History Main / ChangingOfTheGuard

* ''Music/ConfessionExecutiveCommittee's'' ''Love Series'' centers around the students of Sakuragaoka High School, but every few years the current cast gets phased out in favor of a newer, fresher group of students. At first it focused on a group of six friends, but after a while focuse shifted to the friend group of two of the casts' younger siblings, and by 2019 focus shifted to ''that'' cast's juniors. the previous groups still do get some focus, but it mostly comes in side material and they are nowhere near the focus of the primary series afterwards.

* ''Music/ConfessionExecutiveCommittee's'' ''Love Series'' centers around the students of Sakuragaoka High School, but every few years the current cast gets phased out in favor of a newer, fresher group of students.At first it focused on a group of six friends, but after a while focuse shifted to the friend group of two of the casts' younger siblings, and by 2019 focus shifted to ''that'' cast's juniors. the previous groups still do get some focus, but it mostly comes in side material and they are nowhere near the focus of the primary series afterwards.

'''Marina Sirtis:''' Old.

** This trope works backwards in the [[VideoGame/FireEmblemElibe Elibe]] games. ''[[Videogame/FireEmblemTheBlazingBlade The Blazing Blade]]'' (or just ''Fire Emblem'' outside Japan) was a prequel to ''[[Videogame/FireEmblemTheBindingBlade The Binding Bladd]]'', so it naturally starred the parents of several of that game's characters.

* The main ''Franchise/{{Pokemon}}'' series has had 11/22/23 heroes so far (depending on how you count); [[VideoGame/PokemonRedAndBlue Red/Leaf]], [[VideoGame/PokemonGoldAndSilver Ethan/Kris/Lyra]], [[VideoGame/PokemonRubyAndSapphire Brendan/May]], [[VideoGame/PokemonDiamondAndPearl Lucas/Dawn]], [[VideoGame/PokemonBlackAndWhite Hilbert/Hilda]], [[VideoGame/PokemonBlack2AndWhite2 Nate/Rosa]], [[VideoGame/PokemonXandY Calem/Serena]], [[VideoGame/PokemonSunAndMoon Elio/Selene]], [[VideoGame/PokemonLetsGoPikachuAndEevee Chase and Elaine]], [[VideoGame/PokemonSwordAndShield Victor/Gloria]] and [[VideoGame/PokemonLegendsArceus Rei and Akari]]. In the Orre games, there's Wes in ''VideoGame/PokemonColosseum'' and Michael in ''VideoGame/PokemonXDGaleOfDarkness''. [[VideoGame/PokemonRanger Ranger games]] have 3/6 heroes (Lunick/Solana, Kellyn/Kate, and Ben/Summer). Then there's Mark/Mint from the [[TabletopGame/{{Pokemon}} TCG games]], an unnamed hero from ''Pokémon Conquest'', Todd Snap from ''VideoGame/PokemonSnap'' and Lucy Fleetfloot from ''Pokémon Troizei/Link''. In a series that revolves around "gotta catch 'em all", this was probably the best way to avoid continually invoking BagOfSpilling.

--->'''Katara:''' Aang's time has passed. My brother and many of my friends are gone. It's time for you and your generation to take on the responsibility of keeping peace and balance in the world. But I think you're going to be a great Avatar.

** This trope works backwards in the [[VideoGame/FireEmblemElibe Elibe]] games. ''[[Videogame/FireEmblemTheBlazingBlade Blazing Sword]]'' (or just ''Fire Emblem'' outside Japan) was a prequel to ''[[Videogame/FireEmblemTheBindingBlade Sword of Seals]]'', so it naturally starred the parents of several of that game's characters.

* The main ''Franchise/{{Pokemon}}'' series has had 8/16/17 heroes so far (depending on how you count); [[VideoGame/PokemonRedAndBlue Red/Leaf]], [[VideoGame/PokemonGoldAndSilver Ethan/Kris/Lyra]], [[VideoGame/PokemonRubyAndSapphire Brendan/May]], [[VideoGame/PokemonDiamondAndPearl Lucas/Dawn]], [[VideoGame/PokemonBlackAndWhite Hilbert/Hilda]], [[VideoGame/PokemonBlack2AndWhite2 Nate/Rosa]], [[VideoGame/PokemonXandY Calem/Serena]], and [[VideoGame/PokemonSunAndMoon Elio/Selene]]. In the Orre games, there's Wes in ''VideoGame/PokemonColosseum'' and Michael in ''VideoGame/PokemonXDGaleOfDarkness''. [[VideoGame/PokemonRanger Ranger games]] have 3/6 heroes (Lunick/Solana, Kellyn/Kate, and Ben/Summer). Then there's Mark/Mint from the [[TabletopGame/{{Pokemon}} TCG games]], an unnamed hero from ''Pokémon Conquest'', Todd Snap from ''VideoGame/PokemonSnap'' and Lucy Fleetfloot from ''Pokémon Troizei/Link''. In a series that revolves around "gotta catch 'em all", this was probably the best way to avoid continually invoking BagOfSpilling.

** At some point, a SpinOff of ''Film/DieAnotherDay'' was in the works, starring Jinx (Creator/HalleBerry) as the main character, and would have had Creator/PierceBrosnan doing a cameo appearance as James Bond. Wai-Lin from ''Film/TomorrowNeverDies'' was also rumored to have her own movie. In the end though, the Bond producers decided it wasn't worth it and stuck to making Bond-centric movies (by the time of ''Film/NoTimeToDie'', they reiterated this).

** ''Film/{{Skyfall}}'' does this for the Bond series' supporting cast. By the end of the film Creator/JudiDench's M has died, been replaced by Creator/RalphFiennes' male M. We are introduced to a quartermaster, or Q (Creator/BenWhishaw), for the first time in a Bond movie with Creator/DanielCraig. At the end we learn that Eve (Creator/naomieHarris) was named "Moneypenny" all along, when she decides to give up being a field agent for a desk job.

** ''Film/{{Skyfall}}'' does this [[spoiler: for the Bond series' supporting cast]]. By the end of the film [[spoiler: Creator/JudiDench's M has died, been replaced by Creator/RalphFiennes' male M. We are introduced to a quartermaster, or Q, for the first time in a Bond movie with Creator/DanielCraig. At the end we learn that the [[GirlOfTheWeek Bond Girl]] throughout the movie was named "Moneypenny" all along, when she decides [[StayInTheKitchen to give up being a field agent for a desk job]].]] The more things change, the more they stay the same.
** At some point, a spin-off of ''Film/DieAnotherDay'' was in the works, starring Jinx - who was a beautiful CIA agent in the movie - as the main character, and would have had Creator/PierceBrosnan doing a cameo appearance as James Bond. Wai-Lin from ''Film/TomorrowNeverDies'' was also rumored to have her own movie.

** ''Anime/MobileSuitGundam'' focuses on Amuro Ray and Char Anzable as the main protagonist and antagonist, respectively. The sequel, ''Anime/MobileSuitZetaGundam'', picks up 7 years later, with new protagonist Kamille Bidan taking over as the main character, with Amuro and Char moving to supporting roles. Also spawned two more Changing of the Guards later in the franchise.

* Akira Toriyama wanted to do this in ''Anime/DragonBallZ'', switching the focus from Goku to his son Gohan, but the audience and the publisher kept demanding more Goku.
** It has been said that he originally ''did'' want to change from Goku to Gohan, but switched the main focus back to Goku because he decided that Gohan wasn't fit for the role.
** His notes for the end of the Cell Saga have confirmed he intended for Gohan to fit the role. Likely ExecutiveMeddling and a combination of fan love for Goku as well as the reason listed above probably resulted in Goku becoming the main hero again.

* In a controversial decision, the folks in charge of ComicBook/UltimateSpiderMan allowed Peter to be killed off. A successor named Miles Morales [[LegacyCharacter took up]] [[TakingUpTheMantle the mantle]], despite being younger, smaller, and afraid of his powers.

See also RotatingProtagonist.

* ''VideoGame/TheOtherRosiesRoadOfLove'': The new protagonist, is a side character from the prequel, Rosie, seen in its first town.

[[folder:Web Comics]]

Story's over. TheHero and the LoveInterest have [[TheyDo married]], settled down, have no further interest in adventures - and, besides, who would look after the kids while they saved the world? Or maybe he was PutOnABus or perhaps - gasp - he [[CharacterDeath died]] and ''[[KilledOffForReal stayed dead]]''.

* ''Anime/MaiOtome'' changes the main character from Mai to Arika in both versions, but the nature of Mai's eventual reappearance is ''very'' different between the two adaptations.

* ''ComicBook/XMen'': The All-New, All-Different era begins with most of the original X-Men declaring they've grown up and graduated, and no longer want to stay at the Institute. Only Cyclops stays behind because of his PowerIncontience, allowing the new writer to focus on the new team. That said, Jean Grey came back soon enough, as did Havok and Lorna Dane when they caught a bad case of BrainwashedAndCrazy.

** ''WesternAnimation/ReturnToNeverLand'' is about Wendy's daughter Jane going to Never Land with Peter Pan.i

* The ''Film/{{Tremors}}'' series passes the "hero torch" from Val (gets married) to Earl (opens a theme park) to Burt (when last heard from, still at it..)

* ''Literature/TheLegacyOfDakhaan'', set after ''Literature/TheDragonBelow'' with some of the same characters, promotes [[TheLancer Geth]], [[TheSixthRanger Ashi]], and Ekhaas to center-stage since [[OfficialCouple Dandra and Singe]] have their happy ending and the Marcher crowd are too busy at home.

** This trope works backwards in the [[VideoGame/FireEmblemElibe Elibe]] games. ''Blazing Sword'' (or just ''Fire Emblem'' outside Japan) was a prequel to ''Sword of Seals'', so it naturally starred the parents of several of that game's characters.

* The first series of the ''Literature/WarriorCats'' books started off with Firestar as the [[TheHero main character]]. He was then replaced by Brambleclaw, his former apprentice, in ''Literature/WarriorCatsTheNewProphecy''. In ''Power of Three'', Brambleclaw turns into a background character like Firestar, and is replaced by his [[spoiler:adopted]] children Jayfeather, Lionblaze, and Hollyleaf. ''Omen of the Stars'' has Ivypool and Dovewing, two younger cats, as its main focus, with the ''Power of Three'' characters still in tow. And then in ''A Vision of Shadows'', Brambleclaw and Squirrelflight's kit Alderpaw is the main focus, with Ivypool and Dovewing as background characters.

* Part One of ''Manga/TokyoESP'' focuses on [[ActionGirl Rinka]] and [[{{Teleportation}} Azuma]], who go missing so Part Two features new protagonists [[AnIcePerson Jun]] and [[TheStoic Zeusu]].

* ''[[VideoGame/{{Yakuza}} Yakuza 6]]'' is the final part of Kiryu's story arc, with the next game being planned to follow a brand-new protagonist.

** The first ''VideoGame/{{Persona}}'' plays this almost literally by having the female protagonist of ''VideoGame/ShinMegamiTenseiIf'' pass down her sword to the PlayerCharacter.

* Each new main entry in the ''[[Franchise/ShinMegamiTenseiPersona Persona]]'' series features a new group of heroes; ''VideoGame/Persona2'' is the only main series game where party members from the previous one still play a major role in the plot, though ''VideoGame/Persona4Arena'' reveals that the cast of ''VideoGame/{{Persona 3}}'' haven't given up on the hero business just yet.