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* ''VideoGame/VampireTheMasqueradeBloodlines'': The Malkavian PC knows the answers to questions that haven't been asked yet. He/she even knows she's in a videogame, once complaining that he/she doesn't want to do a mission, "but tell the guy controlling me that."

* In ''Manga/InitialD'', Takeshi Nakazato is introduced defeating several no-name racers with a grip-cornering style as opposed to the flashy drifting style flaunted by every other racer in the series. His reasoning is that, much like in real life, drifting is just for show and has no place in a serious contest of who's faster/fastest. Unfortunately, the series isn't about to deconstruct [[RuleOfCool drifting-as-a-racing-technique]] for him, so despite his best efforts, his grip-style driving proves fruitless against multiple other drift-racing opponents like protagonist Takumi Fujiwara (who drives [[WhatAPieceOfJunk a car considered antiquated]], no less), Akina [=RedSuns=] star Keisuke Fujiwara, and an invading racing team of professionals, Emperor.

* In ''Manga/InitialD'', Takeshi Nakazato is introduced defeating several no-name racers with a grip-cornering style as opposed to the flashy drifting style flaunted by every other racer in the series. His reasoning is that, much like in real life, drifting is just for show and has no place in a serious contest of who's faster/fastest. Unfortunately, the series isn't about to deconstruct [[RuleOfCool drifting-as-a-racing-technique]] for him, so despite his best efforts, he loses to protagonist Takumi Fujiwara (who drives [[WhatAPieceOfJunk a car considered antiquated]], no less) and later to an invading racing team of professionals, Empreror.

* In ''Manga/InitialD'', Takeshi Nakazato is introduced defeating several no-name racers with a grip-cornering style as opposed to the flashy drifting style flaunted by every other racer in the series. His reasoning is that, much like in real life, drifting is just for show and has no place in a serious contest of who's faster/fastest. Unfortunately, the series isn't about to deconstruct [[RuleOfCool drifting-as-a-racing-technique]] for him, so despite his best efforts, he loses to protagonist Takumi Fujiwara (who drives [[WhatAPieceOfJunk a car considered antiquated]], no less) and later to an invading racing team of pros, Empreror.

* In ''Manga/InitialD'', Takeshi Nakazato is introduced defeating several no-name racers with a grip-cornering style as opposed to the flashy drifting style flaunted by every other racer in the series. His reasoning is that, much like in real life, drifting is just for show and has no place in a serious contest of who's faster/fastest. Unfortunately, the series isn't about to deconstruct [[RuleOfCool drifting-as-a-racing-technique]] for him, so despite his best efforts, he loses to protagonist Takumi Fujiwara (in [[WhatAPieceOfJunk a car considered antiquated]], no less) and later to an invading racing team of pros, Empreror.

* In ''Manga/InitialD'', Takeshi Nakazato is introduced defeating several no-name racers with a grip-cornering style as opposed to the flashy drifting style flaunted by every other racer in the series. His reasoning is that, much like in real life, drifting is just for show and has no place in a serious contest of who's faster/fastest. Unfortunately, the series isn't about to deconstruct [[RuleOfCool drifting-as-a-racing-technique]] for him, so despite his best efforts, he loses to protagonist Takumi Fujiwara (in [[WhatAPieceOfJunk a car considered antiquated]], no less) and later to an invading racing team, Empreror.

* In ''Manga/InitialD'', Takeshi Nakazato is introduced defeating several no-name racers with a grip-cornering style as opposed to the flashy drifting style flaunted by every other racer in the series. His reasoning is that, much like in real life, drifting is just for show and has no place in a serious contest of who's faster/fastest. Unfortunately, the series isn't about to deconstruct drifting-as-a-racing-technique for him, so despite his best efforts, he loses to protagonist Takumi Fujiwara (in [[WhatAPieceOfJunk a car considered antiquated]], no less) and later to an invading racing team, Empreror.

* In ''Manga/InitialD'', Takeshi Nakazato is introduced defeating several no-name racers with a grip-cornering style as opposed to the flashy drifting style flaunted by every other racer in the series. His reasoning is that, much like in real life, drifting is just for show and has no place in a serious contest of who's faster/fastest. Unfortunately, the series isn't about to deconstruct drifting for him, so despite his best efforts, he loses to protagonist Takumi Fujiwara (in [[WhatAPieceOfJunk a car considered antiquated]], no less) and later to an invading racing team, Empreror.

* Carol and Gustav St. Germain serve this role in ''LightNovel/{{Baccano}}''. Conversation topics include: [[JigsawPuzzlePlot where]] [[AnachronicOrder is the story supposed to start]], [[LoadsAndLoadsOfCharacters who exactly is]] [[DecoyProtagonist the main character of the series]] and whether or not the [[LeftHanging loose thread]] about [[spoiler:Dallas's missing body]] is a blatant sequel hook.

* Crispin Hayward from ''Roleplay/DawnOfANewAgeOldportBlues''. His book is titled ''Dawn of a New Age'', and its plot is strikingly similar to the actual events of the roleplay. He makes some other tongue-in-cheek remarks that could apply to the RP, such as the difficulty of having [[LoadsAndLoadsOfCharacters too many protagonists]].

* Speaking of Deadpool, there's ComicBook/{{Gwenpool}}, who started off as a popular variant cover gag and ended up as another fourth-wall breaker. The difference is that she's less [[MemeticMutation LOL Memes]] and more of a GenreSavvy AscendedFangirl, relying on storytelling conventions and her encyclopedic comic book knowledge to make up for her lack of powers.
* Sometimes, particularly when Creator/JohnByrne is writing, the ComicBook/SheHulk will take this role.
* As will ComicBook/SquirrelGirl (once claiming that it was okay to break the fourth wall in recap pages, another time actually being interrupted during a recap) and her two squirrel partners, Monkey Joe and Tippy Toe.
* Keith Giffen's ComicBook/AmbushBug was one of the first characters to do this, [[OlderThanTheyThink making this older than they think.]]
* Matthew the Raven, from ''ComicBook/TheSandman'', was noted by the author as serving as a sort of mouthpiece for the audience, frequently questioning the actions of other characters who went outside the bounds of real-world common sense.
* Franchise/{{Batman}}'s nemesis ComicBook/TheJoker has played this role to an extent some times. One issue even had him directly addressing the audience at the start while recapping the events of the previous issue. It is apparently a canon fact that the Joker is so crazy that he's actually aware of practically everything having to do with the DCU, including events of stories that [[{{Retcon}} haven't happened anymore]] and, conceivably, the fact that it's all just comic books. It's described on multiple occasions as "supersanity." The disturbing part is that this could explain the Joker's behavior in the first place; it's possible that he's a psychotic killer because ''he knows his actions don't matter.'' Nobody he hurts is real. He's beyond solipsism... and ''he's right''. In fact, the more atrocities he commits, the more comics he appears in!
* Franchise/SpiderMan is a more "classical" type, as he often comments on the unlikely events of the plot, how his actions go against rationality, and makes pop culture references, but he's still completely unaware of the FourthWall. [[DependingOnTheWriter Usually]] [[WesternAnimation/UltimateSpiderMan anyway]].
* ComicBook/{{Empowered}} regularly breaks the fourth wall when she appears in the title pages of stories; Ninjette and [=ThugBoy=] get confused when they appear and have no idea who she's talking to.
* ''ComicBook/AnimalMan'' is an example of this trope being played mostly for drama. He was less than happy when he realized that he was a fictional character and side characters made the same realization with [[GoMadFromTheRevelation worse reactions.]]

* [[Franchise/{{Superman}} Mr. Mxyzptlk]] often gets portrayed this way in the modern era.

* In a limited sense, both ComicBook/{{Darkseid}} and ComicBook/{{Brainiac}} have shown to be unaffected by the events of either ''ComicBook/CrisisOnInfiniteEarths'' and ''ComicBook/{{Flashpoint}}''

* A FourthWall-preserving example: In ''Webcomic/GunnerkriggCourt'', the [[SomethingCompletelyDifferent utter silliness]] of Dr. Disaster's space battle [[HardLight simulation]] breaks Antimony's WillingSuspensionOfDisbelief like a twig, amplifying her [[DeadpanSnarker latent snark]] until she's a [[LampshadeHanging lampshade-hanging]] killjoy. At Kat's insistence, she eventually takes the MST3KMantra to heart and starts having fun, but this doesn't stop her from noticing {{plot hole}}s and questioning the use of {{one liner}}s.

* A FourthWall-preserving example: In ''Webcomic/GunnerkriggCourt'', the [[SomethingCompletelyDifferent utter silliness]] of Dr. Disaster's space battle [[HardLight simulation]] breaks Antimony's WillingSuspensionOfDisbelief like a twig, amplifying her [[DeadpanSnarker latent snark]] until she's a [[LampshadeHanging lampshade-hanging]] [[TVTropesWillRuinYourLife killjoy]]. At Kat's insistence, she eventually takes the MST3KMantra to heart and starts having fun, but this doesn't stop her from noticing {{plot hole}}s and questioning the use of {{one liner}}s.

* ComicBook/SheHulk turned into this when her comic book was retooled to be DenserAndWackier, especially with her famous [[WhoWritesThisCrap rants against Stan Lee]].

** Chisame the computer geek. Ironic since she herself is just as weird as any of the other characters, and getting weirder -- the more she struggles to stay normal, the more bizarre stuff happens. Up to the point she becomes a semi-MagicalGirl, whereupon she gives up on the reality she knew and dives headfirst into the abnormal, and gives up the Meta Guy thing except in extreme cases. Such as [[CrazyAwesome Jack Rakan]].
** Rakan himself occasionally acts as a Meta Guy, especially in [[CallingYourAttacks combat]] [[FinishingMove situations]]. And everyone towards [[CrazyAwesome Jack Rakan]], because everyone realizes from the get-go that he's an outrageously broken video-game character.

* Sometimes, particularly when John Byrne is writing, the ComicBook/SheHulk will take this role.

There are two types of Meta Guy: a [[GeniusDitz bumbling idiot]] who has no idea of what they're saying (or at least, not the deeper implications), or a DeadpanSnarker who goes out of their way to [[WhatCouldPossiblyGoWrong point out flaws in each plan]]. While a Type A Meta Guy (typically wearing [[RedShirt already blood-colored attire]]) would say something like, "I don't get this plan! It looks like I'd get [[ArsonMurderAndJaywalking mutilated/executed/a nasty paper cut]]" etc., a Type B in a similar situation might say, "Are you sure this is a good idea? I don't get out much", alluding not only to their situation but the fact that they've actually considered not coming back.

Very common in [[TheParody parodies]]. Not to be confused with Meta Knight from the ''Franchise/{{Kirby}}'' series of video games.

* ''Manga/MahouSenseiNegima'':

* [[LittleMissSnarker Ruri]] from Anime/MartianSuccessorNadesico has commenting on the ridiculousness of the series (and the way the characters in it behave) as a huge part of her role.

* [[{{Superman}} Mr. Mxyzptlk]] often gets portrayed this way in the modern era.

* ''FanFic/PinkieTales'' has Applejack of all ponies in this role, as she often breaks character to point out various oddities, like how her "mother" Mrs. Sparkle doesn't just use her Alicorn Magic to help out in the ''Applejack and the Beanstalk'', despite clearly being an Alicorn or that part of the Beanstalk conveniently spirals around it like a ramp, or how Pinkie pretends like they are complete strangers, despite the fact that she obviously knows who Applejack is.

* This describes Guy to a G in ''Film/GalaxyQuest''. It comes with being an AffectionateParody of ''Franchise/StarTrek.''

* ''VideoGame/SuperSmashBros''
** [[VideoGame/MetalGear Snake]], one of ''VideoGame/SuperSmashBros Brawl'''s third-party characters, plays this trope fully. His mission briefings usually consist of his complete boggling of how incredibly strange the Nintendo universe actually is. Given that he's the only character whose home franchise is remotely grounded in reality (and then it's borderline NoFourthWall), it fits him quite well.

* [[{{ButtMonkey}} Conrad Verner]] of the ''Franchise/MassEffect'' series manages to be ''both types at the same time.''

* ''Videogame/{{OFF}}'' gives us Zacharie who [[UpToEleven overkills this trope]] throughout the whole game. To give an example of his MediumAwareness, your first encounter with him has him [[LampshadeHanging describing]] himself as a merchant required in every video game.

[[folder:Web Comics]]

This is often the gag involved in a BokeAndTsukkomiRoutine, where the tsukkomi plays Meta Guy. The key to being a subtle Meta Guy seems to be skepticism built on natural cynicism, rather than actually being aware of the FourthWall. The latter takes the character one step further to become a FourthWallObserver.

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* Everyone in ''Webcomic/TheOrderOfTheStick'' does this from time to time. The kobold oracle does it all the time. Elan is probably the most notable example within the order. [[GenreSavvy Recognizing story tropes]] is his only form of useful intelligence, and after he takes [[TookALevelInBadass a level in Dashing Swordsman]], he derives his new powers from adventure tropes.