Western Animation / Perfect Hair Forever

"In life there are sometimes consequences to the actions a hero must face, to the end of the universe..."

Perfect Hair Forever (2004, 2007, 2014) was a short-lived [adult swim] series that showcased Japanese Media Tropes the way a peacock displays his feathers. Lasting a mere six episodes and from the makers of Aqua Teen Hunger Force, Space Ghost Coast to Coast and Squidbillies, the show was an Affectionate Parody of anime, with an April Fools' Day marathon even being made to look like a fake Chinese bootleg. An additional seventh episode was aired in 2007 and for April Fools' Day 2014, an eighth and final episode was aired.

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From Los Angeles, California, the Perfect Hair Forever Tropes:

• The Alcoholic: Gerald's mom, though we don't really see it. Apparently, she woke up drunk.
• Animesque: The show was made to shamelessly showcase as many Japanese animation tropes as possible.
• Anime Hair: Coiffio is sporting some of the best anime hair ever.
• Anime Theme Song: Each episode had a different one, except for the first one - it had an anime end credits song.
• Affectionate Parody: The series is a parody of anime archetypes, namely shonen series.
• Bait-and-Switch Credits: The first episode presents itself as an episode of the 1966 Space Ghost series before zooming out to reveal Gerald and Uncle Grandfather, and the title character (or rather, his Coast to Coast incarnation) makes random cameos in various episodes.
• Bears Are Bad News: Drink when you see the bear!
• BFG: Cat Man has one when he's manning the convenience store.

• Bilingual Bonus:
  • "Uncle Grandfather" is a pun. In Japanese, that'd be Ojiisan Ojisan.
  • The credits in the first episode are written in Wingdings font.
  • In the final episode, Young Man pulls out a scroll as proof to Gerald that Brenda's name is really Margaret. The text on it reads "Supernude^note She is, in fact, naked in the image Brenda," disproving his own statement.
• "Blind Idiot" Translation: Spoofed during the April Fools marathon of the show. For example:
  Gerald: You're pissing me off!
  "Translation": You're beginning with the anger.
• Book Ends: The song that plays at the end of the first episode also plays in the final one, though not for as long.

• Butt-Monkey:
  • Model Robot.
  • Space Ghost. Two of his appearances have him getting eaten by a bear and then stumbling drunkenly into a network executive meeting looking for work. He's seen lying under a table at The Stinger of the third episode.
    • The final episode has his studio taking place in an oven (see Who Writes This Crap?!).
• Cats Are Mean: Cat Man. Also, Coiffio is described as "The Evil Controller of Cats."
• Cat Girl: Inverted. Its a Cat Man in this series.
  • Cat Man's real nature is played with. He obviously looks like a guy wearing a cat suit, but he denies it whenever it's brought up around him.
• Catchphrase
  • Young Man: "You don't understand!"
  • The Inappropriate Comedy Tree: "WHAT'S UP WITH THAT?!"
  • The network executive who appeared in Woke Up Drunk: "Fund it."
• Characterization Marches On: In the first episode, Model Robot sounds like a stereotypical robot, while in later episodes he suddenly sounds a lot more laid back and has a tendency of adding 'baby' to the end of his sentences.
  • Coiffio, meanwhile, is fairly neutral towards Model Robot in the first episode, whereas afterwards he suddenly gets a lot more hostile, calling him "Model Asshole" and eventually ordering him to self-destruct.
• Cloud Cuckoo Lander: Pretty much everyone, though some are worse than others.
• Continuity Cavalcade: Almost everyone appears in the wedding at the end.
• Crossdressing Voices: Gerald is obviously voiced by a woman, and a rather sexy sounding one at that. This parodies the highly feminine voices given to Bishōnen characters.
• Deranged Animation: Especially during the seventh episode.
• Dirty Old Man: Uncle Grandfather.
• Distracted by the Sexy: In the first episode, Uncle Grandfather tries to give Gerald some important information, but then he's distracted by Brenda and ends up telling him nothing important.
• Dodgy Toupee: Turns out Coiffio's impressive Kaleidoscope Hair is just a wig.
• Do Not Touch the Funnel Cloud: Terry/Twisty
• Doomy Dooms of Doom: "The conwenience store...of death!"
• Downer Ending: Gerald seems to go insane with trying to get Brenda from Young Man. After Sherman eats the Hamburger Necklace that could have possibly worked somehow, he resorts to assassinating him. The result isn't shown, but at some point after that, Coiffio's box army comes back into play and overruns the Tunaminium. In short, Young Man loses his life, Brenda loses her fiance, and Gerald loses his mind and doesn't get his perfect hair.
• Dull Surprise: Gerald. Most likely done intentionally.
• Early-Installment Weirdness: In the first couple of episodes feel like a basic anime parody & focused on Gerald on his journey to Tuna Mountain & he starts to encounter his helpers Action Hotdog, Inappropriate Comedy Tree & Terry/Twisty, other characters like Uncle Grandfather, Rod, Coiffio & Cat Man was only being introduced for the first time & the Cat-Bun Wars didn't start yet until the ending of the third episode to the fourth episode.
  • The pilot episode has the most different than the later episodes, for example, Rod had a very minor role, The Young Man & his Animals didn't appear in the first episode & Model Robot had a different voice in his first appearance.
    • Also speaking of Model Robot, he was still alive back then before his death.
  • Brenda would make a screaming sound effect & speaking Japanese in the third episode, something you don't see in the later episodes
  • The Young Man's Animals started out differently as all the animals don't make a sound & all looked different, MF Doom didn't voice Sherman The Giraffe at the time, until a little bit of the third episode.
    • A Elephant & Deer appear in the Young Man's group, later on, a little bit of the elphant & the deer still appear in episode 3 but both disappear in the fourth episode.
• Easily Forgiven: Brenda by Uncle Grandfather after starting the Cat-Bun Wars.
• Elmuh Fudd Syndwome: "Pwepawe- pwepa- prwe.... GET WEADY!"
  • Also, "Blenda" and everything else Coiffio says.
    • Coiffio's dialogue is basically what would happen if Elmer Fudd had a Cajun accent.
• Even the Subtitler Is Stumped: During the VHS fansub version of episode 4, one scene where many characters are talking at once gets subbed as "[It is difficult to know the speak]"
• Everyone Calls Him "Barkeep": While never refered to by name, Young Man is only known as that or as King of the Animals.
• Evil Twin: Give Uncle Grandfather hair and a smaller beard and you have Coiffio.
• Fairy Companion: Gerald's eclectic acquaintance, Action Hot Dog.
• Fan Disservice: Young Man somehow making his face appear on a nude photo of Brenda, and speaking through it. It's not that she was drawn looking like that either — she looks normal on the scroll before the camera zooms in.
• Fanservice: Brenda is the anthropomorphic personification of typical anime fanservice directed at young men, which is fitting considering the show's status as an Affectionate Parody. Also Gerald's mom.
• Foreshadowing:
  • The ending song for the first episode contains the line "Do that thing to that guy. Play that trick on him." The seventh episode ends with Gerald mentioning how they played that trick on that guy.
  • The second episode has Gerald saying "...my physical appearance will one day resemble that of the other handsome students." The fifth episode reveals that the other students are all palette swaps of him, with better hair.
• For the Evulz: Supposedly the reason why Brenda started the Cat-Bun Wars.
  • According to episode 8, she did this to save Gerald...somehow.
• Friend to All Living Things: Young Man, to some degree.
• Interspecies Romance: Gerald's father is a bear. Not that you could tell by looking at him.
• Hand-or-Object Underwear: A scroll in the final episode depicts Brenda naked, with her own arms as the only things preserving her modesty.
• Have I Mentioned I Am Gay?: Model Robot and Terry/Twisty are in a relationship, and a rather sweet one at that. They're never actually shown together.
• Helpful Mook: Cat Man is the one who tells Gerald how to get to Tuna Mountain.
• A House Divided: A few examples:
  • Terry/Twisty and Norman Douglass are (much to Gerald's annoyance) constantly fighting with each other.
  • Cat Man has no respect for his large haired master, Coiffio (the feeling is mutual).
  • None of Young Man's animals seem to listen to anything he says, despite the fact that he is supposed to be the "King of all Animals."
• Kaleidoscope Hair: Parodied with Coiffio, who has a Super Saiyan-esque hairdo that continuously changes colors.
• Killed Mid-Sentence: "You don't underst—"
• Killed Off for Real:
  • Model Robot. Considering the wacky and loose nature of the show, however, it is entirely possible that he could have been brought back in later episodes had it not been canceled. He seems to be alive and well in the finale, but this is unexplained.
  • Young Man appears to be killed by Gerald in episode 8. It's left ambiguous as to whether he really died or not.
• Let's You and Him Fight: "Enough! Fight now for three minutes!"
• Love Triangle: As a parody, the last episode sets one up between Gerald, Brenda, and Young Man. Gerald tries to end this by means of assassination.
• Mind Screw: As a parody. Episode 7 ends with Young Man saying "You don't understand. It's a mind*EFF*."
• Minion with an F in Evil: Cat Man really doesn't give a damn about much of anything, most of all his mook duties.
• Mistaken Identity: Two at once. Astronomic Cat brings Coiffio the severed hand of Young Man, which Coiffio assumes belongs to Gerald. Coiffio then calls Uncle Grandfather to brag about killing his son, only Gerald is his nephew. Or maybe just his student. It's a mind*EFF*.
• Murder the Hypotenuse: Gerald shoots Young Man in the last episode, as a last-resort plan to try to get Brenda to fall for him.
• Naked Apron: Gerald's mom in "Woke Up Drunk"
• No Indoor Voice: NORMAN DOUGLAS!
• Normally, I Would Be Dead Now - Happens to several of the characters, but is always played for laughs.
• Once an Episode: Space Ghost appears in every episode.
• Only Sane Man:
  • Young Man comes second-closest to being this when he's not providing needless exposition.
  • Catman comes way closer. As early as the second episode, he develops a complete disdain for "all you anime people and your stupid journeys", and does his best to abstain from actively participating in the plot, preferring instead to...hang out at his house, and work at a convenience store. Like a sane person.
• Overly Long Gag: "Sign it."
• Perverse Sexual Lust: Uncle Grandfather. "Can you get this vacuum cleaner to EFF this cake?"
• The Pirates Who Don't Do Anything: Nearly everyone in the show. Coiffio wants to stop Gerald from getting to Tuna Mountian for unknown reasons, but all he really does is stand around on his ship waiting for someone to buy his old house. Uncle Grandfather at first seems to be the mentor, but just sits around getting Brenda to bend over or making vacuum cleaners to EFF cakes. What Brenda herself is supposed to be doing in the first place is never made clear, she spends most of her time following Uncle Grandfather's commands, many of which are just excuses for him to peep at her. Young Man... well, we're not sure what he's supposed to be doing, but he mostly just hangs around with a bunch of argumentative animals while telling then that they don't understand. The only person who's actually doing anything is Gerald, who is trying to get to Tuna Mountain.
• Porky Pig Pronunciation: Coiffio. "Pwe... Prepware... pwe... pre... prepware....... get weady!"
• Prematurely Bald: Gerald is a teenager with a combover. Just look at the page image.
• Punch-Clock Villain: Catman works at a convenience store when he is not doing Coiffio's evil bidding. Or rather, when he is not blatantly ignoring Coiffio's evil bidding. Or rather, while he is blatantly ignoring Coiffio's evil bidding.
• The Quiet One: Brenda almost never talks. She does once — in Japanese, when initiating the Cat-Bun Wars. She also makes occasional sound effects like "HI-YAH!!"
• Quarter Hour Short
• Red Eyes, Take Warning: Twisty, the more violent personality between him and Terry, has red eyes in contrast to Terry's blue.
• Refuge in Audacity: "Ladies and gentlemen, the inappropriate comedy tree!" "I HAVE SEX WITH DOGS! WHAT'S UP WITH THAT!"
• Retcon: Gerald had apparently gone to Tuna Mountain in the seventh episode, complete with having hair, yet in the eighth, Uncle Grandfather blows it up before he could reach it and builds Tunaminium in its place.
• Running Gag:
  • Uncle Grandfather's habit of sliding by Brenda's feet, facing up.
  • Model Robot taking a long amount of time to transform into something. Unless it's a bomb, which happens far more quickly and kills him.
  • "Woke Up Drunk" introduces each scene with "From Los Angeles, California..."
• Shout-Out: Woo, where do we start? In the first three episodes or so we get rapid-fire parodies of Dragon Ball, Yu-Gi-Oh!, Sailor Moon... and Space Ghost Coast to Coast.
• Something Else Also Rises: Subtle, but Uncle Grandfather just so happens to be holding certain objects between his legs while his gaze is directed at Brenda, such as a liquor bottle or a banana.
• Sound-Effect Bleep: Every use of "fuck" is censored with the sound of Coiffio yelling "EFF!"
  • Coiffio's bleep sounds like it's run backward. (Could actually be an F-bomb played backward. Needs confirmation.)
• Stripperiffic: As the resident fanservice girl, Brenda wears a skimpy version of a schoolgirl uniform.
• Surrounded by Idiots: Inverted. All of Coiffio's minions are far more intelligent than him (which still isn't saying much), especially Catman, who is the Only Sane Man.
• Time Skip: The finale takes place eight years after the other seven episodes, but everyone still looks the same.
• Title Drop: The first line of the series. "Uncle Grandfather, I want perfect hair forever."
• Trend Aesop: "Everyone calls me 'Retarded Hair Guy'."
• Transforming Mecha: Model Robot. Just don't expect him to finish any time soon (unless he's transforming into an A-Bomb and blowing up in your face.)
• Unexpected Genre Change:
  • The fifth episode is a parody of sketch/variety shows, and network tv as a whole.
  • The sixth episode is a motorcycle race. It's handwaved with "You're going to Tuna Mountain? Gonna need motorcycles. Motorcycles. Tuna Mountain."
• Unexplained Recovery: All the time. Coiffio is somehow still alive after being shot in the gut, and Young Man's hand seems to be capable of growing back, among others. Oddly, Gerald's ear stays severed
• Verbal Tic: Action Hotdog's "Do the la la la la la...."
• Who Writes This Crap?!:
  • Catman is well aware of the fact that he's in an anime parody, or at least he thinks he's in an anime, and would rather be at his home or working than be a part of the plot.
  • In the final episode, Gerald's musical number is interrupted by a cut to Space Ghost, complaining as to why this show gets on the air while his attempts of making a new show have all failed.
  • Also in the final episode, Rod says "This show is so confusing" near the end.

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Space Ghost:...Zorak, are you watching this shit?

Zorak: Ugh.

Space Ghost: I've been pitching them shows for years and they're making this...What the *EFF*?!

Zorak: Yeah...What're you gonna do?

Space Ghost: Takes four days just to get Keith [Crofford] to call me back...What else is on?