History Main / ADayInTheLimelight

* The ''Franchise/{{Asterix}}'' series features four Roman camps surrounding the main character's home village; the exact legionnaries stationed in these camps varies from one storyline to another, so the camps themselves can be considered characters. While various Roman officials use those camps as a base while setting up their latest campaign against the Gauls, the camp of Laudanum is the least-used of the four. Aside from cases where all four camps have taken part in a mass attack on the village, to date Laudanum's only starring role has been in "Recap/AsterixAndCaesarsGift", where the other camps have had at least four stories each where their residents are the focus of the latest plot.

* ''VideoGame/{{Daxter}}'' focuses on the titular orange ottsel's attempts to rescue his friend [[VideoGame/JakAndDaxter Jak]] in Haven City, taking place between the events of the [[VideoGame/JakAndDaxterThePrecursorLegacy first]] and [[VideoGame/JakII second]] games, getting a temporary job as a Metal Bug fumigator in the process.

** [=MK9=] follows: [[FakeUltimateHero Johnny Cage]], [[ActionGirl Sonya Blade]], [[BackFromTheDead Scorpion]], [[CyberneticsEatYourSoul Cyrax]], [[TheHero Liu Kang]], [[MajorlyAwesome Jax Briggs]], [[SuperSmoke Smoke]], [[AnIcePerson Sub-Zero]], [[CombatHandFan Kitana]], [[BattleBoomerang Jade]], [[WeaponizedHeadgear Kung Lao]], [[SuperCop Kurtis Stryker]], [[GasMaskLongcoat Kabal]] [[spoiler: Sub-Zero as a cyborg]], [[BadassNative Nightwolf]], and finally [[ShockAndAwe Raiden.]]

** In ''VideoGame/TheLegendOfHeroesTrailsOfColdSteel IV'', instead of starting the game as [[TheHero Rean]], players start the game as Juna, one of Rean's students. This is because at the climax of ''Cold Steel III'', [[spoiler:Rean is captured by Osborne and is taken to the Black Workshop due to him losing control of his SuperpoweredEvilSide. Act 1 is dedicated to Juna and Class VII figuring out where Rean and the Black Workshop are at and infiltrated the place to rescue their instructor and friend.]]

* ''Fanfic/OneDayAtATimeFanfic'': After having Jason as the main POV character for the vast majority of the story, the second flashback arc shifts the main POV to Dick, as the arc primarily centers on him and takes place during his tenure as Batman. Jason is specifically cited as a supporting, static character during these events.

* After spending 11 chapters on Izuku's perspective in ''Fanfic/ConversationsWithACryptid'', chapter 12 brings Toshinori as the new main focus.

* In ''WebAnimation/MyLittlePonyMeets'': ''[[Franchise/SonicTheHedgehog Sonic]]'' heavily features Dinky Hooves in a supporting role, despite being a background character both in canon and in this series.

* ''ComicBook/{{Transmetropolitan}}'': Mitchell Royce gets one in "Two-Fisted Editor" where, after spending two thirds of the series either being the ButtMonkey or yelling [[CatchPhrase "Where's my fucking column?!"]] at Spider, he gets to single-handedly save the day, ''and'' rub it in [[VitriolicBestBuds Spider's]] face.

* ''VideoGame/FinalFantasy'' series:

* For ''Franchise/TheLegendOfZelda'', there is the Sheikah in ''VideoGame/TheLegendOfZeldaBreathOfTheWild''. Originally introduced in ''[[VideoGame/TheLegendOfZeldaOcarinaOfTime Ocarina of Time]]'' as the tribe Zelda's nurse/ladysmaid/bodyguard Impa belonged to and being the traditional guardians of Hyrule's royal line, she remained their only representative across the subsequent games aside from the Sheikah Stones and a few miscellaneous items bearing their eye emblem. In this game, however, they collectively play a much larger role in the plot, being the creators of the diverse {{Magitek}} across the ruins of Hyrule (including the Sheikah Slate, the Guardians, and the Shrines), and having their many ancient monks provide Link with abilities for his quest. Furthermore, there is also now an entire {{Wutai}}-themed village of Sheikah of various ages.

** Even Bowser gets in on the action. ''[[VideoGame/MarioAndLuigiBowsersInsideStory Mario & Luigi: Bowser's Inside Story]]'' has Bowser as the main protagonist. He's forced to take back the Mushroom Kingdom from Fawful (with aid from the Mario Brothers, who spend most of the game inside his body futzing around with his internal systems to occasionally power up the big lug) and [[TookALevelInBadass takes a massive Level In Badass]] as he reluctantly becomes the hero. ''VideoGame/MarioParty10'' puts him into the spotlight again, with him receiving focus on the cover, the Mario Party mode giving him more presence than usual, and the Bowser Party mode featuring him as the main playable character for the first time in a ''Mario Party'' game.

[[folder:Webcomics]]

When these characters in this episode face a conflict, they may either resolve it themselves, or [[NonProtagonistResolver somebody else - frequently the actual protagonist - will.]]

See also BreakoutCharacter, and CharacterFocus for the SuperTrope. Compare AscendedExtra. If a minor mook gets a whole spinoff, that becomes BreakoutMookCharacter. Contrast with DayInTheLife, ADeathInTheLimelight.

** Dr. Robotnik gets his own game called ''VideoGame/DoctorRobotniksMeanBeanMachine'' which was actually a [[DolledUpInstallment cleverly-hidden clone]] of the Japanese-only ''VideoGame/PuyoPuyo1992'' (likewise, ''Franchise/{{Kirby}}'s Avalanche'' is just a Kirby-fied version of Puyo Puyo).

** Whilst Princess Daisy is seen as one of the most neglected characters in Mario history, she does have some time in the spotlight. In ''VideoGame/MarioKart: Double Dash'', there is a course dedicated to her and her cruiser. This cruiser is seen throughout the game. ''VideoGame/MarioKartWii'' continues this further, with references to Sarasaland and her palace. There's even a statue of Luigi and Daisy dancing together, confirming previous fan speculation about her relationship with him.

* ScriptFic ''Fanfic/CalvinAndHobbesTheSeries'' has "Confessions of a Prank-Loving Tiger" for [[{{Cloudcuckoolander}} Soc]][[ThePrankster rates]], as well as "Hypercube" and "An MTM Episode".
** "Insanity is In The Air" for [[OnlySaneMan Andy.]]

** Toad has ''VideoGame/WariosWoods'' and an episode in ''WesternAnimation/TheAdventuresOfSuperMarioBros3''.

** Even Bowser gets in on the action. ''[[VideoGame/MarioAndLuigiBowsersInsideStory Mario & Luigi: Bowser's Inside Story]]'' has Bowser as the main protagonist. He's forced to take back the Mushroom Kingdom from Fawful (with aid from the Mario Brothers, who spend most of the game inside his body futzing around with his internal systems to occasionally power up the big lug) and [[TookALevelInBadass takes a massive Level In Badass]] as he reluctantly becomes the hero.

** [=MKX=] featured: [[TheChampion Johnny Cage]], [[{{Mayincatec}} Kotal Kahn]], Sub-Zero, [[{{Multishot}} Kung Jin]], [[FourStarBadass Sonya Blade]], [[InsectQueen D'Vorah]], [[RetiredBadass Jax Briggs]], [[WhipItGood Takeda Takahashi]], [[RevengeBeforeReason Hanzo Hasashi]], [[PhysicalGod Raiden]], [[SpinOffspring Jacqui Briggs]] and finally [[DaddysGirl Cassie Cage]].

* In ''WebAnimation/{{Arenas}}'', some episodes are centered on characters which aren't called Doom.

* In ''WebVideo/{{Arenas}}'', some episodes are centered on characters which aren't called Doom.

* Most early Music/{{Queen}} albums had two or three songs sung by Roger Taylor or Brian May instead of Freddie Mercury. Taylor's "I'm In Love With My Car", the B-side of "Bohemian Rhapsody", is probably the most famous of the bunch. That or Brian May's "39" from the same album.

* The Music/{{Wings}} songs by people other than Music/PaulMcCartney. Denny Laine had a small handful of songs, Jimmy [=McCulloch=] had two ("Medicine Jar" and "Wino Junko"), and Joe English had one ("Must Do Something About It").

* Anime & Manga

[[folder:Anime & Manga]]
* In ''Manga/AliceInBorderland'', despite Arisu is the main focus of the story, several characters in the manga are also portrayed as the main characters, mainly in the special chapters, to give their point of view about the games that they have to endure. [[spoiler: One of the best examples is in the Jack of Hearts chapter, which focuses on 20 players in a deadly game of solitary confinement. Most of the characters in said chapters have no relationships with Arisu or the other side characters who had been featured in previous chapters.]]
* ''Manga/AoHaruRide'': Shuuko gets her own side story in volume 3, an Origins Issue that describes her life in middle school and first meeting with Tanaka-sensei.
* ''Manga/AttackOnTitan'': Episode 15 for fan fave, Hange Zoë.
* About five episodes in ''Literature/{{Baccano}}'' work as such (although, with [[ThirdLineSomeWaiting three plots going on]], nobody gets the episode ''entirely'' to themselves), usually indicated by the title with a general statement about the character in question. The most memorable of these episodes is probably "Ladd Russo likes [[LargeHam talking a lot]] and [[AxCrazy killing a lot]]"
* ''Manga/{{Bleach}}'':
** While the vice captains were defending the towers in the Arrancar arc, Ikkaku lampshaded this. When a captain asked if he needed help, he said "No way! This is like the one time where the vice captains get the spotlight!"
** After hundreds of chapters as a plot-important but perpetually [[MysteriousPast enigmatic]] TricksterMentor, Urahara Kisuke became the focus of a flashback arc set one hundred years prior to the series proper, explaining why he left the Gotei. Other supporting characters prominently featured include: Yoruichi, Tessai, Aizen, Gin and [[spoiler:The Vizards]].
** A second flashback arc to twenty years before the story starts gives the spotlight to Ichigo and Uryuu's parents. Until the Thousand Year Blood War Arc, Isshin and Ryuuken had only minor roles in the story, Masaki's PlotTriggeringDeath was the only thing known about her, and Uryuu's mother Kanae had never been mentioned. The flashback makes all four vital to the MythArc.
** The anime had to produce many {{Filler}} episodes [[StatusQuoIsGod without contradicting]] any manga development while waiting for the main plotline to advance, so it would frequently feature off-duty antics or extended flashbacks for minor characters. Ikkaku, Yumichika, Yachiru, Matsumoto, Don Kanoji, Kon, Ichigo's sisters, and Hitsugaya all have at least one episode dedicated to them in some way.
* ''Manga/BlendS'': Let's assume [[CosplayCafe Cafe Stile]]'s new recruits as "supporting" characters.
** The first half of Episode 4 introduces Miu, the recruit, her role in the CosplayCafe, and her [[CloudCuckooLander oddities]] arising from her being mainly a {{doujinshi}} [[SequentialArtist artist]].
** The entirety of Episode 8 is about [[WholesomeCrossdresser Hideri]]; the first half is his introduction and the second, a shopping trip between Miu and Hideri.
* Season 2 of the ''Manga/BloodBlockadeBattlefront'' anime has several episodes dedicated to characters who were DemotedToExtra by Season 1.
** "Day In Day Out" is about Steven Starphase's daily life.
** "Werewolf Mission: Chainpossible" is one for Chain, revolving around her taking on a dangerous mission in the Werewolf Agency.
** "One Butler's Blitzkreig" is one for Gilbert, going over his powers and the reason why he works for Libra.
** "Branchial Blues" explores Zed's backstory as an [[spoiler:experiment]].
** "Bratatat Mom" is this for K.K., involving her trying to balance her relationship with her son and her work with Libra.
* ''Manga/BloomIntoYou'' has this for various characters outside of the main three. Yuu's older sister Rei gets a few, such as one extra that shows her point of view in Chapter 9, as well as Chapter 33, in which she goes out shopping with Yuu and talks about how she got together with her boyfriend, Hiro. Chapter 25 focuses on Yuu's friend Koyomi as she takes a break from rewriting the play's ending to attend her favorite author's book signing. Special 4 focuses on Yuu's homeroom teacher and the manager of a local café, [[spoiler:who happen to be in a relationship with each other]].
* ''Manga/CaseClosed'':
** Both anime and manga use this to give development to the members of the constantly-growing cast. i.e., the "Metropolitan Police Love Story" chapters tend to focus on Miwako and Takagi's budding romance and the "Sakura" themed episodes are dedicated to Shiratori [[spoiler: and his soon-to-be girlfriend Sumiko.]]
** Some anime filler episodes released right before the yearly {{non serial movie}}s are dedicated to cast members that will have plot relevance to the films. i.e., since the [=20th=] movie focuses on [[spoiler: the Black Organization]], an anime episode released few before its theater debut is dedicated to [[spoiler: Tooru Amuro/Rei Furuya/"Bourbon", a member of the Japanese Secret Police who's acting as TheMole in the Organization.]]
* A couple characters get this in ''Manga/ACertainScientificRailgun''. Tessou Tsuzuri gets one halfway through and this episode was also used to connect it more with ''Literature/ACertainMagicalIndex''. The 'no power' character Saten gets one as well to highlight her talents.
* ''Manga/CellsAtWork'':
** ''Manga/CellsAtWorkPlatelets'': While the [[Manga/CellsAtWork parent series]] is an action/comedy manga focusing largely on how cells face various diseases and other bodily issues, this entire spinoff is completely dedicated to the adorable Platelets doing their [[{{Iyashikei}} regular, non-danger-related jobs]].
** ''Manga/CellsNotAtWork'' essentially places Macrophage, who was a fairly minor character in the original ''Manga/CellsAtWork'' manga, into the leading role as a parent figure to a bunch of Erythroblasts...who happen to be a bunch of grown-up {{NEET}}s who refuse to grow up and seize their destiny as full-fledged Red Blood Cells.
** Also, the Erythroblasts to some extent, as they are mostly absent from the parent series. This allows ''Manga/CellsNotAtWork'' to explore youth-related issues that the original series couldn't easily address.
* In ''Manga/Classi9'', most members of Class S- gets a chapter focusing on their backstory or character. These chapters usually give an explanation for the composers' presence in the class, such as Tchaikovsky's [[WeaknessTurnsHerOn weakness fetish]] or Haydn's [[ThePrankster past misbehavior]].
* The ''Anime/CowboyBebop'' episode "[[Recap/CowboyBebopSession15MyFunnyValentine My Funny Valentine]]" is this for Faye. "[[Recap/CowboyBebopSession17MushroomSamba Mushroom Samba]]" is Ed's (and Ein's) episode. "[[Recap/CowboyBebopSession24HardLuckWoman Hard Luck Woman]]" is a Day in the Limelight for both of them -- Spike and Jet only show up to get angry when the girls leave, get beat up by Ed's dad, and [[spoiler:hide their sadness when they realize that both girls have left the crew]].
* Matsuda and Mikami each get one of these in ''Manga/DeathNote''. Matsuda's chapter/episode is even named after him.
* ''Franchise/{{Danganronpa}}'' has a manga which featured every character who died in their own special chapter, immediately before their deaths.
* Episode 14 of ''Manga/DesertPunk'' with the [[AntiHero titular character's]] [[TheLancer right hand girl]] [[TheApprentice (as well as apprentice]] [[MarshmallowHell and possible sex slave in his fantasy harem)]] [[TokenMiniMoe Kosuna]]. [[CharacterDevelopment It's a nice piece that shows her get somewhat closer to achieving her dream of becoming]] [[FemmeFatale the Kanto Desert's "number one power babe."]]
* ''Anime/DigimonAdventure'' and ''[[Anime/DigimonAdventure02 Adventure 02]]'' do this quite a bit. Generally in episodes where one of the Digimon evolves the episode centers around them and their human partner or if said partner finds a crest/Egg which generally goes hand in hand with the evolving bit. There are a lot of main characters which is probably why. Villains tend to get one if they're about to do a HeelFaceTurn ie Gatomon in ''Adventure'' and Ken in ''02''.
* ''Manga/DontBecomeAnOtakuShinozakiSan'' gives such chapters to characters many times. For example, chapter five focuses on GamerChick Micchy, chapter 16 on GenkiGirl Konatsu, or chapter 19 for CosplayOtakuGirl Hibari. Despite being the main character, Akina herself gets one in chapter 17, where she gets to take her otaku friends clothes shopping like she's always wanted.
* ''Franchise/DragonBall'':
** Usually whenever Goku is out of commission, Gohan or some of the other character will take the spotlight instead, most frequently during the Saiyan/Frieza arc.
** After he killed Babidi, Majin Buu struck out on his own, [[PetTheDog petted some dogs]] (including a {{literal|Metaphor}} dog), made a house for himself and eventually befriended Mr. Satan. The day in the limelight was cut short when Evil Buu absorbed the regular one and became Super Buu.
** ''Anime/DragonBallZResurrectionF'' gives one to many members of the supporting cast: with Goku and Vegeta training with Beerus and Whis at the time Frieza launches his invasion of Earth, it is left to a handful of Z-Warriors to fight off Frieza's army until they can arrive. Gohan, Piccolo, Krillin, Tien, and even Master Roshi, along with Jaco the Galactic Patrolman, each get a chance to show off their might as they run Frieza's soldiers through the wringer.
** ''Anime/DragonBallSuperSuperHero'' focuses primarily on Gohan and Piccolo as they take on the new Red Ribbon Army. Goku and Vegeta, meanwhile, are relegated to a B-plot revolving around them training on Beerus's planet with Broly.
* ''Anime/DreamFestival'': Each of the members of [=DearDream=] gets their own episode that focuses on the issues that stop them from joining the unit and their motivations for becoming idols.
* While ''Manga/EncouragementOfClimb'' have [[FourGirlEnsemble 4 mains characters]], the focus is usually on Aoi, with her friend Hinata as a close second, and the viewer get to know of her thoughts and feelings more than thoses of the other girls. The 15th episode of the second season put the spotlight on [[CoolBigSis Kaede]] and is a FlashBack to her midle-school days about her and her friend Yuuka. Likewise, episode 20 is centered on Kokona's day.
* The Sabertooth guild from ''Manga/FairyTail'' got their own manga spin-off summer 2015.
** As if that wasn't enough, one was given specifically to the female members of Team Natsu, titled Manga/FairyGirls.
** And the maker of the Sabertooth spin-off manga made one for Gajeel and Laxus as well.
* ''Anime/FullmetalAlchemist2003'' spent one episode focusing on the travails of Roy Mustang and his five aides (and [[http://i206.photobucket.com/albums/bb161/NGR_album/fma_37_07.jpg Black Hayate]]). [[Manga/FullmetalAlchemist The manga]] (and ''Brotherhood'') generally averted this, as most characters were already actively contributing something to the overall story arc.
* The ''Literature/FullMetalPanic: The Second Raid'' OVA focuses on Tessa Testarossa, in a humorous DayInTheLife story with no advancement of plot.
* ''Anime/FutureGPXCyberFormula'' does this with some of the characters (like Shinjyo, Randoll, Osamu and others) in both the TV series and [=OVA=]s. And ''SIN'', the last OVA, focuses on Kaga and his rivalry with Hayato.
* In ''Manga/GakuenBabysitters'', Saikawa gets his own chapter when he has to take care of Kotarou while Ryuuichi is out with his friends.
* ''Anime/GhostInTheShellStandAloneComplex'':
** The show devoted an episode to one of the Tachikomas, its sentient [[RobotBuddy robot tanks]].
** Other episodes, and in the subsequent series ''2nd Gig'', have spotlighted the members of the team who don't usually get it such as Saito and Pazu. Unfortunately, they never got around to fleshing out Borma.
* Very common in ''Anime/{{Godannar}}''. There are 4 teams of pilots belonging to bases in other countries that occasionally show up to help Goh, Anna, and company. Each of those teams get at least an episode centered mostly around them. Most semi-major characters around the main base get an episode or two dedicated to them as well.
* This is a rule of thumb for ''Manga/Golgo13''. In most of the stories, all of the character drama generally revolves around the targets and those who contract the hits. Justifiable since Golgo himself isn't supposed to develop much as a character.
* ''Manga/GreatTeacherOnizuka'':
** Azusa gets this from time to time, which gives the audience a chance to look into her character a bit, and saves her from being a young, cute and idealistic SatelliteLoveInterest.
** Uchiyamada's personal life gets examined, parts of which build up sympathy for the poor guy.
** There are a number of intermezzos showing a first-person view of Onizuka as he's visiting his 'friend' Saejima. These pieces invariably show the DirtyCop trying to pull Onizuka into {{pyramid scheme}}s, black market dealings, smuggling and a lot worse, all the while pretending it's all perfectly legal. Saejima later got his own spinoff, ''Ino-Head Gargoyle''.
** Fujiyoshi gets one in the anime, where we learn about him and his family.
* ''Manga/GTOTheEarlyYears'' primarily focuses on the protagonists Eikichi and Ryuji, but supporting characters like Saejima, Tsukai, Makoto, and Shinomi all got chapters focused on them. Jun Kamata even got an entire arc -- although all the main characters appear in the Natsu/Yokohama Cavalry arc, it's told from his point of view, since Natsu's his old friend.
* ''Franchise/{{Gundam}}'' is infamous for this, with a cruel twist: [[ADeathInTheLimelight a day in the limelight usually ends in your death]]. When a minor character suddenly gets an episode focused on him and characterization, s/he usually will not be alive by the end of the episode.
* Common in ''Manga/{{Haikyuu}}'':
** While TheProtagonist is Hinata and {{Deuteragonist}} is Kageyama, most of the Karasuno team gets fleshed-out throughout the series and do their equal lifting of the show. Except for three TheBenchwarmer characters Ennoshita, Kinoshita, and Narita:
*** Ennoshita gets his day in the limelight during the second season, in a match against Wakutani when TheCaptain Daichi [[spoiler:gets hit in the face and has to leave the game]]. He steps up as the captain on the court and we get a look into his psyche about previously getting scared and leaving the team. It ends with him being acknowledged by Daichi for doing a good work and the manga later reveals that [[spoiler:he became the team captain during his third year]].
*** Kinoshita gets his limelight in a match during the [[spoiler:Nationals]] arc, though it is not as expanded as Ennoshita's.
*** Averted with Narita. He is mostly a BitCharacter and is mostly there to fill in the ranks.
** It is the structure of the show to also focus on opponent teams during the matches. While some characters such as Oikawa in Aoba Johsai and Kenma in Nekoma are throughly developed characters throughout the series, some teams and players only get one day in the limelight:
*** Daichi's middle school friend Ikejiri and Karasuno girls team's captain Michimiya in the episode Winner and Losers.
*** Ohgi High and their former captain Akimiya get this treatment too.
*** During their game against Johzenji, the characters of team captain Terushima and team manager Misaki get explored.
*** Wakutani Minami High's Takeru also gets this.
*** Aoba Johsai's new addition Mad Dog Kentaro gets his episode.
*** During the third season, the only focus is the match between Karasuno and [[spoiler:Shiratorizawa]]. While Ushijima is a character explored before the match, most of his teammates only get a day in the limelight, such as Tendou, Goshiki, Shirabu etc.
*** During the [[spoiler:Nationals]] arc, previously established Miya Atsumu's teammates also get this treatment. Especially team captain Kita's attitude towards volleyball, passion, talent, work ethic get quite explored in his episode.
* In the ''Manga/HappyHappyClover'' anime and manga, [[http://i4.bebo.com/016/1/large/2007/06/01/19/802525565a4557272841b602595918l.jpg sometimes the manga would give one of Clover's friends a story that would focus more on her friends and other forest animals.]] Some would focus on how they meet and what their lives we're like when they we're very little. For example, one story focused on how Shallot meet Clover and Kale when they we're younger. Shallot didn't want to be friends with Clover and Kale since he cared more about his books. But after an incident where a berry got squished in one page of the books he was reading. He got angry and left them behind, later he felt guilty and decided to be friends with them. In a later volume, one story focused on Kale who learned that his mother was going to have a baby and how he became a big brother when he was young.
* When ''Manga/HayateTheCombatButler'' does these with recurring minor characters, the fact is usually stated enthusiastically by said characters. Sometimes with the main characters complaining that they've been pushed to the sidelines. This is a given since the series has NoFourthWall.
* ''Webcomic/HetaliaAxisPowers'' gave the first episode of World Series over to EnsembleDarkHorse and FountainOfMemes Prussia, including him expressing a complaint that he hasn't had more screen time.
* ''Manga/HisAndHerCircumstances'' has an episode near the end which focuses on Yukino's two little sisters, Tsukino and Kano, that takes a delightful turn away from the romantic melodrama toward a very light hearted comedy.
* In ''Manga/HunterXHunter'', Kurapica is pretty much the main protagonist during the York Shin arc, with [[TheHero Gon]] and the rest of the main characters helping him get revenge against the Phantom Troupe.
* ''Manga/IThinkOurSonIsGay'':
** ''I Think Our Son is Gay'' is narrated by [[OpenMindedParent Tomoko]] and usually focuses on her eldest son Hiroki, but the younger son Yuuri narrates Chapter 37, in which he muses on the idea of romance, which he doesn't personally experience but feels he can learn a lot about from his brother.
** A half of Chapter 27 puts the spotlight on Daigo, Hiroki's LoveInterest, showing school life in his angle, as well as his relationship with Hiroki.
* ''Anime/TheIdolMaster'':
** Each of the idols gets their own episode that focuses on them and their issues.
** ''Anime/TheIdolmasterCinderellaGirls'' is more subtle about it, but every Cinderella Project idol gets a chance to be in the spotlight. Some of the veteran idols also get some attention to further the character development of their juniors (Mika for Rika and Miria, Sachiko for Kanako and Chieri, Nana for Miku, and Natsuki for Riina).
* ''VideoGame/InazumaEleven'' did this with Megane in the match versus Shuuyou Meito (episode 9); up until then his main contributions to the team were naming techniques and holding the bench down so it doesn't fly up into the air. While he obviously doesn't get ADeathInTheLimelight at the end of the episode, he does [[spoiler:injure himself in a HeroicSacrifice where he bounces the ball off his face to redirect it into the goal and score the game-winning point]], after which he returns to being a benchwarmer.
* ''Literature/{{Inukami}}'': Some episodes have Youko hardly appear at all, like the one focusing on Tomohane searching for Keita.
* Multiple characters outside of the Student Council in ''Manga/KaguyaSamaLoveIsWar'' have gotten their own focus chapters (Maki, Osaragi, Onodera, Kashiwagi, Kei...). Hayasaka even got an entire arc focused on her [[spoiler:that led up to her resigning as Kaguya's valet.]]
* ''Manga/KingdomHeartsII'':
** Chapter 41 (Minion Pete) is a VillainEpisode focusing on Pete and the Gullwings trying to save their boss, Maleficent.
** Chapter 45 (Make a Break For It) stars Kairi and her break-out from her prison in The World That Never Was.
* ''Literature/KumaKumaKumaBear'' oftentimes features side-stories which bring the spotlight on characters other than Yuna. One example is the chapter dedicated to Count Cliff Foschurose and his rooting out a [[spoiler:massive fraud and corruption case]] happening with the nobles in his territory.
* ''Manga/LaidBackCamp'' has this in the ''first'' episode. While Rin is predominantly featured during the first episode, Nadeshiko is the main protagonist of the series, something viewers only get a grip in the ''ending credits''.
* ''Literature/LoveChunibyoAndOtherDelusions'' has this in its 5-minute ''Lite'' episodes.
** The third episode of ''Lite'' focuses on Kuzuha, back in the day when her big brother Yuuta was still deep in his Dark Flame Master delusion, when she is chaperoned by him while meeting a friend late at night.
** The fifth episode of ''Lite'' focuses on Kumin, mainly on her [[{{sleepyhead}} love of napping]] and the entire "[[StartMyOwn Far East Magic Nap Club of Summer]]" in her own words.
* ''VisualNovel/MajikoiLoveMeSeriously'':
** Episode 3 focuses on Miyako's and Yuki's relationships with Yamato and their motives for wanting him.
** Episode 5 focuses on Fushikawa, who gets [[PromotedToLoveInterest her own route]] in the second VisualNovel.
* One of the chapters of ''Manga/MarchComesInLikeALion'' is centered on and narrated by a minor character, Smith, who muses over the preceding chapter's events revolving around the protagonist Rei and later goes up against an antagonistic character Rei's set as his mark in a shogi tournament match.
* In the second season of ''Manga/MermaidMelodyPichiPichiPitch'', this was generally the ''only'' way the OutOfFocus characters got any attention.
* ''Manga/MobileSuitGundam0083Rebellion'': The manga adapts the OVA ''Stardust Memory'' up until volume 16. Volume 17 and 18 take place after the climax and focus on the secondary pilot Bernard Monsha as he and the surviving Immortal 4th team enroll in the Titans and hunt down Zeon remnants.
* Very common in ''Manga/{{Monster}}''. Perhaps at its most extreme with volumes 10-11 of the manga, where Tenma all-but-disappears and Wolfgang Grimmer acts as the main protagonist.
* ''Manga/MyHeroAcademia'' has a huge cast of characters, making this a very common trope in its storytelling:
** While now top-billed and possibly the tritagonist of the series, Todoroki Shoto started as one of several other guys in the hero academia. Sports Festival Arc episodes 'The Boy Born with Everything' and 'Shoto Todoroki: The Origin' explored his impressive quirk and tragic backstory.
** The same arc had the limelight on Uraraka in the episode 'Bakugou vs Uraraka', examining her desire and reason to become a hero.
** Iida got the episode 'Fight On, Iida' in the same arc, later getting more focus in the following arc Vs Hero Killer.
** Asui Tsuyu got a whole anime original episode focusing on her internship, titled (funnily enough) 'Everyone's Internship'.
** The episode 'Yaoyorozu: Rising' and partly the episode 'Class 1-A' focused on Yaoyorozu Momo's immense skills and smarts, and her hindering insecurities (and her overcoming these).
** Kirishima Eijiro got two episodes ('Let's Go, Gutsy Red Riot' and 'Red Riot') in the Shie Hassaikai arc, exploring his backstory on how he came to want to be a hero and showcasing him beating two villains on two occasions.
** The same arc also had a limelight episode for the third-year student Tamaki Amajiki also known as Suneater, fittingly titled 'Suneater of the Big Three'.
** Lemillion aka Togata Mirio - who has been getting limelight for the entirety of the arc - got his episode fittingly titled 'Lemillion'.
** The episode 'His Start' is about Endeavour finally [[spoiler:officially becoming the number one hero and immediately facing a Nobu, exploring his current psyche about how he feels about it, his infamy among civillains, his past, and how he wants to change now.]]
** The whole Meta Liberation Army Arc saw the student and pro-heroes cast take a backseat while League of Villains became the acting protagonists.
* ''Manga/{{Naruto}}'':
** [[EnsembleDarkhorse Shikamaru]] became the ''de facto'' main character of the series for most of the Immortal's arc. {{Lampshade|Hanging}}d in the anime ''Naruto Shippuden'' with an aftershow omake where Shikamaru jokes that the show will be renamed ''Shikamaru Shippuden''. Then Asuma suggests changing it to ''Asuma Shippuden'' -- and even made his own logo!
** [[SubvertedTrope Subverted]] of all things by ''Kakashi Gaiden,'' which initially seemed to be simply an explanation of Kakashi's backstory. Several [[TheReveal reveals]] later, and it's become clear that [[InnocuouslyImportantEpisode the real purpose of the arc]] was to showcase [[spoiler: Kakashi's best friend Obito Uchiha]] who would go on to have a big impact on the series [[spoiler: as Tobi]].
** Hinata gradually became a more prominent character during the Fourth Great Shinobi War, which eventually culminated in [[spoiler: the GrandFinale movie that bridges the ending of the manga and the epilogue being dedicated to her and how she and Naruto fell in love.]]
** Hanabi is Hinata's younger sister who appeared during the Chunin Exams as a SatelliteCharacter and never appeared again except for a cameo in a dream sequence Hinata had hundreds of chapters later. In the anime there are two ''Shippuden'' episodes of her made to coincide with ''Anime/TheLastNarutoTheMovie'', as her kidnapping in that film drives the plot, that goes into detail about her relationship with Hinata.
** Team Guy's Tenten was the member with the least amount of backstory in the group, but some of the anime's filler episodes expanded on her character and gave her some reasons for becoming a ninja.
* ''Manga/NegimaMagisterNegiMagi'' has so many ''main'' characters, it tends to have limelight chapters/episodes for them between or within major story arcs.
* ''Anime/NeonGenesisEvangelion'':
** Episode 13, ''Lilliputian Hitcher'', has NERV's head-scientist Ritsuko as its heroine, but the MAGI computer-system is also explored as a character in its own right.
** Episode 21, ''The Birth of NERV'', while mainly a WholeEpisodeFlashback, is seen mostly from the point of view of Gendo's NumberTwo and background character [[TheConsigliere Kozo Fuyutsuki]] and relates the backstory for the series via his personal history with the major players.
** Episode 22, ''Don't Be'', is centered around Asuka's DarkAndTroubledPast and her on-going psychological breakdown. The Director's Cut version of the episode especially strengthens this feeling, as it completely does away with the Shinji-centric TitleSequence.
* ''Manga/OnePiece'':
** The manga features "mini-arcs" on the title pages of issues. These detail the fates of villains and minor characters. Only two of them have been animated: Buggy's search for his crew and body and Coby's and Helmeppo's marine training.
** The special "Episode of Nami" TV Special that aired between episodes 560 and 561; a retelling of the Arlong Park Arc. It is actually post-TimeSkip Nami reminiscing while on their way to Fish-man Island.
** The Levely arc is a more direct example that take place within the chapters, excluding the Strawhats since the event is about the rulers of the kingdoms allied with the Rule Government. The viewpoint shifts between the Strawhats allies from Alabasta, Dressrosa, Fishman Island, and Sakura Kingdom and the Revolutionaries.
* ''Anime/{{Penguindrum}}'' gives episode 9 almost entirely to [[spoiler: Himari]], and later episodes are dedicated to Masako [[spoiler:(and her brother Mario)]], Yuri, [[spoiler:Tabuki]] and [[spoiler: Ringo's dead sister Momoka]]
* ''Anime/Persona4TheAnimation'' has episode 13, which focuses on his younger cousin Nanako. We get to see Yu's summer vacation through her eyes.
* Happened in ''Anime/PokemonTheSeries'': Despite being one of the first Pokémon Ash captured, Krabby spent the entire first season in Professor Oak’s Lab, until the heroes arrived at the Indigo Plateau. Despite Misty and Brock's concerns about Krabby never being in a fight before, Ash used him in the first round of the Pokémon League, and Krabby turned out to be an incredible fighter, winning the entire round by himself and even evolving into Kingler during the process.
** The point of the ''Anime/PokemonChronicles'' sideseries.
** Misty had a ''mini-series'' in the Limelight in the [[TournamentArc Tournament half]] of the Whirl Islands arc. Notable instances include Brock being a MomentKiller for [[FluffyTamer Misty squeeing]] [[MakingASplash over a Corsola]] and [[TheHero Ash]] being designated as the "Minor Friendly [[TheRival Rival]]." A possible justification is that she would leave the show a little over a year later.
** Team Rocket got a few episodes starring them, with minimal appearances by the main characters.
** Prior to every ''Pokémon'' movie, a "Pikachu short" is shown, giving limelight to either Pikachu or the main cast's Pokémon as a whole. Episode 17 of the regular series did something similar.
** Speaking of movies, ''Anime/Pokemon4Ever'' puts [[spoiler:Professor Oak (albeit it's his time-displaced younger self)]] as a central character, while ''Anime/PokemonJirachiWishmaker'' and ''Anime/PokemonRangerAndTheTempleOfTheSea'' focus on Max and May, respectively.
* In the ''Manga/RanmaOneHalf'' anime, Nabiki and Kuno got a limelight episode when a fortune teller persuaded Kuno that his true love was Nabiki. The usual cast only appeared in three scenes.
** In the manga, Nabiki got her own story arc and wacky challenger in the ''Kinnosuke Kasaoh'' chapter where she was the one taking the lead against a very [[MoneyFetish similar character]]. Ranma and Akane provided the CombatCommentator role that Nabiki usually filled.
** The OAV ''An Akane to Remember'' is memorable for being set away from the usual Furinkan hijinks. Only Ranma and Akane appear in this story, with Ryoga joining them later. The rest of the cast (Genma and the rest of the Tendos) appear only briefly in the beginning where most of them have no lines and the rest of the cast (Kuno et al) don't appear at all. This is a quieter story that focuses more on guests Shinosuke and his grandfather. Ranma and Akane's relationship is explored slightly but mostly in relation to Akane's past acquaintance with Shinosuke. There's no usual "Ranma you IDIOT!" in this story and Ryoga is there mostly to lend moral support.
* ''Anime/RevolutionaryGirlUtena'' had a ''season'' of this, where every minor character gets their own episode, has their backstory explored, and then has that backstory exploited by the villains in an attempt to destroy Utena.
* The rest of the Sailor Senshi in ''Anime/SailorMoon'' get their share. Minako takes the honours with fifteen episodes centred around her, presumably to make up for not introducing her until the end of the 29th episode. One of these episodes will usually coincide with the relevant girl learning a new attack.
* Chapter 22 of ''Manga/SchoolLive'' focuses entirely on Megu-nee and her guilt over how she could have [[spoiler:been aware of the possibility of a ZombieApocalypse]] before it had happened due to a just-for-emergencies manual she had been given. She obeyed instructions not to open ''unless'' something went wrong, and immediately regretted not taking a peek earlier. More horrifying is she's having this flash of memory not long after [[spoiler:she's already become a zombie herself]].
%%* ''Manga/SchoolRumble'' does this a lot.
* Knuckles and Rouge receive their own episodes early on in ''Anime/SonicX.'' Later, Shadow got his own episode as well.
* ''Manga/SoulEater'' has Excalibur's second episode, which is mainly about [[PunnyName Ox Ford]], and his third, which is about the one-shot character Hiro, and explores what happens when somebody actually manages to wield Excalibur - [[spoiler:at least for a few days.]]
* In ''Manga/SummerTimeRendering'', the start of the fourth loop follows Hizuru's point of view on the morning of July 22nd and reveals what she was up to during Ushio's funeral. Thanks to her prior experience with shadows, she too suspects that Ushio's death was no accident and is able to come up with a plan to eliminate Shadow Alan before it can murder Alan.
* Episodes 8 and 9 of ''Anime/TenchiMuyo'' are special episodes to Washu and Sasami respectively: [[spoiler:Episode 8 reveals a chunk of Washu's past and episode 9 reveals the connection between Sasami and Tsunami]].
* Sometimes, ''Manga/TokyoMewMew'' padded out its episode count by recycling scripts for different characters. For example, Minto and Zakuro both got TenMinuteRetirement episodes, Lettuce had an episode about her unrequited FirstLove and Bu-Ling had a SickEpisode that explores her complicated [[PromotionToParent family situation]]. It also occasionally had episodes more or less focused on relatively minor characters -- such as Keiichiro and [[RobotBuddy Masha]].
* ''Webcomic/TowerOfGod'':
** The Knot of Wool OR Competing Fences arc shows a day in the life of Khun Aguero Agnes after the time skip, preparing to scale the next floor of the Tower.
** The FUG arc starts with a typical day of Yeon.
* Chapter 60 of ''Manga/UruseiYatsura'' is about Ran's attempts to seduce Ataru and steal his youth. Lum doesn't appear in the story at all, except for the chapter cover, where she is shown BoundAndGagged in an equipment locker ([[HostileShowTakeover explaining why Ran is able to go after Ataru without any interference]]).
* In the thirteenth episode of both seasons of ''Manga/{{Wagnaria}}'' Matsumoto Maya finally gets actual lines and appearances instead of just showing up in the background occasionally. It turns out she's actively trying to stay uninvolved with her eccentric coworkers, but she's trying so hard to be completely normal that she ends up almost as weird as they are. Still, she's the only one to bother pointing out obvious sensible things instead of turning into a drama queen, such as pointing out that Popura should wait to see if her studies actually suffer before worrying about whether she should quit.
* Makoto from ''Manga/WanderingSon'' was given a few chapters late into the manga dealing with her being transgender. She went out as a girl alone for the first time only to be seen by her crush and friend, Oka, and later [[spoiler:came out to her mom]]. Makoto considered dropping out of school during this arc but didn't.
* The ''Literature/WarriorCats'' manga, which all are days in the limelight. So far, they have been given to [[TheLancer Graystripe]], [[EvilCounterpart Scourge]], [[StrangledByTheRedString Sasha]], [[SixthRanger Ravenpaw]] and soon [=SkyClan=] and Sol.
* ''Manga/WhisperedWords'': Chapter 19 of the manga focused on Tomoe and Miyako.
* ''Anime/YuGiOh'':
** Seto Kaiba got an ''arc'' (half a season) in the limelight -- the Virtual Nightmare Arc that explored his BackStory and featured a face-off with his step-father. Too bad it [[OvertookTheManga didn't happen in the manga]].
** In Duelist Kingdom, there's an episode (also not based on anything in the manga) where Honda, Anzu, and Bakura snoop around Pegasus's castle, nearly break their necks climbing, and [[BigLippedAlligatorMoment ultimately do nothing to advance the plot whatsoever]].
** ''Anime/YuGiOhTheDarkSideOfDimensions'' has Seto Kaiba as the main character of the film, even featuring more prominently in the poster than Yugi. The film also doubles as one of these for Yugi, who is able to step out from under Atem's shadow (and away from his guidance) for the first time since he left.
** Common in ''Anime/YuGiOhGX'': In Season 1, Manjyome got his own episode and an abridged [[TheHerosJourney Heroic Journey]] at the North School. Kaiser got his own episode in Season 2, and Sho stepped into the spotlight once in Season 3.
* Every major girl in ''Manga/YuunaAndTheHauntedHotSprings'' has at least one chapter dedicated to them.
* ''Manga/ZatchBell'' had these episodes from time to time, which usually began with Gash wondering what a particular demon was up to, and cut to said demon doing something interesting. Brago, Ted and Wonrei have had episodes centered around them in this fashion.
[[/folder]]

** The point of the ''Chronicles'' sideseries.

* ''Webcomic/Rain2010: Chapter 38 focuses on Heather and Jess getting closure on the latter's situation with Aiken.

* ''LightNovel/KumaKumaKumaBear'' oftentimes features side-stories which bring the spotlight on characters other than Yuna. One example is the chapter dedicated to Count Cliff Foschurose and his rooting out a [[spoiler:massive fraud and corruption case]] happening with the nobles in his territory.

* ''LightNovel/LoveChunibyoAndOtherDelusions'' has this in its 5-minute ''Lite'' episodes.