Meaning the protagonist’s has a rival that is obsessed with beating the protagonist but the protagonist doesn’t even know they are rivals but keeps beating them anyway.
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One-Punch Man
spoiler
Speed o Sound Sonic, and Garou at least in season 1
Perfect yes. This was the one I couldn’t remember, but absolutely perfect.
There was a character like this in the excellent Love After World Domination. It isn’t a primary plot point, but there was at least one episode that had it as a focus. Spoilers below:
Short summary
The green hero character, Daigo, initially is training alongside the FMC, Desumi. She looks up to him as a master-type character, but doesn’t realize that she is actually way, way stronger than he is. Whenever they spar, she beats the crap out of him, but interprets it as he is too kind to hurt his disciple. Meanwhile…Daigo has trained his ass off and gotten the super-transforming suit to try to catch up to her and prove his worth.
Another series that has the dynamic you describe is One-Punch Man. Spoiler below:
One-Punch Man
Speed-o’-Sound Sonic views Saitama as his rival…meanwhile I question whether Saitama can even remember Sonic’s name.
Playing death games to put food on the table?
The girl from her 10th and 30th games.
The girl in the movie: cloudy beach, who was also taught by her mentor.
At least for the manga, thats part of the premise of I’m the Evil Lord of an Intergalactic Empire! (Ore wa Seikan Kokka no Akutoku Ryoushu!). That said, I haven’t watched the anime.
Sports anime like Umamusume and Medalist do have this dynamic.
Edit: Not adapted into anime yet (if ever) IIRC, but this happens in Bofuri too.
Edit 2: Now that I think about it, quite a few power fantasies (and parodies of this subgenre) have such jobbers.
The Magical Girl and the Evil Lieutenant Used to Be Archenemies is pretty funny and has a similar dynamic,
spoilers but not really since it's the premise of the show.
the evil guy wants to take over the world but he has to defeat the Defense Force, but as soon as he meets the defense Force, who is a cute magical girl, he immediately falls head over heels in love so he just gives her cake and takes her on dates instead every time he sees her, and she’s perpetually confused why he’s so courteous.
