The TVTropes Trope Finder is where you can come to ask questions like "Do we have this one?" and "What's the trope about...?" Trying to rediscover a long lost show or other medium but need a little help? Head to You Know That Show and try your luck there. Want to propose a new trope? You should be over at You Know, That Thing Where.
Find a Trope:
You're Not Special Anime
The villain is revealed to be able to use the same power as the protagonist which negates their advantage/plot armor or is revealed to be able to bypass it or work around their signature ability/technique with an inverted version. Its not just that the antagonist is immune or has an ability which impedes the hero. It must be in direct relation to the hero's ability. This is also seen in reverse where the hero is able to utilize the power of the enemy.
Some examples: Jotaro having the same stand as Dio negating his time stop power advantage, Moriarty being able to pre-calculate a fight just like Sherlock, Beta Ray Bill being able to wield Mjolnir just as Thor can.
Edited by OnyxLycanYou have a [percent] chance of success! Anime
I see it the most in anime, but I know it's popped up at least once in Professional Wrestling as well. Fairly common trope in shonen series, one opponent (usually with a scientist aesthetic) is rest assured in his imminent victory over the hero because he's done the math. What factored into these equations? Who knows. But the hero only has a one percent chance of success according to them. Usually complete with some shift in the fight causing the villain to furiously recalculate and *gasp!* the hero's chance of success is rising!
Hero gets too strong too early. Anime
I put this under Anime because it's too common there:
Protagonist levels up to defeat big bad. The day is won! But now the next arc he needs to level up again to beat the next guy! It's almost unbearable in the Dragonball series.
I found "Plot Leveling" and "Sorting Algorithm of Evil" But I am more referring to what's happening on the hero end of things. They get too strong and eventually boring.
I found the same problem happened in BBC's Sherlock. They made him out to be too smart, and by the end he was essentially a walking supercomputer.
A towns so weird that even magical people don't want to go there. Anime
A locations so weird that people with magic or powers don't even want to go there if they can help it. The locals have no problem with it though as they're all ready use to the weird happenings around them.
Evolving opening. Anime
Like the evolving credits, but with the opening. Usually used to avoid a spoiler opening.
Here's an example: https://youtu.be/-Ey7-ODzM_s
Message Written in Blood Anime
Exactly what it says: I'm looking for a trope about leaving a message written in blood. Usually done as a warning ("turn back" "you're next" etc.), but I've also seen it done with challenge letters (to a rival, or dojo) and farewell letters.
The closest I could find was Couldn't Find a Pen, which includes messages in blood, but the trope description suggests doing it out of necessity since there's nothing else to write with. Whereas I'm referring to someone purposefully leaving the message in blood to either make a point, or to convey the seriousness of a threat.
Mentor left important information out so student would be more likely to agree. Anime
A mentor purposely left important information out because he knew the hero would have likely not agreed so easily to be trained. Overall he did have good intentions though.
References to the Bible in anime favor the Gospel of John Anime
When the bible is quoted or part of the Bible is mentioned in anime (usually in the context of some kind of exorcism being carried out by adherents to Anime Catholicism), the reference comes from the Gospel of John. This occurs specifically in Ghost Hunt (where it gets paired with a snippet of The Lord's Prayer), Blue Exorcist, I think Chrono Crusade, and I think others that I don't specifically recall. I wouldn't be surprised if this is also true in other media.
Hero retires in peace after everyone thinks he died for real. Anime
Tired of fighting as a superhero in an attempt to save everyone one last time the hero preforms a Heroic Sacrifice but survives in the end. The general public all believes the hero is dead while he let's everyone believe that and retires in peace. He didn't actually mean to make everyone think he was dead, it was only convenient.
Box cutters as weapons Anime
A character (usually of the Yandere type) uses a box cutter specifically as a weapon. I've seen this in quite a few anime, as well as anime-inspired works (i.e. video games) that I'm surprised I haven't found a trope about it yet.
Ninja Fishnets Anime
Is there a trope for whatever the hell that fishnet-like fabric that Ninjas wear on their arms is?
Seeing someone you lost in someone else. Anime
Trope when a character meets someone who reminds them heavily of someone they lost due to looking like them and similarities in behavior. This isn't a ghost though.
Seeing someone you lost in someone else. Anime
Trope when a character meets someone who reminds them heavily of someone they lost due to looking like them and similarities in behavior. This isn't a ghost though.
A botched translation of an iconic line Anime
Example: the line "計画通り" is usually translated as "Just as planned". The Funimation translation of No-Rin, on the other hand, seems to not get the fact that this is in fact a popular line from Death Note, instead translating it as "Just like a plan", as somewhat accurate as it may be: https://pbs.twimg.com/media/BeN1wl6CcAA9HQ_?format=jpg&name=large
What trope does this fall under?
Aggressive older love interest Anime
A lot of anime featuring a preteen/pubescent boy protagonist involves them having some kind of professional relationship with an adult woman or much older teen who is sexually aggressive towards them. Due to the Double Standard: Rape, Female on Male, this is generally Played for Laughs or for titilation, even though the protagonist's reaction usually to this ranges from discomfort to Tsundere-style ambiguity. Marshmallow Hell is often involved but I'm looking more for the relationship dynamic/character archetype.
Examples include Misato from Neon Genesis Evangelion and Haruko from FLCL.
Ending trope Anime
At the end of the 90s version of Sailor Moon, Usagi says "The End", followed by the Inner Guardians saying "See ya!"
Which ending trope best fits this description?
Edited by gjjonesHiding behind gender-neutral descriptors Anime
This is currently listed as an example of Exact Words, but I'm wondering if it belongs to Pronoun Trouble.
Serial Numbers Filed Off version: Alex asks Bob to describe his girlfriend, not knowing Bob is Closet Gay. Bob uses a list of gender-neutral descriptors that does apply to his boyfriend Carl, but to Alex, Bob sounds like he's describing some kind of Meganekko.
- Bob: They're really smart, and composed. They're also hardworking, and really dependable. Also... they look cute in glasses.
The English translation is certainly an example of Pronoun Trouble (using "they" to hide somebody's gender), but how about the original text?
No Title Anime
A non-existent anime about happy adorable kawaii animals (like Hello Kitty) from an extremely peaceful world uses only harsh soundtracks that reach Level 11 of Mohs Scale of Rock and Metal Hardness (Example: Power noise).
Edited by ckha42Take Them Down A Peg? Anime
A talented newcomer joins an established team. Mid-skill members of the team feel threatened, so they try to humiliate the newcomer by proposing a contest where the newcomer has to compete at some hilariously obvious deficit. The bullies seem to think that their victory will demoralize or shame the new guy, even though the contest is clearly rigged. This isn't about being sneaky. The newcomer usually manages to win even with the handicap, and the bullies are usually caught by an authority figure, resulting in their own embarrassment.
Seen in Hikaru no Go when Akira is pressured by juniors of his new team into playing three simultaneous games of go, without being able to see any of the boards, while cleaning a storage room. In Prince of Tennis, second year players demand that Echizen play a match using a dilapidated old racket.
Don't care exactly how it works, just that it does. Anime
Trope where person doesn't care how exactly how something is possible and doesn't bother exploring how it came to be or how it was made. The trope isn't Seen It All though.
Not prepared for daunting task ahead Anime
Trope for when someone is woefully unprepared for a daunting task they're forced to undertake.
A disease affects someone's behaviour Anime
I see Freudian Excuse being used for someone whose violent behaviour is caused by a degenerative brain disease, but that seems misuse; "Freudian" relates to psychology, not diagnosed physical conditions. Do we have a trope that fits better?
No Title Anime
Fusion