History Main / ICantBelieveAGuyLikeYouWouldNoticeMe

** This is also true for ''The Rage: {{Carrie}} 2''. The boy in question is part of a football team of {{Jerk Jock}}s which results in Rachel having a [[WithGreatPowerComesGreatInsanity meltdown]] when she thinks he is in cahoots with them.
* ''SixteenCandles'' - Jake Ryan, the coolest guy in school whom Samantha has had a crush on for the whole movie (without thinking he ever noticed her), shows up at the church after Sam's sister's wedding. He waves at Sam, she looks around and points to herself ("Me?"), and he smiles -- "Yeah, you."

* Seemingly the entire ''premise'' of "ShesOutOfMyLeague"

* ''Literature/HowlsMovingCastle'', both [[Film/HowlsMovingCastle the movie]] ''and'' the book. Sophie doesn't believe that she's beautiful (and doesn't believe Howl, when he says so the first time, in the movie) and doesn't see any reason for Howl to pay any special attention to her. The fact that, for most of the book/movie, she looks like a withered old crone does ''not'' help matters.

* The independent movie ''Ten Inch Hero'' does this heartbreakingly with the character of Jen. Played by Clea Duvall, Jen is the plain Jane of the workers in the store, who befriends a man online named "Fuzzy22." They decide to meet in real life, and when Jen finds out that [[http://www.imdb.com/name/nm0067768/ he's gorgeous,]] she runs out of the building crying, saying no guy like him could want her. [[spoiler: For the Record, in the end, he does want her.]]

* ''Mindstar Rising'' by Peter F. Hamilton. Heiress Julia Evans is convinced she's unattractive because she spent most of her teenage years in the company of her absolutely gorgeous best friend Kat. When she finally suceeds in getting the handsome doctor (Kat's former boyfriend) that she'd been pining over, ''he'' says the line -- an indication that a [[HollywoodHomely not-unattractive]] teenager ''who's just inherited a multi-billion dollar MegaCorp'' is a lot more desirable than she thinks.

* ''Manga/HayateTheCombatButler'' plays this from both sides simultaneously with a side helping of {{Cannot Spit it Out}}. Hayate continuously argues with others that Hinagiku can't possibly like him. Hinagiku doesn't believe he's interested in her traits. It's made clear through other characters that they are the only ones who can't see the mutual crush.

[[folder: Film ]]

* Rachel says this almost verbatim in ''{{Something Borrowed}}''.

[[folder: Literature ]]

* Referred to as "Jerk Syndrome" in the {{Discworld}} novel ''{{Discworld/Thud}}''. Nobby's new girlfriend Tawneee is so incredibly attractive that most men don't even consider asking her out, because there's no way a girl like that would go for ''him''. So the only guys who ask her out are either jerks who aren't afraid of rejection, or losers (like Nobby) who are so used to rejection it doesn't scare them.

* [[PlayingWithTropes Played with]] in the ''{{The 39 Clues}}''. [[ShrinkingViolet Amy]] always found [[UpperClassWit Ian]] to be very good-looking. But she never guessed that he would start flirting with HER. [[IWasOnlyPretendingToLikeYou But, then again, this IS the clue hunt...]]

* Take a look at [[Series/StarTrekDeepSpaceNine Odo]]'s face after he finally gets his girl. I guarantee you this line will be written all over his face whenever he so much as looks at her.

* PlayedForLaughs in an episode of ThirdRockFromTheSun. Sally goes through a period thinking she's ugly, and believes her far-less-attractive boyfriend is a saint for even noticing her.

[[folder: Music ]]

[[folder: Theater ]]

* This occurs in ''[[ZannaDont Zanna, Don't]]'' during the song "I Think We Got Love."

* ''MassEffect 2'' has this with returning squadmate Tali'Zorah vas Neema/[[spoiler:vas Normandy]], mostly because she and Commander Shepard are of entirely different species, and Tali's race cannot survive outside of their environmental suits for long due to a weakened immune system.

* In ''DragonAge2'', Fenris, Merrill, and Anders all have this reaction if Hawke expresses interest in them. All three of them are quite attractive in various ways, but have severe self-image issues thanks to being, respectively, an amnesiac ex-slave, an outcast [[BloodMagic blood mage]], and a rebellious HumanoidAbomination (that [[EnslavedElves elves]] and mages are both [[FantasticRacism oppressed minorities]] in the setting doesn't help anything either). Isabela is a variation; [[TheCasanova she's]] [[MsFanservice not surprised]] if you romance her, but she is surprised that you would want to be friends with her, especially [[spoiler:once it comes to light that she's responsible for the Qunari Crisis and you become the Champion of Kirkwall in ending it.]]

[[folder: Webcomics ]]

** Justified, and [[HangsALampshade lampshaded]] in the UnCanceled final season. Kim's nerdy cousin gets kidnapped because the kidnapper directed his henchmen to grab "a young man with Kim Possible who doesn't look like he belongs with Kim Possible".

* Take a look at [[StarTrekDeepSpaceNine Odo]]'s face after he finally gets his girl. I guarantee you this line will be written all over his face whenever he so much as looks at her.

* In ''{{Dollhouse}}'', when Bennett meets Topher, it is very obvious that Bennett has a ''massive'' crush on him. Meanwhile, Topher is too much in shock that Bennett, who he knew of by reputation as a brilliant programmer, is a beautiful girl, and he is too tactful and embarrassed to really express his own attraction to her. It doesn't come out until later, when Topher, on a hunch, uses his Doll-disrupting device on Bennett, suspecting she isn't in her real body but rather a Doll's. Bennett isn't, and she is initially confused as to why Topher would think that, because Dolls are supposed to be beautiful...and when she makes the mental leap that Topher thought she was a Doll because of her beauty, ''this'' trope is written all over her face.

* [[PlsyingWithTropes Played with]] in the ''{{The 39 Clues}}''. [[ShrinkingViolet Amy]] always found [[UpperClassWit Ian]] to be very good-looking. But she never guessed that he would start flirting with HER. [[IWasOnlyPretendingToLikeYou But, then again, this IS the clue hunt...]]

* ''HayateTheCombatButler'' plays this from both sides simultaneously with a side helping of {{Cannot Spit it Out}}. Hayate continuously argues with others that Hinagiku can't possibly like him. Hinagiku doesn't believe he's interested in her traits. It's made clear through other characters that they are the only ones who can't see the mutual crush.

* In ''The Disappearance of HaruhiSuzumiya'' this is pretty much Alternate! Yuki's reaction to Kyon suddenly (from her viewpoint) taking ''any'' interest in her.

* Despite his incredible arrogance, Rodney =[McKay]= of StargateAtlantis gets a little of this with Keller. When he discovers that [[EvenTheGuysWantHim Ronon]] [[ProudWarriorRaceGuy Dex]] is also interested in Jennifer, he continues pursuing her, but seems quite surprised when she reciprocates.

* ''{{The 39 Clues}}'' [[ShrinkingViolet Amy]] always found [[UpperClassWit Ian]] to be very good-looking. But she never guessed that he would start flirting with HER. [[IWasOnlyPretendingToLikeYou But, then again, this IS the clue hunt...]]

* Despite them being practically married, [[AhMyGoddess Keiichi]] has this reaction whenever Belldandy shows him affection. Early on, this showed how thoroughly his self-esteem and confidence has been trashed. Later on, he develops strong self-esteem and confidence, but still cannot get over this. After all he and Belldandy [[YouAreWorthHell have gone through]], this mental block comes off as PingPongNaivete.

* In ''DragonAge2'', Fenris, Merrill, and Anders all have this reaction if Hawke expresses interest in them. All three of them are quite attractive in various ways, but have severe self-image issues thanks to being, respectively, an amnesiac ex-slave, an outcast [[BloodMagic blood mage]], and a rebellious HumanoidAbomination (that elves and mages are both [[FantasticRacism oppressed minorities]] in the setting doesn't help anything either). Isabela is a variation; [[TheCasanova she's]] [[MsFanservice not surprised]] if you romance her, but she is surprised that you would want to be friends with her, especially [[spoiler:once it comes to light that she's responsible for the Qunari Crisis and you become the Champion of Kirkwall in ending it.]]

** Technically, since Sokka is the son of the chief to the Southern Water Tribe, he is actually a prince himself.

* In ''DragonAge2'', both Fenris and Anders have this reaction to the Champion, despite the fact that they're both EstrogenBrigadeBait).
** Merill's pretty shocked as well, though she at least has the excuse of being a CloudCuckooLander with a borderline case of ObliviousToLove. Isabela is a variation; [[TheCasanova she's]] [[MsFanservice not surprised]] if you romance her, but she is surprised that you would want to be friends with her, especially [[spoiler:once it comes to light that she's responsible for the Qunari Crisis and you become the Champion of Kirkwall in ending it.]] Most of the party has self-esteem issues, [[DysfunctionJunction among other things.]]
*** [[TheHero Hawke]] seems to have a gift for making the people around him/her feel completely inadequate. Just ask [[MiddleChildSyndrome Ca]][[TheResenter rv]][[OvershadowedByAwesome er]].

* ''[[{{ptitleolsdue4jfzga}} 30 Rock]]'': Liz Lemon says something this to "The Hair," the [[HollywoodHomely better looking of a pair of guys that she and Jenna like]], after he makes a pass at her. [[spoiler: Turns out they are cousins. Oops.]]

* Ron, to ''KimPossible''. Not that she's never noticed noticed him, with his being her {{sidekick}} and a fair amount of mutual [[HeIsNotMyBoyfriend S/he Is Not My Girl/Boyfriend]] going on, but he still felt like this in the (first) GrandFinale.

* Doyle in ''GalaxyHigh'' pulls the bait-and-switch version on Aimee in the pilot episode. It [[LaserGuidedKarma bites him on the ass later]], including (but not limited to) Aimee doing the same thing to him.
* Candace spends an entire episode of PhineasAndFerb trying to find out why her boyfriend, Jeremy, likes her.

[[folder: Anime ]]

[[folder: Video Games ]]

* ''MassEffect 2'' has this with returning squadmate Tali'Zorah vas Neema/[[spoiler:vas Normandy]], mostly because she and Commander Shepard are of entirely different species, and Tali's race cannot survive outside of their environmental suits for long due to a weakened immune system.
* In ''DragonAge'', Alistar has this kind of reaction if the PC begins a romance with him. He basically says that he's thrilled he has an amazing, beautiful woman as his girlfriend and can't believe his luck.
** One of the player's possible responses when Leliana suggests becoming more than friends is this.
* In ''DragonAge2'', both Fenris and Anders have this reaction to the Champion, despite the fact that they're both EstrogenBrigadeBait).
** Merill's pretty shocked as well, though she at least has the excuse of being a CloudCuckooLander with a borderline case of ObliviousToLove. Isabela is a variation; [[TheCasanova she's]] [[MsFanservice not surprised]] if you romance her, but she is surprised that you would want to be friends with her, especially [[spoiler:once it comes to light that she's responsible for the Qunari Crisis and you become the Champion of Kirkwall in ending it.]] Most of the party has self-esteem issues, [[DysfunctionJunction among other things.]]
*** [[TheHero Hawke]] seems to have a gift for making the people around him/her feel completely inadequate. Just ask [[MiddleChildSyndrome Ca]][[TheResenter rv]][[OvershadowedByAwesome er]].

[[folder: Music ]]

* Wheatus' ''[[http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8jJWQkVgDs4 Teenage Dirtbag]]''. That song is this trope incarnate!
--> ''She's walking over to me,''
--> ''This must be fake.''
--> ''My lip starts to shake.''
--> ''How does she know who I am?''
--> ''And why does she give a damn about me?''
* Stephen Speaks' ''Out of My League'':
-->''Cause I love her with all that I am''
-->''And my voice shakes along with my hands''
-->''And she's all that I see and she's all that I need''
-->''And I'm out of my league once again...''
* Do You Want Me-HilaryDuff
--> And I feel, you don't even know I'm alive...

[[/folder]]

When used in live-action media, it often overlaps with HollywoodHomely. If a guy says it about a girl, said girl will be the latter half of BettyAndVeronica. May also overlap with AttractivenessIsolation. If the bystanders didn't think he would notice, see WhatDoesSheSeeInHim.

* One of the player's possible responses when Leliana suggests becoming more than friends is this.

** Merill's pretty shocked as well, though she at least has the excuse of being a CloudCuckooLander with a borderline case of ObliviousToLove. Isabela is a variation; [[TheCasanova she's]] [[MsFanservice not surprised]] if you romance her, but she is surprised that you would want to be friends with her, especially [[spoiler:once it comes to light that she's responsible for the Qunari Crisis and you become the Champion of Kirkwall in ending it.]] Most of the party seems to have self-esteem issues, [[DysfunctionJunction among other things.]]

* ''{{Carrie}}'' - The phrase itself is not used, but Carrie's reaction to being asked out by Tommy Ross is pretty much identical to the reactions of the people who do use the phrase. This ends disastrously because of TheLibby playing a cruel trick that made Carrie think Tommy was in on it. (What makes it more tragic is that the book explicitly shows he was starting to genuinely love her.)

* This is pretty much how Sawako from [[KiminiTodoke Kimi Ni Todoke]] acts all the time.

* The BattleRoyale movie subverts this horribly. Sugimura spends all of his screentime looking for a girl he never had the courage to confess his love to. When he finally finds her, she panicks and sends several bullets in his chest, something she wouldn't have done if he had confessed his feelings earlier... He still has the time to express his feelings in his agony, however. To quote Kotohiki's reaction, "what the hell am I supposed to do now ?"

* Seemingly the entire ''premise'' of "She's Outta My League"

* Another "written all over his face" example from ''{{Farscape}}'': John Crichton, as played by Ben Browder, has an absolutely astonishing talent for looking at Aeryn Sun like she's his Earth, moon and stars all at once. Cue swooning fangirls - and swooning Aeryn.

* In early {{Smallville}}, Clark Kent was usually baffled whenever a girl expressed interest in him, because his self-esteem was so low that he was oblivious to the fact that even without superpowers, he's still EstrogenBrigadeBait.

[[redirect:ptitle7r6bpxd93qsz]]