http://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/Zettai_Karen,_dakara_makenai.jpg
->''We're absolutely lovely, and that's why we won't lose!!''

The adventures of a [[PowerTrio trio]] of middle-school girls with PsychicPowers and their long-suffering supervisor in a world where those with power are both [[FantasticRacism treated with prejudice]] and form the most prominent [[HeroesRUs crime-fighting organization]] in the world, BABEL. Oh, and did we mention the girls are the three most powerful known espers around?

From the creator of ''Anime/GhostSweeperMikami'', and animated by the people who brought us ''Manga/HayateTheCombatButler''[[note]]The first season anyway, by SynergySP; Along with Creator/{{Actas}} of ''TransformersArmada'' & ''Anime/GirlsUndPanzer'' fame[[/note]], this is a fun, entertaining series which is a lot smarter than it first appears. In 2010, the series got an OVA set during the girls' middle school years. In 2013, the series got a DarkerAndEdgier SpinOff, ''[[Anime/TheUnlimitedHyoubuKyousuke The Unlimited: Hyoubu Kyosuke]]'', focusing on Hyoubu and PANDRA.


The TV series has been [[http://www.animenewsnetwork.com/news/2012-01-30/sentai-filmworks-adds-zettai-karen-children-anime licensed for Region 1 streaming and DVD]] under the name ''Psychic Squad''. Kaoru, Aoi, Shiho and friends appear in the MassiveMultiplayerCrossover game, ''VideoGame/SundayVSMagazineShuuketsuChoujouDaikessen''.

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!!Trope examples:
* AbusiveParents -- Notable in their absence, every parent or surrogate shown is at the very least well intentioned or executes a HeelFaceTurn.
* ActionDad -- Minamoto: marksman, scientist, homemaker. In one episode he forces his kidnapper to eat her vegetables and take a bath, and washes her panties [[spoiler: and then uses the opportunity to his advantage (No, ''not'' like that)]]. He cleans in his spare time and his bento lunches are worth fighting a war over. He even has a moe moe apron.
* ActorAllusion--In the anime, Mio is voiced by RieKugimiya-[[PigeonholedVoiceActor yes]], [[ShakuganNoShana that]] [[LightNovel/ZeroNoTsukaima Rie]] [[LightNovel/{{Toradora}} Kugimiya]]. In one episode, Mio refers to herself [[spoiler: and her semi-shadow clones]] as the "Tsundere Queen(s)". RieKugimiya is also known as the "Queen of Tsundere"...
* AllBikersAreHellsAngels -- Subverted. Turns out that the bosozoku gang that Naomi investigates are loud and unpolished, but really a bunch of softies, and when a crook blackens their name, they don't take it at all well.
* AllOfTheOtherReindeer -- A very pleasant aversion comes when the Children rescue some bank employes from the Normal People. The bank manager thanks them and says that he considers the Normal People to be idiots.
* {{Angst}} -- Minamoto spends many a sleepless night worried about the legal and social discrimination faced by espers, most especially the three under his care. It's kept far, far away from {{wangst}} because it isn't self-centered and he generally focuses that energy on productive endeavors, such as giving the Children the opportunity to go to school.
* AnimeHair -- most of the cast is usually in uniform, and the same age: you really need the hairstyles to tell them apart in combat scenes.
* AntiVillain -- Kyosuke. He's a marginally sane, sociopathic terrorist who's preparing for a war against {{Muggles}}. He's also helping, protecting and providing a home for espers who have nowhere else to go ''because'' the {{Muggles}} rejected them, doing his level best to help Minamoto keep Kaoru alive and sane (even if it's for his own purposes), and he's about the only one who's doing anything to stop Black Phantom [[spoiler: before Kaoru gets her [[TheMessiah Messiah]] powers]].
* AnythingThatMoves -- Kaoru, verging on DepravedBisexual. She's even hot for [[BrotherSisterIncest her sister]] and ''[[ParentalIncest her mother]]''.
* ArtShift -- Kyosuke has some [[http://www.mangafox.com/manga/zettai_karen_children/v14/c129/1.html outdated concepts]] of what the anime adaptation will look like.
* BadassAdorable -- It'd be easier to list a major character who ''isn't''. [[TeamMom Minamoto]] and Kaoru are just the most obvious.
* BadassNickname -- All three of The Children's future selves (as seen through precognition) have a BadassNickname that the BigBad likes to refer to their present selves as, which mostly just confuses them.
-->Kaoru: Queen of Catastrophe
-->Aoi: Lightspeed Goddess
-->Shiho: Untouchable Empress
* BadassNormal -- Minamoto, by way of being TheChessmaster, having enough HeroicWillpower to resist psychic control, and going through TrainingFromHell to condition his body to resist the psychic abuse Kaoru routinely inflicts on him.
* BatmanGambit -- Minamoto is an exceptional tactician.
* BeachEpisode -- Offering The Children a chance to kick butt while wearing bathing suits. And a chance to the men on the beach to admire [[MsFanservice Fujiko's]] body from up close while she sleeps when sunbathing.
* BeautyBrainsAndBrawn -- That's Shiho, Aoi and Kaoru to you
* BecomingTheMask -- Subverted, [[spoiler: Feather (now a separate entity) reveals that Yuri, Phantom Daughter's "civilian" personality (disregarded by her EmotionlessGirl and AxCrazy personalities as a mere "puppet") is how she would have been is she hadn't been found by Black Phantom.]]
* BerserkButton -- The main cast members go [[TrueCompanions any length to protect each other]]. Jumping into bullet fire, breaking international laws, enduring torture: no problem. But hurt Minamoto and Kaoru has an UnstoppableRage that even [[BigBad Hyobu]] wants nothing to do with.
* BetrayalInsurance -- [[spoiler:Minamoto]] is ordered to always carry [[spoiler:the gun with which he kills Kaoru in the precog's visions]]; he feels pretty conflicted about it.
* BewareTheNiceOnes -- Shiho, who can be unexpectedly nasty when sufficiently provoked.
** As the manga progresses, this gets more extreme - in the beginning, Shiho would just tell someone's emberassing secrets , lately her first proposal to deal with a bad guy hidden in a cloud who had pissed her off was using ''[[KillItWithFire thermobaric bombardment]]'', her second [[spoiler: was ''[[AvertedTrope using]]'' a '''[[NuclearWeaponsTaboo nuke]]''']]
** Just '''don't''' anger Minamoto if you don't feel like being [[ShamuFu clobbered to death with an alligator]].
*** Or if you don't feel like having a bottle smashed against your head. Or if you don't feel like having your mansion demolished by a hijacked drill truck. Seriously, don't piss this guy off.
* {{BFG}} -- The Blaster weapon Minamoto was given [[spoiler: and eventually uses to kill Kaoru in the BadFuture]]. It doesn't look that big, [[http://www.mangareader.net/335-23215-18/zettai-karen-children/chapter-158.html until you see it next to a regular pistol...]]
* BigBadassWolf -- Hatsune has the ability to transform into a wolf, aside from having other wolf-like tendencies.
* BigEater -- Hatsune, which comes with her wolf-transformation abilities.
* BlackComedyRape -- Kaoru at times really skirts the line with her harassment of Oboro.
* BodyguardCrush -- Barret and Tim, towards the PowerTrio.
* BornWinner -- High level espers, and Level 7s in particular.
* BrainInAJar -- A dolphin's, responsible for the [[MacGuffin ESPer prophecy]] which drives the plot.
* BreakingTheFourthWall -- Shiina is doing this more and more as time passes. (this and ShoutOut are becoming staples of his works) However [[NoFourthWall the wall is always there]], no one, so far, was able to escape trouble via genresavviness.
** With the possible exception of Shiho, who calls BABEL's new submarine a "victory for [[ConspicuousCG CG]]" when the girls are talking about how cool it is.
** Then there's the OVA. The [[RobotMe robot duplicates]] of The Children explain to the audience (but confuse the rest of the class) about the making of the OVA and the possibility of a season two.
* BridgeBunnies -- Hotaru and Natsuko, the receptionists at BABEL, who later (after being promoted to field agents) get replaced by Chizuto and Tae.
* BrutalHonesty -- Shiho's mother adopts this as a coping mechanism for the mind-reading aspects of Shiho's powers.
* BullyingADragon -- Done to all espers as well as some normals. Considering what espers can do and how it's the normals' fault some of them go bad in the first place, a lot of them may just be TooDumbToLive.
** The previous supervisor takes this to awful levels. In the anime, she forces three preteen girls to wear irremovable collars, and [[TheReasonYouSuckSpeech repeatedly states that she considers them to be animals]]. Unforgivable mistreatment of any child, and not any way to ensure that your resident [[PersonOfMassDestruction people of mass destruction]] grow up happy and well-adjusted. This is actually ''toned down'' from the manga, where she subjects The Children to ''ElectricTorture''.
* BunnyEarsLawyer -- With about two exceptions, everyone at BABEL is superhumanly competent and off the wall weird.
** Muscle Okama: HardGay leather freak. [[http://fabien.li/tvtropes/zkc/ZKC_ch197_p01.png Brilliant diplomat]].
** Minamoto more or less averts this, and thus is stuck as the OnlySaneMan.
* CallingYourAttacks -- Kaoru loves this, using "Psychic [Whatever]!" at any opportunity.
** She considers this so important, she'll actually stop, ''mid attack'' to come up with a suitable name.
* {{Cameo}} -- Nagi and Hayate. Episode 33 has full and voiced appearances by several members of the ''Hayate'' cast, with Nagi and Hayate being the most major.
** Also, [[{{MAR}} Dorothy, Ginka Toramizu]], [[Anime/GhostSweeperMikami Shiro Inuzuka, Tadao Yokoshima, Tiger Torakichi]], [[StrikeWitches Eila Juutilainen, Sanya Litvyak, Perrine Clostermann]], [[Anime/LuckyStar Yukata Kobayakawa, Minami Iwasaki]], [[{{Moetan}} Ink Nijihara]], [[SuperMarioBros Mario]] and [[ShinichiWatanabe Nabeshin]] make appearances. These ones are easy to miss.
** In episode 40, the Karen Girls, the ones who sang the OP make an appearance.
** In episode 27, Kaoru blames her behavior on "that Nikkumaru": Nikkumaru Sarutobi, the skirt-flipping ninja hero of 80's manga/anime ''Sasuga No Sarutobi''. The Karen Girls also appear on the magazine Hyobu is reading, along with Ghost Sweeper Mikami.
** [[http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uNUfk3R157U In episode 5]] of ''The Unlimited'' WebVideo/TheNostalgiaCritic and WebVideo/TheAngryVideoGameNerd appear out together in a Tokyo amusement park.
* ChasteHero -- Minamoto is [[PapaWolf dedicated to the well being of his charges]] to the point that he doesn't have much of a social life.
* [[ChekhovsGunman Chekhov's Toymaker]] -- Mr.9, who turns out to be [[spoiler: B.A.B.E.L turncoat and {{Otaku}} extraordinaire Takashi Kugustu]]
* TheChessmaster -- Minamoto
* ChickMagnet -- [[spoiler:Kid]] Minamoto.
** And regular Minamoto.
* ChildSoldiers -- Kyosuke and Fujiko joined military, when they were 10.
* ClingyJealousGirl -- Kaoru doesn't like it when anyone tries to disrupt the team's dynamics.
** She especially doesn't like it when Minamoto starts paying attention to anyone besides herself (though this is done in a cute way). She [[YaoiFangirl makes an exception for Sakaki]], though.
** One incident after the TimeSkip hints that her jealousy [[http://fabien.li/tvtropes/zkc/ZKC_ch139_p15-16.png might be getting a bit more serious]]. All of the girls are pretty clingy to Minamoto, and occasionally they do get jealous at each other.
* ClothingDamage -- To show that the girls are growing... Except for Aoi, who is still quite a UsefulNotes/{{Pettanko}}.
* CombinedEnergyAttack -- Parodied in one episode, where Kaoru asks for the energy of the perverts of the world while training with Naomi.
* ComedicSociopathy -- So very much. Poor, poor Minamoto...
* CooldownHug -- shown [[http://www.mangareader.net/335-51484-15/zettai-karen-children/chapter-215.html here]]
* CreepyChild -- Shiho, oh so very much.
-->'''Shiho''': "The pain and hate of the fish which were brutally murdered... it's delicious."
** When she first met Aoi she bullied her and mutilated her toys because she figured people were going to be afraid of her anyway [[ThenLetMeBeEvil so they may as well hate her first]] (she also did it because Aoi annoyed her by being a normal kid worried about her relatively non-destructive power). This was when she was [[WiseBeyondHerYears four]].
* [[CreepyTwins Creepy]] HalfIdenticalTwins -- The Little Mice [[spoiler: In their omake introductions the boy disguises himself as his sister so he can be with her due to the nature of their powers, and both greet their "sempai" Naomi with "I'm going to use you as a ''[[AmbitionIsEvil stepping stone]]''."]]
* CrouchingMoronHiddenBadass -- To all appearances, Sakaki is an absent minded [[LovableSexManiac skirt-chaser]] who [[NonActionGuy works in the lab]]. Then he [[ImprobableAimingSkills disarms someone at 500 meters]] with a hand gun. He later frightens off one of the more ethically challenged members of PANDRA with a DeathGlare when Shiho and Minamoto are in danger.
** How about his introductory storyline in the manga? Where his response to [[spoiler: being shot and slowly bleeding to death]] is to calmly use his powers to stem the bleeding and keep the bullet from entering [[spoiler:his]] heart, then directing several others in its removal. All the while, perfectly calm, despite the obviously excruciating pain he's in.
** And now, in a recent arc, he decks himself out in warpaint and CHOPS THE HEAD OFF OF A LION.
** [[http://mangafox.me/manga/zettai_karen_children/v23/c213/7.html I'LL GIVE YOU TOXOPLASMAAA!]]
* CrouchingScholarHiddenBadass-- We knew that Minamoto a [[TheSmartGuy top notch scientist]], [[TheGunSlinger marksman]], [[GuileHero expect tactician]] and that he had [[TrainingFromHell special forces training]], but it still a suprise to see him [[http://fabien.li/tvtropes/zkc/ZKC_ch200_p11.png put a submission grapple]] on a [[PersonOfMassDestruction level 7 Esper]]. Oh [[http://fabien.li/tvtropes/zkc/ZKC_ch200_p13.png it doesn't work out of course,]] but it's still pretty BadAss.
* CuteLittleFangs -- Hatsune still sports them when she's in her human form.
* DancingTheme -- The second ending theme, though only twice out of all the times it's played.
** The music videos for the two opening themes also feature three young female singers dancing while in cosplay - full dance versions here: [[http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ohaLxgEajHQ Over the Future]] & [[http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cxnPjBQH2wI My Wings]].
* DarkMagicalGirl -- Mio.
* DarkMessiah -- Kaoru, as the Queen of Catastrophe, is prophesied to lead a war against non-espers.
* DatePeepers -- The Children spy on a supposed date between Naomi and her art teacher.
** The chief get his date peep too... using ''spy satellites''.
** Kaoru spends an afternoon jealously following Aoi and Shiho around on their dates. She eventually teams up with the Chief to take date peeping [[UpToEleven past eleven]].
** A particularly hilarious variation happens when Minamoto goes to his home town for a marriage interview with a girl which happens to be his childhood friend. Since the Chief ''and'' Fujiko ''and'' Kyousuke are interested in this, and bring their men with them to participate in peeping, it ends up in a chaotic all-out battle between BABEL and PANDRA.
* DarkSkinnedBlonde -- Lt. Mary Ford fo the Americ... I mean, Comerican espers.
* DeadlyDodging -- Firing homing missiles at [[BadassNickname Lightspeed Goddess]] Aoi is bad for your health.
* DealWithTheDevil -- Or Kyosuke, who's close enough, on several occasions.
** Evidence 1: [[spoiler: In an occasion he creates a situation for Minamoto to ask for his help, but he realizes it is a trick to make him his mindless puppet]]
** Evidence 2: [[spoiler: He tempts Minamoto once more by having him spend a day with The Children as his 12-year-old self and offers him a chance to make it permanent]]
** Evidence 3: [[spoiler: The president of Comerica promises his younger son, a humongous brat and level-7 esper, to PANDRA if Minamoto can't get him under control (just ''one'' all-powerful demon child with issues? no problem!).]]
* DelayedReaction -- A RunningGag with Mio, who takes a while before realizing why having no air to breathe is bad for you.
* DiminishingVillainThreat: Averted. It's clear that Kyosuke could wipe out countries (And does in fact take one over) if he had a care to, he just has in-character reasons not to.

* DirtyOldMan -- Kaoru is this in spirit, while Supervisor Tanizaki is a more straight example.
** Though after the TimeSkip, Kaoru develops a modicum of modesty, at least when it comes to Minamoto. Other girls are still fair game.
* DistractedByTheSexy -- Kaoru [[strike: has trouble focusing]] goes completely gaga when around hordes of busty women, often screwing up her missions because of it.
* TheDitz -- Kojika.
* DoesThisRemindYouOfAnything -- Muscle Okama uses ''[[{{Squick}} crotch blasts]]''.
** What do his crotch blasts do? They make things "harder" or "softer".
** A non-sexual example of this trope is the scale used to describe the power levels of espers. The Description of the effects of espers at various levels appear to be taken almost word for word from the JMA earthquake scale, making the heroines literally [[PersonOfMassDestruction Persons of Mass Destruction]].
* DudeShesLikeInAComa -- In the first episode, when Kaoru encounters a woman who's been TakenForGranite, she takes the chance to look up her skirt and fondle her thighs, to the irritation of Aoi.
* {{Eagleland}} -- Comerica, standing in for America. You begin to notice it's not really America when the stripes on the flag are ''vertical''.
** That and the name are about the only differences, though.
* TheEmpath -- Shiho.
** A pretty unnerving use of it, considering her age.
* EarnYourHappyEnding -- Minamoto, after 50+ episodes of constant devotion has advanced the chance of a good future by a grand total of 2%. Even so, Fujiko treats it as a significant accomplishment, and The Children tell him that they're aware of, and grateful for everything he's done.
* EnforcedColdWar -- BABEL and PANDRA can't seriously fight each other because [[MacGuffinGirl Kaoru's heart and mind are the most important prize]]. Kaoru [[TheMessiah loves almost everyone on both sides]], so using lethal force would prejudice her against whoever started the fire.
** Other thing is they seem sometimes to even like each other.
* EvenEvilHasStandards -- [=ESPer=] supremacist group PANDRA is totally opposed to the brainwashing esper TerroristsWithoutACause Black Phantom. Black Phantom is slightly disturbed at themselves for turning children into {{Tyke Bomb}}s, and remedies this by "not letting them get infected with emotion so they can live unaware they they're human".
* EverybodyLives -- In the anime, there has not been one individual killed yet, despite how narrowly several people have escaped death. [[spoiler: Lieutenant Ikyuugo]] is the most blatant example, since this leads to a LikeYouWouldReallyDoIt effect that slightly trims back the drama.
* EvilerThanThou -- Episode 37 introduces the criminal organization Black Phantom. ''One'' BrainwashedAndCrazy esper assassin sent by the organization was able to take on ''Hyobu'', and it took a [[spoiler: DeusExMachina courtesy of Kaoru to stop him]].
** [[spoiler: Where by DeusExMachina you mean the plot point the previous 36 episodes have been building up to]], but yes.
** Hyobu was trying to save his opponent, not kill him. He was about to give up and take off the gloves when Kaoru smacked him into a wall. A minion later notes that most of his injuries came from Kaoru.
** The assassin did manage to give Hyobu trouble thanks to his ability to manipulate bullets. Specifically, he manipulated the bullets that had been left ''inside Hyobu's body'' for the last few decades [[spoiler: after his former army superior tried to kill him]].
* ExcitedTitleTwoPartEpisodeName
* {{Expy}} -- Most character will seem ''very'' familiar if you've read Anime/GhostSweeperMikami (Shiho, for example, seems to be growing up with all the morality and softness of Reiko), but the only true expy so far seems to be Dr. Chaos / Col. Grisham.
* EyeCatch -- Like ''Hayate'', {{shiritori}} is being played across it.
* FantasticRacism -- Espers are subjected to this by ''normal'' people, with very few exceptions.
* FlippingTheTable -- [[LampshadeHanging Lampshaded]] by Aoi regarding the interview room for Takeshi-kun and his father.
* ForeignFanservice -- Lt. Mary Ford, "the big breasted-er, foreign, woman."
* FountainOfYouth -- Minamoto ends up getting regressed to The Childrens' age.
* FreudianExcuse -- {{Deconstructed}} by Minamoto in the last episode.
** Any number of PANDRA members imply that they have back grounds like this, though they're treated with much more sympathy.[[KickTheDog Sometimes]]
* FriendlyEnemy -- BABEL has a shoot on sight order for Kyosuke, but otherwise, The Children and PANDRA members are just as likely to snark at each other, [[GoKartingWithBowser visit amusement parks together]] or [[EnemyMine ask for help]] as actually fight.
** Taken to a whole new level when Kyosuke ''[[RefugeInAudacity hijacks a country]]'' to allow Mio and the other young members of PANDRA to attend school with The Children under the aegis of diplomatic immunity.
* FuroScene -- in a twist, ''Minamoto'' gets one of these when the children teleport at home while he's taking a shower. He even chases them off throwing things.
* FictionalCounterpart: Except for Japan, all other countries have fictional names, slightly different from their real counterparts, including Comerica, Chena, Jermany, Idaly, Ingland, Franse, Paland, Robiet and Vrajil.
* GaggingOnYourWords: In an omake Kyosuke is forced to admit that he and PANDRA can't remove the bomb implanted in Sai's head, but he would rather die than say Sakaki is better than him at something.
* GambitPileup -- Fujiko and Kyosuke both have their own plans for [[spoiler: how to ScrewDestiny]]. Minamoto has his own ideas and doesn't want either of them telling him what to do. We still don't know Black Phantom's true objectives (if they have any).
* GambitRoulette -- Usually, Minamoto's planning is completely believable, but in the episode where he [[spoiler: gets the Normal People to threaten Kaoru and fall into his trap]], even if we accept that he [[spoiler: had concealed an emergency ECCM and limiter release program in his laptop for just such a contingency, which admittedly is in character for him]], he ''still'' got lucky in that [[PersonOfMassDestruction Kaoru]] was the Child being threatened instead of Shiho (who lacks direct combat powers).
* GenreSavvy: Given that Kyosuke is a MasterOfDisguise who [[HoYay gets a little too much]] [[FoeYay enjoyment from disguising himself as Minamoto]] Tim doesn't lower his gun when Minamoto says "It's me", Tim '' checks the finger prints''. It actually is Minamoto, but BABEL needs to give the kid a raise.
* [[YuriGenre Girls Love]]: Episode 36 takes a potshot at the genre. It may qualify as an IndecisiveParody; while Kaoru and Sakaki's lustful LampshadeHanging is clearly a gag, the [[FlowerMotifs vase of white lilies]], focus on [[IntertwinedFingers the girls' hands]], [[LesYay subtext]], and [[spoiler: BaitAndSwitchLesbians]] are all hallmarks of the genre played completely [[IncrediblyLamePun straight]].
* GoKartingWithBowser: The Children and PANDRA's younger members go [[spoiler: to school together, and often spend their free time with each other.]] Kyosuke and Kaoru also frequently hang out together, even going on dates from time to time.
* TheGoodTheBadAndTheEvil: BABEL are the good guys, and Black Phantom and the Normal People are evil. PANDRA are more nuanced bad guys who [[FriendlyEnemy spend more time helping The Children than fighting them]].
* GooGooGodlike: Kaoru once put her mother in the hospital with a psychic temper-tantrum. Her family later admits to fearing that it might happen again.
* GratuitousEnglish -- "The Children" for a start (yes, the "The" is important and capitalised), then we have ''[[FunWithAcronyms [=BAse of Backing Esp. Laboratory=].]]'' Goofier than that is the PANDRA ad in episode 27. "Let's join us!"
** In the manga version, it's actually hard to find chapters whose titles ''don't'' contain gratuitous English. Of course, in English translations of the manga this is lost for obvious reasons.
* GroinAttack -- Happens to Okama a lot, and Shiho in particular happens to specialize in threatening it.
* TheGunslinger -- Shiho has become one in more recent episodes.
** She was always one in the manga, but they censored it in the anime until it was necessary for the story to turn DarkerAndEdgier. Apparently Psychometry gives you ImprobableAimingSkills by knowing where the bullet will go. Which also explains Sakaki's CrouchingMoronHiddenBadass.
* HairAntennae -- Kojika, the guardian of HOUND, sports a set.
* HardGay -- Muscle Okama. A leather getup and psychic crotch beams that turn people to stone. Really. With some CampGay mannerisms thrown in for good measure.
** But damn, [[SheCleansUpNicely Looks good in a business suit]]. Wonder who his tailor is.
* HatesBeingTouched -- Inverted trope. People go out of their way to avoid physical contact with psychometers. Sakaki expresses open jealousy that Shiho has people willing to hug her and hold her hand.
* HeartIsAnAwesomePower -- Psychometry. It seems like the kind of thing that wouldn't be much use in combat (and it actually isn't at first), until Shiho explains that psychometry grants ImprobableAimingSkills and lets her use any weapon like a prothe second she picks it up. Don't believe it? Toss her a shamsir and see how long you live.
* HeavySleeper -- Fujiko
* HeroicComedicSociopath -- Fujiko
* HollywoodDensity -- Kaoru stuffs her shirt with gold bars without ripping it, even though she has no powers due to [=ECMs=].
* HonorBeforeReason -- The Children get [[WhatTheHellHero very agitated]] when Minamoto does the pragmatic thing rather than the right thing. In one instance he lets the BigBad get away rather then subject The Children to the sight of a normal human shooting an esper in cold blood. Unusually for the this trope, it works for the best. The fact that Minamoto honestly tries to live up to this standard has Kaoru reacting to Kyosuke's nastier actions and beliefs with horror and disgust in later episodes.
** Kaoru goes way, way out on a limb to trust Mio and the other PANDRA kids at their word, even though she is very much aware of the risk.
* HotBlooded -- Kaoru, so very much. Fujiko ''was'' this when she was younger; nowadays she takes her craziness in a different direction.
* HotShounenMom -- Kaoru's mother in particular. Her older sister isn't bad either. ALSO: Minamoto's mom. [[http://www.mangafox.com/manga/zettai_karen_children/v17/c157/9.html Seriously.]]
* HotSpringsEpisode -- Kaoru proves to be rather GenreSavvy in this episode, trying to make sure all the expected tropes play out.
* IdiotHero -- Though not dumb per se, Kaoru certainly has elements of this.
* IHaveTheHighGround -- Naomi's favorite entrance.
* IJustWantToBeNormal -- The Children really want to go to a normal school and deal with other kids. Minamoto makes it happen for them, but things sure ain't easy.
** The underage children of PANDRA make the same decision, much to Kyosuke's chagrin.
** Minamoto had the same experience as a child, and it for the basis of an [[TheFinalTemptation offer that Kyosuke makes for him]]
* ImageSong
* ImprobableAimingSkills -- In the manga, Sakaki manages to hit a power staff carried by a man ''standing on top of a passenger jet in flight'', using a ''handgun''. It's implied that psychometers like Sakaki and Shiho use their powers to aim.
** He can also throw scalpels down the barrel of a helicopter-mounted gun, apparently.
* InTheEndYouAreOnYourOwn -- Kaoru is the Children's combat machine. Aoi and Shiho support her, but she's the only one with blasty powers.
* InTheNameOfTheMoon -- Complete with {{sentai}}-style smoke-bombs at the end. [[LampshadeHanging Lampshaded]] by Aoi, Minamoto, hell anyone who's watching as they all think it's a bit silly. The speech is never the same one twice. Even when Aoi's going on a mission ''alone'', she still does a heroic speech. While it doesn't turn out completely perfect, the finale even has The Hound trying their hand at one.
* {{Invocation}} -- Sure, Minamoto doesn't ''need'' to call out "Released!" when he deactivates the limiters with his phone, but it looks cool.
* IronicEcho -- In an effort to kill The Children, the Normal People are willing to let three civilians suffocate to death in a vault, and say that it is "a small sacrifice". Much later, some members of PANDRA blows up a plane to flush out a Black Phantom agent. They call it "a small sacrifice".
* JekyllAndHyde -- Arabian princess Sera and her colder ancestor Masara.
* KansaiRegionalAccent -- Aoi (Kyoto to be precise).
* {{Kawaiiko}} -- Fujiko is [[OlderThanTheyLook eighty years old]] and, of course, overdoes the cute to compensate. She doesn't quite manage the {{Moe}} however.
* KickTheDog -- [[TheRevolutionWillNotBeCivilized Just in case there was any worry]] of the PANDRA sliding into AntiVillain territory, they blow up a plane to smoke out a Black Phantom agent, smugly explaining that normals have no right to live. In front of [[TheMessiah Kaoru]]. Given that Kyosuke has bent over backwards to paint PANDRA as LaResistance, you'd think he'd have explained the whole "hearts and minds" thing.
** It's then followed up by Kyosuke ''erasing Kaoru's memory of the incident'' so that she'll be more likely to join them in the future. Not to mention the whole "trying to turn a young girl into a living WMD against Normals despite ''knowing'' that this will eventually lead to her death."
* KillMeNowOrForeverStayYourHand -- Kyosuke does this to Minamoto when the latter has the blaster drawn on him. He actively taunts Minamoto into shooting, because he knows that if Minamoto does take him down, Kaoru will come away with a grudge and the esper-human war will be assured.
* KnightOfCerebus -- The second season is [[CerebusSyndrome generally a lot more serious than the first]], what with [[spoiler: the prophecy]], Future!Kaoru and all, but Black Phantom's appearance is by far [[EverybodyLives the closest the show comes]] to playing for keeps.
* LegionOfDoom -- PANDRA
** An unusual example of the trope as the members of PANDRA are genuinely loyal to one another.
** The Normal People and Black Phantom are both non-sympathetic examples, notable in that they're non-esper groups.
* LikesOlderWomen -- Kaoru, for sure. Note her reaction to "[[UnusualEuphemism the great armada]]" in the second HotSpringsEpisode.
* LittleMissSnarker -- As a ten-year-old ultrapowerful mind reader, Shiho is naturally suited to the role. Like [[JungleWaItsumoHaleNochiGuu Guu]], she's more playful and deadpan than actively sarcastic.
* {{Lolicon}}:
** Minamoto being accused of this is a running gag.
** Momotaro calls Kyosuke this on occasion in order to annoy him.
* LotusEaterMachine -- Kuromaki's power. She's known as the Dreamweaver, and traps Minamoto inside his own mind. Then Kaoru decides to [[JourneyToTheCenterOfTheMind join him in there]].
* LovableSexManiac -- ''Kaoru''. She ''loves'' the ladies, and isn't above flirting with Minamoto either.
** Also Sakaki, who occasionally makes use of his position as the resident BABEL physician to convince female patients that he needs to check their chest.
** Fujiko has a streak of this as well.
* MacGuffin -- Arguably the prophecy about [[spoiler:the girls fighting non-espers]], since none of it gets addressed in the end.
* MadeOfIron -- Kaoru regularly throws people against walls, causing massive craters, without seriously hurting the people themselves.
** An omake in the manga shows Minamoto working out frequently so his body can take the brunt of Kaoru's frequent psychic temper tantrums.
* MagicSkirt -- In the anime.
* ManlyTears -- Minamoto cries a river when Kaoru and the others graduate from elementary school.
* {{Meganekko}} -- Aoi
* MemoryGambit -- Phantom Daughter. Four different personalities, only one of them (possibly) is sure what's going on.
* MenCantKeepHouse -- Averted with Minamoto.
* MindOverManners -- Shiho is not shy about using her powers to tease Minamoto.
* MoodSwinger -- Naomi, though not without reason. Her supervisor is something of a DirtyOldMan. Her tendency to quickly go from calm and collected to throwing Tanizaki into a wall made Naomi's CodeName change from "Kitty Cat" to "Wild Cat" early in the series.
* MoralityChain -- Reconstructed or Subverted depending on interpretation. The Children start off trying to please Minamoto because treats them with kindness and discipline rather than the negelect and abuse of their previous supervisors, [[BerserkButton and they are violently protective of him as a result]]. Eventually, they get older and [[CharacterDevelopment mature enough]] that they do the right thing [[WhatYouAreInTheDark without supervision]].
* MoralityPet -- One of PANDRA's functions is as an entire organization of morality pets to Hyobu.
* MsFanservice -- Fujiko.
** Hotaru does it while taking a shower.
* NoOntologicalInertia - People turned to stone by Muscle Okama are inexplicably healed ''when he is arrested''.
** May be [[SubvertedTrope subverted]] as those were power-nullifying cuffs they put on him.
** That and he receved the mother of all nutshots, which was jus' about where Okama was firin' his beams...god that didn't sound right at all...
* NoSocialSkills -- Hatsune. Without Akira's help she'd probably be roaming the woods somewhere.
* NotQuiteFlight -- Aoi's Chain Teleport. It's a rather bumpy ride but it gets you where you're going at supersonic speed.
* OccidentalOtaku -- Ex-Black Phantom Espers are the most Otaku like of the cast (the two boys are always going on about Moe and 2D, while the girl is a Yaoi Fangirl), but it is heavily hinted that Black Phantom gets its espers from outside Japan in most, if not all, cases. Also one of the Comerica agents is a massive fan of Japanese Culture, though Traditional culture more than Otaku culture.
** It is implied in the manga's Chapter 203 and Episode 46 of the anime that the otaku behavior of Bullet, Tim, and Patty is an odd sort of coping mechanism for their loss of memories after getting freed from Black Phantom's control.
** The supplement 4koma for Chapter 198 show that Yuuri (schoolgirl form) has inexplicably collected Chil Vermillion anime figures without Mirage's approval, and the supplement 4koma of Chapter 234 shows that Black Hanzo wearing a "Maruto" shirt - which prompts Mirage to ask "are all of our Espers into that kind of thing...!!?"
* OlderThanTheyLook -- Kyousuke doesn't look a day over 20, but is really in his 80s. The same for Fujiko.
* {{Omake}} -- Plenty of them. In a slight subversion of the trope, some of them are more or less {{Canon}}.
* OmniscientMoralityLicense -- Fujiko and Hyobu both claim this because they know one of Lieutenant Ikyuugo's [[ProphecyOfDoom premonitions]]; Hyobu believes it's inevitable and must be brought about, Fujiko has a plan that might stop it. Minamoto doesn't buy either.
* OutGambitted -- In the more light hearted stories, Kyosuke frequently assures his comrades (mostly [[OnlySaneMan Magi]]) that he has a brillant plan to lure Kaoru to PANDRA. HilarityEnsues.
* OvernightAgeUp -- Minamoto is hypnotized by the BigBad into seeing the girls as fully-grown women. The girls decide to have fun with this much to his [[{{Lolicon}} dismay...]]
* PapaWolf -- Minamoto. So very much.
* PersonOfMassDestruction -- Pretty much all characters treat those three girls like that in the beginning. Minamoto might be the first to think of them first of all as persons. Kaoru definitely is one and is still growing into her powers, Fujiko and Hyobu are already there. Aoi and Shiho don't cause big blasts, but Aoi can teleport people into solid matter, among other things, and Shiho's power suddenly becomes really scary when applied to international politics or stuff like launch codes.
* PetTheDog -- You know the made-of- {{Squick}} Tanizaki? Yeah, [[DirtyOldMan that one]]. He was one of [[TyrantTakesTheHelm Suma's]] most [[JerkWithAHeartOfGold outspoken critics]].
* PhenotypeStereotype -- Ken [=McGwire=], one of the Espers from [[strike:America]] Comerica.
* PowerIncontinence -- When Kaoru suffers a head whack early on, her psychokinesis goes out of control. There's a reason for the PowerLimiter. Other espers are later shown to have had trouble with their powers while young.
* PowerLevels -- The girls are Level 7, which equates to ''weapon of mass destruction''. Hyoubu Kyousuke isn't given a level, probably because he's [[BornWinner completely off the scale]].
** Actually his powers are mentioned in same chapter he's introduced, he's a hybrid type with use of 7 power types between 2rd and 4th level, however as he can combine their effects it does make him far more powerful then some one with only 1-2 of those powers would be. Not to mention 80-ish years of practice
* PowerLimiter -- Very essential here. High level espers without limiters can unintentionally damage themselves and others.
* PowerNullifier -- The [=ECMs=] are the wide-area weapon version of the above limiters. And even then they're no match for Hyoubu.
** BABEL has the ECCM, which nullifies the nullifier.
*** In the pilot chapters of the manga, Minamoto did actually have (unknowingly) an esper ability - he was a living ECCM.
* PowerGivesYouWings -- Kaoru manifests a pair when facing off against one of Mio's copies merged with a bulldozer. The second opening theme (titled "MY WINGS") plays this up even further by granting all three of The Children wings.
* PowerTrio
* PrehensileHair -- Appears to happen to Chisato's hair extensions in an [[http://www.mangafox.com/manga/zettai_karen_children/v10/c092.5/6.html omake]]. It's really just Kaoru's psychokinesis.
* PromotionToParent -- Minamoto has his current job is because he's the parent figure Kaoru and the others need but never had. In somes cases he's more responsible than their actual parents.
* PunchClockVillain -- Kazura invokes this claiming PANDRA and BABEL should get along because they work in the same place. Subverted when Aoi retorts that cops and robbers work in the same place. Double subverted when Aoi and Kazura proceed to get along just famously.
* RealMenWearPink -- Kaoru [[{{Squee}} squees]] at the sight of Minamoto in an apron.
* RealityWarper -- Kyosuke's telekinesis is so powerful and finely controlled that it tends to work like this.
* RunningGag -- Quite a few:
** A BABEL esper throwing a superior into a wall. First it was Minamoto and/or chief Kiritsubo, now it's Tanizaki.
** Minamoto and Kyosuke being called {{lolicon}}s.
*** [[PhraseCatcher IMPURE!]]
** The 4-koma 'supplements' depicting the anime and OVA in a ''really'' retro style, much to the cast's consternation.
** Kyosuke calling Sakaki a quack.
* SacredFirstKiss -- The girls are very upset when they lose theirs to Fujiko.
** Which is perhaps a bit odd in Kaoru's case, since Fujiko should be right up her alley.
*** Maybe she wanted either Minamoto or Oboro to be her first? The FirstKiss is SeriousBusiness in Japan.
* SadClown -- Shiho and Sakaki are more heavily affected than they let on when people flinch at the thought of touching a psychometer.
* SamaritanSyndrome -- A major pain for high level espers on BABEL's payroll. Vacations, birthdays and school days can all be cancelled in an emergency.
* SapientCetaceans -- Lieutenant Ikyuugo, one of the friendly espers, is a dolphin. Kaoru is disappointed to learn that he's inedible.
* ScarpiaUltimatum -- Variation: At one point, if Hanae doesn't use her hypnosis to become The Children's adult forms and try to seduce him, Fujiko will [[KickTheDog cut the funding to her hospice]].
* ScrewDestiny -- The basic premise of the plot is to stop a war that's been predicted between normals and espers. Or, more specifically, [[spoiler: a future in which Minamoto is forced to kill Kaoru.]]
* ScrewTheRulesIHaveConnections -- The Children are allowed to go to school because Minamoto and the Chief are putting some serious weight behind it.
* ScrewTheRulesIHaveSupernaturalPowers -- A running theme. PANDRA believes that they don't have to obey the rules because they're powerful enough to blast their way through anyone trying to stop them (and in Kyosuke's case, he's [[PhysicalGod pretty much right]]), and the threat of this (along with plain old [[FantasticRacism bigotry]]) is the impetus behind the Normal People's terrorism. BABEL is caught in the middle, and it doesn't help that not all of their members are perfectly responsible with their powers either. Many one-off villains also have this as their motivation, such as the telekinetic bank robber.
* SelfFulfillingProphecy -- Tied to [[spoiler: Hyobu]]'s StartOfDarkness.
* SetRightWhatOnceWentWrong -- [[spoiler: Feather's backstory]]
* ShipperOnDeck -- Fujiko ships [[OT3 Minamoto/The Children]]. [[spoiler: Because if they don't get together, Minamoto will kill Kaoru.]]
* {{Shiritori}} -- For the eyecatches.
* ShoutOut -- quite full of them, not at Anime/GhostSweeperMikami levels, but Shiina is getting really good with this trope. Often enough the reference is lampshaded pretty heavily too.
** Kaoru wants to purchase a toy in one episode that resembles [[LightNovel/HaruhiSuzumiya Haruhi]] almost exactly. Considering who Kaoru is voiced by, this doubles as an ActorAllusion.
*** Much later, we have this [[http://fabien.li/tvtropes/zkc/ZKC_ch203_p11.png scene]]. Also doubles as an ActorAllusion.
*** [[http://fabien.li/tvtropes/zkc/ZKC_ch184_p04.png "Psychic Endless Eigh-"]]
** There's even a ShoutOut to DetroitMetalCity when Kaoru shows up in a [[http://www.mangafox.com/manga/zettai_karen_children/v17/c191/15.html Krauser mask]].
** The best shout out is chapter 126/episode 46, where a [[RewritingReality notebook that can change the future]] launches the cast into a ''Manga/DeathNote'' homage, starring Sakaki as L.
*** Further on Manga/DeathNote appears again in the form of the Children copying Light's [[http://www.mangafox.com/manga/zettai_karen_children/v14/c127/15.html various methods for hiding the note pages]]. Results in a GambitPileup.
*** Kaoru uses Light's method for [[http://www.mangafox.com/manga/zettai_karen_children/v17/c162/1.html hiding her diary]].
** There's a ''SayonaraZetsubouSensei'' spoof at Minamoto's [[http://www.mangafox.com/manga/zettai_karen_children/v17/c158/8.html marriage interview]] and a ''Manga/JoJosBizarreAdventure'' one in the manga version.
*** In the manga, the spoof is in a [[http://www.mangafox.com/manga/zettai_karen_children/v16/c145/10.html dream sequence]].
** In the manga, Fujiko wears [[Anime/CodeGeass C.C.'s]] 'suit' at one point. Also an ActorAllusion.
** A {{yonkoma}} gag strip has Kyosuke [[http://www.mangafox.com/manga/zettai_karen_children/v17/c171/2.html cosplaying]] as [[Manga/{{Bleach}} Gin Ichimaru]]. ''Also'' an ActorAllusion.
*** Another one has a [[LightNovel/HaruhiSuzumiya Haruhi]] [[http://www.mangafox.com/manga/zettai_karen_children/v14/c124/1.html reference]] where he asks espers to join him.
** A small subtle one in the Anime, Kaoru's Pyschic Shield (probably most clearly seen in episode 7) is identical in shape, colour, and style to an [[Anime/NeonGenesisEvangelion AT Field]].
** The picture [[http://fabien.li/tvtropes/zkc/ZKC_ch105_p03.png here]] is similar to a scene from Project A-ko
** In the anime, [[{{Animorphism}} Animorph]] Hatsune can morph into a Bowdlerized version of [[{{Devilman}} Sirene]].
** Sakaki is a [[Manga/BlackJack doctor who detests the Japanese medical hierarchy ''and'' wields scalpels as weapons]].
*** Cosplayed [[http://www.mangafox.com/manga/zettai_karen_children/v07/c062.5/2.html here]].
** Surprisingly nobody else seems to have caught Manga/TheWorldGodOnlyKnows ref in [[http://fabien.li/tvtropes/zkc/ZKC_ch144_p11.png this page]]
** Kaoru [[http://www.mangafox.com/manga/zettai_karen_children/v07/c062/19.html gets a hat]] [[Manga/OnePiece and accompanying outfit]].
** And [[http://www.mangafox.com/manga/zettai_karen_children/v13/c115/3.html here]] the girls freak out a la Kazuo Umezu.
** Literature/{{Carrie}}, a purely psychic alter-ego/bodiless twin of Minamoto's ex.
** Fujiko uses [[JoJosBizarreAdventure Dio's]] 'piece of bread' analogy for all the lovers she's had.
** ToLoveRu: when [[http://fabien.li/tvtropes/zkc/ZKC_ch190_p03.png Lala's here]], you know fanservice is not far!
** In the manga, the [[Film/BladeRunner Voight-Kampff test]] is used to identify espers and gauge their PowerLevels.
*** Incidentally, the [[spoiler:[[http://mangafox.me/manga/zettai_karen_children/v01/c001/46.html blaster]] issued to Minamoto bears a [[http://www.imfdb.org/wiki/Blade_Runner#LAPD_2019_blaster striking resemblance]] to Deckard's gun.]]
** Kaoru's sister [[http://www.mangafox.com/manga/zettai_karen_children/v17/c156/1.html cosplays]] [[{{Vocaloid}} Hatsune Miku]].
** In another omake, Ninja Hanzo [[Manga/{{Naruto}} has a]] [[http://www.mangafox.com/manga/zettai_karen_children/v17/c234/16.html Sharingan]].
** When Minamoto [[ItMakesSenseInContext grows younger by 10 years]], the girls force him to [[WholesomeCrossdresser cross-dress]] and he ends up [[Manga/HayateTheCombatButler looking a little]] [[http://www.otakuworks.com/view/52861/zettai-karen-children/chp-133/read/4 similar]].
** Chapter 272 shows PANDRA's senior members in a dogfight with [[Literature/HarryPotter a boy flying on a broomstick with glasses and lightning shaped scars on his face who uses a wand to cast a "Spell of Death" in the skies above London]].
** Possibly unintentional, but it seems that Dane Cook's wish for a guy who can shoot lasers out of his crotch has finally come true.
** Episode 5 of ''The Unlimited'' has Anime/LupinTheThird in a police uniform, WebVideo/TheNostalgiaCritic, and WebVideo/TheAngryVideoGameNerd [[http://ogiuemaniax.wordpress.com/2013/02/04/the-nostalgia-critic-in-zettai-karen-children-the-unlimited/ as random spectators.]] This [[https://www.facebook.com/permalink.php?story_fbid=492908027412181&id=127127037353766 didn't escape the notice]] of Creator/DougWalker, [[https://twitter.com/JesuOtaku/status/298582155024560128 or]] the [[http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uNUfk3R157U notice of]] fellow ''Website/ThatGuyWithTheGlasses'' contributor WebVideo/JesuOtaku.
* ShowWithinAShow: ''Zettai! [=ChilChil=]'' and the Franchise/{{Gundam}} mashup ''God Robo''.
* SleepCute -- The Children do this on several occasions.
* SomethingElseAlsoRises -- In one episode, Kaoru [[{{Fanservice}} gets a picture of Oboro while she's changing]]. While she's rapidly gushing about Oboro's "attributes," her camera lens is extending and retracting.
* SplitPersonality -- [[AxCrazy Phantom Daughter]] AKA [[TheChessmaster Mirage]] AKA [[OrdinaryHighSchoolStudent Yuri/The Doll]] AKA [[BodySnatcher Feather]]. Yuri is just a "container", Phantom and Mirage are [[RedOniBlueOni opposite personalities]] and Feather is an unknown interloper.
** Arabian princess Sera, due to possession.
* StayInTheKitchen -- Minamoto is a credible leader, fighter, and tactician, but he's on a team full of the world's most powerful espers, often fighting another team of the world's most powerful espers, and his teammates occassionally tell him to get out of combat. Kyosuke loves [[TheReasonYouSuck rubbing Minamoto's face in this]].
* TheStrategist -- Minamoto's second-biggest contribution to the Children (after being the TeamMom) is through cunning ploys that would make Zhuge Liang proud.
* StrawmanPolitical -- Subverted with the radical normals. While a lot of the anti-esper stuff they do is [[KickTheDog over the top]], it does get taken to that extent with real life hate.
* SuperpowerLottery -- Level 7 espers in general are vastly more capable than espers at lower levels, even Level 6s. Kyosuke, who is basically a RealityWarper thanks to his phenomenally precise telekinesis, is broken even by Level 7 standards..
* SuperpowerMeltdown -- Kaoru, semi-frequently.
* SuperRegistrationAct -- Espers face significant legal restrictions in Japanese society, including being excluded from normal schooling unless their powers can be completely [[PowerLimiter suppressed]].
* SweetTooth -- Shiho consumes large amounts of pocky.
* TakingTheBullet -- Minamoto nearly does this for Kaoru. The ensuing UnstoppableRage disintegrates the bullet, and very nearly the person who fired it.
** And in a later episode, the [[spoiler:dolphin Lieutenant Ikyuugo]] actually does it to save Taizou.
* TeamDad -- [[TheDragon Magi]]. Kyosuke [[AFatherToHisMen cares deeply about his followers]] but a responsible, organized individual he is not. In the [[http://www.mangafox.com/manga/zettai_karen_children/v17/c193/1.html manga back story]] we see that Magi has actually raised several espers into adulthood, and has the unenviable duty of riding herd on PANDRA as Kyosuke's straight man.
* TeenGenius -- Minamoto, in his past and when he was hypnotized and had his memories regressed to when he was 12.
* ThemeTuneCameo -- The Children sing an off-key version of the first ending theme in a karaoke bar at one point.
* TimeSkip -- In the last episode of the anime (and a similar point in the manga), the show jumps ahead a few years, the most prominent change being that The Children are a little older and have spiffy new uniforms.
* TalkingToHimself -- Episode 24 has interaction between Momotaro and Mio, both voiced by Rie Kugimiya.
* TeleportersAndTransporters -- Aoi and Mio
* TheThingThatGoesDoink -- Episode 11, the HotSpringsEpisode, naturally features a brief shot of one of these.
* ThemeMusicPowerUp -- "Over the Future" is played at ''least'' once an episode during a battle or similar situation.
* TheRevolutionWillNotBeCivilized -- At least three different groups. Exaggerated to the point of parody when one of the Normal People goes "We're the Normal People! We'll make mistakes that are careless and unpleasant!"
* ThirdPersonPerson -- Fujiko.
* ToTheBatpole -- When the super-submarine BABEL-2 launches, a full sequence for the launching comes with it.
** Parodied in episode 35 when they speed up the sequence by a factor of five and The Children comment, "Wah! It's fast."
* TookALevelInBadass -- after being press ganged from being a [[NonActionGuy lab technician]] into becoming the supervisor of the Children, Minamoto is sent to the [[TrainingFromHell "hellish training"]] of the JDSF special forces. He comes back as BABEL's resident BadassNormal.
** As of their latest appearance, the Normal People seem to have become much more competant terrorists (for all the good it does them.)
* TortureAlwaysWorks -- Subverted. The Normal People torture Minamoto for information and it doesn't work. When [[SuchALovelyNoun they bring Kaoru into the room for additional leverage,]] they just [[BatmanGambit fall into a trap Minamoto had prepared before hand]].
* TransformationSequence -- The act of disabling the girls' power limiters also causes them to transform to their default BABEL uniforms, despite this not being necessary for them to use their powers.
** In the above submarine episode, the girls are put in scuba-like suits, then transform into their BABEL uniforms... then five seconds later are [[MST3KMantra right back in the scuba gear]].
** Aoi is good enough to teleport their clothes on, [[JustifiedTrope if an explanation is needed]].
*** Kaoru will probably be quite happy to take advantage of that.
* {{Tsundere}} -- Kaoru has a tendency to express frustration or embarrassment by throwing Minamoto into a wall. [[CharacterDevelopment She does this less as she gets older]].
** [[http://www.mangafox.com/manga/zettai_karen_children/v10/c087/14.html "I'm stuck between appreciating how moe she is and being pissed off!"]]
* TotemPoleTrench -- Kaoru, Aoi, and Shiho do this while infiltrating a school.
* TyrantTakesTheHelm -- the previous supervisor, Suma. Thankfully BABEL drops her like an annoyed tarantula.
* {{Unobtainium}} -- the so-called "rare metal", which can be used to store the "psychic fingerprint" of a particular person with psychic abilities and, ultimatively, the soul of a dead psychic.
* UnskilledButStrong -- The girls' relative lack of training or combat experience frequently puts them at a disadvantage against [[WeakButSkilled weaker but more experienced]] espers.
* VillainsOutShopping -- When Kyousuke isn't organizing PANDRA or plotting, he's...playing video games with Momotaro. And losing.
* VitriolicBestBuds -- Kaoru and Miu.
** Kyosuke and Momotaro.
* XanatosSpeedChess -- Minamoto is usually a devotee of the BatmanGambit, but during a training exercise against the The Children he finds out that the chief is [[http://www.mangafox.com/manga/zettai_karen_children/v03/c020/6.html rigging the contest]]. Minamoto takes it in stride and [[http://www.mangafox.com/manga/zettai_karen_children/v03/c021/6.html decides that it can work to his benefit]]
* WeaselMascot -- Momotaro, Kyousuke's [[TalkingAnimal psychic flying squirrel]].
* WhamEpisode -- OVA episode #1 sends the message loud and clear in the first two minutes: the OVA isn't going to be nearly as lighthearted as the TV series.
** The "As Time Goes By Arc" in the manga. HOLY crap...
* WhatMeasureIsANonHuman -- Minamoto at first thinks Momotaru is a dangerous animal to be put down rather than a being with rights. Kaoru [[BerserkButton doesn't take it well]]. Later in that episode, this is discussed when Kyosuke comments that he doesn't see himself as human and humans don't either, and challenges Minamoto to shoot him and prove his point. Of course, the Normal People see all espers as nonhumans who should be destroyed.
** WhatMeasureIsANonSuper -- The flip side of the above. As far as he's concerned, Kyosuke and other espers ''aren't'' part of humanity, and humans need to be destroyed for the protection of the esper race. Minamoto and BABEL try to TakeAThirdOption and work for harmony between humans and espers, while The Children don't even make us-and-them distinctions in the first place.
* WhyDontYouJustShootHim -- Invoked by [[PhysicalGod Kyosuke]] when he explains why he doesn't kill [[BadassNormal Minamoto]]. Kyosuke knows that Kaoru would immediately [[RoaringRampageOfRevenge hunt him down like a dog]], and he recognizes that Minamoto is the most devoted guardian that Kaoru has (and Kyosuke hates him for it).
* WifeHusbandry -- Attempted, but only partially successful: Naomi's supervisor Tanizaki engaging in this is the reason she changed from a sweet and quiet girl to a MoodSwinger once The Children helped her realize it.
** Later, when Minamoto and Aoi visit Aoi's home during a mission, her father and brother worry that Minamoto might be trying something similar with Aoi. Aoi's obvious fondness for Minamoto does not help matters.
* WiseBeyondTheirYears: Although ten, Shiho has a pretty good idea of how dark the world can be thanks to her powers. Minamoto finds it a little disconcerting that even solving murder cases by ''psychicly extracting clues from the murder weapons'' doesn't really upset her.
* TenMinuteRetirement -- [[spoiler: Minamoto finally blows his stack after catching Fujiko and the Children playing games with him during a mission. He comes back after Fujiko spends an episode messing with his head and he blows his stack at her.]]
* TheWorfEffect -- In his initial appearance, Grisham [[NamesToRunAwayFromReallyFast 'ESPer Killer']] is a {{Cloudcuckoolander}} BadassGrandpa in a BadassLongcoat who manhandles and manipulates BABEL and Comerica. His second appearance? Jobbing to some punk who decides Grisham is NotWorthKilling.
** Admittedly, said 'Punk' is capable of going head-to-head with Major Kyosuke, and it eventually took a LimitBreak from Kaoru to stop him. He was also under MoreThanMindControl at the time, making him [[WorfHadTheFlu immune to Grisham's telepathic attacks]].
* WorldWarTwo: An important part of the series' backstory.
* XMeetsY -- ''PowerpuffGirls'' meets ''Franchise/{{X-Men}}''. Complete with its {{Magneto}}.
* YaoiFangirl -- Patty of PANDRA. Needless to say, she's thrilled by the FoeYay between [[BigBad Hyobu]] and Minamoto.
** The Children also get starry-eyed at an apparent HomoeroticSubtext scene between Minamoto and Sakaki. [[FaceFault Gravity ensues]] when it turns out to be NotWhatItLooksLike.
* YouCantFightFate -- Kyosuke constantly states that Kaoru's future FaceHeelTurn is inevitable, and that Minamoto's attempts to resist are pointless, but he's not above using LaserGuidedAmnesia to make sure fate stays inevitable.
** Subverted in that he is trying to avoid the fate of [[spoiler:having Kaoru killed by Minamoto]]
* YouHaveFailedMe -- Averted. Kyosuke's treatment of his underlings is a textbook example of GenreSavvy villainy.
** Played straight with Black Phantom: [[spoiler: upon failing a mission, their agents are ordered to kill themselves as part of the hypnosis that was placed on them.]]
* YouShallNotPass -- Done nearly verbatim by the professor from the Carrie Flashbacks to the G-men. They don't take him seriously. [[OhCrap Then the school football team gets involved...]]
* ZettaiRyouiki -- Mio sports this look. The Children get it as part of a costume upgrade when they hit middle school.
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