When you find yourself trying to remember a show (or any works) that's on the tip of your tongue but just out of reach, come here - the collective brain of the TVTropes community can probably help. Post all the details you can remember (examples help). If you're looking for a trope, head over to Trope Finder. Have general questions about tropes? Visit Ask The Tropers!
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openAnime with two girls in bed. Anime
There is a scene of a girl naked in bed and is joined by another girl disrobes with her silhouette visible through the curtains of the bed. When the second girl tries to be more intimate with the first, who is reluctant to do so. Then, they are suddenly ambushed by an assassin and the first girl defends herself and the second, causing the sheets covering them to fly off, but not showing anything really graphic to my recollection.
openHippo as classical composer Anime
I vaguely remember a really weird anime about classic music where one of the characters was a somewhat sapient hippo. His name was Dovo-kun or something thereof. He was supposed to be the reincarnation of Antonín Dvořák.
openan 80-90s anime about fairy tales Anime
there is this anime series i used to watch on Spacetoon channel. it's about a trio consists of a boy, a cat with tuxedo color coat, and a mouse who lives in some fantasy world where every fairy tales is true and, in every episode, they traveled across the land and witness the events of said fairy tale and often participate in each tales.
an episode i remember the most is the "The Emperor's new clothes" episode where the trio is the one who tricked the king and the "Snow Queen" episode where the trio briefly checked the broken mirror. maybe i misremember it though
openStrange CGI Anime Anime
I saw a glimpse of this on You Tube once and never again. Some sort of 2000s Japanese animation, possibly an OVA, involving doll-like CGI characters (probably only doll-like due to both technical limitations and what happens when you translate a 2d anime character’s design into CGI.)
My memory believes that the main character(s) were dressed in the Japanese ‘Lolita Fashion’, albeit a bit more downplayed than most examples of such. Pretty sure dark, moody clothing colours and ribbons were present. The ‘animation’ was basically a slideshow of still renders with added voice-over and ambience. I remember checking the comments — and perhaps a tvtropes page — and seeing that the story involved prostitution or something like that in a somber perspective.
Does anyone know the name?
openTrying to find this show, but haven't had any luck Anime
All I can remember is that there is a purple-haired lady who brainwashed children(who are said to grow into world leaders) with the purpose of using them to control the world.
She took a somewhat maternal tone towards them, and iirc she has claws? And she use some kind of pink fog or whatever to control them?
She was captured, and was beheaded by one of the children that she was brainwashed(or so I thought, I only know that she was beheaded).
Any idea? I saw it on youtube once, but the clip is now gone.
openManga in which an elegant lady is massaged into bread Anime
I can't recall the exact context of the scene, but it involves a couple of characters watching a beautiful woman(who may have been a princess, goddess, or otherwise of high status, as she was respected/admired in-universe) receive a massage from the supposed best masseuse in the land/world. The observers are shocked when the masseuse proceeds to kneed the woman as if she was made of dough, to the point that she becomes little more than a ball with a face. The masseuse then either bakes her or steams her while she's in this form, after which he molds her back into her original human shape. Not only does the woman appear to enjoy the entire process (she has a "^_^" face while being cooked), but her skin is perfectly smooth afterward. When the observers are gawking at the results, one of them remarks that they'd like to experience it themselves, to which another of them notes that the masseuse apparantly has an absurdly long queue.
openWeird, specific, and long: Looking for any works that's similar to stuff I’m writing. Anime
I’m not actually looking for anything I’m forgetting, just want to know if something I’m imagining already exists for writing inspiration. Anyone know any long running series that’s similar to an idea I have. About an emotionless stoic and morally dubious not heroic or personable assassin? They wear black and red clothings, carry various light, fragile, but sharp weapons. They were genetically or alchemical created in a test tube like a homunculus. They’re pale white because their blood flow has been slowed, can do weeks without food and drink and sleep, they have magic red eyes that increases their reaction speed. They’re non-binary, no better assassin than one that can pull off both genders looking like a man or woman. Short, youthful. They operate using stealth, speed, and range distance. A assassin sniper or bowman.
Maybe each episode is a new target/villain-of-the-week. But I’d prefer it has a changing story or arc. Eventually.
Lots of character archetypes. Gentleman phantom thief catburglars, spies, serial killers, femme fatales, detectives.
I’ve seen a ton of movies with typical stuff like Paladins and Barbarians and Wizards is there any for Rogues? Assassin’s, Thieves, Spies, that take place in a fantasy or ancient world? Focused on stealth, speed, and range combat character types, y’know, cloaks, mask, stealth, disguise, bows n arrows, daggers. Subterfuge, arson, espionage, sabotage, sleight of hand, etc. Excluding ninjas? I know there’s the Thief video game series but that’s some lamplight era stuff. All I can think of is Assassin’s creed. Not just video games, but movies, books, anime, etc.
Assassins, Thieves, Spies focusing on stealth, speed, and range combat n equipped with cloaks, mask, bows n arrows, daggers. Probably with the personality of Garrett from Thief or Altair from Assassin’s Creed. Kinda Byronic heroes or anti-heroes like Elric of Melnibone, Geralt of Rivia, or Agent 47 from Hitman in terms of personality, maybe also Batman stuff.
Bonus points if it maybe also has some involvement with cults, secret societies, organized crime syndicates, and vigilante rebels n stuff. Also if there’s other kinda character archetypes like thieves, detectives, serial killers, spies, etc. Lots of mysteries and thrills going on. Smart sleight of hand and stealth stuff that either assist or hinder the stoic assassin I’m thinking of. Oh, and a complete victory if it’s much more in the past like the ancient medieval era. To maybe get your mind rolling here’s a few characters and stories that kinda give the mood of what I’m talking both in character and world. The Jewish Zealot group called the Sicarii, Ninjas, Hashashin, Reynard the Fox, Robin Hood, 3 Musketeers, Scarlet Pimpernel, Sherlock Holmes, Zorro, The Shadow, Crimson Avenger, Batman, his sidekick Cassandra Cain and Damian Wayne (in character design, lore, backstory, character acting, skills, weapons, abilities, equipment, and maybe demeanor), James Bond, Lupin III, Golgo 13, The Question (DC comics), Psycho (novel/film), Where in the World is Carmen Sandiego? (And the Netflix show), Silence of the Lambs, Neon Genesis Evangelion (Rei Ayanami in lore, backstory, demeanor, behavior), Hellsing (Schroedinger in appearance), Thorfinn Vinland Saga prologue (fighting style, character acting, movements skills, weapons, abilities), Black Butler anime (Alois Trancy in appearance), Akame ga Kill, Speed-‘o-Sound Sonic One Punch Man (in terms of appearance), Assassin’s Creed games, Phoenix Jones, Murder Inc, The Black Hand, Operation Wrath of God (subject of the Steven Spielberg film “Munich”), Deus Ex, Ghost in the Shell, Dexter, Hitman series, Spy X Family, Joker (2019), Tom Clancy’s Splintercell, Assassination Classroom, Metal Gear.
Ps: Doesn’t have to be anime. Could be novels, movies, comics, tv, manga, even radio.
Edited by TusksofWaropenBleach knock-off that aired in the US during the summer of 2010 Anime
Alright, please help me out here. I need to know if a particular show was just a vivid dream or something I actually watched at some point.
Basically, it was a low-budget anime that was essentially a knock-off of the Bleach Soul Society arc. The main character looked like Ichigo but had black hair, all of his opponents were wearing Soul Reaper get-up, and the entire show was painfully, awfully Strictly Formula. In the first episode the main character's not-girlfriend was kidnapped, then he discovered he had latent Soul Reaper-like powers. Almost all of the action took place on what looked like a tennis court, and each fight would last for about two or three episodes and followed the exact same structure (main character getting beaten up -> fighting back -> stalemate -> slight advantage -> overwhelming his opponent).
I was in the US over the summer and had access to a wide variety of TV channels. The show aired, as I recall, as a marathon on Spike TV and I was watching it because I was bored and too lazy to get up. At around the halfway mark I gave up on the show — it was so repetitive that not doing anything was better than watching it.
Does anyone know what I'm talking about or did I just dream it up? I've been unable to find anything about the show and it bothers me to no end that I don't know if it was real or not.
openHelp!!! I’m losing sleep over this obscure tv show Anime
I’ve put it down as anime because it was very inspired by Asian culture. But it was a 3d animation with English voices. Aired anytime before 2012. The main character has pink hair and from Atleast one instance had a yellow tracksuit on. She lived in a bamboo forest and had a very Kyoto inspired home, with a gong inside. Those are the only details I’m sure of
The maybes are her name may have been similar to “mei” or “kyoko” and her hair may have been tied up in space buns. There also may have been two white haired twins as the antagonist, one male and one female. She may have also had a small companion, and in one scene or episode explored a pyramid, everything in this paragraph is unsure though. I was very young at the time
openLooking for an anti-rom-com manga Anime
I'm trying to find a manga I used to read. I would best describe it as an "anti rom-com" manga. It was about this girl that most of the school admires and one of those morality officers that Japanese high schools have for whatever reason. The guy is super strict and gets on everyone's nerves and he eventually gets on the girl's nerves. So she decides she wants to knock him down a peg, either by publically embarrassing him or tricking him into doing something that will cause him to lose his position.
I call it an "anti rom-com" because while the setup for a rom-com is clearly there, the author deliberately subverts the usual cliches, showing that it's very unlikely they will ever get along, let alone fall in love.
Anyone know what I'm talking about? I don't think it was ever officially translated, so it might not have an official English title.
openUnable to remember the name of this show for the life of me. Anime
I can only remember a part of one episode. A character shoots red lightning from their hands, and stumbles while trying to control it. They were wearing purple, and had light orange hair.
Edited by Dragonman2455open(SOLVED)Manga where a catgirl gets flattened by weird invention? Anime
I think the scene in question happened in a school's printing room. The catgirl stood too close to one of the machines and her tail got caught in the rollers, dragging her through. She's unharmed, but stuck in a paper-thin state. She runs off to find the scientist who made the machine so that he can restore her to normal, which if memory serves is achieved with a (possibly oversized) microwave.
Edited by RadayamopenSome Anime Anime
I have been thinking about an anime. I just remember one episode about a trio of students that were about to have a test, and for some reason, then one of them climbed into a clock tower to fix the abandoned clock there.
openSuper obscure anime with monsters from the 2000s (possible lost media) Anime
This is... something, alright. Nobody I ever talked to it about knew what I was talking about, nor it seems that it was already documented here. Did I have hallucinated this? I don't know.
I remember in the year 2009 in Italy they broadcasted a Mon anime series, which unfortunately, I never memorized the name. I'm pretty sure it was an anime and not just an Animesque cartoon, because it had that style typical of the Turn Of The Millenium animes. It had at least an Italian dub.
This Mon show was very notable in that it looks like it lacked any semblance of mon-related collectibles, which implies it was NOT Merchandise-Driven, nor it seemed to have evolutions for the mons; this also means that I couldn't possibly have seen Bakugan or a Digimon or Yu-Gi-Oh! series.
Other details I can give to better help identify it: The setting was mostly like our world except critters live alongside humans.
The protagonists were a quartet of kids plus the mascot mon, and pretty cliched; the protagonist was a red-headed Hot-Blooded Idiot Hero and probably an Extreme Omnivore as well; the deuteragonist was much more stoic and probaboy wore either blue or black, but also had some un-boyish hobbies; then there's the girl who was a pink-wearing tomboy; and finally the timid yellow-wearing smart guy; plus the mascot Mon who was a white-colored Cartoon Creature. I remember the five main characters bickering a lot with each other.
The main antagonists were a Terrible Trio of Green and Mean devils who were revealed to be brainwashed, but there also were a couple of GreaterScopeVillain.
I also don't remember any of the characters' names.
Some episodes I somewhat remember:
- An episode where the aloof lancer is revealed to like collecting plush toys, but his parents scold him for having such hobbies, but it's also revealed that the big guy from the Terrible Trio also collects plush toys and attempts to steal a rare plushie from the good guys;
- An episode where there's a huge monster on a rampage, and also a Mon that looked like a fire-breathing Jack-o'-lantern (one of the few "generic" Mons I remember from it);
- An episode where The Smart Guy saves the day but mistakes a boy for a girl;
- The Myth Arc and possibly the "finale arc", where the masco Mon flees, the kids try to find him with the protagonist trying to bait him out with EXPIRED snacks (that's very dumb, but one of the only scenes I remember clearly...), all the four kids touch a magic stick and get transported to a special place, where a "butler-like" Mon reveals to them that the mascot had an older brother who did an Heroic Sacrifice, using carvings in a wall to illustrate the story.
I've tried giving the most detailed account I could give at this point, and so far nobody else even had the faintest idea of what I was talking about. It could be lost forever..
openShow based on specific character Anime
The character in question comes from what looked like a fantasy anime that someone was watching next to me. It was a dark-skinned woman with long, straight, mint-blue (or green?) hair.
I remember a couple of other characters, namely a bearded king with light brown hair and a short, blonde girl who looked like his daughter?
The anime in question was watched on Crunchyroll (from what I could tell) and seems recent enough to have been produced in HD.
openDID Anime scene Anime
I once saw a scene in an anime where three women had apparently been sentenced to death. All three had their hands bound in front of them in a futuristic version of stocks and the woman selected to die first was obliged to bend over so that her stocks would lock into this pillar thing, the effect being sort of like a pillory, only with her neck exposed for the headsman’s axe. Just as the executioner was raising his axe for the chop, the women’s male ally managed to intervene and save all three.
openPoetic death scene Anime
Some anime, a character dies, and we cut to their mom or girlfriend out in a field, where a strong gust of wind starts to blow. The mom/girlfriend looks worried at what it could mean.
Edited by IronAnimation

Hi. I once watched some anime (or was it cartoons very similar to anime) on TV when I was a kid. I don't remember much about them because it's been over twenty years, but certain snippets are still in my memory. I think they belonged to three different anime, but I'm not sure about that. So:
1) In the first anime, the antagonists were strange creatures that looked a lot like stereotypical gangsters from old noir movies - they wore wide-brimmed hats, gray coats, and smoked thick, long cigars. In fact, cigars were the lifeblood of these creatures - they were made of smoke, and if one of them lost a cigar, it would slowly melt away. I remember how the boss of these creatures took away one of them his cigarette as punishment for failure and did not return it until only his head was left - and only then returned the cigar, giving him one last chance to correct the mistake.
2) The second anime was made in the collectible card game genre. There, traditional 2D animation of human characters was combined with primitive 3D card monsters that players summoned for duels from otherworldly realities. The rules of this game are what I remember best - it categorized all creatures into six types: Fire; Water; Earth; Earth; Sky; Light; and Darkness.
One story arc involved the protagonist and his friends traveling the world, visiting the six elemental realms and saving them from being enslaved by villains. At the end, the antagonist managed to temporarily achieve his goals and he set almost all the monsters on the human world, but the heroes (naturally) ruined his plans at the last moment.
I also remembered one character well - he was..... weird. He was a baby or a midget with the body of a baby - he had a low male voice, wore black sunglasses and pajamas in the shape of bears, and moved around in a stroller. He also had almost exclusively creatures of the Water Realm in his deck, for which he was teased by other characters.
3) I remember the third anime vaguely. In general - the heroine worked as a nurse in a hospital with a very strict boss. She even scolded her for wearing her hat backwards. And one day the heroine was pranked by patients - they heated thermometers with boiling water to simulate a terrible fever.