History Main / TheMasochismTango

* Invoked by the {{Yandere}} StalkerWithACrush Yubel in ''Anime/YuGiOhGX'', who sees this as the only true expression of love. After a decade of physical and mental torture, they genuinely cannot distinguish between pleasure/joy and pain/sorrow, and are thus convinced that every single bit of suffering they cause for their obsession Judai -- and every bit reciprocated from him in kind -- are simply their way of sharing love.

* Hiei and [[spoiler:his boss, Mukuro]] from ''Manga/YuYuHakusho''. Here's a quote, "Perhaps that's why I feel you understood me...after all, we're both only capable of expressing ourselves through our violence." This isn't just DomesticAbuse played for laughs--he says this to her while they're in the middle of a DEATHMATCH. Against each other.

* An interpretation of [[ManChild Chiaki]] and [[{{Yandere}} Hatori's]] relationship in ''Manga/SekaiIchiHatsukoi'' given that every single episode/chapter concerning them starts with them having a nasty fight due to either Chiaki being [[InnocentlyInsensitive insensitive]] or Hatori [[CrazyJealousGuy being possessive.]] At the end of each episode, while they do end up reconciling, it doesn't change the fact there is a lot of yelling involved before they come to a compromise...and this relationship ends up hurting the third wheel Yanase given he's pulled into their fights every single time. [[spoiler: It gets to the point where [[UnluckyChildhoodFriend Yanase]] finally [[BreaktheCutie breaks]] [[HeroicBSOD down]] crying for Chiaki pulling on his heartstrings.]] And let's not mention the novel where the interpretation of their relationship crosses between this and DomesticAbuse.

* PlayedForDrama in ''VideoGame/TheWitcher3WildHunt''. Phillip Strenger, the "[[RedBaron Bloody Baron]]", was a ShellShockedVeteran who [[AdiposeRex turned to drink to cope]] and his wife Anna [[AbsenceMakesTheHeartGoYonder cheated on him with a childhood friend of hers while he was away on a campaign]] before [[ChildhoodFriendRomance trying to run away with him]] [[TakingTheKids with their daughter]]. Phillip snapped and [[MurderTheHypotenuse killed the man]], and was forced to hit Anna in self-defense when she came at him with a knife, starting the cycle of violence between the two. He genuinely loved his wife while she quietly despised him, [[SuicideByCop frequently provoking him to violence in the hopes he'd go too far and kill her one day]]. [[spoiler:Phillip hoped [[BabiesMakeEverythingBetter having a second child would give them a chance to start over]] but she makes a DealWithTheDevil [[OffingTheOffspring to abort it]] behind his back which leads to her getting captured. If Geralt saves her the two reconcile, while if he fails the Baron is DrivenToSuicide.]]

* In the ''Literature/TheChroniclesOfNarnia'' book ''Literature/TheHorseAndHisBoy'', Shasta [[spoiler:aka Prince Cor]] and Aravis spend most of the book arguing and making up. At the end of the story, it's mentioned that they get married so they can argue and make up more efficiently. "Efficiently" should in this case be read as "by having lots of sex". Of note here: at no point does one character abuse the other physically or emotionally. However, the relationship still feels forced because they also didn't do anything resembling flirting. Also, Aravis is the only (human) woman in the story.

** According to the narrating character in her song "You Belong With Me", the character she's pining for is in this kind of relationship.
-->You're on the phone with your girlfriend, she's upset\\
She's going off about something that you said\\
'Cause she doesn't get your humor like I do

-->-- '''Music/TomLehrer''', "[[TropeNamers The Masochism Tango]]", ''Music/AnEveningWastedWithTomLehrer''

Basically, there are two ways this trope can be played: 1) either the writers ''really'' don't get that the pairing isn't working out, or 2) the writers are fully aware and it's the ''characters'' who insist that their relationship is just great. In either case, the audience tends to quickly catch on, and you can bet that the [[{{Shipping}} shippers]] are already thinking up [[FanPreferredCouple alternatives]].

-->'''Sally Needler:''' Well, that's because someone got mad at the grill and pushed it into the swimming pool.
-->'''Dan Needler:''' That was probably because someone kept complaining that their steak tasted too steak-y.
-->'''Sally Needler:''' You know, you ruin ''every'' Fourth of July.
-->'''Dan Needler:''' '''YOU RUIN THE FOURTH OF EVERYTHING!!!'''

-->"Men do not roar. Women roar. And hurl heavy objects. And claw at you."
-->"What does the man do?"
-->"He reads love poems. ''({{Beat}})'' He ducks a lot."

-->'''Petruchio''': [[DoubleEntendre What? with my tongue in your tail? Nay, come again, good Kate, I am a gentleman.]]\\

-->'''Church''': Alright O'Malley, this is it. From now on, if anybody makes my girlfriend cranky and psychotic; it's gonna be me.
-->'''Tex''': Aww, that's sweet.
-->'''Church''': Shut up, bitch!
-->'''Tex''': Asshole!

->''"Take your cigarette from its holder,''\\
''And burn your initials in my shoulder.''\\
''Fracture my spine,''\\
''And swear that you're mine,''\\
''As we dance to The Masochism Tango!"''

* ''VideoGame/{{Touhou}}'' Fanon and Kaguya/Mokou Shippers often display Kaguya and Mokou in The Masochism Tango since Kaguya and Mokou have been trying to constantly kill each other for years and years. It doesn't work because of their Immortality. This fan comic displays this interpretation [[http://danbooru.donmai.us/post/show/486273/absurdres-comic-fujiwara_no_mokou-highres-houraisa rather well]] (Warning: Ads are NSFW)

* ''ComicBook/{{Batman}}'': The relationship between the Joker and his "girlfriend" and gun moll Harley Quinn. It's an interesting study on dependent and abusive relationships, whereby Dr. Harleen Quinzel, the Joker's psychiatrist at Arkham Asylum, finds herself falling for the psychopathic supervillain as he mentally manipulates her into taking his side. It's a variation of Stockholm Syndrome; here, the Joker didn't kidnap Harley, and Harley imagines that she came to love the Joker of her own accord (or if she acknowledges his manipulation playing a part, he clearly did it because he was in love with her).

** Lee Adama and Kara Thrace had their epic "I hate you, I love you, I hate you" outlasted three seasons, several space battles, two drunken sex accidents, two whirlwind marriages (to other people), one inexplicable weight gain (and more inexplicable loss), one case of StockholmSyndrome, [[spoiler: one apparent death]], and many fans' patience, and was only resolved when Starbuck [[spoiler: was revealed to have been DeadForReal and up and vanished]]. It's been suggested recently that these two actually work well as a [[DeconstructedTrope deconstruction of this trope]] and that RDM was trying to show just how dysfunctional this type of pairing would be if portrayed realistically.

* Shinji and Asuka from ''Anime/NeonGenesisEvangelion''. Both love each other, but they are not exactly mentally sound (both are afraid of getting hurt by other people, but Asuka pushes them away while Shinji runs from them), and their relationship is not healthy: Asuka is a fiercely competitive young woman who teases Shinji in what she considers flirting, while Shinji is a reclusive, socially inept introvert who doesn't respond well to her flirtations, either acting as an ExtremeDoormat till she's placated or lashing back at her on occasion, leading Asuka to be even angrier, more insecure and more depressed. The two's BelligerentSexualTension paired with their inability to discuss their feelings for one another contributes to both of their worsening mental states.

* ''ComicBook/AntMan'' and ''ComicBook/TheWasp'' or Hank Pym and Janet van Dyne, were this to a tee, long before the notorious issues where Hank slapped Janet, leading to the end of their marriage. Janet was far younger than Hank and was a DoppelgangerReplacementLoveInterest who resembled his first wife, Dr. Maria Trovaya. Personality-wise, Janet was an extroverted socialite interested in fashion and invested in being a public superhero. She was often playful and flirty with her fellow male teammates and insensitive to Hank. Hank was introverted and insecure, preferred staying in the laboratory, and rarely communicated openly with her. This in part led to his breakdown as a "bad-boy" Yellowjacket. Janet [[QuestionableConsent consented]] to marry him in this state knowing that he was normally too shy to do it despite both of them wanting to. While Janet believed she was helping Hank, he would backbite and hurt her emotionally during their marriage until the incident when he slapped her led her to call it quits.
* In comics, pretty much anyone. Comicbook/{{Gambit}} [[ComicBook/XMen and Rogue]] in particular, due to the fact that Rogue's powers make having a relationship with ANYONE impossible combined with Gambit's very much flexible idea of right and wrong often causing Rogue to go into a tirade about how she can't trust Gambit, who refuses to give up on Rogue or even cross the line by bringing up Rogue's own dark history of MoralEventHorizon-crossing when it came to Ms. Marvel, whenever Rogue uses Gambit's past against him. It's invoked on Gambit's side, as he's said his actual motivation for dating Rogue was to [[TheAtoner punish himself]] for his (rather small and inconsequential and blameless) role in the Morlock Massacre.
* The relationship between ComicBook/TheJoker and his "girlfriend" and gun moll Harley Quinn. It's an interesting study on dependent and abusive relationships, whereby Dr. Harleen Quinzel, the Joker's psychiatrist at Arkham Asylum, finds herself falling for the psychopathic supervillain as he mentally manipulates her into taking his side. It's a variation of the StockholmSyndrome; here the Joker didn't kidnap Harley, and Harley imagines that she came to love the Joker of her own accord (or if she acknowledges his manipulation playing a part, he clearly did it because he was in love with her).
* Apparently quite standard for the titular protagonist's race on ''ComicBook/BuckGodotZapGunForHire'', as seen [[http://www.airshipentertainment.com/buckcomic.php?date=20080124 here]]. Of course, being {{Heavyworlder}}s, they do seem to be [[MadeofIron rather durable]], too. [[SayItWithHearts And high explosives are very romantic.]]
* Matt and Kayleigh from ''Webcomic/DorkTower''. They remain in an OnAgainOffAgainRelationship, even though she belittles all of his interests and friends, and he is torn between staying with her and dropping her for Gilly the PerkyGoth. Screaming matches and SlapSlapKiss often occur.
* Goldie and Scrooge in ''Comicbook/TheLifeAndTimesOfScroogeMcDuck''. Creator/CarlBarks wrote 'em that way, Creator/DonRosa made 'em ''awesome'' at it.
* ComicBook/DruidCity: Hunter Hastings, with Misa Saito and Mannie Sue. Misa is too determined and independent to be tied down by the productive, but fragile, Hunter. Mannie Sue is too damaged and vulnerable to be with the wiser and far more unscrupulous Hunter.

* The Drama Twins from Dark Horse's ''The Freshmen'', a painfully dysfunctional, on-again-off-again couple whose telekinetic powers are inextricably linked.
* The Morrigan and Baphomet dance around this relationship in ''Comicbook/TheWickedAndTheDivine''. While they do truly love each other, they've been dysfunctional and furious with each other for one reason [[MortalityPhobia or another]] since their introductions, [[spoiler: and as of issue 28, they've been veering into some [[DestructiveRomance other]] [[DomesticAbuse tropes]].]]
* The relationship seen between Mai and Zuko has become this as of [[ComicBook/AvatarTheLastAirbenderSmokeAndShadow Smoke and Shadow]] Their relationship is not just unhealthy, it's ''toxic''. The two love each other but their conflicting morals and lack of communication lead to countless fights and their constant break-ups. She spends pages in Avatar: The Last Airbender – Smoke and Shadow describing what a horrible boyfriend Zuko is and how badly a relationship with him had hurt her. This leads to her making harsh jokes at his expense and she expresses the need for her to "move on" by dating Kei Lo.

* ''Manga/{{Evangelion 303}}'': Shinji went through this in chapters 11 and 12. [[spoiler:After waking up from her several-month-long coma]] Asuka blamed herself for [[spoiler:the failure of the mission, the destruction of the aircraft and her best friend's death,]] saw herself like a pathetic failure and was permanently angry at herself and everybody. For several months she treated Shinji with silence and utter disdain or hitting him and insulting him cruelly. Shinji did not know how to help her but he would not dump her either because [[LivingEmotionalCrutch he had become too co-dependent to live without her]]. Finally, Shinji managed to help her and she got better slowly, but she felt so guilty for her atrocious behaviour that she [[spoiler:ran away.]] When he found her and [[spoiler:proposed her]] Asuka could not believe it and she asked him: "You're in love with a woman who [[spoiler: tried to kill herself -- and take you with her]]? What's wrong with you?"

* ''Literature/TheTwits'' by ''Creator/RoaldDahl''is all about a couple who are this trope ad absurdum. They are also highly abusive people in general: towards the neighborhood children, and towards their pet monkeys. The pet monkeys end up orchestrating their demise.

[[folder: Music Videos]]

* In ''Webcomic/TheOrderOfTheStick'', they rescue an old man at his wife's request. Then the couple meets again, and they wonder how much of a good deed it was.[[http://www.giantitp.com/comics/oots0222.html]]
* Webcomic/DominicDeegan and Luna have turned bitter fighting over each other's habits into ''foreplay''. They like [[http://www.dominic-deegan.com/view.php?date=2008-07-13 each other's ability to stand up for themselves]].

* Shinji and Asuka from ''Anime/NeonGenesisEvangelion''. Both love each other, but they are not exactly mentally sound (both are afraid of getting hurt by other people, but Asuka pushes them away as Shinji runs from them), and their relationship is not healthy: Asuka is a fiercely competitive young woman who teases Shinji in what she considers flirting, while Shinji is a reclusive, socially inept introvert who doesn't respond well to her flirtations, either acting as an ExtremeDoormat till she's placated or lashing back at her on occasion, leading Asuka to be even angrier, more insecure and more depressed. The two's BelligerentSexualTension paired with their inability to discuss their feelings for one another results in one of the most disturbing, squick-filled, and generally infamous cases of DudeShesLikeInAComa in television history.

* Louise and Saito from ''LightNovel/TheFamiliarOfZero''.

* In ''VideoGame/Cyberpunk2077'', Alt Cunningham was for Johnny Silverhand [[BettyAndVeronica the Veronica to Rogue's Betty]] and her dynamic with Johnny when she was still alive alternated between rough and passionate sex to calling him out on his numerous flaws. Johnny, in turn, belittled her, didn't give her a clear view of their relationship (whether they were a couple or just friends with benefits) and, in an optional interaction in his flashbacks, he can even grab her by her hair and threaten her. Despite [[AdaptationalJerkass Johnny's unwillingness to admit it]], the two were deeply in love to the point that his famous song "Never Fade Away" [[TheLostLenore was his eulogy to her]] [[spoiler:and even as a VirtualGhost she does everything in her power to help him and V]].
* Parodied in ''VideoGame/SuperSmashBros Brawl'': playing as Wolf in a certain ''VideoGame/StarFox''-based arena will trigger a com chat involving Leon gushing over the viciousness of Wolf's smackdown of the opponent, and Panther questioning who the lizard is more envious of -- Wolf, or his victim.

For the platonic version, see WithFriendsLikeThese or VitriolicBestBuds.[[note]]In comparison, VitriolicBestBuds is closer to this trope, while WithFriendsLikeThese is more comparable to DestructiveRomance.[[/note]] For a milder version, see SlapSlapKiss, BelligerentSexualTension, and NoAccountingForTaste. If the characters ''aren't'' at each other's throats, but their relationship feels contrived and artificial nonetheless, they've been StrangledByTheRedString. Compare AllTakeAndNoGive. If the sadism and the masochism part in the coupling is off-balance, also compare LoveMartyr. PlayedForDrama, it can easily become DestructiveRomance. If the characters are married, is also falls under AwfulWeddedLife.