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* ''Literature/{{Slayers}}'': [[IdiotHero Gourry]] gets slapped around enough and used almost to the point of a PlotCoupon due to being both the TeamNormal and the wielder of a [[ForgottenSuperWeapon powerful sword]], but it comes to a head when Monster lord Hellmaster Fibrizo kidnaps him in the second season of the anime/eighth light novel in order to be used to provoke Lina. [[spoiler:It takes the summoning of the GuardianOfTheMultiverse to save him (and her other friends, who also get taken).]]
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* ''Literature/{{Slayers}}'': [[IdiotHero Gourry]] gets slapped around enough and used almost to the point of a PlotCoupon due to being both the TeamNormal TheTeamNormal and the wielder of a [[ForgottenSuperWeapon powerful sword]], but it comes to a head when Monster lord Hellmaster Fibrizo kidnaps him in the second season of the anime/eighth light novel in order to be used to provoke Lina. [[spoiler:It takes the summoning of the GuardianOfTheMultiverse to save him (and her other friends, who also get taken).]]
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*''Anime/BraveRaideen'': Poor, poor Ichiro Hibiki. The indignities he suffered included being [[TakenForGranite turned to stone]] and tied to a cross (not at the same time). All because his son is the pilot of the Earth-defending SuperRobot, and the baddies use Ichiro as bait to lure him out.
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* ''Manga/KindergartenWars'': The series' male lead, Doug, frequently needs to get saved by Rita, the series' main protagonist. Given that the manga is a mix between a romantic comedy and an action series, this almost always gets used as a ShipTease between them.
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* ''Manga/KindergartenWars'': The series' male lead, Doug, frequently needs to get saved by Rita, the series' main protagonist. Given that the manga ''Kindergarten Wars'' is a mix between a romantic comedy and an action series, RomanticComedy, this almost always gets used as a ShipTease between them.Rita and Doug.
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* ''Manga/KindergartenWars'': The series' male lead, Doug, frequently needs to get saved by Rita, the series' main protagonist. Given that the manga is a mix between a romantic comedy and an action series, this almost always gets used as a ShipTease between them.
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* ''Manga/CesareIlCreatoreCheHaDistrutto'' has TheWatson Angelo da Canossa, a commoner ScholarshipStudent from Florence who meets the titular [[UsefulNotes/TheBorgias Cesare Borgia]] as his classmate in the University of Pisa. In chapter 1, they have a MeetCute where Cesare saves Angelo from his runaway MoodyMount. He rescues him about five more times just in the first few volumes, before Angelo finally [[spoiler: returns the favor and takes a dagger for Cesare]].
** Cesare himself, as well -- his main character flaw is his habit of [[BatmanGambit reckless self-endangerment]], and he tends to do things like ditching his guards to run around a festival in disguise with Angelo, in order to draw out the hired killers he knows are following him. He gets rescued by Miguel da Corella, his real-life right-hand man.
** Cesare himself, as well -- his main character flaw is his habit of [[BatmanGambit reckless self-endangerment]], and he tends to do things like ditching his guards to run around a festival in disguise with Angelo, in order to draw out the hired killers he knows are following him. He gets rescued by Miguel da Corella, his real-life right-hand man.
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* ''LightNovel/{{Slayers}}'': [[IdiotHero Gourry]] gets slapped around enough and used almost to the point of a PlotCoupon due to being both the TeamNormal and the wielder of a [[ForgottenSuperWeapon powerful sword]], but it comes to a head when Monster lord Hellmaster Fibrizo kidnaps him in the second season of the anime/eighth light novel in order to be used to provoke Lina. [[spoiler:It takes the summoning of the GuardianOfTheMultiverse to save him (and her other friends, who also get taken).]]
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* ''LightNovel/{{Slayers}}'': ''Literature/{{Slayers}}'': [[IdiotHero Gourry]] gets slapped around enough and used almost to the point of a PlotCoupon due to being both the TeamNormal and the wielder of a [[ForgottenSuperWeapon powerful sword]], but it comes to a head when Monster lord Hellmaster Fibrizo kidnaps him in the second season of the anime/eighth light novel in order to be used to provoke Lina. [[spoiler:It takes the summoning of the GuardianOfTheMultiverse to save him (and her other friends, who also get taken).]]
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%%** Mokuba Kaiba
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** If [[YourSoulIsMine soul-stealing]] counts as kidnapping, Yugi's grandpa qualifies in the Duelist Kingdom arc. So do several characters in Season 4, including [[spoiler:Yugi himself]].
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** If [[YourSoulIsMine soul-stealing]] counts as kidnapping, Yugi's grandpa qualifies in the Duelist Kingdom arc. So do Both the Kaiba brothers eventually get added to the list of people Yugi has to save.
** Happens to several characters in Season 4, including [[spoiler:Yugihimself]].himself]].
** ''Anime/YuGiOhGX'' continues the tradition. Edo Phoenix, for one, gets captured in a HostageForMcGuffin situation in the Season 2 finale.
** Yugi's ''Anime/{{Yu Gi Oh 5 Ds}}'' successor Yusei gets captured by {{Out Of Context Villain}}s during the WRGP arc. Aki, his [[ViolentlyProtectiveGirlfriend Violently Protective Love Interest]] with psychic powers, busts him out.
** Happens to several characters in Season 4, including [[spoiler:Yugi
** ''Anime/YuGiOhGX'' continues the tradition. Edo Phoenix, for one, gets captured in a HostageForMcGuffin situation in the Season 2 finale.
** Yugi's ''Anime/{{Yu Gi Oh 5 Ds}}'' successor Yusei gets captured by {{Out Of Context Villain}}s during the WRGP arc. Aki, his [[ViolentlyProtectiveGirlfriend Violently Protective Love Interest]] with psychic powers, busts him out.
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** Koby gets captured in the beginning of the Egghead arc. Following the failed attack on Amazon Lily, Koby is kidnapped by [[spoiler:Blackbeard]].
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* Lawrence sometimes takes this part in ''LightNovel/SpiceAndWolf''. In both arcs of the first season, Holo has to save his butt (or the business deal at hand) by returning to her true form, a giant wolf, and kicking around lots of thugs. The situations in the second season are a bit more complicated, however.
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* Arslan from ''Anime/TheHeroicLegendOfArslan'' often needs someone, usually Daryun, to come help him get out of being cornered/attacked by the enemy. Justified in that he is young and inexperienced and while he can hold his own in a fight, he is frequently targeted because he is the prince with [[LivingMacGuffin a price on his head]].
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* Arslan from ''Anime/TheHeroicLegendOfArslan'' ''Literature/TheHeroicLegendOfArslan'' often needs someone, usually Daryun, to come help him get out of being cornered/attacked by the enemy. Justified in that he is young and inexperienced and while he can hold his own in a fight, he is frequently targeted because he is the prince with [[LivingMacGuffin a price on his head]].
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** His brother South Italy plays it a bit straighter as a child when Turkey kidnaps him. His boss/caretaker Spain goes PapaWolf on Turkey. In return, Spain [[IllBoy falls gravely sick]] in another strip and the adult South Italy searches for a "cure", even having recourse to TheMafia to try help him.
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** His brother South Italy plays it a bit straighter as a child when Turkey kidnaps him. His boss/caretaker Spain goes PapaWolf on Turkey. In return, Spain [[IllBoy falls [[DelicateAndSickly gravely sick]] in another strip and the adult South Italy searches for a "cure", even having recourse to TheMafia to try help him.
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* In ''Manga/AkameGaKill'', Tatsumi finds himself captured and imprisoned by one of the most powerful, cruel, and sadistic human beings in existence, Esdeath, a woman with extremely deadly powers who has slaughtered hundreds of thousands without mercy. That's not the problem though. The problem is Esdeath is hopelessly in love with Tatsumi and fully intends to make him hers. HilarityEnsues.
* Shokupanman, frequently, in ''Literature/{{Anpanman}}'', by everyone. Even though he's also a superhero and one of the PowerTrio.
* Eren from ''Manga/AttackOnTitan''. Whenever he's separated from [[AmazonianBeauty Mikasa]] or [[WorldsStrongestMan Levi]], he gets eaten or kidnapped, sometimes both. Justified, as Eren is a MacGuffinSuperPerson desired by multiple factions.
** Jean, for all his budding leadership qualities, has shades of this. He's been saved by Connie, Annie, Marco, and thrice by Armin.
* Furuichi from ''Manga/{{Beelzebub}}'' was kidnapped twice during the manga, both times used as bait to lure Oga into a trap. As the best friend of the main character and being the only one with zero fighting skills, this was bound to happen.
* Yuki from ''Manga/BetrayalKnowsMyName'' often qualifies. Most of the time, the other characters are protecting or saving him.
* Ciel of ''Manga/BlackButler'' is quite the [[TheChessmaster chessmaster]], but he's also a scrawny thirteen-year-old with asthma and winds up having to be saved rather a lot, usually by his BattleButler Sebastian [[spoiler: or his [[PerfectlyArrangedMarriage fiancée]] [[LittleMissBadass Elizabeth]]]].
* Rock in ''Manga/BlackLagoon''. Revy at one point makes a sarcastic quip when his latest kidnapper turns out to be a Japanese high-school girl.
* ''Manga/{{Bleach}}''
** Used in an Omake to Ichigo and Uryuu when [[LethalChef Orihime]] and Rangiku want them to test a boiling purple thing. Ichigo also seemed to get restrained a lot at the beginning of the series.
** In the {{Filler}} Bount arc, Ishida was whacked with the DistressBall due to his temporary power drain and ended up this way.
** In the filler Zanpakutou arc, the shinigami and Ichigo have to come up with a plan to locate and save Captain-Commander Yamamoto who has been captured by the ArcVillain and sealed behind a very powerful kidou barrier from which he cannot escape. [[spoiler: Subverted; Yamamoto sealed himself away to escape Muramasa's power. Muramasa led the shinigami to believe he had captured Yamamoto so that Ichigo would use his full power to break the barrier. Muramasa's plan succeeds, allowing him to steal Yamamoto's zanpakutou power.]]
* ''Manga/{{Change 123}}'': Played straight in Chapter 2 where Hibiki eventually rescues Kosukegawa. A variation happens during the "Zero revealing" plot arc where Kosukegawa's kidnapping serves only [[BatmanGambit as bait for [=HiFuMi=] to lure them into a trap]].
* Mikagami Tokiya in ''Manga/FlameOfRecca'', despite being a competent fighter and a ruthlessly efficient TheSmartGuy, actually doubles as this. He gets tied up TWICE in the series, both probably as an effect of picking up the DistressBall, or maybe because GoodIsDumb, since this happens once he lets go of his {{Revenge}} tendencies and lessened his ruthlessness. In his defense though, after all that, he goes to beat down the most feared member amongst the enemy ranks.
* Azusa Mizutani from ''Manga/GakuenOuji'' is this at the beginning of the manga. The female lead had to rescue him twice from being gang-raped by all the crazy, horny girls at their school.
* Naoyoshi from ''Manga/{{Gamaran}}''. And rescuing him is actually one of the main plot motive of the series.
* Mamoru Amami from ''Anime/GaoGaiGar'', specifically in its epilogue OVA, FINAL. When trying to make the preparations that would allow 3G to win against the 11 Planetary Lords of Sol, Mamoru created a replicant of himself to use as a decoy so he could get to the G-Crystal without being caught by the Sol Lords, said replicant is...very [[TearJerker gut-wrenchingly]] chained and given [[http://img829.imageshack.us/img829/8793/vlcsnap2010121204h28m09.png mind-altering drugs by Palparepa.]] It's pretty scary, honestly, and adds more to Mamoru's [[TheWoobie woobie factor.]]
* Arslan from ''Anime/TheHeroicLegendOfArslan'' often needs someone, usually Daryun, to come help him get out of being cornered/attacked by the enemy. Justified in that he is young and inexperienced and while he can hold his own in a fight, he is frequently targeted because he is the prince with [[LivingMacGuffin a price on his head]].
* ''Webcomic/HetaliaAxisPowers'':
** Parodied with North Italy, who often gets in trouble and derails his partners' plans.
-->'''Italy:''' ''[over the phone]'' Germany! Germany! I'm in North Africa right now and [[FelonyMisdemeanor I CAN'T TIE MY SHOELACES!]]
** This reaches a new level of absurdity when Italy needs rescuing from falling into a pit dug by "that jackass Britain". It wasn't an elaborate or hidden trap, it was just an ordinary hole dug in the ground.
** His brother South Italy plays it a bit straighter as a child when Turkey kidnaps him. His boss/caretaker Spain goes PapaWolf on Turkey. In return, Spain [[IllBoy falls gravely sick]] in another strip and the adult South Italy searches for a "cure", even having recourse to TheMafia to try help him.
** As a child, North Italy's TeamDad Austria played it straight and had to be bailed out by Switzerland. Ironically, the one who "bullied" Austria the most was Hungary... who would become his NinjaMaid, and later his wife.
** Two recent strips feature England as a parody of this trope, trying to escape from Germany and the Italies and hilariously failing.
** In ''Paint It, White!'' most of the heroes find themselves [[spoiler:immobilized after they are turned into Pictonians. Ironically, it's ''Italy'' who saves them at that time.]]
** In the third Hetalia Fantasia CD Canada is captured and starts to get {{Brainwashed}} by "the Black and White Knight of the Dark Night" [[spoiler: AKA Prussia]]. It is a [[DeepImmersionGaming computer game]] though, so it can be debated how much distress he actually is in.
* ''Manga/JoJosBizarreAdventure'':
** Rohan Kishibe from ''Manga/JoJosBizarreAdventureDiamondIsUnbreakable'' where he falls into a trap by Highway Star and gets held captive until Josuke hunts down and defeats the Stand user.
** Koichi was earlier taken captive by Keicho Nijimura. Likewise, Josuke also had to rescue him. He also gets kidnapped by Yukako but frees himself after defeating her.
** Josuke himself needed rescuing when he '''and''' Koichi were captured by Terunosuke Miyamoto and his Stand, Enigma. Interestingly enough, the one to do the rescuing was [[spoiler:Yuya Fungami - the one who actually held Rohan captive previously]].
** While every single one of the main characters in ''Manga/JoJosBizarreAdventureStardustCrusaders'' periodically needs rescuing, Polnareff is the poster boy for this trope. Even during his personal quest to avenge his murdered sister, [[spoiler: Advol]] takes a knife to the back and a bullet the face just to protect Polnareff from being tag-teamed by Hol Horse and J. Geil. Then Kakyoin has to stop him from attacking the two enemy stand users without knowing how their powers work against [[spoiler: Advol's]] wishes.
* Lantis from ''Manga/MagicKnightRayearth'' gets captured by Nova near the end of the second season.
%%* Alviss of ''Manga/{{MAR}}'', in the anime.
* Kaito Doumoto of ''Manga/MermaidMelodyPichiPichiPitch'' should really stop going overseas for surfing tournaments. The first time, he was kidnapped by [[spoiler:his long-lost brother]] Gackto, had his power almost stolen, and got used to blackmail Lucia. The second time, he had [[LaserGuidedAmnesia his memory wiped]] by Michel and was used to draw Lucia out of hiding and blackmail her again. Thankfully, though she may be TheDitz, she's smarter than that.
* While he doesn't get caught ''every'' single episode of ''Anime/MobileSuitGundamWing''... well, if there's a boy liable to get captured, that's Duo Maxwell. {{Flanderiz|ation}}ed to death by fandom via {{Ukefication}}.
* In ''Manga/MyHeroAcademia'', Bakugo becomes this twice: the first, when he is taken hostage by a sludge villain, and the second when he is kidnapped by the League of Villains.
* Tragic from ''Mythic Quest'' is threatened in exchange for Aramusha's good behavior so often that the one time someone claims to have [[IHaveYourWife kidnapped her]], he knows they're bluffing, because ''that's not how things work''. Usually this is just an excuse to have Tragic and Aramusha agree not to use their GameBreaker powers for the duration of a fight, but once John is actually kidnapped and Anaya has to go rescue him.
* Done a lot to the title character of ''Manga/NatsumesBookOfFriends''. He gets captured by {{youkai}} and the Matoba clan on more than one occasion. Special mention to his first encounter with the head of the Matoba clan. Natsume is abducted and told that if he [[BoundAndGagged tries to run, it will be made so that he can't run, and if he tries to yell, it'll be made so that he can't yell.]] Special mention also goes to Season 4, Episode 6, which plays with the trope before playing it straight: Natsume is trapped in a jar by an ayakashi that wishes to use him as an offering. Initially, the only issue is getting out of the jar since his guardian Nyanko-Sensei protects him, but the ayakashi does eventually make off with Natsume. [[CliffHanger The episode ends as Natsume's friend runs off trying to save him.]] Slightly justified in that Natsume isn't necessarily ''weak'' -- he's actually pretty strong for a non-exorcist human, and the fact that nearly ''everyone'' wants him (no, [[EventheGuysWantHim not like that!]]) leads to him getting kidnapped quite often. That he can scatter ayakashi just by ''punching'' them is considered quite impressive. Still doesn't save him from this trope, though.
* Negi Springfield of ''Manga/NegimaMagisterNegiMagi'' once got held captive by his fellow mages who wanted to turn him into an ermine and deport him to the Magic World for failing to maintain TheMasquerade. He managed to get out of his cell, but his TrueCompanions (mostly {{Action Girl}}s) had to bust into the enemy base to get him out.
* ''Anime/NeonGenesisEvangelion'': Yeah, Shinji's a pretty easy target who cries and whines compared to his two female companions (a StoicWoobie and FieryRedhead). Yet he deserves mention for one episode where he takes charge, gets in trouble, and screams for help from the main female characters.
* ''Manga/OnePiece'':
** Portgas D. Ace is ''definitely'' this trope; an entire war is done to save him from the Marines. Except that his younger brother Luffy is the one rescuing him, not a girl. [[spoiler: Luffy succeeded in freeing him. Unfortunately, it was in vain as soon Ace took a lava punch from Admiral Akainu to save Luffy and actually ''[[NotQuiteSavedEnough died]]''.]]
** Trafalgar Law goes through this in the Dressrosa arc. He gets knocked out, bound in [[KryptoniteFactor Seastone chains]], and interrogated by the arc's BigBad. Then Luffy rescues him... but doesn't have a key for the chains, so he has to ''carry'' Law all over the island, through multiple battles, until they finally get the key and Law can (somewhat) participate again.
* Oz from ''Manga/PandoraHearts'' was being one twice. First when he was captured by the Baskervilles in the Lutwidge Academy, and then he was saved by Elliot. Second was in Yura’s Mansion, and Gil goes to rescue him (Elliot happened to be in the rescue team, too). Oh, and he didn’t show much of a resistance in both incidents, especially the first one.
* [[PrinceCharming Mytho]] in ''Anime/PrincessTutu''. ExtremeDoormat due to his lack of a heart, with ChronicHeroSyndrome thanks to the nature of the story he came from, and a [[DarkMagicalGirl Dark Magical Girlfriend]]? WhatCouldPossiblyGoWrong
* Meowth fell under this trope in "Anime/VolcanionAndTheMechanicalMarvel" after he was kidnapped by Alva, leaving his teammates Jessie and James to follow Ash and his friends in order to rescue him.
* Subverted in Episode 88 of ''Manga/RanmaOneHalf''. The Amazon sisters ''say'' that they're holding Ranma captive, but it turns out that they simply gave him a meal to keep him busy.
* ''Anime/SailorMoon'': Mamoru Chiba, a.k.a. Tuxedo Kamen started off as helpful and slightly badass, but after he and Usagi entered into a relationship, the poor guy descended rapidly into Distressed Dude territory. This also had some [[TheWorfEffect Worf Effect]] crossover just because the most common method of the villains to demonstrate their evil was to chuck the powerless guy in the tuxedo across the room and make off with him... or, in at least two cases, [[BrainwashedAndCrazy reprogram him]].
** The [[Manga/SailorMoon manga]] tried to reduce this effect by giving him useful powers, and he took care of a few villains by himself, but he'd still get kidnapped/killed/brainwashed whenever the plot needed to kick up the drama a few notches. [[spoiler:The Stars manga storyline even started off with Galaxia ''effortlessly'' killing the poor kid in front of Usagi.]]
* Shun in ''Manga/SaintSeiya''. Though he's not completely incapable of fighting, Ikki routinely bails him out of tough battles. Note this becomes routine only in the filler episode of the anime and in non-canon movies where he is subject to AdaptationalWimp.
* Genjyo Sanzo of ''Manga/{{Saiyuki}}'' gets abducted and restrained by baddies quite often in the anime. Doesn't stop him from being a badass, though. Then again, his original counterpart from ''Literature/JourneyToTheWest'' got this treatment way more than ''Saiyuki'' Sanzo, without being badass the rest of the time to make up for it.
** Not that that's hard given his original counterpart was pretty much a complete wuss compared to Saiyuki's loud, violent, arrogant, chain-smoking, gambling, foul-mouthed, violent version who on average threatens to kill his companions at least twice a chapter. Oh, and did I mention foul-mouthed and violent?
* Goto in ''Anime/SamuraiFlamenco'' becomes one [[spoiler: near the end to lure Masayoshi into a final confrontation with Haiji. He managed to get out from his cuffs.]]
* Kyrie from ''Anime/SandsOfDestruction'', so many times it's not funny. It's to be noted that he has the potential to defend himself but he never does.
* ''Manga/SeraphOfTheEnd'' gives this role to Mika and especially Yuu. Both state how they want to rescue/save the other and it's lampshaded by Ferid. Ferid calls Yuu by the TermsOfEndangerment "precious princess", "lovely Yuu-chan", and "precious angel". Mika makes it his life goal to save Yuu from the vampires/humans out to use him and carries him in a BridalCarry a couple times. There's even fanart of Mika dressed as a prince carrying Yuu who's dressed as a princess.
* ''Manga/ShesMyKnight'': In Chapter 10, Ichinose is kidnapped by Sakurako, a {{delinquent}} who [[EvenTheGirlsWantHer also likes Mogami]] and wants to get her attention.
* ''LightNovel/{{Slayers}}'': [[IdiotHero Gourry]] gets slapped around enough and used almost to the point of a PlotCoupon due to being both the TeamNormal and the wielder of a [[ForgottenSuperWeapon powerful sword]], but it comes to a head when Monster lord Hellmaster Fibrizo kidnaps him in the second season of the anime/eighth light novel in order to be used to provoke Lina. [[spoiler:It takes the summoning of the GuardianOfTheMultiverse to save him (and her other friends, who also get taken).]]
* In one arc of the ''Manga/SoulEater'' manga, [[spoiler:Death the Kidd seems to be playing this role after a CollectorOfTheStrange decides to add him to his collection. He manages to break out by himself, but only after a fight with Black Star which snaps him out of insanity.]]
* Lawrence sometimes takes this part in ''LightNovel/SpiceAndWolf''. In both arcs of the first season, Holo has to save his butt (or the business deal at hand) by returning to her true form, a giant wolf, and kicking around lots of thugs. The situations in the second season are a bit more complicated, however.
* ''Manga/TokyoGhoul'':
** The Gourmet Arc sees Kaneki become one twice, thanks to [[ArcVillain Tsukiyama]]. The first time, he's nearly served for dinner at a NastyParty, before Tsukiyama decides he'd rather not share and saves him. The second time, Touka comes to rescue him when Tsukiyama lures him into a trap with the intention of eating him.
** The [[RescueArc Aogiri]] [[WarArc Arc]] centers around Kaneki being captured by the titular organization. The staff of Anteiku and several allies mobilize to rescue him, though he ends up escaping on his own. Unfortunately, it's only after enduring 10 days of ColdBloodedTorture and crossing the DespairEventHorizon, leaving him a [[AntiHero changed]] person.
** In the sequel, this role seems to have fallen to [[UsefulNotes/{{Transgender}} Mutsuki]]. He's briefly kidnapped by [[SerialKiller Torso]], and rescued by his comrades -- experiencing major feelings of doubt over his NonActionGuy status. He's later used as TheBait during a major operation and ends up as the LivingMacGuffin being fought over by various parties. He manages to escape on his own, and reunite with the team. Later, Torso manages to capture him again [[IHaveYouNowMyPretty and says they are going to get married while dressing him up in a white dress, putting a wedding ring on his finger, and cutting off his limbs]]. [[spoiler: Mutsuki manages to save himself by ''mutilating Torso to death'']].
* Sideswipe in the ''Anime/TransformersArmada'' episode "Past II", when he is abducted and chained up in a burning industrial complex by Wheeljack. Hot Shot rescues him.
%%* Poor, ''poor'' Keiki from ''Manga/TheTwelveKingdoms''...
* Yuuen from ''Manga/WildRock'' is small, weak, and looks like a girl, and basically helpless against most giant [[PrehistoricMonster prehistoric animals]]. Luckily for him, Emba's the opposite.
* Honoka Takamiya from ''Manga/WitchCraftWorks''. Interestingly more damsel-er than most.
* Taki from ''Manga/{{Yellow}}'' gets this a bit, although it happens to Goh at least once.
* ''Anime/YuGiOh'':
%%** Mokuba Kaiba
** Astonishingly averted in ''Manga/YuGiOhR'', where nobody even ''considers'' grabbing Mokuba Kaiba.
** If [[YourSoulIsMine soul-stealing]] counts as kidnapping, Yugi's grandpa qualifies in the Duelist Kingdom arc. So do several characters in Season 4, including [[spoiler:Yugi himself]].
* Kuwabara in the Sensui arc of ''Manga/YuYuHakusho'' where id kidnapped by the BigBad that want his power of cut dimensional barrier.
----
* Shokupanman, frequently, in ''Literature/{{Anpanman}}'', by everyone. Even though he's also a superhero and one of the PowerTrio.
* Eren from ''Manga/AttackOnTitan''. Whenever he's separated from [[AmazonianBeauty Mikasa]] or [[WorldsStrongestMan Levi]], he gets eaten or kidnapped, sometimes both. Justified, as Eren is a MacGuffinSuperPerson desired by multiple factions.
** Jean, for all his budding leadership qualities, has shades of this. He's been saved by Connie, Annie, Marco, and thrice by Armin.
* Furuichi from ''Manga/{{Beelzebub}}'' was kidnapped twice during the manga, both times used as bait to lure Oga into a trap. As the best friend of the main character and being the only one with zero fighting skills, this was bound to happen.
* Yuki from ''Manga/BetrayalKnowsMyName'' often qualifies. Most of the time, the other characters are protecting or saving him.
* Ciel of ''Manga/BlackButler'' is quite the [[TheChessmaster chessmaster]], but he's also a scrawny thirteen-year-old with asthma and winds up having to be saved rather a lot, usually by his BattleButler Sebastian [[spoiler: or his [[PerfectlyArrangedMarriage fiancée]] [[LittleMissBadass Elizabeth]]]].
* Rock in ''Manga/BlackLagoon''. Revy at one point makes a sarcastic quip when his latest kidnapper turns out to be a Japanese high-school girl.
* ''Manga/{{Bleach}}''
** Used in an Omake to Ichigo and Uryuu when [[LethalChef Orihime]] and Rangiku want them to test a boiling purple thing. Ichigo also seemed to get restrained a lot at the beginning of the series.
** In the {{Filler}} Bount arc, Ishida was whacked with the DistressBall due to his temporary power drain and ended up this way.
** In the filler Zanpakutou arc, the shinigami and Ichigo have to come up with a plan to locate and save Captain-Commander Yamamoto who has been captured by the ArcVillain and sealed behind a very powerful kidou barrier from which he cannot escape. [[spoiler: Subverted; Yamamoto sealed himself away to escape Muramasa's power. Muramasa led the shinigami to believe he had captured Yamamoto so that Ichigo would use his full power to break the barrier. Muramasa's plan succeeds, allowing him to steal Yamamoto's zanpakutou power.]]
* ''Manga/{{Change 123}}'': Played straight in Chapter 2 where Hibiki eventually rescues Kosukegawa. A variation happens during the "Zero revealing" plot arc where Kosukegawa's kidnapping serves only [[BatmanGambit as bait for [=HiFuMi=] to lure them into a trap]].
* Mikagami Tokiya in ''Manga/FlameOfRecca'', despite being a competent fighter and a ruthlessly efficient TheSmartGuy, actually doubles as this. He gets tied up TWICE in the series, both probably as an effect of picking up the DistressBall, or maybe because GoodIsDumb, since this happens once he lets go of his {{Revenge}} tendencies and lessened his ruthlessness. In his defense though, after all that, he goes to beat down the most feared member amongst the enemy ranks.
* Azusa Mizutani from ''Manga/GakuenOuji'' is this at the beginning of the manga. The female lead had to rescue him twice from being gang-raped by all the crazy, horny girls at their school.
* Naoyoshi from ''Manga/{{Gamaran}}''. And rescuing him is actually one of the main plot motive of the series.
* Mamoru Amami from ''Anime/GaoGaiGar'', specifically in its epilogue OVA, FINAL. When trying to make the preparations that would allow 3G to win against the 11 Planetary Lords of Sol, Mamoru created a replicant of himself to use as a decoy so he could get to the G-Crystal without being caught by the Sol Lords, said replicant is...very [[TearJerker gut-wrenchingly]] chained and given [[http://img829.imageshack.us/img829/8793/vlcsnap2010121204h28m09.png mind-altering drugs by Palparepa.]] It's pretty scary, honestly, and adds more to Mamoru's [[TheWoobie woobie factor.]]
* Arslan from ''Anime/TheHeroicLegendOfArslan'' often needs someone, usually Daryun, to come help him get out of being cornered/attacked by the enemy. Justified in that he is young and inexperienced and while he can hold his own in a fight, he is frequently targeted because he is the prince with [[LivingMacGuffin a price on his head]].
* ''Webcomic/HetaliaAxisPowers'':
** Parodied with North Italy, who often gets in trouble and derails his partners' plans.
-->'''Italy:''' ''[over the phone]'' Germany! Germany! I'm in North Africa right now and [[FelonyMisdemeanor I CAN'T TIE MY SHOELACES!]]
** This reaches a new level of absurdity when Italy needs rescuing from falling into a pit dug by "that jackass Britain". It wasn't an elaborate or hidden trap, it was just an ordinary hole dug in the ground.
** His brother South Italy plays it a bit straighter as a child when Turkey kidnaps him. His boss/caretaker Spain goes PapaWolf on Turkey. In return, Spain [[IllBoy falls gravely sick]] in another strip and the adult South Italy searches for a "cure", even having recourse to TheMafia to try help him.
** As a child, North Italy's TeamDad Austria played it straight and had to be bailed out by Switzerland. Ironically, the one who "bullied" Austria the most was Hungary... who would become his NinjaMaid, and later his wife.
** Two recent strips feature England as a parody of this trope, trying to escape from Germany and the Italies and hilariously failing.
** In ''Paint It, White!'' most of the heroes find themselves [[spoiler:immobilized after they are turned into Pictonians. Ironically, it's ''Italy'' who saves them at that time.]]
** In the third Hetalia Fantasia CD Canada is captured and starts to get {{Brainwashed}} by "the Black and White Knight of the Dark Night" [[spoiler: AKA Prussia]]. It is a [[DeepImmersionGaming computer game]] though, so it can be debated how much distress he actually is in.
* ''Manga/JoJosBizarreAdventure'':
** Rohan Kishibe from ''Manga/JoJosBizarreAdventureDiamondIsUnbreakable'' where he falls into a trap by Highway Star and gets held captive until Josuke hunts down and defeats the Stand user.
** Koichi was earlier taken captive by Keicho Nijimura. Likewise, Josuke also had to rescue him. He also gets kidnapped by Yukako but frees himself after defeating her.
** Josuke himself needed rescuing when he '''and''' Koichi were captured by Terunosuke Miyamoto and his Stand, Enigma. Interestingly enough, the one to do the rescuing was [[spoiler:Yuya Fungami - the one who actually held Rohan captive previously]].
** While every single one of the main characters in ''Manga/JoJosBizarreAdventureStardustCrusaders'' periodically needs rescuing, Polnareff is the poster boy for this trope. Even during his personal quest to avenge his murdered sister, [[spoiler: Advol]] takes a knife to the back and a bullet the face just to protect Polnareff from being tag-teamed by Hol Horse and J. Geil. Then Kakyoin has to stop him from attacking the two enemy stand users without knowing how their powers work against [[spoiler: Advol's]] wishes.
* Lantis from ''Manga/MagicKnightRayearth'' gets captured by Nova near the end of the second season.
%%* Alviss of ''Manga/{{MAR}}'', in the anime.
* Kaito Doumoto of ''Manga/MermaidMelodyPichiPichiPitch'' should really stop going overseas for surfing tournaments. The first time, he was kidnapped by [[spoiler:his long-lost brother]] Gackto, had his power almost stolen, and got used to blackmail Lucia. The second time, he had [[LaserGuidedAmnesia his memory wiped]] by Michel and was used to draw Lucia out of hiding and blackmail her again. Thankfully, though she may be TheDitz, she's smarter than that.
* While he doesn't get caught ''every'' single episode of ''Anime/MobileSuitGundamWing''... well, if there's a boy liable to get captured, that's Duo Maxwell. {{Flanderiz|ation}}ed to death by fandom via {{Ukefication}}.
* In ''Manga/MyHeroAcademia'', Bakugo becomes this twice: the first, when he is taken hostage by a sludge villain, and the second when he is kidnapped by the League of Villains.
* Tragic from ''Mythic Quest'' is threatened in exchange for Aramusha's good behavior so often that the one time someone claims to have [[IHaveYourWife kidnapped her]], he knows they're bluffing, because ''that's not how things work''. Usually this is just an excuse to have Tragic and Aramusha agree not to use their GameBreaker powers for the duration of a fight, but once John is actually kidnapped and Anaya has to go rescue him.
* Done a lot to the title character of ''Manga/NatsumesBookOfFriends''. He gets captured by {{youkai}} and the Matoba clan on more than one occasion. Special mention to his first encounter with the head of the Matoba clan. Natsume is abducted and told that if he [[BoundAndGagged tries to run, it will be made so that he can't run, and if he tries to yell, it'll be made so that he can't yell.]] Special mention also goes to Season 4, Episode 6, which plays with the trope before playing it straight: Natsume is trapped in a jar by an ayakashi that wishes to use him as an offering. Initially, the only issue is getting out of the jar since his guardian Nyanko-Sensei protects him, but the ayakashi does eventually make off with Natsume. [[CliffHanger The episode ends as Natsume's friend runs off trying to save him.]] Slightly justified in that Natsume isn't necessarily ''weak'' -- he's actually pretty strong for a non-exorcist human, and the fact that nearly ''everyone'' wants him (no, [[EventheGuysWantHim not like that!]]) leads to him getting kidnapped quite often. That he can scatter ayakashi just by ''punching'' them is considered quite impressive. Still doesn't save him from this trope, though.
* Negi Springfield of ''Manga/NegimaMagisterNegiMagi'' once got held captive by his fellow mages who wanted to turn him into an ermine and deport him to the Magic World for failing to maintain TheMasquerade. He managed to get out of his cell, but his TrueCompanions (mostly {{Action Girl}}s) had to bust into the enemy base to get him out.
* ''Anime/NeonGenesisEvangelion'': Yeah, Shinji's a pretty easy target who cries and whines compared to his two female companions (a StoicWoobie and FieryRedhead). Yet he deserves mention for one episode where he takes charge, gets in trouble, and screams for help from the main female characters.
* ''Manga/OnePiece'':
** Portgas D. Ace is ''definitely'' this trope; an entire war is done to save him from the Marines. Except that his younger brother Luffy is the one rescuing him, not a girl. [[spoiler: Luffy succeeded in freeing him. Unfortunately, it was in vain as soon Ace took a lava punch from Admiral Akainu to save Luffy and actually ''[[NotQuiteSavedEnough died]]''.]]
** Trafalgar Law goes through this in the Dressrosa arc. He gets knocked out, bound in [[KryptoniteFactor Seastone chains]], and interrogated by the arc's BigBad. Then Luffy rescues him... but doesn't have a key for the chains, so he has to ''carry'' Law all over the island, through multiple battles, until they finally get the key and Law can (somewhat) participate again.
* Oz from ''Manga/PandoraHearts'' was being one twice. First when he was captured by the Baskervilles in the Lutwidge Academy, and then he was saved by Elliot. Second was in Yura’s Mansion, and Gil goes to rescue him (Elliot happened to be in the rescue team, too). Oh, and he didn’t show much of a resistance in both incidents, especially the first one.
* [[PrinceCharming Mytho]] in ''Anime/PrincessTutu''. ExtremeDoormat due to his lack of a heart, with ChronicHeroSyndrome thanks to the nature of the story he came from, and a [[DarkMagicalGirl Dark Magical Girlfriend]]? WhatCouldPossiblyGoWrong
* Meowth fell under this trope in "Anime/VolcanionAndTheMechanicalMarvel" after he was kidnapped by Alva, leaving his teammates Jessie and James to follow Ash and his friends in order to rescue him.
* Subverted in Episode 88 of ''Manga/RanmaOneHalf''. The Amazon sisters ''say'' that they're holding Ranma captive, but it turns out that they simply gave him a meal to keep him busy.
* ''Anime/SailorMoon'': Mamoru Chiba, a.k.a. Tuxedo Kamen started off as helpful and slightly badass, but after he and Usagi entered into a relationship, the poor guy descended rapidly into Distressed Dude territory. This also had some [[TheWorfEffect Worf Effect]] crossover just because the most common method of the villains to demonstrate their evil was to chuck the powerless guy in the tuxedo across the room and make off with him... or, in at least two cases, [[BrainwashedAndCrazy reprogram him]].
** The [[Manga/SailorMoon manga]] tried to reduce this effect by giving him useful powers, and he took care of a few villains by himself, but he'd still get kidnapped/killed/brainwashed whenever the plot needed to kick up the drama a few notches. [[spoiler:The Stars manga storyline even started off with Galaxia ''effortlessly'' killing the poor kid in front of Usagi.]]
* Shun in ''Manga/SaintSeiya''. Though he's not completely incapable of fighting, Ikki routinely bails him out of tough battles. Note this becomes routine only in the filler episode of the anime and in non-canon movies where he is subject to AdaptationalWimp.
* Genjyo Sanzo of ''Manga/{{Saiyuki}}'' gets abducted and restrained by baddies quite often in the anime. Doesn't stop him from being a badass, though. Then again, his original counterpart from ''Literature/JourneyToTheWest'' got this treatment way more than ''Saiyuki'' Sanzo, without being badass the rest of the time to make up for it.
** Not that that's hard given his original counterpart was pretty much a complete wuss compared to Saiyuki's loud, violent, arrogant, chain-smoking, gambling, foul-mouthed, violent version who on average threatens to kill his companions at least twice a chapter. Oh, and did I mention foul-mouthed and violent?
* Goto in ''Anime/SamuraiFlamenco'' becomes one [[spoiler: near the end to lure Masayoshi into a final confrontation with Haiji. He managed to get out from his cuffs.]]
* Kyrie from ''Anime/SandsOfDestruction'', so many times it's not funny. It's to be noted that he has the potential to defend himself but he never does.
* ''Manga/SeraphOfTheEnd'' gives this role to Mika and especially Yuu. Both state how they want to rescue/save the other and it's lampshaded by Ferid. Ferid calls Yuu by the TermsOfEndangerment "precious princess", "lovely Yuu-chan", and "precious angel". Mika makes it his life goal to save Yuu from the vampires/humans out to use him and carries him in a BridalCarry a couple times. There's even fanart of Mika dressed as a prince carrying Yuu who's dressed as a princess.
* ''Manga/ShesMyKnight'': In Chapter 10, Ichinose is kidnapped by Sakurako, a {{delinquent}} who [[EvenTheGirlsWantHer also likes Mogami]] and wants to get her attention.
* ''LightNovel/{{Slayers}}'': [[IdiotHero Gourry]] gets slapped around enough and used almost to the point of a PlotCoupon due to being both the TeamNormal and the wielder of a [[ForgottenSuperWeapon powerful sword]], but it comes to a head when Monster lord Hellmaster Fibrizo kidnaps him in the second season of the anime/eighth light novel in order to be used to provoke Lina. [[spoiler:It takes the summoning of the GuardianOfTheMultiverse to save him (and her other friends, who also get taken).]]
* In one arc of the ''Manga/SoulEater'' manga, [[spoiler:Death the Kidd seems to be playing this role after a CollectorOfTheStrange decides to add him to his collection. He manages to break out by himself, but only after a fight with Black Star which snaps him out of insanity.]]
* Lawrence sometimes takes this part in ''LightNovel/SpiceAndWolf''. In both arcs of the first season, Holo has to save his butt (or the business deal at hand) by returning to her true form, a giant wolf, and kicking around lots of thugs. The situations in the second season are a bit more complicated, however.
* ''Manga/TokyoGhoul'':
** The Gourmet Arc sees Kaneki become one twice, thanks to [[ArcVillain Tsukiyama]]. The first time, he's nearly served for dinner at a NastyParty, before Tsukiyama decides he'd rather not share and saves him. The second time, Touka comes to rescue him when Tsukiyama lures him into a trap with the intention of eating him.
** The [[RescueArc Aogiri]] [[WarArc Arc]] centers around Kaneki being captured by the titular organization. The staff of Anteiku and several allies mobilize to rescue him, though he ends up escaping on his own. Unfortunately, it's only after enduring 10 days of ColdBloodedTorture and crossing the DespairEventHorizon, leaving him a [[AntiHero changed]] person.
** In the sequel, this role seems to have fallen to [[UsefulNotes/{{Transgender}} Mutsuki]]. He's briefly kidnapped by [[SerialKiller Torso]], and rescued by his comrades -- experiencing major feelings of doubt over his NonActionGuy status. He's later used as TheBait during a major operation and ends up as the LivingMacGuffin being fought over by various parties. He manages to escape on his own, and reunite with the team. Later, Torso manages to capture him again [[IHaveYouNowMyPretty and says they are going to get married while dressing him up in a white dress, putting a wedding ring on his finger, and cutting off his limbs]]. [[spoiler: Mutsuki manages to save himself by ''mutilating Torso to death'']].
* Sideswipe in the ''Anime/TransformersArmada'' episode "Past II", when he is abducted and chained up in a burning industrial complex by Wheeljack. Hot Shot rescues him.
%%* Poor, ''poor'' Keiki from ''Manga/TheTwelveKingdoms''...
* Yuuen from ''Manga/WildRock'' is small, weak, and looks like a girl, and basically helpless against most giant [[PrehistoricMonster prehistoric animals]]. Luckily for him, Emba's the opposite.
* Honoka Takamiya from ''Manga/WitchCraftWorks''. Interestingly more damsel-er than most.
* Taki from ''Manga/{{Yellow}}'' gets this a bit, although it happens to Goh at least once.
* ''Anime/YuGiOh'':
%%** Mokuba Kaiba
** Astonishingly averted in ''Manga/YuGiOhR'', where nobody even ''considers'' grabbing Mokuba Kaiba.
** If [[YourSoulIsMine soul-stealing]] counts as kidnapping, Yugi's grandpa qualifies in the Duelist Kingdom arc. So do several characters in Season 4, including [[spoiler:Yugi himself]].
* Kuwabara in the Sensui arc of ''Manga/YuYuHakusho'' where id kidnapped by the BigBad that want his power of cut dimensional barrier.
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