History Manga / MedakaBox

''Medaka Box'' has gone from a quirky SliceOfLife high school comedy to a fighting manga, then SerialEscalation as each BigBad's defeat brings a newer, more dangerous one onto the scene. An anime adaptation by Creator/StudioGainax was announced; the first season aired from April 4 through June 21, 2012. A second season ran between October 11 and December 27, 2012, but it has not been renewed for a third season.

Making use of [[CoolLoser Misogi Kumagawa]]'s ground-breaking popularity in the manga, Nisio and Akira released a SpinOff one chapter story with the aforementioned character, entitled ''Good Loser Kumagawa'', published in Jump NEXT Magazine on December 26th, 2011, followed by a two volume LightNovel series of the same title. A "concluding chapter" of the SpinOff was released in Summer 2013.

The series finished its run in Double Issue 22-23 in May 2013, after four years of serialization. According to [[http://medakabox.wikia.com/wiki/Medaka_Box_Wiki its own wiki]], the series contains eight story arcs:

->''"Your dreams are your own personal concerns... you should take on the challenge and fulfill your own dreams. However, your worries are my concerns. Entrust every last one to me!"''

** More blatantly, Anshin'in references ''21'' famous Shonen Jump series in the span of one page (chapter 116) when she [[spoiler:tries to convince Zenkichi to join her side]]. (Following in Misogi's footsteps?) [[note]]:If you're curious...:''Manga/DragonBall, Cobra, Manga/CityHunter, Manga/FistOfTheNorthStar, Manga/SlamDunk, Manga/ThePrinceOfTennis, Manga/CaptainTsubasa, Sexy Commando Gaiden, Manga/VideoGirlAi, Manga/HikaruNoGo, Manga/RokudenashiBlues, Sakigake Otokojuku, Anime/YuGiOh, Manga/DaiNoDaiBouken, Anime/UltimateMuscle, Manga/RurouniKenshin, Manga/JoJosBizarreAdventure, Manga/YuYuHakusho, Manga/SoulHunter, Manga/SaintSeiya, and Keiji''.[[/note]]

*** [[spoiler: And in chapter 127 she directly says that any manga that goes on four more than ten volumes is coasting, so she is going to end this story before the anime begins.]]

[[quoteright:256:https://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/MedakaBoxColour_6443.jpg]]
[[caption-width-right:256:Just your everyday Abnormal Student Council]]

* TheVillainMakesThePlot: Since the GenreShift.

!!Post GenreShift:

* AlliterativeName : The author is fond of these, as well as names that are essentially a repetition of the same name in the first and surnames, with the letters being moved around, replaced or swapped.

* MeaningfulName:
* Name wordgames are quite characteristic for the author according to Wikipedia. Anshin'in's name starts with Anshin, or "relieved", which is used as a pun during chapter 140.

* MeaningfulName: Name wordgames are quite characteristic for the author according to Wikipedia. Anshin'in's name starts with Anshin, or "relieved", which is used as a pun during chapter 140.
** Medaka is one character off from Hadaka (nude), and early in the manga it's pointed out that she has NoNudityTaboo.

* CPRCleanPrettyReliable: Comes up in chapter [[spoiler: 121, along with bits of YouFailBiologyForever. Not only is the CPR unable to revive Kumagawa, but the fact that Kikaijima even considered performing CPR on a person with a crushed throat is baffling. This is given a LampshadeHanging by Munakata.]]

* ButThouMust: A rare benign example. The stakes for the final fight between Zenkichi and Medaka are that [[spoiler: [[CrowningMomentOfHeartwarming if he wins, she has to marry him. If she wins, he has to marry her.]]]]

* FiveBadBand:

The series finished its run in Double Issue 22-23 in May 2013, after four years of serialization. According to [[http://medakabox.wikia.com/wiki/Medaka_Box_Wiki its own wiki]], the series contains eight story arcs.

The eight story arcs:

* Student Council Executive Arc (Chapters 1-21)
* Thirteen Party Arc (Chapters 22-55)
* Kumagawa Incident Arc (Chapters 56-92)
* Kurokami Medaka's Successor Arc (Chapters 93-140)
* Jet Black Bride Arc (Chapters 141-158)
* Unknown Shiranui Arc (Chapters 159-185)
* Bouquet Toss To The Future Arc (Chapters 186-190)
* Epilogue Arc (Chapters 191-192)

* FightingDirty: Nekomi Nabeshima loves this trope. Both Shibushi and Kujira during their battle.

* ShoutOut: Maybe, when Tsugiha-- sorry, '''The Magical ? Wonder Tsugiha''' -- renames the final scavanger hunt challenger "Koyabashi" after [[Film/StarTrek reprogramming her challenge]] and [[Film/TheUsualSuspects taking over "Kobayashi's" narrative]].

** In the early chapters, Medaka always attempts to justify the wrongdoings of other by theorizing that they have some FreudianExcuse, by saying stuff like: "''You were undoubtedly once passionate kendo club lovers. I can only presume that there's some great reason, some great tragedy which has lead you astray.''" as an example from the first chapter. When she first shows her [[FourIsDeath fourth trump card]], [[UnstoppableRage War God]] [[SuperMode Mode]] against [[KnightOfCerebus Unzen]] though, she begins the battle by saying "''How pathetic. I'm sure you were once a cute kid walking down the right path. And i can only think that something really painful happened to you that made you like this. HOWEVER!! EVEN IF THAT'S THE CASE!! YOU ARE GONNA PAY FOR THIS!!!''".

* OvershadowedByAwesome: Played with. Zenkichi [[spoiler: barring his parasite eyes]] is the only "normal" one out of all the main characters. Despite this, he manages to get most of the fights and somehow keeps up with all the super powered people in this series. Maguro even calls him "normal cool" claiming that he is unique because he is normal. [[spoiler: However, in the Kurokami Medaka’s Successor Arc, Najimi sends five normal girls to compete in Medaka's treasure hunt where they not only do better than Zenkichi (who came in dead last being unable to solve the first clue), they actually manage to make it to the final round and briefly manage match Medaka. After noticing Zenkichi placing in dead last in the treasure hunt in comparison to the other normal people, Medaka throws him aside placing him directly under this trope in her eyes.]]
** Most of the School is subject to this by Medaka ([[spoiler:no surprise]]) during the school festival she engages in a huge tug of war with everyone (including former enemies) vs. her [[spoiler:and WINS]]. The YouHaveGotToBeKiddingMe moment afterward is an understatement.

* PowerCopying: Medaka's ultimate power. She uses Naze's syringes, Munekata's hidden weapons, and Oudo's electrical powers against Zenkichi ''while straitjacketed'' to their respective "owners" astonishment. In fact, Medaka's power allows her to ''completely master another's power, even if the originator hasn't mastered it themselves.'' It can be a double-edged sword.

* PowerIncontinence: Those with an abnormality frequently lack the ability to actually turn it off. For example, [[spoiler:Yukuhashi]] can't turn off his empath and synchronization abilities and [[spoiler:Oudo]] secluded himself for years to try and control his mind but failed.

* RealityWarper: Chapter 71 confirms that ''this'' is the true nature of [[spoiler: Kumagawa's "All-Fiction". Comes with a hitch, though: he can take things away but he can't restore them, because they "become nothing". He loses it for a while (specifically, he trades it in for a [[BroughtDownToNormal new power]]), and then when regains it there's a new limitation: he can't erase things with strong feelings attached to them, like say true love or strong memories. Near the end of the series he finally gets it back up to its original power.]]

* RedBaron: Subverted with Hinokage who actually ''isn't'' known as "Mr. Unknown" because his abnormality makes everyone forget about him.

* RuleOfThree: As of chapter 119, [[spoiler: the student council has been divided up into three factions: Medaka with Akune on her side, Hitoyoshi and the Not Equals against Medaka, and Kikaijima and Kumagawa representing the weak and trying to restore order among the divided group.]]

** One of Ajimu Najimi's powers, the "Heart Governing Skill" is entitled "Let your powers combine."

* SuperReflexes: One of the "Class 13" Abnormals has SuperReflexes as his Abnormality, which he calls "Automatic". He discovered that his reflexes were an Abnormality in a truly disturbing way; by living through a car accident which killed his entire family, save for himself.

** The classes of superpowers are Plus, Minus, [[spoiler:Not Equal]], and [[spoiler: Zero]]..

* TheUnfettered: [[spoiler: Ajimu though isolating Medaka from her friends would make her weaker. It just made her STRONGER since she doesn't have to worry about hurting them.]]

* UseYourHead: Medaka. Well, sort of. [[spoiler:She doesn´t use her own, but [[BigBad KUMAGAWA´S]] to break a window and give her older sister a RousingSpeech.]]

* WalkingWasteland: Mukae Emukae, who can rot anything with her Minus power "Rafflesia." [[spoiler: She has since gained a greater control of her power, being able to adjust their effects by manipulating plant growth - and since being hit with Kumagawa's All-Fiction, can turn said powers on and off at will.]]

-->'''Kumagawa''': I don't understand that complicating stuff, but to put it simply we just need to screw our opponent over, right?

** Zenkichi is often used to show how threatening a new antagonist is. During Medaka's fight with the Enforcement committee, he and the other student council members were already incapacitated by the explosion Myouri created. Oudo easily subdues Zenkichi in their first encounter, and Kumagawa plays with Zenkichi during their Student Council battle.

* WorfHadTheFlu: Though Kumagawa is nonetheless extremely powerful, Zenkichi's main obstacle to fighting him was his crippling fear of him. It takes an entire week of training for him just to suppress it,[[spoiler: and eventually comes back once Kumagawa reveals that he was stalling in his battle.]]

** Medaka actually gets this a lot. She even told Oudo that she was fine being a monster if he still considered himself a human after [[spoiler:nearly killing Koga to steal her Abnormal.]]

* {{Yandere}}: Chapter 58 introduces Mukae Emukae, a member of the Minus 13 Class, who bumps into Zenkichi by accident. If the sprawling WallOfText [[http://img842.imageshack.us/img842/9705/hitow.png about wanting to bear his children]] during their first meeting isn't hint enough... [[spoiler: the fact that she stabs him in his foot when he tries to leave should remove all doubt.]]

* Kikaijima's debut chapter as Medaka's Treasurer involves her and Zenkichi awkward trying to socialize, culminating in her trying to forcefully kiss him. Medaka and Akune come in on this and simply chastise them for not picking a more discreet location than the Student Council office, despite both using it as a changing room.
* Kumagawa says ''How unfair! Attacking before the opponent levels up!'' in chapter 117 when [[spoiler:Medaka attacks Zenkichi to start a fight after he challenges her]] considering that is the exact same thing the Minuses did during the Kumagawa Incident Arc.
* When Momo Momozono explains [[spoiler:Professor Fukurou's]] actions, [[RealityWarper Kumagawa]] and [[PhysicalGod Ajimu]] both question how someone who's supposed to have died can be doing any of that.

* ImprobableWeaponUser: Onigase Harigane, the KnightTemplar School Morals Enforcer who uses handcuffs as brass knuckles and another enforcer who tried to hurt Akune by hitting him with a ''bicycle''.

* InterruptedSuicide: The end result of [[spoiler: Ajimu's GenreSavvy mental disorder.]] She gets frustrated at the situation and tries to shoot herself, fortunately for all involved [[spoiler: Medaka is ''very'' vast, the action knocks Medaka out of her HeroicBSOD, and gives both of them a reason to go forward.]]

* JusticeWillPrevail: Discussed by Anshin'In and Shiranui during the election battle between [[spoiler: Medaka and Zenkichi]]. Najimi confronts Shiranui about her crush on Zenkichi an offers to make [[MarryThemAll a harem ending]], but Shiranui declines and says that what matters is doing the right thing and that she isn't naive enough to think that [[AllLoveIsUnrequited all crushes will be fulfilled]].

* TheLawOfDiminishingDefensiveEffort: Zenkichi states that this is the common weakness shared by the strongest students at the academy: they never dodge their opponents' first attack (Medaka being an exception thanks to the "Auto-Rhythm" ability she copied before). Any attack that could take them out of the fight in one hit will work on them.

** In episode 1 of the anime adaptation, Medaka performs EVERY one of [[QuirkyMinibossSquad The Ginyu Force]]'s pre-battle poses from ''DragonballZ'' before beating the living daylights of a bully.

** Then there's Medaka's dad, who thought engaging her to six possible ''female'' candidates was a good idea.

* HypocriticalHumor: Kumagawa says ''How unfair! Attacking before the opponent levels up!'' in chapter 117 when [[spoiler:Medaka attacks Zenkichi to start a fight after he challenges her]] considering that is the exact same thing the Minuses did during the Kumagawa Incident Arc.

* OffscreenMomentOfAwesome: The finale sees Medaka defeat [[spoiler:the ''MOON'']] in offscreen single combat. She follows this up with an offscreen takedown of [[spoiler:[[BossRush every named character]] in the series]]. Yeah.

* AloofOlderBrother: [[spoiler:Maguro (Mr. Awesome-by-analysis) to Medaka and Kei (Mr. Axe-crazy) to Shori/Koi.]]

** Medaka's uniform is [[FormFittingWardrobe very flattering to her figure]], but the [[MaleGaze first thing people notice]] is the CleavageWindow showing off her impressive assets.

** Akune lowered the neckline of his jacket and forgoes a shirt to show off his manly chest.

* PantyShot: Appears several times in the manga. Mostly of Medaka's panties, due to her skirt not only falling short (literally) of the dress code length, but also frequently suffering clothing damage. Her fight with Tsurubami ends with her panties completely exposed.

* Panty Shot: Appears several times in the Manga. Mostly Medaka's Panties.

* RapidFireFisticuffs: Medaka Kurokami vs. Shigusa Takachiho.

* SpannerInTheWorks: Zenkichi defeating and befriending [[spoiler:Munekata]] after taking over for Medaka. The leader of the Flask Plan had intended for Medaka to be the one doing the befriending.

* SuperMode: [[spoiler: Medaka's Perseus/War God Mode]], of the Unstoppable Berserker variety.

* TheUnintelligible: Myouga, Unzen's sister only speaks in a self-created language using numbers. Only Medick and Unzen can understand her.

* HeroicSecondWind: [[spoiler:After her heart gets destroyed, revives by utilizing a style that vibrates her muscles in a way that allows them to pump her blood around her body.]]

* PantyShot: Appears several times in the manga. Mostly of Medaka's panties.

''Medaka Box'' is a manga series by author Nisio Isin (of ''LightNovel/{{Bakemonogatari}}'' fame), and artist Akatsuki Akira (of his "fame" as the ero-artist RIROLAND), about the [[TheParagon paragon]] and all-around perfect student Medaka Kurokami, who is elected as the President of Hakoniwa Academy's student council by 98% of the student body. Possessed of a forceful personality, charisma, and incredible ability, she is accompanied by her loyal and [[DeadpanSnarker snarky]] childhood friend Zenkichi Hitoyoshi, who has been at her side for over thirteen years.