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Anime and Manga
"Ikkaku... Madarame... I'm glad you told me your name..."
— Edrad Liones before he dies from his injuries, Bleach
"You beat me, Jugo. Dammit... things never quite go how you expect, do they? I always thought I'd be more frustrated when you finally beat me."
— Bazz-B to Jugram Haschwalth, Bleach
"You killed me. I hate losing... but there are worse ways to die than at the hands of a man like you. I love how cold and focused your eyes are. I look forward to the day when those eyes will be wide with agony. It's coming... it's coming..."
"It's the law of the material world."
— Palparepa, GaoGaiGar FINAL
"Taikobou-kun, thank you for a tres bien fight. You were a great final opponent for me."
— Chou Koumei, Hoshin Engi
Kaido: If he's the same person as the man you're waiting for, King... then I think I know who Joy Boy is.
King: Who is it?
Kaido: The one... who will defeat me!!
King: Who is it?
Kaido: The one... who will defeat me!!
—One Piece, Chapter 1049, Kaido's flashback as Luffy punches him into the ground.
"I lost... but I never knew losing could feel so good."
— Nash, Yu-Gi-Oh! ZEXAL
Comic Books
"I have lost to the Sonic the Hedgehog. I feel no shame in this."
"I'm going to miss Claude. Fantastic manservant. He made a terrible Hobgoblin, but he made the best bouillabaisse. But some sacrifices have to be made. Just not self-sacrifices. Ah well. Time to lay low again. To plan. To scheme. To rise anew. Have your victory today, Osborn. You earned it. To you, my old foe. And to Goblins everywhere."
— Roderick Kingsley, Superior Spider Man
Fan Works
"It hurt- Kagami was surprised by how much it hurt, to realize that Adrien was not going to love her the way she wanted. But as much of a surprise to her was the peace that deciding not to follow the foolish path brought; it made the hurt into something bearable, and made Kagami feel stronger than she did even after a hard-fought fencing bout. Tears of release stung her eyes, as she let go of her dreams and chose the difficult path- the idea of choosing her own fate for herself brought more strength, and made the pain even less."
— Choice
, a Miraculous Ladybug fic
, a Miraculous Ladybug fic"Astonishing... I could kill a Bijuu... and you two managed to beat me. To beat the unstoppable. Congratulations, worthy warriors. You won."
— Madara "Amaterasu" Uchiha, Echoes (Kagaseo)
Xana: Goodbye…William Dunbar. (...) I will never conquer Earth, will I?
William Dunbar: ….Nope.
William Dunbar: ….Nope.
The presence within the deep cave in his mind lingers in disappointment.
Xana: Pity. Instead I engaged in a rather close up study of…human mating.
William: Yeah that's right. Wait…WHAT?!
William: Yeah that's right. Wait…WHAT?!
In a single moment, Xana quietly fades. William's mind is soon left only with his thoughts.
William: Um…you want to run that by me again?...Hello?
Film — Animated
"One bullet... I tip my hat to you, one legend to another!"
— Rattlesnake Jake, Rango
There's a benefit to losing: you get to learn from your mistakes.
— Megamind, Megamind
Film — Live-Action
'"If it's all the same to you, I'll have that drink now."'
Evil Ted: Dude, we may have met our match!
Evil Bill: Kudos to you, good human usses!
Evil Bill: Kudos to you, good human usses!
Goblin King: What are you going to do now, wizard?
[Gandalf rushes forward, pokes the Goblin King in the eye with his staff and then cuts his belly open with his sword]
Goblin King: *Beat* That'll do it.
[Gandalf rushes forward, pokes the Goblin King in the eye with his staff and then cuts his belly open with his sword]
Goblin King: *Beat* That'll do it.
"Well... Ain't we a pair, raggedy man? *laughs* Goodbye, soldier."
— Aunty Entity, Mad Max: Beyond Thunderdome
"Well kid, you threw one by me. Savor the flavor, because it sure as hell won't happen again. In the meantime, good luck to you."
— Ray Zalinsky, Tommy Boy
"You fought well, Atraides."
— Feyd-Rautha Harkonnen, Dune: Part Two
Literature
"Do you suppose I would ever reproach you, of all my foes? I am sorry only to have faced you across the field, when you ought to have been by my side. Loss is the hazard of battle. One who cannot bear to taste it cannot be a soldier. Now come and sit with me, and tell me how the fighting unfolded, from your side."
"The really funny thing was that even though he'd hit bottom, he couldn't honestly say that it was all that bad there. He had his friends - or some of them. They had Josh's money. They still had magic, and alcohol, and sex, and food. They had everything. He thought of Venice, and the pure green Cornish landscape they'd driven through. There was so much more to this world than he thought. What the hell did he have to complain about?
Fuck-all was the answer."
Fuck-all was the answer."
"Leave the battlefieldnote ! Defeat may be unavoidable, but we will meet it with pride."
—The Earl of Kinloch,To The Hilt
Live-Action TV
Harrison Renard: Well played.
Fiona Goode: (laughs) You Harvard men! Charming to the end.
Harrison Renard: Yale, actually.
Fiona Goode: (laughs) You Harvard men! Charming to the end.
Harrison Renard: Yale, actually.
(grins proudly at Cole) "You fucking STUD!! I'm not even mad, bro." (makes chest thump gesture) "Respect!"
— Max's dying words, The Babysitter: Killer Queen
Kyler: You heard Kenny when he dropped your ass. Just a Faux-Hawk now.
Hawk: You know what? That's life. You win some, you lose some, but you gotta move on.
Hawk: You know what? That's life. You win some, you lose some, but you gotta move on.
— Cobra Kai, "Head of the Snake"
Otto: That's cheating! That's cheating!
Dr. O: No. It's my fault. Ms. O said in the rules that we have to hold onto our rings or someone else could take them.
Otto: But he tricked you, so it's not fa-
Dr. O: No. Doctor's orders.
Ms. O: Dr. O is eliminated.
[Dr. O gets sent back to Headquarters]
Odd Todd: Hahahahaha, ye-es! [does the Running Man dance]
[dejected cheers from the crowd as Dr. O appears]
Olive: Well done, Doctor.
Dr. O: It's like I always say to my patients: I tried my best.
Dr. O: No. It's my fault. Ms. O said in the rules that we have to hold onto our rings or someone else could take them.
Otto: But he tricked you, so it's not fa-
Dr. O: No. Doctor's orders.
Ms. O: Dr. O is eliminated.
[Dr. O gets sent back to Headquarters]
Odd Todd: Hahahahaha, ye-es! [does the Running Man dance]
[dejected cheers from the crowd as Dr. O appears]
Olive: Well done, Doctor.
Dr. O: It's like I always say to my patients: I tried my best.
— Odd Squad, "The O Games"
Pat Sajak: Valerie, it's not fair. It's not fair!
Valerie: Oh, I enjoyed myself immensely. I love the game!
Pat Sajak: She spun the wheel once and hit a Lose a Turn... Does that seem like it was worth flying into town?
Valerie: Of course it was!
Valerie: Oh, I enjoyed myself immensely. I love the game!
Pat Sajak: She spun the wheel once and hit a Lose a Turn... Does that seem like it was worth flying into town?
Valerie: Of course it was!
— Wheel of Fortune, 9/2/1996 episode
Sports
"I have always been a firm believer in the therapeutic value of adversity. Of all people, athletes much reach an accommodation with losing, and learn to make the best of it."
— Arthur Ashe
Theatre
I am damaged, far too damaged
But you’re not beyond repair
Stick around here, make things better
Cause you beat me fair and square
But you’re not beyond repair
Stick around here, make things better
Cause you beat me fair and square
— J.D, Heathers: The Musical
Video Games
"Excellent performance! I lost ever most spectacularly!"
"So this is to be my fate...I accept it...You win, dragon boy...!"
— Vexacion, Breath of Fire: Dragon Quarter
"I underestimated you, Warden... I thought you were like Cailan, a child wanting to play at war. I was wrong... there's a strength in you that I have not seen anywhere since Maric died. I yield."
— Loghain Mac Tir after the Warden defeats him in a duel at the Landsmeet; Dragon Age: Origins
"I congratulate you, little insect. Your sting is formidable."
—Molag Bal, after The Vestige and their allies defeated him, The Elder Scrolls Online
"Oh... that means my plan is a total failure. That is unfortunate... Oh, well, at least I tried!"
— Dr. Mobius, upon finding out the Think Tank still has the blueprints to rebuild what he stole, Fallout: New Vegas, Old World Blues
"So be it, Alm. I leave Valentia's future to you, her hero. Take from us what lessons you will and shape her into a land to remember. Make her strong like Duma, and fill her with Mila's love. Let our grave mistakes be warnings of where not to tread as you lead her forth. Now, we shall sleep. And never shall you disturb our slumber."
"Darkness... closing in... Strength... fading... So this... This is the taste of defeat... (Evil Laugh)... It tastes good! My only regret is that I will not live to taste it again..."
—Abel "Strafe" Balt, Freedom Wars
"The winner takes all and the loser goes away. That's the rule I agreed to. (...) I will not acknowledge your way of thinking. However, as the victor, you may follow your path. What say you? Struggle till the very end, Kiana."
— Herrscher of the Void, Honkai Impact 3rd
"You surprise me yet again. I'm a better teacher... than I thought. "
— Sun Li, Jade Empire
Hewdraw Head 2: Look how far you've come, Pit! I'm so proud of you. (dies)
Pit: Huh... You don't usually meet such nice bosses.
Pit: Huh... You don't usually meet such nice bosses.
"It's hard to believe... but you actually got me, Pit. The nerve of you..."
— Hades, Kid Icarus: Uprising
"Well, I must say I am impressed. Such a teeny little angel defeating such a big, bad god of the Underworld. Why, Pitty... that must make you the most powerful Nintendo character of all time! I'm actually rather proud of you. 8-bit Pit would have never made it this far. But don't worry, I'm not going to tear up the credits again. The game really is over. Which is why I'm here to delete your save data! 1, 2, 3, GONE! Nawwww, I'm just messing with you, buddy.. Settle down. Your saves are, er, safe. I mean, I don't even have a body anymore. Couldn't delete a save file if I wanted to. I'm not even sure I can be resurrected in this state. There's the real tragedy. This dashing physique, this literally godly body, gone forever?! Ladies everywhere are no doubt weeping as we speak! Your fault! Oh, well. I'll figure something out. I have, what, 25 years until the next sequel? Anywho, you can always revisit me and other...friends...in the chapters you've beat. You can play our battles over and over again like a favorite book, or a broken record! Oh, and if the mood strikes you, throw some hearts into the Fiend's Cauldron. Hearts spice up the difficulty of the level and can net you some sweet rewards! And because I'm not a sore loser, I've unlocked Boss Battle mode for you. So here's to Kid Icarus: Uprising — my new favorite game of all time. Thanks for playing! Hades...out!"
— Hades during the ending credits of Kid Icarus: Uprising
"You play the game quite well."
— Luxord, Kingdom Hearts II
"WHAT?! I Lost... But with this, a dream has come true! As a gift, I'll tell you what my dream was! That is... I wished for a strong opponent! In other words, my dream has come true! I lost the battle, but I still won! I tend to think positively!"
Tron: I'm... sorry Teisel. ... I lost.
Teisel: Don't worry your pretty little head over it, Tron. We tried our best, but sometimes your best isn't good enough. We lost fair and square. That's life...
Teisel: Don't worry your pretty little head over it, Tron. We tried our best, but sometimes your best isn't good enough. We lost fair and square. That's life...
"Attaboy, Jack..."
—Sundowner, Metal Gear Rising: Revengeance
Aylis Navarre: Gwah…?! Well Done. Bel... *smirk*
Bell Cranel: …Ais…!
Aylis: You win...(Dissolves into dark magic.)
Bell Cranel: …Ais…!
Aylis: You win...(Dissolves into dark magic.)
— DanMachi: Memoria Freese, Nightmare Academia Campaign
"I admit defeat. A spectacular defeat! There's more drama in defeat anyway. Victory is soooo overdone."
— Lemmy Koopa, Paper Mario: Color Splash
"Children of Man... well done!"
— Izanami, Persona 4
"So this...is the true Trickster. Damn that Igor...it seems he wasn't spouting nonsense..."
— Yaldabaoth, Persona 5
"Strength ebbs and flows in an endless cycle. One moment you grasp it, and the next it slips from your hand. But the strength you now have - the strength that let you defeat me - it is unwavering! Congratulations, from the bottom of my heart!"
— Dojo Master Mustard, Pokémon Sword and Shield
"That skill! That intensity! Wonderful, Freudia! Now that was a real battle!"
— Schirach Fühler, Rosenkreuzstilette Freudenstachel
"Aw man, you've put me out of business as a guardian. But oh well... I guess it's not so bad if I think of it as a chance to go back to making an honest buck. Sometimes I'm a young girl, and at other times I might be a guard who watches over the city...I was inspired by reruns of an anime I used to watch. I did this job just to transform every day...But that all ends now. I'm going back to my family. I probably won't ever see you again, but good luck staying alive. See ya."
— The Terminal Guardian, Shin Megami Tensei IV
"I have to hand it to you, you have superior digging technique. We should share notes."
— Mole Knight, Shovel Knight
"Oh, I guess I couldn't really elude capture forever. Well, it appears I'll be going away for a bit. I shall endure this capture sequence with dignittttyyyyyy...! [Gets sucked into vortex]"
— Nightshade, Skylanders: Trap Team
"I must head towards the light without fear. Even in defeat, I shall shine like a STTAAAAARRRRRRR...! [Gets sucked into vortex]"
— Luminous, Skylanders: Trap Team
"It seems all of my work... has been for nothing. The times have changed. The world can never be the same as it was. Moving forward... is the future. I suppose this is it then. You will not receive severance paaaaaay..."
— Mr. Grizz, Splatoon 3
"You have turned out far more interesting than we could ever have imagined. We never expected to assume the perspective of a subject."
— Enigmatic Observer Fallen Empire as a vassal, Stellaris
And so, the Mayor was defeated after a long and arduous election process, and ended up being a surprisingly good sport about it.
— Streets of Rogue, if you win via election
Gian: We might be weebs, but we also have sportsmanship!
— Gian takes his defeat in stride in Troublemaker
"I'm impressed, matey! You've earned your star. Think of it as a souvenir of our fight!"
— Jonathan "Johnny" Jones, Super Mario RPG
"Twice? Beaten by an object, twice?! I've only known the taste of victory... but this taste, is... is this my blood? Ha... I've never known such... such relief. I... I need some time to think. We will meet again, Machine."
— Gabriel, ULTRAKILL
"Ahh... So concludes the life and times of King Sisyphus. A fitting end to an existence defined by futile struggle, doomed from the very start... And I don't regret a second of it! (Lets out an Evil Laugh)"
— Sisyphus Prime, ULTRAKILL
"Congratulations on your victory. You will always be remembered, and I will soon be forgotten."
— General Faulkner, Vanguard Bandits
"Looks like the student finally surpassed the teacher. See ya' kid ..."
— Dickson's last words, Xenoblade Chronicles 1
Visual Novels
"You and your comrades have emerged the victor. Let pride fill your heart and do not devalue my defeat."
— Reinhard Heydrich, Dies Irae
"Congratulations, Mr. Wright. I lose... again."
— Dee Vasquez, Phoenix Wright: Ace Attorney
Web Animation
Freeza: Literally felled by a whelp, and Goku's no less! Yet you seem so adorably proud of yourself!
Cell: Proud?! No!! ...But I'm not going to act all insecure about it! What kind of loser would that make me?
Goz: An infinite one?
Cell: (points at Goz affirmatively) Mmm-hmm!
Cell: Proud?! No!! ...But I'm not going to act all insecure about it! What kind of loser would that make me?
Goz: An infinite one?
Cell: (points at Goz affirmatively) Mmm-hmm!
— HFIL Episode 2
Neon Katt: WHAT!? We lost!? We lost!? Team FNKI lost!? That was... That was... AMAZING! Oh my gosh, you guys were super crazy awesome! We should definitely party together sometime! Right, Flynt?
Flynt Coal: That was a gutsy move, Schnee... I dig it.
Flynt Coal: That was a gutsy move, Schnee... I dig it.
— RWBY
Western Animation
Xanatos: You've been practicing. This is the first time I've ever lost a match to you.
Owen: Would you rather I pretend to lose?
Xanatos: I'd fire you if you did.
Owen: Would you rather I pretend to lose?
Xanatos: I'd fire you if you did.
—Gargoyles, "The Edge"
Wrestling
"Congratulations. You won. And I lost. And I lost to the better man."
Miscellaneous
"No, I lost! I guess you wanted to win much more than I did. It was a great duel!"
— Yami Yugi, Yu-Gi-Oh! Power of Chaos: Yugi the Destiny
