History Anime / SchoolDays

%%* DeathBySex: Both [[spoiler: Makoto and Sekai]] are a straight example.

While the original game was a story that aimed to subvert the Harem genre with its many twists and dark themes, this anime series presents a story that starts out with a happy innocent mood, but [[CerebusSyndrome gradually becomes much darker]], and by the end [[SurpriseCreepy plummets deep into the]] [[DownerEnding pits of despair, angst, and violence]]…

Sensitive, [[IdiotPlot idiocy-intolerant]], or squeamish viewers, beware!

%%* IdiotBall: Applies to [[IdiotPlot everyone]].

* RealityIsUnrealistic: Many who dislike the show have cited the unlikeable characters and the IdiotPlot as reasons for why they've hated it. Some who enjoy the show have actually cited these things as reasons for ''why'' they like it, as the main character's refusal to remain faithful to his girlfriend coupled with his ReallyGetsAround nature is something that many men, especially in this day and age, unfortunately do to their partners.
* SadistShow: Take one {{Jerkass}} protagonist, one [[ClingyJealousGirl passive-aggressive Clingy Jealous]] ShrinkingViolet, and one kind but thoughtless [[MatchmakerCrush Matchmaker with a Crush]], and put them in a decent-sized Japanese high school. Apply drama and stir thoroughly until emotions bubble to the surface. Boil off all [[PoorCommunicationKills cross-communication]] and [[IdiotPlot common sense]], then let the mix settle for twelve episodes. Serving size: One anime.
%%* SchoolFestival: One that is actually VERY important to the IdiotPlot.

While the original game was a story that aimed to subvert the Harem genre with its many twists and dark themes, this anime series takes it UpToEleven by presenting a story that starts out with a happy innocent mood, but [[CerebusSyndrome gradually becomes much darker]], and by the end [[SurpriseCreepy plummets deep into the]] [[DownerEnding pits of despair, angst, and violence]]…

%%* ClingyJealousGirl: Kotonoha was one in some paths of the original game but here she takes it UpToEleven.

* AdultFear:
** What if ''your'' significant other turned out to be sleeping with others behind your back?
** What if you suddenly found out you were pregnant? [[spoiler:Or that your partner tried to fake being pregnant in order to stop you from breaking up with them?]]

%%* TooDumbToLive: Did we mention that 'IdiotPlot' was involved? ''[[WhatAnIdiot Everyone]]'' is like this. ARGH.

->'''Makoto Itou:''' ''If you keep a photo of the person you like on your cellphone for three weeks and nobody finds out, your love will be realized, huh? That's just stupid.''

!!'''This show provides examples of:'''

* IfICantHaveYou: In the last episode, [[spoiler:Sekai kills Makoto after he chose Kotonoha over her.]]

* BrokenAesop: What the creators were trying to do was teach the male audience to never be unfaithful no matter what. Which is fine and all... expect by the end we see at the end that clearly the message is that you should murder your despicable, jerkass of a boyfriend and the girl who you claim has seduced your boyfriend into cheating on you, even though for the latter’s case is just as much as the victim as you.

* {{Deconstruction}}: By the end, you will have an idea of how a Harem anime would go in real life if a guy really ''[[RealityEnsues did]]'' treat a group of young women that all had feelings for him like your typical H-Game player treats the female characters of a game — and if some of those women happened to be extremely unstable. ''Most'' real people wouldn't react like that. Some would. Also, it makes it clear that someone pursuing solely his or her own pleasure with everyone in sight while paying no attention to the effects that are having on others is an immature, maladjusted jerkass.

Finally, there's also a manga, which is much more family friendly than the anime. Makoto, much less of a {{Jerkass}} here, manages to resist Sekai for most of the run; when he finally gives in to temptation, he feels so bad about it that [[TheAtoner he is prepared to break up with her]]... [[DownerEnding until stuff happens]]. Almost more disturbing than the anime, in a subtle way. There's a manga adaptation for ''Cross Days'' as well, which follows Yuuki, the protagonist of the game, and which gets dubious props for somehow making Makoto even more of a jerk than he is in the anime. No, really.

* AscendedMeme: "Nice Boat" started as one [=4chan=] commentator's dry remark following an outpouring of shock due to Episode 12 being replaced with 30 minutes of Norwegian scenery and classical music [[DistancedFromCurrentEvents following the news of a girl murdering her father with an axe]]. The meme became so widespread, 0verflow [[AscendedFanon named their Comiket 73 booth as such]].

** Kadokawa run a 45 second video of a Nice Boat, the day that the first episode of ''Manga/HaruhiChan'' was supposed to be uploaded. The video had a message saying that they couldn't finish it on time. The episode was uploaded the next day.
* AudibleSharpness: You haven't [[IncrediblyLamePun heard saw]] until you've [[IncrediblyLamePun heard saw]] in this anime.
* BaitAndSwitchCredits: In the beginning of the anime, the OP seems fitting. Later on, it becomes so nauseatingly happy in contrast to the story that by the last episode, the show doesn't use the OP anymore, but just the "School Days"-Logo crashing like a destroyed sheet of glass. Somewhat justified as the first episode started the same way.

* BitchInSheepsClothing: Pretty much every single character.

* Broken Aesop: What the creators were trying to do was teach the male audience to never be unfaithful no matter what. Which is fine and all... expect by the end we see at the end that clearly the message is that you should murder your despicable, jerkass of a boyfriend and the girl who you claim has seduced your boyfriend into cheating on you, even though for the latter’s case is just as much as the victim as you.
* ButtMonkey: Kotonoha is treated EVEN WORSE than in the original Visual Novel ‘’Bloody End’’ paths. Definitely not played for laughs.
* CerebusSyndrome: In order for it to adapt to the visual novel's {{Downer Ending}}s, this was intentional.

* CherryBlossoms: Omnipresent enough to make you gag. Which is probably [[DownerEnding the point]].
* ClingyJealousGirl: Kotonoha was one in some paths of the original game but here she takes it UpToEleven.

* DeathBySex: Both [[spoiler: Makoto and Sekai]] are a straight example.

* {{Deconstruction}}: By the end, you will have an idea of how a Harem anime would go in real life. Spoiler, not pretty well.
** [[AnAesop Long story short]], it shows what could happen if a guy really ''[[RealityEnsues did]]'' treat a group of young women that all had feelings for him like your typical H-Game player treats the female characters of a game — and if some of those women happened to be extremely unstable. ''Most'' real people wouldn't react like that. Some would.
** Also, it makes it clear that someone pursuing solely his or her own pleasure with everyone in sight while paying no attention to the effects that are having on others is an immature, maladjusted jerkass.

* DownerEnding: Although judging by most of the anime's entries, it probably fit into non-sexual {{fanservice}} to most tropers who saw it. After the nice boat, that is.

* DutchAngle: Used a fair amount in the later episodes when things go to hell.
* DysfunctionJunction: The ''whole'' high school seems to be surrounded by a reality distortion field.
* EstablishingCharacterMoment:
** In the first episode of the anime, Makoto exposits on a supposed love charm activated by keeping your crush's picture as your cell phone wallpaper. We hear him think, "What bullshit," in an unpleasant tone right before he tries to delete his picture of Kotonoha.

* FaceHeelTurn: I mean, I guess Makoto was supposed to be the good guy in the beginning right?

* {{Fanservice}}: Lots among the girls. {{Panty shot}}s in particular are quite abundant. The implied sex Makoto has with pretty much every last one of them.

* {{Flanderization}}: About halfway through, the characters' personalities get flattened into flimsy pancakes. [[GenreDeconstruction Apparently, it's intentional.]]
* FromBadToWorse: Starting from episode 5, this series becomes a perfect example of this trope.

* GroinAttack: Makoto gets one in episode 9.
* HateSink: Makoto was clearly intentionally written to be a character for the audience to hate on. In fact, most of the characters in the series were pretty unlikable.
* HighPressureBlood: The ending.
* HotSpringsEpisode: The beginning of the ''Valentine Days'' {{OVA}}.
* IdiotBall: Applies to [[IdiotPlot everyone]].

* JerkAss: Makoto, Makoto, Makoto… and oh yeah, MAKOTO! He's a far more honorable man in the manga though.
** Taisuke also counts, as he takes advantage of Kotonoha and is (at least vocally) more perverted than Makoto.

* LoveTriangle: That is, if you discount [[spoiler:half a dozen other girls - Makoto certainly does!]]
** However, the manga is more of a [[DeconstructedTrope deconstruction]] of the trope since it only focuses on Kotonoha and Sekai.

* AManIsAlwaysEager: Pretty much played straight, with disastrous consequences.
* MoodWhiplash:
** The sudden change from comedy to drama. See GenreShift above.
** Also a pretty severe case with the finale: the final scene before the credits is Kotonoha floating out to sea with [[spoiler:Makoto's severed head, having very clearly gone off the deep end]] before going to the happy ending tune. After the credits roll, we hear a repeat of Makoto's internal monologue about his admiration of Kotonoha from the first episode, playing over a montage of all the other students happily going about their days as if two of their classmates [[spoiler:hadn't just brutally died.]]

* RealityIsUnrealistic: Many who dislike the show have cited the unlikable characters and the IdiotPlot as reasons for why they've hated it. Some who enjoy the show have actually cited these things as reasons for ''why'' they like it, as the main character's refusal to remain faithful to his girlfriend coupled with his ReallyGetsAround nature is something that many men, especially in this day and age, unfortunately do to their partners.

* SchoolFestival: One that is actually VERY important to the IdiotPlot.
* SecretRelationship: Makoto tries to have this with everyone.
* ShoutOut: ''~Magical Heart Kokoro-chan~'' has several, as expected of a ParodyEpisode.

* ShootTheShaggyDog: I guess this is one of those examples where most people will be grateful for it.

* TooDumbToLive: Did we mention that 'IdiotPlot' was involved? ''[[WhatAnIdiot Everyone]]'' is like this. ARGH.
** It does seem it's aware of this itself and thus...

* TragicHero: Makoto in the manga. This, however, is in direct contrast to the [[JerkAss fuckwad]] he is in the Anime.
* UnwantedHarem: At first. Then he lets it get to his head, and things... well, end up the way they did.

* WhatDoesSheSeeInHim: They do technically answer this but at the end of it all, it doesn't justify ''nearly'' enough of what happens. To clarify, what they see in him is two things: One, he's a nice enough guy to be a bully hunter and to make others feel confident and special. Two, he's amazing in bed.
* WhatTheHellHero:
** Makoto. Played straight in the anime, averted in the manga. See ManipulativeBastard.
** Sekai: In Episode 12, Sekai has a vision where Setsuna calls her out for her actions around Makoto, pointing out that she was the catalyst for the love triangle and its tragic consequences.

* {{Yandere}}:
** Although [[spoiler:Sekai ''did'' stab Makoto to death]], it's [[spoiler:Kotonoha]] that sets a new standard for this one. Oh boy.
** Reversed in the manga. [[spoiler:Holy crap, Sekai is creepy...]]

** What if you suddenly found out you were pregnant? [[spoiler:Or that your partner tried to fake being pregnant in order to stop you breaking up with them?]]

** The anime completely erased Makoto’s internal struggles and good heart nature in order to turn him into a complete Jerkass. This is also true for pretty much all of the supporting cast who had all their positive traits completely removed in order to present them as Jerkasses as well. The only ones who were saved from this are Sekai and Kotonoha, and then just barely.

* DeathBySex: Both [[spoiler:Makoto and Sekai]] are a straight example.
* DeconstructedCharacterArchetype: It begins like a typical HaremAnime, with the [[RidiculouslyAverageGuy average-looking protagonist]], suddenly gaining the attention of many cute girls at his high school. However, unlike other shows that play it for laughs, this show gives the viewer a realistic example of what can happen when a boy suddenly starts getting with different girls and the psychological damage that it can cause, from [[spoiler:the protagonist seeing the girls as nothing but sex objects, to the girls that really care about the protagonist getting mentally damaged by his behavior — so much so that one could be driven to commit murder]].
* {{Deconstruction}}: By the end you will have an idea of how a Harem anime would go in RealLife. Spoiler, not pretty well.

** Also, it makes it clear that someone pursuing solely his or her own pleasure with everyone in sight while paying no attention to the effects that's having on others is an immature, maladjusted jerkass.

* ZettaiRyouiki:
** Part of the standard school uniform
** Invoked by name (albeit in GratuitousEnglish) during the SchoolFestival episode.
** Also for Kokoro's Magical Heart outfit.

* RealityIsUnrealistic: Many who dislike the show have cited the unlikable characters and the IdiotPlot as reasons for why they've hated it. Some who enjoy the show have actually cited these things as reasons for ''why'' they like it, as the main character's [[YourCheatingHeart refusal to remain faithful to his girlfriend]] coupled with his ReallyGetsAround nature is something that many men, especially in this day and age, unfortunately do to their partners.

* YourCheatingHeart: This trope drives the whole plot.

* RelaxOVision: After a particularly nasty RealLife incident in Japan where an AxCrazy schoolgirl murdered her dad, the final episode was deemed TooSoon and replaced by an episode of random peaceful Norwegian scenery, which included a rather nice boat. See AscendedMeme.

* AscendedMeme: "Nice Boat" started as one [=4chan=] commentator's dry remark following an outpouring of shock due to Episode 12 being replaced with 30 minutes of Norwegian scenery and classical music [[TooSoon following the news of a girl murdering her father with an axe]]. The meme became so widespread, 0verflow [[AscendedFanon named their Comiket 73 booth as such]].

* DownerEnding: Although [[SnarkBait judging by most of the anime's entries]], it probably fit into non-sexual {{fanservice}} to most tropers who saw it. After the nice boat, that is.

** The anime completely erased Makoto’s internal struggles and good heart nature in order to turn him into a complete Jerkass borderline CompleteMonster. This is also true for pretty much all of the supporting cast who had all their positive traits completely removed in order to present them as Jerkasses as well. The only ones who were saved from this are Sekai and Kotonoha, and then just barely.

* WomanInWhite: Kotonoha and Sekai in the opening credits.

* ClingyJealousGirl: Kotonoha was one in some paths of the original game but here she TakesItUpToEleven.
* CreditsJukebox: [[Website/AnimeNewsNetwork ANN]] lists 8 ending themes in a [[ThirteenEpisodeAnime twelve-episode series]]. Some of them come from the original visual novel.

[[redirect:VisualNovel/SchoolDays]]

[[quoteright:300:[[YandereLoveTriangle http://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/schooldays1.png]]]]
[[caption-width-right:300:[[ItGotWorse It got worse]]. [[HighOctaneNightmareFuel Much worse]]. Innocent Anime HaremSeries this is not.]]
->''If you keep the person you like on your cell-phone wallpaper for three weeks without anyone finding out, your feelings will be answered.''

''SchoolDays'' is, at first glance, a romantic comedy in which the male protagonist, [[OrdinaryHighSchoolStudent Makoto Itou]], falls in love with [[TheOjou Kotonoha Katsura]], a girl at his high school who happens to travel with the same train he does. Since he is shy about approaching her, he [[PlayingCyrano gets help from Sekai Saionji]], a girl in his class who turns out to be in love with him herself. Naturally, a love triangle ensues, testing the limits of everyone's feelings.

The anime is an AnimatedAdaptation of an animated VisualNovel of the same name. Despite only three of the game's 21 endings being such, the game is infamous for its violent "bad endings", which include such things as Makoto's scorned ex-lovers [[SpurnedIntoSuicide going]] [[DrivenToSuicide suicidal]] or [[{{Yandere}} downright]] [[MurderTheHypotenuse murderous]]. The series starts out with a happy, innocent mood, but [[CerebusSyndrome gradually becomes much darker]] and by the end plummets deep into the [[DownerEnding pits of despair, angst and violence]]....

...and lulz, depending on how much you hated the character by the end. Ultimately, the anime is like watching the worst ending possible on a visual novel.

Sensitive, [[IdiotPlot idiocy-intolerant]] or squeamish viewers, beware!

The game was followed by two sequels. The first, ''Summer Days'', is an AlternateTimeline prequel following [[EnsembleDarkhorse Sekai's friend]] Setsuna in a WhatIf relationship with Makoto the summer before. The second, ''Cross Days'', is a POVSequel which runs parallel to the events of the first game, following a new character, Yuuki Ashikaga, who also has feelings for Kotonoha and thus becomes involved in the infamous love triangle, unwittingly setting off one of his own.

There are also two OVA episodes, ''Valentine Days'' and ''Magical Heart Kokoro-chan'', that exist in [[AlternateContinuity Alternate Continuities]]. Especially in the latter's case, which turns most of the main females into {{Sentai}} and/or {{Magical Girl}}s with liberal amounts of randomness and SchoolDays-style {{fanservice}} and gore.

Finally, there's also a manga, which is much more family friendly than the anime. Makoto, much less of a JerkAss here, manages to resist Sekai for most of the run; when he finally gives in to temptation, he feels so bad about it that [[TheAtoner he is prepared to break up with her]]... [[DownerEnding until stuff happens.]] Almost more disturbing than the anime, in a subtle way.
----

'''This show provides examples of:'''

* AdaptationDistillation: One could view the manga like this, as in its continuity Makoto has noticeably toned down his {{Jerkass}} {{Casanova}} tendencies and seems to actually care about Kotonoha and Sekai.
* AdjectiveNounFred: ''~Magical Heart Kokoro-chan~'' {{OVA}}.
* AllThereIsToKnowAboutTheCryingGame : The anime is best known for its "[[MemeticMutation Nice Boat]]" ending.
** To explain: In the final episode, [[spoiler:one of the girls goes AxeCrazy in a fairly literal sense, killing Makoto before being killed by Kotonoha in turn]]. A similar event happened in real life in Tokyo just days before, and the networks decided not to air the final episode in order to avoid any [[DoesThisRemindYouOfAnything unfortunate parallels]]. Instead, they ran a half hour travel documentary that included one section about the Fjord1 ferry. Somebody from 4chan took a screen grab of the boat and labeled it "NICE BOAT".
*** Oddly enough, the last episode ends with Kotonoha hugging Makoto[[spoiler:'s severed head]] on a [[strike: yacht]] NICE BOAT.
**** On that note, at the end of ''~Magical Heart Kokoro-chan~'' [[spoiler: where it's '''literally''' spelled out for you on Kokoro's inflatable raft]]. See AscendedMeme and MemeticMutation below.
* TheAnimeOfTheGame: The original PC VisualNovel was released in Japan on April 28, 2005. The {{Anime}} ran in Japan from July 3 - September 27, 2007. See AnimatedAdaptation in the description above.
* AscendedMeme: "Nice Boat" started as one [=4chan=] commentator's dry remark following an outpouring of shock due to Episode 12 being replaced with 30 minutes of Norwegian scenery and classical music [[TooSoon following the news of a girl murdering her father with an axe]]. The meme became so widespread 0verflow [[SureWhyNot named their Comiket 73 booth as such]].
** Also see the ShoutOut at the end of ''~Magical Heart Kokoro-chan~'''.
** Kadokawa run a 45 second video of a Nice Boat, the day that the first episode of {{Haruhi-Chan}} was supposed to be uploaded. The video had a message saying that they couldn't finish it on time. The episode was uploaded the next day.
* AudibleSharpness: You haven't [[IncrediblyLamePun heard saw]] until you've [[IncrediblyLamePun heard saw]] in this anime.
* [[spoiler:BaitAndSwitchCredits: In the beginning of the anime, the OP seems fitting. Later on, it becomes so nauseatingly happy in contrast to the story this troper (who always watches the [=OPs=]) was unable to watch them and had to skip them. The last episode didn't use the OP anymore, but just the "School Days"-Logo crashing like a destroyed sheet of glass.]]
* BalancedHarem: Brutally subverted, as casually spending time with all possible options turns out about as badly as humanly possible.
** It ''is'' possible to achieve harem endings in the game. In the original, there were almost as many harem outcomes as Bad Ends. Remakes have continued adding more and more bad endings, making the harem progressively more difficult to achieve...
* BettyAndVeronica: With Makoto as Archie, Sekai as Betty and Kotonoha as Veronica. [[spoiler: In the games, we have three possible {{Third Option Love Interest}}s: Hikari, Otome and Setsuna.]]
* BigScrewedUpFamily: Makoto's family line seems to qualify.
* BlackBlood: [[spoiler:The broadcast version of the ending. The DVD version leaves all the blood in its red glory.]]
* BreastExpansion: Episode 5, one character uses inflatable bikini inserts to give herself large breasts.
* BrotherSisterIncest: What a bunch of fans don't know, [[NoExportForYou partly because of one of the great problems in the series]], is that in the game Summer Days, that is chronologically before School Days, it shows that [[spoiler: Shun Hazama is the father of Sekai, Ketsuna and the twins of Summer Days Kazuha and Futaba, and their mothers are all his half sisters. Since Makoto can have sex with Youko in Summer Days, this apply to him as well, since he is half brother of Youko too.]]
** In the same game and in Snow Radish vacation [[spoiler:Tomaru Sawagoe is the father in six consecutive generations, the first one with his half-sister.]] Genetics hooray!
* ButtMonkey: Kotonoha
* CherryBlossoms: Omnipresent enough to make you gag. Which is probably [[DownerEnding the point]].
* ClingyJealousGirl: And HOW.
* CreditsJukebox: AnimeNewsNetwork lists 8 ending themes in a ThirteenEpisodeAnime.
* DeathBySex: Errrrr...
* {{Deconstruction}}: Arguably the main point of the series is to deconstruct the HaremGenre, {{h-game}} adaptation dramas, and other {{slice of life}} style romance anime series. This is every harem trope going horrifically wrong.
** Long story short, it shows what could happen if someone really ''did'' treat a group of young women that all had feelings for him like your typical h-game player treats the female characters of a game, if some of those women happened to be extremely unstable. ''Most'' real people wouldn't react like that. Some would.
** Also, it makes it clear that someone pursuing solely his or her own pleasure with everyone in sight while paying no attention to the effects that's having on others is an immature, maladjusted jerkass.
* DevelopmentHell: ''Cross Days'' was delayed no less than SIX times, from its original release date of February 2009 to March 19th, 2010.
* DownerEnding: Although [[SnarkBait judging by most of the anime's entries]], it probably fit into non-sexual {{fanservice}} to most tropers who saw it. After the nice boat, that is. [[spoiler:Not to mention that the Bad Endings of the game are bad enough in the original version, and get even ''worse'' in the [=PS2=] extension.]]
** The Manga, though fewer people die is still quite the downer. [[spoiler:Although Makoto survives his injuries trying to protect Sekai from Kotonoha, he later learns that during his hospitalization Sekai has killed Kotonoha to be with him...]]
* DutchAngle
* DysfunctionJunction: The ''whole'' high school seems to be surrounded by a reality distortion field.
* EvenEvilHasStandards: Sure, ALL the girls in the 10th grade are spreading like peanut butter for Makoto and each don't mind in the least that they're not the only one; but they '''all''' drew the line at Makoto loudly and publicly abandoning his unborn child and ''collectively'' dropped him like a sack of shit.
** Ironically, Makoto himself has standards by standing up for Kotonoha against Otome's GirlPosse.
* FanDisservice: Towards the end of the anime, when things go to hell, [[spoiler: Makoto is murdered by Sekai]], whose [[PantyShot panties are clearly seen]] as she does so and later sits in a pool of [[spoiler: Makoto]]'s blood. The scene where [[spoiler: Kotonoha murders Sekai, cuts open her stomach and checks to see if she's pregnant while in a short miniskirt]] counts as well.
* {{Fanservice}}: Lots among the girls. {{Panty shot}}s in particular are quite abundant. Not to mention the implied sex Makoto has with [[strike: many]] every last one of them.
* FanServiceWithASmile: Sekai in her [[ImpossiblyLowNeckline waitress]] [[BareYourMidriff uniform]], complete with DetachedSleeves. The {{Meido}} uniforms from the SchoolFestival also count for this trope.
** Which often turns into FanDisservice, on account of it being present in even the most horrifying scenes.
* FanTranslation: As of August 2010, a partial translation patch (the first three chapters of the original H-Game) has been released by Sekai Project.
** Overflow, the company responsible for School Days, has endorsed the fan translation effort. This is quite different from the various VisualNovel companies which sent cease and desist letters to fan translators in 2010.
*** Forget fan translation, School Days HQ has been licensed. [[PromotedFanboy The fan translators have become the official localization team.]]
* FirstGirlWins: Played with quite a lot. Kotonoha is the first girl the audience sees, Sekai is the first girl who talks to Makoto, and Otome was the first girl Makoto met, chronologically speaking.
* {{Flanderization}}: About half-way through the characters' personalities get flattened into flimsy pancakes. [[GenreDeconstruction Apparently, it's intentional.]]
* FridgeBrilliance: How come Otome's friends get away scot free? [[spoiler: [[MuggingTheMonster They don't.]] See KarmaHoudini or the WMG for the reason why.]]
* GayOption: ''Cross Days'' has plenty.
* GenerationXerox: On further searching for information on this anime/manga/Visual Novel...[[spoiler: It turns out Sekai and Setsuna's dad is Makoto's half brother, and in one TenchiSolution ending of the visual novel Makoto does the same thing his brother does and gets the girls pregnant. This time though they don't try to kill each other because they both realized they love Makoto but rather both decide to tell Makoto the ''wonderful'' news at the same time.]]
* GenreShift: Starts as a light-hearted and slightly ecchi comedy, finishes as a big melodrama. And in the final episode, it turns into [[spoiler:slasher horror...]]
* GirlPosse: Otome's friends Minami, Kumi and Natsumi are a ''really'' nasty and cruel version. By the end of the series their AlphaBitch, Otome, ends up as being ''less'' bitchy than them.
* GoodGirlsAvoidAbortion: In the anime, after one of the girls tells Makoto she's pregnant, he pressures her to get an abortion simply because [[spoiler: all the other girls he's been sleeping with refuse to after they hear how he treated the girl he got preggers]]. In other words, the concept of an abortion is used to drive home what a total {{Jerkass}} he is.
* {{Gorn}}: In addition to all of the HighPressureBlood in the bad game ends and the end of the anime, the anime had [[spoiler:Kotonoha slice and pry Sekai's stomach open, blood everywhere, with an "inside looking out" camera shot, which, aside from some fleshy strands still attached, wasn't ''too'' too bad in the TV broadcast, but then the NauseaFuel gets cranked up even more as the DVD edition did away with the BlackBlood, so you can make out all the textures and stuff.]] ''Seriously nasty''.
* GratuitousEnglish: The logo has the tagline "In the school, the three guys met. Their relation had been changed in the season, and turned into three love stories." Seriously.
** Translation: "Three individuals met in high school. Their relationship has changed in the course of one season. These events are turned into three separate love stories."
* HeadphonesEqualIsolation
* HighPressureBlood: [[spoiler: The bad endings in the game and the one in the anime.]]
* HotSpringsEpisode: The beginning of the ''Valentine Days'' {{OVA}}.
* HoYay: Seems that the newly released [[http://asitagamienai.blog118.fc2.com/blog-entry-435.html Cross Days]] has quite a bit of it. [[spoiler: One of the sex scenes features Makoto and the ''male'' lead Yuuki, who's also a WholesomeCrossdresser. And in another, Yuuki is gang-banged by his male friends, one of them being Taisuke.]]
* IdiotBall: Applies to [[WhatAnIdiot everyone]].
* JerkAss: Makoto, Makoto, Makoto...and oh yeah, MAKOTO! Mostly in the anime, though. Otome's GirlPosse, though not Otome herself, take this UpToEleven, and into CompleteMonster status. Taisuke also counts, as he takes advantage of Kotonoha and is (at least vocally) more perverted then Makoto.
* JerkAssWoobie: It's easy to feel sympathy for Sekai throughout the story. But considering that it was mostly her actions that casued everything to happen in the first place, YourMileageMayVary. [[spoiler: Not to mention that it's even worse in the manga]].
* KarmaHoudini: Otome's "friends" get away with [[spoiler: bullying Kotonoha, sexing up Makoto behind Otome and Sekai's backs ''and'' exhibiting a tape that shows Nanami and her boyfriend having sex, ruining her reputation at school]]. Makoto's best friend Taisuke also gets clean away with [[spoiler:raping Kotonoha at the school festival]].
** The same troper could be applied to [[spoiler:Kotonoha in the last episode, unless you consider madness karma.]]
** In the Visual Novel, with exception of the bad endings, Makoto himself.
** And in some of the bad endings [[spoiler:and Sekai, in the manga]], the girl who murders her rival and/or Makoto. Granted, it usually ends just after the deed is done.
* LoveTriangle: That is, if you discount [[spoiler:half a dozen other girls - Makoto certainly does!]]
** However, the manga is more of a [[DeconstructedTrope deconstruction]] of the trope since it only focuses on Kotonoha and Sekai.
* LukeIAmYourFather: [[spoiler: Sekai, you may not know it, but following the game it seems Setsuna is your half-sister. Oh, and Makoto is your uncle. Yes, Makoto's father IS the grandfather of Sekai and Setsuna.]]
** [[spoiler:"Like father, like son" ''indeed''.]]
* MaleGaze: The ratio of face shots to boob/butt shots in this show is close to 1:1.
* ManipulativeBastard: Sekai, holy shit, Sekai. Specially in the manga.
* MatchmakerCrush: Sekai helps Makoto and Kotonoha hook up... [[IWantMyBelovedToBeHappy and puts a lot more effort into it than you would expect]]. And then she gives herself a reward for her efforts by [[spoiler: surprise-kissing Makoto]]. '''''This does not end well.'''''
** Also, Setsuna. She has a crush on Makoto but decides to make sure he stays with Sekai instead, so he can protect her before she goes to live abroad.
* MeaningfulName: Makoto Itou literally translates to "Faith on a Thead."
** Makoto alone can also be translated into "integrity", "fidelity" or "honesty". This irony...
* {{Meido}}: Makoto's and Sekai's class ran a maid cafe during the SchoolFestival.
* MemeticSexGod: Makoto. A rare ''in universe'' example at that, he proceeds to have sex with literally every girl in his class.
** It's taken to new heights in ''Summer Days'', where he can have sex with Kokoro, Kotonoha's 13-year old sister [[OlderThanTheyLook who looks like she's seven]], Sekai's HotMom, ''and'' Kotonoha's HotMom.
** And now, thanks to ''Cross Days'' and the new GayOption, Makoto is no longer just after every girl, but [[AnythingThatMoves everything that]] ''[[AnythingThatMoves moves]]''.
* MoodWhiplash: The sudden change from comedy to drama. See GenreShift above.
* MurderTheHypotenuse: [[spoiler:Kotonoha's saw-related bad ending and the anime GrandFinale. ]]
** Reversed in the manga [[spoiler:(where after Kotonoha fails to kill Sekai, ''Sekai'' is the one who kills her and even gloats about it in front of a despaired Makoto)]] and also in some new bad endings from the [=PS2=] version, which involve trains. [[spoiler: One of these endings shows Sekai pushing Kotonoha on the line, but getting hit by the train when Makoto is bailing Kotonoha out. The second features ''Makoto'' getting killed in front of the girls after he saves Sekai from her fall, and the third kills off ''both'' girls in front of Makoto ]]. NICE TRAIN, INDEED.
** The HD version adds one more version where [[spoiler:Sekai succeeds. Nice Hand.]]
* NoAccountingForTaste: Of the four anime love interests (Kotonoha, Sekai, Otome, & Setsuna), it is only explained why Setsuna likes Makoto, and ironically she is the only girl to sleep with him for reasons other than liking him, curiosity, or lust.
* NoExportForYou: Despite the attention the anime has gotten and it being two years old as of this writing, there's been no mention of a Western localization, possibly due to the [[DownerEnding infamous]] [[{{Gorn}} ending]] and [[TooSoon the circumstances]] [[ExecutiveMeddling regarding it]].
** Subverted now, it is now available for watching [[http://www.crunchyroll.com/library/School_Days at Crunchyroll]] for U.S. viewers, but not a single major home-release licensor like Funimation, Section23, or Bandai Entertainment would pick the series up for the very same reasons above.
** Although recently Funimation has been deleting fansubs from Youtube. Make of that what you will.
** And now the latest version of the visual novel is being [[http://www.animenewsnetwork.com/news/2011-03-01/jast-usa-adds-school-days-hq-visual-novel-software licenced for US release.]]
* NoPeriodsPeriod: Averted, sorta. One of the reasons why Sekai thinks she's pregnant, aide of suddenly having vomit fits, is that her period hasn't come in time.
* TheOjou: Kotonoha. Just compare her room to Sekai's and/or Makoto's.
* ParentalAbandonment: The only parents ''ever'' seen or heard are Sekai's HotMom Youko, Kotonoha's mother Manami (only heard in the anime), and Setsuna's mother Mai (in the ''Summer Days'' spin-off game). All the others (Makoto's estranged father, Kotonoha's father, [[spoiler: Sekai ''and'' Setsuna's father]]) are merely mentioned.
* ParodyEpisode: The {{OVA}} ~Magical Heart Kokoro-Chan~ is a spoof of the MagicalGirl genre and the {{Sentai}} genre, as well as of the original series.
* {{Pettanko}}: Again, Setsuna. She's flat-chested, while both her best friend and Makoto's other love interest are VERY busty, so...
* PluckyComicRelief: Taisuke. See BromanticFoil and DoggedNiceGuy above.
* PracticeKiss: Sekai uses this as a ruse to make Makoto fall for her, having grown jealous of Makoto's relationship with Kotonoha (who Sekai actually helped get together). It works in the anime,while in the game it's up to the player's choice.
* RapeAsDrama: [[spoiler: Kotonoha's mental and emotional breakdown hits her fully few after she's raped by her StalkerWithACrush, Makoto's best friend Taisuke.]]
* RedOniBlueOni: Sekai and Kotonoha
* RefugeInAudacity: The {{OVA}}s.
* RelaxOVision: After a particularly nasty RealLife incident in Japan where an AxCrazy schoolgirl murdered her dad, the final episode was deemed TooSoon and replaced by an episode of random peaceful Norwegian scenery, which included a rather nice boat. See the MemeticMutation description above.
* SadistShow
* SchmuckBait: [[BaitTheDog Recommend this to anyone]] who has no knowledge of this series.
* SchoolFestival: One that is actually VERY important to the IdiotPlot.
* ShoutOut: ''~Magical Heart Kokoro-chan~'' has several, as expected of a ParodyEpisode.
** Not to mention the unmistakable ShoutOut at the end of the episode, regarding a certain [[MemeticMutation famous]] [[AscendedMeme meme]] associated with this series. See MemeticMutation above.
* ShootTheShaggyDog: The ending.
* ShrinkingViolet: Kotonoha
* SoundtrackDissonance: [[spoiler:The ending murders are set to a calm, though still depressing tune that also plays during the credits in the game's bad endings.]]
** [[spoiler: The opening and ending themes for the {{Anime}} eventually become a big contrast to the GenreShift / MoodWhiplash]]. In the last episode, [[spoiler:the opening and its respective theme aren't even shown. It would've been too dissonant at that point.]]
* SpoiledSweet: Kotonoha, who is WAY sweeter and gentler than Otome and her bitch squad.
* StalkerWithACrush: Taisuke Sawanaga, Otome Katou and, to some degree, Kotonoha Katsura.
** Also Setsuna Kiyoura. She ''tried'' to be more discreet than the others ... [[spoiler: until Kotonoha caught her kissing Makoto in his sleep]].
* SurrogateSoliloquy: In this case, just [[spoiler: [[TalkingToTheDead Talking To The Head]]]]. While there is no exposition on [[spoiler: Kotonoha]]'s part, there is no mistaking to the viewer that she has perhaps [[spoiler: irrevocably gone off the deep end, mental health-wise, on her [[MemeticMutation Nice Boat]]]]. See AlasPoorYorick above.
* SwissMessenger: Sekai, [[spoiler: her seducing Makoto is what sets to motion all the events that transpires.]]
* TallDarkAndBishoujo: Kotonoha, before going mad. Also, Nanami.
* TearsOfRemorse: Kotonoha in one of the extended bad endings in the PS2. [[spoiler: She has just murdered Sekai in front of Makoto in cold blood and offers herself to her, but Makoto is terrified and rejects her affections. [[MyGodWhatHaveIDone This is enough to make Kotonoha realize that she has just done something terrible]], and she breaks down in tears.]]
* TenchiSolution: The harem endings in the game. Even when the game and anime seem to be a ''{{Deconstruction}}'' of the concept.
** The harem endings are the game's way of conceding that it ''is'' possible to pull off a TenchiSolution; it's just [[TrialAndErrorGameplay very,]] [[GuideDangIt very]] [[NintendoHard hard]] and one little mistake can equal [[MemeticMutation NICE BOAT]].
* ThereAreNoTherapists: [[spoiler: Nobody but Kotonoha's little sister Kokoro and Sekai notice her fall into insanity.]]
* TooDumbToLive: Did we mention that 'IdiotPlot' was involved? ''[[WhatAnIdiot Everyone]]'' is like this. ARGH.
** It does seem it's aware of this itself and thus...
* {{Tsundere}}: Sekai ''seems'' at first to be a Type B...
** Otome is a more straight example, acting like a Type A often. Lampshaded in her ending, where her GirlPosse ask her how come she and Makoto can stay together if they keep squabbling all the time, and Otome just shows them a picture of them kissing.
* TragicHero: Makoto (Manga and certain routes in the game only) [[spoiler: He genuinely cares about both Sekai and Kotohona, but his {{TragicFlaw}} of not being able to choose between them and carrying on a simultaneous relationship until it's too late. This, however, is in direct contrast to the [[CompleteMonster complete]] [[JerkAss fuckwad]] he is in the Anime.]]
* TraumaCongaLine: Kotonoha
* TwoTeacherSchool
* UnwantedHarem: At first. Then he lets it get to his head, and things... well, end up the way they did.
* [[spoiler: WholesomeCrossdresser: Yuuki from ''Cross Days''.]]
* WhamLine
** Anime: Sekai sending a message saying "Sorry... ... ... ...[[spoiler:goodbye]]" [[spoiler:just before killing him]].
** Manga
-->'''Kokoro''': "[[JapaneseSiblingTerminology Onee-chan's]] [[spoiler:covered in blood!]]"
* WhatTheHellHero: Makoto, particularly in the anime,the manga and game not so much. See ManipulativeBastard.
* WingdingEyes: In the ''~Magical Heart Kokoro-chan~'' {{OVA}}, Makoto and Taisuke sport big shiny gold starbursts in their eyes in their ecstatic response to the arrival of the [[{{Sentai}} Anonymous Defence Service]]. Later a [[spoiler: naked]] Taisuke's eyes contain big white starbursts for Magical Heart, whom he [[ImYourBiggestFan sees in person for the first time]].
* WomanInWhite: Kotonoha and Sekai in the opening credits of the {{Anime}}.
* {{Yandere}}: Although [[spoiler:Sekai ''did'' stab Makoto to death]], it's [[spoiler:Kotonoha]] that sets a new standard for this one. Oh boy.
** [[spoiler: Reversed in the manga. Holy crap, Sekai is creepy...]]
*** Given the various possible endings for the game, shall we settle on [[spoiler: both]]?
* YandereLoveTriangle: TropeCodifier
* ZettaiRyouiki: Part of the standard school uniform
** Invoked by name (albeit in GratuitousEnglish) during the SchoolFestival episode.
** Also for Kokoro's Magical Heart outfit.
----

* GirlPosse: Otome's friends Minami, Kumi and Natsumi are a ''really'' nasty and cruel version. By the end of the series their [[TheLibby Libby]], Otome, ends up as being ''less'' bitchy than them.

* BrotherSisterIncest: What a bunch of fans don't know, [[NoExportForYou partly because of one of the great problems in the series]], is that in the game Summer Radish Vacation, that is chronologically before School Days, it shows that [[spoiler: Shun Hazama is the father of Sekai, Ketsuna and the twins of Summer Days Kazuha and Futaba, and their mothers are all his half sisters. Since Makoto can have sex with Youko in Summer Days, this apply to him as well, since he is half brother of Youko too.]]

* PracticeKiss: Sekai uses this as a ruse to make Makoto fall for her, having grown jealous of Makoto's relationship with Kotonoha (who Sekai actually helped get together). It works.

* TragicHero: Makoto (Manga only) [[spoiler: He genuinely cares about both Sekai and Kotohona, but his {{TragicFlaw}} of not being able to choose between them and carrying on a simultaneous relationship until it's too late. This, however, is in direct contrast to the [[CompleteMonster complete]] [[JerkAss fuckwad]] he is in the Anime.]]

* WhatTheHellHero: Makoto, particularly in the anime. See ManipulativeBastard.