History Main / RecurringElement

* ''VideoGame/{{Gradius}}'': there will be a BossRush, there will be a high-speed section, there will be walls you have to carefully shoot through (sometimes they even regenerate), and there will be [[EenieMeenieMinyMoai Moai]].

** Games from VII to X have a secret unmapped location that usually houses the game's strongest summon, a BonusDungeon with a BonusBoss, or both. Round Island in ''VideoGame/FinalFantasyVII'', Deep Sea Research Center from ''VideoGame/FinalFantasyVIII'', and Chocobo's Air Garden from ''VideoGame/FinalFantasyIX''. In ''VideoGame/FinalFantasyX's'' case there are multiple secret locations, accessed by manually pointing at the map in [[GuideDangIt very specific coordinates]]. The most important of these are the Omega Ruins and Baaj Temple.

** Dark Souls DLC will also have a dragon BonusBoss- Kalameet for 1, Sinh for 2, and Midir for 3.

[[folder: Anime and Manga]]

[[folder: Film]]

[[folder: Literature ]]

[[folder: Live-Action TV]]

[[folder: Video Games]]

[[folder: Western Animation]]

*** The background music in the protagonist's place of residence and while exploring the local town/city have vocals, the lyrical content of which usually deals with depressing themes (heartbreak, [[CannotSpitItOut inability to confess a crush]], and LossOfIdentity, to give examples).
*** One of the first party members is a [[ChivalrousPervert perverted-yet-friendly]] classmate of the protagonist that quickly grows to be the protagonist's [[HeterosexualLifePartners best friend]]. He also always has a VitriolicBestBuds relationship with the first female party member.
*** The main plot begins with the protagonist taking a train into [[CityOfAdventure a new town]].
*** There is a primary ColorMotif that pervade the game's artwork and UI: Blue for ''VideoGame/Persona3'' (and pink for the female protagonist in ''3''s remake), yellow in ''VideoGame/Persona4'', and bright red for ''VideoGame/Persona5''.

*** Since ''VideoGame/Persona2'', the games all conclude with a female-sung vocal credits theme, usually sung in Japanese with a few GratuitousEnglish lines during the refrains and clearly told from the perspective of one of the main characters (the one exception is ''Persona 2: Eternal Punishment''[='s=] ending theme, which is performed in English by British singer Elisha La'Verne). This is especially notable as almost all other vocal themes in the series are sung entirely in English.
*** Every game since the first ''VideoGame/{{Persona|1}}'' features the Velvet Room and [[SpiritAdvisor Igor]], who are the main source of Persona fusion. Additionally, all the games since ''3'' have Igor assisted by a silver-haired, gold-eyed female attendant dressed in blue - Elizabeth in ''VideoGame/Persona3'', Margaret in ''VideoGame/Persona4'', and twins Caroline and Justine in ''VideoGame/Persona5'' ([[spoiler:though said twins are actually two parts of a single personality named Lavenza, having been split apart by the BigBad]]). In the female route in the PSP remake of ''3'', the attendant can instead be a man named Theodore, but other than gender he matches the look of the other attendants. Although the female route is an AlternateContinuity, Theodore canonically exists. The similarities between the attendants aren't a coincidence; they're all siblings.
*** Butterflies have been a recurring motif since the first game. They're usually associated (either explicitly or via WordOfGod) with [[BigGood Philemon]], but other characters, like Aigis in ''3'' and [[spoiler:Lavenza]] in ''5'', also have butterfly motifs.
*** Characters associated with the Magician arcana tend to have bad luck with their love interests. From having their love interest [[spoiler:being killed]] (Junpei), having their love go unrequited (Kenji and Morgana), or both ([[spoiler:Yosuke]]).

* The various ''Literature/{{Discworld}}'' novels take place in wildly different parts of the eponymous world, with different casts, in different time periods -- but they all feature [[TheGrimReaper Death]] in either a significant role or cameo. (Except ''Literature/TheWeeFreeMen''.)

* The various ''Literature/{{Discworld}}'' novels take place in wildly different parts of the eponymous world, with different casts, in different time periods -- but they all feature [[TheGrimReaper Death]] in either a significant role or cameo. (Except ''Literature/WeeFreeMen''.)

* The various ''Literature/{{Discworld}}'' novels take place in wildly different parts of the eponymous world, with different casts, in different time periods -- but they all have the same [[AC:[[TheGrimReaper Death]]]]. (Well, except during ''[[DeathTakesAHoliday Reaper Man]]''.)

** The protagonists are colored blue, armed with [[ChargeAttack chargeable]] ArmCannon, able to do PowerCopying and are called Mega Man in some way (Zero from [[VideoGame/MegaManZero his series]] is an exception; though his color scheme in that series does include a lot of a dark purple, he doesn't get an arm cannon [but can charge ''any'' of his weapons], [[AmnesiacHero remembers old moves]] that are similar to what the bosses use rather than copying them outright, and outside of a manga series is not called "Mega Man" in any way).

* ''Franchise/AceAttorney'' will always have a hapless and put-upon yet nonetheless intelligent and quick-thinking lawyer (Phoenix, Apollo, Athena) and a plucky female assistant with a messed-up familial history (Maya, Ema, Pearl, Trucy)[[note]]Edgeworth and Kay from the spinoffs count as well[[/note]]. They'll first go up against a rather spineless prosecutor (Winston and Gaspen Payne) then a renowned antagonistic but ultimately sympathetic prosecutor with something of a personal history with or vendetta against the protagonists (Edgeworth, Franziska, Godot, Blackquill, Nahyuta). The prosecution is in turn aided by an friendlier detective (Gumshoe, Fullbright, Ema).[[note]]Klavier and Ema invert the antagonistic-prosecutor-friendlier-detective relationship in ''Apollo Justice'', while Fullbright subverts it in ''Dual Destinies''.[[/note]]) The final case often, but not always, involves a different prosecutor taking over.[[note]]Manfred von Karma in the original game, Edgeworth in Justice for All, Franziska(temporarily) in Trials and Tribulations, Edgeworth again in the first half of Dual Destinies' final case, Ga'ran in ''Spirit of Justice'', [[spoiler: Kazuma]] in ''The Great Ace Attorney: Resolve''.[[/note]]

** Also since ''3'', the player's Pip-Boy can tune in to various radio stations that play classic music from the 50's, each with a DJ that has a distinct personality: the

* {{Franchise/Danganronpa}} Is prone to this
** [[spoiler:Every 3rd Trial is a double murder, and the Buff one always dies in chapter 4]]
*** Adding to [[spoiler:this, the 3rd culprit always has a [[MadnessMantra Madness Mantra at the end]], and one of the [[HeKnowsTooMuch victims are killed for knowing too much]]]]
** Besides the more spoilery aspects, every game usually has at least one [[TokenMiniMoe shorty,]] [[TheBigGuy buff character,]] and [[LaserGuidedAmnesia a student who has forgotten their talent.]]

** One person will be killed immediately after expressing character development.

* All of the ''Franchise/{{Splatoon}}'' games have a headgear shop run by a low-key character and their smaller, more energetic companion, a crustacean who runs the shoe shop and a jellyfish with a poor grasp of English who runs the clothing shop.

** A usually female (or a very androgynous {{Bishonen}} if male) character with platinum blonde hair who acts as a potential LoveInterest or TheRival to the main character, such as [[Anime/TengenToppaGurrenLagann Nia]], [[Anime/LittleWitchAcademia Diana]], [[Anime/SpacePatrolLuluco Nova]], [[Anime/{{Promare}} Lio]], and [[Anime/CyberpunkEdgerunners Lucy]].

** Every game usually has at least one [[OlderThanTheyLook shorty,]] [[TheBigGuy buff character,]] and [[LaserGuidedAmnesia someone who has forgoten their talent.]]

** The main character is a military pilot who oftentimes ends up FallingIntoTheCockpit of one of the series' signature TransformingMecha[[note]]With the exception of TechnicalPacifist Nekki Basara, a rock star who already pilots his own AceCustom at the onset of his series[[/note]].

** An experienced soldier who acts as either TheMentor[[note]]Roy, Ozma, Messer and Mirage[[/note]] or TheRival[[note]]Guld, Gamlin, Mikhail[[/note]] to TheHero. This character can be part of the LoveTriangle. Said character is often subjected to great duress by the plot, oftentimes leading to [[MentorOccupationalHazard their death]].

** The Oración Seis are a team of six villains who stand among the stronger enemies in the series. In ''Rave Master'' (where they're renamed the Oracion Six), they're the elite generals of Demon Card, the main antagonistic force of the series. In ''Fairy Tail'', they're one of the three strongest dark guilds in the kingdom. In ''Edens Zero'', they're ''two'' groups of six warriors each who are each capable of destroying a planet on their own; the "Galáctica" are the six most well-known warlords of the cosmos, while the "Interestelar" ar the six strongest members of the [[SpaceNavy Interstellar Union Army]] meant to act as a counter to the former.

* ''Franchise/MarvelCinematicUniverse'': Phase 2 onwards had a running theme of children losing their parents: Tony found out who really murdered his parents, Spider-Man was implied to have lost Uncle Ben in this continuity and [[spoiler: later on loses Tony and Aunt May as well]], Pietro and Wanda lost their parents due to Stark Industry armaments, Star-Lord lost his mother and then lost Yondu as well, T'Challa lost his father, and Thor lost Frigga then followed by losing Odin. The latter's death was stylized in the CreativeClosingCredits as him [[{{Foreshadowing}} fading into dust and being swept by the wind]].

** An experienced soldier who acts as either TheMentor[[note]]Roy, Ozma, Messer and Mirage[[/note]] or TheRival[[note]]Guld, Gamlin[[/note]] to TheHero. If the latter, this character tends to be part of the LoveTriangle. Said character is often subjected to great duress by the plot, oftentimes leading to [[MentorOccupationalHazard their death]].

** Every game usually has at least one [[OlderThanTheyLook Shorty,]] [[TheBigGuy buff one,]] and [[LaserGuidedAmnesia someone who has forgoten their talent.]]

*** Adding to [[spoiler:this, the 3rd culprit always has a [[MadnessMantra Madness Mantra at the end]]]]

* ''Franchise/AceAttorney'' will always have a hapless and put-upon yet nonetheless intelligent and quick-thinking lawyer (Phoenix, Apollo, Athena) and a plucky female assistant with a messed-up familial history (Maya, Ema, Pearl, Trucy)[[note]]Edgeworth and Kay from the spinoffs count as well[[/note]]. They'll first go up against a rather spineless prosecutor (Winston and Gaspen Payne) then a renowned antagonistic but ultimately sympathetic prosecutor with something of a personal history with or vendetta against the protagonists (Edgeworth, Franziska, Godot, Blackquill, Nahyuta). The prosecution is in turn aided by an friendlier detective (Gumshoe, Fullbright, Ema).[[note]]Klavier and Ema invert the antagonistic-prosecutor-friendlier-detective relationship in ''Apollo Justice'', while Fullbright subverts it in ''Dual Destinies''.[[/note]]) The final case often, but not always, involves a different prosecutor taking over.[[note]]Manfred von Karma in the original game, Edgeworth in Justice for All, Franziska(temporarily) in Trials and Tribulations, Edgeworth again in the first half of Dual Destinies' final case.[[/note]]

*** The Demon Summoning Program, the very basis of the ''Shin Megami Tensei'' franchise itself, appears in not just all the mainline SMT games barring ''[[VideoGame/ShinMegamiTenseiIIINocturne Nocturne]]'', but also in ''VideoGame/MegamiTensei'' and ''VideoGame/MegamiTenseiII'', both ''Majin Tensei'' games, the [[VideoGame/DevilSummoner first]] [[VideoGame/SoulHackers two]] ''Devil Summoner'' games, and both ''VideoGame/DevilSurvivor'' and ''VideoGame/DevilSurvivor2''.

* ''Franchise/ShinMegamiTensei'':
** Although the vast majority of the Demon Compendium is always transplanted from game to game wholesale, the only demons that always appear in ''all'' games, and always with the exact same appearance, are Creator/{{Atlus}} mascots [[MascotMook Jack Frost]] and its close relatives.
*** Much like the Chokobo example at the top of this page, Jack Frost had a different design in the [[VideoGame/MegamiTensei first]] [[VideoGame/MegamiTenseiII two]] [[EarlyInstallmentWeirdness games]]. When the games were remade as a bundle for [[UsefulNotes/SuperNintendoEntertainmentSystem the SNES]], Jack Frost was given his modern design.
** The Demon Summoning Program, the very basis of the ''Shin Megami Tensei'' franchise itself, appears in not just all the mainline SMT games barring ''[[VideoGame/ShinMegamiTenseiIIINocturne Nocturne]]'', but also in ''VideoGame/MegamiTensei'' and ''VideoGame/MegamiTenseiII'', both ''Majin Tensei'' games, the [[VideoGame/DevilSummoner first]] [[VideoGame/SoulHackers two]] ''Devil Summoner'' games, and both ''VideoGame/DevilSurvivor'' and ''VideoGame/DevilSurvivor2''.
** The Sanskrit and Japanese-based spell naming convention as well as the tiered scale system: [[FireIceLightning Agi, Bufu, Zio]] (weak), Agilao, Bufula, Zionga (medium), and Agidyne, Bufudyne, Ziodyne (severe) for the three indispensable elementals; [[HolyHandGrenade Hama]] and [[{{Curse}} Mudo]] for Expel and Curse (or Light and Dark) {{One Hit Kill}}s; [=Raku/Taru/Suku=]-[=nda/kaja=] for buffs and debuffs; and the prefix "Ma" for multi-target vs. single-target spells (Mazionga, Masukukaja, etc.).
** Demon (or Persona) fusion to improve your forces has been the core and purpose of every single game in the franchise since the very first one.
** Shiva is created by fusing Rangda and Barong.

** The main character is a military pilot[[note]]With the exception of TechnicalPacifist Nekki Basara, though he still pilots his own AceCustom[[/note]] who oftentimes ends up FallingIntoTheCockpit of one of the series' signature TransformingMecha.

** A LoveTriangle involving the lead character, one of the IdolSinger[=s=], and another soldier[[note]]''Zero'' and ''Frontier are partial exceptions in that the third end of the triangle is another IdolSinger[[/note]].
** An experienced soldier who acts as either TheMentor[[note]]Roy, Ozma, Messer and Mirage[[/note]] or TheRival[[note]]Guld, Gamlin[[/note]] to TheHero. Said character is often subject to great duress, oftentimes leading to their death.
** TheBattlestar, which also doubles the main character's flagship, is able to transform into a HumungousMecha, and can fire WaveMotionGun[=s=] built into its arms. Said ship is crewed by the BridgeBunnies.
** MindControlMusic being utilized by the antagonists, especially in more recent installments.

* ''Franchise/MarvelCinematicUniverse'': Phase 2 onwards had a running theme of children losing their parents: Tony found out who really murdered his parents, Spider-Man was implied to have lost Uncle Ben in this continuity as well, Pietro and Wanda lost their parents due to Stark Industry armaments, Star-Lord lost his mother and then lost Yondu as well, T'Challa lost his father, and Thor lost Frigga then followed by losing Odin. The latter's death was stylized in the CreativeClosingCredits as him [[{{Foreshadowing}} fading into dust and being swept by the wind]].

* The MCV is such a staple of the ''VideoGame/CommandAndConquer'' franchise that the [[VideoGame/CommandAndConquerTiberianTwilight sole exception]] to its inclusion was highly controversial. GDI's [[TankGoodness super-heavy, double-barreled Mammoth Tank]] was likewise so iconic of the first game that variants of it show up in most of the spin-offs as the [[VideoGame/CommandAndConquerRedAlertSeries Soviet Apocalypse tanks]] or [[VideoGame/CommandAndConquerGenerals Chinese Overlord tank]]. In fact, the exact same machine, [[PropRecycling down to the sprites]], can be found in ''[[VideoGame/CommandAndConquerTiberianDawn Tiberian Dawn]]'', ''[[VideoGame/CommandAndConquerRedAlert Red Alert]]'', and ''[[VideoGame/CommandAndConquerTiberianSun Tiberian Sun]]'', operated by GDI, the Soviets, and the Forgotten respectively.

** One Blackened will be someone who already had a bodycount before the game [[spoiler: Mondo Oowada (indirectly killed his brother Daiya), Peko Pekoyama (Fujisaki's hitwoman), and Korekiyo Shinguji (a SerialKiller)]], but one of the survivors will also be a killer who just didn't kill in-game [[spoiler: Genocide Jack (SerialKiller who realizes that murdering people like she usually does will get her caught). Fuyuhiko (Yakuza heir), and Maki (Ulltimate Assassin- though she ''almost'' killed Kokichi)]].

* The ''Franchise/{{Gundam}}'' franchise usually has a [[CuteMachines Haro]] (though they were largely absent during the 90's) and a CharClone.

* ''Franchise/LyricalNanoha'' has "the girl with sad eyes" who the heroes will try to save from their own sadness. They've usually {{Dark Magical Girl}}s, though there have been [[Anime/MagicalGirlLyricalNanohaAs some]] [[AudioPlay/StrikersSoundStageX exceptions]].
* The ''VideoGame/PrettySeries'' always features a store called ''Prism Stone'' which the main characters typically hang out in. A woman named Akai Meganee (literally "red glasses girl") also appears, sporting brown hair and red glasses.
* ''Anime/YuGiOh'':
** Every protagonist will have a "Yu-" prefix in their first name (or in [[Anime/YuGiOhGX Jaden's case]], their last name) and a signature monster with 2500 attack points. And all of them, except Jaden, have a ridiculously spiky multicolored {{Shounen Hair}}do.
** Barring ''[[Anime/YuGiOh5Ds 5Ds]] and [[Anime/YuGiOhVRAINS VRAINS]]'', every series features a rival character with a MoralityPet younger brother. The original series had Kaiba and Mokuba, ''[[Anime/YuGiOhGX GX]]'' had Ryo and Sho, ''[[Anime/YuGiOhZEXAL ZEXAL]]'' had Kaito and Haruto, and ''[[Anime/YuGiOhARCV ARC-V]]'' had Reiji and Reira. [[spoiler: The last one has a twist, though: Reira is not only adopted, but is also a female.]]
** It is also very common for rival characters to have an ace dragon monster with 3000 attack points. The sole exception to this is Declan from ''ARC-V''.
** Another recurring element is the monster Kuriboh. In every series one of the main characters but not always ''the'' main character will use a Kuriboh-like monster in their deck. ''GX'' actually has the protagonist of the previous series give the new version of Kuriboh to the new protagonist in the first episode.

* The works of Hiro Mashima (''Manga/RaveMaster'', ''Manga/FairyTail'', ''Manga/EdensZero'', etc.) often reuse select characters, names, terms, and other elements with a different spin.
** Plue is a [[CallASmeerpARabbit ball-headed carrot-nosed "dog"]] who has appeared in a bulk of Mashima's work, dating all the way back to his first official manga, ''Magician''. His most prominent role by far is in ''Rave Master'' as the SeriesMascot, while he's had progressively minor roles in ''Fairy Tail'' and ''Edens Zero'', where he's alternatively known as Nikora. He's often the subject of a RunningGag where characters mistake him for some other species, or at least question how he's supposed to be a dog.
** Sieg Hart from ''Rave Master'' has a "tradition" of being used as a ReusedCharacterDesign template, usually for WellIntentionedExtremist heroes or villains who eventually ally themselves with the heroes. He has since made appearances as two separate characters in ''Fairy Tail''--Jellal[=/=][[MythologyGag Siegrain]] and Mystogan--and as Justice in ''Edens Zero''.
** Heart Kreuz, an in-universe brand of clothes worn by Elie in ''Rave Master'', and by Lucy and Erza in ''Fairy Tail''.
** Etherion, a highly destructive magical power. In ''Rave Master'', it's the ultimate magic that has the capacity to either save or destroy the entire world, and central to the plot as a whole. In ''Fairy Tail'', it's a magical KillSat used by the Magic Council that can wipe out nations. In ''Edens Zero'', it's the secret weapon of the titular ship.
** The Oración Seis are a team of six villains who stand among the stronger enemies in the series. In ''Rave Master'' (where they're renamed the Oracion Six), they're the elite generals of Demon Card, the main antagonistic force of the series. In ''Fairy Tail'', they're one of the three strongest dark guilds in the kingdom. In ''Edens Zero'', they're ''two'' groups of six warriors each who are each capable of destroying a planet on their own; the "Galáctica" are the six most well-known warlords of the cosmos, while the "Interestelar" ar the six strongest members of the [[SpaceNavy Interstellar Union Army]] meant to act as a counter to the former.
** Mildian, a mystical place usually associated with time. In ''Rave Master'', it's a town of sorcerers and mages who aim to prevent a TimeCrash. In ''Fairy Tail'', it's an ancient civilization where many of the series' known time spells originated, and whose people have worshiped a god of time. In ''Edens Zero'', it's a planet that [[YearInsideHourOutside exists outside of normal time]], and home to an oracle that can see the past, present, and future.
* The works of Creator/HayaoMiyazaki and Creator/StudioGhibli all feature at least one scene in which characters take flight, including (but not limited to): Chihiro riding on a dragon in ''Anime/SpiritedAway'', the many flying machines in ''Anime/CastleInTheSky'', the WWI-era fighter planes of ''Anime/PorcoRosso'', and airships in ''Anime/SherlockHound''.
* In ''Manga/JoJosBizarreAdventure'' when Stands are introduced, the main villain will have a Time themed Stand (Parts 3-6). They include stopping time, rewinding time, erasing time, and fast forwarding time.

** The StudentCouncilPresident will always start as an ObstructiveBureaucrat who has a a personal motive to not allow the main group to become school idols and interfere even after they're officially formed. Eventually she will resolve this and join the group.

** This trope is worked into the story of ''VideoGame/DarkSouls'', as a major theme is EternalRecurrancce.

** Two giant Gogol [[EliteMook Unique Monsters]] named Territorial Rotbart and Immovable Gonzalez that are liable to ambush and beat the crap out of you in starting areas[[note]]Although in ''VideoGame/XenobladeChroniclesX'', the NonLinearSequel, Gogols aren't present, Rotbart's name is different (although etymologically related), and Gonzalez is absent.[[/note]]

** A late-arrival party member who's secretly royalty[[note]]Melia, Zeke, and Addam[[/note]]
** [[spoiler: The protagonist not being alive[[note]]Shulk was DeadAllAlong, Cross was always a robot, and Jin killed Rex at the very beginning of the game[[/note]]]]

* The Franchise/{{Gundam}} franchise usually has a Haro and a CharClone.