History Main / IWantToBeARealMan

* ''Series/{{Glee}}'': Kurt Hummel (named due to his [[Creator/ChrisColfer actor]]'s resemblance to [[https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hummel_figurines Hummel figurines) is a CampGay show choir member with the motto "fashion knows no gender." He has a countertenor voice with a falsetto up to high F, and when the group performs gender-segregated numbers, he often sings with the girls. Despite this, he often expresses a desire to be seen as masculine, especially in the eyes of his ManlyMan father Burt, for whom he at one point pretends to be a devotee of Music/JohnMellencamp. As Kurt gets older, he worries that his effeminacy will be a stumbling block to getting leading man roles in musical theatre, a low point being when he loses the role of Tony in his senior production of ''Theatre/WestSideStory'' to his [[StraightGay much less campy]] junior boyfriend Blaine.

[[folder: Anime and Manga]]

** Fumiya is a prodigious magician and spy who nonetheless feels unmanly because his body is naturally slender and effeminate. (Apparently his female classmates consider him a "mascot" to be shown off and coed over.) He has time to grow, but so far the hormones are just not kicking in.

* This is part of Hiccup's motivation at the beginning of ''WesternAnimation/HowToTrainYourDragon''. He wants to slay a dragon to prove that he can be a tough Viking like his father the chief.
** The subject is brought up again in the spin-off series ''WesternAnimation/DragonsRidersOfBerk''. A portrait of Hiccup and Stoick has Hiccup looking more muscular than he is in real life, making him feel like his father is disappointed in him. This prompts Hiccup to go on a dangerous treasure hunt that even Stoick was unable to finish.

[[folder: Video Games]]

* ''LightNovel/TheIrregularAtMagicHighSchool'':

This is the character who is always trying to be the Ideal Man, usually by being [[HotBlooded brave]], responsible, or [[KnightInShiningArmor chivalrous]]. He sometimes has some kind of inferiority complex due to an overbearing older sibling [[WellDoneSonGuy or father]]. He is sometimes heard shouting about being a man at the top of his lungs while posing dramatically on a rock (bonus points for crashing waves or a sunset). Generally on their way to being a badass of some form. Occasionally has an ill younger sister or {{Keet}} little brother.

This is the character who is always trying to be the Ideal Man, usually by being [[HotBlooded brave]], responsible, or [[KnightInShiningArmor chivalrous]]. He sometimes has some kind of inferiority complex due to an overbearing older sibling [[WellDoneSonGuy or father]]. He is sometimes heard shouting about being a man at the top of his lungs while posing dramatically on a rock (bonus points for crashing waves or a sunset). Generally on their way to being a badass of some form. Occasionally has an IllGirl younger sister or {{Keet}} little brother.

Compare with the TheIdiotFromOsaka and HotBlooded, contrast {{Emo}} (in any of its forms), often overlaps with LoserProtagonist. Also heavily overlaps with IJustWantToBeBadass given that the concepts of ''badass'' and ''manly'' are frequently interconnected.

* Practically the whole premise of ''Manga/RanmaOneHalf'' -- Ranma constantly wants to reaffirm his masculinity, which is made more difficult due to his annoying habit of turning into a girl at inopportune times (especially because there's a [[DirtyOldMan Dirty]] OldMaster around trying to force him to be his personal cheesecake model). He later learns he has a particularly good reason to be so obsessed with his manliness since his dad and mom made a promise that Ranma will commit {{seppuku}} if his mom decides he isn't manly enough, but he's plenty obsessed with being manly before he learns about that little detail.

Not to be confused with [[VideoGame/IWannaBeTheGuy I Wanna Be The Guy]], which is more MachoMasochism than it is manliness. Or BecomeARealBoy, which is not about seeking manliness but humanity.

* Aki of ''Manga/MissCaretakerOfSunoharaSou'' is a short, effeminate-looking middle schooler with a complex about both of the aforementioned. His series-wide goal is to become more manly, but everyone around him prefers him to stay his cute self and dote on him for it.