View source for Big Beautiful Man

{{trope}}
[[File:big beautiful man 5543.jpg|frame|link=http://www.pixiv.net/member_illust.php?mode=medium&illust_id=3650000|[[Stupid Sexy Flanders|You have to admit]], [[Even the Guys Want Him|he looks cuddly]].]]
A '''Big Beautiful Man''' is noticeably chubby, and perhaps even obese, and yet considered genuinely beautiful and voluptuous for it.

This trope was more common centuries ago, when having some extra body fat meant people were seen as healthier (as opposed to typically malnourished masses), and was also a sign of affluence. People could truly be [[Fat and Proud]]. It has become more of a [[Forgotten Trope]] over time as most societies have themselves become more affluent and has access to more and healthier varieties of food. Such large-set people are not as usually considered as attractive by today's audience or in today's works, where they would more likely be considered [[Fat Slob]]s for their girth.

But while this is mostly true for women, it becomes a [[Double Standard]] with men. The sheer size of the [[Ugly Guy, Hot Wife]] page shows that Hollywood is more likely to let a fat man attract a lover with his personality and sense of humor. But per [[Rule of Funny]], their beauty in another character's eyes is usually an [[Informed Attractiveness]] that doesn't even pretend to try to resonate with the audience.

A very notable exception is in works that appeal to gay men. Chubby men are not ''always'' considered attractive in the gay community, especially in contexts where [[The Twink]] or the [[Bishonen]] are considered the more marketable standard of beauty (ie, the majority of Western and Japanese works featuring gay men), and the rule of [[Hollywood Pudgy]] is in full force. But there is a sizable niche interest that finds them sexy and even [[Moe]]—these people are termed (for better or for worse) "chubby chasers". Among these include [[The Bear]] community, where [[Carpet of Virility|body hair]] is the chief point of attractiveness, but most sexy chubbiness is also usually the order of the day.

The trope can also still be [[Played for Laughs]] when a chubby character sees himself as a '''Big Beautiful Man'''. Even then, it still often manages to come off as [[Screw Yourself|gay-for-oneself]].

[[Fan Yay]] often gives '''Big Beautiful Man''' status to characters that were not (specifically) intended as such. This can apply to [[Rule 34|practically any chubby character]]. Even [[Santa Claus]] is not immune.

The [[Spear Counterpart]] of [[Big Beautiful Woman]]. '''Big Beautiful Man''' can overlap to some degree with [[Acrofatic]], [[Bara]], [[The Bear]], [[Big Fun]], [[The Big Guy]], [[Fat and Proud]], [[Hollywood Pudgy]] and [[Stout Strength]]. In fact, this trope overlaps with [[The Bear]] ''so often'' that some people consider them the same trope—except that technically this trope is about body fat and the other trope is about body hair.

For not-so-big pretty men, see [[Bishonen]].

{{noreallife|some men and boys in real life have body image issues, and would not take being listed here as a compliment. There's no reason to trigger their anxieties.}}

{{examples}}
==  Anime and manga ==
* Though Ivan Braginski aka Russia from ''[[Axis Powers Hetalia]] claims'' "[[I Am Big Boned]]!", fangirls love him with some chub. So much that fanarts/doujinshi in which he's slimmed down are often met with ''very'' negative reactions.
** Cuba, the local [[Big Fun]], is starting to get this rep as well.
* Sig Curtis of ''[[Fullmetal Alchemist]]''.
* Gai from ''[[Getter Robo|Shin Getter Robo VS Neo Getter Robo]]''. The OAV version.
** Don't forget Gai's incarnation from ''Armaggedon''.
** Musashi Tomoe mixes it with [[Gentle Giant]] and [[Adorkable]] in the original series.
** The [[Bare-Fisted Monk]] Benkei Musashibo from [[New Getter Robo]] is a very [[Badass]] version of the trope.
* For some, Chouji from ''[[Naruto]]'' may grow up into this. Although looking at how he looks in ''Naruto Shippuden'', some would argue that he already is this trope.

==  Comic Books ==
* ''[[Circles]]'' has at least two of these. Marty is a chubby skunk who is at first timid about his weight, but his new roommate [[Into Musical Theatre|Taye]] actually finds him incredibly sexy, like a teddy bear, for which [[Gym Bunny|Ken]] derides him as a "chubby chaser". Then there's Arthur, the artistic [[Basement Dweller]]—he's a...bear (both [[wikipedia:Bear (gay culture)|socially]] and [[Petting Zoo People|literally]]), now in his 40s, who helps reassure Marty that there's nothing wrong with being portly.
* ''[[Watchmen (comics)|Watchmen]]'': Dan Dreiberg. Once he stopped crimefighting, Dreiberg presumably stopped getting his usual exercise (read: thrashing bad guys) and put on some weight. Under that, though, he's still quite strong, and he has a pretty handsome face to go with it. [[Adorkable|The glasses don't make it any worse]].
** Same said for [[Blue Beetle]] Ted Kord during his chubby period (a kind of recursive tribute, since Dreiberg was based on Kord).
* Bouncing Boy from ''[[Legion of Super-Heroes (comics)|Legion of Super-Heroes]]'', especially his reboot counterpart Chuck Taine.
* Cornfed from ''[[Livewires]]''.


==  Literature ==
* Hern Heslin in the ''[[Duel of Sorcery Trilogy]]'' is at very least described as having a sweet face and beautiful eyes.
* Nanciormis in [[Barbara Hambly]]'s [[Literature/Sun Wolf And Starhawk|Sun Wolf And Starhawk]] novel ''The Witches of Wenshar'' is unequivocally described as one. {{spoiler|Too bad he's a skeevy, conniving [[Jerkass]] who's arguably the main antagonist of the piece, and who ultimately [[Karmic Death|gets his in the end]].}}
* [[Aubrey-Maturin|Jack Aubrey]] is on the [[Stout Strength|sturdily built]] side, and many people in-universe find him attractive. (By contrast, his [[Heterosexual Life Partner]] is described as short, skinny, and odd-looking.)

==  Live Action TV ==
* [[Glee|Dave Karofsky]] has had a very outspoken Gay male fan base since the episode "Never Been Kissed," many of who [[Bara|simply prefer men of his build]].
* ''[[Noah's Arc]]'': Alex sees himself this way (and Trey agrees). Additionally, like the example above, much of the fanbase does prefer a man of his build.

== Music ==
* Depending on the version, the [[Chubby Chaser]] viewpoint song "Three Hundred Pounds Of Hongry," may or may not be about one.

==  Video Games ==
* Of the nine main characters of ''[[Morenatsu]]'', three (Tatsuki, Jūichi and Kōnosuke) fall squarely under this trope. Their [[Fan Yay]] is huge.
* In the ''[[Super Mario Bros.]]'' series, Bowser is very attracted to himself, and considers himself to be [[The Fighting Narcissist|the epitome of physique and manliness]]. But strangely, though he is very obviously chubby, he doesn't necessarily seem to ''see'' himself as chubby, at least until a [[Crowning Moment of Funny|particularly amusing scene]] in ''[[Mario & Luigi: Bowser's Inside Story]]''.
** Mario is also this in the RPGs, where he's something of a [[Chick Magnet]] (To specify, ''all'' of his female party members kiss him at least once in ''The Thousand Year Door'', and along with Flurrie and Ms. Mowz's constant flirting, Vivian is genuinely in love with him).
* The title of ''[[Chub Pan]]'' highlights this trope.
* King K. Rool from the ''[[Donkey Kong Country]]'' series has gotten a ''lot'' of attention from furry fans who like their men big, with bara fans in particular appreciating the fact that [[Stout Strength|his big gut is accompanied by muscular arms.]] Klump, the fat Kremlings in military gear have a similar appeal, particularly the one from the TV Show thanks to being a goofy, lovable [[Minion with an F In Evil]].
* Asgore from ''[[Undertale]]'' initially looks big and imposing thanks to his armor, but when he's seen outside of it, it's clear that he's rocking quite the dad bod. It does ''nothing'' to detract from his status as a lovable [[Hunk]], and Alphys has a huge crush on him both in this game as well as ''[[Deltarune]]''. The latter even has a hilariously uncomfortable scene where she gushes about how hot he is to his ''adopted child''.

==  Web Comics ==
* Burt in ''[[Carpe Diem]]'' is a Big Beautiful Man who also has [[Stout Strength]] as a power-lifter. Rodney is a [[Geek Physiques|fat geek]], but his brawny boyfriend Ken wouldn't have it any other way.
* Brad in ''[[The Class Menagerie]]'' is both muscled and has a noticeable gut, specifically by [[Author Appeal]].
* Many of the guys in ''[[Blur the Lines]]'' fit this trope, which makes sense, considering half of the webcomic's reason for existing is for [[Author Appeal]], and the author prefers big men.
* ''[[Grant]]''. And Grant's [[Hot Dad]].
* Jason from [[Something*Positive]] is this. Given the cartoonish art style, though, the attractiveness part is mainly backed up by the number of women he attracts, and that can also be attributed to his [[Nerds Are Sexy|brain]] or his [[Bigger Is Better in Bed|big penis]].
* ''The Wrong House'' has [[Nice Guy|George]] who's intially the only one of the [[Power Trio]] with a name [[Biggus Dickus|the most to offer]] the [[No Name Given|girl]] before the series was expanded and Flanderized him as a [[Kavorka Man]] and [[Ascended Extra]] that gets/has gotten/will get virtually ''every'' possible woman available including [[Nun-Too-Holy|supposed]] [[Heel Faith Turn|reformed nun that became a registered sex offender for sleeping with him before he was 18]] and [[Laser-Guided Karma|doing his Jerk Jock/Ted Baxter friend's girlfriend right in front of him as payback for him cheating on her with]] [[It Makes Sense in Context|a Tifa cosplayer.]] The apparent in-series reason why he gets so much tail: [[Single Woman Seeks Good Man|he's sincere and actually gives a damn about the girls.]]

==  Web Original ==
* While [[That Guy With The Glasses]] has a lot of [[Mr. Fanservice|conventionally good-looking]], slim guys (Benzaie, [[Doug Walker]], Paw, Y Ruler Of Time, etc.), the big men like [[Rollo T]], former contributor [[Lord Kat]],<ref>who knows his way around a strawberry</ref> and to some, Sean Fausz, get a lot of love too.
** [[Atop the Fourth Wall|Linkara]].

==  Western Animation ==
* Gloria the hippo's [[Romantic False Lead|suitor]] Moto Moto, in ''[[Madagascar]]: Escape 2 Africa'', is clearly intended to be one.
** And it would seem that hippos as a species find chubbiness attractive, since Moto Moto and Gloria's flirting is made entirely of fat jokes.
* Arguably, [[Metalocalypse|Nathan Explosion]]. At least, he's a big guy, it's not entirely muscle, and plenty of the show's [[Periphery Demographic]] find him attractive.
* [[American Dad|Stan Smith]] is on the chunky side, and also [[Rated "M" for Manly]] (or, rather, comedic [[Testosterone Poisoning]]).
*  {{spoiler|Anastasia's boyfriend}} Dimitri, the baker boy from ''[[Cinderella (Disney film)|Cinderella]] II''.
* Coop from [[Megas XLR]]. Gluttony and stupidity aside, he's surprisingly well-groomed and cuddly, and his boundless confidence certainly helps.
* [[Avatar: The Last Airbender|Uncle Iroh]] {{spoiler|...until he discovers that [[Prisons Are Gymnasiums]] in Book Three.}}
* ''[[The Legend of Korra]]'''s Bolin. His girth in no way keeps him from being [[The Charmer]].
* T.J. Detweiler from ''[[Recess]]'' is a bit on the chubby side, yet among the female fans, he has the most fangirls.
** [[Gentle Giant]] Mikey is probably the prime example.
* Despite being a [[Fat Idiot]] and a [[Fat Slob]], Dave the skunk from [[Scaredy Squirrel]] is one of these in an [[Ugly Cute]] sort of way. Just look at that enormous, cuddly, bushy tail of his.
* [[Treasure Planet]]'s Long John Silver is considered this by a good portion of the fandom, especially when being [[Ho Yay|paired with Jim]].
* In ''[[My Little Pony: Friendship Is Magic]]'', Rarity seems to consider Donut Joe one.

{{reflist}}
[[Category:{{PAGENAME}}]]
[[Category:All the Tropes Superhero Team]]
[[Category:Always Male]]
[[Category:The Beautiful Tropes]]
[[Category:Bigger Is Better]]
[[Category:Gender and Sexuality Tropes]]
[[Category:Fat Tropes]]
[[Category:Queer As Tropes]]