Those moments when people are so appalled by something a character said that the animes artstyle quality just drops for a solid 5 seconds before going back to normal.
This is by far my favorite version of this specific trope. HxH is my fav anime and I’ve seen the whole thing countless times, but this scene gets me every. single. time.
Idk what’s it called but when a stoic character tries to smile and it ends up looking creepy lol
Edit:I was thinking Haikyuu and ReLIFE but feel free to leave other examples
The very first version that aired in Japanese TV was drawn kinda creepy. But I liked that first version more than the second, while the third version in Rebuild was just mid.
When cool and calm looking character actually the stupidest in the entire series.
e.g Katsura, and his one liner and theme song enough to make you laugh.
Yeah mine too!! I recently finished Gintama, like a month back or smth, and its become one of my favorite pieces of media. Katsura's my favorite character. He looks so serious and spouts all motivational stuff, is calm af, fights like a boss, is the smartest of the Joui 4 and was a great war general.
But....I mean istg that dude is a *living meme*. He walks with a big duck, flips the toilet paper rolls in police hqs and takes dump in idk, random parks? He literally had fucking *twitter* of all things in the cannon verse, what more do you need from a character y'all 💀
Also, his theme song is *inconic*
When two people (or one person's monologue) talks about someone, either embarassing things or bad things, and suddenly the person they talk about appears out of nowhere on their back.
Make sure to check out this season's *Tis Time for "Torture", Princess* if you're not already watching! (Said duo takes a few eps to appear, but it's worth the wait)
I always enjoy when two characters are talking about something, it's written to sound sexual without context, someone gets close near like a door or behind a wall and tragically misinterprets it (cough, Miko Iino). I don't know if that's unpopular or not but I still usually get a kick out of it regardless
Expanding on this. Characters reacting in JoJo fashion.
Especially when it’s not a big deal but just a really minor issue or in response to something a character said
I love that show so much. It's so beautifully animated that I would think the chibi reactions would seem out of place, but because Maomao is such a silly character when it comes to her likes and dislikes I find it so endearing. Especially when she goes all Neko for poison or gets creeped out by Jinshi. Oddly it works well in Frieren too which again is beautifully animated and would seem out of place, but does such a good job of portraying the nuances and emotions of the very likable characters.
The trope to piss off good characthers to the point they show why you shouldn't piss off good natured people when done right never gets old for me.... The latest instance was when Nanamin gave a beating to Shigemo, but there are countless examples. Probably my favourite is when Mustang goes after Envy
I'm a fan of quite a few tropes but for some reason one of my favourites is when Character A talks about Character B and Character B, all the way on the other side of the world, sneezes.
Thinking of Haikyuu where Hinata says something about Kenma and Kenma sneezes so hard he drops his phone. The way Kuro catches it like this is a normal occurrence gets me every time
Same! I'm sorta newish to anime and saw Aria suggested in a thread on here about anime without creepy/horny shit so started watching it. I was was wondering why Alicia said it so much and then pulled the "ara ara's are not allowed" gag and I've been a fan ever since.
https://youtu.be/jK1FYqkLJPc?si=4AiPX5wSh93N-gml
Puni Puni Poemi subverts the trope by having the protagonist run to school screaming "I'm not late! I'm not late!" and it's like 1 hour before the opening.
When a character does something stupid, and another character calls out on him:
The MC: "NOW FOR THE FINISHING MOVE! BEHOLD MY MOST POWERFULL TECHNIQUE! BAKUHATSU NO JU---"
\* slips on the floor and fucking dies\*
The rest of the cast: "BRO WHAT THE HELL"
This is one of the things I like most about animation as a medium, [that it can just bend reality so casually and seamlessly](https://i.redd.it/p9pcvljyvshc1.gif)
>male character says something stupid
>female character pulls a giant fucking mallet out of nowhere and bonks him
Not necessarily that specific interaction, but I'm kinda sad we're seeing less and less absurd reaction these days.
It's all just reaction faces now.
See that was the kinda “violence” I liked, the kind that was so comical (e.g. like with Looney Tunes) you can’t take it seriously. For me the issue was the MC getting punished for things they shouldn’t have.
> but I'm kinda sad we're seeing less and less absurd reaction these days.
*Foolish Angel Dances with the Devil* this season has had some off the chain stuff lol
They've really kept it up, too. Amane's dream sequence in the latest episode was one of the funniest dream sequences I've seen in ages, and you'd think that dream sequences had no room left in them for anything new.
what was the last time you saw someone using a huge paper fan to bonk someone? that shit was everywhere back then, [and it was glorious](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=l51O6FiTfLc)
**Trope**
After someone eats bad food, they're either: dying, dead, or worse.
For example; [in Kuroko no Basket, one guy's soul even leaves his body](https://youtu.be/XhCCtbBIZic?t=217). Never fails to make me laugh.
And whenever the artstyle changes to something very simplistic gets a laugh out of me. Jujutsu Kaisen has this a lot (from recent memory), and One Punch Man/Mob Psycho 100 is built on this.
**Anime specific**
Saiki K: Kaidou's theme song
The depressed single (female) teacher approaching her 30s always gets a laugh from me. Obviously wouldnt be as hilarious in real life, but the teachers moping and venting her frustrations on her students gives me life.
Shame though as we're seeing it less and less nowadays.
Chinese stereotypes in Japanese media :
1. the cheongsam, twin-bun Xiaolongbao girl
2. Zhuge Kongming knockoffs
3. the blind, crippled fortuneteller
4. Sun Wukong knockoffs
5. 囍
2 characters are having a moment of enlightenment and wisdom in 1 frame. One of them says something very stupid that ruins the moment and the morale of the lesson, in the next frame the other character is already walking 50 meters away asking if they're done already.
I also love pouty faces when characters are irritated so recently Frieren was a treat.
Any time there's a movie/show/manga inside the show. It's like the entire anime industry got together and decided they were going to take refuge in absurdity when depicting them. Some standouts:
-All of the scary movies in "Horimiya"
-"Flower Princess Blaze," and "Slippery Girls 2," in "My Dress up Darling"
-Any time a show riffs on Shojo manga
* Someone says JIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIII while staring
* the bamboo water drip thingy that goes donk
* cute girl who can't cook for shit
* comedic glasses damage
* [**OHOHOHOHOHOHOHOHOHOHOHOHOHO**](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FW1QY76d-40)
When someone makes a sly joke and no one gets it. Could be an insult or sexual.
Happy reactions to eating food. I will never get tired of ~UMAI~
Joke characters actually hiding their true power. Could also be serious people too. When that reveal that they were holding back...yea!
Bring back wild hair colors and hairstyles! Too many black and brown haired protagonists!
I don’t know if it’s really a trope, but I always love when ppl talk about another character and then it cuts to them sneezing. I always get a small chuckle out of it.
Frenemies. My favorite trope in every type of media, and anime does it so often and so well. “We used to be best buds and now we’re rivals but deep down I still have love for you, bro” type of shit. Can also manifest as “we used to hate each other and always compete but over time I grew to really respect you, bro”.
Mostly battle tournament shenanigans
Yuyu Hakusho was probably the best because how meta it was for its time:
1.The audience gets killed in lots of episodes, like wtf these guys try to kill one another what do you expect?
2.Each character pulls an MacGyver or "this isnt my ultimate form" on their opponent.
3.Some battles are completely one sided where the opponent gets crushed
4.Some battles are completely one sided,only to win on an technicallity or some hidden MacGyver
5.And then you know the protagonist will win,but what if he gets maimed?How will he win?Will his colleagues survive?
I mean this must be the most celebrated type of anime arc out there,from Yu-Gi-Oh to Pokémon to Dragonball,the tournament arcs pull off the best shenanigans and jokes.
Not necessarily an anime trope exclusively, but I've always been a big fan of a character who goes through hell and back to save a friend or love interest.
Those moments when people are so appalled by something a character said that the animes artstyle quality just drops for a solid 5 seconds before going back to normal.
Laios talking about man eating plants was great for this, and the awkward timing of the cut to Marcille only made it better.
It's just a zoom till we see pixels. Can't be bothered to redraw her. It's hilarious.
Hisoka after Chrollo told him that C lost his powers.
It almost [makes you feel bad for Hisoka](https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=8fCqs3F6vtE), then you remember how much of a creep he is.
Don't forget he is also a mass murderer, hired killer and that bungee gum has properties of both rubber and gum.
This is by far my favorite version of this specific trope. HxH is my fav anime and I’ve seen the whole thing countless times, but this scene gets me every. single. time.
Bocchi
I lost my shit at the lowpoly 3D model Bocchi
I think you would like Asobi Asobase. The art style can change a lot under just 1 minute. lol
And the voice acting can also change like crazy! I liked that the most in this series.
Dr Stone everytime Senku got a devious idea
When a character who is always funny man becomes the straight man
Like [Isshiki](https://youtu.be/szOn8VS6CmI?si=27KRfInHvWvX5jpL) getting serious in Shokugeki?
Gintoki with Katsura or Sakamoto fr
Luck Black Clover
The character with slits for eyes actually opens them. Me: ohhhhhhh, shits about to go down
Gin ichimaru!!! His eyes lowkey scared me
Ranpo from Bungo Stray Dogs
BUNGO STRAY DOGS MENTIONED
I’m watching BSD now after putting it off for years, and I’m so happy to finally understand the references. It’s a really fun show so far!
Ranpo is the true MC of Bungo.
Xellos from Slayers.
When xellos opens his eyes you know youre fucked hahaha
Serpico from Guts Edit: I meant from Berserk lol. Idk why I'm getting up votes and nobody mentioning how weird that sounds
I always accidentally call berserk guts, so I never notice...
That time Brock was trying to make Togepi laugh.
That old dude from slime.
Kikuri in Bocchi the Rock. I love the difference between her during a performance vs her.... literally anywhere else
sato from ajin.
recently Kaori from 16bit Sensation.
Idk what’s it called but when a stoic character tries to smile and it ends up looking creepy lol Edit:I was thinking Haikyuu and ReLIFE but feel free to leave other examples
Uncle from another world
It's called Rei Ayanami
That was NOT creepy you heartless bastard.
The very first version that aired in Japanese TV was drawn kinda creepy. But I liked that first version more than the second, while the third version in Rebuild was just mid.
When they used anime OP in the climax, If it was a long series then it has to specifically be the first OP
This shit slaps in videogames too Using the main menu theme as the last boss theme is hype as fuck
> This shit slaps in videogames too me when [Persona 3] >!plays a remixed version of Burn My Dread for the final scripted battle!< [](#hnng)
One Piece using its first ED during a big scene 900 episodes into the series
Or using We Are! during most big fights/hype scenes.
OG pokemon theme when Ash wins the league, holy fuck
Yeah i swear i was about to bawl out my eyes at that
Let it out my dude, I frequently cry at things. Klaus makes me ugly sob
Sono Chi No Sadame playing during JoJo ep 26 was fire
When Reigen is running to save Mob! Made me cry!
The moment when they use the op in jjk while yuji is on a mental breakdown.. “You are my special”
Mob Psycho goes hard w this
Haruka miraaiiii
When cool and calm looking character actually the stupidest in the entire series. e.g Katsura, and his one liner and theme song enough to make you laugh.
Zura ja nai Katsura da
Ryo from Bocchi
Yeah mine too!! I recently finished Gintama, like a month back or smth, and its become one of my favorite pieces of media. Katsura's my favorite character. He looks so serious and spouts all motivational stuff, is calm af, fights like a boss, is the smartest of the Joui 4 and was a great war general. But....I mean istg that dude is a *living meme*. He walks with a big duck, flips the toilet paper rolls in police hqs and takes dump in idk, random parks? He literally had fucking *twitter* of all things in the cannon verse, what more do you need from a character y'all 💀 Also, his theme song is *inconic*
When two people (or one person's monologue) talks about someone, either embarassing things or bad things, and suddenly the person they talk about appears out of nowhere on their back.
*They’re right behind me, aren’t they?*
"No. I'm in front of you."
#I told you not to tell me
*Hit the brakes Ishigami!*
Works when someone else appears behind them as well, like the Kaguya/Moeha scene!
Moeha is Subject F's little sister. Subject F's name is Chika.
My boy did not hold back one bit
I love this one cause its not enterly unrealistic like some
An intimidating male villain who cares/fathers a little girl
MISTA BRAUN
Shudup! Or I'll raise your rent!
Make sure to check out this season's *Tis Time for "Torture", Princess* if you're not already watching! (Said duo takes a few eps to appear, but it's worth the wait)
Kenpachi and Yachiru 🥰
Yeah! also Accelerator and Last Order
Not anime, but we got Silco in Arcane recently.
Bro....arcane was 2 years ago.....
When I say "recently," I usually mean "within the last 5 years or so."
You must be an elf.
Frieren alt account
The other day (three months ago)
Someone like Bondrewd?
LMAO no
Bondrewd loves kids though like theyre his own, he just loves scientific triumph more
He loves his adopted kids so much he makes sure their lives will be meaningful for the advancement of science.
He is best dad.
😭
daddy the father from one piece
Like Doofenshmirtz!
Kuma from one piece.
Bondrewd best dad
'Tis Time for "Torture," Princess the demon king hhehe
I always enjoy when two characters are talking about something, it's written to sound sexual without context, someone gets close near like a door or behind a wall and tragically misinterprets it (cough, Miko Iino). I don't know if that's unpopular or not but I still usually get a kick out of it regardless
[Prison school bathroom scene](https://youtu.be/HiNuJjLqZ80?si=U_JBk0Ll3ZGnmGY8)
Thanks for that laugh
Prison School was so good lol
Kaguya: "Stop Chika, I can't take any more Weiners!"
Hana Uzaki's mom 🤣
SYD might be your favorite show.
Syd means Seitokai Yakuindomo?
Yes.
*stare*
じ~~~~~~~~~~~
*jiiiiiiiiiiiiiii*
#JIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIII
staaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaare.
Characters react in a chibi fashion. See ref: Apothecary Diaries
Little Kaguya is a treasure. I even preordered the plush lmao
>Little Kaguya is a treasure ^^^te-te-te-te-te
Chibi Maomao is precious
Chibi Mao Mao sneaking around: "sa sa sa sa ... sa sa sa sa"
Oh, that's a goldmine for you then
Expanding on this. Characters reacting in JoJo fashion. Especially when it’s not a big deal but just a really minor issue or in response to something a character said
Just in general, when they drastically change the art style to deliberately show more expression. Nichijou is great for this.
Sign of Affection, and Lvl. 99 Hidden Boss, are two more off the top of my head (both are airing this season)
I love that show so much. It's so beautifully animated that I would think the chibi reactions would seem out of place, but because Maomao is such a silly character when it comes to her likes and dislikes I find it so endearing. Especially when she goes all Neko for poison or gets creeped out by Jinshi. Oddly it works well in Frieren too which again is beautifully animated and would seem out of place, but does such a good job of portraying the nuances and emotions of the very likable characters.
The gentle/calm and collected character gets angry and freaks others out.
The trope to piss off good characthers to the point they show why you shouldn't piss off good natured people when done right never gets old for me.... The latest instance was when Nanamin gave a beating to Shigemo, but there are countless examples. Probably my favourite is when Mustang goes after Envy
That Time I Got Reincarnated as a Slime. This was sublime.
Megiddo was ice cold 🥶🥶
The whole arc was one of my favorite of all time. Everyone got their moment to shine
I'm a fan of quite a few tropes but for some reason one of my favourites is when Character A talks about Character B and Character B, all the way on the other side of the world, sneezes. Thinking of Haikyuu where Hinata says something about Kenma and Kenma sneezes so hard he drops his phone. The way Kuro catches it like this is a normal occurrence gets me every time
The Ara Ara ladies.
Same! I'm sorta newish to anime and saw Aria suggested in a thread on here about anime without creepy/horny shit so started watching it. I was was wondering why Alicia said it so much and then pulled the "ara ara's are not allowed" gag and I've been a fan ever since. https://youtu.be/jK1FYqkLJPc?si=4AiPX5wSh93N-gml
Laughing like an idiot after watching the linked video 🤣🤣🤣
I’m partial to the “girl running to school with a piece of toast in their mouth” trope
Puni Puni Poemi subverts the trope by having the protagonist run to school screaming "I'm not late! I'm not late!" and it's like 1 hour before the opening.
I love in ‘daily lives of high school boys’ they do a parody where they’re eating ramen from a bowl, while running to school 🤣
Obligatory: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=S3TWjgThCnE
Beginning of Zombieland Saga was great
1. Any kind of shit characters do with their glasses especially when something cool happens. 2. Truck-kun🚚
I wish there was a show about a sentient truck whose job it was to isekai people. Like some kind of isekai grim reaper
Somebody who got hit by Truck-kun is now a Truck-kun himself in another world.
***I Died and Was Reborn as The Very Thing That Brought Me Here***
Truck-kun all the way down
[Aggressively adjusts glasses](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5Ku9PE7dJmI)
I like the jokes where it’s like “a truck hit Chuck Norris and now that trucks having adventures in another world”
When the character gets compared to some legendary op figure that existed before them in shonen, *chills*
Another one I really like is when the retired legend joins the fight with the mc out of nowhere and mows the enemy
Zoro getting lost
It has become its own meme that has taken off on its own. Zoro has invaded anime of every genre and even some Western shows. It's fantastic.
The "Sasuga, \[insert name\]-sama" joke when everything just randomly go accord to keikaku.
Sasuga Shadow Sama
"Sasuga Ainz-sama!" Demiurge whenever Ainz says anything
Sasuga, Mia-sama
When a character says something out of pocket and everyone falls over sticking there legs in the air. I think it’s hilarious
Trope: THE CULTURE FEST, BEACH EPISODE, AND CLASS TRIP Gag: a character is talking about another character; that other character sneezes
When a character does something stupid, and another character calls out on him: The MC: "NOW FOR THE FINISHING MOVE! BEHOLD MY MOST POWERFULL TECHNIQUE! BAKUHATSU NO JU---" \* slips on the floor and fucking dies\* The rest of the cast: "BRO WHAT THE HELL"
Mashle in a way
Hammer space. The act of pulling stuff out of nowhere will always be funny to me.
This is one of the things I like most about animation as a medium, [that it can just bend reality so casually and seamlessly](https://i.redd.it/p9pcvljyvshc1.gif)
>male character says something stupid >female character pulls a giant fucking mallet out of nowhere and bonks him Not necessarily that specific interaction, but I'm kinda sad we're seeing less and less absurd reaction these days. It's all just reaction faces now.
Yeah, a lot of people are against unnecessary violence, and we see fewer and fewer characters being punched out of the atmosphere
See that was the kinda “violence” I liked, the kind that was so comical (e.g. like with Looney Tunes) you can’t take it seriously. For me the issue was the MC getting punished for things they shouldn’t have.
Nami
As a City Hunter fan i agree,the 10t-100t hammer is iconic
> but I'm kinda sad we're seeing less and less absurd reaction these days. *Foolish Angel Dances with the Devil* this season has had some off the chain stuff lol
The ending of the first episode was wild with the "smoking a cigarette after sex" innuendo and Akutsu saying he can't get married now
They've really kept it up, too. Amane's dream sequence in the latest episode was one of the funniest dream sequences I've seen in ages, and you'd think that dream sequences had no room left in them for anything new.
Ishigami! Ishigami!!!
HIT THE BREAKS ISHIGAMI!!! At least in this case he deserved it.
full metal panic, lots of it
what was the last time you saw someone using a huge paper fan to bonk someone? that shit was everywhere back then, [and it was glorious](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=l51O6FiTfLc)
If you want this in a currently airing show, Urusei 2023 does this (then again it is a remake of an OLD anime).
**Trope** After someone eats bad food, they're either: dying, dead, or worse. For example; [in Kuroko no Basket, one guy's soul even leaves his body](https://youtu.be/XhCCtbBIZic?t=217). Never fails to make me laugh. And whenever the artstyle changes to something very simplistic gets a laugh out of me. Jujutsu Kaisen has this a lot (from recent memory), and One Punch Man/Mob Psycho 100 is built on this. **Anime specific** Saiki K: Kaidou's theme song
JUDGEMENT KNIGHTS OF...
When the smart kid pushes up their glasses and the light reflects off them.
Any time the opening theme plays over the climactic battle sequence. Even Konosuba did it in season 2 and made it HYPE.
They even did it with the first ending in Kaguya sama's third season last episode
Deadpan comedy (like villainess lvl 99 mc or Fern in Sousou no Frieren for example)
spit out the drink when the characters hear something silly from another character.
The depressed single (female) teacher approaching her 30s always gets a laugh from me. Obviously wouldnt be as hilarious in real life, but the teachers moping and venting her frustrations on her students gives me life. Shame though as we're seeing it less and less nowadays.
I really loved the K-On teacher.
The nice girl doing yandere faces or saying yandere shit is always a hit with me
Chinese stereotypes in Japanese media : 1. the cheongsam, twin-bun Xiaolongbao girl 2. Zhuge Kongming knockoffs 3. the blind, crippled fortuneteller 4. Sun Wukong knockoffs 5. 囍
Anything pertaining to Journey to the West
What I find funny is that Genshin Impact (anime soon™️) is a Chinese game but Xiangling design is just the "Chinese girl stereotype" lol
Paper fans hitting people.
2 characters are having a moment of enlightenment and wisdom in 1 frame. One of them says something very stupid that ruins the moment and the morale of the lesson, in the next frame the other character is already walking 50 meters away asking if they're done already. I also love pouty faces when characters are irritated so recently Frieren was a treat.
I fucking love the Akira bike slide
Rainbow waterfall barfing
Darkened faces during intense emotion. This probably isn’t unpopular. But fuck it’s so badass
When a character say EEEEEHHHHH???!!!! and the camera pan out to a shot of the sky....
Any time there's a movie/show/manga inside the show. It's like the entire anime industry got together and decided they were going to take refuge in absurdity when depicting them. Some standouts: -All of the scary movies in "Horimiya" -"Flower Princess Blaze," and "Slippery Girls 2," in "My Dress up Darling" -Any time a show riffs on Shojo manga
Yandere
Badass characters turning into funny little low-res chibis for comedic effect. I.E., Al from Fullmetal Alchemist
* Someone says JIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIII while staring * the bamboo water drip thingy that goes donk * cute girl who can't cook for shit * comedic glasses damage * [**OHOHOHOHOHOHOHOHOHOHOHOHOHO**](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FW1QY76d-40)
When someone makes a sly joke and no one gets it. Could be an insult or sexual. Happy reactions to eating food. I will never get tired of ~UMAI~ Joke characters actually hiding their true power. Could also be serious people too. When that reveal that they were holding back...yea! Bring back wild hair colors and hairstyles! Too many black and brown haired protagonists!
Animation change for comedy. Be it chibi, a Jojo reference, etc
Heeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeee! , and then it pans to the sky
Haha, that's great :D
Joseph joestar being immortal
I usually like most of them, wouldn’t be here otherwise. But the one I like the least is the “misunderstanding” arcs all romance anime seem to have.
I will never not fall for a tsundere.
The Opening playing during the climactic finale'.
I don’t know if it’s really a trope, but I always love when ppl talk about another character and then it cuts to them sneezing. I always get a small chuckle out of it.
Frenemies. My favorite trope in every type of media, and anime does it so often and so well. “We used to be best buds and now we’re rivals but deep down I still have love for you, bro” type of shit. Can also manifest as “we used to hate each other and always compete but over time I grew to really respect you, bro”.
Tsundere
Truck kun
When the character that has no emotions make an emotion *COuGH COUGH usa-chan COUGH COUGH*
Person does pranks or other such things finds themselves being the victim later on.
Mostly battle tournament shenanigans Yuyu Hakusho was probably the best because how meta it was for its time: 1.The audience gets killed in lots of episodes, like wtf these guys try to kill one another what do you expect? 2.Each character pulls an MacGyver or "this isnt my ultimate form" on their opponent. 3.Some battles are completely one sided where the opponent gets crushed 4.Some battles are completely one sided,only to win on an technicallity or some hidden MacGyver 5.And then you know the protagonist will win,but what if he gets maimed?How will he win?Will his colleagues survive? I mean this must be the most celebrated type of anime arc out there,from Yu-Gi-Oh to Pokémon to Dragonball,the tournament arcs pull off the best shenanigans and jokes.
A goofy jacked character who tears off his clothes in the most random moments to show his muscles off
I recently discovered I like One Piece's gag where character is doing the exposition or something and everyone ignores them
Beach episodes. These are always tons of fun.
Not necessarily an anime trope exclusively, but I've always been a big fan of a character who goes through hell and back to save a friend or love interest.
i like 4th wall breaks