History Main / MatchmakerCrush

* In ''Manga/KannazukiNoMiko'' Chikane actively pushes Himeko to date Souma because [[IWantMyBelovedToBeHappy she wants her to be happy.]]

* Ryuji and Taiga of ''LightNovel/{{Toradora}}'' are another example of mutual matchmakers falling for each other. He was trying to help her get Yusaku's affections, whereas she was supporting him with Minori, and one thing led to another.

* The Korean manhwa ''Green Boy'' has a more direct spin on this. [[GenkiGirl Ha-Eun]] has a crush on [[BadassBookworm Taejin]], who is already on crushing on [[ActionGirl Jae-in]]. Since Ha-Eun wants to be friends with both Jae-in and Taejin, she happily pushes them both toward each other even as she makes no secret about her crush on Taejin to both of them while assuring them that she'd never act on it because she [[ShipperOnDeck finds them both adorable together]]. The trope is played with, however, when later chapters show that this is partly [[StepfordSmiler a facade]], and she visibly struggles to stifle her GreenEyedMonster the first time she sees them kiss.

* ''LightNovel/ShakuganNoShana'': Hayato Ike often helps Kazumi Yoshida to hook up and show her affection toward Yuji. When he chastises Yuji for leading her on, Yuji confronts Ike about his own feelings for her. It took him until the second season for Hayato to realize it and tries to do anything for himself, for the sake of his feeling toward Kazumi.
* ''VisualNovel/SchoolDays'':
** Sekai helps Makoto and Kotonoha hook up and puts a lot more effort into it than you would expect. Then she gives herself a reward for her efforts by surprise-kissing Makoto. This does ''not'' end well.
** There's actually a recursive variant, as Sekai is in turn assisted by her best friend [[spoiler: or better said, half-sister]] Setsuna who ''also'' has a crush on Makoto [[RescueRomance because he protected her from bullies]]. It turns out that originally [[spoiler: Sekai was helping ''Setsuna'' try to win Makoto, but developed her own feelings for him and ended up asking Setsuna for help...]]
* ''Manga/KashimashiGirlMeetsGirl'': Tomari pushes Hazumu to confess to Yasuna, ends up dragged into the {{yuri}} LoveTriangle that is the main plot.

* ''Manga/VideoGirlAi'': Ai falls for Youta, the UnluckyEverydude she's trying to hook up with his female friend Moemi. He, ironically, was trying to hook up said friend with ''his'' best friend, Takashi. (And his selfless act is what lets him get Ai's help in the first place...)

* ''Manga/HayateTheCombatButler'':
** [[TheIdiotFromOsaka Sakuya]] gave up her own spot in a [[ElaborateUniversityHigh high-class school]] so that her childhood friend Wataru could go to the same school as another childhood friend, Isumi, he has a crush on. She also loudly complains about his lack of progress in confessing his feelings to Isumi. A lot of the ShipTease in the later chapters, however, suggest very strongly that Sakuya has a crush on Wataru herself.
** There's also Hinagiku vowing to help Nishizawa but liking Hayate herself. Isumi has something similar going with Nagi, but unlike Hinagiku makes no attempts on her own behalf as well. Of course, Nishizawa would gladly [[{{Polyamory}} share Hayate with Hinagiku... or is that share Hinagiku with Hayate?]]
* Akane in ''VisualNovel/{{Suika}}'' eventually regrets that she set up Touko and Yoshikazu.

* In ''Manga/KannazukiNoMiko'' Chikane actively pushes Himeko to date Souma because [[IWantMyBelovedToBeHappy she wants her to be happy.]]
* In ''Manga/TheWorldGodOnlyKnows'', this trope is used in two occasions to prove that even Keima can be GenreBlind:
** {{Inverted}} in Chihiro's arc. When Keima needs to capture Chihiro, he helps her capture her crush (after all, she just needs to fall in love, it doesn't have to be with Keima), but she eventually skips the confession to be with Keima instead.
** A few arcs later, Keima recruits Chihiro's friend Ayumi to help him recapture Chihiro [[spoiler:to determine which of them is Mercury's host]]. Ayumi accepts to help him and does a good enough job at feigning disinterest that Keima comes to the conclusion that she doesn't have feelings for him [[spoiler:and has no goddess]]. He was wrong.
** Another example would be Tenri's goddess, Diana. Since Tenri is too shy to come forth with her feelings for Keima, Diana tries to push her towards him and eventually falls for Keima herself.
* ''Momo'' in ''Manga/ToLoveRu'' is one of the rare [[InvertedTrope inversions]]. After she falls for her older sister Lala's fiance Rito, she then tries to [[HaremSeeker hook him up with almost every named female in the series]]. Lala is the crown princess of the galaxy, so, as she says "the rules of Earth don't apply"; Momo knows if Rito is forced to pick a girl out of the [[LoveDodecahedron Love Dodecahedron]]...it wouldn't be her. So she came up with the [[MarryThemAll Harem Plan]] because ''she would get to be in it.''
* Yukari, a bisexual girl from the manga ''Manga/RosarioToVampire'', is this for both Tsukune and Moka, who she openly ships together. This is because Yukari's in love with both of them, and she thinks that if they become a couple, it'll be easier for her to get a threesome with them.

* Tenga from ''Anime/{{Kiznaiver}}'' tries to set up Chidori with [[NewOldFlame Katsuhira]]. [[spoiler: It's revealed in episode 8 that Tenga has developed feelings for Chidori.]]

* When the two protagonists of ''Anime/YourName'' are switching bodies, Mitsuha will try to help Taki to get closer to his crush, Miki Okudera, eventually setting up a date between them. However, Mitsuha gradually falls in love with Taki, [[spoiler: even visiting Tokyo in order to wish him good luck, not realizing their time is out of sync.]] Taki on the other hand also falls in love with her, with Miki seeing this when he doesn't seem to be interested in their date.
* In ''Manga/DadTheBeardGorillaAndI'', Yukari wants to pursue Souichi, and she is helped by Tsukasa and Hino, who give her tips on how to attract his attention, and try their best to find opportunities for the two to get together. Eventually, Tsukasa falls for Souichi, while Hino becomes attracted to Yukari. [[spoiler: The first pair becomes an OfficialCouple, while the second gets a MaybeEverAfter after the former gets married.]]

* A brief subplot in ''Film/WhenHarryMetSally'' finds Harry and Sally setting each other up with each other's best same-gender friends. Unfortunately, said friends hit it off immediately with each other, leaving Harry and Sally to continue to deal with their own feelings.

* In ''Film/AmericanPie2'', Michelle helps Jim get Nadia, the girl he's always been in love with, only to find that she's fallen in love with him.

* In ''Film/NowYouSeeMe'', Merritt takes delight in using his cold reading skills to uncover the romantic history and continuing attraction between Danny and Henley, [[ShipperOnDeck apparently hoping]] they'll eventually get (back) together... but is not above hitting on Henley himself when he sees she's getting nowhere with Danny.

* ''Literature/MemoirsOfAGeisha'' has the Chairman heroically giving up Sayuri to his friend Nobu until he discovers Sayuri has been in love with him for years. Interestingly, we don't actually find out he loves her (though there are hints) until almost the end of the book.

* In the ''Literature/DragonridersOfPern'' novel ''The White Dragon'', we find Masterharper Robinton has strong feelings for his gifted apprentice Menolly, even though he has done everything he can to foster a romantic attachment between her and Sebell. In a moment of weakness, he kisses her and finds, to his surprise, Menolly feels the same way, although the immense age difference (implied to be 40 years or more) makes a romantic involvement a non-starter.
* In an Creator/LMMontgomery story "The Education of Betty", a man, having been the best man while his best friend marries his true love, then did his best for the widow and orphan. When the girl is grown up, he tries to pair her with a man his own age, and demands to know why she refused -- whereupon she declares her love. Prior to that, his awareness had been limited to realizing that her mother was not so perfect after all, lacking her daughter's spirit.
* In ''As You Wish'' by Jackson Pearce, the jinn that appears to Kayla is supposed to grant 3 wishes to her as quickly as possible, as per protocol. One of her wishes is to date the most popular guy in school, and the jinn starts to fall in love with her after she wishes this.
* In ''Literature/{{Middlesex}}'', this happens with Desdemona and Lefty. Although Lefty was in love with her before she started trying to matchmake for him. It's only during the matchmaking process, however, that the feels start to become more reciprocal.

* ''Series/{{Skins}}'' does this in the S4 finale; [[spoiler:Katie is trying to get Thomas and Pandora back together, but realises at a fairly awkward moment that the plan has gone badly wrong and she's fallen for him...]]
* In ''Series/{{Charmed|1998}}'', Coop, a cupid who's job it is to find true love for people, falls in love with his charge, Phoebe.

* ''Series/{{Community}}'': Played with in "[[Recap/CommunityS4E08HerstoryOfDance Herstory of Dance]]." Shirley and Annie both try and set Abed up with dates, and Abed thinks it will be fun to invoke the TwoTimerDate trope (without telling Shirley, Annie, or the dates). At the beginning of the night, he meets a girl named Rachel at the coat check, who thinks his plan sounds awesome and decides to help. Throughout the night, Rachel and Abed are getting closer, but he fails to notice and accidentally offends her. He goes back to apologize, and admits he really should have noticed.
-->'''Abed:''' I was so caught up in the obvious trope that I missed the even more obvious one.
* In ''Series/PowerRangersZeo'', when Tommy receives a DearJohnLetter from Kimberly and gets heartbroken, Katherine tries to help him hook up with a girl named Heather, who seems the perfect match for him. Her attempts only result in Tommy becoming attracted to ''Kat herself'', which coupled with the fact she already harbored feelings for him from the past season result in the two getting together.

* Launcelot in ''Theatre/TheMerchantOfVenice'' is the go-between for Lorenzo and Jessica, delivering their love messages and generally helping them with their elopement. However, he's fond enough of Jessica that many productions interpret their relationship this way. Lorenzo himself can't help but wonder, at one point joking that he'll get jealous if Launcelot keeps stealing Jessica for alone time.
* Averted in ''Theatre/MuchAdoAboutNothing'', though the villain of the play briefly convinces Claudio that this is in play between the Prince and Hero. Don Pedro the Prince is also sometimes interpreted as being so interested in the match he makes between Beatrice and Benedick because he's in love with Beatrice himself.
* In the opera ''La Gioconda'', the main character Gioconda is in love with the rebel Enzo. However he's in love with the noblewoman Laura, who saved Gioconda and her mother at the beginning. [[UnrequitedTragicMaiden Gioconda]] decides to repay her debt to Laura by helping her escape from her loveless marriage and get together with Enzo, [[spoiler: even [[HeroicSacrifice giving her life to do so]].]]

* Quoted above: Sain from ''[[VideoGame/FireEmblemElibe Fire Emblem: Rekka no Ken]]'' tells such phrases to his best friend and partner Kent in their B support, having noticed Kent's BodyguardCrush on their common lady of liege Lyndis, whom he also has a crush on. (Then again, this ''is'' [[ChivalrousPervert Sa]][[ShipperOnDeck in]] we're talking about.)
* ''VideoGame/FireEmblemAwakening'': Subverted. In [[TheAce Cordelia]] and [[BoisterousBruiser Gregor's]] supports, Gregor develops feelings for Cordelia [[UnrequitedTragicMaiden who has been in love with Chrom for a long time]], but decides to give her tips to win his affections instead. In the S support, however, Cordelia surprises Gregor via declaring her love for ''him'' instead, and [[RelationshipUpgrade they get together]].

* In ''VideoGame/FireEmblemFates'', the support chain between [[HotBlooded Hinata]] and [[GirlyBruiser Oboro]] has Hinata PlayingCyrano between Oboro and their lord-of-liege [[TheCynic Prince Takumi]]... only for him to realise that ''he'' has fallen for Oboro. If the player unlocks their S-Support, Hinata gives a LoveConfession to Oboro - which she accepts, since by that time he has become her SecondLove.
** This can also potentially happen to [[BornUnlucky Arthur]], shall the player unlock his supports with Princess Camilla who is in love with the PlayerCharacter. Again, if their S-Support is unlocked Arthur will tell Camilla about his feelings, and she will tell him that she has come to like him back.

* In ''VideoGame/FinalFantasyVII'''s romance subplot, Tifa begins to like Cloud ''more'' when he shows concern for her friend and potential love rival Aerith. It can easily be seen as Tifa appreciating the fact that Cloud actually cares about ''somebody'', even if that somebody isn't her. On the other hand, in the exact same situation, Aerith loses affection points for Cloud when he shows concern for Tifa.

* ''Webcomic/FreakingRomance'': Zelan initially is a hardcore shipper for Zylith and her best friend Verose. However, things get complicated when he starts to develop feelings for Zylith, and it's implied that the reason he ships them so hard is to avoid his catching feelings.

** There's also Hinagiku vowing to help Nishizawa but liking Hayate herself. Isumi has something similar going with Nagi, but unlike Hinagiku makes no attempts on her own behalf as well. Of course, [[BiTheWay Nishizawa would gladly]] [[{{Polyamory}} share Hayate with Hinagiku... or is that share Hinagiku with Hayate?]]

* In ''Manga/DadTheBeardGorillaAndI'', Yukari wants to pursue Souichi, and is helped by Tsukasa and Hino, who gives her tips on how to attract his attention, and tries their best to create opportunities for the two to get together. Eventually, Tsukasa falls for Souichi, while Hino becomes attracted to Yukari. [[spoiler: The first pair becomes an OfficialCouple, while the second gets a MaybeEverAfter after the former gets married.]]

* Sophia in ''LightNovel/DestructionFlagOtome'' is at least a little in love with her best friend Katarina, but unlike everyone else she seems more interested in getting her to date her older brother Nicol. [[BigBrotherWorship Given how much she thinks of her brother]] that says a ''lot.'' With her advice, Nicol is the only one to manage so successfully get her to accept a girly gift like a necklace by making sure it's not too expensive and resembles one from a story Katarina likes.

* In ''Literature/Middlesex'', this happens with Desdemona and Lefty. Although Lefty was in love with her before she started trying to matchmake for him. It's only during the matchmaking process, however, that the feels start to become more reciprocal.

[[folder:Film]]

[[folder:{{Manhwa}}]]
* The Korean manhwa ''Green Boy'' has a more direct spin on this. [[GenkiGirl Ha-Eun]] has a crush on [[BadassBookworm Taejin]], who is already on crushing on [[ActionGirl Jae-in]]. Since Ha-Eun wants to be friends with both Jae-in and Taejin, she happily pushes them both toward each other even as she makes no secret about her crush on Taejin to both of them while assuring them that she'd never act on it because she [[ShipperOnDeck finds them both adorable together]]. The trope is played with, however, when later chapters show that this is partly [[StepfordSmiler a facade]], and she visibly struggles to stifle her GreenEyedMonster the first time she sees them kiss.
[[/folder]]

[[folder:Mythology and Folklore]]
* The legend of the star-crossed lovers Diarmuid and Deirdre in CelticMythology. The valiant and noble warrior Diarmuid is sent by his King to collect the lovely Deirdre, the fairest woman in all Ireland, for her arranged marriage to the King Diarmuid serves. The King explains that he can only trust Diarmuid to be principled enough to ensure the beautiful woman arrives safely, and still a virgin. However, she is less than thrilled at being married off to a man twice her age. Romance begins and the two elope as lovers, enraging the king who sends warriors to track and slay them.

[[folder:NewspaperComics]]
* ''ComicStrip/{{Peanuts}}'':
** Marcie trying to set up Charlie Brown and Peppermint Patty, while liking Charlie Brown herself.
** Linus trying to set up Charlie Brown and the Little Red-Haired Girl, but turning out to like her himself (unfortunately for Charlie, Linus is way smoother than he is).
[[/folder]]

[[folder:Theatre]]

[[folder:Webcomics]]

* In ''[[WebOriginal/{{KeitAi}} Keit-Ai]]'', the boy who somehow contacted the [[AlternateUniverse alternate universe]] version of his crush (who's also in love with his own [[AlternateSelf AU self]]) must cooperate with each other to win the hearts of their other selves. However, DRAMA ensues when he and the AU girl fall for each other instead.

[[folder:WesternAnimation]]

* In ''Series/{{Charmed}}'', Coop, a cupid who's job it is to find true love for people, falls in love with his charge, Phoebe.

* In ''VideoGame/FinalFantasyVII'''s romance subplot, Tifa begins to like Cloud ''more'' when he shows concern for her friend and potential love rival Aerith. It can easily be seen as Tifa appreciating the fact that [[JerkassFacade Cloud]] actually cares about ''somebody'', even if that somebody isn't her. On the other hand, in the exact same situation, Aerith loses affection points for Cloud when he shows concern for Tifa.

* [[http://kaceart.tumblr.com/post/159355756737/rowdyholtzy-wheres-the-goofy-teen-comedy-where This]] Tumblr post plays the trope straight.

* On ''Series/{{Misfits}}'', Rudy spends all of Series 4 and the beginning of Series 5 trying to get Jess to go out with Finn. Rudy being Rudy, it's fairly inevitable that he eventually ends up falling for her himself and going to extreme and comical lengths to ensure everyone gets a happy ending. [[spoiler:Making a video of Jess on the loo so that Finn will see her at her most unattractive, accidentally posting it to YouTube instead of texting it to Finn, then knocking her phone into a lake before she can watch - only to have her see it later anyway on someone else's computer, because that's how the Internet works - is actually one of the less disastrous things he does.]] Luckily it all works out... eventually.

* Subverted [[CrowningMomentOfHeartwarming in the sweetest way ever]] in ''VideoGame/FireEmblemAwakening''. In [[TheAce Cordelia]] and [[BoisterousBruiser Gregor's]] supports, Gregor develops feelings for Cordelia [[UnrequitedTragicMaiden who has been in love with Chrom for a long time]], but decides to give her tips to win his affections instead. In the S support, however, Cordelia surprises Gregor via declaring her love for ''him'' instead, and [[RelationshipUpgrade they get together]].

* ''Tokimeki Memorial 2'' has Kotoko Minaduki, who wishes for her best friend, Hikari (the heroine, and main love interest of the protagonist) [[IWantMyBelovedToBeHappy to finish with her childhood friend of a protagonist]]. Being a solid Type A {{Tsundere}}, she will NOT hesitate giving [[ArmorPiercingSlap Armor Piercing Slaps]] to him if she ever feels he neglects Hikari. Yet the protagonist can woo Kotoko (much to her resistance to her growing feelings for him), leading to this trope, and [[spoiler: a SlapSlapKiss (coming all from Kotoko) CrowningMomentOfHeartwarming on Kotoko's ending, where she and Hikari are in love with the protagonist]].

* Rider in ''VisualNovel/FateStayNight'', judging by ''VisualNovel/FateHollowAtaraxia''. She's clearly pushing Sakura and Shirou together the best she can (very awkward, uncomfortable and dangerous-feeling way) in Heaven's Feel, but in the sequel she's revealed to have something of an attraction to him as well. Oh, and Sakura gets [[{{Yandere}} very]] jealous when Shirou admits that Rider is very beautiful and he likes her. He means it in a completely platonic way, but Sakura's self esteem isn't very good. Interestingly enough, being nice to Rider still gets you Sakura points -- and this includes the scene where Shirou says Rider is pretty.

* Ryuji and Taiga of ''LightNovel/{{Toradora}}'' are another example of mutual matchmakers falling for each other. He was trying to help her get Yusaku's affections, whereas she was supporting him with Minori, and one tyhing led to another.

* ''WesternAnimation/StarVsTheForcesOfEvil'' has the episode "Sleepover", where it is revealed that Star has unknowingly -- [[SelectiveObliviousness even to herself]] -- developed feelings for Marco over the course of their adventures together, despite her regular attempts to make him and Jackie-Lynn Thomas a couple over the previous season and a half. [[spoiler:Jackie and Marco getting together causes Star to become so jealous that it causes her magic to go haywire at several moments. The second season ends with her admitting her feelings for Marco, while Jackie is in the room no less, before moving back home permanently to Mewni.]]

-->-- '''Sain''' towards '''Kent''', ''VideoGame/FireEmblemElibe''

* Takeo from ''Manga/MyLoveStory'' tries to hook up his friend Suna with Yamato, however he's fallen for her. He decides to cheer their 'romance' on nevertheless. The problem is Yamato likes ''Takeo'', not Suna, but Takeo is ObliviousToLove. It takes Suna [[GenreSavvy outright telling]] them that the other likes them for the two to become a couple.

* ''Series/{{Community}}'': Played with in "[[Recap/CommunityS4E08HerstoryOfDance Herstory of Dance]]." Shirley and Annie both try and set Abed up with dates, and Abed thinks it will be fun to invoke the TwoTimerDate trope (without telling Shirley, Annie, or the dates). At the beginning of the night, he meets a girl named Rachel at the coat check, who thinks his plan sounds awesome and decides to help. Throughout the night, Rachel and Abed are getting closer, but he fails to notice and accidentally offends her. He goes back to apologize, and admits [[GenreSavvy he really should have noticed]].

* The legend of the star-crossed lovers Diarmuid and Deirdre in Irish mythology. The valiant and noble warrior Diarmuid is sent by his King to collect the lovely Deirdre, the fairest woman in all Ireland, for her arranged marriage to the King Diarmuid serves. The King explains that he can only trust Diarmuid to be principled enough to ensure the beautiful woman arrives safely, and still a virgin. However, she is less than thrilled at being married off to a man twice her age. Romance begins and the two elope as lovers, enraging the king who sends warriors to track and slay them.

** This was later incorporated wholesale into the Arthurian mythos as the tale of Tristan and Isolde. Here, the added twist is that hearing of her revulsion for King Mark of Cornwall, Tristan acquires a love potion, which with the best of intentions he intends using on her to make her fall in love with Mark. But she deftly ensures Tristan drinks it so he falls in love with her...

* The legend of the star-crossed lovers Diarmuid and Deirdre in Irish mythology. The valiant and noble warrior Diarmuid is sent by his King to collect the lovely Deirdre, the fairest woman in all Ireland, for her arranged marriage to the King Diarmuid serves. The King explains that he can only trust Diarmuid to be principled enough to ensure the beautiful woman arrives safely, and still a virgin. however, she is less than thrilled at being married off to a man twice her age. Romance begins and the two elope as lovers, enraging the king who sends warriors to track and slay them.

* In ''VisualNovel/RumblingHearts'', Mitsuki does her best to hook Takayuki up with Haruka, only to end up paired with him after the accident. Granted, it's implied that she had a secret crush on him before that but it only fully blossoms after Takayuki and Haruka start going out with her help.
* Rider in ''VisualNovel/FateStayNight'', judging by ''VisualNovel/FateHollowAtaraxia''. She's clearly pushing Sakura and Shirou together the best she can (very awkward, uncomfortable and dangerous-feeling way) in Heaven's Feel, but in the sequel she's revealed to have something of an attraction to him as well. Oh, and Sakura gets [[{{Yandere}} very]] jealous when Shirou admits that Rider is very beautiful and he likes her. He means it in a completely platonic way, but Sakura's self esteem isn't very good. Interestingly enough, being nice to Rider still gets you Sakura points -- and this includes the scene where Shirou says Rider is pretty. OT3?
* In ''VisualNovel/KatawaShoujo'', [[spoiler: Misha is revealed to harbor one of these in Shizune's route. In a subversion, Misha isn't in love with Hisao... [[SchoolgirlLesbians but with]] ''[[SchoolgirlLesbians Shizune]]''.]]
** This ''may'' have happened in [[spoiler: Lilly]]'s path too. [[spoiler: With Hanako developing feelings for Hisao, but choosing to not reveal them since she can clearly see that Hisao is smitten with Lilly.]]

* ''WesternAnimation/StarVsTheForcesOfEvil'' has [[spoiler:the episode "Sleepover", where it is revealed that Star has unknowingly -- [[SelectiveObliviousness even to herself]] -- developed feelings for Marco over the course of their adventures together, despite her regular attempts to make him and Jackie-Lynn Thomas a couple over the previous season and a half. And in "Bon Bon the Birthday Clown" when Marco actually goes out on a date with Jackie, Star gets increasingly jealous to the point that it causes her to lose control of her magic.]]

** This can also potentially happen to [[BornUnlucky Arthur]], shall the player unlock his supports with [[BadassPrincess Princess Camilla]] who is in love with the PlayerCharacter. Again, if their S-Support is unlocked Arthur will tell Camilla about his feelings, and she will tell him that she has come to like him back.

* ''Series/{{Friends}}'': Rachel made this mistake twice with Ross. First, she initially agrees to Phoebe setting Ross up with a "bald" girl before finding out that said girl has grown her hair back and is beautiful. Second, she begs Ross to take her boss's niece to the opera so she can meet up with Joshua and then starts having feelings for Ross again while he is getting married to the latter girl.