History Main / TheMasochismTango

** They become decidedly more openly relaxed with each other during the American half of the tournament, regularly spending time together, saving each other and even hints of affection when no one but Amidamaru was around (who of course respectfully looked away, blushing). Yoh seems less frightened of Anna, implying that she was particularly strict before to prepare him for the tournament, which is probably a huge reason for his survival. [[spoiler: The reveal that Yoh fell in love first and earned Anna's love by accepting her as she was, and the implication that they slept together before Yoh left Japan first probably helps.]]
Either way, as their relationship is expanded upon, we see that this isn't really the case.

--> '''Pink''': How could you leave me/when you know that I need you/to beat to a pulp on a Saturday night?

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

* Recurring [[TheMountainGoats Mountain Goats]] characters the 'Alpha couple' are locked in a mutually self-destructive spiral of alcoholism and substance abuse, veering between declarations of love, expressions of total hopelessness and outright KungShui.

* TheOffspring's "Self Esteem" ([[DontExplainTheJoke it's about not having any]]).

* The TropeNamer is [[Music/TomLehrer Lehrer's]] "[[http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EHID8hMgWKc Masochism Tango]]"

* Phèdre nó Delaunay and Joscelin Verreuil embody this trope for the first two books of the ''KushielsLegacy'' series. The former is a masochistic prostitute who frequently sleeps with people as a method of solving problems, and the latter is her celibate combat butler-bodyguard.

* Celty and Shinra from ''LightNovel/{{Durarara}}'' have a bit of this going on. They have established a relationship, but Shinra's more annoying habits ([[TooMuchInformation like making ill-timed comments about their sex-life]]) result in Celty beating him up or wrapping him up in her shadows, but Shinra actually ''enjoys it''. The funny thing is that their relationship is probably the healthiest in the series.

* Celty and Shinra from ''LightNovel/{{Durarara}}'' have a bit of this going on. They have established a relationship, but Shinra's more annoying habits ([[TooMuchInformation like making ill-timed comments about their sex-life]]) result in Celty beating him up or wrapping him up in her shadows, but Shinra actually ''enjoys it''. The funny thing is that their relationship is actually the sanest in the series.

* In the {{Narnia}} book ''The Horse And His Boy'', 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.

* Ron and Hermione's budding romance in ''Literature/HarryPotter'' has its moments where it gets this bad. Usually, it's just BelligerentSexualTension with a touch of SlapSlapKiss, though.

* Kogoro Mouri and his ex-wife Eri Kisaki in ''Manga/DetectiveConan''. Kogoro ''acts'' like a LovableSexManiac, always chasing after pretty women and maintaining a crush on IdolSinger 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 [[{{Tsundere}} 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. (In recent manga issues, Kogoro actually bought Eri a birthday present [[spoiler: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 LethalChef), and both her and Kogoro have turned PapaWolf and MamaBear respectively when the other has been suspected of murder.

[[folder: {{Anime}} and {{Manga}}]]
* ''Manga/RanmaOneHalf'' - Ranma and Akane were supposed to have conflicted feelings about each other and their ArrangedMarriage. The longer run of the original manga did give them more of a chance to get closer, but they remain argumentative (and violent, in Akane's case) towards each other whenever there isn't some greater enemy to force them to unite. Even in the very last story, Akane can still be interpreted in a suspicious manner, due to her own behavior and the heavily implied fact that Soun Tendo is intending to blackmail at least one and perhaps both of the couple to submit to the wedding with the cask of Nanniichuan that was sent as a "Thank You" for Ranma. Canonically, the very last words the two actually speak in the manga is to blame each other for the wedding being destroyed. The anime series, which was cut off before the manga reached that far, actually has a more positive final scene between the two.
* Similarly, in the ''LoveHina'' manga, Keitaro and Naru started out as an OddCouple and slowly grew into a real relationship, with the [[MegatonPunch hitting]] and [[AccidentalPervert screaming]] giving way to understanding. Unfortunately, due to the limitations of 26-episode anime and CharacterExaggeration, their TV equivalents never made it that far, and fall squarely into this trope. (They did progress somewhat farther, with Naru [[AnguishedDeclarationOfLove admitting her love]], through the course of the subsequent two movies and {{OVA}} miniseries, and they did eventually marry in the manga).

* Shinji and Asuka in ''Anime/NeonGenesisEvangelion''. The two initially fight often but seem to be friends, but as the series progresses the sheer vitriol between them (largely from Asuka's side) rises to uncomfortable levels. Despite this, there are indicators, particularly in the extended version of Episode 22 and The End of Evangelion, that they actually desire each other.
** Then again, NGE being the ultimate {{Deconstruction}} of the {{shonen}}-{{mecha}} genre, it [[AlternativeCharacterInterpretation could all be showing how destructive the entire situation is.]] However, this ''being'' NGE [[DrivenToMadness it could be]] [[MindRape something else]] [[DespairEventHorizon entirely]]. And no, those [[PotHole potholes]] in the last sentence are not referring to the characters. [[TheFourthWallWillNotProtectYou It's referring to the audience]].

* Kogoro Mouri and his ex-wife Eri Kisaki in ''Manga/DetectiveConan''.
** Kogoro ''acts'' like a LovableSexManiac, always chasing after pretty women and maintaining a crush on IdolSinger 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 [[{{Tsundere}} 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. (In recent manga issues, Kogoro actually bought Eri a birthday present [[spoiler: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 LethalChef), and both her and Kogoro have turned PapaWolf and MamaBear respectively when the other has been suspected of murder.

** Heather and Alejandro in 'World Tour''. They even perform a literal masochism tango in the penultimate song, intentionally injuring each other while dancing together.

* Duncan and Courtney in ''TotalDramaWorldTour''.
** Heather and Alejandro. They even perform a literal masochism tango in the penultimate song, intentionally injuring each other while dancing together.

-->"He reads love poems. ''[[{{Beat}} (Beat)]]'' [[CrowningMomentOfFunny He ducks a lot.]]"

* ''Series/ICarly'' and it's Sam/Freddie pairing can be seen as this. Once they get together, the next episode is about them ''constantly'' fighting, to the point where Carly tells them they need to sort out their problems or they should break up. The next episode says they only fought ''three times'' that day, and that Sam still [[DomesticAbuse hits Freddie]], just [[AbuseIsOkayWhenItIsFemaleOnMale not in the face.]] They then get into a massive almost break up moment when Sam is revealed to have sabotaged an admission paper that could have helped him get into any college he wanted. They still stay together through both episodes.

* Heather and Alejandro in ''TotalDramaWorldTour''. They even perform a literal masochism tango in the penultimate song, intentionally injuring each other while dancing together.

* This might not actually count, but for the Echani in Star Wars ''VideoGame/KnightsOfTheOldRepublicII'' repeated duels constitute both a courtship and foreplay ([[UnfortunateImplications if the male wins, at least]]).

* ''[[RanmaOneHalf Ranma ½]]'' - Ranma and Akane were supposed to have conflicted feelings about each other and their ArrangedMarriage. The longer run of the original manga did give them more of a chance to get closer, but they remain argumentative (and violent, in Akane's case) towards each other whenever there isn't some greater enemy to force them to unite. Even in the very last story, Akane can still be interpreted in a suspicious manner, due to her own behavior and the heavily implied fact that Soun Tendo is intending to blackmail at least one and perhaps both of the couple to submit to the wedding with the cask of Nanniichuan that was sent as a "Thank You" for Ranma. Canonically, the very last words the two actually speak in the manga is to blame each other for the wedding being destroyed. The anime series, which was cut off before the manga reached that far, actually has a more positive final scene between the two.

* Kaori + [[HyperspaceMallet 100 Ton Hammer]] = [[CityHunter Poor, poor Ryo Saeba.]]

[[folder:Film]]

* ''MuchAdoAboutNothing'' is the play that pretty much ''[[UrExample created]]'' this trope.
** Also apparent in ''TheComedyOfErrors'', which was probably written earlier.
** As far as [[Creator/WilliamShakespeare Shakespearan]] examples of this trope go, the most polarizing has to be ''Theatre/TheTamingOfTheShrew''. With [[AlternateCharacterInterpretation interpretations]] ranging from "historically accurate portrayal of spousal cruelty with Petruchio as heartless abuser and Kate as brainwashed victim" to "unconventional comedic love story with Kate as pre-feminist spitfire and Petruchio as her intellectual equal", no one seems to agree on what exactly the main couple's relationship entails. ("[[DoubleEntendre What? with my tongue in your tail? Nay, come again, good Kate, I am a gentleman.]]" ''[[PervertRevengeMode (Slap)]]'')

* This might not actually count, but for the Echani in Star Wars ''KnightsOfTheOldRepublic 2'' repeated duels constitute both a courtship and foreplay ([[UnfortunateImplications if the male wins, at least]]).

* Taken [[LampshadeHanging very literally]] in ''[[IceAge Ice Age 3: Age of Dinosaurs]]'', where the squirrel couple fight over [[MacGuffin the acorn]] while tango plays in the background.

* ''VisualNovel/UminekoNoNakuKoroNi'' contains a very creepy example of this: [[spoiler:Lambdadelta]] and [[spoiler:Bernkastel]] fight each other in a game whenever they come across each other [[spoiler:in the ocean of the kakera]]. The penalties for the looser are very severe cases of a FateWorseThanDeath. And yet they always assure how much they "love" each other. However, as we learn later in the story, this may be justified as theirs means [[spoiler:to escape the boredom that can literally kill them. By fighting each other, they relieve that boredom in order to survive and spend time with each other.]] And in the very end, [[spoiler:they get their [[AwLookTheyReallyDoLoveEachOther Aww, Look!]] [[HeartwarmingMoments They Really Do Love Each Other]]-moment]].

* VisualNovel/UminekoNoNakuKoroNi contains a very creepy example of this: [[spoiler:Lambdadelta]] and [[spoiler:Bernkastel]] fight each other in a game whenever they come across each other [[spoiler:in the ocean of the kakera]]. The penalties for the looser are very severe cases of a FateWorseThanDeath. And yet they always assure how much they "love" each other. However, as we learn later in the story, this may be justified as theirs means [[spoiler:to escape the boredom that can literally kill them. By fighting each other, they relieve that boredom in order to survive and spend time with each other.]] And in the very end, [[spoiler:they get their [[AwLookTheyReallyDoLoveEachOther Aww, Look!]] [[HeartwarmingMoments They Really Do Love Each Other]]-moment]].

* In comics, pretty much anyone. [[Comicbook/{{Gambit}}]] [[ComicBook/{{X-Men}} 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.

** Kismesissitude is also the ''only'' quadrant that [[EldritchAbomination cherubs]] experience, as all evil cherubs are destructive, evil tyrants that attempt to rip universes apart, while good cherubs are kind, shy protectors who naturally hunt them in order to stop their destruction by mating with them. These attitudes begin development in childhood, when each cherub body consists of a "good" half and a "bad" half that each vie for "predomination" of the body; predomination is ''supposed'' to be completed at the beginning of adulthood, and the good half usually spend a long time in isolation in order to come to understand the need to procreate, while the bad halves, fueled by the earlier conflict with their sibling, begin destroying planets and life. When they are ready, each cherub couple usually mates ''inside of a black hole,'' and though the ritual itself is of such extreme violence that one or both mates die, the "victor" gains territory, however briefly, while the "loser" is forced to bear the offspring. [[MisterSeahorse So if the loser is male...]]

* In comics, pretty much anyone. [[ComicBook/{{X-Men}} Gambit 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.

* Kouji Nanjo and Takuto Izumi from ''Zetsuai1989''. Their relationship is more like a full-length ballet, and it seems to [[ItRunsInTheFamily run in Izumi's family]], [[spoiler: since his mother killed his father for cheating on him while she's in her {{Yandere}} phrase, then killed herself twelve years later.]]

The partners dancing to this particular beat have already resolved the WillTheyOrWontThey issue ([[TheyDo they did]], and won't [[SheIsNotMyGirlfriend deny they're a couple]]) -- it's just the saneness of their hook-up that's in question. This is often the result of resolved BelligerentSexualTension.

** Joey and Caitlin on ''Series/DegrassiHigh'' were supposed to be StarCrossedLovers -- even though Joey was a classic TedBaxter with self-esteem problems and Caitlin was a stern, moralistic social activist. They broke up and got together again too many times to count.
** The same thing happened in the fourth season of ''Series/DegrassiTheNextGeneration,'' which paired J.T. (goofy, irresponsible, and tactless) with Liberty (humorless, workaholic, and a world-class ControlFreak). They insist that they're in love, but all we see is them arguing. (At one point, J.T. brags about their sex life in public, and Liberty pours cold soda down his pants.)

* RealityShow example: in ''Series/TheAmazingRace 9'', Lake & Michelle (mostly Lake) swap insults, rants, and epithets for nearly the entirety of every episode after the first. When finally eliminated from the Race, they declare their love for each other in such a way that you begin to wonder what chunk of their lives was left on the cutting room floor.

** And Tara & Wil from Season 2 were the series' UrExample, with their behavior towards each other making fans wonder [[NoAccountingForTaste how they EVER agreed to marry each other]]. As TWOP recapper Miss Alli commented during a rare moment of Tara laughing at one of Wil's jokes and Wil visibly beaming at his success: "This is so weird. If he likes her this much, then why is he so mean to her?"
* Lee Adama and Kara Thrace on ''Series/{{Battlestar Galactica|Reimagined}}'' -- 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.

* Somewhat one sided in ''Series/{{Stargate SG-1}}''. Vala is constantly teasing Daniel but it is revealed that this is her way of flirting and genuinely does have feelings for him. Daniel however completely misconstrues this and assumes she's just plain making fun of him (for having feelings towards her).

* The entire "[[FiveManBand crew]]" of ''ItsAlwaysSunnyInPhiladelphia''. Although they claim to be best friends, and they will sometimes fight violently over "best friend" status with each other, they spend most of their time yelling and screaming at each other, physically abusing each other, slipping each other dangerous drugs, getting bizarre and often scarily sexual forms of revenge on each other, and literally planning to murder each other.