History Manga / Kinnikuman

* CaptainEthnic: Hoo boy. Okay, the most visible Americans are Terryman (a Texan cowboy whose moves include Cattle Branding and the Texas Toe Hold), Geronimo (a full blooded Apache who loves his tomahawk), and Specialman (who is a football player). China is represented by the noodle-loving martial artist Ramenman, [[CanadaEh Canada by the flag-wearing Canadianman]], Germany by Brockenman ([[ThoseWackyNazis a Nazi who breathes poison gas]]) and Brocken, Jr. (who does not seem to adhere to the whole "master race" thing but still seems fascinated by Nazi imagery), you get the idea. The more minor choujin are even more prone to this; see New Zealand's Woolman, for instance.

* BigBad - Robin Mask in the 20th Choujin Olympics arc, Skull Bozu and Devil Magician in the American Tour arc, Warsman and Mr Barracuda[[note]] who was revealed to be Robin Mask[[/note]] in the 21st Choujin Olympics, Buffaloman in the Seven Devil Choujin Arc, Akuma Shogun in the Golden Mask Arc, Neptuneman and Big the Budo[[note]] revealed to be the Neptune King[[/note]] in the Dream Choujin Tag arc and Kinnikuman Super Phoenix in the Throne arc, Strong the Budo in the Perfect Origin arc, and [[spoiler:Omegaman Aristera in the Six Spears arc]].

[[quoteright:350:https://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/kinnikuman_2023.png]]

* WidgetSeries - Started out like this. Became less so as it advanced, but it still has many dashes of it (the first Choujin Olympics arc is as widgety as it comes, trust us), it stops completely after the Seven Devil Choujin arc.

On March 16th, 2023 a new anime adaptation by Creator/ToeiAnimation was [[https://twitter.com/kin29man_anime/status/1636381815228502020 announced]]. This new anime also serves to celebrate the 40th anniversary of the first ''Kinnikuman'' anime.

* FunetikAksent - In early chapters of the manga, Kinnikuman's speech was mostly written as katagoto (using mainly katakana) to highlight his lack of sophistication and intelligence.

[[CanonDiscontinuity ...Or so we thought.]].

A classic Shonen Jump manga, ''Kinnikuman'' began as a spoof of {{Super Hero}}es in the vein of ''Series/{{Ultraman}}'', but changed gears after its initial story arc to become a semi-serious story where ProfessionalWrestling is SeriousBusiness and used to determine the fate of the world.

[[quoteright:300:https://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/kinnikuman_cd.png]]
[[caption-width-right:300:Front Row: Terryman, Kinnikuman, Meat\\
Back Row: Ramenman, Kinkotsuman, Robin Mask]]

In 2012, the original manga got a direct continuation [[note]]Still ongoing, as of July 2018[[/note]], picking up where the Scramble for the Throne arc left off, introducing all-new characters, all-new stakes, and a lot of call-backs to the original run. Due to it conflicting with ''Anime/UltimateMuscle'' and ''especially'' its sequel ''Kinnikuman Nisei: Ultimate Chojin Tag Match'' [[note]]Most of which is [[TimeTravel also set]] after the Scramble for the Throne arc [[/note]] , both have been effectively rendered [[CanonDiscontinuity non-canon]] [[note]]Or arguably, part of an alternate timeline altogether[[/note]].

** And in the final arc, Kinnikuman unveiling (briefly) his mask becomes a power of its own. See the GreenLanternRing entry above.

* GreenLanternRing - Kinnikuman's Face Flash technique, which does everything from cleansing a river (unintentionally), bend metal, shield himself and Robin Mask, attack Super Phoenix, and [[spoiler:revive his fallen comrades]].

--> '''Brocken Jr.:''' ''What are you doing?!''
--> '''Kinnikuman:''' Sorry there's no way I'm fighting those guys.

** Wolfman/Rikishiman gets hit by this even harder. Initially established as a serious threat to Kinnikuman representing Japan at the Choujin Olympics, he's quickly relegated to facing rather plain opponents in one-sided fights... with him being on the losing end. As Wiki/TheOtherWiki puts it, "He becomes the cannon fodder Seigi Choujin (quickly and easily defeated in order to show off how powerful the bad guys are)".

** On Wiki/TheOtherWiki, the Mammothman vs. Leopardon match is described thus: "The instant he enters the ring he is killed by Mammothman's [[MundaneMadeAwesome '''Nose Fencing'''.]]"

** Mr Barracuda does a two-for-one in the 21st Choujin Olympics. He promises 100 criminals on death row that if they could run past a blindfolded Warsman and live, their sentence would be lifted. When the [[KillEmAll obvious result]] happens, Mr Barracuda punishes Warsman because as it turns out, one of them was still alive.

* BackFromTheDead: [[UpToEleven Constantly.]] Nearly every hero was at some point killed then brought back. Only one has actually stuck: [[spoiler:Prince Kamehame, due to dying of old age.]]

* ThePowerOfFriendship: One of the central themes. Even the ''bad guys'' rely on friendship in this series, such as Fan favorite villain Sunshine and fellow heel Ashuraman, stating "Even demons possess friendship!" and then it's taken UpToEleven in the Throne Arc with Mixer Taitei's FinishingMove, "Evil Choujin Friendship Power".

* DemotedToExtra - Within a series of LoadsAndLoadsOfCharacters, this was unavoidable, but probably the worst to suffer from this were the 4D Killer Combo of Pentagon and Black Hole, one being built up as a major power of the Justice Choujin before losing to Warsman and the other being built up as a ''BigBad'' of an arc before being reduced to a lackey due to Buffaloman being more popular.

* LoadsAndLoadsOfCharacters: Overlaps with MultinationalTeam for both heroes and villains.

* Mystical108: It is implied that there are 108 Choujin Gods that includes the Five Evil Gods and Choujin Enma aka [[spoiler:the Merciful God or The Man]]. [[spoiler:They all possess each puzzle piece that creates the very Capillaria Seven Rays that wiped out every other Choujin in the past and the faction of gods lead by God of Harmony are after them to wipe out every Choujin once and for all.]]
** Following TheReveal, it is PlayedWith that [[spoiler:while there ''are'' 108 seats for Choujin Gods, there were ''never'' 108 Gods as there were only 107 at most. While one of the alternate plans was to make Satan a God, they created Choujin as part of The Man's plan to make a candidate to be the new 108th God.]]

-->''Devil Choujin don't die alone.''

* Mystical108: There are 108 Choujin Gods that includes the Five Evil Gods and Choujin Enma aka [[spoiler:the Merciful God or The Man]]. [[spoiler:They all possess each puzzle piece that creates the very Capillaria Seven Rays that wiped out every other Choujin in the past and the faction of gods lead by God of Harmony are after them to wipe out every Choujin once and for all.]]

** Kinkotsuman to Kinnikuman. In name, Kinkotsuman means Tendonman, and Kinnikuman means Muscleman. In appearance, Kinnikuman is a muscular man, and Kinkotsuman is some sort of thin skeleton guy. As far as incompetence goes he matches Kinnikuman fairly well. Unlike his enemy Kinkotsuman couldn't find a more fitting profession and therefore became less prominent when {{Cerebus Syndrome}} kicked in.

* EvilLaugh - Most of the enemies have this, and each enemy's laugh is different.

* ArtEvolution: Compare [[http://www.mangaeden.com/en-manga/kinnikuman/2/1/ the early chapters]] to [[http://www.mangaeden.com/en-manga/kinnikuman/109/9/ slightly later in the story]] to [[http://www.mangaeden.com/en-manga/kinnikuman/266/5/ further into the story]] to [[http://www.mangaeden.com/en-manga/kinnikuman/387/36/ the last chapter.]]
** Now, fast-forward to 2011, and compare all that to [[http://i.imgur.com/hn42frw.jpg this]]

* ContinuitySnarl[=/=]EpicFail - For the writers, artists, and editors. When Akuma Shogun first appears Geronimo immediately attacks him. During the fight, we see [[http://www.mangareader.net/361-25183-6/kinnikuman/chapter-188.html a panel]] showing the other Idol Choujin reacting to the fight, ''with Geronimo in the group!'' In other words, they drew Geronimo in a group watching his own fight.

* OneHundredAndEight: There are 108 Choujin Gods that includes the Five Evil Gods and Choujin Enma aka [[spoiler:the Merciful God or The Man]]. [[spoiler:They all possess each puzzle piece that creates the very Capillaria Seven Rays that wiped out every other Choujin in the past and the faction of gods lead by God of Harmony are after them to wipe out every Choujin once and for all.]]

* NoSwastikas - Notably Averted. Nazi wrestler Brockenman, who was a straight up heel; as well as his ''face'' son, Brocken Jr. both have swastikas prominently displayed on their attire. They had started editing out the swastikas as early as the Throne arc anime, where it was replaced with a bird crest, and by the time ''Anime/UltimateMuscle''comes around it's been changed to a skull and crossbones, a change that stuck with subsequent merchandise and the 2012 revival arcs.

* JerkassGods - The Five Evil Choujin Gods of Intelligence, Strength, Brutality, Flight, and Technique who tried to prevent Suguru from getting the throne due to his growing Burning Inner Strength.

** Then comes the newest arc, [[spoiler:Kinnikuman will be fighting for the survival of all Choujin... by taking on an anti-Choujin faction of ''Choujin Gods'' led by the God of Harmony!]]

* The Five Evil Gods may have it against Kinnikuman for having potential to take on a Choujin God, but even they are against the idea of [[spoiler:killing off every Choujin using the same Capillera Seven Rays like in the past and that is why they are protecting the remaining pieces that can create those rays from the anti-Choujin faction of fellow Gods led by God of Harmony.]]