
* CutenessProximity: Everyone gets like this whenever the cute aliens show up, which is part of what makes them a threat -- it's difficult to defend yourself or the world when you're being distracted by cuteness.
* DefeatMeansFriendship: But not necessarily in that order.
* DisproportionateRetribution: The new prime minister was bullied by the heads of the defense forces back in grade school... so he undermines the Defense Corps with a ''[[SpearCounterpart male]]'' trio of elementary school children who manage to get to the scene of every alien sighting first. This is because the Prime Minister's lackeys are sabotaging the girls. [[spoiler:..and also because the aliens ''aren't real''.]]
* TheDitz: Sylvia is ''very'' spacey.
* {{Dojikko}}: Mao
* EasyAmnesia: Chief Onigawara gets caught in an explosion and suffers amnesia, thinking he's 20 again and mistaking [[SubordinateExcuse Kagome]] for his late wife. HilarityEnsues.
* {{Expy}}
** Kagome-sensei looks an awful lot like [[Manga/LoveHina Naru]], especially in Chapter 8, when she's not wearing her glasses and has her hair down... and is wearing the exact same outfit Naru was wearing in volume 7 of the manga. No, seriously, it's ''exactly'' the same.
** There's also a one-shot appearance by a ''very'' obvious Keitarō expy. Like, so thinly disguised you'd think they were WritingAroundTrademarks. Unlike the real Keitarō, "Keinosuke" failed the fourth attempt at getting into Tokyo U, though.
** One last one: among the many [[RidiculouslyCuteCritter ridiculously cute animal-shaped aliens]] is what appears to be an expy of Tama-chan.
* TheFaceless: Mao's parents and grandmother.
* FriendlyEnemy: Yuriko really ''likes'' Mao-chan and her friends. Unfortunately, as Chinami keeps reminding her, they're supposed to be the villains.
* GiantEnemyCrab: Chapter 21.
* GirlishPigtails: Mao
* GivingSomeoneThePointerFinger: Chief Onigawara
* HeadbuttThermometer: Mao uses this to check Yuriko's temperature in the manga. She is unaware of [[FoeYay Yuriko's heart going all]] [[WrittenSoundEffect doki-doki]].
* HeelFaceTurn: After Chinami and Yuriko get captured by their bosses as punishment for their failures, Chinami decides to try to help Yuriko to escape and live a normal life, as she is really a good person. Yuriko insists that Chinami come along, too, and both of them join the forces of Japan in fighting off the aliens.
* HonestyIsTheBestPolicy: The commanders knew all along that the girls had gone to Hokkaido, and Mao-chan's honesty keeps her from getting punished.
* HotSpringsEpisode: At a run-down place that looks an awful lot like [[spoiler:[[Manga/LoveHina Hinata-sou]]]]. Complete with [[spoiler:Narusegawa Naru]], although they aren't specifically named.
* IdiotHair: Sylvia
* InTheNameOfTheMoon: Each of the girls has one. Mao: "I will defend Japan in high spirits today!" Misora: "I will protect the skies of Japan!" Sylvia: "Japan's seas are my seas!"
* IneffectualSympatheticVillain: Chinami. Yuriko's not even villainous enough to be this.
* InterserviceRivalry
* JokeWeapon: Used by the Chief of Operations: a giant squeaky hammer.
* KansaiRegionalAccent: Sylvia
* KillerRabbit: all of the aliens are ''extremely'' cute. The "Chief of Operations" turns out to be like this as well, and less than a foot tall. And then there was the "legendary alien that can't be controlled or tamed", Omega...[[spoiler:which turns out to be Mao's lost cat Mi-kun]].
* LargeHam: Chief Onigawara
* LethalChef: Mao's cookies, made with cement mix instead of flour.
* MagicalGirl
* {{Meganekko}}: Chinami
* MegaNeko: The alien from Episode 1.
* MonsterProtectionRacket: [[spoiler:The new Prime Minister, to promote his "Three Aces" team.]] Turns into a game of ZanySchemeChicken when the Defense Force leaders launch their own fake alien at the same time to try to get the Defense Corps girls back in the public's good graces ''and'' independently, Yuriko launches a ''real'' alien for the girls to fight... and all three aliens look like [[EverythingsBetterWithPandas pandas.]]
* {{Omake}}: Two: One that takes place 10 years later, and then a "summer vacation special" after the higher-ups had been introduced.
* PaperThinDisguise: Chapter 20, when the girls sneak off to Hokkaido.
* PsychopathicManchild: Emperor Galactica.
* ReverseMole: A Defense Corps spy has been on board the aliens' mothership all along. Later revealed to be [[spoiler:Mao's father]].
* RoseHairedGirl: Mao
* ScrewTheRulesIHaveMoney: You will not ''believe'' some of the things that Sylvia can afford.
* ShoutOut: Episode 20 is one long [[LampshadeHanging Lampshaded]] shout out to ''Manga/LoveHina''.
* StudentCouncilPresident: Yuriko
* SubordinateExcuse: Kagome has a crush on Chief Onigawara. If these feelings were ever returned, it would be a MayDecemberRomance, as she's 27 and he's in his late 60s.
* TakeOurWordForIt: That alien in episode 14 of the anime was too cute!
* ThemeNaming: The Three Aces are Haru, Natsu, and Tou -- Japanese for spring, summer, and winter.
* TransformationSequence
* TransformationTrinket: The smiling clover pins. Unusual in that the Defense Forces obtained them from the enemy.
* VerbalTic: Misora ends her lines with ''arimasu'', which is translated as "don'tcha know" and "if you please", while Sylvia's casual manner of speech is translated with the liberal use of "yo" and calling everyone "[[TotallyRadical dude/dudette]]".
* WhatMeasureIsANonCute: This trope is exactly why the aliens are so tough to take down, and why the military has to use a special force of 8-year-olds to accomplish the task.
* WingedHumanoid: Misora when she transforms. Justified as her plane doesn't have a cockpit, so she needs something to help her fly.
* XMeetsY: Let's see, this series is about a group of politicians and grizzled military types who recruit [[PowerTrio three children]] to battle against [[MonsterOfTheWeek strange creatures]] that have come from outer space to threaten the safety of [[TheTokyoFireball Japan]]. And they do so using technology stolen from the enemy, and with much destruction of the scenery. Yeah, it's sort of like if ''Anime/NeonGenesisEvangelion'' were put under the {{Moe}}ification ray.
* YouGottaHaveBlueHair: Misora. Mao's are bright pink.
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