History YMMV / ProfessorLayton

** Luke and the Professor are close friends; some may see them as being too chummy at times, but it can easily just be read as a Bruce Wayne/Dick Grayson arrangement. Then again, [[MentorShip that one has similar problems...]] Somewhat {{lampshaded}} by Chelmey in ''Diabolical Box'', who decides not to probe too deeply into the relationship.

** Luke and the Professor seem a little too chummy the vast majority of the time, although it can easily just be read as a Bruce Wayne/Dick Grayson arrangement. Then again, [[MentorShip that one has similar problems...]] Somewhat {{lampshaded}} by Chelmey in ''Diabolical Box'', who decides not to probe too deeply into the relationship.

* ParentsAsPeople: Hershel Layton, [[PlayedForLaughs as often joked about in the fan community]]. He's overprotective of Flora to the point of ignoring her on while on a case. It became somewhat of a running gag that Layton's so one-track-minded on his adventures that he often forgets his ''adopted daughter''. [[spoiler:As for his son, Alfendi, he grows up to be a borderline-psycho {{Jerkass}} and NightmareFetishist.]] Luke, on the other hand, is brought along on his life-threatening journeys. It seems only his future daughter Katriel managed to come out of this unscathed. It's also true, though, that we don't see Layton on his non-adventuring days very often, and Luke has proven himself to be, while absent-minded, extremely competent and capable for his age.

** Also the chess puzzles. "Here, this is a 10x10 chess board. Jump on every single space, and you can only move as a knight. Also, there is only one known way to solve this puzzle, and only one correct direction to jump for every single jump. [[HintsAreForLosers To top it off, we've replaced your hints with random chess trivia that is no help whatsoever.]] Oh, quit crying, you wuss". Luckily, by this point, the game has a memo function, which proves invaluable for planning the Knight moves before you try to put them into action. It actually makes life a bit easier.

** Some perceive Flora as this. While it is somewhat justified with her not being there for the beginning of the mysteries, and her character arc in ''Curious Village'' finished, she still displays a cleverness when trying to follow Layton and Luke on their adventures, and ''Unwound Future'' had her solve a handful of puzzles along with the rest of the crew. Beyond that, she's not very expanded upon and spinoffs of the series like ''Mystery Room'' try their damndest not to mention where she's gone, especially in conjunction with her [[spoiler:sibling, Alfendi]].
* UncannyValley: Professor Layton's BlackBeadEyes wouldn't be so creepy if not for the fact that he's the [[NonstandardCharacterDesign ONLY character with eyes like that.]] And then there's the fact he almost never blinks, he has no visible eyebrows, he practically always has a smile on his face... And then there are the more... interesting designs of the [=NPCs=], especially in later games like Unwound Future and Last Specter, which range from strange yet charming to outright bizarre and unsettling...

Back to the main ProfessorLayton page.

** The Chocolate Code in the English version of ''Curious Village''. This one wouldn't be so bad if the translators hadn't changed the hints so that they didn't reference the most significant part of the clue's illustration.

** Let us not forget Henry's motivations for creating Monte d'Or. Good LORD.

** {{SEGA}} with ''VideoGame/RhythmThiefAndTheEmperorsTreasure'', where the only notable difference is that the puzzles have been replaced with rhythm minigames ala ''VideoGame/RhythmHeaven''.

* AlternateCharacterInterpretation: The [[http://www.newgrounds.com/portal/view/455544 Professor Layton parody cartoons on Newgrounds]], where Layton is portrayed as an abusive psychopath and Luke as a puzzle-obsessed freak.

** In ''Azran Legacy'', it is pretty obvious that [[spoiler:Desmond Sycamore really is Descole, at least when you played a previous game, as both have Raymond as an employee]].

** If you want some carbon-copy versions of Layton, check Namco's ''Treasure Report'', or Konami's ''Zack and Ombra'', both of them for the DS appearing after ''Specter's Flute'' came out, having the same interface, same cutscenes, same "Correct!" animation, same puzzle structure... Also, Level-5 with their own ''Atamania'' series, compromised of 6 puzzle games, with the seventh retooled into the {{iOS}} ''Layton Brothers'' spin-off after they bombed in Japan. Unfortunately, all of these games (apart from ''Layton Brothers,'' probably due to it have the ''Layton'' name to lean on) are a case of NoExportForYou.

* ParentsAsPeople: Hershel Layton, [[PlayedForLaughs as often joked about in the fan community]]. He's overprotective of Flora to the point of ignoring her on while on a case. It became somewhat of a running gag that Layton's so one-track-minded on his adventures that he often forgets his ''adopted daughter''. [[spoiler:As for his son, Alfendi, he grows up to be a borderline-psycho {{Jerkass}} and NightmareFetishist.]] Luke, on the other hand, is brought along on his life-threatening journeys. It seems only his future daughter Katriel managed to come out of this unscathed. It's also true, though, that we don't see Layton on his non-adventuring days very often, and Luke has proven himself to be, while absentminded, extremely competent and capable for his age.

** Some perceive Flora as this. While it is somewhat justified with her not being there for the beggining of the mysteries, and her character arc in ''Curious Village'' finished, she still displays a cleverness when trying to follow Layton and Luke on their adventures, and ''Unwound Future'' had her solve a handful of puzzles along with the rest of the crew. Beyond that, she's not very expanded upon and spinoffs of the series like ''Mystery Room'' try their damndest not to mention where she's gone, especially in conjunction with her [[spoiler:sibling, Alfendi]].

%%* In ''Spectre's Call'', Luke is very insistent of proving to everyone that Arianna isn't a witch as the townfolk believe. [[spoiler: In ''VideoGame/ProfessorLaytonVsAceAttorney'', this happens once again when Espella is put on a witch trial, with Layton and Luke along with Phoenix and Maya trying to prove her innocence regarding being a witch.]]

* GermansLoveDavidHasselhoff: The series is '''huge''' in Europe, selling as much as in the rest of the world combined. That makes the BadExportForYou only Europe got with ''Specter's Flute'' all the more jarring.
** To put things into perspective, the first game was released in Europe nine months after its American release. Due to its success, subsequent games were always released around one month after the American release, with ''Miracle Mask'' taking a two-day lead in Europe and culminating in ''Azran Legacy'' coming out in Europe in 2013 and in America in 2014.
* HoYay: Luke and the Professor seem a little too chummy the vast majority of the time, although it can easily just be read as a Bruce Wayne/Dick Grayson arrangement. Then again, [[MentorShip that one has similar problems...]] Somewhat {{lampshaded}} by Chelmey in ''Diabolical Box'', who decides not to probe too deeply into the relationship.

* LauncherOfAThousandShips: Professor Layton. Layton and Randall, Layton and Luke, Layton and Flora, Layton and Future Luke, Layton and Claire, Layton and Emmy, Layton and Descole, Layton and Melina.[[{{Rule34}} You name it, it's out there]]. There is also now the possibility for [[VideoGame/ProfessorLaytonVsAceAttorney Layton and Phoenix Wright]].

* ParentsAsPeople: Hershel Layton, [[PlayedForLaughs as often joked about in the fan community]]. He's overprotective of Flora to the point of ignoring her on while on a case. It became somewhat of a running gag that Layton's so one-track-minded on his adventures that he often forgets his ''adopted daughter''. [[spoiler:As for his son, Alfendi, he grows up to be a borderline-psycho {{Jerkass}} and NightmareFetishist.]] Luke, on the other hand, is brought along on his life-threatening journeys. It seems only his future daughter Katriel managed to come out of this unscathed.
** To be fair, we don't see Layton on his non-adventuring days very often, and Luke has proven himself to be, while absentminded, extremely competent and capable for his age.

* ShockingSwerve: Every single Reveal following the once-a-game SummationGathering. After a game of bizarre and / or seemingly-supernatural events, Layton reveals that there is a "rational" explanation which is ''even more absurd''. The only exceptions being:
** [[spoiler:Randall being the Masked Gentleman in ''Miracle Mask''. Mysterious figure wearing the mask that Randall had when he died, torturing the town that Randall's closest friend and ex-girlfriend, now seemingly WIFE of said friend are heads of, yells about the greed and corruption of the town, and they never found Randall's body?]] [[CaptainObviousReveal HM. I WONDER WHO HE IS?]]
** And in ''Azran Legacy'', it is pretty obvious that [[spoiler:Desmond Sycamore really is Descole, at least when you played a previous game, as both have Raymond as an employee.]]

* TheyChangedItNowItSucks: Despite the fact that very little is known about it for now, Layton 7 is already starting to gain this reaction from fans due to basically being Professor Layton InNameOnly. As in... in name only to the largest degree you can possibly get, to the point of being a non traditional puzzle game that doesn't star Layton, has a new art style and is made for both 3DS and smartphones.
** Actually, Layton 7 is now presented as an old-maid game released for smartphones. [[http://3ebd2a0c0ea48a333aea-1f531def8e8befb67be56667ce3edd11.r77.cf1.rackcdn.com/494c218af1274d36c2adebf80342f7d1ad76ec1c.jpg__620x349_q85_crop_upscale.jpg Layton is shown on one of the cards (along with Emmy and Luke if you squint)]], but otherwise, there's nothing much about it.
* TheyWastedAPerfectlyGoodCharacter: This happens to virtually all of the NPC characters; most of them have very well-rounded personalities, have relationships with either each other or a main character, and some even have their own situations that Layton can talk with them about… and yet, once the story of whatever game they appear in is finished, they never appear again. In a way it’s justified in the first three games, where they’re not really people per se (robots, illusions, and kidnapped scientists and industrial workers duped into thinking they’re in the future, to be exact), but come the second trilogy, there’s really no excuse for it at all. It DOES get a little better come the second trilogy, however, as with every chapter or area you complete, you unlock "Episodes" that delve into the backstories of the villagers, sometimes in extensive detail. Come Azran Legacy, each location has a distinct NPC that acts as a guide during the protagonists' stay... but their only reason for being there is just plot exposition and giving you some puzzles to solve.

* UncannyValley: Professor Layton's BlackBeadEyes wouldn't be so creepy if not for the fact that he's the [[NonstandardCharacterDesign ONLY character with eyes like that.]] And then there's the fact he almost never blinks, he has no visible eyebrows, he practically always has a smile on his face... And then there are the more... interesting designs of the NPCs, especially in later games like Unwound Future and Last Specter, which range from strange yet charming to outright bizarre and unsettling...

%% CrazyAwesome: DO NOT UNCOMMENT UNLESS AN ACTUAL CRAZY AWESOME CHARACTER GETS ADDED IN A LATER GAME! Crazy Awesome does NOT mean "over the top craziness that is awesome", contrary to popular belief. Scenes from the games cannot count, and Professor Layton himself actually is the opposite of this trope, since he is effective thanks to his ability to remain calm and focused even during intense situations.
* DamselScrappy: Flora, to some.

** Flora's unfortunately subjected to this treatment by a sizeable chunk of the fandom.
*** Which doesn't even make sense, considering that she's [[spoiler:Layton's adopted daughter]]!
** Arianna. Sweet ''Lord'', Arianna. [[spoiler: The peck she gave Luke on his cheek would make some shippers wish she really was a witch so they could burn her at the stake.]]

* EvilIsCool: Descole.
* FanficFuel: [[spoiler: Emmy addressing Leon Bronev as "Uncle Leon". Is it literal, or is it a formal addression? If the former were to be true, that would make her and Layton ''cousins''. However, this has yet to be confirmed.]]
** It was actually confirmed in the extra story bits that Emmy and Leon are not related. She just calls him uncle because he took care of her. Which means the FanficFuel can continue!

* HilariousInHindsight / HarsherInHindsight: A meta-example. It was revealed in ''Azran Legacy'' that [[spoiler: Layton and Descole are brothers. This makes the [[HoYay Layton and Descole]] pairing ''incestuous'']]. Whoops.
** Another one is in ''Spectre's Call'' where Luke is very insistent of proving to everyone that Arianna isn't a witch as the townfolk believe. [[spoiler: In ''VideoGame/ProfessorLaytonVsAceAttorney'', this happens once again when Espella is put on a witch trial, with Layton and Luke along with Phoenix and Maya trying to prove her innocence regarding being a witch.]]

* MemeticBadass: Layton.
* MemeticHandGesture: [[GivingSomeoneTHePointerFinger *points*]]

* MemeticMutation: "Luke, my boy, this reminds me of a ''smashing'' puzzle."
** (insert silly/mundane thing here) "THAT REMINDS ME OF A PUZZLE!"

** [[spoiler: Layton as a little child.]] You will just want to reach through the screen and give him a crushing hug.

* ScrappyLevel / ThatOnePuzzle: You'd have to be genius to have enjoyed the peg solitaire puzzles, or [[{{Klotski}} sliding]] [[BlockPuzzle block]] puzzles, among others.
** The "How Old Is (X)" puzzles are murderous due to ''brutal'' wordplay, and are a nightmare for non-native English speakers.
** Also the chess puzzles. "Here, this is a 10x10 chess board. Jump on every single space, and you can only move as a knight. Also, there is only one known way to solve this puzzle, and only one correct direction to jump for every single jump. [[HintsAreForLosers To top it off, we've replaced your hints with random chess trivia that is no help whatsoever.]] Oh, quit crying, you wuss."
*** ''Unwound Future'' actually taunts the player like this in its OldSaveBonus BlockPuzzle:
--->'''Anthony:''' Oh, and if you get stuck, don't bother asking me for any hints. I'll provide nothing of the sort! I want you to solve this puzzle in its... purest form.
*** Luckily, by this point, the game has a memo function, which proves invaluable for planning the Knight moves before you try to put them into action. It actually makes life a bit easier.

** Some perceive Flora as this. While it is somewhat justified with her not being there for the beggining of the mysteries, and her character arc in ''Curious Village'' finished, she still displays a cleverness when trying to follow Layton and Luke on their adventures, and ''Unwound Future'' had her solve a handful of puzzles along with the rest of the crew. Beyond that, she's not very expanded upon and spinoffs of the series like ''Mystery Room'' try their damndest not to mention where she's gone, especially in conjunction with her [[spoiler: sibling, Alfendi]].

** Flora.

** Anton.

** Clive. Good ''God'', [[WoobieDestroyerOfWorlds Clive]].

** If you want some carbon-copy versions of Layton, check Namco's ''Treasure Report'', or Konami's ''Zack and Ombra'', both of them for the DS appearing after ''Specter's Flute'' came out, having the same interface, same cutscenes, same "Correct!" animation, same puzzle structure... Also, Level-5 with their own ''Atamania'' series, compromised of 6 puzzle games, with the seventh retooled into the {{iOS}} ''Layton Brothers'' spin-off after they bombed in Japan. Unfortunately, all of these games are a case of NoExportForYou.

* ParentsAsPeople: Hershel Layton, [[PlayedForLaughs as often joked about in the fan community]]. He's overprotective of Flora to the point of ignoring her on while on a case. It became somewhat of a running gag that Layton's so one-track-minded on his adventures that he often forgets his ''adopted daughter''. [[spoiler:As for his son, Alfendi, he grows up to be a borderline-psycho {{Jerkass}} and NightmareFetishist.]] Luke, on the other hand, is brought along on his life-threatening journeys.

* TheyWastedaPerfectlyGoodCharacter: This happens to virtually all of the NPC characters; most of them have very well-rounded personalities, have relationships with either each other or a main character, and some even have their own situations that Layton can talk with them about… and yet, once the story of whatever game they appear in is finished, they never appear again. In a way it’s justified in the first three games, where they’re not really people per se (robots, illusions, and kidnapped scientists and industrial workers duped into thinking they’re in the future, to be exact), but come the second trilogy, there’s really no excuse for it at all. It DOES get a little better come the second trilogy, however, as with every chapter or area you complete, you unlock "Episodes" that delve into the backstories of the villagers, sometimes in extensive detail. Come Azran Legacy, each location has a distinct NPC that acts as a guide during the protagonists' stay... but their only reason for being there is just plot exposition and giving you some puzzles to solve.

* TheyWastedaPerfectlyGoodCharacter: This happens to virtually all of the NPC characters; most of them have very well-rounded personalities, have relationships with either each other or a main character, and some even have their own situations that Layton can talk with them about… and yet, once the story of whatever game they appear in is finished, they never appear again. In a way it’s justified in the first three games, where they’re not really people per se (robots, illusions, and kidnapped scientists and industrial workers duped into thinking they’re in the future, to be exact), but come the second trilogy, there’s really no excuse for it at all. It DOES get a little better come the second trilogy, however, as with every chapter or area you complete, you unlock "Episodes" that delve into the backstories of the villagers, sometimes in extensive detail. Come Azran Legacy, each location has a distinct NPC the main characters travel with... but they're only reason for being there is just plot exposition and giving you some puzzles to solve.

* TheyWastedaPerfectlyGoodCharacter: This happens to virtually all of the NPC characters; most of them have very well-rounded personalities, have relationships with either each other or a main character, and some even have their own situations that Layton can talk with them about… and yet, once the story of whatever game they appear in is finished, they never appear again. In a way it’s justified in the first three games, where they’re not really people per se (robots, illusions, and kidnapped scientists and industrial workers duped into thinking they’re in the future, to be exact), but come the second trilogy, there’s really no excuse for it at all. Is does get a little better come the second trilogy, however, as with every chapter or area you complete, you unlock "Episodes" that delve into the backstories of the villagers, sometimes in extensive detail. Come Azran Legacy, each location has a distinct NPC the main characters travel with... but they pretty much are there for plot exposition.

* TheyWastedaPerfectlyGoodCharacter: This happens to virtually all of the NPC characters; most of them have very well-rounded personalities, have relationships with either each other or a main character, and some even have their own situations that Layton can talk with them about… and yet, once the story of whatever game they appear in is finished, they never appear again. In a way it’s justified in the first three games, where they’re not really people per se (robots, illusions, and kidnapped scientists and industrial workers duped into thinking they’re in the future, to be exact), but come the second trilogy, there’s really no excuse for it at all. There ARE recurring NPC characters such as Stachenscarfen and Aldus, but once they’ve said all they needed to say to Layton, they disappear and never come back.

* TheyWastedaPerfectlyGoodCharacter: This happens to virtually all of the NPC characters; some of them have very well-rounded personalities, have relationships with either each other or a main character, and some even have their own situations that Layton can talk with them about… and yet, once the story of whatever game they appear in is finished, they never appear again. In a way it’s justified in the first three games, where they’re not really people per se (robots, illusions, and kidnapped scientists and industrial workers duped into thinking they’re in the future, to be exact), but come the second trilogy, there’s really no excuse for it at all. There ARE recurring NPC characters such as Stachenscarfen and Aldus, but once they’ve said all they needed to say to Layton, they disappear and never come back.

* UncannyValley: Professor Layton's BlackBeadEyes wouldn't be so creepy if not for the fact that he's the [[NonstandardCharacterDesign ONLY character with eyes like that.]]
** There are other characters with black bead eyes, but at least they have eyebrows...
** A few NPC character designs are a bit too weird-looking.

* {{Moe}}: Flora.

** Arianna. Sweet ''Lord'', Arianna. [[spoiler: the peck she gave Luke on his cheek would make some shippers wish she really was a witch so they could burn her at the stake.]]

** Another one is in ''Spectre's Call'' where Luke is very insistent of proving to everyone that Arianna isn't a witch as the townfolk believe. [[spoiler: In VideoGame/ProfessorLaytonVsAceAttorney, this happens once again when Espella is put on a witch trial, with Layton and Luke along with Phoenix and Maya trying to prove her innocence regarding being a witch.]]

** Another one is in ''Spectre's Call'' where Luke is very insistent of proving to everyone that Arianna isn't a witch as the townfolk believe. [[spoiler: In VideoGame/ProfessorLaytonVersusPhoenixWrightAceAttorney, this happens once again when Espella is put on a witch trial, with Layton and Luke along with Phoenix and Maya trying to prove her innocence regarding being a witch.]]