History Main / LoveAtFirstPunch

* In ''[[VideoGame/ShadowHearts Shadow Hearts: Covenant]]'', Karin was consistently hostile to Anti-Hero Yuri Hyuga, and once gave him a slapping. In one particular dungeon, she begins to hallucinate and Yuri slaps her out of it. She immediately starts acting gushy and switches to permanent Tsundere mode.

* The ''ComicBook/RogueAndGambit'' limited series reveals that Gambit views his first meeting with Rogue this way. The incident involved them getting into a fight, during which she punched him into a tree, before [[SlapSlapKiss kissing passionately]]. In the present-day Gambit admits it was LoveAtFirstSight but the fact she could kick his ass ''really'' sealed the deal.

The hero or heroine who puts the bully into their place very ''rarely'' appreciates his or her amorous attentions. This is because bullies are usually villains, and villains tend to have a rather perverted and/or amoral approach to most aspects of their lives, including love. Bully Love tends to be a rather obsessive and one-sided affair, which can be [[LoveMakesYouCrazy played for comedy]] if the object of their affections is equally strong and aggressive (and if they're not, the whole thing can just [[StalkerWithACrush come off as damn creepy]]). Some heroes find themselves completely flustered by a bully's attentions, especially if the bully is female and the hero is a male who has [[WouldntHitAGirl qualms about hitting women]]. An [[{{Tsundere}} aggressive]] [[{{Tomboy}} heroine]] with no such qualms against violence may likewise find it hard to launch into a bully who is less physically strong than she is--and even if he's a gigantic brute, the heroine ''may'' find herself feeling just a ''little'' bit guilty about tossing him into a wall if he's approaching her with hearts in his eyes and a bouquet of flowers in his arms.

[[quoteright:350:[[LightNovel/OkamiSan https://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/LoveAtFirstPunch_crop_8686.jpg]]]]

Occasionally, the bully [[LoveRedeems may try to reform in an effort to win the heart of his beloved]]. In series where StatusQuoIsGod, this oftentimes will not go very well. If the villain becomes pathetic enough in his or her endeavors, the hero/heroine may start to love them out of pity. This can lead to a SlapSlapKiss type of situation wherein the protagonist and the bully enter into a period of bickering which may eventually bear fruit when they graduate to BelligerentSexualTension. Death [[LightNovel/BludgeoningAngelDokuroChan might be preferable]].

* This is how Akihito and Mirai meet in ''LightNovel/BeyondTheBoundary''. Mirai ''stabs him in the chest with a sword made of her own blood.'' Then it turns out Akihito is immortal and is only mildly annoyed at being stabbed. [[spoiler: Their actual RelationshipUpgrade is a lot less violent and more heartwarming, though.]]
* In ''LightNovel/BlackBullet'', after Tina Sprout defeats Yuzuki Katagiri in a sparring match, Yuzuki starts clinging to her and says, "I love you! You're so cool and strong! Marry me!" They are both about 10 years old.

* ''LightNovel/ACertainMagicalIndex'': Mikoto started liking ([[{{Tsundere}} in her own way]]) Touma after he first blocked her electricity while she was zapping some delinquents.

* Wolfram from ''LightNovel/KyoKaraMaoh'' toward Yuri after he [[WackyMarriageProposal slapped him]] and later defeated him in a duel. Let's just say he's [[CrazyJealousGuy very possessive]] over Yuri now…

* Pictured above: ''LightNovel/OkamiSan'' applies this trope to the Cinderella story. Instead of seeing who does the shoe fits, the prince asks to kick him with said shoe, as the only thing his love did was kicking him unconscious. Unlike all competitors who made sensible kicks, his beloved used WaifFu.

* {{Downplayed|Trope}} in ''LightNovel/{{Toradora}}'': Ryuuji's first encounter with Taiga swiftly ends with her knocking him out with an uppercut to the jaw. At that point, however, Ryuuji intends on pursuing Taiga's best friend, Minori, while Taiga intends on pursuing Ryuuji's best friend, Yuusaku. [[MatchmakerCrush The mutual agreement to help each other get the girl/guy is what starts them on the path that leads to them falling in love with each other.]]
* ''LightNovel/TrappedInADatingSimTheWorldOfOtomeGamesIsToughForMobs'': PlayedWith. Marie’s first interaction with Loic is beating him up for trying to kidnap the girl he’s stalking, Marie’s friend Noelle. It’s the second time Marie beats him up that makes Loic fall in love with her as his SecondLove.

** In the second movie, ''Nihao My Concubine'', the prince chooses Akane to be his bride (from the hundreds of other candidates available) after she climbs on his throne, [[ArmorPiercingSlap smacks him in the face]] and gives him a WhatTheHellHero speech for humiliating her and the other girls. (It is implied that the only woman who ever disciplined him before this was his mother…)

The stronger version of DefeatMeansFriendship, and the lighter version of YouGotSpunk. This is very likely to overlap heavily with ILoveYouBecauseICantControlYou and may be a sign of an AmazonChaser. See also WellExcuseMePrincess, InLoveWithYourCarnage, DatingCatwoman, and LoveSlapOfEpiphany. Contrast BestHerToBedHer, where the defeated is bound by vow/law etc to marry the victor regardless of their feelings; they may overlap.

The stronger version of DefeatMeansFriendship, and the lighter version of YouGotSpunk. This is very likely to overlap heavily with ILoveYouBecauseICantControlYou and may be a sign of an AmazonChaser. See also WellExcuseMePrincess, InLoveWithYourCarnage, and DatingCatwoman. Contrast BestHerToBedHer, where the defeated is bound by vow/law etc to marry the victor regardless of their feelings; they may overlap.

* ''LightNovel/ReignOfTheSevenSpellblades'': Nanao speaks of the {{samurai}} ideal "shiawase", of a DuelToTheDeath with someone they love and respect--which she felt towards Oliver when their swords crossed in a classroom sparring session, and was torn up when he turned her down for a rematch. All of which is much to Oliver's chagrin when she explains it:
-->'''Katie:''' Um... to sum up... you got all depressed because Oliver rejected you?\\
'''Oliver:''' [[DudeNotFunny Sorry, Katie, but could you shut up?]]\\
'''Nanao:''' No, she is largely correct. Was I infatuated with your blade or the man behind it? Perhaps there is little difference between the two.

* In Lawrence's ''The Heart Of The Conqueror'', William wrenches [[TheSocialDarwinist Matilda]] off her horse and kicks her in the stomach because she refused to marry him. She falls in love with him because of this. (The story follows Matilda's perspective, so we can be sure the reason wasn't StockholmSyndrome.)
* ''The Legend of Phoenix Mountain'' has the main character's grandfather, who fell in love with the main character's grandmother after she slammed her fist into his right eye.

* ''Franchise/StarWars'': When Luke Skywalker first met [[ExpandedUniverse Mara Jade]], she wanted to kill him more than anything. She later changed her mind and, ten years later, [[TheyDo married him]]. Talk about a false start.

* ''LightNovel/{{Toradora}}'': Ryuuji's first encounter with Taiga swiftly ends with a SHORYUKEN!
** At that point, they don't know they've kinda fallen for each other. Ryuuji intends on pursuing Taiga's best friend, Minori, while Taiga intends on pursuing Ryuuji's best friend, Yuusaku. This mutual agreement to help each other get the girl/guy is what starts them on the path that yes, they have indeed fallen for each other.

* Pictured above: ''LightNovel/OkamiSan'' applies this trope to the Cinderella story. Instead of seeing who does the shoe fits, the prince asks to kick him with said shoe, as the only thing his love did was kicking him unconscious. Unlike all competitors who made sensible kicks, his beloved used WaifFu.
* Urara from ''Manga/{{Sabagebu}}'' initially hates main character Momoka with a passion because her crush Miou pays too much attention to her. Then Momoka takes thorough vengeance for every injury committed; from that day on, Urara has worshipped Momoka.

* Hiei of ''Manga/YuYuHakusho'' has this late in the series with [[spoiler:Mukuro]]. She sets him against an old acquaintance who slices him into pieces; after he's healed from this, she fights and defeats him in a tournament. Finally, when he annoys her too much, she punches through his stomach and throws him out… and he not only doesn't hold it against her, but he arranges a really, er, nice gift for her.
** Chu also has this with [[spoiler:Natsumi]] in the Demon World Tournament arc.

* Akane Tendō from ''Manga/RanmaOneHalf'' often became the object of boys' affections because of her {{Tsundere}} attitude.
** In the second movie, ''Nihao My Concubine'', the prince chooses Akane to be his bride (from the hundreds of other candidates available) after she climbs on his throne, [[ArmorPiercingSlap smacks him in the face]] and gives him a WhatTheHellHero speech for humiliating her and the other girls. (It is implied that the only woman who ever disciplined him before this was his mother…)
** Then there's the manga chapter about the young resort heir who is seeking the girl whose foot matches the marks she left in his head--a literal "first impression".
** Similarly, Kunō's obsessive love for Akane and "the pigtailed girl" only seems to grow the more they beat him into submission.
** In the manga, the "Hentai Horde", as fanon dubs it, actually comes back together and resumes its original purpose of ambushing Akane and trying to knock her out cold in order to claim the right to date her when Akane gives her status as Ranma's fiancée to her elder sister.
** The trope is actually [[BestHerToBedHer codified into the law of the Chinese Amazons]] and thus effectively defines Shampoo's relationship with Ranma: ever since he defeated her while in his male form, she genuinely considers him her husband.
** Hell, ''Ranma and Akane's'' relationship could be considered to fall under this. Though Akane does initially greet him with the offer to be friends, due to mistaking him for another girl, once the explanations are over after their NakedFirstImpression, she starts insulting Ranma, who rises to the bait and zings her back by pointing out his female form is more heavily stacked then hers. Akane promptly bashes Ranma over the head with a table, knocking him/her out cold, and the rest is history.
* This is how Akihito and Mirai meet in ''LightNovel/BeyondTheBoundary''. Mirai ''stabs him in the chest with a sword made of her own blood.'' Then it turns out Akihito is immortal and is only mildly annoyed at being stabbed. [[spoiler: Their actual RelationshipUpgrade is a lot less violent and more heartwarming, though.]]
* Military nut Giroro on ''Manga/SgtFrog'' fell for Natsumi after she navigated his booby traps, dodged his missile fire, and smacked him out the window with her school bag. He declares his love just before he loses consciousness.
* Chris from ''Manga/MintNaBokura'' is a massive {{jerkass}} who holds little more than contempt for the beauties who swoon at his gaze but falls immediately head over heels for anyone who shows him contempt or indifference. When WholesomeCrossdresser Noel expresses no interest in him, he does everything he can think of to win his heart, until he realizes he's been chasing a dude. Later, when his fan Kanako tells him off both for thinking the girls hadn't figured Noel's gender out and for trying to destroy Noel in vengeance, Chris latches onto her, much to her annoyance.
* Subverted by poor Makoto of ''Franchise/SailorMoon'' fame, whose horrid luck with love persisted despite [[NoGuyWantsAnAmazon her ability to wail on any and all bullies]]. She fared better in the [[Series/PrettyGuardianSailorMoon live-action adaptation]], but this trope was irrelevant in the relationship.
* This is how Miyoshi and Akito start dating in ''Manga/{{Bakuman}}'': she finds out he had talked to her just to know about Azuki and relay the information to Mashiro. She (who's trained in karate and boxing and, according to Shujin, "packs a punch like three men together") then decks him in the face. ''Four times''. [[MoodWhiplash Then she tends to him]].

* In ''Manga/BlueDrop'', Hagino tries to strangle Mari when they first meet in the dorms. It is needless to say that their relationship is a tad strained for a while after that, although they keep hanging out with each other.

* Arguably, Ukyō from ''Anime/SamuraiSeven'' only became ''more'' obsessed with Kirara after she refused to become part of his harem.
* One of the myriad reasons HotBlooded Shizuma Kusanagi is attracted to TheHero Ryoko Mitsurugi in ''Manga/RealBoutHighSchool'' is because she's the only one who can beat him in a fight.
** Taiho Hashiba, TheBrute of the villains, winds up going out with TheBigGuy Megumi Momoi after she defeated him.
** Wannabe ninja Asuka Kuronari, on the other hand, becomes a borderline StalkerWithACrush for real ninja Kyoichi Kunugi after he took pity on her in their fight.
** Childhood sweethearts Ai and G also go at it, though there it's actually an IKnowYouAreInThereSomewhereFight.
* Patrick Colasour fell for his colonel Kati Mannequin this way in ''Anime/MobileSuitGundam00''. He was an incorrigible TheCasanova and [[TheAce Ace]] until Kati punched him for being late. ''Twice''. Now, TheStrategist can't get the IneffectualSympatheticVillain off her back. [[spoiler:And they end up HappilyMarried in the GrandFinale.]]
** In ''Anime/MobileSuitZetaGundam'', Jerid Mesa falls for his commander Lyla after she hits him. In fact, Kati and Patrick are like a more sympathetic version of this [[spoiler: and both live unlike their ''[[Anime/MobileSuitZetaGundam Zeta Gundam]]'' counterparts]], as both are nominally on the bad guy side, and [[spoiler: Kati is for a time a member of the A-LAWS, the Anime/MobileSuitGundam00 {{expy}} of the Titans]]
* In ''Manga/MobileSuitGundamTheOrigin'', [[spoiler:Dozle Zabi]] falls in love with [[spoiler:his future wife Zenna Mia]] after [[spoiler:she holds him at gunpoint so that he won't be able to stop his younger brother Garma's unauthorized assault on a Federation garrison]].
* ''Manga/FlameOfRecca'': Kurei only starts [[DefrostingIceQueen warming up and opening himself]] when Kurenai gave him a slap, her being the first woman to ever slap him on the face. Then… horrible shit happens.
* Nanjiroh Echizen was a popular tennis player and a HandsomeLech. Rinko Takeuchi was a law student and Type B {{Tsundere}}. She was the first girl [[SlapSlapKiss who didn't tolerate]] his HandsomeLech traits, he [[HandsOnApproach groped]] and teased her [[ACupAngst for being flat-chested]]… but after an incident where [[RescueRomance he rescued her]] from a {{Jerkass}} tennis coach, they got hitched up, married and had a son named Ryoma, the lead character in ''Manga/ThePrinceOfTennis''.
* In the ''Manga/FullmetalAlchemist'' manga, Mrs. Bradley tells Ed and Al that her first meeting with Fuhrer Bradley ended with her slapping him. [[spoiler:Though Fuhrer Bradley is actually the [[ArtificialHuman homunculus]] [[TheDragon Wrath]], and his entire life story is a lie… he makes it clear that he personally chose his wife, so it counts as a straight example.]]

* ''Manga/GirlsBravo'': Both Kosame and Hijiri fall madly in love with Kirie after she attacks them. And by "mad", it's meant in a PsychoLesbian BlackComedyRape kind of way.
** If anything, Kirie's constant beat downs of Fukuyama actually make him even more determined in his pursuit of her. Same with his sister Lisa whenever Yukinari fights back against her advances.
* Tyki Mikk from ''Manga/DGrayMan'' has had a bit of a thing for Allen since the latter cheated him out of everything up to and including his clothes in a poker game. The actual ''fights'' have only made it more severe. Road has a similar, more explicit crush on him that dates back to the time she nailed his arm to the wall and he ripped it free to save a friend and an innocent. Since then, she's [[spoiler:[[EyeScream stabbed him in the eye]], kissed him via ambush, and turned one of his friends against him with MindRape.]] Road has issues.
* Wolfram from ''LightNovel/KyoKaraMaoh'' toward Yuri after he [[WackyMarriageProposal slapped him]] and later defeated him in a duel. Let's just say he's [[CrazyJealousGuy very possessive]] over Yuri now…

* ''Manga/BlackButler'': Grell Sutcliff, for Sebastian and Will. It seems she likes them both for the cold shoulders they give her. And the bruises.
* ''Manga/AirMaster'': Sakamoto Julietta: "…that kick… gave me the biggest shock I've ever felt in my life… AND PIERCED MY HEART!!"
* ''Anime/SuperDimensionFortressMacross'' (and by extension, ''Anime/{{Robotech}}''): Max Jenius and Miriya Fallyna. First, they try to shoot each other down in an aerial dogfight. Then she tries to stab him to death inside Macross City. Then they get married. Seriously.
* ''Manga/SumomoMoMomoMo'' has this to an extent. In a flashback scene, Momoko and Tenka have a friendly duel as children in which Momoko loses. Momoko and Tenka agree to meet again in the future after she gets stronger. He thinks it is so she will become strong enough to be befitting of his bride, while she just wants a revenge duel. Played for laughs, but it is a semi-important plot element as the unrequited love is why Tenka ends up assisting Momoko throughout the rest of the series.
* ''Sensitive Pornograph'': Mizuho's violent reactions to Meguro's offers for friendship, or compliments about cuteness don't slow Meguro down a bit from falling for him. Notable Meguro never raises his fist against Mizuho, accepting his frequent beatings with giddy happiness.
-->'''Mizuho, on Meguro's face:''' *crash* *slam* *smash* *splurt*\\
'''Meguro:''' ''Nice punch, Mizuho Nishina… I'm in love…''
* In ''Anime/NerimaDaikonBrothers'', Mako doesn't have any feelings for Ichiro until after he slaps her.
** At her insistence, since she demanded he emulate rival host Number One, who seduces women by causing them harm.
** It doesn't work for Hideki.
* ''LightNovel/{{Toradora}}'': Ryuuji's first encounter with Taiga swiftly ends with a SHORYUKEN!
** At that point, they don't know they've kinda fallen for each other. Ryuuji intends on pursuing Taiga's best friend, Minori, while Taiga intends on pursuing Ryuuji's best friend, Yuusaku. This mutual agreement to help each other get the girl/guy is what starts them on the path that yes, they have indeed fallen for each other.
* ''LightNovel/ACertainMagicalIndex'': Mikoto started liking ([[{{Tsundere}} in her own way]]) Touma after he first blocked her electricity while she was zapping some delinquents.
* ''Anime/Danganronpa3TheEndOfHopesPeakHighSchool'' seems to imply this between [[spoiler: [[AmbiguouslyGay Nagito Komaeda]] and [[BrokenAce Izuru Kamukura]],]] what with [[spoiler: Nagito's]] LuminescentBlush and almost post-coital expression after [[spoiler: Izuru]] shoots him.
* ''Manga/{{Berserk}}'': Guts and Casca's relationship started as a sword fight as enemies (though he only engaged her because [[SamusIsAGirl he thought Casca was a man]]). After that, [[BelligerentSexualTension a very interesting timeline developed between them]] over the span of four years...
* Although there are other less volatile, events that create the initial meeting, one of the things Hinagiku does to Hayate in ''Manga/HayateTheCombatButler'' is to jump from a tree branch to 'accidentally' land with her foot in his face.
** Ayumu crashes into Hayate while riding an out-of-control bike after she'd woken up to dreaming about their first encounter when he'd saved her from going over a cliff in a similar situation, which was admittedly a year ago.
* PuppyLove version of sorts: In ''Anime/{{Hamtaro}}'', Roberto seems to have a slight crush on Laura… the girl who called him out on his JerkAss behavior.
* In Hinako Takanaga's one-shot BoysLove manga ''Manga/LoveRound'', the protagonist falls for the PintsizedPowerhouse Komatsuna when the furious punch he gives him after being teased about his girlish looks convinces him that he needs to get him to join the boxing club.
* In ''Manga/PleaseSaveMyEarth'', Shion starts off as the only guy in the moon base to not only not be head-over-heels for Mokuren but to bully and torment her. They ended up engaged.

* In ''Anime/BattleGirlsTimeParadox'', Ieyasu, previously a bitchy homicidal maniac, falls in love with Nobunaga after she defeats her, turning moe, clinging to her, and calling her onee-sama.
* In ''LightNovel/BlackBullet'', after Tina Sprout defeats Yuzuki Katagiri in a sparring match, Yuzuki starts clinging to her and says, "I love you! You're so cool and strong! Marry me!" They are both about 10 years old.
* ''Manga/FairyTail'': According to a flashback, Bisca Moulin used to be a criminal under the alias Moulin Rouge. One day, Erza Scarlet beat her in a fight. Bisca got a crush on her, renounced her life of crime, and joined the Fairy Tail guild to be near her. Bisca eventually married Alzack Connell and had a kid with him, but she still greatly admires Erza.

* ''LightNovel/ReignOfTheSevenSpellblades'': Nanao speaks of the {{samurai}} ideal "shiawase", of a DuelToTheDeath with someone they love and respect--which she felt towards Oliver when their swords crossed in a classroom sparring session, and was torn up when he turned her down for a rematch. All of which is much to Oliver's chagrin when she explains it:
-->'''Katie:''' Um... to sum up... you got all depressed because Oliver rejected you?\\
'''Oliver:''' [[DudeNotFunny Sorry, Katie, but could you shut up?]]\\
'''Nanao:''' No, she is largely correct. Was I infatuated with your blade or the man behind it? Perhaps there is little difference between the two.

* ''Manga/SPYxFamily'': Seems to be the case for Damian Desmond, who developed a crush on Anya after she decked him in the face for being a jerk. However, he's too prideful to admit he'd fall for a girl of lower class than him.

* In ''ComicBook/SpiderMan'', one of Spidey's enemies, The Queen, plays with this during her first encounter with Spider-Man. She seems initially [[ExpectingSomeoneTaller unimpressed with Spider-Man]] when first meeting him, and quickly threatens him and his city when he gets on her nerves. But when he starts to put up a fight against her, and briefly gains the upper-hand by tripping her and restraining her, she suddenly finds herself much more interested in him. Although she ends up [[CurbStompBattle easily defeating Spider-Man]], she still recognizes him as a survivor for his strength and determination against her, and decides [[VillainessesWantHeroes she likes him enough to make him her mate]].

* The entire premise of ComicStrip/{{Krazy Kat}}.

* ''Manga/{{Evangelion 303}}'': Asuka prided herself on being [[AcePilot the best pilot]] on the [[HomeBase base]] and having never anyone good enough to call her peer. Then [[TheHero Shinji]] arrived, [[OldSchoolDogFight beat her]], and she got instantly and subconsciously drawn to him. She started to look for excuses to talk with him, spend time together, sleep in his home… until she eventually admitted to herself that she had fallen in love with him and seduced him.

* ''Fanfic/AdviceAndTrust'': When Kaworu implied that he was going to disrupt [[BattleCouple Shinji and Asuka]]'s bond, Rei beat him up and threatened him. He thought that she looked beautiful and he fell for her.

* Sun Ce and Taishi Ci in ''Fanfic/FarceOfTheThreeKingdoms.''
* ''Fanfic/NaturalSelection'': Ryuko's infatuation with Mako started when the latter somehow managed to kick her through a building, despite only being a No-Star.
* Choji first develops feelings for Karui in ''Fanfic/SonOfTheSannin'' when she beats him in the Chunin Exam finals. His father later reveals that [[AmazonChaser men of the Akimichi clan have always had a thing for tough women]].
* ''Fanfic/TheDelinquentAndHisLover'' has Makoto mistake Akira for her stalker Tsukasa and punch him in the face when he tries to ask her for directions. She's quick to apologize when she realises her mistake, and insists on taking him to the hospital.

* Britomart and Artegall in ''Literature/TheFaerieQueene'', who first met in a brutal, bloody swordfight grudge match while the former was [[SweetPollyOliver disguised as a man]].
* When [[Franchise/StarWars Luke Skywalker]] first met [[ExpandedUniverse Mara Jade]], she wanted to kill him more than anything. She later changed her mind and, ten years later, [[TheyDo married him]]. Talk about a false start.
* ''Literature/{{Dragaera}}'':
** Vladimir Taltos's first encounter with his eventual wife consisted of her trying to assassinate him for a rival crime boss (she technically succeeded, but coming back from the dead isn't impossible in this setting).
** ''Literature/FiveHundredYearsAfter'' mentions a gender inversion (which makes sense since most female Dragaeran characters are Action Girls). Rollondar e'Drien, who was the Warlord (commander of all military forces), fell in love with his wife after she defeated him in combat. It's noted that he receives a lot of ribbing in the barracks because of this.

* There is a Creator/PGWodehouse short golf story parodying this, where a timid young man falls for a brash, strong willed female explorer who has never married because she wants the type of man who'll drag women around by their hair. He can't bring himself to act like that and gives up all hope of winning her and focuses on golf. When he's in some tournament she stops on the fairway to tie her shoe and he strikes her with the ball. This causes him to tie rather than win and when he finds out it was her and not a sheep (his glasses were missing) he throws his putter in a fit of anger. It hits her on the shin quite by chance and as she rushes to kill him he rushes forward to apologize and winds up biffing her in the eye on accident. She's now convinced that they can't both have been coincidences and falls into his arms. He has the sense not to correct her and she ends up his doting and submissive wife.

* In Lawrence's ''The Heart Of The Conqueror'', William wrenches [[TheSocialDarwinist Matilda]] off her horse and kicks her in the stomach because she refused to marry him. She falls in love with him because of this. (The story follows Matilda's perspective, so we can be sure the reason wasn't StockholmSyndrome.)
* PlayedForLaughs in ''Literature/TheDresdenFiles: Literature/PeaceTalks''. Murph was partially crippled [[spoiler:by a beating she received from Nicodemus]] in ''Literature/SkinGame''. Freydis, a {{valkyrie|s}}, questions her usefulness on their mission to [[spoiler:rescue Thomas]], and Murph shows she's still got it, physically attacking her and getting a gun under her chin. In response, [[EvenTheGirlsWantHer Freydis immediately propositions her]] (and later even suggests {{a threesome|IsHot}} involving Harry).
* Katsa and Po from ''Literature/GracelingRealm'': when they first meet, Katsa is on a clandestine mission, briefly scuffles with Po who saw her, and eventually knocks him out. The next time they meet at the court of Katsa's uncle king Randa, they brawl. As they first become friends and then a couple, they spar regularly (and have a lot of fun with it, since both of them are reknowned fighters).

* In ''Series/ClarissaExplainsItAll'', Clarissa stands up to a bully to stop him from picking on her brother. Before she can even land the first blow, he starts serenading her. A later episode has her resolve this issue, but before the end, he's crooning to her again.
* Jackie's sudden crush on Hyde after she breaks up with Kelso on ''Series/That70sShow''. Textbook example -- Hyde never actually changes his relationship to her, mostly consisting of unremitting cruel snark, even after they actually begin dating.
* In ''Series/StargateSG1'', when Daniel and Vala first meet, Vala shoots him with an energy wrist blaster and later beats him up (including whacking him in the groin with a fire extinguisher) and Daniel shoots her with a painful stun gun twice. During the fight, she comments "You know, we could've just had sex instead," and, in the last episode, they have a [[LastMinuteHookup last minute]] [[YearInsideHourOutside 50-year relationship]]. This was a Shout Out to the first meeting of John and Aeryn in ''Farscape'', described elsewhere on the page, as both Vala and Aeryn are played by Creator/ClaudiaBlack.
* In ''Series/{{Farscape}}'', John Crichton becomes TheHero of his series in less than ten minutes -- by being shot into a distant part of the universe, making a vicious enemy and is thrown into a cell, where he [[MeetCute meets his Dream Girl]], the lovely and deadly Aeryn Sun. Who immediately beats the crap out of him.
* One of the later season episodes of ''Series/RedDwarf'' has the crew looking for excuses to get into the prison sickbay. The Cat decides the best method is to provoke a fight with the biggest, baddest guy in the prison block -- shoving him, stealing his food, and so on, culminating in calling him the Cat's "bitch". Given it's being cited here, the results are obvious.

* He isn't a bully as such, and certainly isn't portrayed as a villain -- more a caustic, shambling, one-man [[DeadpanSnarker hurricane of snark]] -- but Nathan from ''Series/{{Misfits}}'' does form a very strong attachment to Kelly, the one person who regularly [[BelligerentSexualTension beats the crap out of him]]. Admittedly, no one is actually ''afraid'' of Nathan and pretty much everyone tells him to shut up when he's being a {{jerkass}}, but apparently, the message just doesn't get through unless accompanied by brute force. Slight variation in that Kelly does return Nathan's feelings (the fact that she hits him a lot is neither here nor there -- [[{{Tsundere}} she hits everyone]]) but Nathan does specifically say that he likes her partly ''because'' she will stand up to him and hit him when he deserves it.

* ''Hana Yori Dango'': In the Japanese version, the [[TheDutifulSon Crown Prince]] falls in love with the OrdinaryHighSchoolStudent after she roundhouse punches him. In the [[Series/BoysBeforeFlowers Korean]] adaptation, it's a flying drop-kick.

* In the ''{{Series/JAG}}'' episode "Pilot Error", Lt. [=McKee=], a tomboyish fighter pilot, gets into a one-sided brawl with a Marine officer in a bar (he [[SpeakIllOfTheDead insulted her wingman who had died in a crash recently]], but [[WouldNotHitAGirl refused to hit a woman]], so she hit him twice.) The next evening, she returns to the bar and runs into the same Marine officer, who politely apologizes for his behavior and invites her to share a drink with him. She declines.
-->'''[=McKee=]:''' [[SemperFi Marines.]] You know, they're the only species on the planet that will [[InterplayOfSexAndViolence develop a crush on you if you punch them out?]]
* In ''Series/TheFreshPrinceOfBelAir'', Will Smith ends up seducing a GirlOfTheWeek this way in the episode "Boxing Helena". Early in the episode, he loses a boxing match to a female boxing instructor. At the end of the episode, he encounters her again and, after claiming he was "sucker punched", demonstrates to her that he actually is a capable fighter. Her reaction: "Take me. Now."
* The romance between [[SuperCouple Charlene and Scott]] in ''Series/{{Neighbours}}'' began when she punched him in the face after he mistook her for an intruder breaking into No. 24 and tried to intervene.
* In ''Series/Skam'' The relationship between Noora and Wilhelm was catalysed by Noora telling the penetrator off for how he treats girls.

* Beatrice and Benedick from ''Theatre/MuchAdoAboutNothing'' get a double dose of this: They're equally matched masters of wit who save their best efforts for each other; their constant volleying of insults has lasted for years. This makes them [[VitriolicBestBuds dear friends]] at the start of the play -- each one genuinely enjoys the wordplay and battle of wits -- and by the end of the play, they've realized that they're actually in love, and get engaged. None of this stops them from zinging each other.
* Creator/AntonChekhov's short play ''[[http://method.vtheatre.net/doc/bear.html The Bear]]'': the boorish LargeHam Smirnov is at first very disdainful to his debtor's widow Popova, finding her prissy and pretentious, but becomes smitten when Popova reveals to be a HiddenBadass.

* ''VideoGame/AtelierIrisEternalMana'' has Lita thrown an insult at the protagonist when they first meet because he couldn't beat a hawk monster on his own, and we're supposed to know they're a couple from the intro a few minutes before that.
* A client elf in ''VideoGame/AtelierIris3GrandPhantasm'' falls in love with the short receptionist Phenyl after she beats him continuously. Following this scene, he is referred to as having newly-discovered "masochistic tendencies" in the character codex.

* In ''[[VideoGame/TheElderScrollsVSkyrim Skyrim]]'' Uthgerd the Unbroken (female) and Benor (male) become marriage options after beating them in a bar brawl.

* In ''VideoGame/SengokuBasara 3'', Keiji proclaims his undying love for Magoichi immediately after she delivers a flying kick to his face. Magoichi ignores this until he starts following her everywhere.
* In Konami's dating sim ''VideoGame/MitsumeteKnight'', when you first meet the tough-as-nails [[OreOnna Gene Petromolla]] as [[DrivesLikeCrazy she has nearly run you over with her stagecoach]] and yells at you for being on the way, choose to violently retort back and [[WhatTheHellHero call her on her driving]], and she'll be so impressed by your guts she'll befriend you instantly (and eventually fall in love with you if you target her).
* Liu Kang and Kitana from ''Franchise/MortalKombat'' go through this in most versions. The two have a short one-on-one duel in both the first film and the reboot and start getting attached.
* In ''VideoGame/MetalGearSolid3SnakeEater'' [[MagnificentBastard Ocelot]] develops a giant [[HoYay man-crush]] on [[EventheGuysWantHim Snake/Big Boss]] after the latter beats him into submission.
* In ''VideoGame/MassEffect2'', Garrus tells Shepard about his first love from his cadet days. The two were at the top of their class and when they sparred, it ended in a draw because they were evenly matched in their own ways: "I had reach, she had flexibility." Later that night, they got together for a… rematch: "I had reach, she had flexibility."

* [[spoiler:Battler and Beatrice]] in ''VisualNovel/UminekoWhenTheyCry''. They start out as bitter enemies set out to torture each other endlessly. They end up ''HappilyMarried''.

* This is how Amir and Nat first hooked up in ''Webcomic/QuestionableContent''. She kicked him in the face in a moshpit and kept the tooth he lost on her nightstand. [[LampshadeHanging Several other characters remark on the absurdity of this]].
* A [[http://www.shortpacked.com/comic/punch creepy]] [[http://www.shortpacked.com/comic/smile example]] from ''Webcomic/{{Shortpacked}}!''. Note that these two have already been sharing a bed for weeks.

* ''Webcomic/{{xkcd}}'''s Black Hat Guy [[http://xkcd.com/377/ meets a woman]] who sees through his {{jerkass}} trick, delivers a crushing turnaround, and steals his signature hat. [[http://xkcd.com/432/ It's]] [[http://xkcd.com/433/ love]].
* In ''Webcomic/YetAnotherFantasyGamerComic'' [[http://yafgc.net/comic/0862-manly-yes-and-they-like-it-too/ Lady Adwen]] [[http://yafgc.net/comic/0885-bonkers/ meets]] Sir Catianus on a tournament… and quickly [[http://yafgc.net/comic/0887-stale-mate/ end up like this]]. They [[http://yafgc.net/comic/0984-do-you-have-a-license-for-your-wyvern-2/ go on]] in [[SlapSlapKiss much the same style]] after the tournament.
* In ''Webcomic/SchlockMercenary'' Scab dropped a few lewd comments toward [[{{Tsundere}} Elf]], but after she [[http://www.schlockmercenary.com/2002-09-21 performs]] a NeckLift on him, he's aimlessly dreamwalking around his gang's "headquarter" and rephrasing "She was totally hot" in different ways.

* In ''Webcomic/EerieCuties'' / ''Webcomic/MagickChicks'' crossover chapter a light flirt between Melissa and Ash [[http://www.eeriecuties.com/strips-ec/i_do_not_need_your_favors gets him]] "slap-[[ElementalPunch ZAP!]]"-ed. His reaction? "[[SayItWithHearts I was wrong about her… she has]] ''fire''. ♡"
* The vampire king in ''Webcomic/CharbyTheVampirate'' was slapped by his eventual fiance the first time they met since she didn't recognize him and subsequently couldn't get her out of his head.
* Manhwa/HeadOverHeels has a rare female example. Ha Yan, a CreepyChild who isn't exactly the most sanest crayon in the box, believes that [[JerkWithAHeartOfJerk Woohyun]] bullies her because of love and intentionally provokes him so he does it more. It deconstructs this trope and shows how messed in the head it is.
* In ''{{Webcomic/Homestuck}}'', Kanaya initially has an unrequited crush on Vriska. Then she gets over her. Then she damn near punches her out. [[UnrequitedLoveSwitcheroo Then Vriska swoons over her]].
--> <33333333
* ''Webcomic/KarinDou4koma'': Rindou falls for Elza after Elza (in child form) suddenly confronts Rindou for "stealing [[LovableSexManiac her role]]" and punches her in the face. Granted, Rindou has a habit of proposing to little girls ''anyway'', but ''this'' time she zones out and eats bananas afterwards until Shigure and Sachi [[EasyAmnesia correct the issue by force]].
* In ''Webcomic/EnnuiGo'', Calixta is, at first, only able to show she likes Max [[http://ennuigo.smackjeeves.com/comics/2359519/slap/ by slapping him]]. Bee excitedly wants to do the same [[http://ennuigo.smackjeeves.com/comics/2359813/like-like/ to Cricket]], and Max [[http://ennuigo.smackjeeves.com/comics/2360071/reciprocation/ returns the favor]] in the mildest way possible.

* When Van Helsing (in his younger years) from ''WesternAnimation/{{The Grim Adventures of Billy and Mandy}}'' couldn't find the thing that was missing in his life, he meets a girl on the street and she knocks the crap out of him. Of course, this was the thing that he had been searching for.

* Sokka in ''WesternAnimation/AvatarTheLastAirbender'' doesn't initially take Suki's AmazonBrigade seriously. After she shows him why he should, he swallows his pride and asks to be trained by them, impressing her. Suki falls for Sokka right away because Sokka showed humility to someone who is both a warrior and a girl, and Sokka falls for Suki right away because she's an amazing girl.

* In ''WesternAnimation/OneHundredAndOneDalmatiansTheSeries'' episode "My Fair Moochie", both Mooch and a visiting wrestler fall for Cadpig after she beats them up.
* ''WesternAnimation/AdventureTime'': Finn developed his crush on Flame Princess after she smacked him in the face with her ([[PlayingWithFire burning]]) hand and nearly destroyed his house with her fire powers.
* The turtles and two Salamandrians get into a fight over a CultureClash in ''WesternAnimation/TeenageMutantNinjaTurtles2012''. Raph gets beat up by one of them (who he dubs "Mona Lisa") and watches her beat up his brothers, and finds himself completely smitten.
* From ''WesternAnimation/{{Disenchantment}},'' how Elfo's parents met:
-->'''Pops:''' It all started when I first laid eyes on your mother. I mean hands! I couldn't keep them to myself, and then all of a sudden she gave me a right hook, and I was in love.

* A rare case of this going very very well occurs in ''Series/Sense8''. When she was a teenager, Sun was a WholesomeCrossdresser boxing champion: and proceeded to defeat all the boys, naturally. There was one boy that she defeated who well... [[InterplayOfSexAndViolence came back for more after the match]]. That boy grew up to be Detective Mun, nursing a crush on her the whole time: but couldn't find her because he didn't know her real name. Years later, Sun is in trouble with the law and has escaped from jail. Detective Mun happens to be assigned to bring her back. When he meets her and fights her, he realizes who she is and starts working for her instead (to try to find the real perp). At first Sun is understandably confused, but quickly decides it doesn't really matter ''why'' he likes getting beat up by her so much.

[[quoteright:350:[[Anime/OkamiSan https://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/LoveAtFirstPunch_crop_8686.jpg]]]]

* ''YAT Anshin! Space Travel'', has a case of Love at First ''Slap''. RitchBitch[=/=]SpoiledBrat Kanea Marigold falls in love with Goro Hoshiwatari when he slaps her after he loses his temper with her. Her caretaker Daniel is ''not'' pleased about this, since he plans to marry her himself.

* In ''Manhua/BowlingKing'', the bratty, rich HandsomeLech Jen Ni falls for Tz'zun for real (having only been superficially attracted to her before) after she violently refused his advances. "I know, she's playing hard to get!" This, of course, is him being a moron; nobody else in the world would interpret a GroinAttack as anything but "no."

* A rare case of this going very very well occurs in ''Series/{{Sense8}}''. When she was a teenager, Sun was a WholesomeCrossdresser boxing champion: and proceeded to defeat all the boys, naturally. There was one boy that she defeated who well... [[InterplayOfSexAndViolence came back for more after the match]]. That boy grew up to be Detective Mun, nursing a crush on her the whole time: but couldn't find her because he didn't know her real name. Years later, Sun is in trouble with the law and has escaped from jail. Detective Mun happens to be assigned to bring her back. When he meets her and fights her, he realizes who she is and starts working for her instead (to try to find the real perp). At first Sun is understandably confused, but quickly decides it doesn't really matter ''why'' he likes getting beat up by her so much.

* ''Webcomic/HeadTrip'' has Mal's personal (for a time) [[BigRedDevil Little Red Devil]] with a little [[http://headtrip.keenspot.com/d/20120907.html crush]] powered by her, uh, [[AxeCrazy violent temper]].

** In ''WesternAnimation/TheHunchbackOfNotreDame'', Phoebus openly admires Esmeralda's spirit and cunning as she fights off himself and the rest of the soldiers. "What a woman!" he exclaims, moments after narrowly ducking a flying helmet that nearly decapitated him.

* The romance between [[SuperCouple Charlene and Scott]] in ''Series/{{Neighbours}}'' began when she punched him in the face after he mistook her for an intruder breaking into his neighbour's house.

[[folder]]

** In ''WesternAnimation/TheHunchbackOfNotreDame'', Phoebus openly admires Esmeralda's spirit and cunning as she fights off himself and the rest of the soldiers. "What a woman!" he exclaims, moments after narrowly ducking a flying helmet.

* When [[StarWars Luke Skywalker]] first met [[ExpandedUniverse Mara Jade]], she wanted to kill him more than anything. She later changed her mind and, ten years later, [[TheyDo married him]]. Talk about a false start.

* In ''Film/ShangChiAndTheLegendOfTheTenRings'', a flashback depicts Xu Wenwu (aka [[BigBad "The Mandarin"]]) as having met his future wife, Ying Li, after trespassing into [[HiddenElfVillage her hidden home in the forest]]. The fight scene that ensues goes from being a forceful duel to graceful, {{Wuxia}}-esque sparring, and even though Wenwu loses, it still resolves peacefully (as in, he gets [[BlowYouAway blown]] into her pond as she disappears), setting up their future relationship.