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Indexes are not tropes.
Changed line(s) 56 (click to see context) from:
* GreenEyedMonster: Both Nonoha and Cubic become this when they find out that Kaito's infatuated with a puzzle-solving celebrity in episode 10.
to:
* GreenEyedMonster: GreenEyedMonster:
** Both Nonoha and Cubic become this when they find out that Kaito's infatuated with a puzzle-solving celebrity in episode 10.
** Both Nonoha and Cubic become this when they find out that Kaito's infatuated with a puzzle-solving celebrity in episode 10.
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* StockPuzzle
** EyeCatch: FifteenPuzzle (season 1), {{Klotski}} (season 2)
** Episode 1: MobileMaze
** Episode 3: MagicSquarePuzzle
** Episode 9: KnightsAndKnaves
** Episode 10: GridPuzzle
** Episode 20: GameOfNim
** Episode 22: TowersOfHanoi (with 64 disks -- faithful to the original!)
** Episode 43: FoxChickenGrainPuzzle
** Episode 45: BlockPuzzle
** EyeCatch: FifteenPuzzle (season 1), {{Klotski}} (season 2)
** Episode 1: MobileMaze
** Episode 3: MagicSquarePuzzle
** Episode 9: KnightsAndKnaves
** Episode 10: GridPuzzle
** Episode 20: GameOfNim
** Episode 22: TowersOfHanoi (with 64 disks -- faithful to the original!)
** Episode 43: FoxChickenGrainPuzzle
** Episode 45: BlockPuzzle
to:
%%* StockPuzzle
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Kick The Son Of A Bitch is no longer a trope
Changed line(s) 108 (click to see context) from:
* ScrewTheRulesIMakeThem: Herbert Muller is given a lot of leeway regarding his rather questionable methods, due to his high rank in the P.O.G. organization. [[spoiler: However, he ''does'' face repercussions when he's caught setting up remote-controlled grenades into the puzzle for no reason other than to kill the Solver, combined with the fact that Rook got himself promoted to a higher rank than his, allowing him to put [[KickTheSonOfABitch Muller in his place.]]]]
to:
* ScrewTheRulesIMakeThem: Herbert Muller is given a lot of leeway regarding his rather questionable methods, due to his high rank in the P.O.G. organization. [[spoiler: However, he ''does'' face repercussions when he's caught setting up remote-controlled grenades into the puzzle for no reason other than to kill the Solver, combined with the fact that Rook got himself promoted to a higher rank than his, allowing him to put [[KickTheSonOfABitch Muller in his place.]]]]]]
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Dark Chick has been disambiguated
Deleted line(s) 42,44 (click to see context) :
%% * DarkChick: Elena
%% ** Mizerka in Season 2.
%% ** Raetsel in Season 3
%% ** Mizerka in Season 2.
%% ** Raetsel in Season 3
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Damsel In Distress is the new name of this trope.
* DamselInDistress: Nonoha ends up as one in episode 9, but it it could be considered an inversion, because Nonoha was dressed as a prince at the time, and Kaito was the one in a pink dress and make-up. '''We're serious.'''
Deleted line(s) 47 (click to see context) :
* DistressedDamsel: Nonoha ends up as one in episode 9, but it it could be considered an inversion, because Nonoha was dressed as a prince at the time, and Kaito was the one in a pink dress and make-up. '''We're serious.'''
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Trope is now Definition Only
Deleted line(s) 83,85 (click to see context) :
* OffModel: Quite often, with characters' faces seemingly melting off their heads at some angles, as well as frequent QUALITY non-close-up character shots.
** You could tell that the animators just weren't very comfortable drawing in such an atypical sort of anime art style from the way they'd sneak in a more standardized style between frames when they thought they could get away with it.
** Less so in the second season.
** You could tell that the animators just weren't very comfortable drawing in such an atypical sort of anime art style from the way they'd sneak in a more standardized style between frames when they thought they could get away with it.
** Less so in the second season.
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this redirects to Anime And Manga Of The2010s now
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An anime that appeared as part of Creator/{{NHK}}'s Fall2011Anime lineup. Produced by Creator/{{Sunrise}}, it premiered on October 2, 2011. It's directed by Creator/JunichiSato, written by "Hajime Yatate" and while it has average animation quality (greatly improved in the second season), the series employs an all-star voice cast.
to:
An anime that appeared as part of Creator/{{NHK}}'s Fall2011Anime Fall 2011 lineup. Produced by Creator/{{Sunrise}}, it premiered on October 2, 2011. It's directed by Creator/JunichiSato, written by "Hajime Yatate" and while it has average animation quality (greatly improved in the second season), the series employs an all-star voice cast.
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No spoilers allowed in page descriptions.
Changed line(s) 8,9 (click to see context) from:
In season two, Kaito and friends are finally able to enjoy a period of normalcy, but this peace is soon shattered by the appearance of the Orpheus Order. [[spoiler: Whilst their leader claims to have been betrayed by Kaito in the past]], Kaito and friends' actions in the previous season have earned their everlasting enmity. The Orpheus Order ups the ante with manmade DeathTrap puzzles and display that they are more than willing to pull innocent bystanders into the fray if it means furthering their goals.
to:
In season two, Kaito and friends are finally able to enjoy a period of normalcy, but this peace is soon shattered by the appearance of the Orpheus Order. [[spoiler: Whilst their leader claims to have been betrayed by Kaito in the past]], Order- Kaito and friends' actions in the previous season have earned their everlasting enmity. The Orpheus Order ups the ante with manmade DeathTrap puzzles and display that they are more than willing to pull innocent bystanders into the fray if it means furthering their goals.
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None
Changed line(s) 6,7 (click to see context) from:
[[IdiotHero Kaito]], a puzzle-loving [[OrdinaryHighSchoolStudent high school freshman,]] is drawn into the strange world of [[TitleDrop "Phi Brain"]]. He gets a strange device that sends him puzzles and, on occasion, directions to a certain location. Taking this as a challenge, he and his friend, Nonoha, decide to follow their directions, only to be forced to solve puzzles that have a dangerous touch of DeathTrap to them. These are the "Philosopher's Puzzles"; dangerous puzzles that, if left unsolved, will cause some sort of disaster. Not only that, but there is a mysterious organization known as POG that's activating these puzzles and are specifically targeting Kaito in order to force him to solve them.
to:
[[IdiotHero Kaito]], a puzzle-loving [[OrdinaryHighSchoolStudent high school freshman,]] is drawn into the strange world of [[TitleDrop "Phi Brain"]]. He gets a strange device that sends him puzzles and, on occasion, directions to a certain location. Taking this as a challenge, he and his friend, Nonoha, decide to follow their directions, only to be forced to solve puzzles that have a dangerous touch of DeathTrap to them. These are the "Philosopher's Puzzles"; Puzzles": dangerous puzzles that, if left unsolved, will cause some sort of disaster. Not only that, but there is a mysterious organization known as POG that's activating these puzzles and are specifically targeting Kaito in order to force him to solve them.
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None
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* CerebusSyndrome: Second half of the first season started getting progresively darker and heading towards {{Deconstruction}}.
to:
* CerebusSyndrome: Second half of the first season started getting progresively progressively darker and heading towards {{Deconstruction}}.
Changed line(s) 41,43 (click to see context) from:
* DarkChick: Elena
** Mizerka in Season 2.
** Raetsel in Season 3
** Mizerka in Season 2.
** Raetsel in Season 3
to:
%% * DarkChick: Elena
%% ** Mizerka in Season 2.
%% ** Raetsel in Season 3
%% ** Mizerka in Season 2.
%% ** Raetsel in Season 3
Changed line(s) 93 (click to see context) from:
* PhotographicMemory: Nonoha
to:
%% * PhotographicMemory: Nonoha
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None
* GrandTheftMe: The ultimate goal of Orpheus: [[spoiler:get brilliant people to go through countless puzzles so that [[INeedYouStronger someone will grow smart enough for his goals]] and then once they prove their intelligence in his "Divine Puzzle" he can possess them.]]
Changed line(s) 67 (click to see context) from:
** In Season 3 [[spoiler: Orpheus]] pulls this as well.
to:
** In Season 3 [[spoiler: Orpheus]] pulls this as well. [[spoiler: Orpheus wants to solve the "puzzle" of the universe, and for that he needs a powerful brain capable of working with all its capabilities. So, he set up a made-up "divine scroll" to get people to train until they were smart enough to take on his Divine Puzzle, and then [[GrandTheftMe the system would download his consciousness into the winner's brain.]]]]
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None
Changed line(s) 85 (click to see context) from:
* OldShame: Puzzla was this for the P.O.G. A cheesy monster movie that the organization made, but never saw the light of day due to financial problems.
to:
* OldShame: InUniverse. Puzzla was this for the P.O.G. A cheesy monster movie that the organization made, but never saw the light of day due to financial problems.
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None
Changed line(s) 21 (click to see context) from:
* BeethovenWasAnAlienSpy: According to the POG, Pythagoras made a discovery that would grant whoever had it the [[AGodAmI power of God]], and sealed it away. The POG exists to find the person who can overcome the puzzles set to guard it.
to:
* BeethovenWasAnAlienSpy: According to the POG, Pythagoras made a discovery that would grant whoever had it the [[AGodAmI [[DeityOfHumanOrigin power of God]], and sealed it away. The POG exists to find the person who can overcome the puzzles set to guard it.
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Cut trope. Can't tell if its replacement trope or any others are applicable.
Deleted line(s) 23,27 (click to see context) :
* BiggerBad: Count Phytagoras - mentioned several times and later stated by Baron to be the one who twisted POG into what it is now, yet hasn't make an apperance, letting the role of the BigBad to [[spoiler: Rook]]
** [[spoiler: In episode 22, it is revealed that the Count has been [[DeadAllAlong dead before the series started]], and Rook is the one manipulating P.O.G ever since his death]]
** The Orpheus Order's leader Klondike.
*** [[spoiler:Like the first season, Freecell reprises his role as BigBad by curbstomping Klondike]]
** In Season 3 we find out the Big Bad for the entire series. [[spoiler: Orpheus himself.]]
** [[spoiler: In episode 22, it is revealed that the Count has been [[DeadAllAlong dead before the series started]], and Rook is the one manipulating P.O.G ever since his death]]
** The Orpheus Order's leader Klondike.
*** [[spoiler:Like the first season, Freecell reprises his role as BigBad by curbstomping Klondike]]
** In Season 3 we find out the Big Bad for the entire series. [[spoiler: Orpheus himself.]]
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None
Added DiffLines:
* TastesBetterThanItLooks: Nonoha is normally a great chef, and the only person who hates her food is Kaito. She tries to invoke Lethal Chef in episode 19, hoping doing so will produce food Kaito likes. Despite her dish's very ominous appearance and glowing purple aura, the food still tastes good.
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Useful Notes/ pages are not tropes
Deleted line(s) 75,77 (click to see context) :
* JapanesePronouns
** Gammon uses "ore" and sometimes "ore-sama".
** Kaito normally uses "ore" but when he has a breakdown [[spoiler:remembering his parents' death]] he switches to "boku".
** Gammon uses "ore" and sometimes "ore-sama".
** Kaito normally uses "ore" but when he has a breakdown [[spoiler:remembering his parents' death]] he switches to "boku".
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None
Changed line(s) 4,5 (click to see context) from:
An anime that appeared as part of Creator/{{NHK}}'s fall 2011 lineup. Produced by Creator/{{Sunrise}}, it premiered on October 2, 2011. It's directed by Creator/JunichiSato, written by "Hajime Yatate" and while it has average animation quality (greatly improved in the second season), the series employs an all-star voice cast.
to:
An anime that appeared as part of Creator/{{NHK}}'s fall 2011 Fall2011Anime lineup. Produced by Creator/{{Sunrise}}, it premiered on October 2, 2011. It's directed by Creator/JunichiSato, written by "Hajime Yatate" and while it has average animation quality (greatly improved in the second season), the series employs an all-star voice cast.
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None
Changed line(s) 4,5 (click to see context) from:
A new anime as part of Creator/{{NHK}}'s fall 2011 lineup. Produced by Creator/{{Sunrise}}, it premiered on October 2, 2011. It's directed by Creator/JunichiSato, written by "Hajime Yatate" and while it has average animation quality (greatly improved in the second season), the series employs an all-star voice cast.
to:
Is there an issue? Send a MessageReason:
None
Changed line(s) 4,5 (click to see context) from:
A new anime as part of the fall 2011 lineup. Produced by Creator/{{Sunrise}}, it premiered on October 2, 2011. It's directed by Creator/JunichiSato, written by "Hajime Yatate" and while it has average animation quality (greatly improved in the second season), the series employs an all-star voice cast.
to:
A new anime as part of the Creator/{{NHK}}'s fall 2011 lineup. Produced by Creator/{{Sunrise}}, it premiered on October 2, 2011. It's directed by Creator/JunichiSato, written by "Hajime Yatate" and while it has average animation quality (greatly improved in the second season), the series employs an all-star voice cast.
Is there an issue? Send a MessageReason:
Useful Notes/ pages are not tropes
Deleted line(s) 21 (click to see context) :
* {{Baka}}: Gammon loves calling Kaito this his first appearance has him using the [[MundaneMadeAwesome word in Morse code format.]]
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None
Changed line(s) 139 (click to see context) from:
** He is seen wearing them as StoicSpectacles after [[spoiler:he has gone through a [[WhatIf what-if]] life where he did not regain love for puzzles]]. Raetsel [[LonerTurnedFriend breaks him out of it]], though.
to:
** He is seen wearing them as StoicSpectacles after [[spoiler:he has gone through a in [[spoiler:a [[WhatIf what-if]] life world where he did chose not to regain love for puzzles]]. Raetsel [[LonerTurnedFriend breaks him out of it]], though.
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None
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** He is seen wearing them as StoicSpectacles after [[spoiler:he has gone through a [[WhatIf what-if]] life where he did not regain love for puzzles]]. Raetsel [[LonerTurnedFriend breaks him out of it]], though.
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no context, looks like shoe horning
Deleted line(s) 59,65 (click to see context) :
* FiveManBand:
** TheHero: Kaito
** TheLancer: Gammon
** TheBigGuy: Nonoha (who also has a few elements of TheLancer and TheChick)
** TheSmartGuy: Cubic
** TheChick: Ana
** SixthRanger: Jikukawa
** TheHero: Kaito
** TheLancer: Gammon
** TheBigGuy: Nonoha (who also has a few elements of TheLancer and TheChick)
** TheSmartGuy: Cubic
** TheChick: Ana
** SixthRanger: Jikukawa
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Has a character sheet in the works that NeedsMoreLove.
to:
Has a character sheet in the works that NeedsMoreLove.
works.
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None
Added DiffLines:
[[quoteright:200:http://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/phibrain_9411.jpg]]
[[caption-width-right:200:It's puzzle time!]]
A new anime as part of the fall 2011 lineup. Produced by Creator/{{Sunrise}}, it premiered on October 2, 2011. It's directed by Creator/JunichiSato, written by "Hajime Yatate" and while it has average animation quality (greatly improved in the second season), the series employs an all-star voice cast.
[[IdiotHero Kaito]], a puzzle-loving [[OrdinaryHighSchoolStudent high school freshman,]] is drawn into the strange world of [[TitleDrop "Phi Brain"]]. He gets a strange device that sends him puzzles and, on occasion, directions to a certain location. Taking this as a challenge, he and his friend, Nonoha, decide to follow their directions, only to be forced to solve puzzles that have a dangerous touch of DeathTrap to them. These are the "Philosopher's Puzzles"; dangerous puzzles that, if left unsolved, will cause some sort of disaster. Not only that, but there is a mysterious organization known as POG that's activating these puzzles and are specifically targeting Kaito in order to force him to solve them.
In season two, Kaito and friends are finally able to enjoy a period of normalcy, but this peace is soon shattered by the appearance of the Orpheus Order. [[spoiler: Whilst their leader claims to have been betrayed by Kaito in the past]], Kaito and friends' actions in the previous season have earned their everlasting enmity. The Orpheus Order ups the ante with manmade DeathTrap puzzles and display that they are more than willing to pull innocent bystanders into the fray if it means furthering their goals.
In season three, Kaito attempts to restore the memories of his mentor, Jin, after the events from season one. However, he and his friends encountered a mysterious girl named Raetsel, who happens to be someone that Jin knew in the past. It turns out that she and another man named, Enigma, want to fulfill Jin's wish which is to destroy all puzzles.
Has a character sheet in the works that NeedsMoreLove.
----
!!Tropes:
* TheAce: Holy crap Nonoha is great at everything: martial arts, acting, cooking ([[LethalChef except]] [[RunningGag in Kaitou's opinion]], teaching kids, and she has a great memory. During the school festival she was pretty much involved in every club's activity. The only thing she isn't great at is puzzles and even then she can see things in a way the main puzzle-solvers don't.
* AllLoveIsUnrequited: [[spoiler:Elena]] loves Gammon, Gammon has a thing for Nonoha, Nonoha gets jealous whenever Kaito is with another girl [[spoiler: or Ana]], and Kaito loves... puzzles.
* AnimeHair
** ShounenHair: Kaito (long spikes with a short ponytail) and Rook (looks like a white moss ball).
* {{Baka}}: Gammon loves calling Kaito this his first appearance has him using the [[MundaneMadeAwesome word in Morse code format.]]
* BeethovenWasAnAlienSpy: According to the POG, Pythagoras made a discovery that would grant whoever had it the [[AGodAmI power of God]], and sealed it away. The POG exists to find the person who can overcome the puzzles set to guard it.
* BigDamnHeroes: Parodied in episode 15. Gammon and Cubic appear as the former screams [[LargeHam PUZZLE TIME HAS STARTED!!]] They're ready to solve the puzzle and save the day. Only Ana already did so without any hamminess whatsoever. On his part, at least - a POG Giver was acting ''very'' over the top in a pointless attempt to intimidate Ana. Ana was way too into CloudCuckooLander mode to act differently than normal.
* BiggerBad: Count Phytagoras - mentioned several times and later stated by Baron to be the one who twisted POG into what it is now, yet hasn't make an apperance, letting the role of the BigBad to [[spoiler: Rook]]
** [[spoiler: In episode 22, it is revealed that the Count has been [[DeadAllAlong dead before the series started]], and Rook is the one manipulating P.O.G ever since his death]]
** The Orpheus Order's leader Klondike.
*** [[spoiler:Like the first season, Freecell reprises his role as BigBad by curbstomping Klondike]]
** In Season 3 we find out the Big Bad for the entire series. [[spoiler: Orpheus himself.]]
* BokeAndTsukkomiRoutine: Nonoha gets the idea to put on this sort of act to encourage Kaito while he's in the hospital [[spoiler: thanks to Rook and the Fool's Puzzle]].
* BountyHunter: The Master Brains. [[spoiler: They target those who can solve puzzle like Kaito and the gang with the intention of killing them with dealing puzzles.]]
* BrattyHalfPint: Cubic, as [[{{Lampshaded}} lampshaded]] in one of the previews. But he's different from most other children who fall under this trope in that he immediately acknowledges Kaito's genius. Cubic qualifies by trying to force Kaito to stop wasting his genius on puzzles and to work for him, even foolishly laughing at a POG member, thinking that his puzzle was a game.
* BreakThemByTalking: Pinochle does this to Kaito in the Rink Slider game in season two, making Kaito so distracted with guilt that he loses the round.
* BreatherEpisode: Episode 8 takes a brief break from over the top Givers and death traps while Kaito, Nonoha and Ana enjoy some time at a puzzle-themed hotel. [[spoiler: And even when a death trap ''is'' used, Kaito is saved from certain doom thanks to [[BigDamnHeroes Nonoha and Ana riding up with some animals Ana had befriended.]]]]
** Episodes 10 & 11 of the second season are back-to-back breather episodes, combined with a BeachEpisode as Elena invites them to relax at an island resort in the aftermath of the multi-episode Rink Slider arc.
* BrickJoke: During the BeachEpisode, Nonoha's many club activities prevent her from going at the same time as the others, but Kaitou makes an offhanded joke that she's so fired up that she'll get there even if she has to swim. Come the end of the episode, and it turns out that's ''exactly'' what she did, taking SIX HOURS to get there.
* CerebusSyndrome: Second half of the first season started getting progresively darker and heading towards {{Deconstruction}}.
** KnightOfCerebus: Surprisingly [[SubvertedTrope not]] Herbert Müller, as the series managed to keep cheerful and upbeat tone. The real KnightOfCerebus is [[spoiler: Rook]], who is an DoubleSubversion - he was there since the beginning, but the syndrome kicks in after [[spoiler: he reveals his role to Kaito]].
* ChildProdigy: Cubic is a little kid that needs a specially designed robot/moped to keep up with his much taller classmates.
** Kaito is one too, albeit a TeenGenius.
* AChildShallLeadThem: Rook is a teenager but is an incredibly high-ranking member of POG, and the leader of the Orpheus Order appears to be the second-youngest member of the group.
** Subverted with the Orpheus Order as Freecell doesn't actually lead the entire organization but that particular group he hangs around. And even then, he has less control than we thought.
* ClingyMacGuffin: The Orpheus items.
* CloudCuckoolander: Ana
* ColdTurkeysAreEverywhere: During the BeachEpisode, the Phi-Brains are forbidden from doing puzzles due to Nonoha's wishes to have a normal vacation, and subsequently start to suffer such severe withdrawal that [[spoiler: when they stumble onto an old abandoned movie set, they start solving puzzles that ''aren't even there'']].
* CurbStompBattle: [[spoiler:Freecell takes out both Klondike and Melancholy in a matter of ''seconds.'']]
* CuttingTheKnot: Kaito is trapped in a burning tower which has a series of elevators, but he no longer has access to the route that will lead him to the top. His solution is to [[spoiler: break off the door of one of the elevators so that he can jump off when it passes a floor that ''will'' take him to the top.]]
* DarkChick: Elena
** Mizerka in Season 2.
** Raetsel in Season 3
* DeathTrap: It should say something that it tends to be a big plot point when a puzzle Kaito and company encounter ISN'T a DeathTrap.
* DefeatMeansFriendship: Justified against the replica ring holders, as defeat destroys the ring.
* DisneyDeath: In Season 3. [[spoiler: Rook, Freecell and Gammon. Turns out it was all a part of Rook's plan to escape from Orpheus' notice, save the others, and ready the device to stop Orpheus' plan to take over Kaito.]]
* DistressedDamsel: Nonoha ends up as one in episode 9, but it it could be considered an inversion, because Nonoha was dressed as a prince at the time, and Kaito was the one in a pink dress and make-up. '''We're serious.'''
* DudeLooksLikeALady: Ana. He even sounds and acts like a girl. It's to the point where both Kaito and Nonoha, who know the truth, are still weirded out by Ana being in the men's bath during their hotel trip. He even wins the Miss Root Boy cross-dressing beauty pageant despite ''not even entering''.
** And it remains a subtle running joke for the series where every new girl that shows up that finds out Ana's a guy freaks out.
* EvilCounterpart: Season 2's Orpheus Order has a counterpart for each member of Team Kaito.
* FaceHeelTurn: [[spoiler: Gammon]]
** [[spoiler:HeelFaceRevolvingDoor]]
* FiveManBand:
** TheHero: Kaito
** TheLancer: Gammon
** TheBigGuy: Nonoha (who also has a few elements of TheLancer and TheChick)
** TheSmartGuy: Cubic
** TheChick: Ana
** SixthRanger: Jikukawa
* FriendToAllLivingThings: Ana, who only needs to sit in one place for a few minutes to be swarmed by animals, and seems able to communicate with them to a degree.
* TheGlassesComeOff: Pinochle throws them into a pit of molten metal.
* GlowingEyesOfDoom: Kaito's right eye always glows when he needs to solve a very difficult puzzle that puts his life or his friends in danger, activating the armband of Orpheus.
** [[spoiler: Rook has one, too.]]
*** Everyone who has an Orpheus Ring gets this.
* GreenEyedMonster: Both Nonoha and Cubic become this when they find out that Kaito's infatuated with a puzzle-solving celebrity in episode 10.
** [[spoiler: Rook and Freecell becoming this due to the Orpheus Ring's influence causes them to become the BigBad of Season 1 and 2 respectively]]
* HeelFaceTurn: [[spoiler: Both the entirety of PoG and the Orpheus Order turn face after the end of their respective Heel seasons. It takes a while though to turn Melancholy.]]
* HeroicBSOD:
** Kaito suffers one after being confronted with [[spoiler: a replica of the puzzle that killed his parents]]. Because of the way the armband of Orpheus works, this has the potential to escalate into a full-blown HeroicRROD if he isn't careful.
** Cubic gets one after nearly getting killed by a puzzle Rook made when he was [[ChildProdigy five]].
* HotBlooded: Kaito and Gammon
* IdiotHero: Kaito and Gammon are subversions because despite their IdiotHero tendencies both of them are genius puzzle solvers.
* INeedYouStronger: This seems to be POG's reason for targeting Kaito.
** In Season 3 [[spoiler: Orpheus]] pulls this as well.
** Baron says this nearly word for word in episode 9.
* IneffectualSympatheticVillain: The poor POG officer, Maze tasked with challenging Ana in episode 15. She tries and tries, but Ana's just too carefree to be properly intimidated, or even listen to the instructions.
* JapanesePronouns
** Gammon uses "ore" and sometimes "ore-sama".
** Kaito normally uses "ore" but when he has a breakdown [[spoiler:remembering his parents' death]] he switches to "boku".
* LargeHam: SAKANOUE GAMMON! Herbert Müller is not far behind him, though.
** [[spoiler:EvilIsHammy]]
* LethalChef: What Kaito thinks of Nonoha's cooking. Everyone else thinks the food she cooks tastes good.
** At the end of episode 18 [[spoiler: Gammon's little sister]] proclaims her own cooking to be the weapon of mass destruction.
** Nonoha later intentionally tries to invoke this trope in episode 19 because of how Kaito doesn't like her usual cooking. [[spoiler: Despite a very ominous appearance and releasing a purple aura, they still taste good.]]
* LightFeminineAndDarkFeminine: Melancholy and Mizerka.
* LikeBrotherAndSister: Kaito and Nonoha, although Nonoha wouldn't mind if their relationship changed (it's not clear how aware she is of her feelings for Kaito).
* MaybeMagicMaybeMundane: Whether or not Ana actually got a message from the hotel owner's late grandfather in episode 8 is a question that just gets an enigmatic smile out of Ana.
* MindControlEyes: People under the influence of Orpheus items get a {{Glowing|EyesOfDoom}} [[RedEyesTakeWarning Red Eye Of Doom]] that is visible to the other characters.
* NinetyPercentOfYourBrain: What the Orpheus objects does to it's wearer.
* NoMacGuffinNoWinner: [[spoiler:The God Scrolls are destroyed at the end of the first season. But it's technically a win since it's continued existence would only lead to the world ending one day.]]
** We find out in Season 3 [[spoiler: There is NO Writing of God. Orpheus made up the story as bait so people would have a reason to challenge the Puzzle of God and thus become his next vessel. Of course the endgame is the same as Orpheus plans on challenging the Gods and thus the EndOfTheWorldAsWeKnowIt]]
* OffModel: Quite often, with characters' faces seemingly melting off their heads at some angles, as well as frequent QUALITY non-close-up character shots.
** You could tell that the animators just weren't very comfortable drawing in such an atypical sort of anime art style from the way they'd sneak in a more standardized style between frames when they thought they could get away with it.
** Less so in the second season.
* OldShame: Puzzla was this for the P.O.G. A cheesy monster movie that the organization made, but never saw the light of day due to financial problems.
* TheOmniscientCouncilOfVagueness: A variant. The heads of POG are seen, but there are only two people, and the viewers can clearly see their faces in both canon appearances and the opening and the ending.
** As of episode 5, three new members have joined, and we've seen all of their faces.
* OnlyInItForTheMoney: Gammon's reason for butting into every Kenja Puzzle he can is for a shot at winning the treasures awarded to the solver. [[spoiler: Offhand mention by his little sister that he gets all the money for them to survive may explain why]]
** In Season 2 we found out that Gammon has another source of income (which makes sense as obviously solving Kenja Puzzles aren't a stable source of income...or a safe one at that). [[spoiler: He's actually a world renowned Puzzle Giver when it comes to magazines and such, but he used an alias to maintain a normal life for his sister. It becomes a plot point when his created puzzles start sucking hard due to his anger towards the Orpheus Order]].
* OrdinaryHighSchoolStudent: Nonoha, mostly: she is very strong and has photographic memory that also makes her a top student. But she sucks at puzzles.
** Turns out [[spoiler: she isn't as normal as she thinks she is and now has the title Nightingale.]] She's not happy.
* PhotographicMemory: Nonoha
* PunnyName: most of the main characters.
** Daimon Kaito is a pun on "mondai kaitou" ("problem/solution" in Japanese).
** Nonoha's name is a pun on the game TowersOfHanoi ("hanoi no tou" in Japanese which is an anagram of "Itou Nonoha") -- lampshaded.
** Gammon Sakanoue's name comes from Backgammon. "Saka" is spelled with kanji meaning "back".
** Cubic Galois is named after Rubik's Cube and [[http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Évariste_Galois Évariste Galois]].
** Ana Gram - obvious.
** Jikukawa Souji's name can be [[SignificantMonogram contracted]] into ''Jikusou'' (a corruption of jigsaw in Japanese).
** Rook Banjou Crossfield: Rook as in the chess piece, "Banjou" refers to board games, and Crossfield to crosswords.
** A minor character, Chieno Tamaki's name is a pun on a type of mechanical puzzle named "ring of wisdom" (chie no wa) in Japanese. "Tamaki" is a synonym of "wa".
** The member of Orpheus Order are named after Card games.
* TheseQuestionsThree: Expect an episode to include one spectacular puzzle or three small puzzles.
* RefusedByTheCall: Jikukawa used to be a candidate for the Phi-Brain project, but wasn't suited for it. [[spoiler: However, he does quite well in his role as the P.O.G. Giver code-named Minotaur.]]
* TheRival: Gammon.
* RivalTurnedEvil: Honestly, Kaito should stop getting rivals as this trope happens to him [[PunctuatedForEmphasis EVERY. SINGLE. TIME!]]
* SolarAndLunar: In episode 12, Ana calls [[RedOniBlueOni Rook a red moon and Kaito a blue sun]]. And the Galileo believes they revolve around himself.
* ThirdPersonPerson: Ana.
* TomboyAndGirlyGirl: Nonoha and Elena.
* TykeBomb: Rook. [[spoiler:Kaito would have become this if his adoptive parents didn't [[BecomingTheMask become the mask]]]]
** Freecell as well in Season 2.
* SchoolUniformsAreTheNewBlack: Surprisingly with all of the solvers, who don't wear school uniforms, [[LimitedWardrobe but still wear the same thing every day.]]
* ScrewTheRulesIMakeThem: Herbert Muller is given a lot of leeway regarding his rather questionable methods, due to his high rank in the P.O.G. organization. [[spoiler: However, he ''does'' face repercussions when he's caught setting up remote-controlled grenades into the puzzle for no reason other than to kill the Solver, combined with the fact that Rook got himself promoted to a higher rank than his, allowing him to put [[KickTheSonOfABitch Muller in his place.]]]]
* SeriousBusiness: Puzzles, though Kaito really wishes they weren't.
* SkinshipGrope: A very light version is pulled by Ana in the public bath. [[spoiler: HilarityEnsues, naturally, as this takes place in the male-only bath.]]
* SmallNameBigEgo: Okudera, the Puzzle King. He does have some level of celebrity, but he's clearly out of his league compared to the title-holders in the main cast.
* StockPuzzle
** EyeCatch: FifteenPuzzle (season 1), {{Klotski}} (season 2)
** Episode 1: MobileMaze
** Episode 3: MagicSquarePuzzle
** Episode 9: KnightsAndKnaves
** Episode 10: GridPuzzle
** Episode 20: GameOfNim
** Episode 22: TowersOfHanoi (with 64 disks -- faithful to the original!)
** Episode 43: FoxChickenGrainPuzzle
** Episode 45: BlockPuzzle
* [[StupidSexyFlanders Stupid Sexy Ana]]
* [[GogglesDoNothing Sunglasses Do Nothing]]: Kaito wears a pair of sunglasses on his head that he never seems to use (except for a moment in the opening when he's taking them off).
** He uses them in the fourth episode of the Second Season, due to the antagonist group standing with floodlights behind them, Jikukawa and co are forced to shield their eyes because of how bright it is.
* ThemeNaming: Rook and Bishop are apparently named after the chess pieces.
** Also nearly all characters are named puzzles or games
** All member of the Orpheus Order are named after card games.
* TheseAreThingsManWasNotMeantToKnow: [[spoiler:According to Jin in Kaito's BadFuture, the Puzzle Of God is this]]
* TheWatson: Nonoha is Kaito's Watson, possessing roughly average intelligence when it comes to calculations and analytical thinking, but her PhotographicMemory and knack for picking up on clues her friends miss keeps her from becoming TheLoad.
* WithGreatPowerComesGreatInsanity: [[spoiler:whoever gets the puzzle of God always seems to result in this. So far Phytagoras, Rook, and Kaito are shown in the BadFuture where they got a hold of the scrolls and destroy the world.]]
** [[spoiler:Phytagoras succeeded in getting the God scrolls in the past. But the power drove him mad and he died as a result.]]
** In Season 2, the Orpheus Order use items of Orpheus to induce MoreThanMindControl on otherwise ordinary students that turn them into serious challengers to pit against Kaito and his friends.
*** Season 3 we gain light on what exactly happened during the Jin/Pythagoras challenge. Pythagoras didn't go mad and die because of the power of the Writings of God, likewise the BadFuture constantly being shown weren't because of obtaining said scroll. [[spoiler: Because there IS NO Writing of God. It was just bait. Orpheus created the Puzzle of God to gain a Phi Brain vessel for his mind and exceed the Gods. Obviously [[GoMadFromTheRevelation Pythagoras wasn't amused by said information.]] The BadFuture we see would be caused by Orpheus challenging the gods and the aftermath would be the death of all mankind.]]
* WhamLine: [[spoiler:"Pythagoras is Dead" counts as this.]]
** [[spoiler: "I am not Jin Makata. I am Orpheus!"]]
* WholesomeCrossdresser: Ana.
** In episode 9 there was a contest about this. The winner was Ana and he didn't even participate.
* WorthlessTreasureTwist: They never find a valuable treasure in the Philosopher's Puzzles.
----
[[caption-width-right:200:It's puzzle time!]]
A new anime as part of the fall 2011 lineup. Produced by Creator/{{Sunrise}}, it premiered on October 2, 2011. It's directed by Creator/JunichiSato, written by "Hajime Yatate" and while it has average animation quality (greatly improved in the second season), the series employs an all-star voice cast.
[[IdiotHero Kaito]], a puzzle-loving [[OrdinaryHighSchoolStudent high school freshman,]] is drawn into the strange world of [[TitleDrop "Phi Brain"]]. He gets a strange device that sends him puzzles and, on occasion, directions to a certain location. Taking this as a challenge, he and his friend, Nonoha, decide to follow their directions, only to be forced to solve puzzles that have a dangerous touch of DeathTrap to them. These are the "Philosopher's Puzzles"; dangerous puzzles that, if left unsolved, will cause some sort of disaster. Not only that, but there is a mysterious organization known as POG that's activating these puzzles and are specifically targeting Kaito in order to force him to solve them.
In season two, Kaito and friends are finally able to enjoy a period of normalcy, but this peace is soon shattered by the appearance of the Orpheus Order. [[spoiler: Whilst their leader claims to have been betrayed by Kaito in the past]], Kaito and friends' actions in the previous season have earned their everlasting enmity. The Orpheus Order ups the ante with manmade DeathTrap puzzles and display that they are more than willing to pull innocent bystanders into the fray if it means furthering their goals.
In season three, Kaito attempts to restore the memories of his mentor, Jin, after the events from season one. However, he and his friends encountered a mysterious girl named Raetsel, who happens to be someone that Jin knew in the past. It turns out that she and another man named, Enigma, want to fulfill Jin's wish which is to destroy all puzzles.
Has a character sheet in the works that NeedsMoreLove.
----
!!Tropes:
* TheAce: Holy crap Nonoha is great at everything: martial arts, acting, cooking ([[LethalChef except]] [[RunningGag in Kaitou's opinion]], teaching kids, and she has a great memory. During the school festival she was pretty much involved in every club's activity. The only thing she isn't great at is puzzles and even then she can see things in a way the main puzzle-solvers don't.
* AllLoveIsUnrequited: [[spoiler:Elena]] loves Gammon, Gammon has a thing for Nonoha, Nonoha gets jealous whenever Kaito is with another girl [[spoiler: or Ana]], and Kaito loves... puzzles.
* AnimeHair
** ShounenHair: Kaito (long spikes with a short ponytail) and Rook (looks like a white moss ball).
* {{Baka}}: Gammon loves calling Kaito this his first appearance has him using the [[MundaneMadeAwesome word in Morse code format.]]
* BeethovenWasAnAlienSpy: According to the POG, Pythagoras made a discovery that would grant whoever had it the [[AGodAmI power of God]], and sealed it away. The POG exists to find the person who can overcome the puzzles set to guard it.
* BigDamnHeroes: Parodied in episode 15. Gammon and Cubic appear as the former screams [[LargeHam PUZZLE TIME HAS STARTED!!]] They're ready to solve the puzzle and save the day. Only Ana already did so without any hamminess whatsoever. On his part, at least - a POG Giver was acting ''very'' over the top in a pointless attempt to intimidate Ana. Ana was way too into CloudCuckooLander mode to act differently than normal.
* BiggerBad: Count Phytagoras - mentioned several times and later stated by Baron to be the one who twisted POG into what it is now, yet hasn't make an apperance, letting the role of the BigBad to [[spoiler: Rook]]
** [[spoiler: In episode 22, it is revealed that the Count has been [[DeadAllAlong dead before the series started]], and Rook is the one manipulating P.O.G ever since his death]]
** The Orpheus Order's leader Klondike.
*** [[spoiler:Like the first season, Freecell reprises his role as BigBad by curbstomping Klondike]]
** In Season 3 we find out the Big Bad for the entire series. [[spoiler: Orpheus himself.]]
* BokeAndTsukkomiRoutine: Nonoha gets the idea to put on this sort of act to encourage Kaito while he's in the hospital [[spoiler: thanks to Rook and the Fool's Puzzle]].
* BountyHunter: The Master Brains. [[spoiler: They target those who can solve puzzle like Kaito and the gang with the intention of killing them with dealing puzzles.]]
* BrattyHalfPint: Cubic, as [[{{Lampshaded}} lampshaded]] in one of the previews. But he's different from most other children who fall under this trope in that he immediately acknowledges Kaito's genius. Cubic qualifies by trying to force Kaito to stop wasting his genius on puzzles and to work for him, even foolishly laughing at a POG member, thinking that his puzzle was a game.
* BreakThemByTalking: Pinochle does this to Kaito in the Rink Slider game in season two, making Kaito so distracted with guilt that he loses the round.
* BreatherEpisode: Episode 8 takes a brief break from over the top Givers and death traps while Kaito, Nonoha and Ana enjoy some time at a puzzle-themed hotel. [[spoiler: And even when a death trap ''is'' used, Kaito is saved from certain doom thanks to [[BigDamnHeroes Nonoha and Ana riding up with some animals Ana had befriended.]]]]
** Episodes 10 & 11 of the second season are back-to-back breather episodes, combined with a BeachEpisode as Elena invites them to relax at an island resort in the aftermath of the multi-episode Rink Slider arc.
* BrickJoke: During the BeachEpisode, Nonoha's many club activities prevent her from going at the same time as the others, but Kaitou makes an offhanded joke that she's so fired up that she'll get there even if she has to swim. Come the end of the episode, and it turns out that's ''exactly'' what she did, taking SIX HOURS to get there.
* CerebusSyndrome: Second half of the first season started getting progresively darker and heading towards {{Deconstruction}}.
** KnightOfCerebus: Surprisingly [[SubvertedTrope not]] Herbert Müller, as the series managed to keep cheerful and upbeat tone. The real KnightOfCerebus is [[spoiler: Rook]], who is an DoubleSubversion - he was there since the beginning, but the syndrome kicks in after [[spoiler: he reveals his role to Kaito]].
* ChildProdigy: Cubic is a little kid that needs a specially designed robot/moped to keep up with his much taller classmates.
** Kaito is one too, albeit a TeenGenius.
* AChildShallLeadThem: Rook is a teenager but is an incredibly high-ranking member of POG, and the leader of the Orpheus Order appears to be the second-youngest member of the group.
** Subverted with the Orpheus Order as Freecell doesn't actually lead the entire organization but that particular group he hangs around. And even then, he has less control than we thought.
* ClingyMacGuffin: The Orpheus items.
* CloudCuckoolander: Ana
* ColdTurkeysAreEverywhere: During the BeachEpisode, the Phi-Brains are forbidden from doing puzzles due to Nonoha's wishes to have a normal vacation, and subsequently start to suffer such severe withdrawal that [[spoiler: when they stumble onto an old abandoned movie set, they start solving puzzles that ''aren't even there'']].
* CurbStompBattle: [[spoiler:Freecell takes out both Klondike and Melancholy in a matter of ''seconds.'']]
* CuttingTheKnot: Kaito is trapped in a burning tower which has a series of elevators, but he no longer has access to the route that will lead him to the top. His solution is to [[spoiler: break off the door of one of the elevators so that he can jump off when it passes a floor that ''will'' take him to the top.]]
* DarkChick: Elena
** Mizerka in Season 2.
** Raetsel in Season 3
* DeathTrap: It should say something that it tends to be a big plot point when a puzzle Kaito and company encounter ISN'T a DeathTrap.
* DefeatMeansFriendship: Justified against the replica ring holders, as defeat destroys the ring.
* DisneyDeath: In Season 3. [[spoiler: Rook, Freecell and Gammon. Turns out it was all a part of Rook's plan to escape from Orpheus' notice, save the others, and ready the device to stop Orpheus' plan to take over Kaito.]]
* DistressedDamsel: Nonoha ends up as one in episode 9, but it it could be considered an inversion, because Nonoha was dressed as a prince at the time, and Kaito was the one in a pink dress and make-up. '''We're serious.'''
* DudeLooksLikeALady: Ana. He even sounds and acts like a girl. It's to the point where both Kaito and Nonoha, who know the truth, are still weirded out by Ana being in the men's bath during their hotel trip. He even wins the Miss Root Boy cross-dressing beauty pageant despite ''not even entering''.
** And it remains a subtle running joke for the series where every new girl that shows up that finds out Ana's a guy freaks out.
* EvilCounterpart: Season 2's Orpheus Order has a counterpart for each member of Team Kaito.
* FaceHeelTurn: [[spoiler: Gammon]]
** [[spoiler:HeelFaceRevolvingDoor]]
* FiveManBand:
** TheHero: Kaito
** TheLancer: Gammon
** TheBigGuy: Nonoha (who also has a few elements of TheLancer and TheChick)
** TheSmartGuy: Cubic
** TheChick: Ana
** SixthRanger: Jikukawa
* FriendToAllLivingThings: Ana, who only needs to sit in one place for a few minutes to be swarmed by animals, and seems able to communicate with them to a degree.
* TheGlassesComeOff: Pinochle throws them into a pit of molten metal.
* GlowingEyesOfDoom: Kaito's right eye always glows when he needs to solve a very difficult puzzle that puts his life or his friends in danger, activating the armband of Orpheus.
** [[spoiler: Rook has one, too.]]
*** Everyone who has an Orpheus Ring gets this.
* GreenEyedMonster: Both Nonoha and Cubic become this when they find out that Kaito's infatuated with a puzzle-solving celebrity in episode 10.
** [[spoiler: Rook and Freecell becoming this due to the Orpheus Ring's influence causes them to become the BigBad of Season 1 and 2 respectively]]
* HeelFaceTurn: [[spoiler: Both the entirety of PoG and the Orpheus Order turn face after the end of their respective Heel seasons. It takes a while though to turn Melancholy.]]
* HeroicBSOD:
** Kaito suffers one after being confronted with [[spoiler: a replica of the puzzle that killed his parents]]. Because of the way the armband of Orpheus works, this has the potential to escalate into a full-blown HeroicRROD if he isn't careful.
** Cubic gets one after nearly getting killed by a puzzle Rook made when he was [[ChildProdigy five]].
* HotBlooded: Kaito and Gammon
* IdiotHero: Kaito and Gammon are subversions because despite their IdiotHero tendencies both of them are genius puzzle solvers.
* INeedYouStronger: This seems to be POG's reason for targeting Kaito.
** In Season 3 [[spoiler: Orpheus]] pulls this as well.
** Baron says this nearly word for word in episode 9.
* IneffectualSympatheticVillain: The poor POG officer, Maze tasked with challenging Ana in episode 15. She tries and tries, but Ana's just too carefree to be properly intimidated, or even listen to the instructions.
* JapanesePronouns
** Gammon uses "ore" and sometimes "ore-sama".
** Kaito normally uses "ore" but when he has a breakdown [[spoiler:remembering his parents' death]] he switches to "boku".
* LargeHam: SAKANOUE GAMMON! Herbert Müller is not far behind him, though.
** [[spoiler:EvilIsHammy]]
* LethalChef: What Kaito thinks of Nonoha's cooking. Everyone else thinks the food she cooks tastes good.
** At the end of episode 18 [[spoiler: Gammon's little sister]] proclaims her own cooking to be the weapon of mass destruction.
** Nonoha later intentionally tries to invoke this trope in episode 19 because of how Kaito doesn't like her usual cooking. [[spoiler: Despite a very ominous appearance and releasing a purple aura, they still taste good.]]
* LightFeminineAndDarkFeminine: Melancholy and Mizerka.
* LikeBrotherAndSister: Kaito and Nonoha, although Nonoha wouldn't mind if their relationship changed (it's not clear how aware she is of her feelings for Kaito).
* MaybeMagicMaybeMundane: Whether or not Ana actually got a message from the hotel owner's late grandfather in episode 8 is a question that just gets an enigmatic smile out of Ana.
* MindControlEyes: People under the influence of Orpheus items get a {{Glowing|EyesOfDoom}} [[RedEyesTakeWarning Red Eye Of Doom]] that is visible to the other characters.
* NinetyPercentOfYourBrain: What the Orpheus objects does to it's wearer.
* NoMacGuffinNoWinner: [[spoiler:The God Scrolls are destroyed at the end of the first season. But it's technically a win since it's continued existence would only lead to the world ending one day.]]
** We find out in Season 3 [[spoiler: There is NO Writing of God. Orpheus made up the story as bait so people would have a reason to challenge the Puzzle of God and thus become his next vessel. Of course the endgame is the same as Orpheus plans on challenging the Gods and thus the EndOfTheWorldAsWeKnowIt]]
* OffModel: Quite often, with characters' faces seemingly melting off their heads at some angles, as well as frequent QUALITY non-close-up character shots.
** You could tell that the animators just weren't very comfortable drawing in such an atypical sort of anime art style from the way they'd sneak in a more standardized style between frames when they thought they could get away with it.
** Less so in the second season.
* OldShame: Puzzla was this for the P.O.G. A cheesy monster movie that the organization made, but never saw the light of day due to financial problems.
* TheOmniscientCouncilOfVagueness: A variant. The heads of POG are seen, but there are only two people, and the viewers can clearly see their faces in both canon appearances and the opening and the ending.
** As of episode 5, three new members have joined, and we've seen all of their faces.
* OnlyInItForTheMoney: Gammon's reason for butting into every Kenja Puzzle he can is for a shot at winning the treasures awarded to the solver. [[spoiler: Offhand mention by his little sister that he gets all the money for them to survive may explain why]]
** In Season 2 we found out that Gammon has another source of income (which makes sense as obviously solving Kenja Puzzles aren't a stable source of income...or a safe one at that). [[spoiler: He's actually a world renowned Puzzle Giver when it comes to magazines and such, but he used an alias to maintain a normal life for his sister. It becomes a plot point when his created puzzles start sucking hard due to his anger towards the Orpheus Order]].
* OrdinaryHighSchoolStudent: Nonoha, mostly: she is very strong and has photographic memory that also makes her a top student. But she sucks at puzzles.
** Turns out [[spoiler: she isn't as normal as she thinks she is and now has the title Nightingale.]] She's not happy.
* PhotographicMemory: Nonoha
* PunnyName: most of the main characters.
** Daimon Kaito is a pun on "mondai kaitou" ("problem/solution" in Japanese).
** Nonoha's name is a pun on the game TowersOfHanoi ("hanoi no tou" in Japanese which is an anagram of "Itou Nonoha") -- lampshaded.
** Gammon Sakanoue's name comes from Backgammon. "Saka" is spelled with kanji meaning "back".
** Cubic Galois is named after Rubik's Cube and [[http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Évariste_Galois Évariste Galois]].
** Ana Gram - obvious.
** Jikukawa Souji's name can be [[SignificantMonogram contracted]] into ''Jikusou'' (a corruption of jigsaw in Japanese).
** Rook Banjou Crossfield: Rook as in the chess piece, "Banjou" refers to board games, and Crossfield to crosswords.
** A minor character, Chieno Tamaki's name is a pun on a type of mechanical puzzle named "ring of wisdom" (chie no wa) in Japanese. "Tamaki" is a synonym of "wa".
** The member of Orpheus Order are named after Card games.
* TheseQuestionsThree: Expect an episode to include one spectacular puzzle or three small puzzles.
* RefusedByTheCall: Jikukawa used to be a candidate for the Phi-Brain project, but wasn't suited for it. [[spoiler: However, he does quite well in his role as the P.O.G. Giver code-named Minotaur.]]
* TheRival: Gammon.
* RivalTurnedEvil: Honestly, Kaito should stop getting rivals as this trope happens to him [[PunctuatedForEmphasis EVERY. SINGLE. TIME!]]
* SolarAndLunar: In episode 12, Ana calls [[RedOniBlueOni Rook a red moon and Kaito a blue sun]]. And the Galileo believes they revolve around himself.
* ThirdPersonPerson: Ana.
* TomboyAndGirlyGirl: Nonoha and Elena.
* TykeBomb: Rook. [[spoiler:Kaito would have become this if his adoptive parents didn't [[BecomingTheMask become the mask]]]]
** Freecell as well in Season 2.
* SchoolUniformsAreTheNewBlack: Surprisingly with all of the solvers, who don't wear school uniforms, [[LimitedWardrobe but still wear the same thing every day.]]
* ScrewTheRulesIMakeThem: Herbert Muller is given a lot of leeway regarding his rather questionable methods, due to his high rank in the P.O.G. organization. [[spoiler: However, he ''does'' face repercussions when he's caught setting up remote-controlled grenades into the puzzle for no reason other than to kill the Solver, combined with the fact that Rook got himself promoted to a higher rank than his, allowing him to put [[KickTheSonOfABitch Muller in his place.]]]]
* SeriousBusiness: Puzzles, though Kaito really wishes they weren't.
* SkinshipGrope: A very light version is pulled by Ana in the public bath. [[spoiler: HilarityEnsues, naturally, as this takes place in the male-only bath.]]
* SmallNameBigEgo: Okudera, the Puzzle King. He does have some level of celebrity, but he's clearly out of his league compared to the title-holders in the main cast.
* StockPuzzle
** EyeCatch: FifteenPuzzle (season 1), {{Klotski}} (season 2)
** Episode 1: MobileMaze
** Episode 3: MagicSquarePuzzle
** Episode 9: KnightsAndKnaves
** Episode 10: GridPuzzle
** Episode 20: GameOfNim
** Episode 22: TowersOfHanoi (with 64 disks -- faithful to the original!)
** Episode 43: FoxChickenGrainPuzzle
** Episode 45: BlockPuzzle
* [[StupidSexyFlanders Stupid Sexy Ana]]
* [[GogglesDoNothing Sunglasses Do Nothing]]: Kaito wears a pair of sunglasses on his head that he never seems to use (except for a moment in the opening when he's taking them off).
** He uses them in the fourth episode of the Second Season, due to the antagonist group standing with floodlights behind them, Jikukawa and co are forced to shield their eyes because of how bright it is.
* ThemeNaming: Rook and Bishop are apparently named after the chess pieces.
** Also nearly all characters are named puzzles or games
** All member of the Orpheus Order are named after card games.
* TheseAreThingsManWasNotMeantToKnow: [[spoiler:According to Jin in Kaito's BadFuture, the Puzzle Of God is this]]
* TheWatson: Nonoha is Kaito's Watson, possessing roughly average intelligence when it comes to calculations and analytical thinking, but her PhotographicMemory and knack for picking up on clues her friends miss keeps her from becoming TheLoad.
* WithGreatPowerComesGreatInsanity: [[spoiler:whoever gets the puzzle of God always seems to result in this. So far Phytagoras, Rook, and Kaito are shown in the BadFuture where they got a hold of the scrolls and destroy the world.]]
** [[spoiler:Phytagoras succeeded in getting the God scrolls in the past. But the power drove him mad and he died as a result.]]
** In Season 2, the Orpheus Order use items of Orpheus to induce MoreThanMindControl on otherwise ordinary students that turn them into serious challengers to pit against Kaito and his friends.
*** Season 3 we gain light on what exactly happened during the Jin/Pythagoras challenge. Pythagoras didn't go mad and die because of the power of the Writings of God, likewise the BadFuture constantly being shown weren't because of obtaining said scroll. [[spoiler: Because there IS NO Writing of God. It was just bait. Orpheus created the Puzzle of God to gain a Phi Brain vessel for his mind and exceed the Gods. Obviously [[GoMadFromTheRevelation Pythagoras wasn't amused by said information.]] The BadFuture we see would be caused by Orpheus challenging the gods and the aftermath would be the death of all mankind.]]
* WhamLine: [[spoiler:"Pythagoras is Dead" counts as this.]]
** [[spoiler: "I am not Jin Makata. I am Orpheus!"]]
* WholesomeCrossdresser: Ana.
** In episode 9 there was a contest about this. The winner was Ana and he didn't even participate.
* WorthlessTreasureTwist: They never find a valuable treasure in the Philosopher's Puzzles.
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