History Main / Expy

* ''WebAnimation/ObjectOppose'': and boy does this show run on this trope. Most of the characters are expys of other popular object shows such as Taoism and Softball being ones to [[WebAnimation/InanimateInsanity Yin-Yang and Baseball]] and Leaf being one to [[WebAnimation/BattleForDreamIsland Leafy]]. Even some of the episode plots are parallel to other object shows like "The Puzzled Path" being similar to [[WebAnimation/InanimateInsanity "Mazed and Confused"]].In spite of all that, Object Oppose still manages to stand out as its own show.

* ''WebAnimation/ObjectOppose'': and boy does this show run on this trope. Most of the characters are expys of other popular object shows such as Taoism and Softball being ones to [[WebAnimation/InanimateInsanity Yin-Yang and Baseball]] and Leaf being one to [[WebAnimation/BattleForDreamIsland Leafy]]. Even some of the episode plots are parallel to other object shows like "The Puzzled Path" being similar to [[WebAnimation/InanimateInsanity "Mazed and Confused"]].In spite of all that, Object Oppose still manage to stand out as it's own show.

** Old Crumplecranks, inspired by Creator/FleischerStudios' old cartoons, physically resembles the Devil from ''VideoGame/{{Cuphead}}'', has a voice like [[WesternAnimation/TheNightmareBeforeChristmas Oogie Boogie]], and plays the same role as the titular villain of ''WesternAnimation/TheOldManOfTheMountain'', one of the cartoons that inspired ''Cuphead'', Oogie Boogie, and this episode.

* Some of WebVideo/MLLanzillotta's characters count. She often refers to Tallulah the Flapper as a cross between Tallulah Bankhead and Agatha Runcible from [[Creator/EvelynWaugh Waugh's]] ''Literature/Vile Bodies''.

->''"The one in back,'' \\
''The way he acts,'' \\
''Is he reminding you of anyone we know?'' \\
''Isn't he so'' \\
''Like certain people I could name?"''

* Expy/ComicStrips

* Expy/MythsAndReligion
* Expy/{{Pinball}}
* Expy/{{Podcasts}}

* Expy/WebOriginal

* ''Animation/OurFriendXiongXiaoMi'': ** The main character, Xiao Mi, is an anthropomorphic bear with yellow fur who wears nothing but a shirt and likes to eat honey. [[Franchise/WinnieThePooh Sound familiar?]]

Remember that TropesAreNotBad; an expy can give an old character concept a new lease on life, take it in a different direction, adapt it to a new medium, or simply do something with it that's as good or better than the original. Iconic characters like WesternAnimation/YogiBear and WesternAnimation/MickeyMouse are obvious clones of [[Series/TheHoneymooners Art Carney]] and WesternAnimation/FelixTheCat respectively, but that hasn't stopped them from being among the most acclaimed cartoon characters of all time.

* Expy/{{Pinballs}}

The [[CanonicalListOfSubtleTropeDistinctions key difference]] between this and CaptainErsatz is that an expy, while deliberately based on some other character, is still their own person, while CaptainErsatz is obviously the same character but with the SerialNumbersFiledOff. Please keep this distinction in mind before adding an example here. Also note that a fictional counterpart to a real-life person would ''not'' be an expy. When a character strongly resembles a real person, rather than a fictional character, that's NoCelebritiesWereHarmed. If the character is meant as an homage without being identical, it could be a ShoutOut instead. A quick glance around Wiki/TVTropes will reveal just how often these mistakes are made on this very wiki.

This can simply be the tendency of writers to prefer certain characterizations for important characters (or [[FollowTheLeader knowing which ones are most marketable/popular]]), or the influence of the design process. On the other hand, it may just be a [[WriterOnBoard bad attempt]] to try to revive a character who [[CreatorsPet the writer liked, but nobody else did]] and [[ShooOutTheNewGuy had to get rid of it]]. When by a different author, it may be an {{homage}} to the original creator and/or character. In the negative sense, an expy can be seen as just a bloated, gimmicky version of a perfectly serviceable past character. In a positive sense, it can refer to an "upgrade" of a two-dimensional or otherwise limited character to one more appreciably complex.

%% Image moved to ArchetypalCharacter and later SelfPlagiarism per Image Pickin' threads: https://tvtropes.org/pmwiki/posts.php?discussion=1396358994055877600, https://tvtropes.org/pmwiki/posts.php?discussion=1466076371081874500

Compare to BleachedUnderpants, AlternateCompanyEquivalent, NamesTheSame, RomanAClef, CounterpartComparison, SimilarSquad, SameStoryDifferentNames, SuspiciouslySimilarSong, DistaffCounterpart, JustForFun/SurprisinglySimilarStories, EvilCounterpart, WholePlotReference. [[JustForFun/IThoughtItMeant Not to be confused with]] [[ExperiencePoints XP]], nor [[UsefulNotes/MicrosoftWindows XP]].

* Xiao Mi, the main character of the Chinese series ''Animation/OurFriendXiongXiaoMi'', is an anthropomorphic bear with yellow fur who wears nothing but a shirt and likes to eat honey. [[Franchise/WinnieThePooh Sound familiar?]]

%% Image moved to ArchetypalCharacter and later SelfPlagiarism per Image Pickin' thread: https://tvtropes.org/pmwiki/posts.php?discussion=1396358994055877600

%% Image moved to ArchetypalCharacter per Image Pickin' thread: https://tvtropes.org/pmwiki/posts.php?discussion=1396358994055877600

When the character appears in the same show as the previous character, they're often a SuspiciouslySimilarSubstitute.

Compare to BleachedUnderpants, AlternateCompanyEquivalent, NamesTheSame, RomanAClef, CounterpartComparison, SimilarSquad, SameStoryDifferentNames, SuspiciouslySimilarSong, DistaffCounterpart, JustForFun/SurprisinglySimilarStories, EvilCounterpart, WholePlotReference. [[IThoughtItMeant Not to be confused with]] [[ExperiencePoints XP]], nor [[UsefulNotes/MicrosoftWindows XP]].

For specific characters that tend to inspire expies, see FountainOfExpies. For a series with numerous different expies in its cast, see CastOfExpies.

Compare to BleachedUnderpants, AlternateCompanyEquivalent, NamesTheSame, RomanAClef, CounterpartComparison, SimilarSquad, SameStoryDifferentNames, SuspiciouslySimilarSong, DistaffCounterpart, SurprisinglySimilarStories, EvilCounterpart, WholePlotReference. [[IThoughtItMeant Not to be confused with]] [[ExperiencePoints XP]], nor [[UsefulNotes/MicrosoftWindows XP]].

!!Examples:

[[folder:Web Animation]]
* ''WebAnimation/BrokenSaints'' has two villainous blond [[SociopathicSoldier lieutenants]] named Charles and Bravado. Between the names and the haircuts, there is something [[Franchise/StreetFighter very, very familiar about them...]]
* Breeze Rider from ''WebAnimation/DusksDawn'' is this to Rainbow Dash, both being able to fly, cracking jokes and having a strong sense of adventure.
** He is also definitely trying to be a lot like Pinkie Pie by providing goofy (attempted) [[PluckyComicRelief comic relief]] at random times, like popping his head out of a cloud and impossible areas.
* ''WebAnimation/MysterySkullsAnimated'' features a cast that is a homage to ''Franchise/ScoobyDoo'' with their own twists.
* Lord Zet and Nekoneko of the flash series ''WebAnimation/SuperFreakinParodyRangers'' are deliberately obvious Expies of Zetto and Ruri from the creator's earlier work ''WebAnimation/{{TOME}}''.
[[/folder]]

Remember that TropesAreNotBad; an expy can give an old character concept a new lease on life, take it in a different direction, adapt it to a new medium, or simply do something with it that's as good or better than the original. Iconic characters like YogiBear and MickeyMouse are obvious clones of [[Series/TheHoneymooners Art Carney]] and WesternAnimation/FelixTheCat respectively, but that hasn't stopped them from being among the most acclaimed cartoon characters of all time.

The [[CanonicalListOfSubtleTropeDistinctions key difference]] between this and CaptainErsatz is that an expy, while deliberately based on some other character, is still their own person, while CaptainErsatz is obviously the same character but with the SerialNumbersFiledOff. Please keep this distinction in mind before adding an example here. Also note that a fictional counterpart to a real-life person would ''not'' be an expy. When a character strongly resembles a real person, rather than a fictional character, that's NoCelebritiesWereHarmed. If the character is meant as an homage without being identical, it could be a ShoutOut instead. A quick glance around TVTropes will reveal just how often these mistakes are made on this very wiki.

This can simply be the tendency of writers to prefer certain characterizations for important characters (or [[FollowTheLeader knowing which ones are most marketable/popular]]), or the influence of the design process. On the other hand, it may just be a [[WriterOnBoard bad attempt]] to try to revive a character who [[CreatorsPet the writer liked, but nobody else did]] and [[ShooOutTheNewGuy had to get rid of it]]. When by a different author, it may be a {{homage}} to the original creator and/or character. In the negative sense, an expy can be seen as just a bloated, gimmicky version of a perfectly serviceable past character. In a positive sense, it can refer to an "upgrade" of a two-dimensional or otherwise limited character to one more appreciably complex.