History Main / ClassicalAntihero

* Kazuma Satou from ''Literature/KonoSuba'' only wants to have an easy, comfortable life in the [=RPG=]-style world he finds himself in. He has no interest in defeating the [[BigBad Demon Lord]] and even treats his own teammates as liabilities than assets. That said, he does care about his friends in his own way and when push comes to shove, he will do the right thing. His teammates also qualify to varying degrees.

* Tails in ''VideoGame/SonicTheHedgehog'', particularly around the Dreamcast era. Whereas Sonic is self-assured, confident, and a bit on the cocky, egotistical side, Tails is more restrained and uncertain whether or not he should defer to Sonic's heroism to solve a problem. He usually finds the strength and willpower to face the challenge alone but he frequently has to talk himself into the heroics whereas Sonic jumps in feet first with no second thoughts.

* Ichika Orimura from ''LightNovel/InfiniteStratos'' is brave, honest, quick to forgive, always wants to see the good in people and puts the needs of his friends above his own. Unfortunately, he isn't very bright, always jumps into conclusions and gets his ass kicked on a regular basis. His attempts to save his friends usually end with his friends saving ''him'' instead.

In Myth/{{classical|Mythology}} and earlier mythology, the hero tended to be a [[TheAce dashing, confident, stoic, intelligent, highly capable fighter and commander with few, if any, flaws]] [[InvincibleHero and even fewer real weaknesses]]. The classical antihero is the inversion of this. Where the hero is confident, the antihero is plagued by self-doubt. Where the hero is a respected fighter, the antihero is mediocre at best. Where the hero is brave and courageous, the antihero is frightened and cowardly. Where the hero gets all the ladies, the antihero can't even get the time of day.

* The next reboot, ''Film/SpiderManHomecoming,'' has him make mistakes so constantly that half his heroic actions in the film seem to be damage control for crises he himself created.

* ''Literature/{{Technomancer}}'' by MK Gibson: Salem really doesn't want to be TheHero. He is lazy, irreverant, and concerned only with making enough money to get through the day. He actually has a DarkAndTroubled Past that he's running away from and the above is just a cover.

* Kazuma Satou from ''LightNovel/KonoSubarashiiSekaiNiShukufukuO'' only wants to have an easy, comfortable life in the [=RPG=]-style world he finds himself in. He has no interest in defeating the [[BigBad Demon Lord]] and even treats his own teammates as liabilities than assets. That said, he does care about his friends in his own way and when push comes to shove, he will do the right thing. His teammates also qualify to varying degrees.

* Short, chubby, and no small amount a crybaby, Haruyuki Arita doesn't start out ''LightNovel/AccelWorld'' as anybody's idea of a hero. But by the end of the Dusk Taker arc, he is more than capable of dropping a villain like a bad habit.

* Usagi Tsukino from ''Manga/SailorMoon'' is lazy, clumsy, cowardly, overemotional, ditzy, and BookDumb; but she is essentially a girl of good heart and IncorruptiblePurePureness. She grows into a stronger heroine as time goes on, although she continues to be a slacker in school.

* ''WebVideo/MatthewSantoro'': [[{{Nerd}} Eugene]], the clone of Matthew. Due to his clumsiness when [[PragmaticHero Matthew]] sends him to sneak into the research facility to steal the antimatter so it won't destroy the world, he [[spoiler: accidentally drops the jar of antimatter, killing him and Matthew]].

* Every main character in ''Machinima/RedVsBlue'' qualifies on a comedic level, but a dramatic example exists in Leonard Church, who is a hilariously bad shot, can't seem to accomplish anything, and, in particular, constantly fails in what seems to be the only driving force in his life: being with his ex-girlfriend, Tex.

* Gordon Freeman in ''Machinima/HalfLifeButTheAIIsSelfAware'' starts out as a comedic variant, but as the events of the series gradually cause him to go insane, he becomes a dramatic example, eventually graduating into an UnscrupulousHero after snapping completely and giving in to his [[BloodKnight violent nature.]]

--->-- '''David Mann''', ''Spider-Man Was Never Just the "Loveable Loser"'' Fri, 2 May 2014, [[https://web.archive.org/web/20200117195551/http://sequart.org:80/magazine/42314/spider-man-was-never-just-the-“loveable-loser”/ Sequart Organization]]

--->-- '''David Mann''', ''Spider-Man Was Never Just the "Loveable Loser"'' Fri, 2 May 2014, [[https://web.archive.org/web/20200929144631/http://sequart.org/magazine/42314/spider-man-was-never-just-the-%E2%80%9Cloveable-loser%E2%80%9D/ Sequart Organization]]

--->-- '''David Mann''', ''Spider-Man Was Never Just the "Loveable Loser"'' Fri, 2 May 2014, [[https://web.archive.org/web/20200117195551/http://sequart.org/magazine/42314/spider-man-was-never-just-the-“loveable-loser”/ Sequart Organization]]

--->-- '''David Mann''', ''Spider-Man Was Never Just the "Loveable Loser"'' Fri, 2 May 2014, [[http://sequart.org/magazine/42314/spider-man-was-never-just-the-%e2%80%9cloveable-loser%e2%80%9d/ Sequart Organization]]

* In ''Manga/DemonSlayerKimetsuNoYaiba'', contrasting heavily with the all-loving protagonist Tanjiro Kamado, Zenitsu Agatsuma starts the series with his introduction showing just how flawed he is: a desperate womanizer, whiny and loud coward, but at the same making sure to show a glimpse of how much of a good person is underneath that unpleasant exterior. That sets the tone of Zenitsu's journey being explicitly about self-improvement by growing into a more ideal hero while he assists the main hero Tanjiro whose goal is the grander scheme of curing his turned-demon sister and take down the demon that ruined his life by killing his family, the progenitor and leader of all demons Muzan Kibutsuji, which is the goal of the entire Demon Slayer Corps, the endgame of the whole series itself.

* Kratos in ''VideoGame/GodOfWarPS4'' has [[OlderAndWiser matured]] from a NinetiesAntiHero into this after [[LoveRedeems starting a family]] and reflecting on how much his RoaringRampageOfRevenge created many, many more problems than it solved; he's become a far calmer and nicer individual, but one with a laser-like focus on his personal affairs and avoiding getting enmeshed in the world, preferring instead to repair his relationship with his son Atreus instead of starting another apocalyptic war (which he ends up [[ForegoneConclusion getting involved with]] anyway despite his best efforts).

* Shigeo Kageyama from ''Manga/MobPsycho100'' is very much this - he's lackluster in most mundane aspects of life; starts the series incredibly out of shape; and his strongest attribute, his incredible psychic power, is something he fears and tries to avoid using. He's shy, unsure of himself, emotionally fragile, and often relies on others for emotional support. However, he's also dedicated to self-improvement, inspires a number of other people around him, and is the strongest psychic in the setting so far.

* Shigeo Kageyama from ''Manga/MobPsycho100'' is very much this - he's lackluster in most mundane aspects of life; starts the series incredibly out of shape; and his strongest attribute, his incredible psychic power, is something he fears and tries to avoid using. He's shy, unsure of himself, emotionally fragile, and often relies on others for emotional support. However, he's also dedicated to self-improvement, inspires a number of other people around him, and is the strongest psychic in the setting so far.

[[folder:Webcomics]]
%%Administrivia.ZeroContextExample* ''Webcomic/MegaTokyo'''s Piro probably fits. He's getting better, though.

* Cherry from [[Webcomic/CherrysCure Cherry's Cure]] has physical limitations, is slow mentally, and knows all of these things. But is still the hero of the story. She's convinced she can't do what's asked of her, but needs to.

-->''"In the earliest material, Peter Parker was a ''dick'', [[UnbuiltTrope and that went on long after the mugger got turned in]]. His immediate response after Ben was killed? [[AngstWhatAngst Keep on going with the show business]] until Jameson starts going after him. His first couple saves are at least in part about [[ItsAllAboutMe His Good Name]]...and even once he starts going after criminals on [[OnlyInItForTheMoney a consistent basis it's initially only for photography money]]. He [[WhatAnIdiot takes stupid chances]]. He's desperate for cash...[[ProtagonistCenteredMorality He fakes pictures of Sandman and Electro with the flimsiest of moral justifications]]. He's got a chip on his shoulder the size of Queens and [[HotBlooded can barely begin to control his temper]]. He'll lash out at people on suspicion or anger alone, and in some early stories he just plain gave up or ran away until he learned his lesson or circumstances changed...[[JerkassWoobie and even if we can't blame him with all he goes through, he's often far afield of anything resembling ''likeable'']]...[[CharacterDevelopment But he changes]], [[TookALevelInKindness so completely]] many seem to forget [[BigGood he was ever anything other than the official co-saint]] of the Franchise/MarvelUniverse alongside [[ComicBook/CaptainAmerica Steve Rogers]]...He grows, he shifts, he learns lessons [[AesopAmnesia and forgets them]] and [[TheDeterminator falls and picks himself back up]], and he never stops pushing forward. He takes on the responsibility of becoming the Man he claims to be, that others need him to be, [[ReluctantHero even if he doesn't consciously realize it at first]]...that's what makes him [[TheEveryman an everyman]] we can all relate to, because [[HumansAreFlawed no one ever stops growing up]]. It's what differentiates him, makes him real, compared to Superman or Batman or the FF or Captain America."''