Ichijou Tsukino/Tropes

Tropes and references regarding the character Ichijou Tsukino from Highschool DxD: Яe-birth. For more tropes, follow the link to TV tropes.

Ichijou Tsukino provides the following tropes:
Above the influence: Played for laughs. Unlike Issei, Ichijou sometimes is forced in certain steamy sexual situations with the girls of his harem, which always almost take his virginity. He escaped them all using... Special massages and talks.

Adorkable: When not being the buttmonkey or snarker oif the situation, Ichijou adopts a more timid and shy approach to others around him, like with his interactions with Alice Gremory or Irene Dantalion. Much like his predecessor, it is what makes some girls fall for him.

A Boy and His X: A boy and his dragon partner who's sealed in his left arm to be exact, just like Issei. Achilles' Heel: Notable in that he's got  twice  the number of weaknesses because he's both a dragon and a devil. Being the host of the Boosted Gear and all.
 * Later, he gets a small pug-like hellhound named Danny.

Affective nickname: Nicknamed 'Ikkun' by several characters. 'Hajime' also counts regarding Elizabeth Albedo

Almighty Janitor: A little better than Issei for being ressurected using a Mutation Queen piece, but still a low-class devil. Doesn't stop him for kicking major ass, including an ex-holy knight full-armored, two high-ranked ninjas and the host of the Golden Dragon Fafnir in his full-power, TWICE.

An arm and a leg: Loses his left arm after losing control and entering Juggernaut Drive for the first time, and since he uses a dragon one magically disguised.

Animal Motif: Besides dragons for obvious reasons, Ichijou is also compared to a dog. The idea of him being a leashed dog, and his awakening as now stray dog. It doesn't hurt the fact that his familiar is also a dog.

Badass: A must to be Issei's successor: "'What did I say? That's my ultimate attack against you! In fact, this is my trump card against all females around the underworld! A technique that would make even senpai tremble in shock and fear!' - About Level Zero." Battle in the Center of the Mind: A literal example when he fights Yagura during his rampage on Juggernaut Drive.
 * Badass and child duo: With Salvatina. Later with her transformation, he becomes with her Back-to-back badasses.
 * Badass bystander: Sometimes, he's not very pleased about it, though.
 * Badass Boast: He has his moments. His better to date?
 * Badass Creed: A more vicious version of the original Juggernaut Drive chant.
 * Badass Family: Mild example: His mother Kyou is blackbelt in Karate and his father Hajime is a master in Kendo, his sisters are also good in self-defense arts.
 * Badass finger snap: Using Level Zero(or Cloth Eater)
 * Badass Nickname: Sekiryuutei, just like Issei. His title as 'The worst Sekiryuutei' is either that or an Atrocious Alias.
 * Heartbroken Badass: His familiar and trust issues are mostly played for laughs, but sometimes they get the best out of him.

Berserk Button: Insulting or badmouthing Issei can make the snarky and easily-snapped Ichijou go in a berserker rage. It didn't work for him a single time, though. Big Brother Mentor: Again, to Salvatina, even when the subject is... Not very pure for a 12-year-old.
 * Anoither trigger people should avoid is calling his familiar/peerage issues 'no big problems', or claim that the Boosted Gear only give him fortune. He didn't need anything else to almost trigger Juggernaut Drive.
 * Whatever you do, never insults his mother, the only person he claims to love in his family.

Big Brother Worship: Towards Issei, a lighter version of this trope, though.

Big damn Heroes: Three words: "You are forgiven!"

Bishounen: Minor example. He's not describe as anything but 'pretty' instead of handsome, and he even considers himself quite girly. Having girly hobbies like cooking, sewing and watching dramas don't help in the slightest.

Boring Yet ptactical: Unlike most OCs who has a shiton of abilities, Ichijou can only rely on basic swordsmanship, basic martial arts and any other ability coming from his senpai in a way. He doesn't need anything else.

Break the cutie: A sweet, kind young boy broken by betrayal and abuse until it became a untrust, snarky, dark and distant young man. He gets better.

Breath Weapon: Unlike Issei's, which is a chest Blaster, Ichijou's version of Longinus Smasher comes from his mouth, much more like a Bijuu Ball.

Butt monkey: Being all genre savvy doesn't save him from unexpected slapstick sometimes.

Call Back: Several to Issei, including his New technique in the heat of a Rating Game(Dress Break/Level Zero), familiar issues and dying by the hand of a devi only to be reincarnated as one.

Calling You attacks.

Character Development: From a distant, untrusted and snarky young man with no intentions in being anything but a normal guy to a (slightly) less-snarky, confident, strong and reliant knight. His improvement can also mirrors his better understading and control over his power. His relationships around his peerage and family also takes a big step.

Chick Magnet: Seven girls interested in him and counting, plus some guys; just like Issei. Strangely enough, he doesn't pursuit a harem, unlike Ichijou. He rathers have a relationship with the class idol Shiori Kamiyama instead. Clothing Damage: Dress Break+Level Zero=Cloth Eater.
 * Clueless chick magnet: Averted. He has some idea about the affection of the girls for him, and that's why he avoids any offensive from them.

Combat pragmatist: Much more like Issei, some of his plans and strategies are thrown mid-fight out of nowhere with him praying that they'll work. They usually do.

Combination attack: Has one with Berolina/Ludger: Hellstar Red Princess Dragon.

Cool Loser: He can't never fully wins at anything, all of his actions has at least one fatal consequence and is basically a no-respect guy for most of the time. All in all, he's still a well-liked character if the reviews for the story are any indication.

Cool Sword: Rhongomiant, which he uses as a blunt weapon since it's too large to do any other type of damage. He also uses it as a way to thrown panties at others.

Crazy Enough to work: See combat pragmatist above.

Crouching Moron, Hidden Badass: A seemingly normal highschool student with snarky disposition and friendless background with one of the strongest existences in his left arm that can ditches even high-class threats.

Curb-Stomp Battle: Zigzagged when it comes to be either the receiver or the dealer.

Dark and Troubled Past: Lost both of his childhood friends to a prank by his father, abused by his sisters and a nameless little girl that claimed to be his best friend up to the age of 13. Not very complicated or tragic for an OC character, but he has some issues.

Deadly upgrade: Juggernaut Drive. If it wasn't for Yagura, he could've died.

Deadpan snarker: The master of it, period. The only time he don't snark in the slightest is in the presence of someone higher than him. His first interaction with Berolina was to snark at her.

Declaration of protection: Shares a mutual one with Yoko. Later, with Berolina and Annie.

Deconstruction: Of Issei as a whole and shounen harem heroes in general, ironically enough. While respecting Issei, Ichijou hates every second he spends with the girls and their problems instead of solving them like Issei would, has such big relationship and trust issues that he avoids any kind of bonding moments with people around him besides his mother and Shiori and everytime he finds himself in typical harem shenanigans, he loses control and freaks out, turning even violent against his harem. His nobler side is also deconstructed, as his honor and pride as Issei's successor only drove Berolina into a coma, to later become Ludger Bael, and alienated Annabelle from him. His 'Big dysfunctional family ' is also deconstructed to a point he has trsut issues because of his abusive sisters and absent father. His position as the Boosted Gear host is also horribly turned into the idea that it only brought him misfortune and shallow relationships with interested girls, instead of the light idea of the typical 'The chosen one ' protagonist that gets a lot of girls after him. As a whole, Ichijou is an amagalmation of shounen ideas and Issei's character mashed together and turned in a very, very cynical light. Despair Event Horizon: has a nasty one during his training with Aria at Mt. Issei, enough for him to unlock juggernaut drive and blow a good chunk of the place. He gets a minor second one against Rei.
 * Reconstruction: However, as the stories goes on, Ichijou becomes the very reconstruction of what he used to be. Because of his own problems and experiences, he decided to become more heroic and humbler, his own effort and personality change making the girls genuinely fall for him, and becomes the sole idea that, even when he can't ever be like Issei, he'll do his best to become himself. He also becomes a lot more calm and began to share real shades of friendship with the girls.

Determinator: No fatal injuries, blown-up magic circuits, mental control or relationship issues will stop him from get what he wants!

Did You Just Romance Cthulhu?: Friendly reminder that good chunk of the girls that are interested in him are not even human to begin with. Berolina and Irene specially are Eldricth Abominations at best taking humanoid form.

Disappeared Dad: His father Hajime is a busynessman and a freelancer photographer, making him be always away. Not that Ichijou cares much about him, though.

Drop the Hammer: Bonus points for using Rhongomiant, a sword, as a hammer sometimes.

Dynamic Entry: Again, "You're forgiven!"

Even the Guys Want Him: He has interesting interactions with both Ren and Rei, not to mention the first time he actually considered close to someone, this someone was a guy.

Expy: Appareance-wise, he shares several shades with the characters Basara Toujou and Jurai Andou, while his personality and the ability to snark non-stop comes from the Character Kenji Kazama. He also shares some genre-savviness with characters like Haruhiko Ichijou. Fanboy: Again, towards Issei. he becomes one for Riser Phenex as well, ironically enough and much for Riser's own amusement.
 * His big-brother Worshipping for Issei, a character with also a special arm and full-body armor, while himself also being a fully-armored, sword-wielding badass with red motif makes him a more heroic, less-psychtic version of Kylo Ren.
 * Word of God says that he's basically Johnny Joestar in issei's body. Bonus points for both characters having the same voice actor.

The First Cut Is the Deepest: Non-romantic example. He avoids friendship in order to avoid the pain of separation.

First Episode Resurrection: Chapter 1, already dead.

First Kiss: With Yagura from within his mind. For a real-life example, he kisses Serena Sitri first.

First Name Basis: After and during his first Rating Game, he began to call every girl by their names, including Berolina, even though he don't realizes until later on.

Foil: Again, towards Issei: While Issei was a perverted, yet kind Nice guy that would literally die for his friends and wished for a harem his whole life, several girls falling for him due to his personality, Ichijou is more of a Jerk with a Heart of Gold Deadpan snarker with a pretty rotten personality, his own agenda regardless of those around him and only much later begins to develop real and healthy relationships regarding the opposite sex. All in all, Ichijou has more in common with Vali than Issei. Fragile Speedster: Crimson Queen Gear Drive - Fairy Blaster Princess.
 * He's also the foil of Rei Miyama, being the former the son of a powerful angel and a powerful human who has only his sisters and the desire for revenge, while Ichijou is pretty unremarkable and his sisters being the root of all of his problems.
 * More of a meta example. Ichijou is a foil towards a great majority of your typical DxD OC protagonist: While others have dark pasts, powerful ancestors and lineages and downright masters in anything they do, Ichijou began as a simple human with no remarkable qualities besides his personality, mediocre grades and that was just lucky enough to be born with the Sacred Gear.

God Was My Copilot: Yagura tends to snap control over Ichijou's body when the situation is on a pitch.

Heroes Prefers swords: To contrasts with Issei's Brawler approach, Ichijou has Rhongomiant to back him up. It was suppose to be only a backup, but ended up as his signature sword.

Heroic RROD: Juggernaut Drive's consenquences.

Heroic Self-Deprecation: At least initially. He manages to combine both that and Rounsing Speech during his own fight with Yagura at the center of their mind during his rampage in JD.

Heroic Willpower: Mild example. His determinator personality plus Yagura's typical intervation helped him innumerous times over.

Hidden Depths: He is an excellent cook, can sew and has a rather poetic side, he's even taking poetry classes and improving in it! He also not as pure as he though he was, being sometimes a battle maniac himself and having pervert urges. he's also has a fetish for swimsuits.

Hormone-Addled Teenager: Averted to contrast Issei. he has his moments, though.

Informed Flaw: He's afraid of centipedes because of a childhood trauma, didn't stop him(Yagura) from kicking Nemesis' ass during the Rating Game. Justified since it was Yagura who was in command.

Innocently Insensitive: Towards Yoko's genuine affection, at first.

Insecure Love Interest: Towards Shiori Kamiyama. They eventually become a couple.

Intergenerational Friendship: Yagura is old enough to be considered older than Aria's grandmother, while Ddraig is a given since his soul is inside the Boosted Gear.

Ironic Echo: His 'Let's go home' phrase used by several other characters, only to bad things to happen later, just like when he first used.

Jack-of-All-Stats: Being a queen and all.

Jerk with a heart of Gold: To contrasts Issei's Nice Guy personality, Ichijou is brashy, snarky, doesn't respect Berolina initially and hair-triggered. That aside, he's also noble, prideful, honorable and humble, doesn't talk his mind out towards authority and has world-changing will, really wanting others to be happy.

The Juggernaut: Juggernaut Drive.

Large Ham: : After returning from his training at Mt. Issei, ichijou becomes a lot more boisterous and screams a lot during his major fights, even during silly or rather dangerous moments, when he was in a Beam-a-war against Rei. Just like Issei, some of the things he screams about can only make sense in context.

Let's Fight Like Gentlemen: How he lost his first Rating Game against Nemesis. Deconstructed since it only brought bad consequences and misfortunes for the rest of the coming arcs.

Magikarp Power: Boosted Gear's modus operandi.

Magnetic Hero: A mild example compared to Issei or Liu Bei, but he can be friends with practically everybody and the only people he truly hates is his father and Rei.

A Man Is Not a Virgin: Averted, and he backs the hell out of it to stay that way.

Marshmallow Hell: The usual receiver, and most of the time he's either annoyed or enraged by it.

Meaningful Echo: "Let's go home".

Mighty Glacier: Crimson Queen Gear Drive - Dragon smasher Queen form!

Mistaken for Gay: Nemesis is rather... Shocked to see Ichijou complaining that he won't be seeing Ren for the rest of the day. As homoerotic as it was, they're just good pals, at least in Ichijou's point of view.

Mistress and Servant Boy: The servant boy to Berolina's mistress. Unlike Issei, he does talk back.

Naked on Revival: You guess it.

Ninja Pirate Zombie Robot: A high school student that is both a dragon and a devil.

Nosebleed: A token in a harem series. Some are so violent he passes out after it.

The Nudifier: Cloth Eater, the combination of Dress Break and Level Zero.

Oblivious to Love: Averted, see Clueless Chick magnet above.

OOC Is Serious Business: Not exactly him though, but Yagura, and yet things still turn for the worst afterwards.

One-Man Army: examplified during the last Trial, where he easily beats the hell out of youkais in the arena, proving that Aria's training was to make him as strong as a regular high-class devil.

The Only One Allowed to Defeat You: Inverted with his relationship with Elizabeth and Evelyn.

Pals with Jesus: Friends with at least half of the current Longinus-hosts, including the wielder of the True Longinus, and during cross-overs, best pals with James Yami, who is ironically the Anti-christ.

Porn Stash: As a bit of black comedy, Mizuki Kyouka tries to find some loli-porn in his room. Averted since he has none.

Powered Armor: Balance Breaker: Boosted Gear Scale Mail.

Power Perversion Potential: One that would make Issei Jealous, one that would make Issei 'trembles in fear'.

Defenestrate and Berate: How he dies... In chapter 1.

Rage Breaking Point: Twice, one against Nero and other against Rei.

Red Is Heroic: Natch.

Red Oni, Blue Oni: Ironically, the Blue to Rei's, Berolina's and Elizabeth's red Oni.

Required Secondary Powers: The Boosted Gear needs a lot of stamina to properly work.

The Rival:  Towards Elizabeth, since they were children.

Roar Before Beating: In a berserker state against Nero. It doesn't work. Sealed Inside a Person-Shaped Can: Ddraig and Yagura.
 * A Second time against Rei. Not only does work, Ichijou managed to bite off a Light spear from sole rage alone!

First Year Protagonist.

Status Buff: How  Gift  works.

Straight Man: So much that people actually calls for him when they need a punchline.

Superpower Lottery: In a minor example compared to Issei. Unlike Issei, Aria said that Ichijou has a thing also for both magic and swordsmanship, something that Issei lacked.

There Is No Kill Like Overkill: His first example was to disinflate Ginko's breasts and use their 'breast energy' to shoot a well-delivered Dragon Shot against her!