Where do you go to read the latest about new tropes?
What about old tropes with new names?
How can you find the best but least linked tropes out there?
Worry no more: Trope Report is here.
What about old tropes with new names?
How can you find the best but least linked tropes out there?
Worry no more: Trope Report is here.
Trope Report is a monthly newsletter that intends to showcase works and tropes from all corners of this website. It also aims to keep the troper hivemind updated with pertinent trope changes and discussions.
Valentine's Day is coming (and if you don't have a partner... well, you can always celebrate Singles Awareness Day), so our plan with this newsletter is all about trying to get you into a romantic mood. So grab your favorite chocolates and light some scented candles, because we have some romantic tropes, works and forum threads for you to sink your teeth into!
While there weren't many big changes from the Trope Repair Shop these past few weeks, we do have to announce that three new engineers
have joined our ranks, including yours truly.
We hope everyone has a great Year of the Dragon, and as always, happy troping!
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Tropes and Works
Trope Spotlight
Obscure Tropes
This section highlights older tropes that need a boost.- Valentine's Day is a holiday that tends to inspire all sorts of emotions, whether it's love for a special someone, sadness from being Alone Among the Couples, or annoyance at the store running out of chocolate. The ability to perform an Emote Command is a common feature of multiplayer video games used to express feelings like these, but the page we have on them is lacking. Though it was created in 2007, it only has 18 on-page entries and 31 wicks, and is in general need of Wiki Magic. In the spirit of the holiday, you could give this trope some more /love.
- February is known for being a month full of chocolate, whether you're enjoying some Valentine's Day sweets or just finishing up the remains of your holiday candy stash. Chocolate is so popular, in fact, that humans aren't the only ones who crave it. Mars Wants Chocolate too — as does the rest of the galaxy. This is a trope about aliens being fascinated by common human snack foods, and why not help them out? Only 45 exports have been made with this trope since it launched in 2014, but there are plenty more pages across the wiki to share it with. Just remember to save some of the sweets for yourself as well!
- "All right, Taylor Von Trope will bring us the forecast for the first week of February. Von Trope, how is the weather?" "Thank you contributors. In honor of National Weatherperson's Day on February 5th, we would like to alert tropers to be aware of Weather Report, a trope that, despite its introduction in 2009, only has 55 wicks. Trope Report's body would like to remind tropers to add this trope to more work pages that have it in their narrative, as these weather forecasts can be symbolic. For now, we will see some scattered references to this trope, but if it receives more genuine attention, perhaps we will see some nice skies for the remainder of the month. Back to you, contributors."
- Cupid, an archetypal figure of Valentine's Day, has been parodied, embraced, and troped since the Hellenistic period, so Grilling the Newbie with him would be pointless. The actual newbie way back when was a demi-god conjured by Cupid, defining itself as "the ordinary student who's bound to be interrogated by its lively classmates". No arrows needed to be slung at said classmates at the time. However, it seems they lost interest in the trope rather quickly; only 26 valentines being delivered to it over the course of 12 years necessitates some more cards being sent its way. Even the much-cherished first card it ever received, taking the form of the description, can be expanded upon.
New Tropes
This section brings attention to recently-launched tropes that could use a little help to really get rolling.- As Valentine's Day is often known as the day of love, it's obvious that marriage would be a big part of it. Hence, it is possible for a bride to wear a Hereditary Wedding Dress from an older female relative during this special day. The page was launched on January 21, so more love would be appreciated.
Work Spotlight
New Work Page Spotlight
This section covers newer work pages that could use a little help.- 16bit Sensation is a manga written and illustrated by Tamiki Wakaki (of The World God Only Knows fame) with former Aquaplus, Leaf and Cocktail Soft members Misato Mitsumi and Tatsuki Amazuyu at the helm of the original concept. Taking place in the The '90s during the budding birth of PC Visual Novels, the story follows the various members at a company called Alcohol Soft as they make their first VN with all the complicated tools and software used to make it. The anime adaptation adds Canon Foreigner Konoha Akisato, who finds herself transported back to the '90s as she learns the hard craft of early 90s visual novels and how much different the bishojo game industry was back then compared to the present day. It gained notoriety for being a in-depth look into the VN industry at the time, so the page needs some much editing and more love.
- Twin Tribes is a Texan-Mexican dark synth duo formed by Luis Navarro and Joel Niño Jr. They've made a presence in the modern goth scene with their electrifying songs that wed emotion with shadowy bliss, creating a melancholic atmosphere that enchants listeners with otherworldly experiences. Their latest album, Pendulum (released last month), was named with balance in mind, romanticising the coexistence of light and darkness, even more than their previous releases. If you'd like to delve into a romantic view of the darker things in life (or death), their music will plunge you into a beautiful bittersweet buffet.
- A Sign of Affection is a shoujo manga by the mangaka duo suu Morishita. The story follows Yuki Itose, a deaf college student, as she becomes close to Itsuomi Nagi, her senior who can speak three languages and, after getting close to Yuki, wants to learn sign language. The anime adaptation quickly became one of the most anticipated titles for the Winter 2024 season, and with Valentine's Day on the horizon, some help on the page would be appreciated.
Older/Obscure Work Spotlight
This section is intended to highlight works that may no longer be in the zeitgeist — but that doesn't mean they're any less tropable.- One: Kagayaku Kisetsu e is a 1998 visual novel developed by Tactics. The story follows Kouhei Orihara, whose world is flipped upside down as he makes friends with seven girls and is soon taken to a mystical place called the Eternal World. Despite being rather obscure, many of the staff from Tactics would go on to form Key/Visual Arts and one of their works, Kanon, would take heavy inspiration from ONE. With the release of the remake on both Microsoft Windows and the Nintendo Switch, the page is need of both a scrubbing and more love.
- Til Debt Do Us Part is a 9-season Reality TV series hosted by Gail Vaz-Oxlade, who takes a holistic approach to getting young couples out of financial debt. On condition of a $5K reward ($3,707.47 in USD), the couples are given an incentive to cut down on whatever is eating them out of house and home, and are shown progress matters as much as the end result. The couples themselves should get some more love on the page as well, as the several tropes listed don't focus too much on what some of them have in common beyond the show's topic.
Works That Need a Page
This section takes a page from the List of Shows That Need Summary. It is intended to spotlight works that people have been talking about enough to link around the site, but don't have a page yet. If the work page link turns blue after this, then we know we've done our job!- In the commercial world, Valentine's Day is the day to send out all sorts of marketable plush toys, so how about a gift for those with more strange tastes in them? Plushie Dreadfuls is an American McGee-led project that creates strange and often morbid plush designs, which would be a Valentine's delight for those who like interesting plushies. Despite having a fairly large presence on social media, no one has come around to give them a page.
Non-English Work Spotlight
The wiki may be in English, but that doesn't mean non-English media are any less important! This section focuses on works that may have a language barrier to deal with — but are worth it if you do.- Smile! The Game Boy Camera is a peripheral released by Nintendo for the Game Boy in 1998. Outside of being a functioning—albeit low-quality—camera, it also allows users to stamp, edit and draw on pictures, create animations and compose music, and features three minigames that players can put their faces in, including a remake of the Game & Watch title Ball. While the picture quality is far removed from what any modern camera can produce, it was a fun novelty for its time that deserves a second look today regardless.
- Mario Paint is another such creativity tool that Nintendo developed, released in 1992 for the SNES. Mostly it's a drawing program featuring plenty of drawing tools, as well as coloring books, animation tools and a music composer, but it's also famous for the minigame "Gnat Attack", where the player must hit flies. The title came bundled with the SNES Mouse and features stellar presentation thanks to its catchy music, cartoonish graphics and large variety of options, making it a fan-favorite on the system.
Creator Page Spotlight
Works would be nothing without the people who make them. This section highlights authors, artists, actors, musicians, and everyone else responsible for trope creation and proliferation.- From the 9th to 14th of this month, Rio de Janeiro is hosting its world-famous carnival. In the 19th century, Machado de Assis was born and raised there, and he would become one of Brazil's most important writers. The legacy of works he's authored include novels, short stories, poetry books, plays, novellas, and even translations of other works. His main books, often serving societal critiques with a side of witty sarcasm, are well known in Brazilian schools, but not so much internationally, despite several English translations. He founded the Brazilian Academy of Letters (aiming to promote the "culture of the national language") and was its president up until he died in 1908. His unique style has inspired many local writers and his works have been adapted to other media forms, serving as proof of his impact on Brazilian history.
Image of the Month
This section brings you the best selections of the past month from Image Pickin'.
This issue's featured image comes from There she is!!, and illustrates Ironic Episode Title.
This issue's featured image comes from There she is!!, and illustrates Ironic Episode Title.
Let's cut to the chase on this one: the absolute best thing that a page image can accomplish is make you want to watch the work and... yeah, that's exactly what this image did and why we're talking about it here.
There she is!! is a fairly old Flash-animated web series about Doki (a rabbit) and Nabi (a cat) who, despite the latter's reluctance, eventually fall in love despite the disapproval of society at the thought of an interspecies relationship. The show was created by Korean animator SamBakZa as an allegory for the heavy discrimination at the time between Koreans and the Japanese.
SamBakZa worked on-and-off on the series: while the first "step", released in 2003, was self-contained, it eventually got a sequel in 2005, before concluding with three new episodes in 2008. The image comes from Step 4, a dramatic turn that is in sharp contrast to the more lighthearted, comedic installments that preceded it. Despite being titled "Paradise", the character's lives are anything but, as their relationship being public has caused them to suffer greatly — having their home vandalized, sparking mass protests and being chased down the street, resulting in Doki being briefly hospitalized and Nabi suffering a Heroic BSoD. Notably, the episode is Deliberately Monochrome with Splash of Color, with those colors fading away as the characters realize how low their lives have sunk.
Of course, the image easily illustrates the trope, but even as two still frames, it manages to capture some of the emotions and atmosphere of the episode while creating enough intrigue for those who haven't seen it as to how things managed to turn out that way. Our Image of the Month? There it is.
Projects and Discussions
Forumwatch
Hey guys! Welcome back to Forumwatch! In this section, we'll be telling you about what's going on in the forums — interesting discussions that may be going on in Wiki Talk, some fun forum games, or lively debates going on in On-Topic Conversations, you name it!
- We've all had some silly ideas before, many of which may have been for works of fiction. Whether you've followed through to make your oddball plot into a reality or simply left it in your dreams, it can be fun to discuss just how wacky your imagination can get. If you're interested in sharing your own weird story ideas while seeing what other people came up with, visit What is the oddest story idea you've ever had?
- When most of us tropers were kids, we probably saw a character in a movie, cartoon, or video game that we found... oddly appealing. Nowadays, when we reflect on nostalgia, we may wonder if our fictional crushes still hold up today. If you had a crush on a character when you were younger, and wish to express it, come visit Ever have a crush on a fictional character?
- It's common to see Opposites Attract between people, but what would happen if two completely opposite tropes fell in love? The Just for Fun project Opposites Attract: The Dating Game is where you can find out! The premise is simply to take two Opposite Tropes, personify them as characters, and write a few paragraphs about the couple's dynamic and how their relationship works out... or not. If you ever feel like pairing up tropes as different as can be, Opposites Attract: The Dating Game thread is always open to everyone!
Trope/Article Changelog
This section covers renames, removals, redefinitions, hard-splits, merges, and wick cleaning. We'll try to keep you alerted to any major changes to the site, including perpetual projects and Wiki Talk decisions that you may have missed, but if you want to be a part of the process that affects so much of our wiki, then head over to the Trope Repair Shop on the left-hand side of the forum.
- Belly Dancer has been renamed to Sultry Belly Dancer to emphasize the Fanservice aspect of the dancers. A Useful Notes page will also be set aside for belly dancing in general. TRS thread here.
- Cat Smile has been renamed to Playful Cat Smile to clarify that the trope is to express playfulness and mischief. The original name has become a disambiguation. TRS thread here.
- Fairy Godmother has its description restricted to actual fairy godmothers. The former trope definition, which included other types of magical companions, has been yarded. TRS thread here.
- A Shared Suffering has been expanded. Previously, the trope required the two characters to be Last of His Kind, but now it's no longer a requirement. TRS thread here.
- Thud And Blunder has been cut, as it was not thriving and had a complaining tone. TRS thread here.
Pages Needing Help
This section highlights articles indexed on the Pages Needing Wiki Magic policy page and sub-pages. Such articles are, at best, under-performing and below wiki standards. At worst, these pages are in violation of the wiki's rules against stubs. If you're an editor, try checking out some of these under-performing trope and work articles to see what improvements you can make to the page.
- February's birthday is Emily Rudd, an actress known for Fear Street: Part Two-1978 and One Piece (2023). Unfortunately, her description leaves a lot to be desired. Tropes relating to her roles would also be appreciated.
- Indiana Rodent and the Raiders of the Lost Cheese is a platformer game where you play as a wisecracking mouse named Rody, who must find the highly sought-after Lost Cheese in an adventure inspired by other platforming icon games. But with a mere 9 examples on the page, a few either lacking context or needing a bit more explaining, it seems the game itself may have been lost. Scurry towards this indie gem and help it along.
- Unlikely Confession Cam is when producers interview individuals regarding what is going on and edit bits of these interviews into the show to provide context for viewers. It will need help to get the word out, unfortunately: there are 11 different on-page examples and only 6 wicks.
Project Spotlight
Looking for a project to dedicate some time to, but not comfortable jumping into large threads? Here are some smaller projects, or more recent discussions, in need of a few more hands.
- The pages on the Fairy Tail franchise have been suffering from trope misuse, Word Cruft and Zero-Context Examples since their inception. If you want to help out, head on over to the Fairy Tail cleanup thread.
Know the Contributors
- FernandoLemon writes for Work Spotlight and Image of the Month, and wrote this month's description. As always, he'll be spending Valentine's Day with friends.
- War Jay 77 contributed to the Trope Spotlight this month. Her resolutions include trying harder at work and making some money to get through 2024.
- gjjones writes for the Project Spotlight section. He also frequently spends his time working on projects whenever they are necessary, cleaning up wiki entries and participating in the ATT and Trope Repair Shop threads.
- Unmarketable Plushie plakythebirb writes for Works That Need a Page.
- callmeamuffin is handing out ripe red roses to customers at his market stand, having written his Trope Spotlight and Forumwatch entries for February's issue.
- Berrenta wrote for Trope Spotlight and Pages Needing Help, while also covering for the Changelog. Her birthday is this month.
- Ayumi-chan wrote for the Trope Report while eating a large batch of chocolates and making plans to play her favorite otome games.
- Black Faith Star wrote for New Work Pages, Creator Page Spotlight and Forumwatch this month. Until she can finally find the Gomez to her Morticia to embrace in the shadows, she prefers to forgo the romantic holiday.
- Zugga lugga locoro made his first (and last) contribution to the Report.
- Coachpill wrote for Trope Spotlight and Work Spotlight this month. He yearns to get a couple extra inches taller before some point in his early 20s will mark the final cutoff.
- alnair20aug93 made the page image, with an Ash Wednesday on Valentine spin.
- Cosmic Cat wrote for the Trope Spotlight in his first ever contribution to Trope Report. He is very likely to once again spend his Valentine's Day eating chocolate and playing the saxophone on his lonesome.
- Twiddler makes sure our grammar is in order.
- Cardboard Bot used to draw art for Trope Report and designed the mascot, along with the default image.
- Trope Reporter (real name Taylor Von Trope) is the mascot for Trope Report whose likeness was given a literal new resolution for this edition's image.
This edition of Trope Report is brought to you by the Love Shack. Why settle for a boring Valentine's getaway? Grab your partner, bring your jukebox money, and follow the faded sign to a little old place where we can get together. Bang, bang, bang on the door when you arrive. Love Shack: That's where it's at!
Interested in becoming a contributor, or have suggestions for works or tropes to feature? Pop by the thread and let us know! We don't bite. (Much.)
and let us know! We don't bite. (Much.)