History HiddenDepths / AnimeAndManga

** Katsuki Bakugo, initially presented as TheBully with [[HeroWithAnFInGood almost no redeeming qualities]], who WouldHitAGirl, has incredibly high standards for heroing, feels deeply responsible for several things that were hardly his fault, and is far smarter than one might expect for someone with such a HairTriggerTemper.

* All three members of the bumbling Team Rocket trio from the ''Anime/{{Pokemon}}'' anime have some degree of developed talents and hidden intellect. Ironically they tend to far better match Ash and the other twerps in these areas than their desired villainous role:

** Yukari's appearance and her initial comment about wanting to pursue Souichi due to his managerial position may suggest that she's a selfish, materialistic and/or power-hungry man-eater, and many of her colleagues certainly think of her as a slut. However, she turns out to be quite timid, childish and reserved.

* ''Manga/RosarioToVampire'':

** Prussia appears at first glance to be nothing but an [[{{Pride}} overly arrogant]], [[LargeHam loud]], careless, wild and irresponsible hooligan-type. While he is indeed a BloodKnight, his true nature is said to be methodical and severe, [[NotSoDifferent much like his younger brother Germany]], and he shows himself to be much more perceptive and intelligent than he lets on. He has shown a few signs of it in strips, including his role [[DrillSergeantNasty training America]] for the American Revolution, his technological know-how during the Industrial Revolution, his success at unifying Germany, and his role as a BigBrotherMentor to Germany. Additionally, he ''does'' experience emotions like loneliness and sadness, no matter how much he tries to deny them.

* ''Manga/BusoRenkin'': While she has the outward character of a YamatoNadeshiko, the fact that the personality for Oka Hayasaka's hyperactive and sarcastic buso renkin {{familiar}} Angel Gozen is based on her subconscious mind shows that she is a more complex character than she lets on.

* ''LightNovel/AccelWorld''

* ''Manga/AsteroidInLove''

* For all that he's flanderized into a LovableSexManiac without a serious bone in his body, France from ''Manga/AxisPowersHetalia'' sometimes shows a surprising character depth specially manifested in his accurate reading of human emotions. This is specially obvious in the strips in which he gets to interact with humans rather than nations, like [[http://www.hetarchive.net/scanlations/nonlinear.php?vais the one]] in which he befriends a French soldier whose grandfather served under Francis's own orders, or when he meets up with a woman named Lisa [[spoiler: who's all but stated to be the reincarnation of his old friend Saint Joan Of Arc.]] This can give a potential new light into how he and the other nations interact with their citizens and other people who aren't immortal like them.
** Prussia appears at first glance to be nothing but an [[{{Pride}} overly arrogant]], [[LargeHam loud]], careless, wild and irresponsible hooligan-type. While he is indeed a BloodKnight, his true nature is said to be methodical and severe, [[NotSoDifferent much like his younger brother Germany]], and he shows himself to be much more perceptive and intelligent than he lets on. He has shown a few signs of it in strips, including his role [[DrillSergeantNasty training America]] for the American Revolution, his technological know-how during the Industrial Revolution, his success at unifying Germany, and his role as a BigBrotherMentor to Germany. Additionally, he ''does'' experience emotions like loneliness and sadness, no matter how much he tries to deny them.
* ''{{Manga/Bartender}}'': Ryu Sasakura is [[RedBaron the Glass of God]], a legendary bartender and customer service operator, smooth as ice and slick as a silver bullet... on the job. However, when we get to see him outside of his professional setting he is a [[TheDitz ditzy]] [[TheKlutz klutzy]] ManChild with a strange obsession with eating gyoza.

* ''Manga/{{Bleach}}''

* ''Manga/BloomIntoYou''
** Touko initially seems like TheAce, as one of the top scorers in the school, a star athlete and a popular girl who quickly becomes StudentCouncilPresident, thus seeming to fall into the ideal [[SenpaiKohai senpai]] character archetype. In reality, she's lonely, emotionally vulnerable, and puts up a façade so that people will accept her for being [[IJustWantToBeSpecial special]], since she hates her plain and unremarkable old self. On a more humorous level, she's also ''very'' competitive, and is driven to win the sports competition even though it means little.

-->'''Yuu''': From your appearance, I was kind of expecting you to be a more lighthearted person, but you're not at all, are you, Saeki-senpai?\\
'''Sayaka''': Well, Koito-san, I thought you would be a meek little kouhai... but you're actually rather rude.

* ''Manga/{{Bokurano}}''

* ''LightNovel/{{Durarara}}''

* ''Manga/ElfenLied''

* Hiruma starts out as ''Manga/{{Eyeshield 21}}'''s resident JerkAss, a gleefully vulgar, self-serving, TriggerHappy JerkJock, who believes in his teammates only as a disposable collection of statistics and probabilities. By the end of the series, he's shown to be a {{Determinator}} in his own right for the sake of his team, and a capable leader whose faith in his [[RagtagBunchOfMisfits teammates]] is ultimately rewarded with the greatest success. He's still vulgar and trigger-happy, though. He also has rare moments of compassion, as seen in the "Hell Tower" training where he secretly breaks the rules to give [[WeakButSkilled Yukimitsu]] a chance on the team out of respect for his [[{{Determinator}} determination]].

* ''Manga/FruitsBasket''

* [[SociopathicSoldier Solf]] [[LackOfEmpathy J]] [[LovesTheSoundOfScreaming Kimblee]] of ''Manga/FullmetalAlchemist'' appears to be little more than an AxeCrazy MadBomber who took part in a genocide and thoroughly enjoyed it. As the series progresses, however, we discover that while he ''is'' a [[TheSociopath total sociopath]] he's also ThePhilosopher and a borderline AffablyEvil SocialDarwinist to boot, who believes that RousseauWasRight and is a major believer in human potential. He respects people who stick to their guns (even when their principles oppose his own), protects his compatriots from court martial, and in the end, helps TheHero destroy a [[{{Hypocrite}} hypocritical]] fellow villain in his DyingMomentOfAwesome. He's a total psycho, but ''damn'' if he isn't a complex one.

* ''LightNovel/HighSchoolDXD''

* All of the characters from ''Manga/KatekyoHitmanReborn'', though especially the main trio: [[CrouchingMoronHiddenBadass Tsuna]], [[BewareTheNiceOnes Yamamoto]], and [[TheSmartGuy Gokudera]].

* ''Manga/MahouSenseiNegima''
** Evangeline is a constantly changing enigma. She starts out as as a [[SmugSnake snobbish]], [[StalkerWithACrush selfish stalker]] who [[ImmortalImmaturity hasn't changed much]] in [[ReallySevenHundredYearsOld all her time on Earth]], but quickly reveals that she's really a [[NobleDemon vaguely good-hearted]], [[FriendlyNeighborhoodVampires less-than-monstrous vampire]] carrying [[OldMaster hundreds of years of wisdom to pass on]]. [[strike:[[CryCute Crying cutely]]]] Being ridiculously awesome helped.
** Also, Negi, who seems like a sort of inept cheerful little kid... and turns out to be rather tragic with no idea of how to actually enjoy himself. Apart from angst issues, it's implied that searching for his father is a way to cope [[spoiler:with the intense rage and hatred that the destruction of his village caused.]]
** Nodoka is also a great example. She begins the series as an ''extremely'' shy ShrinkingViolet, but as the series progresses, it becomes clear that she's one of the most courageous characters in the entire thing.

* Extensive amounts in ''Manga/MyHeroAcademia''

* ''Manga/MyMonsterSecret:''

* ''LightNovel/MyNextLifeAsAVillainessAllRoutesLeadToDoom''

* ''Manga/{{Naruto}}''

* ''Anime/NeonGenesisEvangelion''

* ''Franchise/OnePiece''

* ''Manga/OuranHighSchoolHostClub''

* All three members of the bumbling Team Rocket trio from the ''{{Anime/Pokemon}}'' anime have some degree of developed talents and hidden intellect. Ironically they tend to far better match Ash and the other twerps in these areas than their desired villainous role:

* ''Manga/RosarioToVampire''

--> "I will not put my selfish desires before Tsukune's happiness."

* In ''{{Manga/Saki}}'', the eponymous character's older sister, Teru, seems like a textbook AloofBigSister who holds a grudge against Saki over some unknown past event, but over time, more is revealed about her apart from her relationship with Saki and status as the national female high school mahjong champion. Achiga-hen reveals a large disconnect between Teru's public facade and her true self, but also that Teru's inwardly worried about Toki after her collapse and hospitalization. Saki Biyori, while generally comedic, shows that Teru often goes along with her teammates' silly antics and has a large SweetTooth. The main series, however, has the most surprising revelations- [[spoiler:that Teru isn't avoiding Saki because she hates her, but because she can't bring herself to talk to her, and that in the past (and possibly even now), she didn't even like mahjong]].

** Kisa comes as the stereotypical {{Keet}} that has a happy life outside of work as well as inside of work given all the encouraging things he says to the main character Ritsu. However, Kisa reveals it's all an act and he's a {{Stepford Smiler}} that deliberately uses his [[OlderThanTheyLook youthful appearance]] to [[ReallyGetsAround sleep with other men]] and honestly thinks of himself as a worthless individual that hasn't contributed anything to society or done anything meaningful with his life, so when he ends up falling (and later dating) Yukina, he easily gets paranoid with Yukina thinking he's only toying with him and plans to leave him or that Yukina will get bored with him one day and just walk out on him. Easy to say any chapter concerning Kisa is dealing with his self-esteem.
** [[spoiler: Yukina]] is shown to be different than what he appears to be, too. He seems to be the epitome of the {{Nice Guy}} and {{Understanding Boyfriend}} trope and truth is, he really is that. [[spoiler: However, when Yukina is not around Kisa, he acts exactly the same way as Kisa does around school, mainly because Yukina apparently dislikes the teachers and the male students hate him for his good looks that allow him to pick up chicks easily. Yukina also shows to have a strong dislike to being a {{Chick Magnet}} and while he doesn't hate the girls that confess to him, he gets annoyed, especially when Kisa sees said confessions.]]

* ''LightNovel/SwordArtOnline''

* Barnaby from ''Anime/TigerAndBunny'' sports quite a combination of these. During the first third of the show, most fans despised him for having a large number of 'undesirable' characteristics; he was a {{Jerkass}}, [[TheStoic stoic]], [[TallDarkAndSnarky snarky]] IceKing who seemed to exist for no other reason than to be the [[GloryHound camera-hogging]] [[TheAce Ace]] and in-universe [[TheCharmer charming]] ChickMagnet who makes the show's [[UnpopularPopularCharacter much-beloved]] HeroProtagonist [[ButtMonkey Kotetsu's]] life miserable. But then we learn of his [[DarkAndTroubledPast past]] full of BreakTheCutie moments, the facade that conceals his [[NotSoStoic rather emotional]] and [[IneffectualLoner lonesome]] BrokenBird + BrokenAce [[StepfordSnarker personality]], that he [[SacrificedBasicSkillForAwesomeTraining devoted his entire childhood to becoming a superhero, completely denying himself any personal relationships in the process]]...and that he's [[SugarAndIcePersonality quite willing]] to {{Defrost|ing Ice King}} in the face of Kotetsu's {{Wide Eyed Idealis|t}}m.

** [[AlmightyJanitor Yumichika Ayasegawa]] is a [[TheFightingNarcissist narcissist]] who only thinks about his own [[TheDandy appearance]], right? Turns out he's hiding his [[CoverBlowingSuperpower true power]] which is [[MagicKnight incompatible]] with his division's [[BloodKnight fighting philosophy]], he sacrificed his desire for the third seat of his division just because his [[HeterosexualLifePartner closest friend]] wanted it and he'll only use his true abilities if there's [[WillfullyWeak no-one around]] from his division to notice. If there is, he'll choose death instead. Someone who [[UndyingLoyalty sacrifices himself]] that much for his division, his captain and his friend isn't quite as self-absorbed as he initially appears to be.

** Captain Retsu Unohana is only the Squad Four's lead medic who acts as military support instead of fighting, right? She's sweet, polite and motherly, right? People [[RunningGag fearing]] her [[TranquilFury wrath]] is only PlayedForLaughs, right? The databooks [[InformedAbility claim]] she's actually a MasterSwordsman, specialised not in kidou but in kendo. [[spoiler: Then the manga reveals she was once known by the self-granted MeaningfulRename Yachiru Unohana, the master of all known styles of sword combat, originator of the Eleventh Division, the very first and strongest ever Kenpachi, and the most diabolical criminal in Soul Society history.]]

* Despite being a yaoi series, ''Manga/SekaiichiHatsukoi'' has some characters have shown to have Hidden Depths adding to the realism of this series that other yaoi series lack.
** Kisa comes as the stereotypical {{Keet}} that has a happy life outside of work as well as inside of work given all the encouraging things he says to the main character Ritsu. However, Kisa reveals it's all an act and he's a {{Stepford Smiler}} that deliberately uses his [[OlderThanTheyLook youthful appearance]] to [[ReallyGetsAround sleep with other men]] and honestly thinks of himself as a worthless individual that hasn't contributed anything to society or done anything meaningful with his life, so when he ends up falling (and later dating) Yukina, he easily gets paranoid with Yukina thinking he's only toying with him and plans to leave him or that Yukina will get bored with him one day and just walk out on him. Easy to say any chapter concerning Kisa is dealing with his self esteem.
** [[spoiler: Yukina]] is shown to be different than what he appears to be too. He seems to be the epitome of the {{Nice Guy}} and {{Understanding Boyfriend}} trope and truth is he really is that. [[spoiler: However, when Yukina is not around Kisa, he acts exactly the same way as Kisa does around school mainly because Yukina apparently dislikes the teachers and the male students hate him for his good looks that allow him to pick up chicks easily. Yukina also shows to have a strong dislike to being a {{Chick Magnet}} and while he doesn't hate the girls that confesses to him, he gets annoyed especially when Kisa sees said confessions.]]

* Yoh Asakura of ''Manga/ShamanKing'': He is incredibly calm and friendly but hides the fact he despises humanity since they ignore him for being involved with Shamans. Across the series other characters start understanding his way of thinking and can tell when he is lying or acting strong.
** At least in the manga, in the anime he has no deep-seated hatred of normal humans (that's Hao's area) but tries to get everyone around him to see that humans, shamans and spirits are the same deep down and should look past their preconceptions of each other.
* Judai of ''Anime/YuGiOhGX'': classic TheAce, MessianicArchetype, the ultimate IdiotHero, tediously unbeatable duelist and unbreakable {{Determinator}} for two seasons; in Season 3, turns out these very traits (feeling everything comes too easily for him, valuing nothing more than fun, and being everyone's source of strength) have made him the most screwed up character of all, primed for TheDarkSide.
* ''Anime/CrossAnge'' has quite a number of characters, including those who are a Jerkass or worse.
** [[TheBully Hilda]] actually hates being on Arzenal just as much as Angelise does. All she wants is to return home with her mother. [[spoiler:Which is extremely painful in the following ParentalAbandonment and PoliceBrutality.]]
** Jill, the "prison warden" and Supreme Commander of Arzenal used to be a woman who fought for freedom. Until Embryo broke her all the way down and warped her into a FallenHero.
** [[TheEvilPrince Julio]] has severe [[DaddyIssues Parental Issues]], [[ParentalNeglect who felt left out]] since they always dotted the protagonist [[TheUnfavorite over him and his younger sister.]] This of which turned him a GreenEyedMonster.
* Yusei Fudou of ''Anime/YuGiOh5Ds'': Never has a spokesman for ThePowerOfFriendship been such a sullen, brooding loner. And it works! He also shoulders guilt for his father's role in the incident that killed hundreds of people.
** Then there was Jeagar, [[BigBad Rex Godwin's]] henchman. For the first season, everyone assumed he was a [[SmugSnake selfish, arrogant]] type, and was also a [[MonsterClown creepy clown]] who made everyone's skin crawl. Halfway through the second season, it turned out the guy had a loving wife and son who he would [[PapaWolf do anything to protect]], which led to him siding with the heroes.
* Yuya Sakaki of ''Anime/YuGiOhArcV'': He's a light-hearted entertainer and loves to make people happy with his dueling. He's also prone to depression over his father's disappearance and worries that once Pendulum Summoning is mass-produced, [[IJustWantToBeSpecial it won't be his anymore.]]

** Guts comes aross as a stoic and bloody warrior that relishes in nothing but battling, not caring at all about anything like teamwork. But his time with the Band of the Hawk, and his later companions, have him come to appreciate them as fellow fighters and protectors. He also shows to have a very kind side when it comes to dealing with children -- his interactions with Jill show that he wants to keep children safe and may speak harshly to them, but all to keep them away from him and his [[DoomMagnet horribly cursed]] life. His soft side towards children might come from [[HarmfulToMinors his own horrific childhood]].

* ''Manga/{{Chobits}}'' introduces characters the protagonist meets who are all cheerful and live around him like they've got no problems at all. [[spoiler:Turns out his prep school teacher is experiencing spousal neglect because he was cheating on her with their own robot girl, his classmate and best friend forms romantic intentions and eventually marries her, and his co-worker has distain toward the robot girls intended to help humans! Yikes!]]

* In ''Anime/TengenToppaGurrenLagann'', [[spoiler:Viral]]'s greatest wish is to have a family. [[Heartwarming/TengenToppaGurrenLagann Aww]]. There's also [[spoiler:Lordgenome]], who is actually a FallenHero. Finally, there's [[spoiler:Yoko]], who is the last person one would imagine as a teacher. The students can't believe it either. Even [[spoiler:Kamina]] himself is deeper than most his appearances and MemeticMutation would have you believe. [[spoiler:In truth, he's as scared shitless as everyone else in their battles and he lampshades that he would be meat paste without Simon. He's also not fighting just for the sake of it, but he also "wants kids to be able to look up at the sky without a care in the world."]]
* This trope is a key part of ''Anime/Persona4TheAnimation''.
** Yosuke seems like he hasn't got a care in the world, [[spoiler: but he's really bored with everyone and everything in his life.]]
** Chie is a tomboy and tries to be an ideal best friend and protector for Yukiko, [[spoiler: but she's often jealous of Yukiko's looks and the attention Yukiko gets from boys.]]
** Yukiko plays the part of the perfect daughter and future innkeeper, [[spoiler: though she feels stifled by the fact that her path in life has already been decided for her.]]
** Ai is a stereotypical AlphaBitch on the surface, [[spoiler: but underneath it all, she's a bundle of insecurities.]]
** Kanji acts like a stereotypical punk/manly man, [[spoiler: but he also loves cute things, is kind to children, loves his mother and enjoys sewing and knitting.]]
** Rise, the ex-idol, [[spoiler: doesn't know who the real Rise is, and is struggling to find herself in the midst of the identities that have been manufactured for her.]]
** Teddie realizes the implications of the fact that despite his cuteness, [[spoiler: he is empty inside]].
** Naoto plays the part of a mature young man, [[spoiler: but is actually a young girl who is insecure about her age and gender because her chosen profession is one dominated by men.]]
** Dojima has spent so much time dedicated to his work, [[spoiler: he's never taken up the role of father the way he should have.]]
** Nanako is a sweet young lady [[spoiler: with abandonment issues brought on by the fact that her father never seems to have time for her.]]
** Main character Yu also has his own depths. Outwardly he comes across as a calm, levelheaded individual with a dry (and sometimes... odd) sense of humor [[spoiler: Turns out he really HatesBeingAlone, and his stoicism is how he hides it.]]
* Hiruma starts out as ''Manga/{{Eyeshield 21}}'''s resident JerkAss, a gleefully vulgar, self-serving, TriggerHappy JerkJock, who believes in his teammates only as a disposable collection of statistics and probabilities. By the end of the series, he's shown to be a {{Determinator}} in his own right for the sake of his team, and a capable leader whose faith in his [[RagtagBunchOfMisfits teammates]] is ultimately rewarded with the greatest success. He's still vulgar and trigger-happy, though. He also has rare moments of compassion, as seen in the "Hell Tower" training where he secretly breaks the rules to give [[WeakButSkilled Yukimitsu]] a chance on the team out of respect for his [[{{Determinator}} determination]].
** Gaou Rikya seems to be only there to break the quarterback's bones and could eat his team leader Marco if he pisses him off. The truth is that he'll never break someone's bones if he threw the ball even if the referee hasn't whistled, his belief of strength is absolute means physical but especially of character which means he respects everyone going against him even if they use speed or skills instead of a power contest and he views Marco as a role model.
* All of the characters from ''Manga/KatekyoHitmanReborn'', though especially the main trio: [[CrouchingMoronHiddenBadass Tsuna]], [[BewareTheNiceOnes Yamamoto]], and [[TheSmartGuy Gokudera]].
* ''Manga/DadTheBeardGorillaAndI'' is mainly a comedic {{Yonkoma}}, but its short chapters doesn't stop the cast from being well-developed. And as the characters begin to grow and know each other better, they reveal hidden sides that surprises others--even those who know them well. The manga does a good job showing that even the silliest characters can provide good insights from time to time:
** Kouji, the titular Beard Gorilla, may seem like a DumbMuscle ManChild at first, but even though he can be quite immature, he's actually a responsible and dependable adult. After moving in with his brother, he quickly proves to be a great help in the household (especially cooking); and while his bond with his niece is more sibling-like than guardianship, Kouji is able to provide much more for Michiru's well-being than just be her playmate. He also likes collecting vinyl records, which Miss Majima considers surprisingly elegant.
** The Section Chief of Souichi's office may be a CloudCuckooLander, but he averts being a PointyHairedBoss by giving surprisingly deep consultation advice to his subordinates. He's also big on self-improvement, and encourages his younger colleagues to do likewise.
---> ''"People easily confuse 'things that are better for me' with 'things that are easier for me'. And that's not necessarily a good thing. Please be careful, okay?"''
** Yukari's appearance and her initial comment about wanting to pursue Souichi due to his managerial position may suggest that she's a selfish, materialistic and/or power-hungry man-eater, and many of her colleagues certainly think of her as a slut. However, she turns out to be quite timid, childish and reserved.
** Tsukasa's detached persona belies a gentle and motherly nature that's adorned with plenty of childlike interests.
** Hino, outside of his ridiculous obsession with Souichi, is actually a diligent worker, a good listener and an understanding character with a genuine interest in others. He is a good friend to both Yukari and Tsukasa, and they seem to be quite comfortable opening up about their feelings to him.
** Miss Majima, the head teacher at Michiru's kindergarten, to Kouji's surprise, is a certified licensed teacher with all that it entails, all in spite of her silly behavior.

* From ''Manga/XxxHolic'', [[spoiler: Himawari]] seems to be a cheerful, happy go lucky girl with no connection to the spirit world or heavy burden for quite a long time in the manga, but turns out to be a type A StepfordSmiler, due to [[spoiler: her innate ability that brings everyone around her bad luck. Therefore it causes her a lot of grief.]]
* ''Manga/FruitsBasket''
** Shigure always seems to be [[ChivalrousPervert joking]] [[ObfuscatingStupidity around]], but it turns out he's kind of a ManipulativeBastard. Tohru's homeroom teacher, who used to date him, called him a "ripple in the water" illustrating this trope perfectly.
** There's also Ayame. Appears to just be a frivolous, gay pervert, and that's about it. Turns out he's actually [[spoiler:TheAtoner, trying to make it up to his younger brother for being distance when they were younger. Oh, and he's straight. Or at least bi.]]
* In the ''Manga/AiYoriAoshi Enishi'' episode "Tennis" (based on manga chapter 73), Kaoru wonders if Aoi is going to embarrass herself at the game like the rest of them have been doing all day. Turns out the resident YamatoNadeshiko is very skilled, having learned from [[HaremNanny Mayabi]]. It's apparently only one of her "secrets".
* ''Manga/OuranHighSchoolHostClub''
** Every person. Especially the twins and Kyouya, though.
** Tamaki usually comes off as a {{Cloudcuckoolander}} who has no idea what's going on around him. He's actually so perceptive in talking to other people that he can see ''their'' hidden depths and guide them toward what would make them happy.
* ''LightNovel/{{Durarara}}''
** Kida Masaomi, the [[{{Keet}} cheerful]], [[CasanovaWannabe flirty]] BromanticFoil to his best friend [[NiceGuy Mikado]]. Turns out that he's [[spoiler:[[BreakTheCutie broken]] due to [[MyGreatestFailure what happened to his girlfriend]], [[StepfordSmiler not as chipper as he acts]], and a OneManArmy that took out several rival gangs ''single-handedly'' during his time as the shogun of the Yellow Scarves.]]
** ''LightNovel/{{Durarara}}'' does this a ''lot''. Ikebukuro's [[AxeCrazy apparent anthropomorphic personification of rage and violence]], Shizuo Heiwajima? Actually an otherwise quiet, unassuming sort fighting a losing battle with [[HairTriggerTemper a very severe rage disorder]] and [[IAmAMonster more disturbed by his outbursts]] than anyone else. Masaomi's timid best friend, Mikado? [[spoiler:He weaponized 4chan and demonstrates some serious {{Yandere}}-esque tendencies when pressed]]. The MartialPacifist GentleGiant, Simon? [[spoiler:He's TheAtoner, with a history in both TheMafiya and [[FormerRegimePersonnel the KGB]]]]. Cute, shy little Anri? [[spoiler:[[BrokenBird Emotionally stunted]] ''HiveQueen'' who somehow manages to be NeutralGood [[BadPowersGoodPeople despite having powers that include]] MindRape and MindControl]]. The Headless Rider? [[spoiler: She's a gentle and compassionate girl, plagued with doubts and insecurities just like anyone else.]] The otaku group? [[spoiler: {{Torture Technician}}s, but loyal to their friends nonetheless.]] The psychopathic JerkAss with [[AGodAmI a god complex]] Izaya? [[spoiler: a (probably) platonic {{Yandere}} for his best/only friend [[MoralityPet Shinra]] who will go to [[PoisonousFriend disturbing]] [[DisproportionateRetribution lengths]] to make sure that whoever hurts Shinra pays dearly, even if doing so puts himself at great risks. All because Shinra [[TakingTheBullet took a knife]] [[BecauseYouWereNiceToMe for him]]]].
** The second episode focuses on pointing out the fact that everyone has Hidden Depths. They even have a monologue about it.
--->"The girl thought about her mother and father. About her father's lover. They all had secrets she'd never know about. And was that so terrible? Perhaps they weren't as selfish or evil or corrupt as she had once thought. Maybe their behavior wasn't a sign of weakness or some kind of compromise. As she looked for the way home, she thought about forgiving them, and keeping it a secret. Ever since then, the world had looked different. Everyone she saw had their own lives to live, with their own little secrets. And she realized; that was normal. Even these two, as normal as they seemed, probably had secrets of their own, feelings they could never tell anyone. And she found herself thinking how wonderful it would be, if she could tell someone what she had learned: That the world wasn't as terrible as you think."
* In ''Manga/PokemonAdventures'', Diamond initially appears to be a simple, slow-witted BigEater who went with whatever Pearl wanted, but it turns out he is far more thoughtful, sensitive, and empathetic, and he desired to be on more equal terms with his best friend. He was able to piece together that Lady Berlitz wasn't a tour guide and that he and Pearl weren't supposed to be with her in the first place, but he kept quiet because he was afraid that saying the truth would be the end of their journey together.

* ''Manga/SevenSeeds'' could say this about ''all'' the characters. The easiest examples to name, though, are Semimaru who was originally a delinquent, but since coming to the future has discovered a passion and talent for cooking, becoming the self-proclaimed chef of Team Summer B. He's also capable of saying some deep stuff when it comes to human psychology.
** Matsuri from the same Team comes off as very shallow girl who wants romance and fun, but proves to have a very good insight in human relations and psyche, including a lot of knowledge on how to work fields and plants. The latter part is [[JustifiedTrope justified]] as she originally lived on a farm, but didn't care much about it, so she didn't work a whole lot on it.
* Quite a few characters in ''Manga/DGrayMan''.
** Lavi acts like a [[{{Keet}} cheerful, carefree goof]], but is much smarter than he initially seems. He's an apprentice bookman, somebody who's supposed to record secret wars, and grew up exposed to so much violence he was [[StepfordSmiler emotionally barren]] by the age of sixteen. He got better once he joined the Black Order, but we see this side of him when Road temporarily reverts him to his old self via MindRape.
** Lenalee, the [[ThePollyanna sweet, sunny-natured]] NiceGirl, [[spoiler: is actually bitter and broken due to the [[TrainingFromHell horrific training]] she went through, to the point where she hates the Black Order, the Innocence, and God.]]
** Allen himself. For the most part he's a MessianicArchetype, but turns out to have a devious side, which we see when he [[ItMakesSenseInContext tries to charm a robot]], and when he's revealed to be a master at cheating at poker. [[spoiler: Being a Noah]] might have something to do with it.

** [[spoiler:''Doflamingo'' of all people. He appears to be the most amoral and psychopathic of the Seven Warlords of the Sea, but it's been shown in the most recent arc that he, of ''all'' people, is AFatherToHisMen - or at least to the most reliable and loyal of his men. He showed great distress at ordering Monet to perform her suicide attack, freaked out when she couldn't answer him on his Den Den Mushi and went to Punk Hazard ''himself'' because of it, did not punish Baby 5 and Buffalo for failing in their mission because they were following his orders, and apologized to Vergo, calling him his longest-lasting companion - or in other words, his oldest friend. However, the most telling aspect of his character's Hidden Depths is one contradicts everything we once knew about him. Going by Monet's last thoughts, it is suggested, if not outright ''stated'', that he, a man that intends to spearhead a movement against an era driven by dreams, aspires to be the Pirate King.]]
* [[SociopathicSoldier Solf]] [[LackOfEmpathy J]] [[LovesTheSoundOfScreaming Kimblee]] of ''Manga/FullmetalAlchemist'' appears to be little more than an AxeCrazy MadBomber who took part in a genocide and thoroughly enjoyed it. As the series progresses, however, we discover that while he ''is'' a [[TheSociopath total sociopath]] he's also ThePhilosopher and a borderline AffablyEvil SocialDarwinist to boot, who believes that RousseauWasRight and is a major believer in human potential. He respects people who stick to their guns (even when their principles oppose his own), protects his compatriots from court martial, and in the end, helps TheHero destroy a [[{{Hypocrite}} hypocritical]] fellow villain in his DyingMomentOfAwesome. He's a total psycho, but ''damn'' if he isn't a complex one.
* Barnaby from ''Anime/TigerAndBunny'' sports quite a combination of these. During the first third of the show, most fans despised him for having a large number of 'undesirable' characteristics; he was a {{Jerkass}}, [[TheStoic stoic]], [[TallDarkAndSnarky snarky]] IceKing who seemed to exist for no other reason than to be the [[GloryHound camera-hogging]] [[TheAce Ace]] and in-universe [[TheCharmer charming]] ChickMagnet who makes the show's [[UnpopularPopularCharacter much-beloved]] HeroProtagonist [[ButtMonkey Kotetsu's]] life miserable. But then we learn of his [[DarkAndTroubledPast past]] full of BreakTheCutie moments, the facade that conceals his [[NotSoStoic rather emotional]] and [[IneffectualLoner lonesome]] BrokenBird + BrokenAce [[StepfordSnarker personality]], that he [[SacrificedBasicSkillForAwesomeTraining devoted his entire childhood to becoming a superhero, completely denying himself any personal relationships in the process]]...and that he's [[SugarAndIcePersonality quite willing]] to {{Defrost|ing Ice King}} in the face of Kotetsu's {{Wide Eyed Idealis|t}}m.
* Batou from the ''Franchise/GhostInTheShell'' series shows this rather stunningly in two out of three versions of canon. In Stand Alone Complex, anyone who's known him for more than five minutes assumes him to be DumbMuscle based on his huge physique, lack of manners, and hot-blooded, reckless personality. And then you find out that he's arguably the group's best hacker after the Major and Ishikawa, has a base grounding in sociology, religion, politics (even if he doesn't usually seem to care, it's clear that he understands when he explains things to Togusa), and is more than capable of keeping up with the Major in advanced philosophical debate, even if his stances tend to be more empirical and down-to-earth. In Innocence he takes this UpToEleven by alternating between an unstoppable semi-sociopathic punk of a killing machine and a guy who recognizes obscure bible verses off the top of his head, references many things including Buddhist philosophy and ''Literature/ParadiseLost'', and is both incredibly perceptive and slightly poetic at times. And for all his harshness and violence, it's very apparent that he cares deeply for the Major, Togusa, and his dog Gabriel.
* For all that he's flanderized into a LovableSexManiac without a serious bone in his body, France from ''Manga/AxisPowersHetalia'' sometimes shows a surprising character depth specially manifested in his accurate reading of human emotions. This is specially obvious in the strips in which he gets to interact with humans rather than nations, like [[http://www.hetarchive.net/scanlations/nonlinear.php?vais the one]] in which he befriends a French soldier whose grandfather served under Francis's own orders, or when he meets up with a woman named Lisa [[spoiler: who's all but stated to be the reincarnation of his old friend Saint Joan Of Arc.]] This can give a potential new light into how he and the other nations interact with their citizens and other people who aren't immortal like them.
** Prussia appears at first glance to be nothing but an [[{{Pride}} overly arrogant]], [[LargeHam loud]], careless, wild and irresponsible hooligan-type. While he is indeed a BloodKnight, his true nature is said to be methodical and severe, [[NotSoDifferent much like his younger brother Germany]], and he shows himself to be much more perceptive and intelligent than he lets on. He has shown a few signs of it in strips, including his role [[DrillSergeantNasty training America]] for the American Revolution, his technological know-how during the Industrial Revolution, his success at unifying Germany, and his role as a BigBrotherMentor to Germany. Additionally, he ''does'' experience emotions like loneliness and sadness, no matter how much he tries to deny them.
* ''[[Anime/TheIdolmaster THE iDOLM@STER]]'' - Kotori shows that she's more than a SexySecretary when she takes the stage herself to sing.
* ''LightNovel/HighSchoolDXD''
** It's revealed that Issei, a LovableSexManiac, is pretty good with sewing. Something that surprises [[LittleMissSnarker Koneko]]. He showed similar skills with sculpting later, suggesting he's a fairly good artist and craftsman.
*** The first episode of the anime shows that despite being a HaremSeeker, when presented an opportunity to date a girl, he'll go out of his way to make sure she has a good time and was prepared to call the day a victory when he got to hold hands with her. [[spoiler:And the reason he's so oblivious to the actual harem he gets is that this date ending in [[FirstEpisodeResurrection a rather brutal betrayal]] left him with ongoing emotional and self-esteem issues.]]
** Same thing with Koneko; [[spoiler: she's a fan of rapping music.]]
* ''Manga/KenichiTheMightiestDisciple'': Turns out that the childlike Apachai is a very talented Othello player when he beats every other master in Ryozanpaku except [[TheAce Akisame]], who claims to have never lost a game... although Akisame only managed to win by a single move and admitted that he wasn't holding back. Kenichi is the only one to realize the FridgeLogic that his sister Honoka is effortlessly able to beat Apachai whenever they play...
* ''Manga/ElfenLied''
** Bando, the PsychoForHire. He loves hurting, maiming and killing, and he's a major {{Jerkass}}. However, as the series goes on, he reveals that he has standards, he'll always repay people who help him, and he can empathize with a few people.
** The Agent also counts [[spoiler: she]] was introduced as a replacement for the former hunters (the aforementioned Bando, and the Unknown Man), and at first acts as a quieter and less sadistic hunter. Eventually [[spoiler: she's revealed to be a government agent sent to shut the facility down, she's also quite the {{Determinator}}, and shows she's willing to die if it helps to save humanity]]
* Despite being a yaoi series, ''Manga/SekaiichiHatsukoi'' has some characters have shown to have Hidden Depths adding to the realism of this series that other yaoi series lack.
** Kisa comes as the stereotypical {{Keet}} that has a happy life outside of work as well as inside of work given all the encouraging things he says to the main character Ritsu. However, Kisa reveals it's all an act and he's a {{Stepford Smiler}} that deliberately uses his [[OlderThanTheyLook youthful appearance]] to [[ReallyGetsAround sleep with other men]] and honestly thinks of himself as a worthless individual that hasn't contributed anything to society or done anything meaningful with his life, so when he ends up falling (and later dating) Yukina, he easily gets paranoid with Yukina thinking he's only toying with him and plans to leave him or that Yukina will get bored with him one day and just walk out on him. Easy to say any chapter concerning Kisa is dealing with his self esteem.
** [[spoiler: Yukina]] is shown to be different than what he appears to be too. He seems to be the epitome of the {{Nice Guy}} and {{Understanding Boyfriend}} trope and truth is he really is that. [[spoiler: However, when Yukina is not around Kisa, he acts exactly the same way as Kisa does around school mainly because Yukina apparently dislikes the teachers and the male students hate him for his good looks that allow him to pick up chicks easily. Yukina also shows to have a strong dislike to being a {{Chick Magnet}} and while he doesn't hate the girls that confesses to him, he gets annoyed especially when Kisa sees said confessions.]]

* Nearly every named character in ''Anime/MartianSuccessorNadesico'', no matter how minor or seemingly one-note, gets some development and their moment in the spotlight.
* Maho Nishizumi of ''Anime/GirlsUndPanzer'' seems like an [[AloofBigBrother aloof big sister]] who is set up as her younger sister Miho's greatest rival in tankery. Then comes the episode when [[PetTheDog she loans Mako her helicopter]] so that she can [[spoiler:quickly reach her grandmother in the hospital]], and in ''Little Army'', it's indicated that Maho's entire reason for her aloof behavior [[spoiler:is to live up to the standards of the Nishizumi family heir so that Miho can choose whatever style of tankery she wishes]]. In ''Little Army'', she's also shown to be [[NiceToTheWaiter quite friendly toward the family maids]], thanking Kikuyo for seeing her off and asking her to look after Miho while she's away.
* Anyone who lives [[RedShirtArmy long]] [[AnyoneCanDie enough]] to be fleshed out, in ''Manga/AttackOnTitan''. A few examples:
** Armin is somewhat cowardly, and physically weak compared to the others. He finds his place once he realizes he's a brilliant strategist and has the makings of a [[IDidWhatIHadToDo ruthless]] commander.
** Sasha is a BigEater and the PluckyComicRelief, but turns out to have good intuition and a concern about coming across as a dumb hick to the others.
** Jean starts out as TheRival, and is a cynical JerkAss concerned primarily with himself. However, he turns out to be a gifted leader and evolves into a more selfless person after a grief-related FreakOut.
** Annie has a very cynical view of human nature, and generally keeps other people at arm's length. However, she expresses great admiration for people with strong ideals, and warms up to both Eren and Armin after they manage to impress her. [[spoiler: She's also an utterly sadistic killer in Titan form, but hesitates to harm any of her former comrades from the 104th.]]
** Reiner is a strong-willed TeamDad, and admired by the others for his strong sense of duty. He's also a BrokenAce, on account of [[spoiler: being a Titan mole sent to kill the very people he's come to genuinely care about]]. Much later on, it's revealed that [[spoiler:he, the illegitimate son of a Marleyan, had originally joined in a futile attempt to reunite his family, but after inadvertently getting Marcel killed, decided to become a "hero" and Marcel's replacement.]]
** Bertolt is quiet and a self-described ExtremeDoormat. He's extremely talented, but lacks the drive or confidence to make anything of himself. [[spoiler: He's actually the Colossal Titan, and while remorseful over his actions....firm in his belief that his actions are NecessarilyEvil]].
** Levi's first two encounters with Eren was to either insult him or beat him up. But it was later revealed it was to [[spoiler: ''protect'' Eren from the Military Police Brigade who would kill and dissect Eren and ensure he would join the Survey Corps.]] Eren acknowledges this and holds no ill will towards Levi.

* Cass from ''Manga/ACruelGodReigns''. Rumors seem to be spread quite viciously about him through his classmates, and as a result most of the students avoid him, including Jeremy at first. But Jeremy discovers that although the [[FunctionalAddict rumors]] are true, Cass works so many [[HookerWithAHeartOfGold jobs]] because of his [[AbusiveParents alcoholic parents]] and his desire to eventually escape from them and live on his own and that he is genuinely a [[AFriendInNeed good person]].

* Kureo Mado from Manga/TokyoGhoul is a sadistic [[VanHelsingHateCrimes ghoul hunter]] who gleefully murders ghouls and will not hesitate to kill their children. He's also devoted to his job at the CCG and holds a good deal of respect for his comrades, especially Amon whom he becomes a mentor figure to. We later learn that he was also a decent husband and father.

* Minene form ''Manga/FutureDiary'' is a MadBomber atheist who tries to [[WouldHurtAChild murder a fourteen year old boy,]] blows up a school, and plans to eradicate all religion. She's also a BrokenBird still grieving the loss of her parents, helps Yukki reconnect with his estranged father, cares for sick children at the hospital, and admits during her [[spoiler: HeroicSacrifice ]] that all she ever wanted was for somebody to save her.
* All three members of the bumbling Team Rocket trio from the ''{{Anime/Pokemon}}'' anime have some degree of developed talents and hidden intellect. Ironically they tend to far better match Ash and the other twerps in these areas than their desired villainous role:
** Jessie has slowly evolved in a fairly competent Pokemon coordinator from region to region. It is usually apparent that when she [[DickDastardlyStopsToCheat stops resorting to cheating]] and doesn't let her ego distract her, she is surprisingly tactical and creative and can make her Pokemon look unrecognisably talented as performers. Jessie is also revealed to have a very passionate view of romance, due to having lost out on perhaps finding her true love when young. She has attempted to release her own Pokemon just so [[IWantMyBelovedToBeHappy they don't lose out the same way as her]].
** Despite his desire to be an infamous Pokemon thief, James is surprisingly researched and in touch with Pokemon. Most of his Pokemon he in fact has a CutenessProximity towards. At times James could challenge Brock as a potential Pokemon breeder. Out of the three, James is also most liable to vent a desire to handle things scrupulously or show remorse for their more callous schemes. There are times where he can handle communicating with the twerps rather affably.
** Meowth, besides having learned to walk upright and talk, seems to excel in finding human abilities to learn. Since Sinnoh he has gradually gained an apt for culinary arts (once even the hero Pokemon asked him to make a meal for them). Meowth has also vented a very philosophical and jaded personality, which wouldn't have been predicted at all during his earlier days as a loud mouthed LeaderWannabe for the trio.

* You wouldn't think a series like this would show it, but ''Anime/DragonBallSuper'' reveals that Son Goku, Mr. BloodKnight IdiotHero himself, is a ''very'' awesome farmer. When he takes his crop to a farmer's market, many of those there express amazement at how wonderful it is. Only reason he really doesn't dedicate more himself to farming is that he just grows so ''bored'' of it and would rather go off and train or fight.

* ''LightNovel/AccelWorld''
** Kuroyukihime initially comes off as having two different facets- that of a school idol and student council vice president in real life, and that of an incredibly skilled but notorious Burst Linker in the accelerated world, responsible for killing the Red King. The truth about her is quite a bit more complex, as there are times when she comes off as an actual 14-year-old girl, such as slapping Haru and bursting into tears in an argument caused in part by her jumping to conclusions due to romantic jealousy. It also turns out that [[spoiler:she only killed the Red King because her older sister (someone with whom she once had a close enough relationship for her sister to be her Brain Burst "parent") manipulated her into doing so]].
** Taku initially seems like TheAce who, unlike [[ThisLoserIsYou Haru]], has everything- he's an excellent student, a star kendo athlete, popular, in a relationship with his ChildhoodFriend and an up-and-coming Burst Linker. The first arc reveals that he's horribly insecure, with a large part of his success being due to Brain Burst's power, and he secretly loathes Haru for being a "burden" on him and Chiyu. Subsequent arcs reveal that he has much more in common with Haru than most would think- Taku was bullied in the past and is just as capable of self-loathing, but has less internal fortitude than Haru does.
** Ash Roller, the belligerent and cocky FriendlyRival to Haru, sometimes comes off as more intelligent than he lets on, especially when he realizes that Haru's planning on throwing a fight.
* ''Manga/CityHunter'': Umibozu, Ryo and Mick seem only a gigantic Scary Black Man and two immature perverts prone to whacky gags, but if you get the chance to really meet them you'll discover they are much nicer, mature and sensible that they appear.
* ''Manga/MyMonsterSecret:''
** Akane is mainly TheGadfly with a major sweet tooth who seems to live mainly to screw around with Akari. Turns out she's also [[spoiler: essentially the series' BigGood, whose shenanigans [[TricksterMentor are meant to help the students come to terms with their issues]] and eventually create a world where humans and non-humans can live together in peace.]]
** Genjirou first appears to just be an extreme version of an OverprotectiveDad, but it's eventually revealed that [[spoiler: he's so dead set on protecting Youko's secret because he got outed as vampire in a very traumatic fashion when he was her age and wanted to spare her the pain of being abandoned by all her friends. It's also clear that while he gives Asahi a rough time, he ultimately wants what's best for him too.]]
** [[BigBad Shirayuki]] appears to be acting primarily ForTheEvulz when she wants to reveal the secrets of all the non-humans at the school... until Chapter 184, in which it's revealed that [[spoiler: the reason she wants to separate monsters and normal humans is because she believes that they can't coexist peacefully, and simply keeping them apart is less harmful to everyone involved than trying and ultimately failing to live together in peace.]] In particular, the chapter shows her actually acting somewhat kind to Youko, making her a meal after her [[RunningGag growling stomach]] constantly interrupted Shirayuki's ranting. During their conversation, she makes it clear that she doesn't have any personal animosity towards Youko, and is only targeting her because she believes that it's for the greater good.
** Akari's ChristmasCake issues are played primarily for laughs at first, along with her fantasy of being carried off by a prince on a white horse. Turns out [[spoiler: as a child she was always made fun of for being so much taller and stronger than the other girls, and the core of her fantasy derives from simply wanting people to see her as a normal, feminine woman.]]
* ''LightNovel/MyNextLifeAsAVillainessAllRoutesLeadToDoom''
** Katarina is surprised to learn that Maria is a more complex character than she seemed to be in the game she comes from. She has crippling loneliness issues and is desperate for personal acknowledgement and despite a reputation for genius is actually just a really hard worker.
** More amusingly, while she considers another friend, Mary, to be a very elegant and refined girl, she's also not above nagging Katarina to try to get her to break off her engagement and run away with her to another country.
* Hiei in ''Anime/YuYuHakusho'' is much deeper than even many fans give him credit for.
** He starts off as a starter villain, quite literally because the creator didn't expect him to come back after his first couple of appearances but the fans loved him so much he made him a main character.
** He hates betrayers and shows no remorse for them. He kills Seiryu for betraying his own teammate, even though they were enemies he seems to feel sorry for Byakko in the end.
** He also refuses to kill those he perceives as weaker than himself. He gives Kuwabara weaker training because of this and doesn't kill Bui when it's possible for him to.
** In his WholeEpisodeFlashback we learn he has identity issues from being abandoned more than once in his lifetime and actually got the jagan to try and find himself (lampshaded by Mukuro).

* ''Manga/BloomIntoYou''
** Touko initially seems like TheAce, as one of the top scorers in the school, a star athlete and a popular girl who quickly becomes StudentCouncilPresident, thus seeming to fall into the ideal [[SenpaiKohai senpai]] character archetype. In reality, she's lonely, emotionally vulnerable, and puts up a façade so that people will accept her for being [[IJustWantToBeSpecial special]], since she hates her plain and unremarkable old self. On a more humorous level, she's also ''very'' competitive, and is driven to win the sports competition even though it means little.
** Sayaka initially seems like a rich, polite {{Ojou}} who happens to be Touko's best friend. In reality, she can be fairly snide when she's annoyed, and her relationship with Touko is fairly complicated- Sayaka has an unrequited love for Touko, but doesn't say it, since she values her status as the person Touko confides in most of all.
** Similar to Touko, Yuu initially seems like the standard romance novel protagonist, but is actually surprisingly cynical and blunt. Sayaka and Yuu lampshade each other's hidden depths in this exchange.
-->'''Yuu''': From your appearance, I was kind of expecting you to be a more lighthearted person, but you're not at all, are you, Saeki-senpai?\\
'''Sayaka''': Well, Koito-san, I thought you would be a meek little kouhai... but you're actually rather rude.
** Doujima initially seems like someone who doesn't take anything seriously, although his old senpai does consider him diligent enough to be useful. Surprisingly enough, when [[spoiler:Akari's crush on the basketball team refuses to be honest with her about why he rejected her]], he gets ''very'' angry and almost goes off to confront the guy in question.
* ''Manga/{{Bokurano}}''
** Takeshi Waku seems like a boisterous and not particularly intelligent StockShonenHero, but he can be surprisingly introspective at times, and even took time off of soccer to think things through.
** Kana Ushiro initially seems like prime [[TheWoobie woobie]] material, as the victim of her older brother's abuse, but she's surprisingly mature for her age. In the manga, [[spoiler:she even asked Kanji, her and her brother's long-time friend, not to intervene]].
** Jun Ushiro initially seems cold and aloof, but in the manga, Machi notes that he's surprisingly observant, and is good at remembering details about the other kids.
* ''LightNovel/SwordArtOnline''
** Kyouko Yuuki, Asuna's mother, comes off as a cold and strict EducationMama who cares more about her family's well-being than her daughter's happiness. It turns out that Kyouko's ashamed of her family's humbler origins (and later, [[MyGodWhatHaveIDone ashamed of feeling that way]], given the right motivation. Despite generally being serious and humorless, when Asuna points out that it's only natural that her ALO avatar feels light by comparison to her actual weight(it weighs 40 kg, or 88 pounds), [[NotSoAboveItAll Kyouko takes umbrage, and suggests that Asuna's real face is a bit puffier than usual]].
** Yuuki, the cheerful and energetic leader of the Sleeping Knights, turns out to be [[spoiler:terminally ill, and has lost her parents, twin sister and two of her friends]]. She also points out that it took a while for her to have such a positive outlook on life.
** Endou might be TheBully, but she's a surprisingly clever one. She not only manages to manipulate Shino into letting her and her friends stay over at Shino's apartment, but after being kicked out, Endou manages to find out about the incident in which Shino killed a robber with his own gun, and uses Shino's trauma to blackmail her.
* Extensive amounts in ''Manga/MyHeroAcademia''
** Katsuki Bakugo, initially presented as TheBully with [[HeroWithAnFInGood almost no redeeming qualities]], who WouldHitAGirl, has incredibly high standards for heroing, feels deeply responsible for several things that were hardly his fault, and is far smarter than one might expect for someone with such a HairTriggerTemper.
** Enji Todoroki - Endeavor, an [[AbusiveParents abusive dad]] and massive Jerkass, who is revealed to be quite intelligent where one might expect him to be a raging bruiser, more determined than anyone expected, and capable of great feats of awareness. [[spoiler: Specifically when he asks All Might about the difference between being the Number One hero and the Symbol of Peace, and how despite his role as the former, he knows he is failing at the latter]]
* ''Manga/DemonSlayerKimetsuNoYaiba'':
** The dream world cast by Enmu sheds some light on Kyojuro’s past, he has always been diligent and duty bound but he comes from a position where he had to become the sole emotional steadfast figure of his family after his mother died by succumbing to illness, also his father losing himself to alcohol as a result from that and losing faith in his swordsmanship; Kyojuro had to be strong for his brother who felt useless due not having talent to be a swordsman and having a father who became a wreck that just yelled at his sons, while he himself had no else to rely on. With all that Kyojuro doesn’t falter, really becoming a man who isn’t held by this family issue, not once blaming his father for anything, even if the visualization of his subconscious core implying that really deep down Kyojuro had some fragility he had to hide deep within.
** The ever unpleasing jerkass Sanemi reveals in his sparring match with Giyu, that he actually actually likes Ohagi and especially enjoys Ohagi made from his grandmother. Sanemi may be a jerk most of the time, but he still values his family very much. He also truly loves Genya and just wants him to be free from harm.
** The Volume 19 extras revealing that [[spoiler:Doma has also killed Kotoha’s abusive husband and her mother-in-law, but did not eat them, has a deeper meaning when Doma’s cult leader practices is brought into question; Doma, in his twisted mind, wholeheartedly believes that he is saving the people he consumes in his cult, because according to him they will live forever inside him, instead of just fading into nothingness, as Doma didn’t believe in the existence of gods nor the afterlife, with that Doma has left the husband and his mother to rot away, while he completely consumed Kotoha after she ran away from him]].
* ''{{Manga/Bartender}}'': Ryu Sasakura is [[RedBaron the Glass of God]], a legendary bartender and customer service operator, smooth as ice and slick as a silver bullet... on the job. However, when we get to see him outside of his professional setting he is a [[TheDitz ditzy]] [[TheKlutz klutzy]] ManChild with a strange obsession with eating gyoza.
* ''Manga/SilverSpoon'': Kazumasa Hachiken, Yugo's father, is originally portrayed as a harsh, unyielding demon of a man, whose "EducationPapa"-tendencies drove one of his sons to {{NEET}}-hood and the other to attend an agricultural school as far away from home as possible. However, as the series progresses, it becomes increasingly clear that Kazumasa cares for his sons, but his perfectionism and [[NoSocialSkills difficulty communicating by other means than commands, yelling and snark]] made it impossible for him to communicate his concerns. [[spoiler: In the end, Yugo and Kazumasa go into business together, using Kazumasa's money and Yugo's agricultural and food processing skills to create a farm-to-table charcuterie business. There is still no love lost between father and son, but Kazumasa is supportive in a SternTeacher sort of way, and there is a gradually growing mutual respect.]]
* ''Manga/AsteroidInLove''
** Yuki Endou initially comes off as a laid-back teacher. It turns out Endou is an astronomy enthusiast, competent enough to be selected into one of the most prestigious astronomy summer camps. Her current stupor is actually due to professional burnout.
** Yuu "Nana" Nanami, one of the new club members at the start of Ao and Mira's second year of high school, comes off as very serious. Her desire to become a meteorologist is rooted in a sense of duty toward others(inspired by her aunt's home being damaged in a flood), rather than passion like the other members. However, when she sees a circumhorizontal arc, she eagerly shares her knowledge about how it forms, even though said knowledge doesn't have any practical use. Endou notices this, and realizes that Nana does enjoy meteorology, after all.
* In ''Anime/{{Tamagotchi}}'', Flowertchi is first and foremost a [[InnocentFlowerGirl flower and gardening-loving girl]]. However, she's also very good at plate balancing, and can hold her own in combat against Gozarutchi, ''a trained ninja''.
* In ''Anime/SakuraQuest'', Kadota is the grouchy head of Manoyama's tourism board, Oribe is a confectioner who's suspicious of outsiders(ever since her son married an outsider, left town and got divorced) and butts heads with Kadota, and Busujima is the town mechanic. All three of them [[spoiler:had played in a band together when they were young, and contemplated running away from home together (which was Oribe's idea), a plan that was ruined when Kadota got cold feet]]. Lampshaded when Maki is amazed that her "cranky boss" was like that when he was young, with Shiori adding that she's more surprised by her ChildhoodFriend Ririko's grandmother.
* ''Manga/BusoRenkin'': While she has the outward character of a YamatoNadeshiko, the fact that the personality for Oka Hayasaka's hyperactive and sarcastic buso renkin {{familiar}} Angel Gozen is based on her subconscious mind shows that she is a more complex character than she lets on.
* ''Manga/IThinkOurSonIsGay'': Yuuri is a [[TheStoic stoic]] teenager who sometimes struggles to express his feelings and interests, but Chapter 36 shows that he likes to write reviews of media he consumes, though he refuses to show them to anyone else.

** Yuu "Nana" Nanami, one of the new club members at the start of Ao and Mira's second year of high school, comes off as very serious. Her desire to become a meteorologist is rooted in a sense of duty toward others(inspired by her aunt's home being damaged in a flood), rather than passion like the other members. However, when she sees a rainbow, she eagerly shares her knowledge about how it forms, even though said knowledge doesn't have any practical use. Endou notices this, and realizes that Nana does enjoy meteorology, after all.

* ''Manga/DadTheBeardGorillaAndI'' is mainly a comedic {{Yonkoma}}, but its short chapters doesn't stop the cast from being well-developed. And as the cast begin to grow and know each other better, they reveal hidden sides that surprises others. The manga does a good job showing that even the silliest characters can provide good insights from time to time:

* ''LightNovel/DestructionFlagOtome''

** The dream world cast by Enmu sheds some light on Kyoujuro’s past, he has always been diligent and duty bound but he comes from a position where he had to become the sole emotional steadfast figure of his family after his mother died by succumbing to illness, also his father losing himself to alcohol as a result from that and losing faith in his swordsmanship; Kyoujuro had to be strong for his brother who felt useless due not having talent to be a swordsman and having a father who became a wreck that just yelled at his sons, while he himself had no else to rely on. With all that Kyoujuro doesn’t falter, really becoming a man who isn’t held by this family issue, not once blaming his father for anything, even if the visualization of his subconscious core implying that really deep down Kyoujuro had some fragility he had to hide deep within.
** The ever unpleasing jerkass Sanemi reveals in his sparring match with Giyuu, that he actually actually likes Ohagi and especially enjoys Ohagi made from his grandmother. Sanemi may be a jerk most of the time, but he still values his family very much. He also truly loves Genya and just wants him to be free from harm.

* All of CLAMP's works.
** ''Manga/{{Chobits}}'' introduces characters the protagonist meets who are all cheerful and live around him like they've got no problems at all. [[spoiler:Turns out his prep school teacher is experiencing spousal neglect because he was cheating on her with their own robot girl, his classmate and best friend forms romantic intentions and eventually marries her, and his co-worker has distain toward the robot girls intended to help humans! Yikes!]]

* ''Manga/SilverSpoon'': Kazumasa Hachiken, Yugo's father, is originally portrayed as a harsh, unyielding demon of a man, whose "EducationPapa"-tendencies drove one of his sons to {{NEET}}-hood and the other to attend an agricultural school as far away from home as possible. However, as the series progresses, it becomes increasingly clear that Kazumasa cares for his sons, but his perfectionism and [[NoSocialSkills difficulty communicating by other means than commands, yelling and snark]] made it impossible for him to communicate his concerns. [[spoiler: In the end, Hachiken and Kazumasa go into business together, using Kazumasa's money and Hachiken's agricultural and food processing skills to create a farm-to-table charcuterie business. There is still no love lost between father and son, but Kazumasa is supportive in a SternTeacher sort of way, and there is a gradually growing mutual respect.]]

* ''Manga/SilverSpoon'': Kazumasa Hachiken, Yugo's father, is originally portrayed as a harsh, unyielding demon of a man, whose "EducationPapa"-tendencies drove one of his sons to {{NEET}}-hood and the other to attend an agricultural school as far away from home as possible. However, as the series progresses, it becomes increasingly clear that Kazumasa cares for his sons, but his perfectionism and [[NoSocialSkills difficulty communicating by other means than commands, yelling and snark]] made it impossible for him to communicate his concerns. [[spoiler: In the end, Hachiken and Kazumasa go into business together, using Kazumasa's money and Hachiken's agricultural and food processing skills to create a farm-to-table charcuterie business, and while there is little love between father and son, there is a gradually growing mutual respect.

** It's revealed that Issei, a LovableSexManiac, is pretty good with sewing. Something that surprises [[LittleMissSnarker Koneko]].