Tropes and fan terms about copycats. See also SubstitutionTropes, which many of these tropes may be used for.

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!!Tropes:
* AlternateSpeciesCounterpart: Creating a new character by changing the species of an existing character.
* AssetActor
* BiographyAClef
* BorrowingFromTheSisterSeries: A creator copies a successful feature from one of their series into another, minimizing the risk of trying something completely new.
* TheBurlesqueOfVenus: {{StockParod|y}}ies of Creator/SandroBotticelli's {{painting|s}} ''Art/{{The Birth of Venus|Botticelli}}''.
* CaninesGamblingInACardGame
* ClicheStorm
* CompositeCharacter: The adaptation merges multiple characters into one character.
* ContrastingSequelAntagonist
* ContrastingSequelMainCharacter
* CounterpartCombatCoordination
* CreatorDrivenSuccessor
* CutAndPasteComic
* CutAndPasteEnvironments
* DecompositeCharacter: The adaptation splits one character into multiple characters.
* DoesThisRemindYouOfAnything: Something closely parallels a RealLife event or situation without explicitly evoking it.
* EffectiveKnockoff
* EvilCounterpart: The villain is essentially an evil version of the hero.
** CostumeCopycat: A bad guy tries to impersonate the hero.
** EvilDoppelganger
** EvilKnockoff: The villain creates a clone or robot double of the hero so he can have the next best thing to having the hero work for him.
** EvilTwin
*** EvilBrunetteTwin
** LegendaryImpostor
** ThePsychoRangers: A whole team of evil counterparts for a team of heroes.
* {{Expy}}: A character is clearly based on a pre-existing character from another work.
** AlternateCompanyEquivalent: A character who can be considered this company's equivalent to a character from a competing company.
** CaptainErsatz: The pastiche character is blatantly the character they're copying in all but name.
*** SpiritualCrossover: A crossover done with Captain Ersatzes instead of the actual characters.
** CastOfExpies: Just about every character in the story is based on a fictional character from another work.
** CopyCatSue: A MarySue (or MartyStu) who looks exactly like the character they're based off of.
*** SailorEarth: An [[OriginalCharacter OC]] that was made to fit the work's pattern.
** CorruptedCharacterCopy: A character is a pastiche of a pre-existing character from another work, but is notably a worse person than the character they are based on.
*** VirtuousCharacterCopy: The inverse to the above, where the pastiche of a pre-existing character from another work is a far better person than the character they were based on.
** DistaffCounterpart: The female equivalent of a pre-existing male character. The reversal of this would be called a Spear Counterpart.
** ExpyCoexistence: An Expy and the character, person, or thing they're based on both exist in the same universe.
*** KnockingTheKnockoff: An in-universe TakeThat directed to the Expy by a character of the original work.
** FountainOfExpies: There are a whole bunch of characters who are imitations of this specific fictional character.
*** OverusedCopycatCharacter
** LawyerFriendlyCameo: A work features a cameo by a copyrighted character, but they partially obscure the character, alter their appearance a little and/or avoid calling them directly by name to avoid getting sued by the company that owns the rights to the character.
** SimilarSquad
** SuspiciouslySimilarSubstitute: A character gets replaced by another character who is essentially the other character in all but name.
*** MeetTheNewBoss: When said new boss is exactly the same as the old one.
*** MorePopularReplacement: A new character takes the place of an old character and is received better than the old character.
*** ReplacementScrappy: Fans don't appreciate the new character taking the place of another character.
*** SendInTheClones
* FictionalCounterpart
** TheAlternet
** BlandNameProduct: A fictional copy of a real-life brand.
*** {{AKA 47}}
*** {{iPhony}}: A parody of Apple's products.
*** {{Fauxrrari}}
*** SeaAping
** FantasyConflictCounterpart
** FantasyCounterpartAppliance
** FantasyCounterpartCulture
** FantasyCounterpartMyth
** FantasyCounterpartReligion
** FictionalCombatTroop
** FictionalSocialNetwork
** NoCelebritiesWereHarmed: A fictional character based on a real person.
*** TheAhnold: A character based on actor and politician Arnold Schwarzenegger.
*** BobRossRib: A character based on painter and TV personality Bob Ross.
*** BorrowingTheBeatles: A group of characters based on British rock band The Beatles.
*** BruceLeeClone: A character based on actor and martial artist Bruce Lee.
*** ElvisImpersonator: A character based on musician Elvis Presley.
*** FreddieMercopy: A character based on Freddie Mercury of the band Queen.
*** HoaxHogan: A character based on wrestler Hulk Hogan.
*** HowardHughesHomage: A character based on businessman and inventor Howard Hughes.
*** LorreLookalike: A character based on actor Peter Lorre.
*** MalcolmXerox: A character based on political activist Malcolm X.
*** MockCousteau: A character based on French marine zoologist Jacques Cousteau.
*** MumblingBrando: A character based on actor Marlon Brando.
*** MrAltDisney: A character based on businessman and animator Walt Disney.
*** ShirleyTemplate: A character based on child actress Shirley Temple.
*** {{Trumplica}}: A character based on real estate mogul and politician Donald Trump.
** NoCommunitiesWereHarmed
** NoHistoricalFiguresWereHarmed
*** JeanneDArchetype
** ScoutOut
** TRexpy
* FollowTheLeader: A work deliberately copies another work that has proven successful.
** WhoWantsToBeWhoWantsToBeAMillionaire: Game shows that copied Series/WhoWantsToBeAMillionaire that revitalized the game show industry in American television
* ForeignRemake: A work that is remade into a foreign work.
* FormulaWithATwist
* GenderedOutfit
* GenerationXerox: The new generation consists of clones of their parents.
* GeodesicCast
* JustForFun/GunCounterpart
* IdenticalPanelGag
* InternetMimic: Someone online who mimics the talking/typing style of a celebrity.
* ItsBeenDone
* ItsTheSameNowItSucks: An adaptation is disliked for not having many differences from the original work.
* JackTheRipoff
* TheJoyOfX
* TheMockbuster: A work essentially copies the source or original work 1:1 as a low-quality imitation
* ModernDaySciFiRPGClassEquivalents: A game without magic has classes that serve the same roles as classes from [=RPGs=] with magic.
* TheMoralSubstitute: A work deliberately imitates another, but omits objectionable content or adds morals to appeal to audiences who find the original work too offensive.
* MovesetClone
* NewWorkRecycledGraphics
* OlderThanTheyThink: Fan thinks a trope, plot, or line was invented by a work that he or she watches when in truth, its origins lie farther back in history.
* PaletteSwap: A character is an exact copy of another except for a different color palette.
* PatchedTogetherFromTheHeadlines
* PietaPlagiarism
* PlagiarismInFiction: A character is a copycat in-story.
* JustForFun/RecycledInSpace
* RecycledPremise
* RecycledScript
* RecycledWithAGimmick
* RippedFromTheHeadlines
* RomanAClef
* SameStoryDifferentNames
* JustForFun/SciFiCounterpart
* SpiritualSuccessor: An unrelated work share the same themes, story and characters from its precursor.
* SecondEpisodeSubstitute
* SelfPlagiarism
* SerialNumbersFiledOff
* SistineSteal
* {{Snowclone}}
* StealingTheCredit: Falsely claiming you are responsible for someone else's work.
* StrictlyFormula: Every episode of the show essentially has the same plot.
* JustForFun/SurprisinglySimilarCharacters
* JustForFun/SurprisinglySimilarStories
* SuspiciouslySimilarSong: A song or piece of music that sounds like a copyright-friendly version of another song or piece of music.
* TheyCopiedItSoItSucks: A work is bashed for being seen as an imitation of another work.
* UndeadCounterpart
* WholePlotReference
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