History Main / RedheadedHero

[[.redirect:RedIsHeroic]]

[[redirect:RedIsHeroic]]

[[quoteright:350:[[VideoGame/{{Ys}} http://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/64_63839175.jpg]]]]
[[caption-width-right:350:It's not just heroes who prefer redheads.]]

->''"It's not possible to play as [=FemShep=] without red hair. I'm 100% sure they didn't even bother putting in other colors."''
-->-- '''smoomoo31''', ''Franchise/MassEffect'' {{Reddit}} [[https://www.reddit.com/r/masseffect/comments/4e86w0/did_one_of_those_winepaint_classes_with_friends/d1y4h2a thread]]

Some HeroesWantRedheads. Some heroes ''are'' redheads.

Considering that, of all hair colours, red is the least common, it isn't surprising that it is used when writers want someone to stand out, at least in shows that [[YouGottaHaveBlueHair don't give random extras]] [[HairColors blue and green hair]].

One distinction between red-haired heroes and villains is that where heroes tend to have bright-colored hair (almost reddish-blond), villains have darker-colored, almost brownish hair. Red is second only to blonde hair for a hero (see LawOfChromaticSuperiority).

Frequently, they'll have a {{fiery| redhead}} personality to go with their hair.

A SubTrope of RedIsHeroic.

Compare HeroesWantRedheads. (And if a redheaded hero wants a redhead, it's LookalikeLovers.) Contrast EvilRedhead & RedHeadedStepchild. Compare & contrast YouGottaHaveBlueHair.

[[noreallife]]
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!!Examples

[[foldercontrol]]

[[folder:Anime & Manga]]
* Kyo Sohma, one of two main male leads of ''Manga/FruitsBasket'', certainly has the FieryRedhead part down, as well as being somewhat of a RedHeadedStepchild.
* The Japanese definitely like using redheads and the color red in general. Take the ''Anime/MobileSuitGundam'' series, for example: Amuro Ray is a redhead, while Char pilots red mecha (that are [[MemeticBadass three times faster]]).
* ''Anime/HeavyMetalLGaim'': Leccee is a redhead and she joins the group of heroes who fight the Empire.
* ''Anime/PanzerWorldGalient'': Hilmuka has very bright red hair and is an ActionGirl and one of the main allies of [[TheHero Jordy]].
* Shana in ''LightNovel/ShakuganNoShana''. Although, when in her "human" form, she has normal black hair, when she turns into a Flame Haze, her picture could be the title image for this trope. It's not just red, it glows and flame-like embers come off of it. Did we mention that it glows?
* ''Anime/NeonGenesisEvangelion'': Asuka Langley Sohryu, HotBlooded FieryRedhead and HumongousMecha AcePilot.
* Subverted with Hanamichi Sakuragi from ''Manga/SlamDunk'', who ''dyes'' his hair red.
* ''Manga/OutlawStar'': Gene {{lampshade|Hanging}}s the trope in episode 5, when Swanso asks him to pick the color for [[CoolStarship the XGP's]] paintjob. He points at his own hair and tells him: "This color'll do."
* ''Anime/PhantomQuestCorp'': Ayaka's hair matches the color of [[LadyInRed the ensemble she wears]] in the show's opening, which gives her the look of a lounge singer. While she ''does'' have [[DownplayedTrope a bit of]] [[FieryRedhead a temper]], she's actually laid-back and [[TheTease more a tease.]]
* Hikaru Shidou in ''Manga/MagicKnightRayearth''. She's TheKirk in the PowerTrio of herself, [[TheMcCoy Umi Ryuuzaki]], and [[TheSpock Fuu Hououji]] and while they all get focus, she's basically in the lead. [[spoiler:And then she becomes the Pillar.]]
* Mai Tokiha from ''Anime/MaiHime'' has orange reddish hair. Her mischievous opposite, Nao Yuuki, has bright crimson hair.
* Arika Yumemiya of ''Anime/MaiOtome'' has reddish brown hair, and the FieryRedhead personality to match. (Mai's also in this but she's more of a supporting character this time.)
* [[GenderBender Half of the time]], the hero is a redhead in ''Manga/RanmaOneHalf''. And [[HeroesWantRedheads everybody wants her]], unless they want ''[[GenderBender him]]''.
* ''LightNovel/{{Slayers}}'' neatly reverses the gender on this by having the protagonist Lina be a [[FieryRedhead spunky redhead]] and her love interest Gourry be [[IdiotHero dumb as a post]] and [[DumbBlonde blonde to boot]].
* While Kinomoto Sakura (''Manga/CardcaptorSakura'') is mostly considered a brunette in the anime, she is more of a redhead in the few colour pictures of her in the manga. Same goes for her princess alter ego in ''Manga/TsubasaReservoirChronicle'', but ''she'' goes under HeroesWantRedheads.
* Momomiya Ichigo of ''Manga/TokyoMewMew'' twists this: her human form has red hair, but post-TransformationSequence, when she's actually doing heroic things instead of [[IJustWantToBeNormal complaining]], her hair is ''pink''.
* Rika (Ruki) from ''Anime/DigimonTamers''. Interesting fact about ''Franchise/{{Digimon}}'': the more HotBlooded a group leader is, the redder their hair is. Taichi was somewhat hotheaded but had a fairly balanced temperament, so he has brown hair with a slight red tint, though it's practically not noticeable. Davis/Daisuke was very HotBlooded and has reddish-brown hair. Takato is the calmest ''Digimon'' leader and has straight brown. Takuya resumes the HotBlooded pattern and has brown that leans toward reddish-brown. Marcus/Masaru is the worst of the lot and is as close to red hair as you can get and still technically be brunette.
* Himeno Awayuki from ''Anime/{{Pretear}}'', nicknamed "Tulip Head" by Hayate (though he stops calling her this after a while).
* HotBlooded Kallen Kouzuki, Lelouch Lamperouge's Lancer and bodyguard from ''Anime/CodeGeass''.
* Lavi and General Cross (although Allen [[TheTrickster might choke]] [[HeroicComedicSociopath on 'hero"]] [[HilariouslyAbusiveChildhood for that one]]) from ''Manga/DGrayMan''.
* Tooya from ''Manga/AyashiNoCeres'', called "[[Manga/FushigiYuugi Tamahome]] with hair dye and contact lenses".
** Cyborg Guy's hair isn't natural. In flashbacks to before the accident and after he becomes an Evoluder, his hair is a pretty normal brown. Mikoto, on the other hand...
* In ''Franchise/LyricalNanoha'', Vita and Teana have red hair. Nanoha herself has reddish-brown hair.
* ''Manga/{{Saiyuki}}'' has both a hero with bright red hair, Sha Gojyo, and a villain with dark red hair, Kougaiji. This is pointed out when Gojyo's older brother, Dokugakuji, admits that one of the reasons he started working for Kougaiji was because he reminded him of Gojyo. This may actually be playing with the trope a little, since, much of the time, PunchClockVillain Kougaiji behaves more like a classical hero than the protagonists.
* Daisuke from ''Manga/DNAngel'', though he lacks the stereotypical temperament (he's very calm most of the time).
* In the ''Manga/SailorMoon'' manga, Sailor Mars has red hair in many colored images. Sailors [=ChibiChibi=], Kakyuu, and Vesta have red hair as well. Sailors Moon, [=ChibiMoon=], Ceres, Lethe, and Mnemosyne all have pink hair at some point and all are eventually good guys.
* ''Manga/YuYuHakusho'' has got two red heads on the FiveManBand: Kuwabara and Kurama. Kuwabara's hair is sort of a reddish-blond while Kurama's is dark crimson; though Kurama's hair does [[PowerDyesYourHair change color]] when he [[TransformationSequence assumes]] [[PettingZooPeople his]] [[NobleDemon true form.]]
* Tsubomi Hanasaki from ''Anime/HeartcatchPrettyCure'' has literal red hair, which contrasts with her InnocentFlowerGirl nature. It turns pink as Cure Blossom, though.
* Juliet of ''Manga/RomeoXJuliet'' is a redhead. Red seems to be the theme color for the Capulets, with the Montagues are [[YouGottaHaveBlueHair blue]].
* Shirayuki, in ''Manga/SnowWhiteWithTheRedHair''. InvokedTrope here, as the author wanted to write a story loosely based on "Literature/SnowWhiteAndTheSevenDwarfs", with the eponymous heroine being red-haired. In this manga's universe, this hair color is ''very'' rare, making the heroine sought after by various ill-minded people.
* ''Manga/FairyTail'': Erza's last name, "Scarlet" is indicative of her hair color.
* Lieutenant Kate Curtis, the titular red-headed protagonist of the {{hentai}} ''BondageQueenKate''.
* [[SmallGirlBigGun Yoko]] [[MsFanservice Littner]] from ''Anime/TengenToppaGurrenLagann''.
* While Sae from ''Anime/MagicUsersClub'' has a long, winding, [[{{Dojikko}} pitfall-ridden]] road to get to the point where she is worthy of the "hero" part of this trope, her dedication and belief in her companions pay off in the end when she [[spoiler:frees the world from alien control by turning The Bell into a giant tree]]. While not the protagonist, resident {{bishonen}} Aburatsubo also qualifies as one of the most competent members of the magic user's club who often saves the day when the group gets in trouble.
* There's also Gaara from ''Manga/{{Naruto}}'' (after his HeelFaceTurn). And while Naruto might not be a redhead, [[FieryRedhead his mum, Kushina]], definitely was.
* Ryoko Mitsurugi from ''Manga/RealBoutHighSchool'' plays this very straight.
* ''Anime/AngelBeats'': Yuzuru Otonashi who is also (although [[DeadpanSnarker snarky]]) a MessianicArchetype.
* Played with in the movie ''Anime/SwordOfTheStranger'', as [[spoiler:No Name has red hair, though we only ever see it once, briefly, because he dyes it black to make himself less conspicuous]].
* ''LightNovel/{{Baccano}}'''s [[SociopathicHero Claire Stanfield]] is either an example or a subversion, depending on whether [[AxCrazy certain]] [[PsychoForHire tendencies]] are present.
* Tigre of ''LightNovel/LordMarksmanAndVanadis'' qualifies. Aside from [[spoiler: Elizavetta, the Vanadis of Lebus]], he is the only person shown so far to have red hair.
* Akane Isshiki from ''Anime/VividredOperation'', which matches the title of the anime.
* ''Franchise/DragonBall'': Son Goku becomes this as the Super Saiyan God in ''Anime/DragonBallZBattleOfGods''.
* Yuna from ''Anime/YukiYunaIsAHero'' has red hair normally but it turns pink when in MagicalGirl form.
* Ichigo Kurosaki, the main character of ''Manga/{{Bleach}}'' is a redhead and often gets accused by his schoolmates of dying it to stand out.
* ''Franchise/{{Jewelpet}}'' has a few:
** Rinko, the heroine of ''Anime/{{Jewelpet 2009}}'', has unnatural red hair.
** Akari, the heroine of ''Anime/JewelpetTwinkle'', has it reddish-brown.
* ''Anime/KujiraNoJosephina'' has its redhaired protagonist, Santiago aka Santi, who at the same time subverts it by being a male ShrinkingViolet.
* Akane from ''VideoGame/DivineGate''
* The title heroine of ''Manga/YonaOfTheDawn'' has striking red hair that marks her as TheChosenOne to lead the Four Dragon Warriors.
* Akari of ''Anime/IlSolePenetraLeIllusioni'' has flame-colored hair, which is only fitting as she uses ThePowerOfTheSun as her tarot motif and wields a FlamingSword in battle.
* ''Anime/GunBuster'':
** Main character Noriko Takaya's hair is red, although it's a really dark shade that borders on brown sometimes.
** Her teammate Jung Freud's hair is a very bright scarlet shade.
* The protagonist of ''Kaasan: Mom's Life'' is a redhead. Her hair stands out amongst almost everyone else's, as most others have brown or black hair.
[[/folder]]

[[folder:Comic Books]]
* ''Comicbook/RedSonja''.
* Brenda Starr, from the film and comic book of the same name.
* ''Comicbook/XMen''.
** Comicbook/JeanGrey, Comicbook/RachelSummers, Comicbook/HopeSummers, Wolfsbane, Shatterstar, Banshee, and Siryn.
** Comicbook/{{Rogue}}, as befits her status as a former villain, has a darker shade (usually referred to as "auburn" in the Handbooks of the Marvel Universe). However, she has been nicknamed "Red" on occasion.
** Villain and TropeCodifier of TheJuggernaut, Cain Marko has [[HeelFaceRevolvingDoor had a few moments in which he was a hero]]. He has bright red hair.
* ''Franchise/TheFlash''
** Wally West (the original Kid Flash). When he was running around with an open-topped cowl as Kid Flash, he dyed his hair brown (at super-speed), because, for once, red hair was acknowledged as being unusual.
** The Tornado Twins, children of the second Flash.
** [[LegacyCharacter The second Impulse]], Iris, daughter to Wally West.
** Apparently, DC's colorists have taken to turning Bart Allen's hair color into a reddish-brown in later issues; it's a flat-out flame-red in some appearances, where, initially, it was a chocolate-brown shade. Getting lighter with age, maybe?
* Rorschach of ''ComicBook/{{Watchmen}}'', although he's more of an AntiHero.
* Matt Murdock, aka Comicbook/{{Daredevil}}.
** Former villain Typhoid Mary also has red hair. As per the trope, she's drawn with significantly brighter hair after making a HeelFaceTurn.
** The ComicBook/BlackWidow (Natasha Romanova) started out as a villainess with black hair. Some time after she became a heroine and revealed that her true hair colour is red. Not long after that she became Daredevil's lover for a number of years, making this a mutual case of Red-Headed Heroes Want Redheads.
* Lightning Lad/Live Wire and Lightning Lass/Spark/Light Lass, twins from ''ComicBook/{{Legion of Super-Heroes}}''.
* Mariah from ''Comicbook/TheWarlord''.
* If that Comicbook/Gen13 one-off counts, ''ComicBook/TheAuthority's'' Midnighter--though you wouldn't know it, as (on the rare occasions he's seen without his mask) every artist gives him a different colour. WordOfGod says he just likes to dye it. Caitlin Fairchild of ''ComicBook/{{Gen13}}'' is a more consistent example of this, as well as being the resident SignificantGreenEyedRedhead.
* Jason Blood, human anchor for ComicBook/{{Etrigan}} the Demon, red with a [[SkunkStripe white streak]]. Also, for some reason, Jim Corrigan, the Golden Age host of Comicbook/TheSpectre.
* ''ComicBook/JusticeSocietyOfAmerica''
** Cyclone, one of the newest members and granddaughter of the [[UsefulNotes/TheGoldenAgeOfComicBooks Golden Age]] Comicbook/RedTornado.
** [[Comicbook/TheAtom Al Pratt, the Golden Age Atom]], was Cagneyesque not only in his short stocky build, but also in his ginger hair.
* Elsa Bloodstone, daughter of immortal monster hunter Ulysses Bloodstone from Marvel Comics. Technically blonde but she apparently dyes it red.
* Emily "Lia" Briggs AKA "Looker" most notably from ''Comicbook/BatmanAndTheOutsiders''.
* Though counter intelligence specialist [[HeroesWantRedheads Scarlett]] is the most well-known, ''Franchise/GIJoe'' has never been short of redheads. Examples include {{F|rickin Laser Beams}}lash, {{Ace| Pilot}}, [[TheCavalry Wild Bill]], [[RedShirt Thunder]], [[MilitaryMashupMachine Deep-Six]], [[WrenchWench Cover Girl]], [[CoolGun Dusty]], [[PyroManiac Blow Torch]], [[ItsRainingMen Ripcord]], [[OfficerOhara Barbecue]], [[CoolCar Crankcase]], [[BoisterousBruiser Taurus]], [[BaseOnWheels Steam-Roller]], [[DeepSouth Cross-Country]], [[TwentyMinutesIntoTheFuture Knockdown]], [[CrazySurvivalist Outback]], [[KillItWithFire Charbroil]], [[BifurcatedWeapon Long Range]] (the original), and [[HuskyRusskie Big Bear]]. Amusingly, this list includes two out of three G.I. Joe flame weapons specialists and the G.I. Joe ''firefighter''. Odds are good that late-run flamethrower Ice Cream Soldier is also redheaded beneath his masked helmet.
* Finny, the Irish co-protagonist in ''ComicBook/SinisterDexter''. Well, AntiHero.
* The self named Calexa Rose Dunhill from Charlaine Harris's Cemetery Girl has reddish hair at least in the comic.
* Star Wars Azlyn Rae from ''Comicbook/{{Legacy}}''.
* Vic Sage as ComicBook/TheQuestion, although the special gas he uses to change the colour of his clothes and make his mask stick to his face properly also darkens his hair.
* Beryl Hutchinson aka Squire from DC's Knight and Squire.
* Katherine 'Kate" Manser aka Cinnamon from DC's ''Comicbook/JonahHex'', also qualifies as FieryRedhead.
* Kate Kane, the modern age ComicBook/{{Batwoman}}. Also, Barbara Gordon, formerly [[HandicappedBadass Oracle]] and currently {{Comicbook/Batgirl|2011}}.
* Link and Zelda in the [[ComicBook/TheLegendOfZelda comic book adaptation]] of ''VideoGame/TheLegendOfZeldaI'' and ''VideoGame/ZeldaIITheAdventureOfLink''.
* Sophia Hapgood featured in "Indiana Jones and The Fate of Atlantis", as well as "Indiana Jones and The Thunder in the Orient".
* Becky Montcrief from ''Comicbook/TheSixthGun''.
* Guy Gardner: Franchise/GreenLantern and all around badass ginger.
* ''ComicBook/{{Chassis}}''.
* In ''ComicBook/WerewolfByNight'', Jack Russell's hair is a light red. [[DependingOnTheArtist If the artist remembers it's supposed to be that color, that is]].
* ''ComicBook/RedHoodAndTheOutlaws'': Arsenal and [[Comicbook/{{Starfire}} Koriand'r]] are natural redheads. In some previous continuities, Red Hood was a redhead who dyed his hair black, though it's not the case anymore.
* Katie, protagonist of ''{{ComicBook/Seconds}}''.
* Colt, the SuperheroPackingHeat BadassNormal of ''ComicBook/{{Femforce}}''.
* ''ComicBook/{{Manifest}}'' has FieryRedhead protagonist Tessa Theus, aka Thunder Girl.
* Franchise/{{Tintin}} was sometimes represented as a redhead (when he wasn't blonde or light chestnut). The animated series decided on an orangey hair color, as did the 2011 CGI film (Haddock even refers to him as ginger at one point).
* Rowan Morrigan from ''Comicbook/TwoThousandAD'''s Age Of The Wolf. When the majority of the world's population is turned into Werewolves, she discovers she might be the key to saving the Human Race.
* Sonny Tuckson from ''Comicbook/BuckDanny''.
* Mortimer from ''ComicBook/BlakeAndMortimer''.
* Sassette of ''Franchise/TheSmurfs''.
* Obelix from ''Comicbook/{{Asterix}}''. The big hearted and slightly gluttonous Gaul regularly accompanies his best friend Asterix on adventures around the Roman Empire and beyond.
[[/folder]]

[[folder:Fan Works]]
* ''Fanfic/ACrownOfStars'':
** Secondary character Sergeant Bir has close-cropped red hair and is one of the commanding officers of the Shinji and Asuka's platoon that intends to depose the dictators running the post-Third Impact world.
** Asuka Langley Sohryu, of course.
* ''Fanfic/AdviceAndTrust'': Asuka is a FieryRedhead and is the heroine of this story.
* ''Fanfic/TheChildOfLove'': Asuka, pilot of giant robots. In chapter 3 she was sick and pregnant and she still leapt from her hospital bed and went to fight an EldritchAbomination, helping to save the day. In chapter 7 she led their squad comrades and came up with a strategy to win the battle. And after giving birth she kept piloting war mechas and fighting giant alien monsters.
* ''Fanfic/ChildrenOfAnElderGod'': Asuka was a redhead and an heroine fought [[Franchise/CthulhuMythos cosmic horrors powerful enough to obliterate planets]] and helped to save mankind even at the cost of her own human nature.
* ''Fanfic/DoingItRightThisTime'': Asuka is a redhead and a HumongousMecha pilot. After having utterly failed in the original timeline and returning to the past together with her fellow pilots she is the one encourages Shinji to actually try "to save this clusterfuck".
* In the ''[[Comicbook/TheLeagueOfExtraordinaryGentlemen LXG]]'' parody ''[[http://www.fanfiction.net/s/1788274/1/bJUST_b_THE_bBEST_b_bMARY_b_bSUE_b_bEVER_b Just the Best Mary Sue Ever!]]'', the main character, Fellauroralisterinavetta Aanjulle O'Bamfwryter, has spectacularly glossy hair that looks like a halo of copper-colored worms.
* ''Manga/{{Evangelion 303}}'': Asuka is a USAF commander fights to save her country from a nuclear strike that would wipe out billions of lives and would collapse the world economy.
* ''Fanfic/{{HERZ}}'': Asuka, FieryRedhead and soldier. As a HERZ officer she has commanded many peace-keeping missions throughout the years, flew aircraft aircarriers and piloted giant robots.
* ''Fanfic/HigherLearning'': Asuka is a redhead and one of the heroes. She piloted war mechas and fought giant aliens threatened mankind.
* ''Fanfic/LastChildOfKrypton'': Red-haired Asuka starts out as a HumongousMecha AcePilot that rides a giant robot to fight massive alien monsters and later becomes [[spoiler:''Franchise/WonderWoman'' -or ''Comicbook/{{Supergirl}}'' depending on the version-]], upgrading the "hero" part to superhero.
* ''Fanfic/TheOneILoveIs'': Asuka is a redhead and one of the heroes of the story: soldier and HumongousMecha AcePilot.
* Chloe in ''FanFic/PrettyCurePerfumePreppy'' has ''literal'' red hair in civilian form. Hanae is a more believable redhead (having orange hair), but gains literal red hair as well when turned into Cure Tangerine. However, both subvert the FieryRedhead trope when it comes to personality, as Chloe is described as a gentle and kind-hearted girl, while Hanae is just a {{shrinking violet}}. The fiery one of the team happens to be purple-haired Ayameko.
* ''Fanfic/SOE2LoneHeirOfKrypton'': Asuka, who evolves from HumongousMecha AcePilot trying to prove herself to ''ComicBook/SuperGirl'' trying to help people.
* ''Fanfic/ChildOfTheStorm'' has Jean Grey, Sean Cassidy and the [[spoiler: mostly]] deceased Lily Potter.
* ''Fanfic/{{Atonement}}'': After being forced to confront her actions and triggering her power, [[spoiler:Emma]] becomes a hero to make amends for being a bully.
* ''Fanfic/{{Intrepid}}'': Emma becomes the super-heroine "Redshift" to atone for betraying and bullying her former best friend.
* ''FanFic/PokemonMaster'': Misty is a redhead and this story's main heroine.
* ''Fanfic/SoulEaterTroubledSouls'': OriginalCharacter Rowena Ricardsen is a redhead of the 'orange hair/ginger' variety. She is also one of the primary protagonists.
* ''FanFic/BloodThatFlows'' provides two examples: MagicalGirl Nanoha Takamachi and her black sorcerer mother Lina Inverse.
* ''Fanfic/ThousandShinji'' has Asuka, red-haired mecha pilot, Khorne berserker and kick-ass, super-powerful heroine.
* In ''Fanfic/{{Wonderful}}'', red-haired Emma Barnes is a heroine and one of the allies of the main character. Her "cape" name is "Wonder Star".
* In ''[[FanFic/CissneisPath Cissnei's Path]]'', a VideoGame/FinalFantasyVII fanfic, Cissnei is one of the main protagonists and travels with the main group.
* In ''Fanfic/TheSecondTry'', redheaded Asuka was one of the heroes who went back to the past to avert the end of the world.
* In ''Fanfic/{{Quicken}}'', red-haired Emma Barnes becomes a berserker AntiHero after getting powers during an extremely traumatic experience.
* ''Fanfic/NeonGenesisEvangelionGenocide'' has Asuka, red-haired HumongousMecha pilot.
* ''Fanfic/OnceMoreWithFeeling'' has Asuka, who has spent her whole childhood training to become a mecha pilot and has killed a good number of {{Eldritch Abomination}}s.
[[/folder]]

[[folder:Films -- Animated]]
* Hiccup Horrendous Haddock III, the protagonist of ''WesternAnimation/HowToTrainYourDragon'', has deep auburn hair. In [[Literature/HowToTrainYourDragon the books]], he has bright red hair.
* Creator/{{Disney}} likes redheaded heroes:
** Disney/PeterPan is a redhead.
** Taran from ''Disney/TheBlackCauldron'' has auburn hair.
** Disney/TheLittleMermaid herself, Ariel, has deep red hair. This was a pragmatic choice on the designers' part. If her hair was dark, it would get lost in the darkness of the ocean depths, but if she was blonde, she would look too much like Madison the mermaid from ''Film/{{Splash}}'', so they went with striking red.
** The Beast, from ''Disney/BeautyAndTheBeast'', turns into a red-haired Prince.
** Simba and Mufasa from ''Disney/TheLionKing'' have red ''manes''.
** Quasimodo in ''Disney/TheHunchbackOfNotreDame'' has red hair as well.
** Disney/{{Hercules}}. The main thrust of the movie involves Hercules doing heroic deeds to earn a place at Mt Olympus.
** Merida from ''WesternAnimation/{{Brave}}'' has [[WildHair wild]], [[QuirkyCurls curly]], [[FieryRedhead fiery]], red hair; when it is straightened, it reaches down to her calves.
** ZigZaggingTrope with Ralph of ''Disney/WreckItRalph''. In the video game universe, he has brown hair, but from the perspective of ''Fix-It-Felix Jr.'' players, he has red hair. However, while he's the film's hero, he's the villain of the game.
** Anna from ''Disney/{{Frozen}}'' is [[HairColorDissonance probably]] a redhead. She spends the film trying to get her sister Elsa to come back home, and unfreeze the kingdom while she's at it.
* Sally from ''WesternAnimation/TheNightmareBeforeChristmas'' is a subversion of the "heroes-have-bright-red-hair-while-villains-have-dark-hair", as her yarn-like hair is more towards chestnut. Not surprising, though, [[{{Halloweentown}} considering where she lives]].
* MK from ''WesternAnimation/{{Epic}}''.
[[/folder]]

[[folder:Films -- Live-Action]]
* Peter Quill a.k.a Star Lord of ''Film/GuardiansOfTheGalaxy'' is red headed. He is particularly ginger in the film's introduction, when he's an 8 year old, freckled ginger kid.
%%* ''[[http://agonybooth.com/recaps/Thor_and_the_Amazon_Women_1963.aspx Thor And The Amazon Women]]''.
%%* BG in ''The Goddess of 1967''.
* Kate Loughlin, the protagonist in ''Film/TheCallbackQueen'' is a redheaded Irish actress.
* ''Film/RedSonja''.
* The father-son Jaeger pilots of Striker Eureka in ''Film/PacificRim'', Hercules and Chuck Hansen, are both played by redheaded actors.
* Dr. Jekyll/Mr. Hyde in ''Film/TheLeagueOfExtraordinaryGentlemen''. The invisible thief Rodney Skinner, though never seen for obvious reasons, was also played by a red-haired actor, leading one to presume that the character is likewise redheaded when visible.
* Natasha Romanoff (AKA Comicbook/BlackWidow) in the Film/MarvelCinematicUniverse [[note]] Of these films, so far she's appeared in ''Film/IronMan2'', ''Film/TheAvengers2012'' and ''Film/CaptainAmericaTheWinterSoldier''[[/note]].
* Danielle the archer, in ''TheFlightOfDragons''.
* The Mad Hatter in Creator/TimBurton's ''Film/AliceInWonderland''.
* All of Creator/JohnWayne's characters (because Wayne himself was a redhead in RealLife). Also true with Creator/ChuckNorris!!!* ''Film/RunLolaRun'': Lola's hair is fiery red.
* Scarlet from ''Film/GIJoeTheRiseOfCobra''.
* Will Scarlet from ''Film/RobinHood2010''
* Hamish, William Wallace's boyhood friend and one of his deputies in the fight against the English in ''Film/BraveHeart''.
* Tauriel from ''Film/TheHobbitTheDesolationOfSmaug'' and ''Film/TheHobbitTheBattleOfTheFiveArmies''.
* Played straight with Comicbook/JeanGrey, in the [[Film/XMen1 first]] [[Film/X2XMenUnited two]] X-Men movies, but she defects in ''Film/XMenTheLastStand''.
* Obi-Wan Kenobi is a down-played example in the ''Franchise/StarWars'' Prequels. Interestingly, his hair is more towards the brown end of the spectrum (which, by the letter of the trope, points to villainy), despite him being one of the most heroic and morally upstanding characters in the saga. Also, he is anything but a FieryRedhead, preferring negotiation and rational planning to combat and rushing in head-first.
* Gutsy Smurf of ''Film/TheSmurfs'' and ''Film/TheSmurfs2'' has reddish-brown sideburns, which in ''WesternAnimation/TheSmurfsTheLegendOfSmurfyHollow'' are made a bit more on the ginger side.
* Chloe in ''Film/TheLastWitchHunter'' a good witch who helps Kaulder the last witchhunter to save the world from the evil witches.
[[/folder]]

[[folder:Legend And Mythology]]
* Odysseus of ''Literature/TheIliad'' and ''Literature/TheOdyssey'': his hair was described as "crisping red-golden". Menelaus of the same definitely was; "red-haired king" was among his epithets. Which is odd, because his name, Menelaus Xanthus, means "Menelaus the Blond"; he's called a red-head because, apparently, scholars never met any blond Greeks (they do exist). But something strange was going on originally because "Xanthus" also referred to slaves (foreigners, mostly). There's something metatextual going on there.
* [[Myth/NorseMythology Thor]] in older myths. Creator/MarvelComics is often accused of turning him blond, but artists having been drawing him as blond since [[https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Thor#/media/File:M%C3%A5rten_Eskil_Winge_-_Tor%27s_Fight_with_the_Giants_-_Google_Art_Project.jpg at least 1872.]]
* OlderThanFeudalism: in some versions of UsefulNotes/TheTrojanWar, Achilles has red hair to denote his fiery temper and {{badass}}ery (and matches his common epithet as "blazing Achilles"). Menelaus and Agamemnon may have had red hair as well. Neoptolemus definitely was a redhead, even if his father, Achilles, wasn't. He was also known as Pyrrhos, which is Greek for "fiery red". Achilles himself, when he hid out in king Lycomedes' palace disguised as a girl (and, in the process, fathered Pyrrhos with Lycomedes' daughter Deidameia), called himself Pyrrha. Some think that Neoptolemos' alternative name may have been derived from his father's alias (he only got his name Neoptolemos, "young warrior", when he joined the Greek army before Troy).
* In many retellings, [[Myth/KingArthur Arthurian legend's]] Sir Gawain. Occasionally, Arthur himself is portrayed as a redhead.
* Red hair is seen as the mark of [[Literature/TheEpicOfGilgamesh Gilgamesh]].
* In Jewish tradition, King David is usually said to have red hair. The prophet Samuel was actually wary about anointing him king, believing that [[EvilRedhead this indicated that he would shed a lot of blood]]; God replied that yes, he would, [[ProphecyTwist but it would be the blood of Israel's enemies]].
[[/folder]]

[[folder:Literature]]
* Princess Ren [[SignificantGreenEyedRedhead and her sisters]], in ''Literature/ABrothersPrice''. Not the only point-of-view character, but one of the most important ones. The royal family is famous for their red hair, which all of the princesses have.
* Literature/AnneOfGreenGables, title hero and a redhead.
* ''Literature/{{Madeline}}'', a childrens' book by Ludwig Bemelmeans. Madeline goes to a Catholic boarding school. The books are all written in rhymes.
* Dora Wilk, eponymous character of ''Literature/DoraWilkSeries'', has dark-red hair, tying neatly with LadyInRed she also is.
* ''Literature/PippiLongstocking'' by Creator/AstridLindgren. Pippi is about 10, lives alone in a house called Villevillekula, and is incredibly strong. Her father is a pirate captain and he goes off pirating, leaving her with piles of gold coins. She has bright red hair pulled out in two horizontal pigtails.
* Several Creator/RobertAHeinlein protagonists--most notably, Lazarus Long (nee Woodrow Wilson Smith) (biggest role was in ''Literature/TimeEnoughForLove'', he did appear in later Heinlein works) and his mother, Maureen Johnson Smith (most prominent in ''Literature/ToSailBeyondTheSunset'', she plays a minor role in several earlier Heinlein novels). And many were redheaded ''twins''; ''Literature/TheRollingStones'', ''Time for the Stars'', Laz and Lor from ''Literature/TimeEnoughForLove''. Other adventurous or heroic redheads include Podkayne of Mars, one of his more popular Juvenile characters, "Slipstick" Libby, Hazel Stone, and a long list of others.
%%* Glen O'Brian in ''Literature/ThePurpleWidow''.
* Literature/SirAproposOfNothing, though he'd be more of a red-headed AntiHero...
* Several from the ''Franchise/StarWarsExpandedUniverse'', including four from the Skywalker family/bloodline alone: Mara Jade Skywalker (Luke's wife and the reason there's redheads in the bloodline at all--[[GreenEyes green-eyed]]), Ben Skywalker (her son and the kid in the former article image; this is {{lampshade|Hanging}}d at [[Literature/LegacyOfTheForce one point]]--blue-eyed), Kol Skywalker (her great-grandson--green-eyed, again), Tenel Ka (Jacen's wife and current ruler of Hapes), and Allana (Jacen and Tenel's daughter--[[GrayEyes gray-eyed]]).
* Captain Carrot Ironfoundersson in ''Literature/{{Discworld}}'' by Terry Pratchett in the series about the Ankh Morpork Watch, and making cameo appearances in other books. Carrot was adopted by dwarves, so he considers himself a dwarf--just a six-foot tall one. He has red hair, but that is not the reason he is called carrot. That's because he is built like one--broad at the shoulder and tapering in lower.
* The Aptly named Ginger Hebblethwaite from Captain W.E. Johns ''Literature/{{Biggles}}'' stories.
* Howard Roark from ''Literature/TheFountainhead''. Again, depends on your [[AlternativeCharacterInterpretation definition]] [[DesignatedHero of]] [[AntiHero hero]].
* Alanna of Trebond, from the Creator/TamoraPierce universe, combines red hair with purple TechnicolorEyes. Arguably also a case of HeroesWantRedheads: despite the fact that the text repeatedly points out that she isn't particularly good looking, she does end up with proposals from [[spoiler:the Crown Prince]] and [[spoiler:the King of the Rogue]]. Also, Tris from the ''Literature/CircleOfMagic'' books by the same author. She is certainly a FieryRedhead, but also a grouch who sometimes borders on JerkWithAHeartOfGold.
* [[Creator/LoisMcMasterBujold Cordelia]] Literature/{{Vorkosigan|Saga}} is a redhead. In fact, it's one of her character markers; whenever a woman with "roan-red" hair shows up, it's her, or reminds Miles of her. He comes to realize that one of the reasons Sgt. Beatrice's death affected him so much was that, as a tall redhead, she reminded him of his mother.
* Dairine Callahan from ''Literature/YoungWizards''.
* Kvothe, of ''Literature/TheNameOfTheWind'', is known for his bright, flame-red hair. Good for attracting both women and unwanted attention.
* In Robert Graves' ''King Jesus'', {{Jesus}} has red hair, this being one of the eight "signs of royalty".
* Cord from Douglas Hill's ''Literature/TheColSecTrilogy''. He's at least ''something'' of a FieryRedhead...but, interestingly enough, his hair is specifically described as dark auburn.
* Rand Al'Thor from Robert Jordan's ''Literature/TheWheelOfTime'' has reddish-blonde hair. This is because he's [[spoiler:half [[ProudWarriorRaceGuy Aiel]]]]. Elaine also has red-gold hair, whatever that means. When it's not referred to as red-gold, it's consistently just described as blonde, with Aviendha as the redhead of the BlondeBrunetteRedhead trio. That sounds like a jazzed-up description of strawberry blonde hair.
* Bill Denbrough and Beverly Marsh, two of the original seven Losers from Creator/StephenKing's ''Literature/{{IT}}''. [[Creator/SethGreen Richie]] in the film adaptation, although Bev and Bill were both [[AdaptationDyeJob brunettes]].
* Both major POV characters of the ''Literature/DoctrineOfLabyrinths'' series are redheads, this is actually a major plot point as, in the city they grew up in, ''no one else is'', thus providing easy proof that Felix and Mildmay are brothers.
* In Creator/EEDocSmith's ''Literature/{{Lensman}}'' series, red hair is specifically the genetic marker of ancestry from {{Atlantis}}. Many in the human Lensman breeding program are redheads including Clarissa [=MacDougal=].
* Maria from ''Literature/TheLittleWhiteHorse''.
* Princess Eilonwy of the ''Literature/ChroniclesOfPrydain'' is often referred to by the narrator as "Eilonwy of the red-gold hair".
* Most of the protagonists in Marion Zimmer Bradley's ''Literature/{{Darkover}}'' universe. Justified, since, in this setting, redheads are special.
* Karen in ''Literature/TheThreeWorldsCycle''. She's arguably one of the major heroes of the first part of the cycle, being instrumental in the main changes to Santhenar over the course of the books. Oh, and she just happens to be a [[FieryRedhead redhead]].
* John Tardy, also known as the "Half-pint Posted" (really, though, he's just grateful to get a nickname other than "Red") of the Gordon R. Dickson novel ''[[{{Pun}} Spatial Delivery]]''.
* The eponymous character of Creator/JRRTolkien's ''Literature/FarmerGilesOfHam''. The whole story, in a way, subverts Medieval hero-tales, as the king and his knights are worse than useless, and the only person who can effectively deal with the dragon is a fat, red-headed farmer who doesn't like trespassers, especially destructive ones.
** Also Tolkien: for a [[AntiHero certain]] [[AntiVillain definition]] of [[BlackAndGrayMorality "hero,"]] Maedhros from ''Literature/TheSilmarillion'' counts. For five hundred years he held the front lines of the war against [[BigBad Morgoth]], and although his story [[TragicVillain (and his affiliation with the forces of good)]] goes sharply downhill after the [[CurbStompBattle Nirnaeth Arnoediad]], he is an undeniably BadAss hero for most of the book and one of very few red-haired characters described in the legendarium. [[note]]Maedhros' younger brothers Amrod and Amras are also redheads, but with less characterization to back up hero status.[[/note]]
* ''Literature/The39Clues'': Amy Cahill--although hers is more "reddish-brown".
* ''Franchise/{{Pumuckl}}'', the kobold protagonist of a German children's series.
* The eponymous character of ''The Adventures of Blue Avenger'' is, ironically, a redhead.
* Red-headed twins Isabeau and Iseult, the two leading characters of Kate Forsyth's "The Witches of Eileanan" series (fantasy).
* ''Literature/TimeScout'': Margo Smith. A Red-Headed Heroine to die for. Or because of.
* In the later ''Literature/NancyDrew'' mysteries, Nancy is described as being a redhead. She was originally supposed to be blonde, but a printing error on the cover art gave her hair a reddish hue, and the writers [[ThrowItIn just went with it.]]
* Lord John Roxton in Sir Arthur Conan Doyle's ''Literature/TheLostWorld'' is repeatedly described as having red hair, and his various adventures and heroic exploits in South America (like [[PayEvilUntoEvil killing slavers]]) have earned him the nickname "Red Chief" amongst the Amazonian natives.
* Tarl Cabot of the ''Literature/{{Gor}}'' series. Notably, while he has a HeroicBSOD and becomes Bosk, his hair becomes sandy; but then, when he goes back to being Tarl, it gets red again. In the first book, he mentions that he often had to [[RedHeadedStepchild defend his honor]] as a schoolboy just for having red hair.
* Freckles of Creator/GeneStrattonPorter's ''Literature/{{Freckles}}''.
* Although ''ASongOfIceAndFire'' has lots and lots of protagonists (although less "good" characters than one would think), Robb Stark stands out as being firmly heroic. His little sister Sansa and mother Catelyn, too.
* In Creator/JaneAusten's ''Literature/LoveAndFriendship'', Laura and Sophia conclude another woman's fiancee inadequate on this ground, among others.
-->''as we were convinced he had no soul, that he had never read The Sorrows of Werter, and that his Hair bore not the least resemblance to auburn, we were certain that Janetta could feel no affection for him, or at least that she ought to feel none.''
* Jamie Fraser, his daughter Briana, and her son Jemmy in ''{{Literature/Outlander}}''. There are a number of other characters in the books described as being redheaded, many of them related to Jamie.
* Ssalia, the eponymous protagonist of ''Literature/SsaliaAndTheDragonsOfAvienot''.
* Morgan Leah from ''Literature/{{Shannara}}'' is described as a redhead, and even has the fiery temper to match. Creator/TerryBrooks seems to like redheads a lot as heroes, since numerous characters from the series have red hair.
* A large number of the protagonists in L.E. Modesitt's ''Literature/SagaOfRecluce'' are redheads, sometimes of the FieryRedhead variety.
* Scathach, Aoife, and Prometheus from ''Literature/TheSecretsOfTheImmortalNicholasFlamel.''
* In ''Literature/TheChroniclesOfNarnia'', good dwarfs have red hair and evil dwarfs have black hair.
* Clary Fray from ''Literature/TheMortalInstruments''.
* The Twins Theo and Rachel Matheson from Maurice Gee's New Zealand Book Under the Mountain(1979) also made into a miniseries (1981) and a movie (2009)
* Beatrice Löwenström, who's the female protagonist in ''Literature/{{Overenskommelser}}'' by Creator/SimonaAhrnstedt, is a FieryRedhead with YouthfulFreckles. She's definately supposed to stand out among other women with a more "normal" appearance.
* Elisabet Nemert, another Swedish writer, also likes redheaded heroines, who will stand out among everyone else. Indra Ingridsdotter from "Röd måne" is her most recent example at the moment.
* Creator/RosemarySutcliff wrote a few: Red Phaedrus in ''Literature/TheMarkOfTheHorseLord''; Drem in ''Literature/WarriorScarlet''; Prasutagus in ''Song for a Dark Queen''; Androphon and Cador in ''The Bridge-Builders''.
* Creator/CharlotteBronte's ''{{Literature/Villette}}'' gives us Dr. Bretton, handsome by Victorian standards despite "the colour of his long hair such as friends did not venture to specify, except as the sun shone on it, when they called it golden."
* Saly Asigar, the FirstPersonPerspective character of ''Literature/{{Neogicia}}'', has red hair.
* Mira Dublay, a water elementalist and one of the narrators from "The Arasha Circle".
* Scarlet Benoit from ''Literature/TheLunarChronicles''.
* The ''TabletopGame/{{Warhammer 40000}}'' ''Literature/CiaphasCain'' novels give us Colonel Regina Kasteen, commander of [[BadassArmy 597th Valhallan Regiment]] and ''very'' trigger-happy.
* In Creator/MaryGentle's ''Literature/WhiteCrow'' stories, Valentine and Baltazar are both redheaded, although Valentine is usually greying (regardless of age).
* Literature/HannahSwensen is the murder-solving heroine and is noted for having frizzy red hair.
[[/folder]]

[[folder:Live-Action TV]]
* ''Series/DoctorWho'':
** The Doctor wishes he was ginger. Shortly after regenerating, Ten complained about how he had "never been ginger". Likewise for Eleven, one of the first things he did was check to see if he was ginger this time.
** Turlough, at the beginning, had more than a touch of EvilRedhead before he decided to not kill the Doctor after all--even if he had been tricked into agreeing to do it. (And with him it was actually enforced-John Nathan-Turner made the naturally blond Mark Strickson dye his hair so Turlough wouldn't be mistaken for the Doctor, played by the blond Peter Davison, in long shots).
** Two of the more recent companions Donna Noble and Amelia "Amy" Pond were notable for their red hair.
* ''Dune'':
** Paul Atreides from the Dune Miniseries produced in 2000 is a redhead.
** This is in contrast to Paul in the 1983 movie of the same name who had black hair.
* ''Franchise/StarTrek'':
** [[TheCaptain Captain]] Janeway from ''Series/StarTrekVoyager'', hair is more sort of auburn-brown than out-and-out red.
** If flashbacks and time travel are to be believed, [[Series/StarTrekTheNextGeneration Picard]] in his younger days.
** T'Pol from ''Series/StarTrekEnterprise'' has auburn hair in contrast to most Vulcans, whose hair is solid black.
* Charlie Crews on ''Series/{{Life}}'' and Dick Winters in ''Series/BandOfBrothers'': they're both played by redhead Damian Lewis. ''Band of Brothers'' also has major redheaded characters in Malarkey and Babe Heffron.
* Franchise/SuperSentai: Jan Kandou (Geki Red) of ''Series/JukenSentaiGekiranger'' and Sosuke Esumi (Go-on Red) of ''Series/EngineSentaiGoOnger'', resulting from hair bleach's effect on Asian hair. Gosei Black and Shinken Green are somewhere between brown and red, likely for the same reason.
* Carl Kolchak from ''Series/KolchakTheNightStalker'' is another of the reddish-brown variety.
* Horatio Caine from ''Series/CSIMiami'' working hard to protect the people of Miami and looking cool while doing it.
* Cassandra Cillian from ''Series/TheLibrarians(2014)'' where together with the other Librarians she helps protect the world from dangerous magical artefacts.
* Laura Diamond from the Mysteries of Laura. A single mother raising two young boys and a Homicide detective in the NYPD, it doesn't get more heroic then that!
* Agent Dana Scully from ''Series/TheXFiles'' who frequently saves Mulder and others in her duties with the FBI.
* Carrie Wells from ''Series/{{Unforgettable}}''. She uses her Photographic memory to solve cases for the NYPD.
* Willow and Oz from ''Series/BuffyTheVampireSlayer''. They both risked their lives multiple times to save others on the show.
* Sam Winchester from ''Series/{{Supernatural}}'' has reddish brown hair, usually worn somewhat long. In one episode Dean insists on being the [[Series/TheXFiles Mulder]] of the duo, stating that Sam is "a redheaded woman."
* Both Big Pete and Little Pete in ''Series/TheAdventuresOfPeteAndPete.''
[[/folder]]

[[folder:Music]]
* [[Music/DavidBowie Ziggy Stardust's]] final, iconic look included vibrantly red hair. This carried to his other "incarnations", Aladdin Sane (''Aladdin Sane'') and Halloween Jack (''Diamond Dogs'').
* [[http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cXWbMu4PtpE The Spin Doctors]] claimed three brunette members and one member with red-gold curls. Guess which one was the FaceOfTheBand.
* [[Music/DangerDays Party Poison]] (otherwise known as [[Music/MyChemicalRomance Gerard Way]]).
[[/folder]]

[[folder:Video Games]]
* Surprisingly enough, Ryu from ''Franchise/StreetFighter'' started out a redhead in [[VideoGame/StreetFighterI the first game]], and he also has red to reddish-brown hair in the ''[[VideoGame/StreetFighterAlpha Alpha]]'' series. His hair has gotten darker with age, and the games reflect this very consistently. ''VideoGame/StreetFighterIII'', for example, chronologically follows ''[[VideoGame/StreetFighterIV IV]]'', and Ryu's hair is dark brown in ''IV'' as opposed to ''III'''s black hair.
* The ''Franchise/FireEmblem'' games provide several examples:
** ''VideoGame/FireEmblemElibe'': Roy and his father, Eliwood. This is a notable exception for the series, given that nearly every other main protagonist in the series traditionally had [[YouGottaHaveBlueHair blue hair]]. To make up for it, Eliwood's best friend, Hector from ''Fire Emblem 7'', ''did'' have blue hair. And the same goes to his daughter and Roy's potential girlfriend, the mage Lilina.
** ''VideoGame/FireEmblemAwakening'': There're several redheads in the heroes' side: Cordelia, Cherche, Anna, Miriel, Sully, Gregor, Ricken, Gaius (though he skirts the AntiHero line), [[spoiler: Gangrel, if he's convinced to HeelFaceTurn]], any of the children except Lucina if their father (or mother in female!Morgan's case) has red hair (and it should be noted that Severa, Laurent, and Gerome are usually shown in official artwork with their respective mother's hair color) and of course the Avatar can be a redhead if the player chooses to make him/her one.
** ''VideoGame/FireEmblemFates'' has princesses Hinoka and Sakura, Saizo, Subaki, Selena [[spoiler: aka Severa]], any of the children except Shigure if their mother (or father, in male!Kana's case) has red hair (and it should be noted that, in official artwork, Asugi is usually shown with hair in the same shade as Gaius's hair, due to being his {{Expy}}, and Caeldori is usually shown with red hair in the same shade as Cordelia's hair, due to being Cordelia's {{Expy}} [[spoiler: and possibly granddaughter]]), Anna if the player recruits her through her DLC chapter, and again, the Avatar can be a redhead if the player chooses to be.
* Adol Christin from ''VideoGame/{{Ys}}'', also called "Adol the Red". They don't mean blood.
* ''VideoGame/PopfulMail'' has the red-headed Mail, a female BountyHunter with [[http://www.the-magicbox.com/forums/showpost.php?p=383170&postcount=1198 "a nice chest"]] who [[LeotardOfPower doesn't wear pants, for whatever reason]].
* [[FanNickname Silly Axel Almer]] in ''VideoGame/SuperRobotWars Advance''. If he's not silly, he's no hero [[spoiler:(either a villain or...a neutral force)]]. Other straightforward examples from ''VideoGame/SuperRobotWars'' include Fiona Gureden (Reversal) and Rand Travis (Z).
* Knuckles the Echidna from ''Franchise/SonicTheHedgehog'' is a red-furred hero.
* Though he gradually turned into more of a wheat blond, Link was depicted as having either brown or reddish-brown hair in the official artwork for the first three games in the series and was an outright redhead in the [[ComicBook/TheLegendOfZelda Valiant comic book series]] based on the two NES games in the series. (Interestingly, so was Zelda, whose sprite for the first two games was likewise red-haired.) Also, [[ExpositionFairy Midna]] from ''VideoGame/TheLegendOfZeldaTwilightPrincess'', [[DarkIsNotEvil when she starts getting more friendly towards Link]]. And Shad of the Resistance Group, from the same game.
* Sarah Kerrigan from ''Franchise/StarCraft''. Notably, when she gets [[TheVirus infested]] and turns evil, her hair is replaced by black spines.
* ''VideoGame/StarOceanTillTheEndOfTime'': Fittingly enough, Nel Zelphyr's hair is crimson red, because she happens to be half of the reknowned [[RedBaron "Crimson Blades"]][[note]]with her partner, Clair Lasbard, being the other half of the duo[[/note]], who serve as covert ops for the Queen of Aquaria.
* The Fighter[=/=]Warrior sprite from ''VideoGame/FinalFantasyI''. The [[CompositeCharacter Warrior of Light]] has an alternate costume based on him in the {{Dissidia}} prequel game, confirming it.
* Possibly because of this trope, Ritz from ''VideoGame/FinalFantasyTacticsAdvance'' dyes her hair red (it's white, normally), and in the dream-Ivalice, it ''is'' red. However, she stops dyeing it after the events of the game, accepting her appearance.
* If the player chooses the standard look for a female Shepard in ''Franchise/MassEffect'', she turns out to be a redhead. Oddly enough, except for the player character, the only redhead on your team in any ''Creator/BioWare'' game since ''VideoGame/BaldursGate'' was [[VideoGame/DragonAgeOrigins Leliana]]. Perhaps the designers were trying to tell us something?
** Oghren.
* Simon Belmont, JackOfAllStats in the ''Franchise/{{Castlevania}}'' series, constantly switched from brown to blond and back again between his countless incarnations. Possibly in frustration, Ayami Kojima went completely off-model and drew him with ''bright'' red hair, and his official depiction has been redheaded ever since.
** Julius Belmont in the ''[[VideoGame/CastlevaniaChroniclesOfSorrow Sorrow]]'' titles has auburn hair.
* Spike, Jimmy, and Yumi from ''VideoGame/ApeEscape''. Kei averts this with his [[YouGottaHaveBlueHair blue hair]].
* The protagonists of all three ''Franchise/{{Lufia}}'' games (i.e. Maxim and his descendants), which was carried over into the UsefulNotes/NintendoDS remake of the second game.
* The Priestess class in the PC game ''VideoGame/{{Darkstone}}''.
* Luke fon Fabre from ''VideoGame/TalesOfTheAbyss''. As well as Mao from ''VideoGame/TalesOfRebirth'', Reid Herschel from ''VideoGame/TalesOfEternia'', and Caius Qualls from ''VidepGame/TalesOfTheTempest''. Asbel from ''VideoGame/TalesOfGraces'' is looking to qualify.
* From the ''VideoGame/DawnOfWar'' series--Farseer Macha in the original and Taldeer in ''Winter Assault'' (although hers is red rather than auburn). After that, long hair seemed to go out of fashion, so you can't tell for the helmets, but the trope makes a return in ''Dawn of War II'' where the Eldar farseers, again, have red hair. [[CrapsackWorld As much as]] [[EvilVersusEvil anyone]] [[CrapsackWorld in Warhammer 40k]] [[VillainProtagonist can be considered]] [[BlackAndGrayMorality a hero, anyway]].
* Justin from ''VideoGame/{{Grandia}}''. And yes, he's quite {{fiery| redhead}} to match.
* In the ''Franchise/TokimekiMemorial'' series, all games of the Standard Branch, save for the 4th one, have red-haired main heroines (albeit each of them have a different shade of red):
* [[EverythingsBetterWithPrincesses Hilde]] from ''[[VideoGame/SoulSeries Soul Calibur 4]]''.
* Zack from ''VideoGame/ZackAndWikiQuestForBarbarosTreasure'' is one of the DarkSkinnedBlonde variety.
* The default hero Aluxes in RPG Maker XP. And Ralph, the default hero in RPG Maker VX.
* ''VideoGame/BlazBlue'': Tsubaki Yayoi's a redhead and has been living in favoriting heroes and styling herself to fight for justice. If it weren't [[MindRape for]] [[GreenEyedMonster some]] [[TheWoobie hindrances]], she'd be a clear-cut heroine, as proven by her decent and just personality towards those she cared about. [[CrapsackWorld Alas]][[EvilRedhead ...]]
* Computer technician Lance Galahad from ''VideoGame/BrainDead13''.
* Wife seeker RED, adventuress Falcom, and [[AddedAlliterativeAppeal cool, calm, and collected]] Cave from ''VideoGame/{{Neptunia}}''.
* In ''VideoGame/ThreeTheHardWay'', TheLancer North has bright red hair, and is much more heroic than TheProtagonist, Vance.
* Dion, the hero of ''VideoGame/AlphadiaGenesis2'' has dark red hair that sets him apart from the rest of his village.
* Leon, the hero of ''VideoGame/Alphadia2'' has mostly red hair with a few tufts of blue near the front.
* Lynne from ''VideoGame/GhostTrick'' is a young detective who has bright red hair with yellow streaks.
[[/folder]]

[[folder:Visual Novels]]
* Shirou Emiya is the red-headed hero of ''VisualNovel/FateStayNight''. [[spoiler:His self from the future, Archer, is a {{Dark Skinned| Blond}}, white haired {{Badass}} [[EvenTheGuysWantHim whom ''every'' 4channer (guys included) lusts after]].]]
* VisualNovel/WhenTheyCry'':
** Not a ''hero'', but a "good guy": Rena from ''VisualNovel/HigurashiWhenTheyCry''. She occasionally seems like an EvilRedhead (either due to [[ThroughTheEyesOfMadness other characters mistaking her behavior]] for being malicious or due to her being [[spoiler:under the HatePlague]]) however she is usually a very nice girl. She's protective of her friends and her father, and will kill for them if she must.
** The sequel, ''VisualNovel/UminekoWhenTheyCry'', stars FieryRedhead Battler Ushiromiya. His sister Ange also counts, having the same shade of dark red hair (though [[SugarAndIcePersonality a rather different personality]]).
[[/folder]]

[[folder:Webcomics]]
* Antimony Carver in ''Webcomic/GunnerkriggCourt''.
* ''Webcomic/TheOrderOfTheStick'': Haley Starshine.
* Rikk Oberf in ''Webcomic/{{Fans}}''.
* Anne Onymous in ''Webcomic/TheWotch''.
* Ash in ''Webcomic/{{Misfile}}''.
* Agatha Heterodyne from ''Webcomic/GirlGenius'' has strawberry-blonde hair.
* Zoe of ''Webcomic/VenusEnvy''.
* Kusia warrior elf from ''Webcomic/{{Skullkickers}}'' would also qualify as ''FieryRedhead''.
* Princess Voluptua of ''Webcomic/TheInexplicableAdventuresOfBob''.
* Nanase from ''Webcomic/ElGoonishShive'', [[spoiler:[[PowerDyesYourHair formerly]]]].
* Samantha from ''Webcomic/MoltenBlade''.
* Todo from ''Webcomic/CityOfReality''.
* Lil' Ragamuffin from ''Webcomic/{{Guttersnipe}}''.
* The eponymous Hanna, of ''Webcomic/HannaIsNotABoysName'', has hair which, in certain lights, is almost fire-truck red. He's not especially heroic, but he's the hero of the story and he does try. [[spoiler:Interestingly, [[http://vert-is-ninja.deviantart.com/art/After-All-This-Time-155094756 as seen here]], he apparently [[LooksLikeCesare Looked Like Cesare]] as a teenager, which came with a hair-colour change to a more villainly brownish colour.]]
* Alexander Hamilton from ''Webcomic/TheDreamer''.
* Monica of ''Webcomic/WapsiSquare''.
* Shelley Winters from ''Webcomic/ScaryGoRound''.
* Rocky from ''Webcomic/OurLittleAdventure''.
* In ''Webcomic/{{Parallels}}'', [[http://www.mightymartianstudios.com/2012/08/01/parallels-roll/ Lieutenant Waters]]
* Tamaura from ''Webcomic/{{Blindsprings}}.'' Doubles as HeroesWantRedheads for [[PatientChildhoodLoveInterest Harris,]] the {{Deuteragonist}}.
[[/folder]]

[[folder:Web Original]]
* [[Creator/AllisonPregler Obscurus Lupa]].
* Ryana 'Ri' Taylor of ''Last Secret'' and other Kostemetsiverse arcs. Hasn't been updated in a while. Apparently, Taylor also subverts all the other tropes about redheads, being an intelligence operative with no public [[FieryRedhead personality]] and no [[HeroesWantRedheads romantic]] involvements.
* Fey, the uber-mage of Team Kimba in the Literature/WhateleyUniverse.
* Ruby Rose, {{The Hero}}ine of ''WebAnimation/{{RWBY}}'' and the leader of the eponymous team, is a downplayed example. Her hair is an extremely dark shade of red that almost looks black. Her theme colour is also red.
** Several of the other heroes also have red hair, such as Penny, Pyrrha, and Nora.
* Isaac Benjamin of the ''Literature/ReconstructionSeries''. He's described as pretty [[HeroesWantRedheads charming]] too.
* Avalon Cook from "The Lost Chronicles".
[[/folder]]

[[folder:Western Animation]]
* Niko from ''WesternAnimation/AdventuresOfTheGalaxyRangers''.
* WesternAnimation/AtomicBetty.
* Suki from ''WesternAnimation/AvatarTheLastAirbender'', though her hair is more auburn than red. Also Smellerbee counts too, though her hair is more brown than red.
* Barbara Gordon aka ''Batgirl'' from ''WesternAnimation/BatmanTheAnimatedSeries'', ''WesternAnimation/TheBatman'', ''WesternAnimation/BewareTheBatman'', ''WesternAnimation/BatmanTheBraveAndTheBold'', and ''WesternAnimation/YoungJustice''.
* Gwen Tennyson from the ''WesternAnimation/{{Ben 10}}'' franchise.
* Theresa and Atlanta from ''WesternAnimation/ClassOfTheTitans''.
* Crystal Kane from ''WesternAnimation/{{Centurions}}''.
* Daphne Blake from ''Franchise/ScoobyDoo'' helping to save the world one mystery at a time.
* Dexter from ''WesternAnimation/DextersLaboratory''. And his mother.
* Fry from ''WesternAnimation/{{Futurama}}''. Regularly saves his friends and on several notable times even the universe itself.
* Scarlett from ''Franchise/GIJoe''.
* Quentin [=MacLeod=] from ''WesternAnimation/HighlanderTheAnimatedSeries''.
* Jane from ''WesternAnimation/JaneAndTheDragon''.
* Hawkgirl, Flash, Elongated Man, Orion, and Question (though it's black when he's in costume) from ''WesternAnimation/JusticeLeagueUnlimited''.
* WesternAnimation/KappaMikey.
* WesternAnimation/KimPossible. Red hair isn't unique but Kim is the only one in age group that has red hair. The only other one is her cousin that wants to be a hero like her.
* Elena Potato in ''WesternAnimation/MonsterAllergy''.
* 3/4ths of the Flynn side of the family in ''WesternAnimation/PhineasAndFerb''.
* Blossom in ''WesternAnimation/ThePowerpuffGirls''.
* Jessie Bannon from ''WesternAnimation/JonnyQuestTheRealAdventures''.
* Judge J.B. [=McBride=] from ''WesternAnimation/{{Bravestarr}}''.
* Gretchen Grundler from ''WesternAnimation/{{Recess}}''. T.J. was going to be a redhead, as seen in clips of the plot, but in the show, he's a brunette.
* In ''WesternAnimation/SantaClausIsCominToTown'', redheaded Kris (Santa) is the hero.
* Kyle Broflovski from ''WesternAnimation/SouthPark'' has a flame red Jewfro, though it's usually hidden beneath his hat. TokenEvilTeammate Cartman believes all gingers are [[RedHeadedStepchild soulless monsters]].
* Aerrow from ''WesternAnimation/StormHawks''.
* Starfire from ''WesternAnimation/TeenTitans''. Also, Kid Flash, though he's a more minor character.
* April O'Neil from ''WesternAnimation/TeenageMutantNinjaTurtles''.
* Izzy and Zoey from ''WesternAnimation/TotalDramaIsland''. Also Harold, though it's somewhere between auburn and brown.
* Sari in ''WesternAnimation/TransformersAnimated''.
* Snagg, the red bearded Vanirman was one of Conan's heroic companions in ''WesternAnimation/ConanTheAdventurer''.
* Teela and Man at Arms/Duncan from ''WesternAnimation/HeManAndTheMastersOfTheUniverse1983''.
* ''WesternAnimation/TheVentureBrothers'': Thaddeus "Rusty" Venture as a boy. Now, he only has the red beard and [[DesignatedHero not much heroism]]. Hank and Dean are blond and brown, respectively.
* Bloom from ''WesternAnimation/WinxClub''. Amore has also gotten the pixies out of some trouble, including saving their group from wolves.
* Will Vandom from ''WesternAnimation/{{WITCH}}'' is a DarkSkinnedRedhead and the leader of the girls.
* Prince Nestor from ''WesternAnimation/WorldOfQuest''.
* Lee Ping from ''WesternAnimation/{{Detentionaire}}'' has red-black hair.
* ''WesternAnimation/YoungJustice'' has several: Kid Flash, Miss Martian, Speedy[=/=]Red Arrow, Tula, Beast Boy (before he turned green), Batgirl (Barbara Gordon), and Arsenal on the Team. Except for Red Arrow, Arsenal, and Batgirl, all of them have YouthfulFreckles, and except for Miss Martian, Tula, and Batgirl, all of them are {{Fiery Redhead}}s. ''Young Justice'' also features other classically redheaded heroes like Hawkwoman, Green Lantern (Guy Gardner) and Queen Mera.
* Lion-O from ''WesternAnimation/{{ThunderCats|1985}}'' and ''WesternAnimation/ThunderCats2011''. Also [=WilyKit=], with an added SkunkStripe, Tygra, who has orange, striped fur, and [=WilyKat=], who had orange hair in the original.
* Obi-Wan Kenobi of ''WesternAnimation/StarWarsTheCloneWars'' has much more obviously red hair in the cartoon series than in the source material, although it goes back to auburn when the character designs change mid-way through the series.
* Penn Zero from ''WesternAnimation/PennZeroPartTimeHero''. Being a hero is in his job description. Also counts for his mother, Vonnie Zero.
* Wheeler from ''WesternAnimation/CaptainPlanetAndThePlaneteers''. Appropriately enough, his {{Elemental Power|s}} is fire.
* Kion from ''WesternAnimation/TheLionGuard'' is starting to grow a mane already, and it's red like his grandfathers. Kion is TheLeader of The Lion Guard and the protagonist of the cartoon.
* ''WesternAnimation/WhereOnEarthIsCarmenSandiego'' is about the BrotherSisterTeam of the redheaded Ivy and her blond brother Zach trying to capture the elusive titular thief. Ivy is the more proactive of the two and is an ActionGirl.
* WesternAnimation/BettyBoop (who has design similarities to 1920s starlet Clara Bow, who was a redhead) was apparently supposed to be a redhead according to her only color cartoon. Modern merchandise and appearances [[AdaptationDyeJob changed her into a raven]] to invoke the look of her black-and-white cartoons. In Betty's case her redhead looks were probably meant to accentuate her MsFanservice design.
[[/folder]]

----

* Tigre of ''LightNovel/MadanNoOuToVanadis'' qualifies. Aside from [[spoiler: Elizavetta, the Vanadis of Lebus]], he is the only person shown so far to have red hair.

* Not a ''hero'', but a "good guy": Rena from ''VisualNovel/HigurashiWhenTheyCry''. The sequel, ''VisualNovel/UminekoWhenTheyCry'', stars FieryRedhead Battler Ushiromiya. His sister Ange also counts, having the same shade of dark red hair (though [[SugarAndIcePersonality a rather different personality]]).

* Will Vandom from ''WesternAnimation/{{WITCH}}''.