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They Do Love Each Other / Anime & Manga

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Aw, Look! They Really Do Love Each Other in Anime & Manga.

  • Albegas: Daisaku is often a crass asshole to his little brother Jiro and Jiro is often a pain in the neck to Daisaku, but they genuinely cares for each other and Jiro expresses worry for him every time he's piloting the titular mecha.
  • Ai no Kusabi ends with a tragic version of this. Despite being in a Master and "Pet" relationship which Riki hated and therefore was hostile to his master Iason, there are no doubts at the end that Iason and Riki were in love with one another. Iason was fatally injured and Riki stays by his side to die with him in an exploding fortress.
  • Happens a lot in Bludgeoning Angel Dokurochan. Dokuro even claims in the opening theme that all of the torment she piles on Sakura is just how she shows her love (while she cuddles and kisses his lifeless body on the ground.)
  • Cardcaptor Sakura: It's true that Sakura and Syaoran's relationship may be based on rivalry in an attempt to capture the cards but after a couple of episodes, there are a lot of scenes that shows they really do care for each other. Naturally this blossoms into a full romance by the end of the series.
  • Kogoro Mouri and his live-separatedly wife Eri Kisaki in Case Closed. Kogoro acts like a Lovable Sex Maniac, always chasing after pretty women and maintaining a crush on Idol Singer Okino Yoko, but never actually seems to take the act further than ogling or, at most, platonic dating. This behavior always takes a sudden turn for the worse whenever Eri is around, which causes Eri to get about ten degrees colder whenever Kogoro is nearby. On the other hand, they actually try to do nice things for each other once in a blue moon. (For example, Kogoro actually bought Eri a birthday present except that he got the day wrong and accidentally gave her the wrong gift box). Eri has also been known to make Kogoro dinner (too bad she's a Lethal Chef), and both her and Kogoro have turned Papa Wolf and Mama Bear respectively when the other has been suspected of murder.
  • Date A Live:
    • The Yamai twins are the split halves of a single being and constantly fight one another while trash-talking as one must inevitable absorb the other to become the true Yamai. However when Shido manages to get them apart, each sister pleads with him to pick the other sister as the winner. The two sisters love each other deeply and have been throwing fights to delay the fusion as long as possible. When the sisters realize the truth of how they both feel, they start fighting again but instead of their previous insults they are instead praising each other and trying to convince the other they deserve to win.
    • Isaac Westcott and Elliot Woodman spend most of the series opposing each other with the former scheming to use the power of the Spirits' Inverse Forms to rewrite reality to his imagine and the latter trying to stop him for it, but when the former is dying in Volume 19, they acknowledged each other as good friends, despite their differences.
  • Dragon Ball:
  • Quarterback Hiruma Youichi and Manager Mamori Anezaki from Eyeshield 21 have a lot of these moments near the end of the series.
  • In Franken Fran, in the epilogue, Gavrill and Fran console Veronica after some teasing. While this behavior is perfectly par for the course from Fran, for Gavrill of all people to display this kind of behavior is... actually really sweet.
  • Sousuke of Full Metal Panic! is not a fan of the Arbalest or its AI, Al (spelled with an L). Al is just about the only thing Sousuke will complain about on the regular, and most of his exchanges with Al involve either telling him to shut up or threatening to dismantle him once they dock. However, once the Arbalest is destroyed and Sousuke is separated from Al for some months, Sousuke insists on giving the Savage he pilots in the interim the same paint job (against the owner's preferences) and insists on calling it "Al II". And for all the grumbling he does about Al's "pretend human" talk and its uselessness, he readily accepts Al's reported feelings of grief and guilt over Lt. Sachs's death as genuine and takes a moment to comfort him before they head into their final mission.
  • Despite hating one another at first, Natsume and Mikan of Gakuen Alice have gradually progressed to the point where they've confessed to one another. It almost seemed one-sided for a long time as Natsume had already declared his feelings twice before (Albeit once was quite indirect and anonymous), but she has finally realized how much she cares for him as well. In fact, taking into account their parents' history together, it seems that they were perhaps destined to be with one another.
  • In Great Pretender, at the beginning of the fourth arc, Makoto visits his mother's grave and tells her everything that's happened to him over the past few years. When describing Team Confidence — whom he also openly admits to having a lot of resentment towards, and whom he often argues with — his tone makes it clear that he actually respects them quite a lot, no matter how much it frustrates him to be tied up in their capers.
  • Haruhi Suzumiya and Kyon have many of these moments throughout the series.
    • During Remote Island Syndrome (anime only), Kyon and Haruhi are exploring the island in the storm, and they hold hands as Kyon admits to himself that he feels safer with her there. At the very end, he tells Koizumi that he knew the murder was fake from the start, since Haruhi would never wish for someone to actually die.
    • In The Disappearance of Haruhi Suzumiya, Kyon wakes up in the hospital, where he was apparently in a mini-coma for three days. Koizumi tells him that at Haruhi's orders, they've been taking shifts watching over him so that no matter what, someone familiar would be there when he woke up. Haruhi herself, however, insisted that it is her duty to watch over her subordinates, and spent all three days curled up in a sleeping bag in the corner next to Kyon's bed. And he wakes her up by gently caressing her face.
    • In The Surprise of Haruhi Suzumiya, Kyon risks his life to save Haruhi from falling to her death as part of an attempted Kill the God attempt. When that plan falls apart (because a Diving Save doesn't really help in this situation), he's at least thankful that they'll die together.
    • After the aforementioned deicide incident in Surprise, Kyon is bouncing around time, and ends up in Haruhi's bed, on all fours on top of her. Not only does she not freak out or throw him out, but she was the one who sent him there in the first place.
    • In a different sense, Haruhi and Mikuru. Haruhi usually molests, dresses up, and tortures poor Mikuru, but there have been scenes where the two of them show they really do care about each other as friends.
  • Hetalia: Axis Powers:
    • Russia stalks China, then (sort of) comforts him after Japan's betrayal. General Winter has tormented him since childhood, but protects him during wars and Russia CRIES saying "My friend can't be defeated this easily" after General Winter falls after trying to protect him from them mysterious enemy in the Hetalia Bloodbath 2010.
    • The very dynamic of the trio Austria, Hungary, and Prussia works like this. While they do tend to quarrel and fight each other every now and them, they all really care and look out for one another.
    • France goes from taunting to genuinely concerned when he realizes his Sitcom Arch-Nemesis England is seriously sick in one strip and hurries to try to treat him. Sure, it's ruined when France gets a Dude, She's Like in a Coma moment and America bursts in, but it was sweet while it lasted.
    • England himself gets a moment in The Movie, where he cries out America's name in distress when the latter is hit by the aliens' transforming attack, leading to England getting distracted and hit as well.
  • Sae of Hidamari Sketch usually acts distant toward younger sister Chika, which often gets them into fights with each other. She really does think fondly of her, though, as seen when Chika is sleeping and Sae slips a book with her autograph into her bag and gently strokes her hair, and when she gives her a nice necklace as a present in honor of her passing of an entrance exam.
  • Hyakunichikan!!: Hisaki and his big sister tease each other a lot, but Shuuto explains to Chiho that they fight because they're close. Chiho asks if she and Shuuto should fight to become closer.
  • Kaoru and Hajime in I Can't Understand What My Husband Is Saying. Despite seeming distant, Kaoru really does want to understand her husband and the two of them have many moments throughout the series where they show their care for one another.
  • Turns out Evil Uncle Kosuke Tamura from Idol Densetsu Eriko is also capable of this. Not to his niece Eriko. To Rei...when she's attacked by bandits and badly injured. Even though Rei was the very daughter he spurned at birth, he realizes he cares for her and stays by her side hoping she'll get better. She makes a full recovery and the two accept each other as father and daughter, and Kosuke reforms into a nicer man.
  • Rather hilariously in Infinite Stratos, defrosted Laura. Everyone was expecting a Yandere with full-on murderous impulses. Instead, she's downright sweet.
  • Kagome and Inuyasha, in the early episodes, were like this frequently arguing and irritating each other but showing, during crucial moments, hat they cared for each other deeply As the show goes on, this diminishes as the settle into a normal relationship but it still comes up from time to time.
  • In JoJo's Bizarre Adventure: Stone Ocean, Jolyne Kujo's relationship with Jotaro is rocky enough that she refuses to acknowledge him as her father. However, when he loses his Stand and memory and ends up in a state that's all but dead while helping her escape from prison, she forgoes her chance at freedom for the slim hope of bringing him back.
  • Misaki from Junjou Romantica can't say "I love you" toward his boyfriend Usami, only managed to do so once, constantly shouts and scolds him (not that there aren't any reasons for all that), and always denies their relationship when asked, even though it's painfully obvious they're in love, but when his schoolmate made a move on Usami, he was really quick to react and go all "He's mine!"
  • Kaguya and Shirogane of Kaguya-sama: Love Is War spend most of their time on-screen playing mind games with each other, but it's made blatantly clear at multiple points that they have a rather large mutual crush.
  • Tomoe and Nanami from Kamisama Kiss. Tomoe is a Deadpan Snarker Jerk with a Heart of Gold while Nanami is a Type B Tsundere. On top of this, Tomoe is much more powerful, intelligent, and experienced than Nanami but is forced to obey her thanks to a magical contract. Because of this, Tomoe is rude and sarcastic towards Nanami most of the time but should anyone else mock, belittle, or ridicule her he is quick to come to her defense.
  • In Kyouran Kazoku Nikki this happens more and more between Ouka and Kyouka as the series progresses. Oddly enough, it is Kyouka who works the hardest at this, despite her aggressive tendencies.
  • Lady!!: Lynn and Sarah Russell. Lynn is openly affectionate to her big sister, but Sarah hated her and destroyed the flowers she kindly picked for her. After Lynn ran away from home, Sarah realized that she cared about Lynn even if she didn't express it and hide it from Arthur, and eventually accepted her friendship.
  • The Legend of Zelda (Akira Himekawa): In the adaptation of Oracle of Seasons, Link is dismissive of his grandfather's ambition to mold him into a knight, but he's provoked into fighting hard against another swordsman when said swordsman makes fun of the sword that belonged to his grandfather.
  • Koizumi and Otani in Lovely★Complex.
  • Lucky Star: Kagami and Konata, with the start of Episode 15 as one of the better examples.
  • Mazinger Z:
    • Kouji and Sayaka, the prototypical Battle Couple. Although in the original manga they got along well, the anime series took their Belligerent Sexual Tension up to eleven — some of their fights were legendary. However, you always had moments where they stopped to get mad, bicker and insult each other and showed they cared for each other very much.
    • In Episode 29 Kouji saw a Mechanical Beast — Grengus C3 — walking from the direction where Aphrodite A -Sayaka's Fembot — had gone at before. Inmediately he panicked, got on a bike and drove towards the place, yelling "Sayaka" all the way (he was so freaked out he did not realize the bike he had got was not his). When he finally found her — wounded and lying down on the floor beside Aphrodite A's remains — he shook her awake and hugged her.
    • In another episode, Kouji and Sayaka got an genuine serious fight, and Sayaka refused to back him up in battle. When he was seriously injured, Sayaka took care of him in the hospital and kissed him in his comatose sleep.
  • Kana and Chiaki from Minami-ke show the sisterly variety. Mostly seen fighting and arguing throughout the series, they also share some more intimate moments from time to time—especially when they face a threat from their big sister, Haruka.
  • Mitsudomoe: Mitsuba is outwardly the most abrasive and caustic of the three Marui triplets, yet inwardly she's also the softest — and not just because of her paunch. She keeps the pencil case Futaba made for her sisters, even though Futaba ruined her own and Hitoha tossed hers away; when Hitoha gets sick while she and Mitsuba are trapped in a storage shed, Mitsuba's bratty personality disappears and she desperately beats at the door for help. In fact, it's suggested that her bratty personality is the result of her being the only "normal" sister in a dysfunctional household and hence needing a way to stand out.
  • Suzuna and Kouichi in Moonlight Lady — after four episodes filled with lots of Slap-Slap-Kiss, they really start to grow on one another. It's heavily implied that it's more because of magic than actual love, however...
  • Naruto:
    • The Infinite Tsukuyomi shows that for all his complaining about her, Temari really is important to Shikamaru, enough to show up by his side in his dream world.
    • After all the murder attempts and insults, Sasuke's affectionate forehead poke to Sakura in Chapter 699 revealed his feelings for her.
  • One Piece: Zoro and Sanji are Vitriolic Best Buds who really hate each other's guts, they often compete in silly arguments and throw insulting nicknames to each other. And while they wouldn't consider themselves best friends (or friends at all, at least openly), there are several moments of them showing concern to each other.
    • During the Water 7 arc, when Sanji is infiltrating the Puffing Tom, Zoro tries to warn him about about the Rokushiki of the CP9. Sanji teases him about the concern.
    • At the end of the Thriller Bark arc, Zoro and Sanji are each willing to sacrifice themselves for the crew, which is why Zoro knocks Sanji out to prevent the latter's sacrifice from happening. When Sanji wakes up, he's concerned about Zoro's disappearance and he's happy to see him not too far away from the crew, but he's shocked at Zoro's half-dead body and all the blood spread around the area. Later, Sanji tells two of the witnesses not to spill about the event that happened last night to honor Zoro's sacrifice.
    • During the Sabaody Archipelago arc, Sanji actually leaves Nami in Franky's care so that he can run over to Usopp, Brook and Zoro (who is out of commission due to the aforementioned Thriller Bark incident) in order to protect the three. After Zoro and Brook vanish, Sanji is upset that he was "unable to protect two of his friends".
    • During the Zou arc, when Luffy learns that Sanji was forced to leave the Straw Hats in order to attend his arranged wedding with one of Big Mom's daughters, Luffy decides to enter Big Mom's territory. Luffy notices Zoro sitting at the house who has overheard the conversation and asks him if he's worried about Sanji. Zoro then threatens to kick Luffy and tells him to just let Sanji be gone. Given the fact that Zoro normally threatens people to cut them and he is almost never seen kicking anyone (which is Sanji's thing), it is clear that he's indeed worried about Sanji's situation, even if he doesn't want to admit it.
    • During the third act of the Land of Wano arc, when Law and Zoro come down back from the rooftop, Law runs away and instructs Sanji to bandage Zoro up. Sanji reluctantly does so and asks Zoro who could possibly hurt him to that extend (it's Kaidou and Big Mom), showing that Sanji is aware how strong Zoro is. Sanji has to carry Zoro around while he's all bandaged and protect him from enemies, and Zoro sleeps through the entire time. Zoro only really sleeps if he feels secure, showing how much he trusts Sanji to keep him safe.
    • Also later during the third act of the Land of Wano arc, when Sanji discovers that his dormant genetic modifications are awakening, he's afraid to turn into a compassionless Super-Soldier like his brothers, so he calls Zoro via a Transponder Snail and asks him after the battle that if Sanji has gone mad that he should kill him. Zoro complies and tells him not to die beforehand.
  • PandoraHearts: Gil and Alice have had a few of these moments in both the anime and the manga, they *claim* to hate each other but find themselves inexplicably worried when harm comes across the other.
  • Averted in Panty & Stocking with Garterbelt when Panty and Brief finally make love (implied to be more than just sex). Brief is falling from the sky and when Panty has a chance to save him, she flinches away from him in disgust because he's in dork mode. And he falls straight into the keyhole of Hellsgate.
    • Played straight, however, in "The Phantom of Daten City" when Stocking is preparing to elope with a Ghost, despite the fact this means she might never get back to heaven, Panty intervenes and tells Stocking the ghost isn't good enough for her, prompting the previously Jerkass Ghost to prove his true feelings and make an Anguished Declaration of Love to Stocking. (Much to Panty's disgust.) Also played straight in "Cat Fight Club", when Panty pulls a Big Damn Heroes to save Stocking after an argument, and the two reconcile at the end. Both of these heartwarming moments make the Gainax Ending all the more jarring.
  • Episode 18 of The Pet Girl of Sakurasou reveals more of Jin and Misaki's back story, and why he always felt he was never good enough for her. Despite that, Sorata and Nanami help them to meet each other at least one more time before he goes off to Osaka for college.
  • Ranma ½:
    • This sums up Ranma and Akane's relationship:
      Ranma: Please, Akane. I need you... to hear me now... I wanted to tell you... I wanted to tell you that I love you!
    • Also Ranma and Ukyo and Ranma and Shampoo, from a friendly rather than romantic standpoint.
    • Ranma and Ryoga qualify as well.
    • And for that matter, Ranma and Genma. Even though they are always fighting and never really show any platonic affection for each other, they've got each other's back when it really counts. No mercy when it comes to food though. That stuff is serious business.
      Ranma: Irresponsible jerk! [slaps Genma around] How dare you make us worry about you!
  • Inner Moka from Rosario + Vampire acts cold to Tsukune and always tells him that she tolerates him to make Outer Moka happy, but God help you if she finds out you hurt him (later extends to the rest of his harem). Tsukune, meanwhile, is scared of her at first, then admits in Chapter 27 of Season 2 (manga) that he loves her as much as he loves Outer Moka and wants them to become one person. And now Tsukune is putting himself through a potentially deadly surgery so he'll have the power to protect her.
    • Tsukune's harem towards each other, they fight one another and plot each other's downfalls but when a legitimate threat shows up, they are more then willing to lay down their lives for each other. Kurumu especially, she is so in love with Tsukune it's killing her, but she wants to still be friends with everyone to the point that she is the Team Mom and the first to bring back any haremites that may leave.
  • Sailor Moon:
    • In the original anime, Usagi and Rei are usually at ends with each other, but the series makes it clear that Rei is the closest friend to Usagi among the Guardians.
    • Despite their constant bickering and fights with one another it's made clear, multiple times, that Usagi and Chibi-Usa do indeed love one another with Usagi going full Mama Bear if anyone even thinks about hurting her. Their tearful goodbye at the end of R really makes it stand out especially this line in the Viz English dub:
      Chibi-Usa: I love you, Mommy.
    • Usagi and Shingo have this going on. Like most siblings, their Sibling Rivalry and familial love go hand in hand. When Shingo's having a problem with his best friend, Usagi's the only one there for him, and when she goes missing, he makes every effort to find her and regrets how he acted earlier.
  • Anna and Yoh in Shaman King. To be specific, there were a few instances of this to be shown in the anime, when it was thought that Hao killed Yoh and Anna has a Heroic BSoD moment, clinging onto his headphones and staring into space that goes on for a few episodes until he comes Back from the Dead. The two share a few words and she gives him back his headphones before he goes back into battle. In the manga and anime, when Yoh let's an evil spirit possess him to save his friend, the Spirit tells everyone he's going to force Yoh to kill himself when he possesses him. This causes Anna to drop to her knees in tears. This instance was the first instance that you realize that Anna truly does love Yoh. There are several more instances that crop up in the manga proving that both characters really do care about each other, like the first time they met, or when they spend the last night together before Yoh leaves to America.
  • Sket Dance
    • Bossun and Tsubaki, despite being rivals, team up well and have shown mutual respect for each other. Things only get better between the two of them after The Reveal that they are twin brothers.
    • Bossun and Himeko. Despite their constant bickering, they are shown to care a lot for each other, inching ever closer to She Is Not My Girlfriend territory.
  • Sonic X:
    • Rouge has a crush on Knuckles just like in the games, but their love interest aspect is more expanded on. As such, they do get moments like this from time to time.
    • Amy and Sonic's relationship runs entirely on this trope. Amy often acts like an overbearing Stalker with a Crush, which usually results in Sonic fleeing the first chance he gets. However, it's the little things that show just how deeply they care for one another. Sonic is terrified of water because he can't swim, but he willingly jumps into the ocean to save a drowning Amy. He also wears the protective shell bracelet she made him. Later on, Amy returns the favour by jumping into the vacuum of space to save a trapped Sonic. The two also hug several times throughout the show, and at one point, Sonic even hands her a rose.
  • Soul Eater:
    • Although not an Official Couple as of yet, Soul literally throws himself in front of Maka to protect her at least three times during the manga, despite acting like a jerk to her most of the time. (Although Soul says it's his job as a weapon, you don't see Tsubaki doing that for Black*Star or either of the Thompson sisters doing that for Kid.) Maka's also devastated and blames herself when Soul is in the hospital after nearly being killed by Crona and infected with Black Blood, despite her being a jerk to him as well. Later chapters tend to show Soul being more compassionate toward Maka, especially during the fight with the Clown and in the Book of Eibon's Sloth chapter, where he doesn't need or allow Maka to apologize for her behaviour. They also tend to hold hands or have an arm around the other.
    • Liz seems to be this way towards Kid recently; she's always calling him 'prissy' and trying to kick him out of his OCD-mode, but at one point in time refers to him as 'wonderful' and starts to cry at the thought of his hospitality and her inability to thank him for it.
    • Black*Star towards Tsubaki, when he refuses to move from her side as she fights her brother, allowing her to take center stage. Tsubaki also seems to feel this way towards Black*Star, as she is the only one who stands up for him.
  • Space Patrol Luluco: Despite a violent divorce and being on opposite sides of the law, Lalaco and Keiji do still love each other (even if the former has a very weird way of showing it). Lalaco is also shown to care about her daughter Luluco despite her status as an Abusive Parent, giving her full support (both emotionally and literally) when she goes to confess to Nova.
  • Urusei Yatsura:
    • In a Anime original two-parter Ataru Moroboshi sums up his relationship with Lum when Mendo confronts him about how the oni princess would be much better off without him: "I hate being bound to Lum... but I hate people trying to take Lum away from me more!"
    • Also, when he was shown the possible future in which he had the harem he had always wanted and discovered that Lum had abandoned his future self due to some truly horrible treatment (pawning and selling her stuff, tricking her into working and making her sleep on the roof to make room for his other 'wives'), he proceeds to whack future-Ataru on the head and openly admitting that without Lum, a harem means nothing to him. Likewise, when he sees the future where he and Lum are just walking out of a church where their wedding took place and sees that Lum is so happy she's openly crying of joy, he softens up to the idea and proceeds to attempt to save this future (the others are about to be destroyed).
  • Sunako Nakahara and Kyohei Takano in The Wallflower are often shown bickering. However its shown more often than not that they place each others well being on very high levels even if they don't admit it to themselves.
  • In X1999 Seishirou and Subaru get some form of this, in their short conversation as Seishirou lays dying in Subaru's arms.
  • Yusuke and Keiko in YuYu Hakusho.
  • Zettai Heiwa Daisakusen's entire premise focuses on this trope and Arranged Marriage, with a pinch of Hilarity Ensues for good measure.

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