Line #93 Main/FireIsMasculine


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5	[[quoteright:350:[[Manga/MyHeroAcademia https://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/my_hero_academia_volume_21s_cover_without_text_v0_38l3xwpqvsv91.jpeg]]]]
6	[[caption-width-right:350:Doubting his masculinity is a fruitless Endeavor.]]
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11	Fire is an element associated with [[HotBlooded passion]], [[HairTriggerTemper anger]], aggression, drive, destruction, determination and strength -- all traits attributed more often to men.
12
13	Whether through male/masculine characters wielding fire, visually representing passion and determination with a burning flame or the number of times [[StuffBlowingUp an explosion]] goes off in [[RatedMForManly a testosterone action movie]], there is clearly a long tradition of associating fire with maleness or masculinity. This need not be limited to (masculine) male characters either; a female character with a more [[{{Tomboy}} masculine personality]] can also fit this trope.
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15	A SubTrope of ElementalPersonalities and can overlap with FourTemperamentEnsemble (specifically choleric). A FieryStoic can overlap if the pyromancer is a gentlemanly and keeps-his-head-cool type. Can also overlap with SolarAndLunar motifs with MaleSunFemaleMoon, and FireWaterJuxtaposition with maleness/masculinity represented by fire while femaleness/femininity is represented by {{water\|IsWomanly}}. SubTrope of MenAreTough. Contrast WaterIsWomanly. Combine with RealMenEatMeat and you get RealMenCanCook, since that trope is usually about grilling meat over fire. Compare RedHotMasculinity.
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17	!!Examples:
18	[[foldercontrol]]
19
20	[[folder:Anime & Manga]]
21	* ''Manga/AirGear'': Almost every single rider of the Flame Road is male, with the sole exception of Aeon Clock's maid Taeko, however it should be noted that she rides the sub-branch of the Flame Road that focuses on time based and altering attacks. Those who ride the pure Flame Road, focused on generating actual flames, are all men.
22	* ''Manga/{{Bleach}}'':
23	** Shunko is a technique which can be used to [[MagicEnhancement enhance]] oneself with elemental magic. Yoruichi and Soi Fon are both female and their versions of the technique use lightning and wind respectively. Yoruichi's brother Yushiro can also use the technique and his version grants him the power of fire.
24	** With the exception of Tobiume, all of the characters in the manga with fire powers are male. Captain Yamamoto being the premier CoolOldGuy example in that he wields the oldest and most powerful fire-type Zanpakutō in the series while also being prone to pummeling enemies with his bare hands.
25	* ''Franchise/{{Digimon}}'': If a character has a Digimon partner with fire-based attacks, they are mostly likely to be male or a {{Tomboy}}.
26	** ''Anime/DigimonAdventure'': Tai, Matt and Sora have Digimon with fire-based attacks. Matt and Tai are boys while Sora is a tomboyish girl.
27	** ''Anime/DigimonAdventure02'': Davis possesses the Digi-Egg of Courage which grants his Digimon Veemon fire powers. Davis is also the most stereotypically masculine of the four male Digidestined, being HotBlooded, loud and impulsive.
28	** ''Anime/DigimonTamers'':
29	*** Takato and Rika are downplayed examples of this. Takato is a boy and his partner has fire-based attacks in all forms. However, Takato is a lot more sensitive and vulnerable than other Digimon team leaders. Rika is a tomboy and her Digimon does have fire-based attacks but only in rookie and champion form.
30	*** Zhuqiaomon is one of [[TheFourGods the Four Digimon Sovereigns]] and is based on [[ThePhoenix Vermillion Bird of the South]]. He has fire-based attacks, and is extremely proud and stubborn. [[spoiler:He is also the only Digimon seen fighting the [[EldritchAbomination D-Reaper]] in the Digital World after the Tamers have returned to the human world]].
31	** ''Anime/DigimonFrontier'': Takuya wields the spirits of fire and is the most hotheaded and passionate of the male characters.
32	** ''Anime/DigimonDataSquad'': Marcus is a hot-headed teen with a [[BloodKnight love of street fighting]] and a preference for punching first, asking questions later. His Digimon partner is Agumon who uses fire attacks in all of his forms.
33	* ''Literature/IsItWrongToTryToPickUpGirlsInADungeon'':
34	** Bell is a skittish, easily-embarrassed, and insecure young man with an enormous crush on the girl who rescued him from otherwise certain death. But his magic, Firebolt, was inspired by his vision of what magic is: a weapon to overcome his inner weakness, a red-hot flame unsuited for someone like him, and fast as lightning itself. Combined with his desire to become like the storybook heroes he grew up reading about, it's a super rare no-chant magic capable of immense feats of destruction when combined with his Argonaut skill. He associates fire with masculinity and heroism so strongly that he sometimes daydreams about being clad in red armor and having the alias, "Burning Burning Fighter".
35	** In ''VideoGame/MemoriaFreese'', Zald, the last-living executive of the Zeus Familia during Orario's darkest days, was a towering, burly man who wields a {{BFS}} and the strongest adventurer alive at the time. His magic, Rea Ambrosia, produces an enormous stream of fire that can sweep across an entire battlefield.
36	* ''Manga/JoJosBizarreAdventure'':
37	** ''[[Manga/JoJosBizarreAdventureBattleTendency Battle Tendency]]'': Esidisi uses his own body to utilize a technique called the Flame Mode, which allows him to heat his blood up to unleash fiery CombatTentacles.
38	** ''[[Manga/JoJosBizarreAdventureStardustCrusaders Stardust Crusaders]]'': Muhammad Avdol's Stand, Magician's Red, takes the form of masculine humanoid bird that can [[PlayingWithFire blast out fire]].
39	* ''Manga/MagicKnightRayearth'': Hikaru controls fire and is the boisterous {{Tomboy}} of the trio.
40	* ''Manga/OnePiece'':
41	** Ace is a WalkingShirtlessScene and a {{Hunk}} who is one of the leading members of the Whitebeard Pirates. Having eaten the Flame-Flame Fruit, he is able to transform into and produce enormous amounts of fire.
42	** Former Fleet Admiral Akainu is the most muscular of the former admirals and has a stern, dead-serious disposition as well as a ruthless streak. He can also transform into and control [[MagmaMan magma.]]
43	* ''Anime/PokemonOrigins'': Invoked. Red says he was given his name by his father who hoped that Red would have the "passion and energy of a red hot fire".
44	* ''Manga/TheRedRangerBecomesAnAdventurerInAnotherWorld'': The eponymous Red is a StockShonenHero brimming with HotBlooded passion. He's tall, muscular, and is able to make nearly anything explode by punching or kicking it.
45	* ''Manga/TheSevenDeadlySins'': Escanor is the Lion's Sin of Pride. At night, he is skittish, submissive and unfailingly polite. However, when he uses his PowerOfTheSun, he transforms into a muscular behemoth with no small amount of machismo.
46	* ''Anime/TengenToppaGurrenLagann'': Kamina wears a red cape with [[HotPaintJob an orange flame pattern]]. He is a boisterous, well-built young man who prides himself on being "manly and tough".
47	* ''Franchise/YuGiOh'':
48	** ''[[Anime/YuGiOh Yu-Gi-Oh!: Duel Monsters]]'': Joey Wheeler is loud, brash, arrogant and quick-tempered (the English dub even gives him a [[BrooklynRage Brooklyn accent]]). Two of his most famous monsters are associated with fire; the Flame Swordsman a fire-attribute, warrior-type monster and Red Eyes Black Dragon, a fire-breathing dragon-type monster.
49	** ''Anime/YuGiOhGX'': Axel Brodie is a hardened mercenary who fears nothing and no one [[spoiler:[[BreakTheBadass until he meets the Supreme King]].]] He uses a pyro monster deck and his Duel Disk is modeled after a gun.
50	** ''Anime/YuGiOh5Ds'': [[TheRival Jack Atlas]] is a HotBlooded, prideful duelist in contrast to the more sensitive, humble and even-tempered Yusei. His [[SignatureMon Red Dragon Archfiend]] is the only Signer Dragon with a fire-based move and several of its alternate forms and support cards have fire and heat themed names ("Hot Red Dragon Archfiend", "Crimson Fire", "Red Nova"). Jack later gains access to a power called "Burning Soul" which allows him to take on the powers of the Crimson Dragon itself to create Crimson Nova Dragon.
51	[[/folder]]
52
53	[[folder:Comic Books]]
54	* ''ComicBook/JusticeLeagueOfAmerica'': Many fire-wielding members and allies of the Justice League are men. These include ComicBook/{{Firestorm\|DCComics}}, ComicBook/{{Etrigan}} and [[Characters/{{Hellblazer}} John Constantine]].
55	* ''Franchise/MarvelUniverse'':
56	** Both the [[Characters/HumanTorch1939 first]] and [[Characters/FantasticFourTheFantasticFour second]] Human Torches are male. The second one is a member of the ComicBook/FantasticFour and is well known for being impulsive, arrogant and a womanizer.
57	** ''ComicBook/GhostRider'': All Ghost Riders have FlamingSkulls for heads when transformed. Most of the Ghost Riders that have been shown are male and the original character was a motorcycle stuntman named Johnny Blaze.
58	** ''ComicBook/XMen'':
59	*** The original Pyro was a male mutant with the power to manipulate (but not create) fire. His successor is also male and has the ability to both generate and control fire.
60	*** Sunfire and [[Characters/MarvelComicsSunspot Sunspot]] are both male mutants whose powers [[ThePowerOfTheSun revolve around solar energy]]. Both are also notorious for being brash, impulsive and arrogant.
61	[[/folder]]
62
63	[[folder:Film -- Live-Action]]
64	* ''Film/MortalKombatAnnihilation'': The Elder God of Fire is male and speaks with a deep, booming voice.
65	* ''Film/PaintYourWagon'': The movie has a song called "They Call the Wind Maria", the lyrics of which gives names to the rain, fire and wind. The wind is named Maria, the rain is named Jack and fire is named Joe, one of the most common male names to ever exist.
66	* ''Film/SkyHigh2005'': Warren Peace is a pyrokinetic and an archetypal teen movie "bad boy" with a HiddenHeartOfGold.
67	[[/folder]]
68
69	[[folder:Literature]]
70	* ''Literature/{{Firestarter}}'': Inverted: The pyrokinetic Charlie is a precocious little girl (played by a young Creator/DrewBarrymore in TheFilmOfTheBook) who's terrified of her powers. Her father Andy, who's far more willing to use his powers to kill or otherwise torment people to [[PapaWolf keep his daughter safe]], has the less showy power of MindManipulation.
71	* ''Literature/TheWheelOfTime'': Men who can use the One Power are more likely to be stronger in channeling Fire and Earth, giving their {{Military Mage}}s an advantage in powerful destructive magic. By contrast, women tend to have greater strength in Water and Air. Strength in Spirit is gender-neutral.
72	* ''Literature/YoungWizards'': Among human wizards, males have an affinity for fire and earth while females have an affinity for water and air.
73	[[/folder]]
74
75	[[folder:Live-Action TV]]
76	* ''Series/HerculesTheLegendaryJourneys'': The Enforcers are two women dispatched by Hera to destroy Hercules. While both are muscular, superpowered women who are laser-focused on their goal, the Water Enforcer has longer hair and a number of PetTheDog moments that make her seem gentler and more feminine. The Fire Enforcer has close-cropped hair and is far more violent and willing to harm bystanders. [[spoiler: The Fire Enforcer also kills the Water Enforcer for saving Alcmene, Hercules's mother]].
77	* ''Franchise/PowerRangers''[=/=]''Franchise/SuperSentai'':
78	** Most Red Rangers are male. They are also very often associated with the element of fire, even when the team doesn't have an elemental motif.
79	*** ''Series/PowerRangersLostGalaxy'': Leo can use fire attacks[[note]]He's the only Ranger who uses elemental attacks as a holdover from ''Series/SeijuuSentaiGingaman''[[/note]] and his TransformationSequence has flames in the background. He is also the most likely to leap first, ask questions later among the Rangers.
80	*** ''Series/PowerRangersTimeForce'': This season actually has ''two'' Red Rangers, [[RookieRedRanger Wes]] and [[SixthRanger Eric]]. Wes's SuperMode is called the Battle Fire and grants him a FlamingSword. Eric's FinishingMove has a visual effect which displays red flames and his [[Series/MiraiSentaiTimeranger sentai counterpart]] has the Ranger designation "[=TimeFire=]".
81	*** ''Series/PowerRangersNinjaStorm'': Shane and Hunter are notable aversions. They are both Red Rangers with the typical alpha male personality; cocky, overcompetitive and quick to action. However, their respective elements are wind and lightning.
82	*** ''Series/PowerRangersDinoThunder'': Conner starts out as a JerkJock but shows a softer side from time to time. He unlocks his SuperMode by using his own passion as a source of power. The TransformationSequence has him surrounded by flames although he doesn't actually use fire attacks in battle.
83	*** ''Series/PowerRangersMysticForce'': Nick is the Red Ranger and team leader. He has fire magic and the HotBlooded [[PersonalityPowers personality]] to match. His father Leanbow has the [[InTheNameOfTheMoon roll call]], "Burning Heart of Fire-Wolf Warrior, Defender of Truth!". Daggeron, the male SixthRanger, has ThePowerOfTheSun.
84	** ''Series/DengekiSentaiChangeman'': Mai is the [[TomboyAndGirlyGirl Tomboy to Sayaka's Girly Girl]], sporting BoyishShortHair and possessing a love for motorcycles. She uses fire-based attacks in contrast to the more feminine Sayaka who uses [[WaterIsWomanly water-based attacks]]. Mai is also an aversion of PinkMeansFeminine.
85	[[/folder]]
86
87	[[folder:Mythology & Religion]]
88	* In Myth/EgyptianMythology, Ra is god of the sun, sky, and kings, and is also considered a fire deity because of this. He is depicted as a man with an falcon head.
89	* UsefulNotes/{{Taoism}}: Yin and yang are used to represent the concept of duality and can be interpreted as meaning "bright and black" or "positive and negative"; many things considered to be a dichotomy or opposing have been grafted onto this. Broadly, yang energy is active and is associated with the masculine, fire, the sun, the sky, and daytime.
90	* In several [[UsefulNotes/{{Wicca}} Wiccan]] traditions, fire is considered masculine energy that is connected to the Horned God.
91	* In the WesternZodiac, the 12 signs are also grouped together by the four elements of water, earth, fire, and air. This gives the grouped together signs ElementalMotifs based on whichever element they are categorized as. Fire and air signs are considered to be masculine and are associated with the qualities of being dominant, brash, youthful, aggressive or confrontational, and extroverted (the former element much more so than the latter).
92	[[/folder]]
93
94	[[folder:Toys]]
95	* ''Toys/{{Bionicle}}'': Toa of Fire and Ta-Matoran are exclusively male. Examples include Jaller, Tahu and Vakama.
96	[[/folder]]
97
98	[[folder:Video Games]]
99	* ''VideoGame/ANNOMutationem'': Pyrofist, one of the {{Optional Boss}}es at Harbor Town's [[GladiatorSubquest fighting arena]], wears a fully muscular-equipped armor to generate the [[PlayingWithFire flames]] emanating from his body to unleash fiery attacks.
100	* ''VideoGame/{{Bayonetta}}'':
101	** The all-female Umbra Witches are associated with shadows and the moon. The all-male Lumen Sages are associated with fire, light and the sun.
102	** Rodin is a large, intimidating man with a bald head and a [[BaritoneOfStrength deep voice]]. He can also use fire magic and was even once an angel, tying into the game's association of the heavenly side with fire and light.
103	* ''VideoGame/FateGrandOrder'':
104	** The second Lostbelt invokes this for its subtitle as it refers to UsefulNotes/NapoleonBonaparte as "The Good Fellow of Everlasting Flame". This version of Napoleon is less a version who sticks to historical fidelity and more a creation spawned by human belief and stories as a Servant. As such, he's incredibly HotBlooded and passionate, with the narration comparing him to a human inferno in his introduction. This stands in marked contrast to the other male character associated with flame, [[spoiler:the fire giant Surtr. His inherently destructive nature compels him to use his flames for only destruction and becomes obsessed with burning down everything for the sake of his love.]] Both characters wish to romantically court female mage Ophelia, with Napoleon's fire through his cannons inspiring her [[spoiler:to stand up for herself after his HeroicSacrifice]] while [[spoiler:Surtr's fire is overbearing and oppressive, trying to trap her into going along with his whims as he destroys the world.]]
105	** Inverted for Sigurd and Brynhild. Sigurd refuses to use fire runes because of their uncontrollably destructive nature. But Brynhild does as a reflection of her troubled mental state and still burning passions for her lover, whose chest is still on fire from when she killed him in life.
106	** Played straight with the Indian demigod Servants. Karna, Arjuna, and Asvatthaman all extensively use fire in their attacks. In addition, Karna and Arjuna both possess Mana Burst (Flames) skill and are blessed by the god of the sun and the god of fire respectively.
107	* ''Franchise/FinalFantasy'': Ifrit, a fire-elemental summon who appears frequently in the games, is often characterized as hyper-masculine and aggressive, equal and opposite to the [[IceQueen icy Shiva]]. How demonic he looks may vary, but his masculinity and domain over flames remain consistent traits in every incarnation.
108	* ''VideoGame/FireboyAndWatergirl'': [[ExactlyWhatItSaysOnTheTin If you couldn't tell from the title]], Fireboy is a boy made of fire.
109	* ''VideoGame/GodOfWar'': Ares is a WarGod and possesses the [[BloodKnight love of violence and bloodshed one would expect such a deity to have]]. He also has FlamingHair, pyrokinesis and the ability to conjure flaming weapons.
110	* ''VideoGame/GuiltyGear'': Sol Badguy uses the element of fire and is [[ManlyMan masculinity personified]]. He's [[HeroicBuild buff]], has a [[BaritoneOfStrength deep voice]] and his fighting style involves either [[NeckLift grabbing enemies by the neck]] or [[UseYourHead headbutting them]]. [[SmokingIsCool Later games depict him as a chain smoker]].
111	* ''Franchise/TheLegendOfZelda'': The Gorons are a OneGenderRace who all refer to themselves with male pronouns and have stereotypically masculine designs and voices. With very few exceptions (such as Yunobo in ''[[VideoGame/TheLegendOfZeldaBreathOfTheWild Breath of the Wild]]''), they are known to be HotBlooded and vigorous. They have been shown to be fire-resistant which allows them to thrive in volcanically active environments. The Sage of Fire in ''[[VideoGame/TheLegendOfZeldaOcarinaOfTime Ocarina of Time]]'' is the Goron patriarch Darunia.
112	* ''Franchise/MassEffect'':
113	** ''VideoGame/MassEffect2'': The game has Jacob Taylor, a muscular and attractive black man, and Grunt, a tank-bred krogan designed to be the epitome of his species (in other words stronger, tougher, and all around a better BoisterousBruiser than anyone else). Both use the Incendiary Ammo power, which causes their weapons to deal extra fire damage. There is also Zaeed Masani, a tough, grizzled old mercenary, who uses Inferno Grenades that set all the enemies across a wide area ablaze.
114	** ''VideoGame/MassEffect3'': James Vega is the largest and most muscular human character in the franchise and a serious exercise fanatic. He has both Incendiary Ammo and the Carnage ability, which deals heavy damage and sets targets that survive on fire for a short time. Meanwhile, the extremely tomboyish Ashley Williams uses Inferno Grenades.
115	* ''VideoGame/MySingingMonsters'': ZigZagged: While none of the monsters are stated to have genders, the [[CuteMonsterGirl Kayna in particular has a distinctly feminine appearance]], while the Flowah is distinctly masculine.
116	* ''Franchise/{{Pokemon}}'':
117	** Of the eight Fire-type specialists seen in the games, all but three of them are male. Special mention goes to Kiawe, [[WalkingShirtlessScene shirtless]], [[TheComicallySerious comically serious]], HotBlooded Fire-type specialist from ''VideoGame/PokemonSunAndMoon''.
118	** ''VideoGame/PokemonSunAndMoon'': The starters' final evolutions are a MasculineFeminineAndrogyneTrio trio. Water-type Primarina is [[WaterIsWomanly a mermaid-like singer]] and Grass-type Decidueye is a hooded archer. The Fire-type Incineroar is a muscular, pro wrestling bipedal cat.
119	** ''VideoGame/PokemonLegendsArceus'': [[spoiler:Volo's final team is almost identical to that of Cynthia (whom he's AmbiguouslyRelated to) with the exception of his Fire/Rock-type Hisuian Arcanine, which takes the place of [[WaterIsWomanly her Water-type Milotic]]. The Arcanine itself is female, however.]]
120	* ''VideoGame/SamuraiShodown'': Kazuki Kazama is a HotBlooded, rambunctious youth with fire powers.
121	* ''Franchise/SuperMarioBros'': [[TheHero Mario]] is most commonly associated with the element of fire, in both games of the main series and spin-offs like the sports games and ''VideoGame/SuperSmashBros''. He's also adventurous, courageous, competitive and impulsive, [[SensitiveGuyAndManlyMan especially compared]] to his brother [[CowardlyLion Luigi]].
122	[[/folder]]
123
124	[[folder:Web Video]]
125	* ''WebVideo/TheNostalgiaCritic'': Devil Boner is an [[TestosteronePoisoning overly violent caricature of masculinity]] and can create fiery explosions at will. In the ''Old vs. New: Cinderella'' episode, he enters the room via explosion and loudly gushes about his girlfriend while surrounded by fire.
126	[[/folder]]
127
128	[[folder:Western Animation]]
129	* ''WesternAnimation/AvatarTheLastAirbender'': Zuko is a Firebender and the most stereotypically masculine of the Gaang's male members, being strict, serious-minded, scar-faced, quick to anger and lacking [[BlowYouAway Aang's]] gentleness or [[BadassNormal Sokka's]] sense of humor. Ironically, his sister Azula is far more anger-prone, destructive and aggressive than he is.
130	* ''WesternAnimation/AdventureTime'': Flame Princess is an inversion in the fact she's female.
131	* ''WesternAnimation/CaptainPlanetAndThePlaneteers'': Wheeler is the Planeteer of fire. He's also the ManlyMan of the group. Kwame, while fairly tall and well-muscled, is the geeky sort and Ma-Ti is a slightly-built SensitiveGuy.
132	* Inverted in ''WesternAnimation/Elemental2023'' where the main fire character is a woman named Ember.
133	* ''WesternAnimation/{{Ninjago}}'': Kai, the elemental master of fire, has many of the same traits as [[WesternAnimation/AvatarTheLastAirbender Zuko]] above.
134	* Wyldfyre from ''WesternAnimation/NinjagoDragonsRising'' is female, but she's a [[TheLadette Lad-ette]] [[TheBerserker Berserker]] who mainly relies on brute force in combat.
135	* ''WesternAnimation/StevenUniverse'': Ruby is one of the more masculine gems in the series; she has BoyishShortHair, a sporty outfit, and an aggressive temper. She also has the ability to heat up the room and set things on fire, [[PsychoactivePowers especially when she's angry]]. Contrast this with her more stoic and feminine partner, Sapphire, who has ice powers.
136	[[/folder]]

Context Main / FireIsMasculine