Follow TV Tropes

Following

Anime / Ghost Stories

Go To

https://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/ghost_stories.jpg
From left to right: Hajime, Satsuki, Keiichirou with Amanojaku, Momoko, and Leo.

Hajime: Drop the Krispy Kremes, Serpico! We need your help here!
Satsuki: The-people-in-my-house-look-like-my-father-and-my-brother-after-an-Eyemasters-exam-but-it's-not-
Hajime: Yeah-boogita-didggitda-googity-dig-dig-dig-tikikiti!Subtitled as... 
ADV Dub, "The Soul-Stealing Mirror!! Utsushimi"

Ghost Stories (Gakkō no Kaidan, lit. "School Ghost Stories"), also known as Ghosts at School, is an anime series created in 2000 by Studio Pierrot and Aniplex for Fuji Television. Part of the Gakkou no Kaidan franchise of children's novels and films, the series was directed by Noriyuki Abe, who also directed YuYu Hakusho for Pierrot, and would later go on to helm Bleach, with music by Kaoru Wada.

The series tells the story of Satsuki Miyanoshita, who moves with her family to the hometown of her deceased mother, Kayako. On her first day of school, Satsuki, her brother Keiichirou, a first-grader, their neighbor Hajime Aoyama, Momoko Koigakubo, an older schoolmate, and Leo Kakinoki, a classmate and friend of Hajime's with a penchant for the paranormal, visit the Old School Building adjacent to the current school complex—and discover that the building is haunted.

The kids discover that Satsuki's mother was responsible for sealing away several ghosts who haunted both the school and the surrounding town, and now the ghosts are being released by the urbanization taking place in the surrounding area. Kayako also left her descendants a tool for just such an occasion: a book that details how to exorcise the ghosts once and for all. In her first confrontation, Satsuki faces a demon called Amanojaku—and Amanojaku ends up sealed within Satsuki's pet cat, Kaya. Although Amanojaku does not want to help Satsuki at first, the danger posed by the freed spirits soon threatens to envelop the town. Satsuki, her friends, and Amanojaku eventually agree to work together and stop the threat before the ghosts do any real damage.

When ADV Films acquired the license four years later, they were given free rein with the script, so long as the character names and basic plotlines remained intact.note  The end result, recorded and released in 2005, was a highly irreverent and even more topical Gag Dub that satirized as many elements of early-to-mid-2000s politics and pop culture as possible, ranging from simple jabs at well-known celebrities to extended commentary on the prominence of the religious right during the George W. Bush administration.

In Southeast Asia, a different English dub of the series titled Ghosts at School aired on Animax. This dub stays true to the original Japanese version.

Discotek Media saved the license and re-released the series in 2014; it made sure to say upfront that the ADV dub would be included.note  The series is also viewable in both subbed and gag dubbed forms over on Crunchyroll.

Do not confuse this with a certain Coldplay album, the 1964 horror film, or the 2017 horror film by Andy Nyman.


Ghost Stories contains the following tropes:

    open/close all folders 

    Original version 
  • 2D Visuals, 3D Effects: This is somewhat averted. The CG models use textures that complement the hand-drawn backgrounds, but the more elaborate CG effects are still obvious due to the technological limitations of its time.
  • Adults Are Useless: The only adults who help the protagonists are a night watchman, who turns to be another ghost, in Episode 16 and a bumbling teacher in Episode 18.
  • Alien Geometries: The haunted apartment complex of Episode 16 can change both its internal and external structure. The group thinks they are in a residential neighborhood, but are still inside the building.
  • And I Must Scream: The Da Vinci wannabe ghost who paints women, trapping them inside the paintings.
  • Animation Bump: The series has a lot of mediocre animation, but it does have its moments:
    • When the nurse in Episode 12 leaves. This is lampshaded in the ADV dub:
      Amanojaku: Now that is some really nice animation.
    • In Episode 18, whenever Akane flails around, extra care is taken to make her movements fluid.
  • Arbitrary Skepticism: Whenever Leo shares an urban legend that ends up being the Monster of the Week, Satsuki and Hajime handwave them off, calling them "fairy tales". This is despite the stories being little different from the crap they dealt with already.
  • Be Careful What You Wish For: This is the main plot of Episode 3, and it is also explored in Episode 15.
  • Beware of Hitchhiking Ghosts: Both variations show up, with a ghostly taxi driver in the first instance and a vengeful ghost attacking taxi drivers in the second.
  • Body Horror: Shinobu, after she reveals to Satsuki her (more or less) true form.
  • Came Back Wrong: This is the whole premise of Episode 9. A particular ritual can bring the dead back to life, but they will come back as berserk monsters—and somebody just had to go and try it anyway.
  • Cheeky Mouth: Always averted with Amanojaku. At other times, it's either a brief Animation Bump or someone, usually either Hajime or Leo, has an especially exaggerated expression.
  • Comedic Underwear Exposure: Hajime subjects Satsuki to some skirt flipping in the early episodes; Amanojaku does it again with a gust of wind in the last episode as a way of saying goodbye.
  • Cover Identity Anomaly: Ghosts that aren't overt will always have holes in their covertness:
    • Utsushimi in episode 7 involves eyeless and zombie-like impostors with always-backwards print on their clothing.
    • The cab driver in episode 10 is clearly stuck in the 1970s (the fare prices being unadjusted for 2001 inflation, etc).
    • The Yuki-onna in episode 17 wears outdated robes, contrasting with the modern polyester/nylon outfits everyone else her apparent age have. The only one else to be dressed that way is Satsuki's elderly aunt, hinting they are from the same generation. She is also barefoot while everyone else is wearing snow boots.
  • Deal with the Devil: Episode 15 is entirely about this.
  • Dub Name Change: In the Spanish dub:
    • Satsuki becomes Claire.
    • Hajime becomes Ned.
    • Momoko becomes Nicole.
    • Leo becomes Paul.
    • Keiichirou becomes Ben.
    • Kayako becomes Karen.
    • Reiichirou, Satsuki and Keiichirou's father, becomes Richard.
  • Eerie Anatomy Model:
    • An anatomy doll appears in the second episode, where it's encountered in the hallways of the old school building by Satsuki and Hajime. Instead of running, it does a Ghostly Glide. While trying to escape, Hajime knocks over a broom that hits the anatomy doll and smashes it to pieces. This isn't the end of the doll, as its flayed hand wanders off, but at least it leaves them alone.
    • The ending credits depict a Hyakki Yagyou in which an anatomy figure participates. It is drawn to resemble one of the human muscle figures in the De humani corporis fabrica.
  • "Everybody Laughs" Ending: Episode 9 has this.
  • Exactly What It Says on the Tin: Gakkō no Kaidan translates to "School Ghost Stories". This series is about a school haunted by ghosts. It is also a collection of traditional Japanese school ghost stories culled from both folklore and Urban Legend. In the original ADV DVDs, a special feature explains the traditional stories; the Discotek re-release lacks this feature.
  • Fate Worse than Death:
    • Da Vinci's victims are trapped in paintings.
    • This is practically what happened to Shinobu. She was once a normal girl before she was turned into the avatar of a malevolent trickster deity.
  • Four Is Death: Some of the earlier episodes use this idea on curses. It's also uses as a solution to a problem in Episode 18.
  • The Fourth Wall Will Not Protect You: The outro ends with a ghost hand -presumably Akagami Aogami- reaching at towars the viewers, cracking the screen.
  • Game Face: Played with some ghosts, particularly Datsueba, the girl who Leo meets in Episode 8, and Shinobu.
  • Haunted Headquarters: The whole series revolves around the haunted old schoolhouse, which the current schoolhouse that the children attend was built right next to.
  • Heroic Lineage: Satsuki and Keiichirou are descended from the Kamiyana family, who have apparently been putting evil spirits to sleep for generations, the latest of which was their mother Kyako. Neither seem to have inherited the same prodigious spiritual powers however, but they nevertheless resolve to put the schoolhouse's spirits to sleep.
  • Heroic Sacrifice:
    • The watchman from Episode 16 was already dead, but his soul was still trapped in the building.
    • This happens with Amanojaku in the last episode. He gets better, though.
  • Implacable Man: Some of the ghosts qualify as this. Special mention to Babasare and the Merry Mary doll, who only stopped chasing the protagonists due to sheer luck.
  • Intercourse with You: The ending theme. Believe it or not, this was not one of the changes made in the ADV dub:
    "Yurashite, yurashite, yurashite, yurashite! SEXY SEXY"note 
  • Manipulative Bastard: Shinobu and Yuki.
  • Mind Screw: The Headless Biker freaks out one of his would-be victims so badly that the poor bastard stabs his own neck so the Headless Biker wouldn't try to cut his head off again.
  • Modesty Shorts: Satsuki wears them in one episode after she gets tired of Hajime flipping her skirt.
  • Monster of the Week: This is justified since the series features different ghosts.
  • Mood Whiplash: The openings of several episodes cut from a screaming victim to the jaunty opening theme song.
  • Murderous Mannequin: Episode 16 deals with a haunted apartment complex. These days, the building is abandoned but for whatever the main spirit residing there throws at trespassers. One of the things the spirit can do is summon an army of rundown mannequins to go after its targets. Keiichirou and Hajime are captured by these mannequins and brought to the roof of the apartment complex.
  • Night Parade of One Hundred Demons: In the intro, silhouettes of several Youkai are seen parading down a field, though this never actually happens in the series.
  • Potty Emergency: The whole school goes through it in Episode 2—partly due to the sewage system breaking down, partly due to being afraid of Hanako in the toilet. But Sakata casually strolls out of class and walks to the old school's toilets. He ends up forced into the toilet by the episode's ghost.
  • Potty Failure: Keiichirou suffers one in Episode 2 due to the fear of going to the old school to pee.
  • Product Placement:
    • In Episode 6, Hajime and Keiichirou are seen playing Dark Cloud.
    • The PlayStation gets one in Episode 7. A close-up of a controller, shown while Leo's mom is using it, shows the names "SONY" and "PLAYSTATION", the Start and Select buttons, and the symbols on the buttons.
  • Put on a Bus: This happens with the friendlier and more harmless ghosts of the old school building.
  • Replicant Snatching: Episode 7 is about a group of evil spirits residing in a dimension beyond the mirror; their goal is to abduct everyone in town, imprison them in the mirror dimension, and impersonate the originals.
  • Right on the Tick: In Episode 5, the ghost being dealt with is said to always kill a runner at the sports festival at 4:44—because, as mentioned above, Four Is Death.
  • Rule of Scary: The premise of the series deals with ghosts.
  • Running Gag: Satsuki's accidental panty shots.
  • Sealed Evil in a Can: All the ghosts who had been sealed away by Kayako are freed after construction destroys the places where they had been imprisoned.
  • Skirts and Ladders: Momoko did not stop to think about this before asking Hajime and Leo to boost her into a high window. From their expressions, neither did the boys.
  • Stringy-Haired Ghost Girl: Episodes 14 and 18 feature one.
  • Supernatural Hotspot Town: This takes place in an unnamed Japanese town infested with ghosts that the main characters try to stop using a diary written by Satsuki's mother Kayako. These range from a hand in the toilet to a ghostly piano player to a rabbit brought back to life by a dark ritual.
  • Surprisingly Realistic Outcome: If Satsuki hears cursed music four times, she'll die. Leo solves this by giving her earplugs. Next time she's ambushed with the song, she snaps them into her ears... to realize they do nothing. She hightails it.
  • The Taxi: Episode 10 is about a deceased taxi driver.
  • Toilet Horror: Episode 2 features the ghosts Hanako-san and Aka Manto (though Hanako is helpful). One of the teachers gets sucked into the underworld through a toilet, and the same thing almost happens to Hajime.
  • Tragic Villain: The Railway Ghost and Yuki.
  • Urban Legend: This is the underlying source of the ghost stories used in the series.
  • What Happened to the Mouse?: Satsuki and Keiichirou's grandparents appear in one very brief scene in Episode 1. Excluding a very brief appearance in the photo album in Episode 12, they are never seen nor mentioned again, despite appearing in the intro alongside the main characters and several other supporting characters.

    ADV's Gag Dub 
  • A-Cup Angst:
    • Satsuki has this despite being ten years old. The dub mentions it a few times throughout the series, but it is most notable in Episode 3.
    • In Episode 14, Momoko, who does not suffer from this, writes off chest pains caused by a curse as just needing a bigger bra. She starts to ask Satsuki if she has one before answering her own question:
  • Acquired Situational Narcissism: Leo when he gets the lead role in the school play becomes an egomaniac and expects to win a Tony.
  • Actor Allusion:
    • Satsuki comments that Leo's developed a bigger ego than Chris Patton, while Momoko mentions Greg Ayres.
    • Satsuki answers a call with "Milk Chan here", even doing the same voice.
    • The entire cast refers to Satsuki's father as "Illich" in one episode.
    • In another episode, a ghost is voiced by Vic Mignogna, who is credited as "Obi Frostips". A few episodes later, Hajime mentions a "frosted Vic Mignogna lookalike" who is "Full Metal Disgusting".
  • Adaptation Explanation Extrication: The dub changes a few details, which occasionally gut explanatory conversations in favor of more humorous topics:
    • In Episode 10, where Momoko initially offers the fruit to Keiichirou because it was left over from lunch. The ghost spares the group because Momoko offers it to his grave, and the fruit was his favorite.
    • In Episode 11, the dub uses more humorous explanations for some of the plot points, at the partial expense of what is likely the episode's theme of being respectful to your toys. It takes away some of the explanation for why the toys at the end are so pissed off, and the symbolic role reversal at the end where the human is at the mercy of the toys playing games:
      • The Doll Temple is explained as a group of "aging homosexuals, mostly in publishing" that gather to play with dolls. In the original version, the temple is explained as being a normal temple. However, some are unwilling to have their dolls cremated with them. Over time, the temple became famous for preserving old dolls. The old priest even remarks that no matter what the time or place, people's attachment to their dolls remain the same.
      • When the dolls prepare to attack Satsuki, they begin to list out games they should play. In the dub, they list famous horror movies, but in the original version, they describe ways people mistreat their dolls. Notably, the final two call for "take her right arm", since the toy got their arm pulled off, and "pull it off" since one got their head pulled off.
    • In Episode 14, Shizuko's source of bitterness is slightly different in the dub compared to the original version. In the dub, Momoko says that the taxi driver dumped Shizuko's body after he realizes she was dead. In the original version, however, Momoko says Shizuko was near-death and the taxi driver didn't want to take responsibility, thus he left her to die. This explains why Shizuko is so angry as rather than it being an unfortunate nighttime accident, the taxi driver consciously chose to avoid responsibility rather than possibly save her life. Leo choosing to take responsibility for disturbing her (as opposed to Momoko, who in every versions tries to persuade him not to take pictures) probably contributes to the Shizuko's Hazy-Feel Turn and sparing both children's lives.
    • The ritual in Episode 15 is changed to be much more humorous, portraying it as a still demonic but also vapid spell that could still just be childish make believe. The original version is more chilling and a more classic Deal with the Devil, outright asking dark powers to grant their wish at the price of their lives. Similarly, their exit spell is a case of Exact Words, where the petitioner tries to get out of their contractual debt by being erased from reality of course.
  • Adaptation-Induced Plot Hole: Inverted of all places. The grandfather says that he's moving to Vegas when his wife dies, which actually explains why they're never seen again for the rest of the series.
  • Ask a Stupid Question...: From Episode 18:
    Momoko: Devil cat, did you give us this musical instrument to help us?
    Amanojaku: No, I just gave it to you because I love the xylophone.
  • Bilingual Bonus: The Hispanic nurse in Episode 12 calls Momoko and Satsuki "cabronas" ("bitches").
  • Bread, Eggs, Breaded Eggs: In Episode 15, Amanojaku stops Satsuki from erasing her own existence under the impression that the ritual would free her from a curse. After hearing that someone put her up to it, Amanojaku suspects that whoever did "is either a ghost or a bitch". When the ghost, Yamime, shows her true form, Amanojaku finally figures it out: "She's a ghost and a bitch!"
  • Breaking the Fourth Wall: This happens a lot. The following instance from Episode 5 takes this and blends it together with Medium Awareness:
    Leo: I mean, have you heard about the sports festival?
    Hajime: Yes, the sports festival... That's what this whole episode is about.
    Leo: Okay, let's stop breaking the third wall, they're thinking about cancelling the sports festival!
  • Breast Expansion: In Episode 3, Satsuki tries to get a wish granting ghost to give her huge breasts, but does it wrong so she's "still in a training bra".
  • Casting Couch: This is specifically mentioned. According to Leo, this is how Keita beat him out for the lead part in the elementary school play.
  • Cluster F-Bomb: There are plenty of F-bombs before Episode 16, but they are bleeped out. Strangely, an utterance of "shit" was bleeped out literally two minutes before Satsuki's F-bomb wasn't. This is most noticable in Episode 15 during a summoning spell:
    Shinobu: "F[bleep] me, Satan! F[bleep] me, Satan!! F[bleep] ME, SATAN!!!"
  • Continuity Nod: There're a few in the dub at least:
    • In Episode 2, Momoko mentions that she cast out Hanako in the last episode.
    • In Episode 4, Leo gloats that the piano ghost chose to impersonate him on the phone, because he's the best actor in the group, calling back to his suddenly inflated ego in the previous episode when he got to play the lead in the school play.
    • In Episode 4, Satsuki is shown to have poor endurance, ruefully noting as she failed to escape from the piano chasing her that she shouldn't have skipped PE class or huffed so much paint. Hajime teases her earlier that episode for not being able to catch him, and in Episode 5 takes over training Keiichirou's fitness training after seeing Satsuki struggling to keep up with her notably unathletic brother. Leo even asks if cankles runs in the family.
    • In Episode 7, Hajime recounts a story to a person over the phone about him nailing a midget before being summoned by Satsuki to help Leo.note  Later, in Episode 11, Satskui demands that Hajime "stop having [his] midget girlfriend call" her, believing Merry Mary's phone call was a prank.
    • In Episode 15, the girls discuss a cheerleader who had an abortion. This references a throwaway gag in Episode 4 where Leo mentions that the school was at the time preoccupied with two stories: one is the piano ghost, the other is a cheerleader pregnant with twins.
    • In Episode 18, Satsuki complains that she needs a makeover (to stop attracting math deficient ghost lesbians). The next episode, Momoko takes her to see her cousin, a stylist.
  • Cultural Translation: The dub is filled with references to American culture and politics that obviously were not in the original dub. Practically the only references to the characters actually living in Japan come in the form of jokes lampshading this cultural translation.
  • Discriminate and Switch: Mio's farewell to Shirotabi's ghost in Episode 9 has her acknowledge that they can never be together, but it's not because he's a rabbit, but because he's black.
  • Donut Mess with a Cop: This is referenced by Hajime:
    "Drop the Krispy Kremes, Serpico!"
  • Dub-Induced Plot Hole: The dub is more focused on humor, so it's understandable. However, some key plot elements from the original version might feel missed if one only watches the dub:
    • In Episode 16, the Groundskeeper is actually a ghost that was trapped in the building, so his Heroic Sacrifice is a form of Death Equals Redemption since he was the one who originally built the property and it's implied to have disrupted the nature spirits. The dub has him sacrifice himself humorously because he's underpaid, albeit he does say that he built the apartments as well.
    • Yuki's plan in Episode 17 makes more sense in the original version than the dub, where Yuki claims that Miyuki is dead and haunting the area despite earlier saying that Miyuki was going to pick the group up. In the original version, Yuki lies that Miyuki is unreliable, and that she probably failed to pick up the gang because she went out to play. When they interact with the aunt, whose staff is all out for a business trip, hence the lack of anyone else around, the group does not mention Yuki or Miyuki's absence as to avoid tattling. It is only after lunch that Yuki makes the claim that she feels that Miyuki must've drowned earlier that day (as opposed to what is implied to be a few days/weeks ago like in the dub), and the shot of the hat in the water is supposed to be proof of the fact. Miyuki returns later because she was trapped in a blizzard, presumably caused by Yuki.
    • In Episode 19, the Headless Biker makes a tiny bit more sense in the original version as it is said that he curses anyone that sees him without wearing a scarf. This is why everyone freaks out even after they put on their scarves as once they've seen him without one, they're vulnerable.
  • Early-Installment Weirdness: The first two episodes, save for a couple of gags, are a slightly straight dub with added humor. Episodes 3 and beyond introduce the black comedy and improv the dub would be known for.
  • Equal-Opportunity Offender: The dub was said to "make everybody angry".
  • Everyone Has Standards: Momoko actually lets out a quiet blasphemous "Oh dear God." when Satsuki talks about the time she was left outside of the hospital room for hours while her father had a orgy with a group of nurses.
  • Filling the Silence: This is often used to turn boring moments into successful humor. A good example is in Episode 15, where Yamime says "Wheeee!" while floating up the stairs, then casually hums a tune while removing the barricade from the bedroom door.
  • Foreshadowing: Plenty in episode 17 about Yuki's true identity:
    • At the start of the episode, the wind in the snow storm turns into a quiet crying as we are introduced to the ghost. In the dub, Yuki has a tick where she cries almost at random, especially as she talks about the lake. It's of course revealed later that she's a ghost and those screams probably represent her emotions related to her death.
    • When the gang first arrives at the hotel, they are greeted by a ghostly apparition. Leo panics and cries out:
    "Maybe your friend was the victim of the dreaded abominable snow-woman of the mountain. Does anyone feel a little cold? I feel cold and a little watched." note 
    • Momoko, who has Psychic Powers, senses something is off in both versions:
      • In the dub, Yuki asks her point blank after lunch if she feels something is wrong. Later on, just as a nearly hypothermic Miyuki arrives, Momoko says she detects evil in their midst. The latter comes off like a Captain Obvious statement, but she's also notably facing Yuki.
      • In the original, it is more pronounced, with Momoko clearly sensing something wrong when Yuki first shows them their room (she mumbles "You..." but holds back). Later during lunch, when Yuki asks if she could sense a spirit (claiming that Miyuki died earlier that morning), Momoko says she has felt something spirit related ever since she saw Yuki, which she incorrectly believes is Miyuki's spirit.
    • Yuki’s design is also notably different than the others, going barefoot in the snow, not losing her breath while the others are clearly exhausted from running (despite being ahead of them), and wearing a relatively simple set of robes while the others wear conspicuously modern polyester/nylon outfits. Her outfit matches that of Satsuki’s middle-age aunt, hinting that they’re actually around the same age. The ghostly apparition at the start of the episode and when the gang first arrive at the inn also are share this outfit, while Miyuki does not.
  • Gag Dub: One of the most famous in anime history, to the point that many mistake it for an abridged series. The story goes that after the series tanked in Japan, the rights were sold to ADV, who were told they could pretty much do whatever they wanted with it as long as the names and basic plot were the same. Taking this idea and running with it, director Steven Foster threw out most of the script and encouraged the cast to improvise based on the lip flaps. Whoever got to record first for a given scene would set the tone and subject for it, and the other cast members had to follow in those footsteps. This unique approach produced random characterizations, fourth wall breaking jokes, tons of take thats, and as much silliness as the cast could manage, similar to what had happened with Samurai Pizza Cats and the Latin American dub of Dotto! Koni-chan.
  • Girl on Girl Is Hot: invoked Kayako is portrayed as being gay/bisexual. This is made even weirder in Episode 13 when, after Satsuki goes back in time and meets her, the latter writes in her ghost diary that she found the former attractive, which really creeps Satsuki out.
  • Gratuitous Japanese: This is invoked mostly in the later episodes. "NANIIIIII?"
  • Hong Kong Dub: Inverted. If you forget about mouth shape, the dub matches the characters' lip flaps perfectly. The original Japanese version, on the other hand, often had lips moving long after a character finished speaking.
  • Hypocritical Heartwarming:
    "Shut up, cat! And, listen, you don't know Leo well enough to be mean to him, just us!"
  • Hypocritical Humour: The dub has tons of it throughout the series. For example, Momoko mentions that there are some crazy religious people out there when she's one herself.
  • Interspecies Romance: There's one in Episode 9 between the ghost of Shirotabi and Mio. The latter breaks up with the former not because he's a rabbit, but because he's black.
  • Lampshade Hanging: The ADV dub does this whenever it pokes fun at the animation errors:
    Satsuki: "Oh wow convulsion that was weird. Okay..."
    Satsuki: "What's going on? What happened to my leg?"
    Kayako: "And your father always thinks it's cute to cross his eyes in pictures. See? See? He... look, look he did it there!"
    Satsuki: "Oh, damn anime! Look what's happened to my eyes!"
    Amanojaku: "God, you are four of the ugliest fucking kids I have ever had the misfortune of laying my eyes on, I can't wait for this bitch to kill you."
  • Limited Wardrobe: This is lampshaded when Leo tries to make Hajime wear a scarf as a way of preventing decapitation. Hajime refuses, then points out how Leo has comfortably worn the same shirt since the series started.
  • Lip Lock: This one is deliberately invoked in Episode 5:
    Leo: (running at the camera in a panic) Oh-my-god-what-the-hell-is-happening-here-these-are-the-fastest-lip-flaps-I've-ever-had-to-sync!!!
  • Lost in Translation: Inverted when it explains the xylophone; its keys play the musical notes often used to end broadcasts in Japan:
    Leo: The script so far isn't making sense to anyone working on this show so here's what we got... I think.
  • Mature Work, Child Protagonists: The ADV dub provides an unusual example. The series has ghost hunting preteens as the main protagonists, and the original Japanese version is aimed at children, with no particularly inappropriate content for young audiences. The ADV dub, on the other hand, is clearly adult-oriented; it frequently references and satirizes early-to-mid-2000s pop culture and politics, and features a lot of crass and dark humor, which is either highly inappropriate for kids or would just go over their heads.
  • Mood Whiplash:
    • Some scenes features the cast laughing during dramatic moments.
    • Some episodes end this way when the cast reacts and/or says something that contradicts what's actually happening onscreen.
  • Not-So-Innocent Whistle: This is inserted in the dub during Shizuko's flashback to Momoko. The taxi driver does it after hitting her with the cab.
  • Parental Incest: Episode 13:
    Satsuki: [My mother] thought I was attractive. That is so...grossing me out.
  • Real Life Writes the Plot: The ADV dub was recorded around the time when Hurricane Katrina hit New Orleans and displaced practically the entire city, resulting in many residents taking refuge in Houston, where the dub was being recorded. The end result was a large number of very scathing jokes against the George W. Bush administration that reflected the feelings of anger many New Orleans residents felt towards the administration's diffident response to the disaster.
  • Running Gag:
    • The dub makes a few of these by way of commenting on the quality of the script and animation, often invoking random Japanese words and anime trends.
    • References of Christian Slater's career.
    • A prostitute by the name of "Cinnamon" is referenced a few times, with the implication that the male adults keep sleeping with her and getting an STD/AIDS scare.
  • Sassy Black Woman: Tomomi's grandmother is portrayed as one.
  • Scary Black Man: Hajime makes this comment in Episode 5 in an attempt to motivate Keiichirou while he's training for the sports festival:
    Hajime: "THINK OF A BIG BLACK MAN CHASING YOU!"
  • Self-Deprecation:
    • Satsuki and Momoko diss Chris Patton and Greg Ayres, Hajime and Leo's voice actors, respectively, in Episode 3.
    • In Episode 12, Keiichirou complains that Satsuki "snores like Rob Mungle", Amanojaku's voice actor.
  • She's a Man in Japan: This is Played for Laughs. In the original Japanese version of Episode 19, Momoko's hairstylist cousin Maki is a woman. In the dub, however, Maki is portrayed as a Camp Gay man.
  • Sibling Murder: Implied. It seems that Satsuki and Keiichirou used to have a sister named Karen.
  • Sound-Effect Bleep: In place until Episode 16.
  • Space Whale Aesop: An Aesop about paying child support on time is tacked on the "Everybody Laughs" Ending of Episode 9.
  • Suddenly Always Knew That: In Episode 12, Satsuki abruptly becomes fluent in Spanish to chat with a hospital nurse.
  • Suddenly Shouting: "Oh, Satsuki, let's sing! Jesus loves me—COME ON, YOU KNOW THE WORDS!"
  • Take That!: There are so many it could have its own page as it would be easier to list targets that aren't acceptable. This is just one example:
    Leo: I'm all alone, forgotten, like a black family in Bush America.
  • Thinly-Veiled Dub Country Change: The series still takes place in Japan, but with all the constant references to American politics, pop culture and celebrities, the only thing that's still Japanese in the dub are the characters' names. There is even one gag where Hajime comes across a road sign and fails to read it because it's in Japanese.
  • Too Dumb to Live:
    • This is lampshaded several times, but most explicitly in Episode 7:
    Oh for god's sakes, you kids are so stupid, you both deserve to die.
    • In Episode 9:
      Hajime: Of all the places to run, why did we end up here [in the old schoolhouse]?
      Leo: Because it was the only place and we're terminally stupid.
  • Tradesnark™: ADV's DVD release has a dubtitle track that does this with Keiichirou's random noises, usually rendered as "[Keiichirou Sob™]."
  • Troubling Unchildlike Behaviour: It can be hard remembering that all the main characters are in elementary school, what with their constant swearing, references to sex, and off-color jokes. Background dialog implies all the kids are like this, such as one student mentioning another having an abortion.
  • You Meddling Kids: Referenced directly when Hajime exclaims, "And you would've gotten away with it too, if not for us meddling kids. I've been waiting five volumes to make that joke!"

Top

Ghost Stories

Yes, this was the official dub. No, you can't unhear it.

How well does it match the trope?

4.43 (14 votes)

Example of:

Main / ChingChong

Media sources:

Report