History YMMV / PopTeamEpic

* WhatDoYouMeanItWasntMadeOnDrugs: The series is utterly nonsensical and random, so much that it makes many wonder what on earth Bkub (and the anime staff) are smoking.

** "Are you mad?"/"I'm not mad."[[note]]The skit where Popuko punches Pipimi and then ask if she's upset about it, and Pipimi responds that she isn't, became very popoular to recreate after the anime came out.[[/note]]

* AcceptableTargets:
** "Subculture", its "bitches", chatspeakers, smokers, and {{Hipster}}s are among the common targets of the series.
** The anime loves to poke fun at {{Cliche|Storm}}d series. The idol romcom ShowWithinAShow that (initially) doesn't exist, ''Manga/HoshiiroGirldrop'', is the series' resident [[TheChewToy chew toy]], and Popuko and Pipimi have also invaded stereotypical [[EasternRPG JRPG]] and {{Shoujo}} anime to take the piss out of and derail as much as possible. This one's a bit more of give-and-take, since they put out as many {{Affectionate Parod|y}}ies of such series (Hellshake Yano's documentary is played completely straight, as is "The Dragon of Iidabashi" and "Ginza Hostess Detective" give or take a few quirks) as much as they do piss takes.

** Season 2 Episode 5 gives us the insert song "Shining Shoulder", which is a song parodying the power metal genre and contains dramatic instrumentation and impressive vocals. Part A's version is especially good due to the vocals from Creator/JunkoMinagawa and Creator/YukiKaida, both of whom display SurprisinglyGoodEnglish throughout.

** A scene in the first episode of the anime features Pipimi saving Popuko from a facility that was keeping the latter in a pod, with the background music sounding very similar to "Come And Get Your Love" by Redbone. This similarity was definitely intentional, since a "Pop Team Epic" title card in the style of the ''Film/GuardiansOfTheGalaxy'' title card appears in the scene, and "Come And Get Your Love" plays in the opening scene of that movie.

** In one strip where Pipimi asks Pokupo to do something funny for a short Internet video, Popuko delivers a [[MotorMouth rapid-fire delivery]] of a ''rakugo'' routine. In the English release, she instead recites from ''Literature/TheDivineComedy''.

*** One strip is a reference to the [[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JLDch41V3XM Lassen Gorelai]] videoclip. In order to make the gag more comprehensible, the translation completely rewrites the strip to make it about clones and their lack of free will.

** The anime loves to pole fun at {{Cliche|Storm}}d series. The idol romcom ShowWithinAShow that (initially) doesn't exist, ''Manga/HoshiiroGirldrop'', is the series' resident [[TheChewToy chew toy]], and Popuko and Pipimi have also invaded stereotypical [[EasternRPG JRPG]] and {{Shoujo}} anime to take the piss out of and derail as much as possible. This one's a bit more of give-and-take, since they put out as many {{Affectionate Parod|y}}ies of such series (Hellshake Yano's documentary is played completely straight, as is "The Dragon of Iidabashi" and "Ginza Hostess Detective" give or take a few quirks) as much as they do piss takes.

** {{Cliche|Storm}}d series in the anime. The idol romcom ShowWithinAShow that (initially) doesn't exist, ''Manga/HoshiiroGirldrop'', is the series' resident [[TheChewToy chew toy]], and Popuko and Pipimi have also invaded stereotypical [[EasternRPG JRPG]] and {{Shoujo}} anime to take the piss out of and derail as much as possible. This one's a bit more of give-and-take, since they put out as many {{Affectionate Parod|y}}ies of such series (Hellshake Yano's documentary is played completely straight, as is "The Dragon of Iidabashi" and "Ginza Hostess Detective" give or take a few quirks) as much as they do piss takes.
* AdaptationDisplacement: The anime goes in such a different direction from the manga that some readers may be surprised it started out as a relatively simpler gag strip that's devoid of some of the anime's iconic aspects.
** The "Pop Team Story" segments are more well-known in its anime format, leading to the manga version throwing newcomers off.

*** Creator/ShoutaAoi is the fourth [[Series/KamenRiderZiO Time Jacker]].[[note]]Since both shows aired in the same year, Shouta Aoi's appearance and abilities shown in Season 1 Episode 12 soon tied him up with said gang in''Zio'' among Japanese netizens for trying to change the past in their favor. The joke also comes to full circle in Episode 14 and the Opening of Season 2.[[/note]]

%%** "Eisai haramasukoi!" [[note]]This references a strip where Popuko makes up a dance, then asks Pipimi if it would catch on (who says it will, not wanting to make Popuko cry by saying that it won't). Appears in Episode 8 and 11, the former during a "Bob Epic Team" skit and the latter replacing the OP, being a club mix instead. That episode also featured the gag as a surprise add-on to the ''Bob Epic Team'' version of the "letters" skit.[[/note]] %%ZCE, needs explanation of how/why this is a popular meme

%% ** Creator/ShoutaAoi is the fourth [[Series/KamenRiderZiO Time Jacker]].[[note]]His appearance and abilities shown in Season 1 Episode 12 actually makes him look and act like one, not helped by the fact that the two shows aired in the same year. The joke comes to full circle in Episode 14 and the Opening of Season 2.[[/note]] %%ZCE, needs explanation of how/why this is a popular meme

** The Season 2 opening [[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NWdEOhD4HYw PSYCHO:LOGY]] is a hardcore techno/rock song, complete with epic guitars and eery vocals.

** "''Pop Team Epic'' is a better YuriGenre story than ''{{Manga/Citrus}}''." [[labelnote:Explanation]]''Citrus'' involves two female characters who fall in love [[{{IncestSubtext}} after their parents conveniently get remarried to each other]]. There are also scenes of sexual assault, and some yuri fans are kind of sick of or uncomfortable with both tropes. Meanwhile, ''Poptipepic'' has jokes like "Pipimi uses her God-like powers to tell Popuko she loves her a whole lot".[[/labelnote]] %%ZCE, needs explanation of how/why this is a popular meme

** In the English dub, in order to match the tune of the Japanese version's, the Nursery Rhyme used in the original Japanese was replaced with "Little Bunny Foo Foo".

** In the Italian subtitles of Season 1 Episode 5, the scene where Pipimi and Popuko do the "Char's Gelgoog Dance" is changed into "practicing their [[VideoGame/PerfectDark strafe running]]"