A character is never on time for anything.

He was always late on principle, his principle being that punctuality is the thief of time.

In video games the player character can be treated as this to lampshade Take Your Time.

For younger characters, this can result in a chronic case of Late for School, but differs from that trope in that it is a stock scene, while this is a character trait.

Examples of Always Late include:

Anime and Manga

  • Usagi Tsukino of Sailor Moon always seems to be running to get somewhere – usually school – on time, and often failing.
  • This is the main Running Gag about Hatake Kakashi in Naruto. The man is unable to be on time in anything.

Comic Books

Literature

Live-Action Television

  • The 2014 Flash TV series makes this a trait of Barry Allen before he becomes The Flash to add a bit of irony to him becoming "The Fastest Man Alive". It's never mentioned again after the first episode.

Video Games