History YMMV / CaptainUnderpants

* UnintentionallyUnSympathetic: George and Harold. We're supposed to feel sorry for them whenever they get screw up but the thing is, they bring a lot of the problems on themselves. For example, in the first book, we're supposed to feel sorry for them because they accidentally created Captain Underpants. However, it can be kind of hard to feel sorry for them because Captain Underpants is a result of George and Harold hypnotizing Mr. Krupp so that they can escape punishment. If anything, it's their fault that Captain Underpants was created in the first place.

* BizarroEpisode: ''The Terrifying Return of Tippy Tinkletrousers.'' Not only does the book's WholeEpisodeFlashback have little relevance to the plot going forward, but the flashback itself has a pretty different tone from the rest of the series. It contains no fantastical elements of any kind, nor does it have anything to do with Captain Underpants because the flashback takes place years before George and Harold even invented the character.

** Melvin's Bionic Booger Boy transformation is pretty much full-on BodyHorror, and at first it kind of comes off as just really gross, disturbing, and weird, but the book hams it up ''so much'' to the point where it ''so'' weird, gross, and disturbing that it loops right back into being hilarious.

** There's also an overlap with ''Literature/DiaryOfAWimpyKid'' fans, due to the fact that they were at the height of their popularity during similar times, along with both series having similar art styles and characters.

* GrowingTheBeard: It's generally agreed that the first four or five books each got better as they went along. People are more divisive on the quality of the later books, but most agree that Pilkey's commentary and messages became more clear.

* AmericansHateTingle: Although the series has garnered controversy in its home country of America, it is even more hated in Japan, due to the boys' constant pranking and irreverence to authority [[ValuesDissonance clashing with Japanese morals of quiet obedience]]. It does not help that almost every single authority figure is portrayed as an antagonist. This leads to the movie only getting a direct-to-video release, and the cartoon being obscure in general.

** Book 9 sees George and Harold make a comic book for their respective grandparents about how awesome they (and old people in general) are. The grandparents are clearly touched by this, and even emulate the comic to save the boys in the end.

* GrowingTheBeard: The series started out as just simple harmless children's entertainment and little else. However, by the 4th and 5th books, Dav's commentary and messages become clear to more observant readers, with just enough subtlety to keep smaller readers entertained but still encouraged.

** There's also an overlap with ''Literature/DiaryOfAWimpyKid'' fans due to both series having similar art styles and characters. Not to mention some fans find Greg and Rowley to be similar to George and Harold.

** In book 10, Tippy's gigantic bomb becomes the explosion that wiped out the dinosaurs, and it's mentioned that it was kicked to the Yucatan Peninsula. This is the real life location of where the asteroid that killed the dinosaurs landed.

* ContinuityLockout: The first five books are pretty much just their own story, and (partially thanks to the {{Infodump}} comic book supplied at the start of each book) can pretty much be read in any order. The series serialization started with book six, but (again, thanks to the comic books) you can probably make it to book eight and still understand what's going on. But after that point, the series plot line becomes so convoluted with multiple timelines and critical plot points based off previous books, that if you try to start the series there, you'd probably be lost even ''with'' the comic books.

** In the original [[AC:EPIC NOVEL]], Mr. Krupp talks of a NoodleIncident involving George and Harold rigging the school intercom to play Music/WeirdAlYankovic music. Years later, he composed and performed the movie's theme song.

** In Book 11, Melvin basically ingests some of Captain’s DNA in order to get superpowers similar to his. [[Manga/MyHeroAcademia Now why does that sound familiar?]]

** All three versions of the professor have there moments in book 10. Big Tippy refuses to let either of the two Tiny Tippies help him catch Captain Underpants. The two Tiny Tippies travel to the future to use there [[InvertedTrope inverse]] ShrinkRay to grow to there normal height so they can help Big Tippy. When Tiny Tippy grows to his normal height, [[spoiler: he then uses the machine to grow to twice his normal height, renames himself "Supa Mega Tippy", and refuses to let Slightly Younger Tiny Tippy use the machine. Upon returning to the past, Supa Mega Tippy also betrays Big Tippy, directly causing his death.]]

* {{Moe}}: Kindergardener George and Harold.

** They take this trope to an [[ExaggerratedTrope embarrassing degree]] in the second book where we're supposed to feel sorry for them after Krupp bans them from the Invention Convention but it's really hard to feel sorry for them when considering the fact that the reason why they got banned in the first place is because they glued all the teachers and the students to their chairs.

** They take this trope to an [[ExagerratedTrope embarrassing degree]] in the second book where we're supposed to feel sorry for them after Krupp bans them from the Invention Convention but it's really hard to feel sorry for them when considering the fact that the reason why they got banned in the first place is because they glued all the teachers and the students to their chairs.

* WatchedItForTheRepresentation: Book 12 revealing that Harold is gay [[spoiler:and that the adult version of him is married to a man]] got more people talking about the series than they had in a while - both in a positive and a negative way.

* WhatDoYouMeanItsNotPolitical: The books are no stranger to criticizing how public schools treat conditions such as, (and especially) ADHD. Book 12 in particular makes a BlandNameProduct version of Ritalin (the villain's mind control gas that suppresses creativity and individuality). The same book makes reference to the GOP hating people who are young and different from them. In this case, it stands for Grumpy Old People, but American readers will recognize the acronym as that of the Grand Old Party, AKA the Republican Party.

** Melvin could possibly count as a JerkassWoobie (at least before he TookALevelInJerkass from Book 7 onwards), as it is kind of implied in Book 6 that his parents are such [[{{Workaholic}} workaholics]], that they come across as somewhat [[ParentalNeglect neglectful of their only son]]. They didn't even seem to ''notice'' that he had become the Bionic Booger Boy until they saw his rampage on TV. And he had been the Bionic Booger Boy for what just might possibly have been a few ''months'' at that point!

* AmericansHateTingle: Although the series has garnered controversy in its home country of America, it is even more hated in Japan, due to the boys' constant pranking and irreverence to authority clashing with Japanese morals of quiet obedience. It does not help that almost every single authority figure is portrayed as an antagonist. This lead to the movie only getting a direct-to-video release, and the cartoon being obscure in general.

!!For the main series:

!!For the {{Spin Off}}s:

* DesignatedVillain: Melvin's role in book 2. George and Harold ruin every student's Invention Convention project as a "prank." Melvin witnessed them do this, but George and Harold essentially bribed him by saying that if he kept his mouth shut, they wouldn't mess with his project. Although they do keep their promise, the Invention Convention is ruined and the entire school is left miserable and covered in various disgusting gunk, and Melvin rats out George and Harold to Mr. Krupp after seeing just how much of a disaster it turned out to be. However, it's intended that ''Melvin'' is the jerk in this scenario. George and Harold never face any sort of legitimate repercussions for what they did, and at the end George and Harold exclude Melvin from their party and force him to do a WritingLines of "I will not be a tattletale" instead.

* CommonKnowledge: Famously, at the end of every book, George is always the one to scream "OH NO!" and Harold always screams "HereWeGoAgain"... except that's not true. For the first five books, ''George'' was the one to scream "HereWeGoAgain" and Harold shouted "Oh no!" The order flipped around starting book six, and, ironically, when Harold lampshaded the EveryEpisodeEnding, he claimed he always screamed "HereWeGoAgain" even though he had never yet done that before.

* ValuesDissonance: The books paints medication for ADHD and similar mental disorders in a very negative light. In recent years, looking down upon medication and people who use it can easily be seen as ableist, as medication has not only proven to be safe and effective when used correctly, but borderline necessary for certain people.

* SugarWiki/AwesomeMusic:
** The music video [[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HzfwAAHt4wY "Go Poopypants"]], which sums up the fourth book with one great, all around catchy song.
** For that matter, the song "Saturday" by Cold War Kids, recorded for the movie, is also a total bop.

* AssPull: George figuring out in the first book that Captain Underpants will turn back into Mr. Krupp whenever he gets water poured on his head. It has absolutely no foreshadowing or buildup whatsoever, and George only tries it because he "saw it in a cartoon once."

* GeniusBonus:
** The series takes place in Piqua, Ohio. In real life, Piqua is the location of the (now retired) Great Outdoor Underwear Festival.
** In book four, the buses for the field trip say Miami County. The real Piqua actually is located in Miami County.
** In book 10, Tippy's gigantic bomb becomes the explosion that wiped out the dinosaurs, and it's mentioned that it was kicked to the Yucatan Peninsula. This is the real life location of where the asteroid that killed the dinosaurs landed.
* GeniusBonus:
** The series takes place in Piqua, Ohio. In real life, Piqua is the location of the (now retired) Great Outdoor Underwear Festival.
** In book four, the buses for the field trip say Miami County. The real Piqua actually is located in Miami County.
** In book 10, Tippy's gigantic bomb becomes the explosion that wiped out the dinosaurs, and it's mentioned that it was kicked to the Yucatan Peninsula. This is the real life location of where the asteroid that killed the dinosaurs landed.

* SugarWiki/AwesomeMusic: The music video [[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HzfwAAHt4wY "Go Poopypants"]], which sums up the fourth book with one great, all around catchy song.