Line #33 Anime/MarginalNumber4


1	[[quoteright:350:https://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/20160806204511.jpg]]
2	[[caption-width-right:350:One kiss to the end of the galaxy!]]
3	After their debut at [=UniverseFES=], the male idol group Music/MarginalNumber4 is slowly but surely building up their name to be one of the great idol groups! But what do the boys of Pythagoras Productions do in between their idol activities? And what kind of misadventures do they get into?
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5	''Marginal #4: Kiss Kara Tsukuru Big Bang'' (''Marginal #4: A Big Bang Created From a Kiss'') is a 2017 [[TwelveEpisodeAnime 12-Episode]] BandToon produced by Creator/JCStaff, adapting the Pythagoras Productions characters from the ''Marginal #4'' series by Creator/{{Rejet}}. It aired in the winter 2017 anime season.
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7	The series received an international release via Website/{{Crunchyroll}} streaming.
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9	----
10	!!Tropes found in this series:
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12	* AnotherStoryForAnotherTime: Apparently, the narration mentions that the ''Romeo and Juliet'' play Rui was a part of was a huge success, and was one of the funniest and most memorable highlights of the whole festival. Cue this trope.
13	* ArabianNightsDays: The "Kokoro Hitotsu" music video uses desert imagery, and L's outfit certainly invokes the fantasy Arabia setting.
14	* BackFromTheDead: Rui's character in ''Re:24 Hours'' is supposedly the ghost of Yukito's partner, temporarily returning to the mortal plane in a younger form in order to [[UnfinishedBusiness solve the case that killed him]]. [[spoiler:It turns out the partner was truly dead; Rui's character was the partner's nephew, impersonating him for a mission.]]
15	* BigStormEpisode: The twelfth and final episode of the animation dealt with everyone suffering from the blowback of a tropical storm coming right before the Big Bang Festival.
16	* BlandNameProduct:
17	** Atom's constant posting to the social network app Skitter.
18	** Atom brought a "Genko[[note]]read: Jenga[[/note]]" block set with him on the way to the company training camp.
19	** Atom was offered a role in the next ''Galaxy Samurai'' film, obviously referencing ''Franchise/StarWars''.
20	** "Shooting Star Hall" is a reference to a famous arena in real life.
21	* BusmansHoliday: Kira and Shy take a day off of work in order to visit [=Magi4=] at their school festival and have a little fun. However, everywhere they come into contact with them they end up doing idol-like activities anyway, such as hosting for the school cafe or doing a makeshift concert to fill in the time while the school play props need fixing.
22	* CallBack:
23	** Tsubasa tries to make a dramatic entrance through the window in order to tell the [=Magi4=] boys some important news, much like he did in his introductory episode to announce his rivalry with his senpai groups.
24	** The reason why Atom got picked for the ''Galaxy Samurai'' role was because a Hollywood producer was impressed with his ''Re: 24 Hours'' performance in episode 8.
25	** Of course, episode 12 being the last episode, everything from the lucky boxers to the soumen mishap is mentioned again.
26	* CandidCameraPrank: It turns out the plot of Episode 3 was largely this, played on R. By the end of it though, the Marginal boys decide to do one better and spook the cameramen after R was too afraid of the official prank.
27	* CharacterDevelopment: Of all the characters, Rui changed the most; he goes from a reserved but friendly young man to being more open about his feelings, learning how to take different mindsets and apply them to his own.
28	* CharacterFocus: Each member or group gets their own episode, exemplified by the fact that they sing their episode's ending song[[note]]The exceptions are episodes 10 and 12; Episode 10 is Atom's ImageSong, but that episode had less to do with him and more with the Pythagoras boys in general. Episode 12 is his token episode, but the song is sung by all of the Pythagoras groups[[/note]]:
29	** Episode 5 centers on Rui, and tries to dig into his stoic personality to find out about his childhood pastimes and his relationship with his older sister.
30	** Episode 7 was about L's dependency issues with R, and how much of a hard worker he is.
31	** Episode 9 is about R's leadership development in the early days of Marginal#4, and how he managed to bring them together despite his shortcomings in comparison to his group.
32	** Episode 12 is a better look into Atom's character, showing off his recklessness and straightforward attitude.
33	* [[invoked]]ColbertBump: The penguin {{Mascot}} toy that Rui keeps on his bed eventually received tons of attention when the press did a feature on the boys' rooms. Originally, it was just the focal character of a kids' show that was't all that popular, but after the toy was spotted in one of Rui's pictures for a magazine, sales for this once obscure show and toy went through the roof.
34	* ContrivedCoincidence:
35	** The building that houses the talent agency that tried to scout Atom just so happens to house the Aerospace Exploration Agency that Atom wanted to go to. Atom's idea-- to apply for a space capsule program and put one of their [=CDs=] on it-- was also luckily thought out by Rui, who had applied earlier.
36	** It's a good thing that the truck driver that gives Atom a lift in Episode 12 has a son who's a fan of the group. Even more so that the driver is the father of the Rui look-alike transfer student.
37	* ADayInTheLimelight: Aside from [=Magi4=], the other two Pythagoras groups do get an episode all their own:
38	** Episode 4 introduced Lagrange Point, and shows their maturity and hustle as idols in comparison to the Marginal boys.
39	** Episode 6 features Unicorn Jr., establishes Atom's FriendlyRivalry with Tsubasa, and gets their character interactions down.
40	* DoItYourselfThemeTune: The opening song, "[=WeMe!=]", is by [=Magi4=]. All of the episodes also have different endings, sung by whoever was the [[CharacterFocus focus of the episode]].
41	* DramaticDrop: When Tsubasa tells the boys about the discussion of Atom going to Hollywood, Rui uncharacteristically drops the book he's reading in surprise.
42	* DudeLooksLikeALady: When Atom and Teruma went to a restaurant together, the tabloids thought Atom had a girlfriend. Teruma also frequently wears feminine-looking clothes and accessories.
43	* FoodPorn:
44	** In episode 3, the twins film a pasta sauce commercial, and for the ending theme, they sing about cooking. It's full of this.
45	** Episode 10 had the Pythagoras boys hand make their own nagashi soumen, and carefully showed the audience how it was done.
46	* FormulaBreakingEpisode: The entire eighth episode is an in-universe crime drama television special, played out by the boys of Pythagoras Productions. The ninth episode went back and forth between R's flashback of the origin of Magi 4 and Magi 4 going back to the camp where they first met.
47	* FourLeafClover: During the group's first training camp, R had started to look for four leaf clovers along his usual running route but was unable to find a single one. When he went back to that area 2 years later however, he had better [[{{Pun}} luck]]. That episode's ending theme, "Colorful", also had four leaf clovers as a motif.
48	* TheGhost: Yue. Despite how close she is with [=Magi4=], she's usually offscreen in this series. However, she's always talked about and converses with the boys via email or phone. Exaggerated in Episode 9, since she's completely omitted during the first time the group is rounded up even though she was present for the whole thing.
49	** She makes three small, non-speaking [[FreezeFrameBonus cameos]]; one in the backstage scene during [=UniverseFES=] when the boys are all rounded up, one when she's driving the other [=Magi4=] boys to their jet, and one when she argues with the pilot.
50	* GoingCommando: Atom thought this was required for school physical exams.
51	* GoodLuckCharm:
52	** Atom, strangely enough, has lucky ''underwear'' that he uses for pretty much any situation in which he needs a little courage. Fortunately, as often as he wears them, he washes them.
53	** L's obsession with marimo extends to using them as good luck charms as well.
54	*** R and four-leaf clovers, at least in the flashback episode.
55	* GoodWingsEvilWings: Episode 3 has L and R act in the roles of an angel and a devil for a commercial they've been assigned to. Of course, flirty L is the devil character, while sweet R is the angel character. They also play with the trope during their candid camera pranks; R pretends that he'd gotten possessed and snapped, while L played the trickster.
56	* {{Hallucinations}}: Teruma, L, and R all have strange perceptions of Wonder Corona and Nebulas' actions after they come back with the spring water. They weren't sure if what they imagined was on them or due to fatigue from their day-long search for water.
57	* TheHeart: Episode 9 establishes how R became the group's leader in their starting days. Over time, he began to speak up whenever any of the members started fighting and tried to come up with solutions, and started to become more proactive in getting the team to work together by having them do various exercises. It's for this reason why the Director saw leadership potential in him even [[HeroicSelfDeprecation he doesn't see it in himself]], and why none of the other members object to her decision after they get back from the training camp.
58	* HostileWeather: Atom can't quite make it to the Big Bang Festival because of a large typhoon hitting the area he's in, severely reducing his practice time and separating him from the other Pythagoras Productions boys for almost the whole three days before the concert.
59	* IHaveThisFriend: After L and R get into a minor spat, R wants to apologize to his brother and tell him what was on his mind. Considering that L was busy hosting the school radio at the time, he couldn't do it straightforwardly. So he sends an anonymous message during the radio's email segment which explained his side of the story, and apologizes through there. L found out about halfway through the message.
60	* INeverSaidItWasPoison: What gets Atom's character Yukito in trouble in ''Re: 24 Hours''. The auctioneers usually referred to the painting he and Rui were looking for as a container, while only Yukito referred to it as an armored vehicle when he interrogated some passersby.
61	* IndirectKiss: Tsubasa worries about having to do this with Atom as he's preparing to kiss the Pythagoras statue. Apparently, this attitude is holding him back, as Atom would have kissed it without a second thought if Teruma had went first.
62	* IntercourseWithYou:
63	** Unicorn Jr.'s ending song "REAL?" concerns a couple getting particularly frisky.
64	** The seventh ending "O・n・e・H・e・a・r・t" (sung by L) is very clearly about a couple in the throes of passion.
65	--> ''I’m drowning in your charms concealed in the moon’s abyss tonight''\
66	''My heart has been captured, the true westerly winds howl''\
67	''Now should we meet by chance, our・hearts・shall・be・come・one'' (Ah)\
68	''The moment your perfume goes from sweet to hot…''
69	* LighterAndSofter: The drama and most of the serious tone of the main series stories is gone here, since it just focuses on the more positive aspects of the boys' run as an idol group.
70	* LostInTranslation: Episode 10's main punchline hinges on some Japanese wordplay. The sick dance instructor, ever the workaholic, murmurs to himself about a face (''men'') that he wanted [=Magi4=] to finish choreography with. The boys only hear the tail end and get him soumen. The pun didn't work quite as well in the official subtitles.
71	* LoveConfession: As the final part (and the [[GoldenSnitch most important]]) of the friendly competition Unicorn Jr. And Marginal #4 have, Atom challenges Teruma to confess to and kiss a statue of Pythagoras. We even get scenes of what their scenarios should look like, but dear old Pythagoras stays the same throughout it all.
72	* NeedleInAStackOfNeedles: After Rui's favorite childhood toy exploded in popularity, the company that makes it sent a huge shipment of the toys to Pythagoras Productions in thanks. Unfortunately, all of the dolls spilled on the ground, including Rui's. You'd think it'd be pretty hard to find, especially with how well Rui's own doll is kept... but [[SubvertedTrope Rui just walks up to his beloved toy]] and dusts it off.
73	* NewTransferStudent: Double subverted. Atom sees a blue-haired boy on the way to school, and assumes that Rui will join their class as this. It isn't Rui... but then, it turns out that Rui already transferred to their school, and just didn't tell them.
74	* OneGenderSchool: The high school the [=Magi4=] boys go to is an all-boys' private school.
75	* OOCIsSeriousBusiness: After Tsubasa told the boys about Atom's Hollywood opportunity, Rui was uncharacteristically angry and frustrated the whole time. When confronted about it, he reveals that he's just as upset as L and R were, and even more so, because he felt like he'd been able to get this far with a group that he trusted only for them to possibly break up [[IJustWantToHaveFriends just as he's getting used to being their companions]].
76	* OverlyLongGag: The poor Unicorn Jr. boys kept going into the wrong rooms for their dramatic entrance and rival declaration to Marginal #4, to the point where when they ''finally'' get to the boys' club room, they're barely even able to finish the speech because they're so out of breath.
77	* ThePiratesWhoDontDoAnything: The Marginal boys' club was really made so that the four can gather together in school, in true Nondescript Club fashion. The first episode was pretty much devoted to trying to give the club a purpose, and they do perform some club activities in-show, but the club itself is very vague.
78	* RefugeInAudacity: ''Galaxy Samurai'' is a SpaceOpera, but its pilots use rigs that look like ''airplanes'' to fight.
79	* RunningGag: For the sake of a joke, the transfer student is usually placed in random places, especially if someone is looking for Rui and runs into him instead.
80	* SeriousBusiness: After the Pythagoras boys' dancing instructor gets sick, he (supposedly) asks for nagashi soumen. At first they just get a convenience store version of the dish, but after they botch that up, Atom convinces the group to go all out on the recipe; hand making the noodles, getting spring water, the whole nine yards. Each group takes their task ''way'' more seriously than they had the right to.
81	* SchoolFestival: Episode 4 takes place during one, but instead of the four main boys (since it is their festival), the focus of the episode is put on Kira and Shy.
82	* ShipTease: ''Frequently'' with Atom and Rui. The meaningful moments... the lip touching... [[{{Twincest}} L and R]] get a bit, too.
83	* ShowWithinAShow:
84	** The Candid Camera show from Episode 3 is a long-running one.
85	** ''Re: 24 Hours'', the topic of Episode 8, was a television special.
86	** Episode 11 has Atom be invited to join the cast of the newest ''Galaxy Samurai'' season, with footage that looks exactly like a ''Franchise/StarWars'' film and a logo that looks like a riff on the ''Film/{{Guardians of the Galaxy\|2014}}'' movie.
87	* SliceOfLife: The feel of the first half of the show is less "idols and their business" and leans more towards a day to day high-school comedy. That's not to say that the idol activities are non-existent.
88	* SpecialGuest: Their dance teacher in episode 10 is their real-life choreographer, Yokoo Lui, as himself.
89	* TearsFromAStone: Tsubasa's scenario with the Pythagoras statue had it cry from heartbreak. To represent it visually, raindrops that fell from the umbrella attached to it got onto its eyes.
90	* TitleDrop: Rui does so near the end of episode 12, suggesting that [=Magi4=] make a huge impression on their audience for their big performance at the Big Bang Festival. It's also the name of the last episode and the name of [[TheNamesake the final musical number]].
91	* TwelveEpisodeAnime
92	* UndercoverCopReveal: Played with in ''Re:24 Hours''. [[spoiler:first it's inverted with Yukito being the undercover villain, but then played straight as Rui's character was revealed to be an undercover detective inpersonating his uncle to catch the perpetrator.]]
93	* UnfortunateItemSwap: The CD that [=Magi4=] was planning to take to the Aerospace Center was accidentally swapped out with a Lagrange Point CD in Atom's shelf. Atom being Atom, he wanted to correct the mistake (and do one better by bringing ''all'' the Pythagoras Productions [=CDs=]), even with very little time remaining to practice for the Big Bang Festival.

Context Anime / MarginalNumber4