History Main / ApologisesaLot

Alright, this trope is about a character who [[ExactlyWhatItSaysOnTheTin apologizes a lot]]. When called on it, may actually apologize for being so apologetic, leading to a common gag where they apologize when asked to stop apologizing so much. Often a trait of a CuteClumsyGirl and not out of place on a ShrinkingViolet. Often comes with SelfDeprecation. Some {{Apologetic Attacker}}s do this, some only apologize once or twice. SorryIFellOnYourFist is an extreme example. Sometimes associated with CanadaEh types or the Japanese.

* ''Manga/{{Doraemon}}'': Occurs in [[Recap/Doraemon1979E1759SoapBubbles "Soap Bubbles"]]. When someone's under the effects of the Soap Bubble Straw, they will greatly apologize for everything they have done, even if other people don't need them to apologize.

* Yuriko the intern from ''Film/UltraQTheMovieLegendOfTheStars'', whose dialogue consists mostly of "Sorry, sorry!" even if the mistakes which happened aren't her fault, and ''nobody'' is actively blaming her. Spilled coffee? "Shinimasen!" Knocked over something? "Gomen!" Alien gunk found in her file? "Gomenasai!"...

Alright, this trope is about a character who [[ExactlyWhatItSaysOnTheTin apologizes a lot]]. When called on it, may actually apologize for being so apologetic, leading to a common gag where they apologize when asked to stop apologizing so much. Often a trait of a CuteClumsyGirl and not out of place on a ShrinkingViolet. Often comes with SelfDeprecation. Some {{Apologetic Attacker}}s do this, some only apologize once or twice. SorryIFellOnYourFist is an extreme example. Sometimes associated with CanadaEh types.

* Noel Vermillion from ''VideoGame/BlazBlue''; in a flashback story, her future friend Tsubaki remarks on this and tells her that she should save her apologies for an appropriate time.

[[folder:Real Life]]
* This is a stereotype often associated with [[CanadaEh Canadians]], with varying degrees of accuracy. Canadians are stereotyped as overly-polite to a fault, which includes a lot of apologising.
-->'''Creator/ConanOBrien:''' What would you say is the most Canadian thing about you, about your personality?\\
'''Jessica Pare:''' I -- well, I apologize to inanimate objects when I bump into them.
** A similar stereotype is associated with British people, which might be where the Canadians got it from. In fact, it's [[https://www.legislation.gov.uk/ukpga/2006/29/section/2?view=plain stated in English law]] that an apology should not be considered an admission of fault.
* UsefulNotes/{{Japan}}ese have [[http://japanese.about.com/od/Grammar/a/Expressing-Apologies.htm an entire system]] dedicated to different apologies and their unique connotations.
* This is a common trait among people with low self-esteem and lacking trust and/or social skills, as well as people who have been abused. It's a defense mechanism to prevent rejection, violence, or hostility that they feel directed towards them, but also to dodge and avoid a conflict.
* Some [[UsefulNotes/HighFunctioningAutism autistic]] people are known to do this. It makes sense: if they're [[ParanoiaFuel never truly sure if any remark they made is]] misconstrued, InnocentlyInsensitive, or [[DiggingYourselfDeeper worse]], it's easy for them to start dropping apologies just in case.
* Someone speaking their second language is also likely to apologize often - "sorry" and "excuse me" can be quick shorthands if you're not sure exactly how to be polite and have a limited vocabulary.
* Customer service professionals are trained to respond this way to customer complaints. It's also evident in company responses to negative online reviews on sites that allow them.
[[/folder]]

* ''Anime/BattleSpiritsShonenToppaBashin'': Subverted with Suiren. She apologizes to the point of it being a {{Catchphrase}}, but she's doing it in a completely mocking way.

* ''Anime/DeathParade'': It is practically Decim's {{Catchphrase}}. Usually, he is just apologizing to guests at his bar for being unable to explain anything to them, but he also apologizes to his coworkers and boss for any mistake he makes. However, it seldom seems like he [[LackOfEmpathy actually means it]], until he ends up hurting [[MoralityPet the one person he cares about]], at which point he begs her to forgive him [[spoiler:while breaking down and crying]].

* Minawa from ''Manga/{{Mahoromatic}}'', usually because she's just ''dojikko''ed the place up. "Gomen nasai" is practically her catch phrase.
* In ''Anime/MarginalPrince'', Mikhail's CatchPhrase is basically "Sorry, it's my fault!" At one point, Yuuta asks him why he's apologizing all the time and Mikhail's answer is... an apology, of course.

** Colette from ''VideoGame/TalesOfSymphonia'' apologizes so much that "I'm sorry" is practically her CatchPhrase, even tauntingly apologizing when she blocks enemy attacks. The apologizing happens so much, the LP Group ''LetsPlay/TippingForties'' ended up making it a drinking game. Lloyd and Regal also apologize a lot too, but what sets Colette apart from them is that she apologizes mostly when she doesn't have to. Her EstablishingCharacterMoment is saying she's sorry for worrying Lloyd about something. Lloyd tells her not to apologize for that, and Colette apologizes for apologizing. Colette believes that as TheChosenOne, it's her responsibility to show IncorruptiblePurePureness at all times, even though [[ItSucksToBeTheChosenOne the game shows how much this weighs heavily on her mind]] and the kinds of things that putting all of the pressure in the world on one person would do.

* There's an NPC, a {{Yakuza}} member, in ''VideoGame/RaidouKuzunohaVsTheSoullessArmy'', standing just inside of Fukagawa-Cho. He almost always says, no matter when you talk to him, "I don't mean to criticize ya..." It's almost his CatchPhrase, if an NPC can have one.

* ''WebAnimation/{{RWBY}}'': Pyrrha Nikos has "I'm sorry!" as her practical {{Catchphrase}}. Even if she saves your life, she'll apologize. [[spoiler:It becomes an IronicEcho when she actually does have something to apologize for, like slamming her LoveInterest into a pillar when [[InnocentlyInsensitive he accidentally strikes a nerve]].]]

* Wilt from ''WesternAnimation/FostersHomeForImaginaryFriends''. [[CatchPhrase "Sorry. Is that okay?"]] Tragically, "Good Wilt Hunting" reveals that his behavior came from the shame of losing a basketball game for his creator, who calls him out for it when they reunite.

* In ''WesternAnimation/YoungJustice2010,'' Asami Koizumi, the show's take on [[{{WesternAnimation/Superfriends}} Samurai]], is like this, though it goes unnoticed because she speaks only Japanese. ''Sumimasen!'' ("excuse me," though it can also mean "thank you.") is practically her CatchPhrase.

->''"The thing with an apology is that it's something precious, like diamonds. If it happens once in a while, it's meaningful. If it only rarely happens, it can be a surprise. But if it happens too much, it loses its value, and thus loses its impact."''
-->-- '''Mackenzie [=DeBruin=]'''

* In ''WesternAnimation/BatmanMysteryOfTheBatwoman'', Rocky (voiced by Kelly Ripa) is a klutzy scientist working for Wayne Enterprises that apologizes frequently, even if there is no reason. [[spoiler:Though this is arguably a cover, making this a subversion of sorts.]]

** A similar stereotype is associated with British people, which might be where the Canadians got it from. In fact it's [[https://www.legislation.gov.uk/ukpga/2006/29/section/2?view=plain stated in English law]] that an apology should not be considered an admission of fault.

* This is a common trait among people with low self-esteem and lacking trust and/or social skills, as well as people who have been abused. It's a defense mechanism to prevent rejection, violence or hostility that they feel directed towards them, but also to dodge and avoid a conflict.
* Some [[UsefulNotes/AspergersSyndrome autistic]] people are known to do this. It makes sense: if they're [[ParanoiaFuel never truly sure if any remark they made is]] misconstrued, InnocentlyInsensitive, or [[DiggingYourselfDeeper worse]], it's easy for them to start dropping apologies just in case.

* ''Literature/{{Twilight}}''. Bella Swan apologizes all the time.

-->''Asuka hissed her breath out from between her teeth. God, she hated people who apologized for everything, even when it wasn't their fault!''

* In ''Manga/TsubasaReservoirChronicle'' fic ''FanFic/{{Shatterheart}}'', [[spoiler:R!]]Syaoran frequently apologizes. Kurogane is actually rather annoyed them and succeeds in getting [[spoiler:R!]]Syaoran to stop.

* ''WebComic/StandStillStaySilent'':

* In ''WesternAnimation/YoungJustice,'' Asami Koizumi, the show's take on [[{{WesternAnimation/Superfriends}} Samurai]], is like this, though it goes unnoticed because she speaks only Japanese. ''Sumimasen!'' ("excuse me," though it can also mean "thank you.") is practically her CatchPhrase.

* ''LightNovel/MyNextLifeAsAVillainessAllRoutesLeadToDoom'': Catarina frequently apologizes whenever she thinks she's screwed things up for other people, especially when she thinks that she might've either ruined the romance events for other characters or done something that might risk her "doom".

Can also be a trait of real people.[[note]]Wait, I didn't mean to imply that [[CanadaDoesNotExist Canadians aren't real people]]! Oh God, will you find it in your hearts to forgive me?[[/note]] In some cases, can be a warning sign that someone is a victim of UsefulNotes/{{abuse}}. For the trope's opposite, see TheUnapologetic.

* In ''WesternAnimation/TurningRed'', Mei and Ming apologize several times over the course of the film.

Can also be a trait of real people.[[note]]Wait, I didn't mean to imply that Canadians aren't real people! Oh God, will you find it in your hearts to forgive me?[[/note]] In some cases, can be a warning sign that someone is a victim of UsefulNotes/{{abuse}}. For the trope's opposite, see TheUnapologetic.

* Tissues from ''WebAnimation/InanimateInsanity'', due to his constant [[SneezeOfDoom sneezing]].

* Kieri from ''Webcomic/SlightlyDamned'', especially earlier on. At one point moves into SorryIFellOnYourFist territory when Kieri [[http://www.sdamned.com/2006/10/10202006/ claims it is her fault]] that she was cursed by a spiteful demigod. [[spoiler:Justified by how Kieri is strongly suggested to have had an [[WhyDidYouMakeMeHitYou abusive mother]]. ]]

* ''[[Fanfic/GodsAngelsAndKings Hail to the King]]'': Shinji's habit to apologize automatically gets several eyebrows raised in chapter 3:

* ''WebAnimation/{{RWBY}}'':
** Pyrrha Nikos has "I'm sorry!" as her practical {{Catchphrase}}. Even if she saves your life, she'll apologize. [[spoiler:It becomes an IronicEcho when she actually does have something to apologize for, like slamming her LoveInterest into a pillar when [[InnocentlyInsensitive he accidentally strikes a nerve]].]]
** ''WebAnimation/RWBYChibi'', as per its nature as a GagSeries, turns this into a RunningGag, with Pyrrha apologizing for various mishaps involving her Semblance, including messing up Jaune's compass and sending Nora into a corner with every pot and pan and other metal thing in the room.

* [[ExtremeDoormat Decim]] from ''Anime/DeathParade'', so much so that it’s practically his {{Catchphrase}}. Usually, he is just apologizing to guests at his bar for being unable to explain anything to them, but he also apologizes to his coworkers and boss for any mistake he makes. However, it seldom seems like he [[LackOfEmpathy actually means it]], until he ends up hurting [[MoralityPet the one person he cares about]], at which point he begs her to forgive him [[spoiler:while breaking down and crying]].

* ''Webcomic/HetaliaAxisPowers'': Canada has this Verbal Tic. To paraphrase the Ferguson brothers, Canadians have 12 ways to say "I'm sorry", but rarely apologize.

* ''LightNovel/{{Baccano}}'': Jacuzzi Splot does a lot of apologizing for very little provocation, including claiming that he should be the one to apologize for being run into and apologizing to someone because he called her a good person without actually knowing if she was or not, and finally, apologizing for introducing himself.

* ''LightNovel/MyNextLifeAsAVillainessAllRoutesLeadToDoom'': Catarina frequently apologizes whenever she thinks she's screwed things up for other people, especially when she thinks that she might've either ruined the romance events for other characters or done something that might risk her "doom".

* Meanwhile, in ''Manga/HatarakiMan'', created by Creator/HideakiAnno's wife Moyoco, Hiroko keeps telling her boyfriend [[NamesTheSame Shinji]] to stop apologizing so much, fueling fan speculation that Anno really did marry an Asuka in his own life.

* Connor from VideoGame/AssassinsCreedIII seems to be a [[DownplayedTrope downplayed]] version of this as a teenager but outgrows it rather quickly with age.

* In ''VideoGame/DiscoElysium'' you can chose to play the DefectiveDetective PlayerCharacter as such, constantly apologizing for the awful mess you've made of your life and your clear lack of professionalism, which results in the game designating you the title of Sorry Cop. Ultimately, though, this behavior only further undermines your authority as a police officer, as your partner, Kim, notes.

* ''Series/PupAcademy''
** One character’s catchphrase “Oopsie!” is her real name.