Line #12 VideoGame/DeathJr


1	->''"He looks like a walking pirate flag!"''
2	-->-- '''The Seep'''
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4	[[quoteright:335:https://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/djr1.jpg]]
5	[[caption-width-right:335:"None of us here are exactly normal." [[note]]Clockwise From Top left: Death, Stigmartha, Pandora, The Seep, DJ, Smith and Weston.[[/note]]]]
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7	[[DontFearTheReaper Forget everything you thought you knew]]; it turns out that TheGrimReaper is [[DarkIsNotEvil actually a pretty nice guy]]. Sure; his job involves collecting the souls of the deceased, but he's also [[DidWeJustHaveTeaWithCthulhu happily married, with a son]], and enjoys [[VillainsOutShopping spending quality time with his family]]. His son, the titular star of the series, is the same--but a great deal more naive.
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9	Together with a RagtagBunchOfMisfits who look about as bizarre as himself, Death Jr. goes on various misadventures (some of which he or Pandora Boxley arguably caused to escalate in the first place), with a good dose of humor and violence along the way.
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11	Originally an action game by [[Creator/DigitalEclipse Backbone Entertainment]] released for the Platform/PlayStationPortable, ''Death Jr.'' was intended to branch out into its own massive, media-branching franchise, with the first adaptation being a graphic novel written by Gary Whitta, and illustrated by Ted Naifeh. While the video game received mixed reviews (the general consensus is that it delivers in the action department, but doesn't really take advantage of its universe to convey an interesting plot), the graphic novel was very well-reviewed, boggling to those people who barely even knew the game exists. Both the game and graphic novels received sequels, many an arguable improvement from their predecessors, although they didn't come close to pushing the series into the mass-franchise the creators had hoped. Perhaps out of realization that the PSP wasn't a big success, the series abandoned its original exclusive deals with Creator/{{Sony}}, and began to appear on Creator/{{Nintendo}} platforms. Unfortunately, when Backbone Entertainment was bought by [[Creator/BandaiNamcoEntertainment Namco]] soon afterward, it seemed to force the franchise into limbo, but hopefully not forever.
12	----
13	!!Games in the ''Death Jr.'' series:
14	* ''Death Jr.'' -- The first game and the beginning of the series. Released for the PSP.
15	* ''Death Jr. II: Root of Evil'' -- The sequel. [[AscendedExtra made Pandora a playable character]]. Originally for the PSP; later ported to the Platform/{{Wii}} with improved graphics and motion controls.
16	* ''Death Jr. and the Science Fair of Doom'' -- Released for the Platform/NintendoDS.
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18	!!Books in the ''Death Jr.'' series:
19	* ''Death Jr. Volume One'' -- The first book, in which Death Jr. inadvertently screws up the laws of life and death.
20	* ''Death Jr. Volume Two'' -- In this book, Death Jr. is tempted by the evil Bureaucracy; [[TakeThat the long-lost fifth horseman of the apocalypse]], into screwing his father over; together they must set things right again.
21	* ''Pandora: A Death Jr. Manga'' -- Predictably, this is ADayInTheLimelight for Pandora, in which she must save Death Jr. from an evil ClingyJealousGirl.
22	* ''Death Jr. and the Cryogenic Storm'' -- The proposed third book in the series, which unfortunately was put on hold indefinitely after Backbone was bought-out.
23	----
24	!! Tropes found in the ''Death Jr.'' include:
25	* ActionGirl: Pandora becomes one in ''Root of Evil''.
26	* AllMythsAreTrue: Though some of them have been tampered with in rather amusing ways.
27	%%* AllTheWorldsAreAStage: In the first game, at least.
28	* BadassInDistress: Death is overpowered and imprisoned by Furi in ''Root of Evil''.
29	* BlackComedy:
30	** Not the only type in the series, but a bit of an issue in Volume One, with a rather macabre RunningGag about DJ's cat dying.
31	** The Seep ought to be mentioned too, for the sake of being a pickled fetus, though technically he isn't dead. (He is quite a comedian, though!)
32	* CrapsackWorld: Debatable. Though it's dark, it's not without fun, and not without morals.
33	* DarkIsNotEvil: Death, Death Jr, and their friends... although the Seep is still a JerkAss.
34	* DeadpanSnarker: The Seep. Sometimes moves out of the "Deadpan" territory, though.
35	* DidWeJustHaveTeaWithCthulhu: The opening cutscene of ''Root of Evil'' features the Grim Reaper himself ordering fast food. Then there are his interactions with his family where he acts like a normal husband and father.
36	* DidYouJustPunchOutCthulhu: Furi manages to defeat ''Death'' at the start of ''Root of Evil''.
37	* DidYouJustRomanceCthulhu: DJ's mom somehow did. And had a son with him.
38	* DontFearTheReaper: Unless you died, of course.
39	* EmoTeen: Stigmartha is rather dour, but it's pretty understandable considering she [[MeaningfulName bleeds from her hands whenever she gets nervous]].
40	* TheFriendNobodyLikes: None of the gang seem to like The Seep very much, and he tends to be a jerk to all of them.
41	* TheGrimReaper: He plays a big role here, and has a wife and a son.
42	* GunsAkimbo: DJ's primary means of attack aside from the scythe.
43	* IKnowMortalKombat: Pandora claims to have learned martial arts from playing ''Franchise/StreetFighter''. As such, she's given names to her moves and frequently calls them out.
44	* InexplicablyAwesome: There is no explanation as to how [[ExactlyWhatItSaysOnTheTin Dead Guppy]] possesses a soul to steal, but he does.
45	* LighterAndSofter: While ''Root of Evil'' isn't without its macabre moments, it's significantly less grim in tone compared to the first game, what with the first game featuring a full-blown demon invasion. The environments are notably more colorful and stylized, and the blood and gore of the first game is completely absent. ''Science Fair of Doom'' lightens the tone even further along with making things DenserAndWackier.
46	* MeaningfulName: Pandora Boxley is named after the legend of PandorasBox. Stigmartha is a pun of "stigmata." Smith and Weston are named after a firearms manufacturer, as they're inventors who handle DJ's weapon upgrades.
47	* MikeNelsonDestroyerOfWorlds: DJ accidentally putting the world in jeopardy is the basis of practically every storyline. It's why his father grounds him frequently.
48	* PerkyGoth: Pandora qualifies.
49	* PuppyLove: DJ has an obvious crush on Pandora. [[spoiler:It's revealed in the end of ''Root of Evil'' that she reciprocates.]]
50	* RagtagBunchOfMisfits: Death Jr. and his friends.
51	* SinisterScythe: DJ knows his way around a scythe, a skill he learned from his dad.
52	* SuddenlyVoiced: Zigzagged with DJ. He has voice grunts in the first game but only ever actually "speaks" through text. In ''Root of Evil'', he's given full lines and talks rather frequently.
53	* TheyKilledKennyAgain: Pandora has died and recovered ''twice'' in the series.
54	* TVGenius: Smith speaks with a stereotypical posh accent and is of course a genius. His twin Weston, while also a genius, averts this trope by carrying himself in a much more laid back and casual manner. He also has a typical American accent.
55	* TwinTelepathy: Literally sharing a brain helps Smith and Weston in this respect.

Context VideoGame / DeathJr