History Main / Chuunibyou

SubTrope of ImmaturityTropes and StockJapaneseCharacters. Compare and contrast ManChild (if it continues into adulthood), MrImagination, KnowNothingKnowItAll, and IJustWantToBeSpecial. Often overlaps with {{Otaku}} and sometimes with {{Hikikomori}}. See also DaydreamBeliever, SecondYearProtagonist and YourMindMakesItReal.

[-The Mystic-type is more associated with JapaneseMedia, on the other hand the Antisocial-type and Subculture-type are more seen in [[TruthInTelevision Western (or non-Japanese) media]].-]

The Mystic-type is more associated with JapaneseMedia, on the other hand the Antisocial-type and Subculture-type are more seen in [[TruthInTelevision Western (or non-Japanese) media]].

According to online Japanese dictionary ''[[http://jisho.org/ Jisho]]''[='=]s [[http://jisho.org/word/%E4%B8%AD%E4%BA%8C%E7%97%85 entry]] on Chuunibyou, it's defined as "''behaving in a way characteristic of teenagers going through puberty, esp. by being overly self-conscious; 2nd year of junior high sickness''".

* '''Antisocial / [[JapaneseDelinquents Delinquent]]''' Type [[labelnote:AKA]]DQN - Dokyun kei. "DQN" is slang for "antisocial person" or "annoying delinquent"[[/labelnote]]: Pretends to be antisocial or acts like a delinquent when in fact they aren't or can't become either. Makes up stories about gang fights and crimes and/or boasts and pretends to know about that subculture.
* '''Subcultural [=/=] {{Hipster}} Type''' [[labelnote:AKA]][=SubCul=] kei[[/labelnote]]: Prefers non-mainstream or minor trends and establishes themselves as being special. People of this type do not really love the subculture itself but rather strive to obtain [[RuleOfCool the "cool" factor]] by not having the same interests as others.
* '''Mystic / EvilEye Type''' [[labelnote:AKA]]Jyakigan kei[[/labelnote]]: Admires mystical powers and thinks that he or she has a hidden power within them as well. It is this trait that they create an alias specifically for said power. This is also known as the delusional type.

----

* ''LightNovel/LoveChunibyoAndOtherDelusions'' exploded in popularity with its [[AnimatedAdaptation anime adaptation]] and brought with it a larger awareness of Chuunibyou as a whole. As [[ExactlyWhatItSaysOnTheTin it says in the title]], the series is about high schoolers who currently or [[FormerTeenRebel formerly]] a chunni, the romance between them, and what Chuunibyou truly means. All the chuunis featured in the show are the Mystic type.

* '''Antisocial / [[JapaneseDelinquents Delinquent]]''' Type [[labelnote:AKA]]DQN - Dokyun kei. "DQN" is slang for "antisocial person" or "annoying delinquent".[[/labelnote]]: Pretends to be antisocial or acts like a delinquent when in fact they aren't or can't become either. Makes up stories about gang fights and crimes and/or boasts and pretends to know about that subculture.

Chuunibyou uses the word "byou" (病) for "syndrome" or "disease" but it does not actually relate to any medical condition or mental disorder.

* '''Antisocial / [[JapaneseDelinquents Delinquent]]''' Type [[labelnote:AKA]]DQN - Dokyun kei[[/labelnote]]: Pretends to be anti-social or acts like a delinquent when in fact he or she is not or cannot become like either one. Tells made up stories about gang fights or crimes, or boasts and pretends to know about that subculture. "DQN" is slang for "antisocial person" or "annoying delinquent".

Outside Japan, and especially in Western nations, Chuunibyou is also exhibited but in different forms, types, and lengths based on culture. In the United States, those exhibiting Chuunibyou are said to be in "teenage rebellion", a "{{goth}} phase", being "a punk", and so forth. However, there's no specific overarching term for the behavior, unlike Japan. At least until TheInternet and JapaneseMedia appeared on the scene, that is. Media and internet-based cultural exchange happened so much that Chuunibyou became a common slang term and [[MemeticMutation even a meme]]. (Some popular series, such as ''LightNovel/LoveChunibyoAndOtherDelusions'', were and are major contributors in this cultural exchage.)

SubTrope of ImmaturityTropes, JapaneseMediaTropes, and StockJapaneseCharacters. Compare and contrast ManChild (if it continues into adulthood), MrImagination, KnowNothingKnowItAll, and IJustWantToBeSpecial. Often overlaps with {{Otaku}} and sometimes with {{Hikikomori}}. See also DaydreamBeliever, SecondYearProtagonist and YourMindMakesItReal.

* '''Antisocial / Delinquent''' Type [[labelnote:AKA]]DQN - Dokyun kei[[/labelnote]]: Pretends to be anti-social or acts like a delinquent when in fact he or she is not or cannot become like either one. Tells made up stories about gang fights or crimes, or boasts and pretends to know about that subculture. "DQN" is slang for "antisocial person" or "annoying delinquent".

* '''Antisocial / Delinquent''' Type [[lablenote:AKA]]DQN - Dokyun kei[[/lablenote]]: Pretends to be anti-social or acts like a delinquent when in fact he or she is not or cannot become like either one. Tells made up stories about gang fights or crimes, or boasts and pretends to know about that subculture. "DQN" is slang for "antisocial person" or "annoying delinquent".

* '''Subcultural [=/=] {{Hipster}} Type''' [[labelnote:AKA]][=SubCul=] kei[[/lablenote]]: Prefers non-mainstream or minor trends and establishes themselves as being special. People of this type do not really love the subculture itself but rather strive to obtain [[RuleOfCool the "cool" factor]] by not having the same interests as others.

* '''DQN (Dokyun kei):''' Pretends to be anti-social or acts like a delinquent when in fact he or she is not or cannot become like either one. Tells made up stories about gang fights or crimes, or boasts and pretends to know about that subculture. "DQN" is slang for "antisocial person" or "annoying delinquent".
* '''Subcultural[=/=]{{Hipster}} ([=SubCul=] kei):''' Prefers non-mainstream or minor trends and establishes themselves as being special. People of this type do not really love the subculture itself but rather strive to obtain [[RuleOfCool the "cool" factor]] by not having the same interests as others.
* '''EvilEye (Jyakigan kei):''' Admires mystical powers and thinks that he or she has a hidden power within them as well. It is this trait that they create an alias specifically for said power. This is also known as the delusional type.

According to online Japanese dictionary [[http://jisho.org/ ''Jisho'']]'s [[http://jisho.org/word/%E4%B8%AD%E4%BA%8C%E7%97%85 entry]] on Chuunibyou, it's defined as "''behaving in a way characteristic of teenagers going through puberty, esp. by being overly self-conscious; 2nd year of junior high sickness''".

In Western (or at least outside Japan) can be seen this also in teenagers and [[HighSchool highschoolers]], and even the types and the duration are the same, but different from Japan there's no name for this and isn't even considered a "syndrome", until the internet and anime appeared, being known because of Japanese internet users that became this word as a common slang and [[MemeticMutation even a meme]] as well some series like ''LightNovel/LoveChunibyoAndOtherDelusions'' that sprayed the term all over the world. If well the Evil Eye-type is more associated with JapaneseMedia, on the other hand the DQN-type and Subculture-type are more seen in [[TruthInTelevision Western (or non-Japanese) media]].

SubTrope of ImmaturityTropes, part of StockJapaneseCharacters. Compare ManChild (if the Chuunibyou grows up and stays the same), MrImagination (especifically for Evil Eye-type), KnowNothingKnowItAll (for the [=SubCul=]-type) and IJustWantToBeSpecial. Often overlaps with {{Otaku}} and sometimes with {{Hikikomori}}. See also DaydreamBeliever, SecondYearProtagonist and YourMindMakesItReal.

Chuunibyou (中二病 / 厨二病), often written as ''chunibyo'', ''chuuni'', and/or ''chuu2'', is a [[UsefulNotes/Japan Japanese]] colloquial, slang, and often derisive term meaning "Eighth-Grade[[note]]Specifically, 'Middle-School 2nd Year'[[/note]] Syndrome". The term describes a person in their young teens (specifically those 13 to 15) that either act like [[KnowNothingKnowItAll a know-it-all adult]] or thinks [[YourMindMakesItReal they have special powers no one else has]]. Some would even go as far as being obnoxious, arrogant, and often look down on adults or older people. This way of thinking or acting is mostly seen in teenagers during adolescence, however there are people who still act like this [[ManChild even after reaching adulthood]].

Chuunibyou (中二病/厨二病) often written as ''chunibyo'', ''chuuni'', ''chuu2'' and/or "Eighth-Grade[[note]]Specifically, 'Middle-School 2nd Year'[[/note]] Syndrome", is a colloquial, slang, and often derisive term from UsefulNotes/{{Japan}} that describes a person in their young teens (specifically those 13 to 15) that either act like [[KnowNothingKnowItAll a know-it-all adult]] or thinks [[YourMindMakesItReal they have special powers no one else has]]. Some would even go as far as being obnoxious, arrogant, and often look down on adults or older people. This way of thinking or acting is mostly seen in teenagers during adolescence, however there are people who still act like this [[ManChild even after reaching adulthood]].

Chuunibyou uses the word "byou" (病) for "syndrome" or "disease" but it does not actually relate to any medical condition or mental disorder. However, given Chuunibyou is a colloquial term, it's open to interpretation on what exactly it means exhibit Chuunibyou.

According to online Japanese dictionary [[http://jisho.org/ Jisho]]'s [[http://jisho.org/word/%E4%B8%AD%E4%BA%8C%E7%97%85 entry]] on Chuunibyou, it's defined as "behaving in a way characteristic of teenagers going through puberty, esp. by being overly self-conscious; 2nd year of junior high sickness".

Chuunibyou (中二病 aka ''chunibyo'', ''chuuni'', and/or ''chuu2''), or "Middle-School 2nd Year Syndrome", is a colloquial and rather derisive term in UsefulNotes/{{Japan}} which describes a person in their young teens (specifically those 13 to 15) that would either act like [[KnowNothingKnowItAll a know-it-all adult]], or thinks [[YourMindMakesItReal they have special powers no one else has]]. Some would even go as far as being obnoxious, arrogant, and often look down on adults or older people. This way of thinking or acting is mostly seen in teenagers during adolescence, however there are people who still act like this [[ManChild even after reaching adulthood]].

Chuunibyou uses the word "byou" for "syndrome" or "disease" but it does not actually relate to any medical condition or mental disorder. According to the ''[[AllThereInTheManual Chuunibyou User Manual]]'' (Chuunibyou Toriatsukai Setsumei Sho), there are three types of people who have chuunibyou traits:

Chuunibyou (also known as ''Chunibyo'', abbreviated as ''chuuni'' and/or ''chuu2''), or "Middle-school 2nd Year Syndrome", is a colloquial and rather derisive term in UsefulNotes/{{Japan}} which describes a person at the age of fourteen would either act like [[KnowNothingKnowItAll a know-it-all adult]], or thinks [[YourMindMakesItReal they have special powers no one else has]]. Some would even go as far as being obnoxious, arrogant, and often look down on adults or older people. This way of thinking or acting is mostly seen in teenagers during adolescence, however there are people who still act like this [[ManChild even after reaching adulthood]].

* ''Manga/MyHeroAcademia'': Fumikage Tokoyami is a mixture of all types, being quiet and reserved, owning several gothic, childish memorabilia that he is somewhat embarassed about and having actual CastingAShadow powers.

[[quoteright:350:http://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/zaimokuza_yoshiteru.jpg]]

!!Examples

[[folder:Anime and Manga]]

* ''Manga/DailyLivesOfHighSchoolBoys''

* ''Manga\MyHeroAcademia'': Fumikage Tokoyami is a mixture of the subcultural and EvilEye type, owning gothic memorabilia that he is somewhat embarassed about and having actual CastingAShadow powers.

* In ''Anime/MartianSuccessorNadesico'', Jiro Yamada (or as he calls himself, "Gai Daigoji")[[note]]"Jiro Yamada" is about as unremarkable a name as "John Smith".[[/note]] is a HotBlooded RealRobot pilot who thinks he's in a SuperRobot series, [[CallingYourAttacks shouting out the names of attacks]] from his favorite anime while in combat. He also serves as something of an inspiration to the rest of the cast, even those who claim to find his behaviour annoying [[spoiler: especially when he dies during battle]].

* ''Videogame/{{Touhou}}''

** The story of ''[[TouhouZUNsMusicCollection Dateless Bar "Old Adam"]]'' focuses on chuunibyou as a general theme, in the form of the adults Maribel and Renko meet that are obsessed with the stories about Gensokyo told by the former's pseudonym, Dr. Latency.

* The [[PowerTrio protagonist trio]] of ''Manga/DailyLivesOfHighSchoolBoys'' are seen as chuunibyous, in which in various scenes they played as they are part of a {{RPG}}. Also, Motoharu [[InSeriesNickname the Delinquent]], despite his notoriety as a delinquent, [[InNameOnly he only really looks the part]], and is one of the main group's friends.

* '''Evil Eye (Jyakigan kei):''' Admires mystical powers and thinks that he or she has a hidden power within them as well. It is this trait that they create an alias specifically for said power. This is also known as the delusional type.

----
'''Indexes:''' StockJapaneseCharacters, ImmaturityTropes, CharactersAsDevice, SchoolTropes, CharacterFlawIndex, {{Youngsters}}

[[redirect:MrImagination]]