20th Century Boys/YMMV

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• Crazy Awesome: ( Kenji, after the second time skip)
• Complete Monster: Friend
  • Moroboshi's killer. At least, that's what he'd LIKE everyone to believe. In the end, he comes off as a lot more pathetic and petty than monstrous.
• Crowning Music of Awesome: Kenji's song, Bob Lennon. It's a rare in and out of universe example, as a recorded version was released with the volume it was introduced in. Urasawa Naoki can sing, apparently.
  • GUUUUTALAAAALA SUUUUUDALALAAAAAA!
• Ear Worm: Kenji's song, Bob Lennon. As mentioned above, it's a rare in and out of universe example, as it plays a very important role in the plot as the story goes on, especially the 'Gutalala Sudalala' version, which even the characters comment on as being an ear worm and since it was released in real life it can end up being stuck in your head very quickly.
• It Was His Sled (There are two Friends, and the story goes way past the twentieth century. Surprisingly, Friend's identity is a well kept secret.)
• Magnificent Bastard: Friend
• Nightmare Fuel (Filled to the brim with it. The flashback to the origins of the Friend cult take the cake though.)
  • "We're friends, right?"
  • While also listed as a Crowning Moment of Funny, this troper was a bit disturbed by the scene where the engineer is trying to explain the mecha problems. All these full-grown adults are coming up with ideas for a giant robot designed to kill thousands of people at the very least like little boys playing a game. There are similar scenes later on that have the same effect for this troper.
    • Very well played Deliberate Values Dissonance on Urasawa's part, I'd dare say.
  • The events that transpired in the science room also qualify, both in story and out.
  • The entirety of Koizumi's stay at "Friend Land" tapped directly into the a person's small, natural measure of paranoia very effectively. The "Bonus Level" arc was especially creepy.
    • Help me help me help me help me....I met Friend and played with him.
  • The few moments where Urasawa drew mysterious characters in a stylized ghostly art-style. Specifically Proffesor Shikishima's daughter in 21st Century Boys when she was shown in her creepy nurse outfit with those cold dead eyes.
  • Koizumi being forced to stay at Sadakiyo's house while he puts on his best Norman Bates impression.
• Nightmare Retardant: A mob of insane cultists swarming Kenji's shop to kidnap Kanna: Terrifying. A mob of insane cultists swarming Kenji's shop to kidnap Kanna while chanting "Destiny's Child": a little goofier for western audiences.
• Paranoia Fuel: This series is the United Arab Emirates of Paranoia Fuel.
• Tear Jerker: Many instances, but one of the most memorable is when we first see Kenji sing his song. Also, poor, poor Sadakiyo.