Characters who were prototypes to a more popular character

[Uzumaki Goku]

In this case, we have an early character who plays the role the far more iconic character plays so they could be seen as a prototype of their successor in many ways.

Alica from Batman 89

Basically, Jack Napier's girlfriend whose supposed to be dating his boss, later takes on a white mask. This character can be seen as a prototype to Harley Quinn who would be introduced a few years later in Batman: The Animated Series.

Lotus Blossom from the original Ninja Turtles cartoon

She's a deadly warrior, a thief, has a rivalry/relationship with Leonardo who sees some good in her and wants to change her. These roles are usually given to Karai in later adaptations who in the comics wasn't introduced until 1992 and would be introduced to a wider audience in the 2003 show.

 

[mbpm]

Borutos dad to Boruto

 

[HStallion]

 

[Slayven]

 

[AlgusUnderdunk]

If the Santa Clause taught me anything, it's that eventually Tim Allen will kill you and take your clothes/role.

 

[Uzumaki Goku]

Guys I'm talking about the same material.

Like Alicia and Harley are both Batman characters and Lotus and Karai are Ninja Turtles characters.

 

[AlgusUnderdunk]

 

[Stowaway Silfer]

Ace and Sabo, One Piece

Spoiler

 

[BossAttack]

If the Santa Clause taught me anything, it's that eventually Tim Allen will kill you and take your clothes/role.

Click to shrink...

I was thinking about this film the other day and how racist it is in hindsight.

 

[MouldyK]

Should have been Goku to Gohan, but Toriyama and Co got scared!

 

[AlgusUnderdunk]

I was thinking about this film the other day and how racist it is in hindsight.

Click to shrink...

Eyup. Besides, George of the Jungle is muuuuuch better.

 

[Why would you do that?]

I kind of think of Pauline -> Princess Peach in this way. Though I guess Pauline never really left.

 

[Double 0]

Zorro + The Shadow = Batman

 

[TheJollyCorner]

Does Metal Gear Solid 2 Raiden to MGS4/Rising Raiden count?

edit: guess not, as it's the same character, just better realized later. Scratch that. :D

 

[Uzumaki Goku]

I kind of think of Pauline -> Princess Peach in this way. Though I guess Pauline never really left.

Click to shrink...

She did leave for quite a well, it wasn't until Odyssey that she came back into the spotlight. (Though I think she appeared in a couple Mario vs. Donkey Kong games)

 

[Bard]

Jonathan Joestar -> Joseph Joestar.

Joseph is simply more interesting as a character than Jonathan.

 

[Imperial Bishop]

JoJo: The Thread

Josuke >>>>>

 

[Judau]

Proto Man from the Mega Man series seems like a prototype to Zero from the Mega Man X series, though I think that might be the case?

Edit: Come to think of it, they're both still popular, as far as I can tell. They're probably not good examples of what OP is looking for.

 

[Humidex]

A rare example of a same-character prototype. The full-on, aggressive pilot version of Columbo (in Prescription Murder) was very different to the dishevelled Columbo that we know and love.

 

[Island]

Decker from Star Trek:TMP to Riker on Star Trek: TNG

to

and

Llia to Troi in the same progression

 

[Ferret]

Kaito Kid to Conan in Case Closed/Detective Conan, at least design wise. Their childhood friends/love interest are also pretty much the same character.

 

[theLusitanian]

Pip to Butters.

 

[Normal]

Click to shrink...

I'd bet Kakashi is more recognizable lol

 

[SilverArrow20XX]

Proto Man from the Mega Man series seems like a prototype to Zero from the Mega Man X series, though I think that might be the case?

Edit: Come to think of it, they're both still popular, as far as I can tell. They're probably not good examples of what OP is looking for.

Click to shrink...

They're also not particularly similar beyond being red when you really look at them.
Proto Man is a broody loner who does things subtly.
Zero is a mentor type who's pretty social and does things brazenly.
He's more of a matured, good guy Bass. Bass is basically his literal prototype too. lol

 

[B.K.]

Jesus is a prototype for Superman.

 

[plagiarize]

Decker from Star Trek:TMP to Riker on Star Trek: TNG

to

and

Llia to Troi in the same progression

Click to shrink...

Of course you've also got the classic example of Pike to Kirk.

 

[Why would you do that?]

She did leave for quite a well, it wasn't until Odyssey that she came back into the spotlight. (Though I think she appeared in a couple Mario vs. Donkey Kong games)

Click to shrink...

Yeah, her largest gap I think was between the original Donkey Kong in 1981 and the Game Boy Donkey Kong in 1994. And she was in the MvDK games, as you mentioned. I guess she was basically as good as gone/replaced until '94 (excluding Game & Watch games)

 

[Servbot24]

Every anime character in the last 20 years

 

[KtotheRoc]

Wild Thing from MC2 was a prototype to the more popular...

X-23/Wolverine

 

[Sesha]

Raven, Tekken

Killer B, Naruto

Edit: Oh, within the same company.

Well, Grey Fox and Raiden in Metal Gear, for sure:

 

[Tabaxi]

 

[Sesha]

Click to shrink...

Who's that first mysterious unnamed character, for those who don't know?

 

[plagiarize]

Who's that first mysterious unnamed character, for those who don't know?

Click to shrink...

Deathstroke.

I clicked on the picture and it was in the file name. No idea what he has to do with Deadpool though.

 

[Watership]

Decker from Star Trek:TMP to Riker on Star Trek: TNG

to

and

Llia to Troi in the same progression

Click to shrink...

Yeah, TNG is just Roddenberry redoing Star Trek: The Motion Picture. Even the theme!

 

[Deleted member 37011]

Turles an evil Goku.

Goku Black

 

[GreenMamba]

Deathstroke.

I clicked on the picture and it was in the file name. No idea what he has to do with Deadpool though.

Click to shrink...

Deadpool was originally a straight up ripoff of Deathstroke, right down to having similar names (Slade Wilson -> Wade Wilson), all because Rob Liefeld had a longstanding obsession with wanting to work on Teen Titans.

 

[mrmoose]

So if it's within the same franchise, it seems like it usually happens when a franchise is rebooted at least a few times.

So I'll say:
Betty Kane/Batgirl -> Barbara Gordon/Batgirl, who originated in the tv show (IIRC)

Hot Rod(TF 1986) -> Hot shot (Transformers Armada) -> Bumblebee (movies):
Bumblebee was in G1 but he was a scout who was one of the weakest Autobots. You could argue that Hot Rod in TF the movie, before becoming Rodimus, influenced Transformers Armada to create a similar character, Hot Shot, who was basically the brash young warrior (who turned into a yellow car). Then the Bay movies reintroduced Bumblebee as more of a brash young warrior (who, unlike his talkative G1 self, couldn't even talk).

 

[plagiarize]

Deadpool was originally a straight up ripoff of Deathstroke, right down to having similar names (Slade Wilson -> Wade Wilson), all because Rob Liefeld had a longstanding obsession with wanting to work on Teen Titans.

Click to shrink...

So not really what the OP was asking about then.

 

[viral]

Yamucha -> Tien -> Piccolo -> Vegeta. All of them pretty much followed the same "villan to anti-hero to hero" trope until getting sidelined when the next one came in. Surprised Vegeta lasted this long tbh.

 

[Cantaim]

I'd bet Kakashi is more recognizable lol

Click to shrink...

A quick google trends comparison between the two also makes it look like Gojo isn't even googled 1/4th as much as Kakashi lol

 

[UberTag]

Rocky Maivia -> The Rock -> #1 Movie Star in the World Dwayne Johnson

 

[Burly]

Should have been Goku to Gohan, but Toriyama and Co got scared!

Click to shrink...

 

[Sadsic]

Tom Anderson -> The Mack Daddy of Arlen, TX

 

[Gabaghoul582]

Boba -> Jango -> Mando

 

[butalala]

Similar to Decker and Riker, the original plan for DS9 was to include Ensign Ro from TNG. When the actress didn't want to join the show, they created Major Kira.

Probably for the best in my opinion, as that would be too many former Enterprise staff on DS9 .

 

[Doggg]

Pinocchio to a lot of characters.

 

[Azraes]

Grander Musashi led to Pokemon.

 

[Aly]

Click to shrink...

Pretty sure Kakashi is way more popular still. Naruto has some impressive staying power.

 

[Socivol]

Sailor V --> Sailor Moon

 

[808s & Villainy]

Grander Musashi led to Pokemon.

Click to shrink...

I'm pretty sure a manga that started in 1996 didn't lead to a game that released earlier in the same year and had a fairly long development