History Manga / HimechanNoRibon

%%* CantStandThemCantLiveWithoutThem: Himeko, Daichi, Sei, Hikaru, and Erika - how badly really depends on which dynamic you're looking at.

* DontTryThisAtHome: Variation. The original OP sequence was changed to remove shots of Himeko and Daichi double-riding on a bicycle, after parental complaints that the series was setting a bad example. This gets {{lampshaded}} in the show - every time they ride together, they pass a guard that yells at them for it.

* HeKnowsTooMuch: Himeko's Mother wrote a book. The events of the book were duplicated within the show against her. Please note that this is what leads to the earning of the growing/shrinking power.

* TheLittleShopThatWasntThereYesterday: [[spoiler:Sei's house (which was actually an abandoned loan) vanishes when he leaves]].

%%* {{Shoujo}}

* TechMarchesOn: For viewers or readers who find out about this early-90s series in the 21st century, the technology that appears in it may look strange for them, like the frequent use of landphones and payphones, in an era where inalambric phones and cellphones exist.
* TheShowMustGoOn: Himeko's magically-arranged [[spoiler:SMAP "appearance" at the school.]]

* TwinSwitch: Himeko and Erika pull this off after Himeko [[spoiler:gets stuck as Hikaru Hibino for a brief period of time.]]

%%* UnluckyChildhoodFriend: One of Daichi's.

-->''Parareru, Parareru, [[HelloInsertNameHere [[insert name here]]] ni naare!''

-->''Parareru, Parareru, [[HelloInsertNameHere [insert name here]]] ni naare!''

-->''Parareru, Parareru, HelloInsertNameHere ni naare!''

Despite the rule that no one must know about her secret, Daichi Kobayashi (Himeko's eventual best friend), is the first one to find about it after a series of incidents she got involved with. However, if anyone finds out about it, they are under the threat of memory erasure for everyone involved. Which, while that would help Hikaru Hibino (Himeko's [[UnkwnownRival self-named rival]] for Daichi's affections) in some ways... if only someone could explain that to her so that she would stop almost discovering the secret.

''Parareru, Parareru, HelloInsertNameHere ni naare!''

Nonohara Himeko is a magical tomboy of the cute witch type who can transform into anybody in the human world for one hour. This is due to her getting a magic ribbon from her alternate universe counterpart Erica, who just happens to be a princess in The Magical Kingdom. For one year, Hime-chan is allowed to use the ribbon as she sees fit - she agrees to it, so there's no room for IJustWantToBeNormal. There are a few limitations, however:

* No more people are allowed to learn about the ribbon's power.

Her (not) boyfriend is Kobayashi Daichi, and he learns her secret due to her saving their collective asses from a kidnapper. Another not-boyfriend of hers is Arisaka Sei, who just happens to be Erika's ex-fiancee, Sei Arei. Nobody else is allowed to know under the threat of memory erasure for everyone involved. Which, while that would help the rival, Hibino Hikaru, in some ways, would not keep Hime-chan and Daichi from being together. Now if only someone could explain that to her so that she would stop almost discovering the secret...

Currently fansubbed by [[http://www.honobono.cc/ the Honobono group]], up to episode 34.\\
Historically fansubbed to completion by Tomodachi [[WhatAreRecords in the days of]] {{VHS}}.

A remake manga entitled "Hime-chan no Ribbon Colorful" ran in Ribon, the same magazine where the original manga appeared, from 2009 to 2010. The setting was updated to modern day, and Pokota the stuffed lion was replaced by a shape changing Princess Erika (in the form of a cat).

!!Tropes:

* AllGirlsWantBadBoys: or at least Hime-chan and Hikaru do. Whether they know it or not, in Hime-chan's case.
* ActorAllusion: This isn't the first time Michihiro Ikemizu voiced a [[UruseiYatsura grumpy middle-aged teacher]].
* AnimalEyeSpy: Sei Arisaka has this ability.
* BathtubBonding: Hime-chan and Pokota do this in episode seven when wondering what to do with Daichi knowing her secret.
* TheBeastmaster: Sei Arisaka, can simply tell them what to do and they'll do it.
* BeCarefulWhatYouWishFor: Hikaru, in the last episode.
* BerserkButton: Pokota's not a cat, he's a LION!
* TheBet: Sei Arisaka's driving force for trying to steal Hime-chan's ribbon was all over [[spoiler:a bowl of ramen]].

* {{Bokukko}}: inverted; Daichi Kobayashi ''expects'' Hime-chan to refer to herself as "boku" due to her boyish appearance and behavior, and is surprised when she uses the female-exclusive "[[JapanesePronouns atashi.]]"
* ByThePowerOfGrayskull: the quotes at the beginning and end of this page, among others that come up later in the show.
* CallingYourAttacks: SPECIAL HIMEKO KICK!
* CannotSpitItOut: Hime-chan, in later episodes. She lampshades this about her crush on Kouichi at the start of the show.
* CantStandThemCantLiveWithoutThem: Hime-chan, Daichi, Sei, Hikaru, and Erika - how badly really depends on which dynamic you're looking at.
* ChristmasEpisode
* CovertPervert: Hime-chan and I-chan.
* CrashIntoHello: In Sei's first appearance, he gets hit by Hime-chan's schoolbag.
* CuteBruiser: Hime-chan is a terror on the soccer field.
* CutShort: Has an unusual (for anime) episode count of 61. In-show evidence suggests that it was supposed to have 78 episodes, but it wound up with a rushed and abrupt ending.

* DontTryThisAtHome: Variation; the opening animation was changed to remove shots of Hime-chan and Daichi riding double on a bicycle, after parental complaints that the series was setting a bad example.
** This is actually {{Lampshaded}} in the show - every time they ride double, they pass a guard that yells at them for riding double.
* DynamicEntry: "''Hime-chan KICK!!''"
* EverythingsBetterWithPrincesses: Erika is the princess of the Magic Kingdom. This does not stop her from having to follow rules or face... consequences.
* [[FirstGirlWins First Boy Wins]]: No matter how hard Sei tries to win Hime-chan's heart, or Hikaru to Daichi, Hime-chan and Daichi meet each other before any other plausible love interest combination appears.
* FirstNameBasis: It takes a while, but Hime-chan, Daichi, and "Arisaka" know each other on a first name basis by the thirteenth episode.
* ForgottenPhlebotinum: The time-reversal magic would've been very useful on at least one occasion where Hime-chan completely forgets about it.
* GenderVocabularySlip: Hime-chan saying "I'm in the same middle school" leads to Daichi suddenly realize she's a girl -- she uses the female-only "atashi"
* GenkiGirl - Hime-chan; she's explicitly called this by her peers and some of the {{Fansub}}s even [[GratuitousJapanese leave "genki" in]] the translations.
* HairReboot - Partially with Erika. While it isn't immediate, upon returning to the Magical Kingdom, Erika's hair regains its original length gradually, going from Hime-chan's short boyish cut to her original length over the course of about 3 episodes.
* HandBehindHead: Very frequently. Do not watch this anime while playing a DrinkingGame that looks for this.
* HeroicBystander: The truck driver who helps rescue Shintaro in episode seven, though he does faint at the gun-tooting kidnapper, he does instantly decide to search for the missing child.
* HitMeDammit: Hime-chan says this to Daichi in episode 12 because she felt guilty about slapping him.
* {{Honorifics}}: The usual ones show up, but note the scenes where Hime-chan's underclassmen in the theater club refer to her as "Hime-chan-senpai," an unusual construction that displays conflicting interests of friendliness and respect.
** Arisaka gets called "Sei-sama" by his InstantFanClub on his first day at the school.
* ImportantHaircut: Erika gets one of these when she switches places with Hime-chan.
* [[IncredibleShrinkingMan Incredible Shrinking Girl]]: Hime-chan, once she acquires the ability to increase or decrease the size of things. Since she is trying to keep things secret, we don't see much of the [[AttackOfThe50FootWhatever growth ability.]]
* InstantFanClub: Kouichi and Daichi have fanclubs within the school. When Sei transfers to the school he gets a club on the first day, with Daichi's fan club breaking up that day because they all left to join Sei's club. The club reforms after he leaves.
* IntrepidReporter: Hikaru teams up with one of these in an attempt to expose Hime-chan's secret.
* IWantMyBelovedToBeHappy: [[spoiler: Hime-chan loves her senpai. Hime-chan's older sister also loves Hime-chan's senpai. Hime-chan's senpai loves Hime-chan's older sister. Hime-chan has to play matchmaker. This all just buildup to Daichi learning about the secret...]]
* JerkWithAHeartOfGold: Sei Arei.
* LateForSchool: Complete with the toast thing. Inverted when Hime-chan has to go to school early, and everyone at her house panics and thinks that they all overslept.
* LawyerFriendlyCameo: Only in the manga. The anime really did have the advertised IdolSinger Group, SMAP, come and do vocals. Of course, since one of the members of SMAP was doing voice acting for the show to begin with...
* LethalChef: Hime-chan's cookies make little girls cry.
* TheLittleShopThatWasntThereYesterday: [[spoiler:Sei's house]], it vanishes when he leaves.
* LivingToys: Pokota is one after Hime-chan gets the ribbon. Level 4 on the scale.

* MagicalGirl: Of the CuteWitch type.
* MagicalGirlQueenlinessTest: A variation. Erika created the ribbon, and Hime-chan must use it for one year to determine whether it is useful, and consequently, if Erika will prove herself worthy to inherit the crown.
* MagicalLand
* TheMasquerade: Nobody else is allowed to learn about what Hime-chan can do. Memory loss is an effective deterrent.
* MeaningfulName: Hime-chan, Aiko, Yumeko, and Hanako (their mom). Hime = Princess, Ai = Love, Yume = Dream, Hana = Flower.
* MenDontCry: {{Gender Flip}}ped with Hime-chan, because of her tomboyishness, and only when other people are around.
* MistakenForGay: Yumeko is convinced that Erika is Hime-chan's girlfriend.
* MostWritersAreWriters: Himeko's mother is a writer who likes to take the real life ideas and use them in her stories.
* NewTransferStudent: Sei in his second appearance. His first appearance did not explain his presence in any context.
* NonHumanSidekick: Hime-chan's stuffed lion, Pokota. Also Erika's broom, Chappy.
* OffhandBackhand: Sei's first appearance.
* OneeSama: Aiko is Hime-chan's much-admired older sister.
* OneHeadTaller

* {{Pantyshot}}: Averted. Not only are there no pantyshots for the audience when Hime-chan plays soccer in her school uniform, at one point one of the male players specifically says, "No, don't do it! We'll see your panties!"
* PottyFailure: Yumeko has an accident and wets her bed in one episode of the anime version
* {{Recap Episode}}s: '''Six''' of them within the last seventeen episodes. They're all in pairs too, which makes getting through the last quarter of this anime [[EndingFatigue a chore.]]
* TheRival: Hikaru Hibino, although Hime-chan often [[UnknownRival doesn't acknowledge her.]]
* SecretDiary: [[spoiler:Aiko finds Hime-chan's diary, and from it she finds that Hime-chan had feelings for Hasekawa.]]
* SecretKeeper: Daichi.

* {{Shoujo}}
* [[SheIsNotMyGirlfriend She Is Not My Girlfriend / He Is Not My Boyfriend]]: Daichi & Hime-chan. Maaany times.
* [[HeKnowsTooMuch She Knows Too Much]]: Himeko's Mother wrote a book. The events of the book were duplicated within the show against her. Please note that this is what leads to the earning of the growing/shrinking power.
* StableTimeLoop: When Hime-chan visits her future self. No consequences to the main plot.
* [[TalkingToHimself Talking To Herself]]: Hime-chan, Erika, and Hime-chan's duplicate are all played by Ikue Ohtani, whom you might better know as a "[[IncrediblyLamePun shocking]]" [[Franchise/{{Pokemon}} yellow mouse.]]
* TakehitoKoyasu: As Sei Arei.
* TechMarchesOn: The frequent use of landline phones and pay phones is very noticeable to late 2000s audiences.
** Hanako's (Hime-chan's Mother) computer is also very noticeable compared to modern computers.
* TheShowMustGoOn: Hime-chan's magically-arranged [[spoiler:SMAP "appearance" at the school.]]
* ThirdPersonPerson: Yumeko, although strictly speaking she refers to herself as "Yume" rather than "Yumeko."
* TimeStandsStill: Hime-chan acquires this ability, with all its unexpected consequences.
* {{Tomboy}}: Take a wild guess.

* TransformationTrinket: The titular Ribbon. Does not work on non-humans. Members of the Kingdom of Magic do not count as humans.
* TwinSwitch: Hime-chan and Erika pull this off after Hime-chan [[spoiler:gets stuck as Hikaru Hibino for a few episodes.]]
* TwinTelepathy: Erika and Hime-chan share a bit of this.

* UnluckyChildhoodFriend: One of Daichi's.
* VerbalTic: Chappy the Broom's "*swish*swish*".
* WouldntHitAGirl: Daichi says this when Hime-chan asks him to hit her in episode 12 because she felt guilty about slapping him.
* ZettaiRyouiki: Hime-chan is B-Class.

''Lulerapa, lulerapa, moto no sugata ni naare!''

'''This show provides examples of:'''

* FullHouseMusic: One of the piano pieces in the soundtrack is used this way.

* UglyGuyHotWife: Gori-sensei and his beautiful hot wife in the manga. The anime, however, averts this.

http://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/himechanwitchribbon.PNG

* AllGirlsWantBadBoys - or at least Hime-chan and Hikaru do. Whether they know it or not, in Hime-chan's case.

* BeCarefulWhatYouWishFor - Hikaru, in the last episode.
* BerserkButton - Pokota's not a cat, he's a LION!

* BlandNameProduct - Beginning with the opening credits, even!
* {{Bokukko}} - inverted; Daichi Kobayashi ''expects'' Hime-chan to refer to herself as "boku" due to her boyish appearance and behavior, and is surprised when she uses the female-exclusive "[[JapanesePronouns atashi.]]"
* ByThePowerOfGrayskull - the quotes at the beginning and end of this page, among others that come up later in the show.

* CannotSpitItOut - Hime-chan, in later episodes. She lampshades this about her crush on Kouichi at the start of the show.
* CantStandThemCantLiveWithoutThem - Hime-chan, Daichi, Sei, Hikaru, and Erika - how badly really depends on which dynamic you're looking at.

* CovertPervert - Hime-chan and I-chan.
* CrashIntoHello - in Sei's first appearance, he gets hit by Hime-chan's schoolbag.
* CuteBruiser - Hime-chan is a terror on the soccer field.
* CutShort - Has an unusual (for anime) episode count of 61. In-show evidence suggests that it was supposed to have 78 episodes, but it wound up with a rushed and abrupt ending.
* DeathIsCheap - as it turns out, [[spoiler:death is a cheap way to escape the eternal consequences of ribbon misuse. Because while being stuck in a transformed form is permanent and can't be undone by any magic, apparently the same doesn't apply to death.]]
* DontTryThisAtHome - variation; the opening animation was changed to remove shots of Hime-chan and Daichi riding double on a bicycle, after parental complaints that the series was setting a bad example.

* EverythingsBetterWithPrincesses - Erika is the princess of the Magic Kingdom. This does not stop her from having to follow rules or face... consequences.
* [[FirstGirlWins First Boy Wins]] - No matter how hard Sei tries to win Hime-chan's heart, or Hikaru to Daichi, Hime-chan and Daichi meet each other before any other plausible love interest combination appears.
* FirstNameBasis - it takes a while, but Hime-chan, Daichi, and "Arisaka" know each other on a first name basis by the thirteenth episode.
* ForgottenPhlebotinum - the time-reversal magic would've been very useful on at least one occasion where Hime-chan completely forgets about it.
* FullHouseMusic - one of the piano pieces in the soundtrack is used this way.
* GenderVocabularySlip - Hime-chan saying "I'm in the same middle school" leads to Daichi suddenly realise she's a girl -- she uses the female-only "atashi"

* {{Honorifics}} - the usual ones show up, but note the scenes where Hime-chan's underclassmen in the theatre club refer to her as "Hime-chan-senpai," an unusual construction that displays conflicting interests of friendliness and respect.

* ImportantHaircut - Erika gets one of these when she switches places with Hime-chan.
* [[IncredibleShrinkingMan Incredible Shrinking Girl]] - Hime-chan, once she acquires the ability to increase or decrease the size of things. Since she is trying to keep things secret, we don't see much of the [[AttackOfThe50FootWhatever growth ability.]]

* IntrepidReporter - Hikaru teams up with one of these in an attempt to expose Hime-chan's secret.
* IWantMyBelovedToBeHappy - [[spoiler: Hime-chan loves her senpai. Hime-chan's older sister also loves Hime-chan's senpai. Hime-chan's senpai loves Hime-chan's older sister. Hime-chan has to play matchmaker. This all just buildup to Daichi learning about the secret...]]
* JerkWithAHeartOfGold - Sei Arei.
* LateForSchool - Complete with the toast thing. Inverted when Hime-chan has to go to school early, and everyone at her house panics and thinks that they all overslept.
* LawyerFriendlyCameo - Only in the manga. The anime really did have the advertised IdolSinger Group, SMAP, come and do vocals. Of course, since one of the members of SMAP was doing voice acting for the show to begin with...
* LethalChef - Hime-chan's cookies make little girls cry.

* MagicAIsMagicA - most of the time it is, but [[LoopholeAbuse cheap loopholes]] get exploited on occasion.
* MagicalGirl - Of the CuteWitch type.

* TheMasquerade - Nobody else is allowed to learn about what Hime-chan can do. Memory loss is an effective deterrent.

* MenDontCry - {{Gender Flip}}ped with Hime-chan, because of her tomboyishness, and only when other people are around.

* NewTransferStudent - Sei in his second appearance. His first appearance did not explain his presence in any context.
* NonHumanSidekick - Hime-chan's stuffed lion, Pokota. Also Erika's broom, Chappy.
* OffhandBackhand - Sei's first appearance.
* OneeSama - Aiko is Hime-chan's much-admired older sister.

* OnlySixFaces - it's lucky that everyone in the Magic Kingdom looks exactly like someone in the human world.
* {{Pantyshot}} - averted. Not only are there no pantyshots for the audience when Hime-chan plays soccer in her school uniform, at one point one of the male players specifically says, "No, don't do it! We'll see your panties!"
* PottyFailure - Yumeko has an accident and wets her bed in one episode of the anime version
* {{Recap Episode}}s - '''Six''' of them within the last seventeen episodes. They're all in pairs too, which makes getting through the last quarter of this anime [[EndingFatigue a chore.]]
* TheRival - Hikaru Hibino, although Hime-chan often [[UnknownRival doesn't acknowledge her.]]
* SecretDiary - [[spoiler:Aiko finds Hime-chan's diary, and from it she finds that Hime-chan had feelings for Hasekawa.]]
* SecretKeeper - Daichi.

* [[SheIsNotMyGirlfriend She Is Not My Girlfriend / He Is Not My Boyfriend]] - Daichi & Hime-chan. Maaany times.
* [[HeKnowsTooMuch She Knows Too Much]] - Himeko's Mother wrote a book. The events of the book were duplicated within the show against her. Please note that this is what leads to the earning of the growing/shrinking power.
* StableTimeLoop - when Hime-chan visits her future self. No consequences to the main plot.
* [[TalkingToHimself Talking To Herself]] - Hime-chan, Erika, and Hime-chan's duplicate are all played by Ikue Ohtani, whom you might better know as a "[[IncrediblyLamePun shocking]]" [[Franchise/{{Pokemon}} yellow mouse.]]
* TakehitoKoyasu - as Sei Arei.
* TechMarchesOn - The frequent use of landline phones and pay phones is very noticeable to late 2000s audiences.

* TheShowMustGoOn - Hime-chan's magically-arranged [[spoiler:SMAP "appearance" at the school.]]
* ThirdPersonPerson - Yumeko, although strictly speaking she refers to herself as "Yume" rather than "Yumeko."
* TimeStandsStill - Hime-chan acquires this ability, with all its unexpected consequences.
* {{Tomboy}} - take a wild guess.
* TransformationSequence - visibly lacking in {{Fanservice}}.
* TransformationTrinket - the titular Ribbon. Does not work on non-humans. Members of the Kingdom of Magic do not count as humans.
* TwinSwitch - Hime-chan and Erika pull this off after Hime-chan [[spoiler:gets stuck as Hikaru Hibino for a few episodes.]]
* TwinTelepathy - Erika and Hime-chan share a bit of this.

* UnluckyChildhoodFriend - one of Daichi's.
* VerbalTic - Chappy the Broom's "*swish*swish*".

* ZettaiRyouiki - Hime-chan is B-Class.

* UglyGuy,HotWife: Gori-sensei and his beautiful hot wife in the manga. The anime, however, averts this.

Currently fansubbed by [[http://www.honobono.cc/ the Honobono group]], up to episode 21.\\

A remake manga entitled "Hime-chan no Ribbon Colorful" ran in Ribon, the same magazine where the original manga appeared, from 2009 to 2010.

* [=~Don't Try This At Home~=] - variation; the opening animation was changed to remove shots of Hime-chan and Daichi riding double on a bicycle, after parental complaints that the series was setting a bad example.

* [[TalkingToHimself Talking To Herself]] - Hime-chan, Erika, and Hime-chan's duplicate are all played by Ikue Ohtani, whom you might better know as a "[[IncrediblyLamePun shocking]]" [[{{Pokemon}} yellow mouse.]]

** This troper theorizes that the popularity of [[SailorMoon a certain other anime]] that was airing at the same time rendered "old-school" magical girl anime such as [=HCR=] passé, leading to a decline in {{Ratings}}.

* DifferentAsNightAndDay - Hime-chan eventually acquires the ability to create a duplicate of herself. The duplicate (referred to as "Himeko" for distinction) is soft-spoken, polite, and feminine, unlike Hime-chan.

* [=~Everything's Better With Princesses~=] - Erika is the princess of the Magic Kingdom. This does not stop her from having to follow rules or face... consequences.

* [=~Can't Stand Them, Can't Live Without Them~=] - Hime-chan, Daichi, Sei, Hikaru, and Erika - how badly really depends on which dynamic you're looking at.

A remake manga entitled "Hime-chan no Ribbon Colorful" is currently appearing in Ribon, the same magazine where the original manga appeared.

* GenderVocabularySlip - [[spoiler:Hime-chan saying "I'm in the same middle school" leads to Daichi suddenly realising she's a girl -- she uses the female-only "atashi".]]

* CannotSpitItOut - Hime-chan, in later episodes.

* HandBehindHead - very frequently. Do not watch this anime while playing a DrinkingGame that looks for this.