History TheLancer / AnimeAndManga

* Eiji Shigure in ''{{Gravion}}'' may be the main character of the series, but is arguably the Lancer of the Gravion team, and often fills in the role with main pilot Toga. An odd variation of that, as while Toga is definitely the more pure-hearted of the two, he still depends on Eiji to keep him morally grounded in battle.

* {{Doraemon}}, despite the CharacterTitle issue, is this to [[TheHero Nobita Nobi.]]

* Guts filled this role for Griffith in ''{{Berserk}}'' when he was still part of the Band of the Hawk.

** ''[[Anime/MobileSuitZetaGundam Zeta Gundam]]'': Quattro Bajina aka Char Aznable is the Lancer ''and'' the BigBrotherMentor to Kamille Vidan. [[CoolBigSis Emma Sheen]] also is Lancer-ish sometimes.

** ''[[Anime/MobileSuitVictoryGundam Victory Gundam]]'': Odelo Henrik, to Usso Evin.

* ''Manga/{{Trigun}}'': Nicholas D. Wolfwood to Vash the Stampede. Wolfwood and Vash work incredibly well together and often appear to be two of a kind when goofing around or actively engaged in combat, but have deep philosophical differences. Wolfwood is dark: a killer and KnightInSourArmor with a secret agdenda. Vash is a TechnicalPacifist and AllLovingHero. They're keeping huge secrets from one another, and they know it. They're still the best friends either has ever had. Their color scheme contributes.\\

* In ''ShamanKing'' Ren Tao is the [[TheLancer Lancer]] in every way to [[BrilliantButLazy Yoh Asakura's]] hero.

* ''{{Trigun}}'': Nicholas D. Wolfwood to Vash the Stampede. Wolfwood and Vash work incredibly well together and often appear to be two of a kind when goofing around or actively engaged in combat, but have deep philosophical differences. Wolfwood is dark: a killer and KnightInSourArmor with a secret agdenda. Vash is a TechnicalPacifist and AllLovingHero. They're keeping huge secrets from one another, and they know it. They're still the best friends either has ever had. Their color scheme contributes.\\

* ''MagicalProjectS'': Pixy Misa becomes this in near the end of the series.
* ''{{Gantz}}'': Kei Kurono was undoubtedly TheLancer to TheHero Masaru Katou, his old friend. [[spoiler: Until Katou died and Kurono became TheHero instead, whereupon Izumi becomes his Lancer. Who (plural) at some point got killed off by alien vampires, around the time Katou got revived (the incredibly awesome Osaka arc followed). That lasted till Kei got revived AGAIN, TWICE, so now three heroes are running around, with one of the Kei's and Katou leading a (probably) suicide commando against an alien invasion and another leading humans being held captive by said aliens into freedom.]]

* Rina/Green Pearl Voice from ''MermaidMelodyPichiPichiPitch'' and Caren.
* Minto Aizawa/Mew Mint from ''TokyoMewMew'' is TheLancer to Ichigo Momomiya/Mew Ichigo.

* In ''SoukouNoStrain'', Lottie considers Sara her Lancer up until [[spoiler:she realizes Sara's identity. She finally admits that maybe it's the other way around.]]

* ''SaintSeiyaOmega'' features a female example in Yuna, who serves as [[IdiotHero Kouga]]'s main [[TheReliableOne partner]] in both combat and journeying.

* Kai of ''{{Beyblade}}'' switched between TheLancer and TheRival. Rei/Ray also had his moments.
* [[{{Deuteragonist}} Barnaby]] from ''TigerAndBunny'' plays this role where his partner [[HeroProtagonist Kotetsu]] is concerned. He is the [[RedOniBlueOni Blue Oni to Kotetsu's Red]], and the IneffectualLoner to his partner's AllLovingHero / [[TheCape Cape]].

* ''GoLion'' did an interesting bit on this trope. While Isamu Kurogane was named LANCE by {{Voltron}} fans, he was not the original Lancer of the team. . . that job was temporarily held by Takashi Shirogane (Sven).

* Natsuki Kuga is Mai's Lancer in ''{{Mai-HiME}}'', being both her {{Foil}} (Mai is very strait-laced, while Natsuki's willing to break a few rules to meet her personal objective) and opposite number in the ElementalPowers department (Mai uses [[PlayingWithFire fire]], and Natsuki uses [[AnIcePerson ice]]).

** [[spoiler: In the current war, Killer Bee is definitely this as he specifically promised Iruka he'd watch Naruto's back.]]
** [[spoiler: And now, with his HeelFaceTurn, Sasuke has reclaimed the role]]

* Roronoa Zoro in ''OnePiece''. Not only is he [[RedOniBlueOni the straight man to all of Luffy's antics]], he is the NumberTwo as [[TheCaptain Luffy's]] swordsman. Given the relative specialties of the two and the outcomes of the times they fight in the series, Zoro and Luffy are very nearly evenly matched.

* Natsu Tanimoto, a.k.a. Hermit, combines this with a bit of SixthRanger to ''KenichiTheMightiestDisciple.'' One of the last to defect from Ragnarok to Shinpaku Alliance, and then unwillingly, Natsu and Kenichi have the same basic decency but are otherwise polar opposites.

** ''ThePrinceOfTennis'':

** ''CaptainTsubasa'':

** Subverted in ''Slam Dunk'', where the vice-captain of the Shohoku team (Kogure) hardly gets any time on the court. Therefore, since we have Sakuragi as TheHero (from story-wise perspective, as he is the main character), he gets Rukawa as his Lancer.
** ''Eyeshield 21'' has many of these.

* If you view the Allied Forces from ''AxisPowersHetalia'' as a FiveManBand, then [[TeamDad England]] is TheLancer to [[LoveFreak America's]] IdiotHero.

* ''MahouSenseiNegima'' has either Asuna or Setsuna acting as Negi's lancer for the earlier arcs. Later [[TheRival Kotaro]] has taken the position. [[spoiler: Nodoka ''might'' have a good chance after she takes a level in badass.]]

* The ''PrettyCure franchise'' has Lancers who often doubles as [[SmartGuy Smart Girls]].
** ''FutariWaPrettyCure'' and its sequel has the [[SmartGuy intelligent]] and calm Honoka for the athletic, BookDumb and lazy Nagisa.
** ''FutariWaPrettyCureSplashStar'' has Mai who is smart, calm and shy in contrast to the BookDumb GenkiGirl Saki.
** Thanks to ''YesPrettyCure5'''s insistence on dual-classing everyone, [[TheHero Nozo]][[TheChick mi]] has both [[TheBigGuy Big]] [[TheLancer Lancer]] Rin and [[TheSmartGuy Smart]] [[TheLancer Lancer]] Karen to contend with. They manage to simultaneously act as foils for both Nozomi and each other. The former is the better example.
** ''FreshPrettyCure'' has two. First it was Miki who later became the BigGuy and is replaced by Setsuna who doubles as a SmartGuy. The latter got closer to the heroine Love and has become even a part of her family.
** In ''HeartcatchPrettyCure'', the GenkiGirl Erika is this to the ShrinkingViolet Tsubomi. Interestingly, the [[SmartGuy Smart Girl]] Yuri is the strongest of the four and could also be the lancer, in contrast to Cure Blossom who is considered as the weakest Pretty Cure.
** In ''SuitePrettyCure'', like the first two continuities, Kanade is the [[SmartGuy intelligent]] and unsporty one to the athletic, BookDumb Hibiki. Both are also VitriolicBestBuds.
** Similar to ''Yes!5'', ''SmilePrettyCure'' has the [[TheBigGuy Big]] [[TheLancer Lancer]] Akane and the [[SmartGuy Smart]] [[TheLancer Lancer]] Reika to Miyuki. While the former has a closer relationship to Miyuki and has the greatest physical strength, Reika has defeated [[spoiler:[[TheDragon Joker]] twice]].

* In ''FushigiYuugi'', Tamahome and Tasuki end up as a BlueOniRedOni patterned Hero and Lancer, respectively. Interestingly, they ''both'' have a BrainwashedAndCrazy incident where one nearly murders the other.
* In ''OuranHighSchoolHostClub'' Shadow King Kyouya is TheLancer to IdiotHero Tamaki, and secretly runs the club behind his back. Everyone else is aware of it, though; they don't call him the "Shadow King" for nothing.

** Vegeta is TheRival and the TokenEvilTeammate to Goku, along with pulling off a RedOniBlueOni. He is aloof, irate, and perpetually serious as a foil to Goku's fun-loving, easygoing FunPersonified characteristics.

* ''SuzumiyaHaruhi'' plays with this, in that the Lancer, Kyon, is in fact both the narrator and the main character... with a little dash of TheHero, something that the flighty and childish Haruhi is definitely ''not''.
** Really, Haruhi got the FiveManBand wrong; [[EmotionlessGirl Yuki Nagato]] is more TheLancer than Kyon, who is more of TheHero.

** In ''Manga/MagicalRecordLyricalNanohaForce'', Isis Egret is TheLancer to Thoma Avenir. Thoma is the UnskilledButStrong AllLovingHero and a TechnicalPacifist, while the Isis is the cynical explosive user with a rather aggressive battle persona. Also, Isis is still human, while Thoma is [[TechnicallyLivingZombie not]], yet Isis is far more competent than him.

** In ''Anime/MagicalGirlLyricalNanohaViVid'', Einhard Stratos is TheLancer to Vivio Takamachi. Aside of the RedOniBlueOni trope, Einhard is proud of being the descendant of her WarriorPrince heritage, while Vivio tries to live normally as possible despite being a CloneJesus.
** In ''Anime/MagicalRecordLyricalNanohaForce'', Isis Egret is TheLancer to Thoma Avenir. Thoma is the UnskilledButStrong AllLovingHero and a TechnicalPacifist, while the Isis is the cynic explosive user with a rather aggressive battle persona. Also, Isis is still human, while Thoma is [[TechnicallyLivingZombie not]], yet Isis is far more competent than him.

*** Subaru Nakajima and Teana Lanster are Lancers to each other. Subaru is TheHeroine of the ''[=StrikerS=]'' cast, while Teana is TheLeader of the Forwards. Both are RedOniBlueOni, respectively, and display the BrainsAndBrawl trope.

** ''Anime/MagicalGirlLyricalNanohaAs'' Fate Testarossa, indeed an ex-DarkMagicalGirl, is the Lancer to Nanoha, being the {{Foil}} to her in terms of personality, appearance, powers and fighting style.

* ''MagicalGirlLyricalNanoha'': [[spoiler: Fate Testarossa, indeed an ex-DarkMagicalGirl]].
* In ''[=StrikerS=]'', [[spoiler:Vita and Signum become Lancers to Nanoha and Fate, respectively.]]

* In the ''Manga/SailorMoon'' {{anime}}, Rei/Sailor Mars is TheLancer of the team. The English dub [[CharacterExaggeration exaggerated this]] into a running subplot of her trying to subvert Usagi's leadership. In the manga, however, the Lancer is Minako/Sailor Venus, the leader of the Senshi in the Silver Millenium and the most seasoned warrior of the group. In some ways, manga Minako is an example of TheHero unto herself, with Rei being ''her'' [[TheLancer Lancer]] rather than Usagi's.

** ''[[Anime/MobileSuitGundamAge Gundam AGE]]'': Woolf Enneacle, to Flit and Asemu Asuno. Flit later becomes one to his grandson Kio as well as BigGood.

* The title character of ''Manga/SoulEater'' is Maka's Lancer.(As much as a scythe who can take human form can do so.)
** Almost all the characters in Soul Eater have a tendency to play off of eachother, switching from Hero to Lancer when the plot calls for it. The Weapons are also definitely people, just an unusual kind of shapeshifter.

* ''{{Trigun}}'': Nicholas D. Wolfwood to Vash the Stampede. Wolfwood and Vash work incredibly well together and often appear to be two of a kind when goofing around or actively engaged in combat, but have deep philosophical differences. Wolfwood is dark: a killer and KnightInSourArmor with a secret agdenda. Vash is a TechnicalPacifist and TheMessiah. They're keeping huge secrets from one another, and they know it. They're still the best friends either has ever had. Their color scheme contributes.\\

* [[{{Deuteragonist}} Barnaby]] from ''TigerAndBunny'' plays this role where his partner [[HeroProtagonist Kotetsu]] is concerned. He is the [[RedOniBlueOni Blue Oni to Kotetsu's Red]], and the IneffectualLoner to his partner's [[TheMessiah Messiah]] / [[TheCape Cape]].

* ''VisualNovel/HigurashiNoNakuKoroNi'' has an interesting example in [[spoiler:Keiichi]]. He starts off as a DecoyProtagonist, is a bit paranoid and actually steers into [[spoiler:VillainProtagonist]] territory. In later arcs, the spotlight switches to the actual [[TheHero hero]], [[spoiler:Rika]]. Another interesting thing about it is the reversal of the usual optimistic-Hero and cynical-Lancer. [[spoiler:Rika]] behaves cheerfully, but is secretly very cynical and has all but resigned [[spoiler:her]]self to die. [[spoiler:Keiichi]], after a number of screw-ups caused by not trusting his friends, is optimistic and tells [[spoiler:Rika]] that it ''is'' possible to [[ScrewDestiny beat the crap out of fate]]. He's arguably [[spoiler:Rika]]'s [[TheMessiah savior]].

* Daisy from ''DragonQuest: [[DragonQuestLegendOfTheHeroAbel Legend of the Hero Abel]]'' (a.k.a. the ''Dragon Warrior'' anime broadcast in English in TheNineties) is a good example of a female Lancer: a mercenary adventurer who started out more skilled than TheHero, and who seemed to [[{{UST}} have a crush on him]] (which got sublimated into her helping rescue the DistressedDamsel).

** ''FreshPrettyCure'' has two. First it was Miki who later became the BigGuy and is replaced by Setsuna who doubles as a SmartGuy. The latter got closer to the heroine Love and has became even a part of her family.

* ''Anime/ScienceNinjaTeamGatchaman'': "Condor" Joe Asakura, a.k.a. G-2. In the beginning, he's a SociopathicHero constantly undermining [[TheHero Ken's]] authority because he wouldn't let Joe go on the attack. But by the second half of the first series, Joe's the only one who's able to [[GetAHoldOfYourselfMan talk Ken down]] when he [[FreakOut MAJORLY Freaks Out]] after [[spoiler: Red Impulse, Ken's long-absent father, is killed]], showing they have a Ryu And Ken (the Capcom ones) style respect for each other. From the beginning, he has a serious vendetta against the antagonists of the series since [[ParentalAbandonment ''his parents are Deeaaad!'']] thanks to them, which drives his AntiHero tendencies, [[spoiler: and true to his role, he's the member that ends up dramatically dying in sacrifice at the end.]] [[spoiler: of the first series at least, subverted in the sequels.]]

* ''Anime/ScienceNinjaTeamGatchaman'': "Condor" Joe Asakura, a.k.a. G-2. In the beginning, he's a SociopathicHero constantly undermining [[TheHero Ken's]] authority because he wouldn't let Joe go on the attack. But by the second half of the first series, Joe's the only one who's able to [[GetAHoldOfYourselfMan talk Ken down]] when he [[FreakOut MAJORLY Freaks Out]] after [[spoiler: Red Impulse, Ken's long-absent father, is killed]], showing they have a [[RyuAndKen Ryu And Ken (the Capcom ones)]] style respect for each other. From the beginning, he has a serious vendetta against the antagonists of the series since [[ParentalAbandonment ''his parents are Deeaaad!'']] thanks to them, which drives his AntiHero tendencies, [[spoiler: and true to his role, he's the member that ends up dramatically dying in sacrifice at the end.]] [[spoiler: of the first series at least, subverted in the sequels.]]

** In ''Anime/DokiDokiPrettyCure'', despite that [[SmartGuy Smart Girl]] Rikka is [[TheHero Mana's]] best friend for years, Makoto fits to the Lancer role better. She has the most counts of defeated [[MonsterOfTheWeek Jikochuus]], is one of two offensive Pretty Cures (the other is Mana) and is a serious veteran.

** Similar to ''Yes!5'', SmilePrettyCure has the [[TheBigGuy Big]] [[TheLancer Lancer]] Akane and the [[SmartGuy Smart]] [[TheLancer Lancer]] Reika to Miyuki. While the former has a closer relationship to Miyuki and has the greatest physical strength, Reika is able to defeat [[spoiler:[[TheDragon Joker]] twice]].

** Like the first two continuities, Kanade is the [[SmartGuy intelligent]] and unsporty one to the athletic, BookDumb Hibiki. Both are also VitriolicBestBuds.

* Thanks to ''YesPrettyCure5'''s insistence on dual-classing everyone, [[TheHero Nozo]][[TheChick mi]] has both [[TheBigGuy Big]] [[TheLancer Lancer]] Rin and [[TheSmartGuy Smart]] [[TheLancer Lancer]] Karen to contend with. They manage to simultaneously act as foils for both Nozomi and each other.

* ''Manga/DragonBall Z'' had several through the shows run (including Krillin, Yamcha, and Tien), though two stand out more prominently:

* There are several (and ''very'' different, personality-wise) Lancers in the ''{{Gundam}}'' meta series:

** ''CrossboneGundam'': Kincaido Nau aka [[GundamF91 Seabook Arno]], to Tobia Arronax. Also a BigBrotherMentor to him.

** ''MobileSuitGundamThe08thMSTeam'': Karen Joshua, to Shiro Amada
** ''{{Gundam 0083}}'': Chuck Keith, to Kou Uraki.

** ''GundamAge'': Woolf Enneacle, to Flit and Asemu Asuno. Flit later becomes one to his grandson Kio as well as BigGood.