History Main / SensitiveGuyandManlyMan

* ''WesternAnimation/{{Tarzan}}'': As unbelievable as it sounds, the titular king of the jungle is the sensitive guy to Clayton’s manly man. The former is smooth, slender, and noticeably prettier than the hairy, hulking, rugged hunter.

* In ''Literature/CalebWilliams'', Falkland is the Sensitive Guy to Tyrrel’s Manly Man. Manly Tyrrel is furious at being unseated by "this Frenchified rascal."

* ''Series/ChoujuuSentaiLiveman'' [[ThreePlusTwo gains a duo who fit this trope mid-season]]: [[TheLancer Tetsuya Yano/Black Bison]] and [[KidAppealCharacter Jun’ichi Aikawa/Green Sai]] (Rhino). Tetsuya is overall more tough and more stoic than Jun'ichi, and is shown practicing boxing in the opening credits. Jun’ichi, the youngest of the Livemen and still in high school, is generally more “heart on his sleeve” and appears more emotionally invested in the scenarios that Brain Army Volt cooks up. When he becomes a [[MrSeahorse host]] for a [[MonsterOfTheWeek Brain Beast’s]] offspring in one episode, he even eventually becomes (emotionally) attached to the progeny. When Tetsuya first refers to Jun’ichi, he describes him as his like his “little brother”, while Jun’ichi always calls Tetsuya "Tet-chan"; "-chan" being a Japanese honorific suffix indicating strong affection. To symbolize their bond in a fairly literal way, their respective mechs Bison Liner and [[AwesomeMcCoolname Sai Fire]] combine into the giant robot [[CombiningMecha Live Boxer]].

* In ''VisualNovel/{{Melody}}'', this seems to have been the dynamic of the protagonist's and Tim’s friendship (the protagonist being the sensitive guy, and Tim the manly man).

* [[BoisterousBruiser Brash, energetic]] [[OurPresidentsAreDifferent boxer and judoka]] UsefulNotes/TheodoreRoosevelt and [[BigFun genial, relaxed,]] and deliberative UsefulNotes/WilliamHowardTaft. Though they did have [[BadassMustache one thing]] that united them.

** Adding on to this, the main characters generally form two pairs for who is sensitive and manly respectively. ZigZagged, considering all of them have both masculine and sensitive traits. Stan is an animal lover and usually prefers making peace rather than fighting while Kyle holds the highest morals in the group and is generally the most compassionate of his friends ([[HairTriggerTemper although he has one hell of a temper]]) (Sensitive Guys). On the other hand, Cartman (despite his fondness for tea parties) is forceful, aggressive, and sadistic as mentioned above while Kenny is primarily interested in sex and drugs and perhaps has been seen crying the least among his friends (Manly Men). Kenny did crossdress as a princess a few times though. Within those specific pairs, Stan (Sensitive) is much less willing to get confrontational about things while Kyle (Manly) is pretty hot-headed, and Kenny (Sensitive) is laid-back, good-natured and heroic [[spoiler: in form of Mysterion]] while Cartman (Manly) is a sociopathic VillainProtagonist. While Stan is the most sensitive from the main boys, he is the only one of them who never crossdressed, is good at sports and occasionally acts as the TeamDad. Butters tends to be the Sensitive Guy to the rest of the main characters in general.

* Power Ring and Deathstorm in ''ComicBook/ForeverEvil''. Power Ring is a huge coward that hides behind his RingOfPower while Deathstorm is a stoic that calms Power Ring when he gets scared.

* [[WebVideo/UnusAnnus|Unus Annus]]'s two co-hosts fell under this trope in the majority of their videos. Mark Fischbach, a bold, muscular, and loud man who was never afraid to experience pain contrasted quite heavily with Ethan Nestor, a slender, soft-spoken, and often dorky man who was frequently the target of Mark's mockery.

** Adding on to this, the main characters generally form two pairs for who is sensitive and manly respectively. Stan is an animal lover and usually prefers making peace rather than fighting while Kyle holds the highest morals in the group and is generally the most compassionate of his friends ([[HairTriggerTemper although he has one hell of a temper]]) (Sensitive Guys). On the other hand, Cartman (despite his fondness for tea parties) is forceful, aggressive, and sadistic as mentioned above while Kenny is primarily interested in sex and drugs and perhaps has been seen crying the least among his friends (Manly Men). Within those specific pairs, Stan (Sensitive) is much less willing to get confrontational about things while Kyle (Manly) is pretty hot-headed, and Kenny (Sensitive) is laid-back, good-natured and heroic [[spoiler: in form of Mysterion]] while Cartman (Manly) is a sociopathic VillainProtagonist. Butters tends to be the Sensitive Guy to the rest of the main characters in general.

* ''WebAnimation/CampCamp'' gives us the adorable (if [[AdolfHitlarious a bit eerily similar physically to a certain notorious world leader]]) Dolph, who loves art and less-manly things. The episode "Parents' Day" introduces us to [[LikeFatherUnlikeSon his father]], traditionally masculine Army Lieutenant Stuart Houston, [[WhyCouldn'tYouBeDifferent? who's embarrassed by his son's interests.]]

* ''WebAnimation/CampCamp'' gives us the adorable (if [[AdolfHitlarious a bit eerily similar physically to a certain notorious world leader]]) Dolph, who loves art and less-manly things. The episode "Parents' Day" introduces us to [[LikeFatherUnlikeSon his father]], traditionally masculine Army Lieutenant Stuart Houston, [[WhyCouldn'tYouBeDifferent who's embarrassed by his son's interests.]]

** Manga/JojosBizarreAdventureDiamondIsUnbreakable reverses the pattern set by the two previous parts by having its main character, Josuke Higashikata, be an [[Main/Adorkable adorkable]] Main/AllLovingHero with the power to [[Main/HealingHands heal]]. His best friend Okuyasu Nijimura, however, is a [[Main/DumbMuscle dimwitted brute]] with a stand that can do nothing but [[Main/PowerOfTheVoid destroy things]].

** Manga/JojosBizarreAdventureDiamondIsUnbreakable reverses the pattern set by the two previous parts by having its main character, Josuke Higashikata, be an Main/Adorkable Main/AllLovingHero with the power to [[Main/HealingHands heal]]. His best friend Okuyasu Nijimura, however, is a [[Main/DumbMuscle dimwitted brute]] with a stand that can do nothing but [[Main/PowerOfTheVoid destroy things]].

There are two types of sensitive guys and two types of manly men, depending on their degree of masculinity vs. femininity:

* Types of sensitive guys:
** '''Type 1: Tomgirl''': This type of sensitive guy is fairly feminine, but not overly "feminine" nor overly masculine either. Most of his qualities and interests are feminine, but also has some masculine qualities and interests as well, and is still easily identifiable as a boy, and some of the clothes he wears are feminine while most of the clothes he wears are what other boys typically wear, and if he's good at sports, he plays sports that are not typically considered "manly", such as golf, tennis, and volleyball. He can be straight, gay, or bisexual, but is usually straight. Acts as a counterpart to the Moderate GirlyGirl.
** '''Type 2: Sissy''': This type of sensitive guy is very feminine, to the point of actually being "girly", and has lots of feminine interests. He wears makeup and clothes that only girls would typically wear, and is usually not good at sports at all (other than perhaps dance sports). He can be straight, gay, or bisexual, but is usually gay. Acts as a counterpart to the Proper GirlyGirl.
* Types of manly men:
** '''Type 1: Extreme Macho Manly Man''': This type of manly man is ''very'' manly, and tends to have a strong disliking for anything that is considered "feminine". Acts as a counterpart to the Butch {{Tomboy}}.
** '''Type 2: Moderate Manly Man''': This type of manly man is gender-neutral, fairly masculine, but not overly manly. Most of his qualities and interests are traditionally masculine, although he may also have a few "feminine" qualities and interests as well. Acts as a counterpart to the Effeminate {{Tomboy}}.

Between the two types of sensitive guys, the tomgirl is considered somewhat more socially acceptable than the extremely girly sissy. Keep in mind that our views of gender have actually changed over time, and some traits which now might be considered masculine or feminine, actually weren't in the past, so this is mostly only valid for modern characters. Also, people are different and even characters who are unquestionably "manly" [[RealMenWearPink might have a few of these traits]]. Like Tomboys, Tomgirls aren't necessarily gay, they're split into three types, such as straight, gay, and bisexual. More often than not, however, tomgirls are usually straight. Sissies, however, more often than not, are usually gay. Also like when the media, more often than not, usually portrays the type 2 effeminate tomboy as the "better" type of tomboy, they more often than not usually portray the type 1 tomgirl as the "better" type of sensitive guy.

* ''Series/ChoujuuSentaiLiveman'' [[ThreePlusTwo gains a duo who fit this trope mid-season]][[TheLancer Tetsuya Yano/Black Bison]] and [[KidAppealCharacter Jun’ichi Aikawa/Green Sai]] (Rhino). Tetsuya is overall more tough and more stoic than Jun'ichi, and is shown practicing boxing in the opening credits. Jun’ichi, the youngest of the Livemen and still in high school, is generally more “heart on his sleeve” and appears more emotionally invested in the scenarios that Brain Army Volt cooks up. When he becomes a [[MrSeahorse host]] for a [[MonsterOfTheWeek Brain Beast’s]] offspring in one episode, he even eventually becomes (emotionally) attached to the progeny. When Tetsuya first refers to Jun’ichi, he describes him as his like his “little brother”, while Jun’ichi always calls Tetsuya "Tet-chan"; "-chan" being a Japanese honorific suffix indicating strong affection. To symbolize their bond in a fairly literal way, their respective mechs Bison Liner and [[AwesomeMcCoolname Sai Fire]] combine into the giant robot [[CombiningMecha Live Boxer]].

* ''Series/ChoujuuSentaiLiveman'' gains a duo who fit this trope mid-season: [[TheLancer Tetsuya Yano/Black Bison]] and [[KidAppealCharacter Jun’ichi Aikawa/Green Sai]] (Rhino). Tetsuya is overall more tough and more stoic than Jun'ichi, and is shown practicing boxing in the opening credits. Jun’ichi, the youngest of the Livemen and still in high school, is generally more “heart on his sleeve” and appears more emotionally invested in the scenarios that Brain Army Volt cooks up. When he becomes a [[MrSeahorse host]] for a [[MonsterOfTheWeek Brain Beast’s]] offspring in one episode, he even eventually becomes (emotionally) attached to the progeny. When Tetsuya first refers to Jun’ichi, he describes him as his like his “little brother”, while Jun’ichi always calls Tetsuya "Tet-chan"; "-chan" being a Japanese honorific suffix indicating strong affection. To symbolize their bond in a fairly literal way, their respective mechs Bison Liner and [[AwesomeMcCoolname Sai Fire]] combine into the giant robot [[CombiningMecha Live Boxer]].

* ''WesternAnimation/TheDragonPrince'' has this with Soren (manly) and Callum (sensitive). Soren is tall, buff, great at swordfighting and other physical activity, brash in personality, and in many ways a stereotypical jock. Meanwhile, Callum is physically much smaller, rather clumsy, harbors a love for "cute" things, and much prefers art to any sort of fighting. In contrast with Soren's brashness, Callum is sweet, empathetic, and optimistic, as well as also startling easily; overall he has no inhibition towards openly showing emotion (including tears.)

[[folder:Comics]]

* The two main boy characters in the syndicated strip ''Wallace the Brave''. The title character is a FearlessFool daredevil, while best friend Spud is a NervousWreck.

* KindheartedSimpleton Kenneth Parcell and FratBro Tracy Jordan in ''Series/ThirtyRock''.

* ''Anime/{{K}}'' has Shiro and Kuroh. Shiro is a NonActionGuy who carries a ParasolOfPrettiness and is incredibly {{Moe}}. Kuroh is a swordsman who is the most powerful fighter in the series other than Kings, whose supernatural powers make them unbeatable except by other Kings (even [[spoiler: Shiro]]). Played with in that Kuroh cooks for their team, but he doesn't consider that to be a gendered trait - the body requires sustenance, after all. He learned cooking from the same person who taught him sword-fighting, [[CrazyPrepared helicopter piloting]], poetry, and everything else a proper [[PastRightNow vassal to a king]] should know. As for HoYay, that ship is pretty much canon.

* Sensitive Eagle Vision and Manly Lantis from ''Manga/MagicKnightRayearth''.
* Akito and [[HotBlooded Gai]] from ''Anime/MartianSuccessorNadesico''.

* From ''Manga/{{Monster}}'', Roberto is [[ImplacableMan burly]], [[BloodKnight loves to fight]], and is generally [[RatedMForManly as manly can be]]. Johan is [[EvilIsSexy beautiful]], [[WickedCultured well-read and highly intellectual]], and [[spoiler:[[CreepyCrossdresser far more in touch with his feminine side]]]]. Why do they even associate with each other? Johan likes to [[TheDragon make use of Roberto's muscle]] to kill people and ruin their lives during those pesky times when he's too busy [[MindRape driving small children]] [[spoiler:or his sister]] [[HannibalLecture to nearly kill themselves]] or otherwise [[ForTheEvulz proving why he's been compared to both Hitler and the Antichrist]], while Roberto is [[PsychoSupporter completely]] [[HoYay in love]] with Johan.
* Nozaki of ''Manga/MonthlyGirlsNozakiKun'' is the manly man who gives his advice and support (with, admittedly, mixed results) to the sensitive and naive Wakamatsu, who has been Nozaki's underclassman since middle school.

* ''Film/TheFifthElement'': Corbin Dallas is a tough ex-soldier, while his sometimes-sidekick Ruby Rhod is a campy Lothario.
* ''Murder By Numbers'' has Richard Haywood and Justin Pendleton. Richie's a blond-haired, popular, swaggering womanizer (though with a metrosexual streak a mile wide) who seems to be mostly interested in sex, money, showing off, and driving his Mustang. Justin's big on literature and being [[Creator/FriedrichNietzsche Nietzsche]], and is [[TheShortGuyWithGlasses smaller, far smarter, and occasionally wears glasses.]] They have an... odd friendship, possibly forged on the exclusive basis of [[TeensAreMonsters being evil]] and [[HoYay having immense amounts of sexual tension.]]
* ''Film/{{Stargate}}'': Col. Jack O'Neill is a gruff soldier, while Dr. Daniel Jackson is a sensitive scholar. Together, they fight aliens.
* ''Film/TheRock'': Goodspeed is sensitive and fairly meek, while Mason is a cavalier and irreverent spy.
* Played with in ''Film/TheOtherGuys''. At first, it looks like ExtremeDoormat Allen (Will Ferrell) is the sensitive one and cynical Terry who wants to be TheHero (Creator/MarkWahlberg) is the manly one. But then again, Allen is the ladies' man with anger management issues while Terry is the one who knows ballet and how to play the harp (which he insists he learned as a kid in order to make fun of the sensitive guys who actually liked that stuff).

* Peter Highman (Creator/RobertDowneyJr) and Ethan Tremblay (Creator/ZachGalifianakis) from the movie, ''Film/DueDate''. The former is short-tempered and mostly has a no-nonsense serious attitude, while the latter is soft-spoken, emotional, and childlike in comparison.
* Serge and François in ''Les Roseaux sauvages'' (''Wild Reeds''). Serge: he's good at math and bad at French, he's macho, good at sports, into girls, and he's a country lad who wants to work on his parents' farm. François: he's good at French and bad at math, he's quiet, he has a heart condition that means he can't play sports, he's into film and literature, his best friend's a girl, he introduces Serge to the Big City (Toulouse, in this case) and he's into guys. François falls in love with Serge, who cannot reciprocate.
* Comes up in ''Trevor''. Thirteen-year-old Trevor likes Diana Ross, musical theatre, and writing in his diary. He falls in unrequited love with the star of the intermediate baseball team.

* ''Film/VictorFrankenstein'': Igor's gentle and docile nature juxtaposes Victor's more brusque and domineering personality. Whenever they have a disagreement, Igor tends to cave in to Victor's demands, but it's part of the former's CharacterDevelopment to eventually learn to stand up to his overbearing friend. Igor is shown to be very caring and romantic during his courtship of Lorelei, but Victor considers the couple's relationship to be a harmful distraction to their scientific work. When Inspector Turpin threatens Victor and Igor with a gun in Victor's basement, an unarmed Victor is able to fight back and even manages to [[spoiler:cripple Turpin when the latter loses his hand]]. The non-violent Igor, meanwhile, keeps his distance as he shouts out Victor's name in order to stop his friend from going too far (injuring a police officer is bad enough, and Igor certainly doesn't want Victor to become a cop killer).
* In ''Film/TenThingsIHateAboutYou'', Cameron is sweet and delicate, whilst Patrick is an intimidating bad boy.
* In ''Film/TheDouble'', Simon is shy and reserved, while James gets into fights and probably sleeps with half of the women in the movie.
* ''Film/CarlitosWay'': Kleinfeld is a nervous, insecure, whiny AmoralAttorney who's a cocaine addict. Carlito is a gangster through-and-through, stoic and dashing. Deconstructed [[spoiler: when Kleinfeld's insecurities cause him to sell Carlito out]].

* ''Literature/TheBible'':
** Jacob and his brother Esau make this trope OlderThanFeudalism.
** CainAndAbel, too.

* In ''Literature/EnochArden,'' Philip and Enoch are this respectively, though neither is a caricature. Enoch is described as a bold and dashing sailor, confident, and physically strong (but not reckless, and a caring family man). Philip cries more easily as a boy, and in his [[RomancingTheWidow courtship of Annie]] he is very gentle and sensitive to her feelings (but he also works hard in his mill, and he bottles up his feelings for years after Annie marries Enoch).

* Dashing GentlemanThief Literature/{{Raffles}} and his CowardlySidekick Bunny are this: Raffles is athletic, macho and aloof, whereas Bunny is emotional, naive and serves as TheConscience for the duo.

* Nick and Alan in ''Literature/TheDemonsLexicon'' by Sarah Rees Brennan. Since they're brothers it also makes them a case of SiblingYinYang.

* ''Literature/TheHardyBoys'' books use this for Frank and Joe. Frank is the more intellectual, cool-headed brother who likes art, literature, and strategy. Joe is the athletic hot-headed sports-fan who likes to charge in headfirst. While this only showed up in faint traces in earlier books, in more recent series, after a small bit of Flanderization, it's become much more prominent, with the boys actually arguing about which is the better tactic when it comes to solving a case.
* In ''Literature/TheHungerGames'' Katniss begins to see potential loves interests in two guys, Peeta, the baker's son who decorates the cakes and Gale, her hunting partner. Gale is angry with the Capitol for making them participate in the games while Peeta is reflective of how he can maintain his identity in the games despite the Capitol using them.
* In ''Literature/CalebWilliams'', Falkland is the Sensitive Guy to Tyrrel’s Manly Man. Manly Tyrrel is furious at being unseated by “this Frenchified rascal.”
* Played with in ''Darkfall'' by Creator/DeanKoontz. Two supporting characters are introduced early on, the meek-looking, bowtie-wearing Nevetsky and the tough, mean-looking Blaine. Jack Dawson assumes Nevetsky is the Sensitive Guy and Blaine the Manly Man; in reality, the big and tough Blaine is the kind and gentle one while the less intimidating-looking Nevetsky is the loudmouthed, antagonistic brutish one.
* {{S|tepfordSmiler}}kylar and [[TroubledButCute Rafael]] in ''Literature/GivesLight''. Skylar is mellow and thoughtful while Rafael is quick to settle arguments with his fists. In a subversion, though, Rafael likes art, romance, and fairy tales, while Skylar likes baseball and slasher flicks.
* Alec Lightwood and Jace Wayland from ''Literature/TheMortalInstruments''. Alec is shy, reserved, and is easily hurt emotionally. Jace is aggressive, forward and often downright antagonistic even in the face of Shadowhunters of much higher rank than him.
%% * Jem Carstairs and Will Herondale from ''Literature/TheInfernalDevices''.
* In ''Literature/HoratioHornblower'', Hornblower and his NumberTwo, Bush, are this kind of pair. Hornblower is a broody, self-loathing mess when he's not being a brilliant naval captain and can't stop thinking about the prospect of death and mutilation in battle even if he never shirks from it. Bush is a stolid and [[TheStoic stoic]] LightningBruiser who's unfazed by hardship but also lacking in Hornblower's genius.
* The submissive, always crying [[TheWoobie Mock Turtle]] and the gruff, impatient [[JerkWithAHeartOfGold Gryphon]] from ''Literature/AlicesAdventuresInWonderland''.
* In "De skandalösa" by Creator/SimonaAhrnstedt, Gabriel Gripklo (seemingly roguish) and his friend Ossian Bergman (nerdy and noble) have this kind of dynamic.
* In ''Literature/TheMoomins'', Sniff is so cowardly and delicate, that Moomin and Snufkin have no problem looking manly in comparison.

* Best friends Ishmael and Razz from ''Literature/DontCallMeIshmael''. Ishmael is quiet, sensitive, at one point faints due to nervousness, and avoids conflict to the extent that he lets bullies walk all over him. He prefers writing to physical activity. Razz is very loud, athletic, loves attention and while he doesn't intentionally hurt people, he sometimes makes very insensitive comments. The contrast between the two is shown in a scene where Ishmael refuses to watch a video of [[BuxomIsBetter one of their friends]] undressing (that was recorded without her knowledge), while [[ChivalrousPervert Razz]] tries to persuade Ishmael to watch it.
* Druss and his [[HeterosexualLifePartners nearly lifelong companion]] Sieben in the Literature/{{Drenai}} saga. Druss is a powerful warrior, deadly with a battle-ax; Sieben is a wand-slim poet obsessive about his appearance -- in one scene he inwardly fumes when the coverings of the chair he's forced to sit in clashes with his shirt.
* ''Literature/GotrekAndFelix''. As a swashbuckling adventurer poet who travels the world, CoolSword in hand, and woos all kinds of exotic foreign women as he goes, Felix would be a manly protagonist indeed... if only he wasn't in the TabletopGame/{{Warhammer}} world. So instead he plays second-fiddle to a psychotic dwarf [[DeathSeeker Slayer]] who has personally slain giants, vampires, dragons the length of football fields, and the physical manifestations of rage and violence from the most psychotic [[TheBerserker Berserker]] WarGod in fiction. Poor guy.
* ''Literature/ASongOfIceAndFire'': Samwell Tarly is a meek and sensitive young man who loves books, music, and kittens. His best friend is Jon Snow, a bold young man of action who yearns to be a ranger.

* ''Series/GameOfThrones'':
** Renly is sensitive, thoughtful, smart, politically savvy, and doesn't particularly like fighting, in contrast to his whoring, war-hero, drunkard of a brother, Robert, and notable warrior Stannis. This dynamic is also present in Renly's relationship with Loras. Renly looks tougher, but has never seen a battle; Loras is a very pretty, very dangerous knight.
** Samwell Tarly is a meek and sensitive young man who loves books, music, and kittens. His best friend is Jon Snow, a bold young man of action who yearns to be a ranger.
* ''Series/{{NCIS}}'' has [=McGee=], who is more or less a CampStraight, and Tony, who, hiding his true side behind a jerkass mask, constantly derides him for it. Interestingly, [=McGee's=] 'soft side' tends to get him dates; Tony, more of a slick [[TheCasanova womanizer]] by nature, often sticks his foot into his mouth by making fun of [=McGee's=] feminine tendencies in front of sympathetic ladies. It's also played with in that, while Tony is a tough guy type, more physically capable and stereotypically masculine than [=McGee=] (he's a street-smart athlete to [=McGee=]'s academia and noodle-arm), he's also a dedicated follower of fashion where [=McGee=] wore the same suit for his first four seasons. He makes fun of [=McGee=] for moisturizing, but he spends $100 on a tie.
* Detectives Jake Peralta and Charles Boyle from ''Series/BrooklynNineNine'' as Manly and Sensitive respectively. Jake is a childish, athletic, and very enthusiastic detective with compulsions to act out action-hero fantasies who excels as a detective through a combination of natural knack and sheer luck. Charles is a submissive, eager-to-please foodie who gets by as a detective through sheer effort and who is very insecurely defensive of his place as Jake's best friend and #1 choice to partner on cases.

* ''Series/HomeImprovement''. Tim was a tool-loving manly-grunting man and Al was the sensitive and overly emotional type (though still very burly and masculine-looking). Being a real man was one of the show's main themes and Al's sissy-ness was the butt of many jokes but Al was shown to be much smarter than Tim. In addition, they were united as an OddCouple by their mutual love of craftsmanship. Tim was also contrasted with his neighbor Wilson, an introspective RenaissanceMan. Tim himself embraces TestosteronePoisoning to the degree that ''every'' other man on the show looks like the sensitive guy in comparison.
* ''Series/ParksAndRecreation'' likes to contrast manly man Ron Swanson with overenthusiastic New Age health nut Chris Traeger.
** There's also Ron from Eagleton, who certainly looks like a Manly Man (he's played by Sam Elliot, whose mustache puts Nick Offerman's to shame). Swanson initially likes the other Ron ... until he discovers the other Ron is a vegetarian sandal-wearing practitioner of yoga, at which point his comment is "I no longer like Ron."

* Richie on ''Series/HappyDays'' was the humdrum [[NiceGuy “nice guy,”]] while the Fonz was...well, the Fonz.
* British cop shows love this. In the late 70s and early 80s, ''Series/TheProfessionals'' had the rough, tough, SAS-trained Bodie and the more gentle and sophisticated Doyle.
** ''Series/LifeOnMars2006'' borrowed from this trope and had the [[TheWoobie sensitive]], ByTheBookCop Sam Tyler working with the [[TestosteronePoisoning ridiculously macho]] CowboyCop, Gene Hunt.
** In the follow-up series ''Series/AshesToAshes2008'' the roles are delegated to ThoseTwoGuys Chris and Ray.
* In ''Series/{{Firefly}}'' the greedy thug Jayne, is hostile toward the classy doctor Simon. Their contrasting personalities are best seen in "Jaynestown" where Jayne feels comfortable in the rough, poor world and Simon clings to being proper. Their rivalry is best seen in "Ariel" when Jayne demands that Simon be left on the core planet after being stabbed by Simon's sister. Mal then deals with Jayne's defensiveness and Simon's concern for his sister.
* Matt the LovableJock and Tyler the JerkJock in the early episodes of ''Series/TheVampireDiaries''.
* The two brothers on ''Series/TwoAndAHalfMen'' fulfill this stereotype to the letter. Charlie is arrogant, hedonistic and ReallyGetsAround, Alan is a neurotic ButtMonkey who's awkward with women.
* ''Series/{{Supernatural}}'' appears to be a textbook version of this trope, but hard-drinking and -playing, gun-happy 'Manly Man' Dean is more often in a [[PromotedToParent nurturing]] role than [[BigBrotherInstinct little brother]] [[{{Protectorate}} Sam]], and will unashamedly cry where his family's concerned. While Sam's more likely to cry even for strangers and prefers nonviolent paths, he becomes single-minded enough to forsake his characteristic empathy [[DespairEventHorizon under the wrong circumstances]]. [[CorruptTheCutie Which]] [[BreakTheCutie are]] [[DeusAngstMachina common.]]
** Pertinent to this trope, many of Dean's jokes make the punchline Sam's lack of (what he sees as) masculinity. Although Sam does get his own back occasionally:
--->'''Dean:''' Of course, the most troubling question is, why do these people assume we're gay? \\
'''Sam:''' Well you are kind of butch, they probably think you're overcompensating.
* Doctor Cox (manly man) and JD in ''Series/{{Scrubs}}''. Also, to some extent, Turk and JD, though, while Turk is quite sensitive himself, he cannot compare to JD.
* Barney, TheCasanova {{Jerkass}} and Ted, the DoggedNiceGuy, from ''Series/HowIMetYourMother''. Marshall qualifies as the sensitive guy as well. This might be more of a GentleGiant thing though.
* ESPN's ''Mike and Mike in the Morning'' show uses this trope, with Mike Golic (a former NFL defensive lineman) as the manly man and Mike Greenberg as the Sensitive Guy. One of the features of their column in ''ESPN the Magazine'' is the "Manly/Metro tip", with Golic's "manly" tip accompanied by an icon of a beer mug and Greeny's "Metro" tip accompanied by an icon of a martini glass.
* Noah (sensitive) and Wade (manly) from ''Series/NoahsArc''. Also, to an extent Junito (sensitive) and Ricky (though Ricky's "manly" tends to be sexually aggressive and detached).
* ''Literature/DalzielAndPascoe''. Peter Pascoe is the modern, thoughtful, psychologically-trained police officer, Andy Dalziel is pure OldFashionedCopper.
* ''Series/{{Friends}}'': Chandler (sensitive) and Joey (manly). Generally, Joey will sleep with girls for a night and Chandler will make them breakfast the next morning.

* Also played with in ''Series/CriminalMinds'': From their first appearances, Morgan and Reid seem set up to be this trope (Morgan is playing a vaguely "educational" drinking game with a [[ChickMagnet group of women]], whereas Reid, the genius prodigy, is interrupting mentor/team leader Gideon's lecture on profiling and tailing him like a puppy). As the series goes on, though they both display examples of following the trope (e.g., Morgan is the team's designated door-kicker and likes portraying himself as either a ladies' man or strong enough to handle anything, while Reid prefers trying to talk unsubs down from confrontations, very visibly has trouble with some cases, is a DistressedDude, and can barely talk to a woman outside of his mother or the context of work), and going against it (e.g., Reid takes cases personally hard, but has had to work at making himself more sympathetic and tactful toward victims and persons of interest, while Morgan often ends up in a nurturing role towards other team members, especially Garcia and Reid). One typically masculine trait both of them share? Although Reid's emotional responses to situations are more visible, more often than not, [[MenDontCry both are loath to talk about their feelings]].
* ''Series/TheSuiteLifeOfZackAndCody'' stars twin boys where Cody loves school and cooking while Zack is the more ''cool'' brother. Zack does have his sensitive moments though especially in "On Deck". Most notably in "Flowers and Chocolate" when he is seen bawling during a romantic film.

* Jack is Manly and Ianto is Sensitive in ''Series/{{Torchwood}}''.
* ''Series/BattlestarGalactica1978'' has the cigar-chomping Starbuck and the mild-mannered Boomer.
* On the series ''Series/{{Caprica}}'' there are the Adama brothers, [[ManlyTears Joseph]] and [[ManlyGay Sam]].
* Howard and Raj on ''Series/TheBigBangTheory''. Raj is sensitive and utterly CampStraight (Or possibly Camp Bi) while Howard is the CasanovaWannabe.
* ''Series/That70sShow'':
** Eric the nice guy (sensitive) and Hyde the TroubledButCute "bad boy" (manly).
** Fez the CampStraight foreign kid (sensitive) and Kelso the dumb narcissistic ladies man (manly).
* KindheartedSimpleton Kenneth Parcell and FratBro Tracy Jordan in ''Series/ThirtyRock''.
* ''Series/HouseOfAnubis'': Fabian is the sensitive one, being an ExtremeDoormat, while Eddie is a bit TroubledButCute. Same story with Fabian and LovableJock Mick.

* In ''Series/{{Hannibal}}'', Will Graham is a scruffy loner who likes fishing, drinking, and dogs, while Hannibal Lecter is an erudite European socialite whose hobbies include art, composing for the harpsichord, and gourmet cooking. [[ItWasHisSled Also, Hannibal's a psychopathic cannibal serial killer]]. Unusual in that the more outwardly masculine of the two is also the more emotionally sensitive and mentally fragile, to the point where it's the [[BlessedWithSuck awful superpower]] he has to wield against Hannibal.
* On ''Series/{{Glue}}'', best friends Rob and James fit this pattern. Rob is what passes for a manly man at their age: he's the LifeOfTheParty, cocky and self-important, and claims his basic necessities are "food, a roof, weed, pussy, and Mars bars!". James, meanwhile, is introverted and introspective, waxes poetic about the countryside (when he's not being TheQuietOne, that is), says things Rob deems "cheesy", and is an all-around sensitive soul.
* ''Series/BreakingBad'':
** Walter White and his brother in law, Hank Schrader, [[CharacterisationMarchesOn at first.]] Hank is brash, crude and boisterous, an avid sports fan and gun enthusiast, and his work as a DEA agent often puts him in danger. Walt is a mild-mannered and milquetoast high school chemistry teacher, much more of an intellectual and something of a dork. As the show progresses, however, they both shift around the spectrum: Hank reveals an increasing amount of emotional problems and insecurities, as well as some [[ClosetGeek nerdy interests,]] while Walter becomes increasingly cold, ruthless and dangerous.
** Walt (gruff, stoic) and Jesse (emotional) also have this going on.
* Womanizer rocker Drake and nerdy shy guy Josh from ''Series/DrakeAndJosh''
* In ''Series/{{Garo}}'': Kouga Saezima is the serious, no-nonsense, straightforward, and dutiful Makai Knight is Manly Man to Rei Suzumura who is cheerful, quite playful and also relaxed with a high level of emotions. But in Makai Senki, Kouga still remains manly as the previous series but with the capability to show his nice side. And Leo the idealist nice guy and emotional is obviously the Sensitive Guy among Kouga and Rei Manliness.
* Franchise/StarTrek
** ''Series/StarTrekVoyager'': Best friends Tom Paris and Harry Kim. Paris is an extroverted, HandsomeLech ex-con who's into [[FanOfThePast muscle cars]]; Kim is the musically inclined, duty-bound officer with a steady girl back home (well, at first, before he goes full-on FatalAttractor).
** ''Series/StarTrekPicard'': Elnor (LongHairedPrettyBoy) is sensitive, having been raised by women and being open about his feelings, whereas Rios (TallDarkAndHandsome) is rugged and manly as well as more emotionally guarded.

* ''Series/{{Frasier}}'':
** Martin Crane is a tough, no-nonsense former cop, while his two sons are sophisticated psychiatrists who are into high art.
** Niles is the sensitive guy to Frasier's manly man, by a ''very'' narrow margin. Both are pretty sensitive, but Niles' fussy, effeminate manner and weak constitution put him over the top.
** At the radio station, Frasier is often pitted against sports show host Bob "Bulldog" Briscoe, a crass, short-tempered, womanizing JerkJock.
* ''Series/KenanAndKel'' has impulsive and ambitious schemer Kenan and neurotic, cautious and childish Kel.

* ''Series/EastEnders'' has the wimpy and weak, emotionally vulnerable Ian Beale (sensitive) and the tough and violent, thuggish Phil Mitchell (manly).
* ''Series/BlakesSeven'' often teamed up the meek, cowardly Vila with the cynical, snarky Avon.
* ''Series/ChoujuuSentaiLiveman'' gains a duo who fit this trope mid-season: [[TheLancer Tetsuya Yano/Black Bison]] and [[KidAppealCharacter Jun’ichi Aikawa/Green Sai]] (Rhino). Tetsuya is overall more tough and more stoic than Jun'ichi, and is shown practicing boxing in the opening credits. Jun’ichi, the youngest of the Livemen and still in high school, is generally more “heart on his sleeve” and appears more emotionally invested in the scenarios that Brain Army Volt cooks up. When he becomes a [[MrSeahorse host]] for a [[MonsterOfTheWeek Brain Beast’s]] offspring in one episode, he even eventually becomes (emotionally) attached to the progeny. When Tetsuya first refers to Jun’ichi, he describes him as his like his “little brother”, while Jun’ichi always calls Tetsuya “Tet-chan”; “-chan” being a Japanese honorific suffix indicating strong affection. To symbolize their bond in a fairly literal way, their respective mechs Bison Liner and [[AwesomeMcCoolname Sai Fire]] combine into the giant robot [[CombiningMecha Live Boxer]].

* ''Series/TheMrPotatoHeadShow'': Baloney and Mr. Potato Head have this dynamic; Baloney has little problem expressing his softer emotions and is into things like aromatherapy, while PH tends to only express manlier emotions like anger and annoyance, and is ashamed to be found dancing.

* In Mozart's ''Theatre/TheMagicFlute'', [[PrinceCharming Tamino]] and [[LovableCoward Papageno]] tend to come across this way, though how much depends on the production. Ironically, Tamino, the Manly Man (even though he faints at the sight of a big snake), is a light tenor role, while Papageno, the Sensitive Guy, is a baritone.
* Especially prominent in the 20th-anniversary production of ''Theatre/{{Elisabeth}}'', with [[{{Hunk}} Mark Seibert]] as Death in contrast to his Franz Josephs and Rudolfs, with the latter being extremely prominent - Seibert!Death is an aggressive, traditionally masculine being [[note]]Most productions have Death leaning feminine/nonbinary. Seibert's version is on the other end of the gender spectrum, only mitigated by his crooning, soft seduction.[[/note]] with a muscular build, and Crown Prince Rudolf is slim, nervous, and hypersensitive.

* ''Franchise/SuperMarioBros'':
** Mario and Luigi, to some extent. Mario has a quick-to-act get-up-and-go fearless attitude, while Luigi has a hesitant, cautious, and timid demeanor. "Mario" [[MeaningfulName even means]] "manly".
** Then there's aggressive, HotBlooded Manly Man Bowser that Mario becomes a Sensitive Guy to.
** One of the partners in the ''Paper Mario'' series follows this trope too. Kooper is the Manly Man, who is more adventurous, brave, and being much more fearless, in comparison to Koops, being the Sensitive Guy who is much more shy, timid, and clumsy.
** Count Bleck of ''VideoGame/SuperPaperMario'' is a melodramatic cape-swooping bad guy whose entire villainous motivations stem from his emotions towards [[TheLostLenore losing his only love]]. To contrast him, O'Chunks is a loud ViolentGlaswegian who acts as one of his villainous enforcers. And he usually leaves the scene by [[{{Fartillery}} farting away]].
* Solid Snake (manly man) and Otacon (sensitive guy) from ''VideoGame/MetalGearSolid'' are ''made of'' this trope, although Snake's more philosophical and Otacon's sexual history is significantly more important to the plot than Snake's. And both are as emotionally needy as each other, although they show it in different ways.
* ''VideoGame/{{Bully}}'' has Petey play the sensitive guy to both Gary and Jimmy's manly men
* Parodied in ''VideoGame/GrandTheftAutoIV'' with the television show "The Men's Room With Bas And Jeremy", Jeremy St. Ives being an [[AmbiguouslyGay effeminate]] pacifist who's main advice usually revolves around "rectal marital issues" and "colon cleansing", and former ultimate fighter Bas Rutten ([[AsHimself as he is portrayed]] [[InkSuitActor in this game]]) being a [[TestosteronePoisoning hyper-masculine]], borderline AxCrazy who's every sentence eventually devolves into violence sprinkled with gore.
* ''VideoGame/GodOfWarPS4'': This game gives out a father/son example in the form of Kratos (manly) and his son Atreus (sensitive). Kratos, as shown in the games he appeared in is a reckless and angry demigod who has killed a lot of gods and is very impulsive, even though in the reboot, he is trying to work on his temper. Atreus is a young boy who is not very comfortable with killing unless if he is helping his dad fight monsters.
* ''VideoGame/MegaManClassic'' and Proto Man, with Mega Man being the Sensitive Guy and Proto Man being the Manly Man. Also ''VideoGame/MegaManX'' and Zero. This last one is particularly interesting in that the one who [[ViewerGenderConfusion viewers have sometimes mistaken for a girl]] isn't X but Zero, the Manly Man of the equation. Likely because his creator saw it fit to give him [[{{Bishonen}} flowing, hips-long hair and such other characteristics]].
* ''VideoGame/LegacyOfKain'': Brusque warlord Kain is a Manly Man while thoughtful, angsty Raziel is a Sensitive Guy. This trope can also apply to Manly Man Vorador (callous, violent, has a harem) and his sire Sensitive Guy Janos Audron (kind, understanding, hermetic).

* ''VideoGame/RadiantHistoria'' features protagonist Stocke and his best friend Rosch. Rosch is the [[TheBigGuy big, burly]] [[TheCaptain Captain]] and SupportingLeader, while the slim, {{Bishonen}} Stocke is TheConfidant and TheAce. Despite [[TheStoic his demeanor]], Stocke is also a [[NiceGuy ridiculously nice guy]] who's surprisingly good with people, even helping Rosch with [[MatchmakerQuest relationship problems.]]
* ''Franchise/{{Pokemon}}'':
** Archie and Maxie, the villains from ''VideoGame/PokemonRubyAndSapphire'', give this impression, with Archie being the manly man and Maxie being the sensitive guy.
** Red and Blue's [[KidHeroAllGrownUp adult designs]] in ''VideoGame/PokemonSunAndMoon''. Red is a tall and slightly muscular young man while his friend Blue is slimmer and {{bishonen}}. Less so from a personality standpoint, but Blue is still more emotional than the [[TheStoic stoic-looking]] PerpetualFrowner that is Red.
* In ''VideoGame/WorldOfWarcraft'' we have the King of Stormwind Varian [[ConflictBall Wrynn]] as the manly man, and due to his [[CharacterizationMarchesOn characterization]] from the third expansion onwards, his son, [[RebelPrince Prince]] [[RoyalsWhoActuallyDoSomething Anduin Wrynn]], as the Sensitive Guy. Of course, RuleOfDrama extends this dichotomy to cause them to have a rather dysfunctional father and son relationship, and [[ConflictBall opposing]] [[MartialPacifist views]] on how to solve the [[GreyAndGrayMorality ongoing conflict]] with the rival faction of the Horde.
* ''Franchise/StreetFighter'' has Claw as the Sensitive Guy and Boxer as the Manly Man.

* ''VideoGame/{{Undertale}}'' has [[DemBones skeleton]] brothers, Sans and Papyrus. Sans is [[TheSlacker lazy]] and secretly cynical, loves pranking others, spending time in bars and sleeping and is [[spoiler: insanely powerful and willing to kill you [[ThatOneBoss over and over again]] if you go too far]], making him the manly man, while his younger brother Papyrus is a cheerful and [[SmallNameBigEgo egotistical]] [[NiceGuy sweetheart]] and optimist who loves creating puzzles, cooking spaghetti, and while still powerful, [[spoiler: he is far less powerful than Sans and]] he is not willing to kill you, no matter what- he in fact SPARES YOU immediately on Genocide Run, where you killed everyone before him just to help you become a better person and on Pacifist/Neutral run, he specifically wants to capture you, not kill you and will end the fight if your HP drops to 1- making him more sensitive of the two.

* ''VideoGame/GuiltyGear'': Sol Badguy the eternally-pissed off rogue Gear with his HeroicBuild, [[SirSwearsALot mouth like a Marine]] and heavy smoking is a sure-fire Manly Man to Ky Kiske, a dutiful knight who [[RealMenWearPink collects tea-cups]] and dearly loves his CuteMonsterGirl wife Dizzy. That said, Ky is no weakling or pushover, and Sol is a HeartbrokenBadass once you get past the tough-guy image.
%% * In ''VideoGame/SonicTheHedgehog'', the exuberant, [[AwesomeEgo boastful]] and free-spirited Sonic is the Manly Man to the [[NiceGuy good-natured]] Tails' Sensitive Guy. And Knuckles is the Manly Man to Sonic's Sensitive Guy.
* ''VideoGame/EnsembleStars'' has Kuro and Shu: Kuro being a rough-speaking, reserved, karate-performing former delinquent, and Shu being a fussy, elitist, and prissy fashion designer. However, don't mistake sensitivity for kindness - while Kuro looks intimidating, he's a very caring big brother figure, while Shu is an arrogant JerkWithAHeartOfGold. The two are ChildhoodFriends, and naturally, a fairly popular ship. Less obviously, Keito could also qualify as a Sensitive Guy to Kuro's Manly Man - he's more gender-neutral than feminine, but he's far less physically fit than the other members of his unit and is just as fussy and particular as Shu when it comes to rules, not to mention being far more easily swept up in emotion (albeit to his own embarrassment).
* ''VideoGame/{{A3}}'' has Tsumugi and Tasuku as the Sensitive Guy and Manly Man respectively. Tsumugi is a gentle, NiceGuy who is also a CaringGardener and best known for his subtle and delicate acting, whereas Tasuku is a blunt, stoic fitness nut who is a MrFixit and best known for his bold acting. Tsumugi is also slim, whereas Tasuku is muscular and strong enough to give Tsumugi a BridalCarry.

* Zigzagged and downplayed in ''VideoGame/DeathStranding'', with [[TheProtagonist Sam]] and [[TheLancer Deadman]]. Sam is a WorkingClassHero, who trecks through dangerous terrain and fights [[OurGhostsAreDifferent [=BTs=]]] on the regular, while Deadman is an eccentric scientist who never leaves Capital Knot City and can't fight. When the two are [[spoiler:whisked away by a time supercell that puts them on a World War II era battlefield]], Sam has to do the actual fighting to get them back home, while Deadman can only hide and wait in fear. It gets subverted when it comes to their personalities and emotions: Sam is very shy and submissive in pretty much all social interactions, he's prone to crying and immidietly bonds with the [=BB=] he travels with, and while Deadman isn't emotionless, exactly, he's way more subdued and rational, especially at the start of the game.
* ''VideoGame/DragonQuestV'': Pankraz and Sancho. Pankraz is a brooding, stoic swordsman who tries to keep his emotions in check for his son's sake. His servant and friend Sancho is a pugdy, kind-hearted man who wears his heart on his sleeve at all times.
* ''VideoGame/WildArms1'' has Rudy and Jack. Rudy is a kind hearted and idealistic hero who will do anything to help and protect others while Jack is a cynical [[JerkWithAHeartOfGold Jerk with a Heart of Gold]] who gets very aggressive when dealing with the demons attacking the world.

* Elan and Roy in ''Webcomic/TheOrderOfTheStick''. In an inversion of the usual stereotype, "manly" Roy is the brains and leader of the group, and "sensitive" Elan is a {{Cloudcuckoolander}}.
* John and Dave of ''Webcomic/{{Homestuck}}''. John is a [[ThePollyanna Pollyanna]] who staunchly believes in the power of friendship. Dave is a [[TheStoic Stoic]] DeadpanSnarker badass.
** The trope is reflected even more strongly with their respective biological fathers Jake and Dirk. Dirk is a stoic, aggressive asshole and probably the most traditionally masculine character in the comic; while Jake is shy and unassertive, likes wearing short shorts, and cries easily.
* ''Webcomic/HarkAVagrant'' gives us Chopin and Liszt, [[http://www.harkavagrant.com/index.php?id=302 Kate Beaton]]-style.

* Jack (Sensitive) and Zill (Manly) from Webcomic/{{Zoophobia}}. Jack is quiet, shy, and interested in outer space while Zill is the outgoing popular guy. They're also best friends.

* Guy and Jay in ''Webcomic/GoodGuyComic''. Guy is an introvert and Jay likes to roughhouse.
* ''Webcomic/ElGoonishShive'' would seem to have this at first, with Elliot and best friend Tedd. Elliot is taller, does martial arts, and has BullyHunter tendencies. Tedd is shorter, inventive, and has an androgynous appearance. However, before CharacterizationMarchesOn, Tedd was the letch and Elliot has always been very sensitive and treats everyone (except bullies) with respect.
* Devin and Joshua in ''Webcomic/DearChildren'' are a pretty straightforward example. Devin is loud, aggressive, and doesn't seem to do well with emotions. Josh is timid, nurturing, and soft-spoken.
** Also, Devin and Gabe, to a lesser extent.

* Matt and Pat in ''WebVideo/TwoBestFriendsPlay''. Matt likes games like ''VideoGame/KirbysEpicYarn'', while Pat likes games like ''VideoGame/SilentHillShatteredMemories''.
** For a reinforcing double-reference to Webcomic/{{Homestuck}}, see ''[[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2N8HOWTja_s Two Best Friends Play Sburb]]''
** Then again, [[spoiler:Pat turns out to be a [[WesternAnimation/MyLittlePonyFriendshipIsMagic brony]].]]
** Inverted ''AND'' Played for Laughs when they both flip their respective personalities, with Pat being the Wuss and Matt being the tough guy when they play [[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dBxGFpUjMk4 Slender]] and [[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4i3VKp0qmXM its sequel]].
* ''Toys/MonsterHigh'''s Jeckel and Hyde routine is done like this, with Jackson being a typical soft-spoken nerd with a dislike of loud music, and Holt being a loud-mouthed disc jockey with flaming red hair.
** As of season 3, Clawd and Deuce.
* ''LetsPlay/GamingGarbage'' hosts Rich "Lowtax" Kayana, a bossy LargeHamAnnouncer, and Dave "Shmorky" Kelly, a {{Keet}} InTouchWithHisFeminineSide.
* ''WebVideo/EpicRapBattlesOfHistory'' has several matchups like this. This trope appears to be the entire point of "Genghis Khan vs the Easter Bunny." Guess who spends his second verse trying to calm down his opponent, before telling him to leave.
* ''Series/TheCallOfWarr'': Prince and Glintz-Terry have this dynamic, with Prince being the aggressive, impulsive, and pragmatic second-in-command, and Glintz-Terry being emotional, romantic, and a guy who tries to be nice to everyone.
* ''WebVideo/CreamHeroes'': An even split among the male cats. Humble DD, distant Coco and polite Toto are the Sensitive Guys. Boisterous Momo, mischievous Lulu and aggressive Dodo are the Manly Men.

* ''Mahou Shounen Majorian'' blurs the line between this and TomboyAndGirlyGirl with Iori and Masaru. Iori is extremely feminine in appearance and manner, and Masaru is a typical boy who plays sports and [[DoesNotLikeMen doesn't like girls]] because he has four obnoxious sisters. Then they're both turned into magical girls by aliens who mistook Iori for a girl. Naturally, Masaru has a huge problem with that.
* Simon and Kamina are like this at the start of ''Anime/TengenToppaGurrenLagann''. By the end of the series, Simon grows into the Manly Man role fantastically. [[spoiler:Kamina even says that Simon's become more of a man than him during Simon's time in the LotusEaterMachine.]]

* ''Anime/WolfsRain'':
** Hubb and Quent.
** Also {{T|heBigGuy}}sume and Toboe.
* ''Manga/{{Naruto}}'': Naruto is the Sensitive Guy to Sasuke's Manly Man. Naruto is more cheerful and pretty emotional, one of his hobbies is watering and taking care of plants, and he develops into an AllLovingHero. Conversely, Sasuke is very stoic, hardly lets anyone into how he really feels, and has a real ego at times and develops into a ByronicHero.
* ''Manga/ThePrinceOfTennis'':
** Sort of inverted with the doubles pair of Ohtori and Shishido. Choutarou Ohtori, the taller, physically stronger of the two, is sensitive and nice (he even plays classical violin and wishes for world peace), while Ryou Shishido is [[TheNapoleon shorter, louder, bad-tempered]] and much more butch (he even has the scars to prove it!).
** Another subverted example would be Seiichi Yukimura and Genichirou Sanada. The first is polite, soft-spoken, with frail health and long hair...; the other is very tall, stern, and the KendoTeamCaptain in a tennis setting. The subversion comes from ''Yukimura'' being the captain of their team as well as a KnightTemplar MagnificentBastard when it comes to tennis, and Sanada being ''extremely'' devoted to Yukimura - like a Samurai's devotion to his feudal lord (and yes, they're one of the most popular HoYay couples [[MostFanficWritersAreGirls in the fandom]]).
* ''Anime/CodeGeass'': Played with for Suzaku and Lelouch, especially in the sound dramas. Lelouch is much more feminine in his tastes and appearance while Suzaku is far more masculine. Yet of the two, Suzaku seems much more kind and sensitive than snarky, aloof Lelouch. Of course, ''Code Geass'' being the [[CrapsackWorld universe]] it is, this gets deconstructed. As children, however, they played this trope straight as Suzaku was rough, boisterous, and a bit cruel whereas Lelouch was sensitive, sheltered, and more gentle.
* From ''Manga/{{Monster}}'', Roberto is [[ImplacableMan burly]], [[BloodKnight loves to fight]], and is generally [[RatedMForManly as manly can be]]. Johan is [[EvilIsSexy beautiful]], [[WickedCultured well-read and highly intellectual]], and [[spoiler:[[CreepyCrossdresser far more in touch with his feminine side]]]]. Why do they even associate with each other? Johan likes to [[TheDragon make use of Roberto's muscle]] to kill people and ruin their lives during those pesky times when he's too busy [[MindRape driving small children]] [[spoiler:or his sister]] [[HannibalLecture to nearly kill themselves]] or otherwise [[ForTheEvulz proving why he's been compared to both Hitler and the Antichrist]], while Roberto is [[PsychoSupporter completely]] [[HoYay in love]] with Johan.
* Ryu and Joe in ''Anime/ScienceNinjaTeamGatchaman'', sort of. Ryu is definitely the softer-hearted of the two but is far from "in touch with his feminine side". Joe is definitely a guy's guy but in a more grizzled way rather than oozing testosterone. Ken and Joe's dynamic is sort of a subversion; Ken only looks the part of the doe-eyed sensitive one, but it's his ''repression'' of emotions that leads to some rather ugly outbursts.

* Badass thief Ray/Noir and emotional aristocrat Florian from the manga ''Manga/GorgeousCarat''.
* ''Franchise/{{Gundam}}'':
** From the original ''Anime/MobileSuitGundam'' are Char Aznable and Garma Zabi in Zeon. Char is an AcePilot (who also happens to be hell-bent on avenging himself on the Zabis) and one of the best warriors in Zeon. Garma is softer and very in love with his girlfriend and feels inadequate next to both his siblings and Char. He's also the Zabi who is probably least deserving of Char's retribution.
** George de Sand is the sensitive guy to Chibodee in ''Anime/MobileFighterGGundam''. George is a CulturedWarrior with a strong code of chivalry (and the pilot of Gundam ''Rose''). Chibodee is a BoistrousBruiser who leaps without looking and uses both boxing and gunslinging as his method of fighting.
** ''[[Anime/MobileSuitGundamWing Gundam Wing]]'' has Quatre and Trowa. Quatre is a TechnicalPacifist who always tries to negotiate before he has to kill his opponents and wants to bring peace above all else. Trowa, although very kind beneath the surface, is cold and calculating in battle.
* [[OfficialCouple Touya Kinomoto and Yukito Tsukishiro]] in ''Manga/CardcaptorSakura''. As well as their counterparts (King Touya and High Priest Yukito) in ''Manga/TsubasaReservoirChronicle''.
** While we're on the subject of TRC, Fai and Kurogane and [[PlayingWithATrope how the trope plays around with them]]...
** Creator/{{CLAMP}} seem to be into this trope. {{W|eirdnessMagnet}}atanuki and [[TheStoic Doumeki's]] characterization plays a lot with this, Watanuki is a {{keet}} and {{Tsundere}} most talented at cooking, knitting, and housekeeping, while Doumeki is a TallDarkAndHandsome archer that mostly serves as his KnightInShiningArmor. Despite this, Doumeki is more emotionally mature, doesn't seem to have any problem whatsoever with the fact that [[spoiler:he used to dress in girl's kimonos [[ItMakesSenseInContext as a kid]]]] ''and'' is also strongly hinted [[spoiler:to be [[HoYay in love with]] [[EvenTheGuysWantHim Watanuki]]]].
* ''Manga/TokyoBabylon''[='=]s Sumeragi Subaru and Sakurazuka Seishirou.
* ''Manga/{{X 1999}}''[='=]s Kamui Shirou and Fuuma Monou. Sorata and Kamui also fit the bill, albeit in a platonic way - despite Sorata's penchant for commenting on Kamui's good looks and his tendency to invade his personal space, but well, [[LauncherOfAThousandShips it's Kamui]]. While we're listing them, [[OfficialCouple Kakei and Saiga]], as well as [[Manga/DrugAndDrop Kazahaya and Rikuou]].

* This is probably the reason there are so many {{Yaoi}} {{Doujinshi}} about [[Manga/RurouniKenshin Kenshin]] ([[PintsizedPowerhouse short and lean]] WarriorPoet and [[FeminineWomenCanCook homemaker]] in his spare time, with [[RealMenWearPink a pink kimono]] and white hakama as his most remarkable outfit) and Sanosuke (immature, HotBlooded [[TheLancer lancer]], former ''professional'' brawler, appropriately OneHeadTaller). It doesn't help that [[MemeticMutation everybody is gay]] [[EvenTheGuysWantHim for Kenshin]].
* ''Manga/NegimaMagisterNegiMagi'' has QuintessentialBritishGentleman Negi Springfield and his best friend and rival, HotBlooded WolfMan Kotarou Inugami.
* ''Anime/DigimonAdventure'' has this with troubled, sensitive musician Matt and HotBlooded soccer player Tai respectively.
* ''Franchise/SailorMoon'':
** Snarky badass Mamoru, a.k.a. Tuxedo Mask is the Manly Man to his NiceGuy friend Motoki's Sensitive Guy.
** The [[MinionShipping villain]] HoYay duo [[WhiteHairBlackHeart Kunzite]] and [[DudeLooksLikeALady Zoicite]].
** While Tiger Eye and Hawk Eye were way too {{Camp}} to really fit in, they ''deliberately'' invoked the trope [[http://www.soul-hunter.com/sailormoon/galleryscreencaps/141/index1.php in episode 141]] when they decided to pursue Minako at the same time and get a shot at [[MindRape peeking into her dreams]]. Hawk Eye disguised himself as the sweet and sensitive {{Megane}} and artist Mr. Takano, [[SingleWomanSeeksGoodMan acting all wholesome]] [[BitchInSheepsClothing to get in her good graces]]; meanwhile, Tiger Eye's facade was that of the handsome BadassBiker Torashima, who wooed Minako [[AllGirlsWantBadBoys with his bad-boy appeal]].
** The few episodes where the Tsukino males play a major role reveal them to be this way. TallDarkAndHandsome Kenji is all about protecting his loved ones and he [[MenCantKeepHouse cannot cook]]. AdorablyPrecociousChild Shingo is nerdier and he has been seen enjoying things like cuddly pets and dolls (not that he likes to admit it).

** [[TheScrappy Yuuchi]] [[BadassNormal Tate]], who's the Sensitive Guy to [[KendoTeamCaptain Masashi]] [[DoggedNiceGuy Takeda]] ''and'' the Manly Man to [[SpotOfTea Reito]] [[TallDarkAndSnarky Kanzaki]].
* The blood brothers Toki and Raoh from ''Manga/FistOfTheNorthStar'' have this kind of relationship, with the former being a healer who treats the sick and the latter a tyrannical conqueror. Of course, Toki can kick as much ass as his brother Raoh, it's just that he's more reserved about it and only does it when necessary.
* Played with in ''Manga/{{SWOT}}''. Iwashida, the sensitive guy, is fairly typical since was the weakly kid who was always victimized by the {{delinquents}} in his school. He's also all about being loyal to his newfound friendships. The manly man is [[BadassBookworm Manabizaki]] who is crass, arrogant, routinely beats up delinquents, and has a HairTriggerTemper. He's also a "swot," someone who studies way too much, and is initially dismissed as a harmless nerd,
* In ''Manga/{{Yellow}}'', [[{{Seme}} Goh]] is the more macho of the duo, whereas [[{{Uke}} Taki]] takes the sensitive guy role as he increasingly gains [[TheWoobie woobie points]].
** Again, there are ''many'' partnerships/rivalries/brother duos that play with this concept to different degrees: Shun and Hyoga, Shiryu and Seiya, Seiya and Jabu, Aiolos and Aiolia, Asterion and Moses, Hyoga and [[spoiler:Isaac]], [[spoiler:Kanon]] and Saga, Milo and Camus, Mu and Shiryu, Shiryu and Ohko, Aphrodite and Deathmask...
* Professor Go (sensitive guy) and Chujo (manly man) from ''Manga/GiantRobo''. Professor Go is always getting overcome with emotion and crying, but Chujo keeps walking along as a stoic paragon of masculinity. Naturally, the two are best friends.
* Mikael and Raphael from ''Anime/ImGonnaBeAnAngel'' [[spoiler:mostly play it straight - visually, Mikael is of slight build, feminine looking and Raphael is more muscular and manly looking in comparison. In terms of personality though, they have lots of shades of their opposite spectrum - Mikael is mostly cold, stubborn and shows that he can be pretty aggressive and determined when the need arises, while Raphael has a rather mellow and carefree attitude and shows lots of kindness towards not only Mikael but also Noelle and Natsumi. That said, the last episode plays it straight again, though - in the climax scene, it shows that Mikael is totally dependable on his teacher and helpless without his help, while Raphael appears as a strict and unbending, leaving his student to clean up the mess his responsible for]].
* ''Manga/Eyeshield21'': [[TheJuggernaut Rikiya Gaou]] and [[SissyVillain Hiromi Kisiragi]] of the Hakushuu Dinosaurs. Interestingly, they are ''both'' {{Blood Knight}}s who share an obsession with physical strength and power and serve as CoDragons to BigBad Marco; the difference is in their appearances and attitude, with Gaou being a beefy lineman who loves direct assault for its own sake, while Kisiragi is a mincing {{Bishonen}} who [[InLoveWithYourCarnage waxes eloquently about the beauty of raw destruction]].
* In ''Manga/WildRock'', Yuuen is the [[{{Bishonen}} small and pretty]] NonActionGuy and Emba is the [[MrFanservice cheesecake]] HunterTrapper with a [[{{BFS}} big sword]].
* Death the Kid is the sensitive guy to Black*Star's manly man in ''Manga/SoulEater''. This is most easily noticeable in the episode where they go to find Excalibur together, and Kid winds up riding on Black*Star's back, so as to avoid the water on the floor. Oddly enough, ''this'' is the episode where they become friends.
* ''Manga/DGrayMan'':
** [[MessianicArchetype Allen Walker]] and [[ArrogantKungFuGuy Yu Kanda]].
** The second being [[CoolOldGuy Froi Tiedall]] and Cross Marian. The latter are a bit similar in that Cross seems to have a softer side, but he tries to keep his in check. Said he laughs at Tiedoll's being openly sensitive, and affectionate with his pupils, even though it's said by Hoshinon he thinks Allen is cute. So, seems Cross may see Tiedoll as a bit overly openly emotional-possibly a crybaby, and Tiedoll, thanks to Cross' hiding his true self and being JerkWithAHeartOfGold, seems to find Cross to be a hoodlum. And while Cross hates the Order, Tiedoll has been known to blow it off in favor of what he feels are other matters. While Winters and Klaud returned to HQ before the others with no issues.

* ''Anime/FutureGPXCyberFormula'':
** Hayato Kazami (sensitive guy) and Naoki Shinjyo (manly man). While Hayato is generally polite and energetic when it comes to racing, Shinjyo is moodier and has a more focused approach in his skill.
** For side characters, {{G|enkiGirl}}udelhian and [[TheStoic Heinel]] and Bootsvorz and Osamu. Katagiri plays the sensitive guy to Shinjyo's manly man.
* The eventual alliance between [[DarkMessiah Paptimus Scirocco]] and [[SociopathicSoldier Yazan Gable]] in ''Anime/MobileSuitZetaGundam'' comes off as a twisted version of this trope, with [[WickedCultured cultured]] [[ManipulativeBastard psychological predator]] [[TheCasanova Scirocco]] as the Sensitive Guy and [[TheBrute op brutish]] [[AcePilot physical predator]] [[BloodKnight Yazan]] as the Manly Man. While neither one actually cares about each other, they genuinely seem to enjoy one another's company and make a very effective duo.
* In ''Manga/FullmetalAlchemist'', Edward Elric is tough and short-tempered and his brother Alphonse is a sensitive KindheartedCatLover. They subvert the stereotypes as for most of the story Edward is a short but muscular teenage boy while Alphonse is stuck in a suit of armor, and thus looks older and scarier than Ed.
* Both of the same-sex partners in ''Manga/{{Sekirei}}'' are this, with the Ashikabi as the Sensitive Guys to their Manly Man Sekirei.
** Minato is gentle and deeply emotional, and looks up to Kagari as a "cool guy". Kagari is a chain-smoking [[TheCasanova Casanova]] and a MysteriousProtector and remains the more traditionally masculine of the pair even after [[spoiler: his unstable state results in him becoming a GenderBender]].
** Mikogami and Mutsu are a villainous example, playing the trope completely straight. The former is TheDandy, and highly emotional while the later is a quiet, serious MasterSwordsman.

* ''LightNovel/FateZero'' has [[LargeHam RIDER]], [[BoisterousBruiser KING OF CONQUERORS!]], and his sidekick, er, ''summoner'', Waver Velvet.
* Tetsuo and Taichi from ''Manga/{{Yuureitou}}'' are this. Tetsuo is an assertive and cool ByronicHero while Taichi is a more average guy with DistressedDude and LovableCoward qualities. Taichi is the one who ends up DisguisedInDrag, though Tetsuo is far more {{Bishonen}} than Taichi. [[spoiler:They end up the OfficialCouple.]]
* Physically, best friends Takeo and Suna from ''Manga/MyLoveStory'' match. Takeo is an absolutely huge boy who looks like a stereotypical {{gonk}} (though his girlfriend finds him very attractive) and is very muscular. Suna, however, is a skinny and {{Bishonen}} ChickMagnet with [[CelibateHero absolutely no interest]] in girls. Personality-wise, Suna isn't quite feminine, though Takeo is more masculine than him.
* Etienne and Nicolas from ''Manga/InnocentsShounenJuujigun'' are the main duo of the series, with Etienne being a gentle, feminine boy with endless compassion and a soft heart, and Nicolas being a hotheaded, aggressive young knight who'd rather cut down the infidels than show them kindness. The two are best friends and ''extremely'' close, with Nicolas willing to die and kill for Etienne's sake.
* ''Manga/CellsAtWork'' features this in the main pair of T cells. Killer T is the loud, brazen, and very chiseled leader of his squadron. Helper T is more relaxed, friendlier, and has a SpotOfTea whenever he's on break. Their days in training were the exact opposite, where young Killer was weak-willed and prone to tearing up while young Helper was colder and willing to fight.
* Nozaki of ''Manga/MonthlyGirlsNozakiKun is the manly man who gives his advice and support (with, admittedly, mixed results) to the sensitive and naive Wakamatsu, who has been Nozaki's underclassman since middle school.

* ''Anime/OneStormyNight'' has Gabu, a rough-looking but sweet wolf and his best friend Mei, who is a cute little goat who wears a pink handkerchief.

* ''WesternAnimation/{{Tarzan}}'':
** As unbelievable as it sounds, the titular king of the jungle is the sensitive guy to Clayton’s manly man. The former is smooth, slender, and noticeably prettier than the hairy, hulking, rugged hunter.

* ''WesternAnimation/TheBookOfLife'':
** Manolo is the AllLovingHero, aspiring musician Sensitive Guy to rough-and-tumble soldier Joaquin's Manly Man. They're best friends since childhood, but also rivals for the same girl, and the contrast shows itself in how they try to impress her.
** The Candlemaker is the fun-loving, humble Sensitive Guy to Xibalba's rascally, gambling Manly Man.
* ''WesternAnimation/ABugsLife'' has two rare variants of this trope, one of which comes from the evil side, and the other with three characters having this dynamic with each other:
** There's Hopper, the [[TheSociopath ruthless, domineering and sadistic]] leader of the grasshopper gang, and Molt, his [[TheDitz ditzy]], good-natured and talkative MinionWithAnFInEvil brother.
** Among the group of circus bugs, there's the trio of Francis, Slim, and Heimlich. Francis, being a ladybug, is constantly mistaken for a female by anyone he doesn't know, [[BerserkButton typically leading to him losing his temper with them and threatening them]]. Of course, you'd certainly do that if you were burdened with being mistaken for the opposite gender of what you are, [[JustifiedTrope so him being the Manly Man is certainly justifiable]]. Slim, meanwhile, is a [[DeadpanSnarker snarky]], neurotic ButtMonkey who is used as a prop as a result of being a stick insect, and Heimlich is a plump, soft-hearted caterpillar who is the most emotional of the three and shows a longing to become a "beautiful butterfly".

* The BigBad of ''WesternAnimation/BeautyAndTheBeast'' is Gaston, a conceited, disgustingly muscular hunter. His StraightMan? [=LeFou=], a tiny man who is easily intimidated.
* Grandpa Longneck and Cera's father from ''WesternAnimation/TheLandBeforeTime''. The former is friendly, soft-spoken, and nurturing, while the latter is tough, aggressive, and short-tempered. They become foils in the third film where they clash over parenting methods and how to handle a crisis.

These two tend to get into a lot of HoYay or FoeYay which drives [[YaoiFangirl a certain group of fans]] wild. If they're an [[YaoiGuys actual romantic couple]], they'll get {{Uke}} and {{Seme}} comparisons too. Related to RedOniBlueOni with the Manly Man almost always Red and the Sensitive Guy almost always Blue. Also related to PowerTrio with the Manly Man usually the id and the Sensitive Guy usually the superego.