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Filed under "Other" because while called a "Demon Sword" this seems to be an appelation for cursed magical items, such as the "Demon Hand" which was crafted by humans
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* Demon Sword Ashgan in ''Manga/TheWitchAndTheBeast'' is a sapient cursed blade which seems to only understand the emotion of "hate". After Helga took pity on him in his sealed state and began treating him like a friend, he developed a "feeling other than hate" for her which both confuses and disgusts him.
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* In ''Manga/{{Unico}}'', Unico falls into the ocean after befriending Mr Demon/Akumakun (Beezle in [[Anime/TheFantasticAdventuresOfUnico the 1981 movie]]) who tricks him into [[FireBreathingDiner tasting hot soup that only demons can tolerate]]. After revealing to [[{{Unicorn}} Unico]] that water is poisonous to demons while [[ActOfTrueLove rescuing him from drowning]]. Unico tells Mr Demon that he "He loves him" much to his disgust. To prove that he loves him back, Unico rewards the demon child his own special horn [[HeelFaceTurn much to his delight]].
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alphabetizing
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* ''Manga/NegimaMagisterNegiMagi'': Negima has the RobotGirl Chachamaru, who is just one of the many girls in Negi's class to join his [[HaremGenre Harem]]. When her creator discovers this, she goes on a wild, rapid rant about the ethical and philosophical implications of a robot learning to love. See the [[Quotes/WhatIsthisThingYouCallLove quotes page]].
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* In ''Anime/SDGundamForce'', the question is the subject of a Zako Zako Hour... two of them. And they still don't figure it out.
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* In ''Anime/SDGundamForce'', ''Anime/TheGalaxyRailways'', Yuki is a sexaroid assigned to the question is SDF platoon and doesn't really feel like part of the subject team at first because she's just programmed to do her job and can be easily be replaced if she gets destroyed. Manabu, however, doesn't buy this and helps her to see that she's more than this.
* In ''Anime/GundamBuildDiversReRise'' Episode 20, Par and Kazami are notably embarrassed when the [[FemBot EL-Diver]] May suddenly hugged and even gave a kiss on the cheek to the NotSoStoic Hiroto during his HeroicBSOD. May however doesn't seem to understand the potential implications ofa Zako Zako Hour... two of them. And they still don't figure it out.it, saying she simply did what her guardian said you should do when someone is sad.
* In ''Anime/GundamBuildDiversReRise'' Episode 20, Par and Kazami are notably embarrassed when the [[FemBot EL-Diver]] May suddenly hugged and even gave a kiss on the cheek to the NotSoStoic Hiroto during his HeroicBSOD. May however doesn't seem to understand the potential implications of
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* Juria in ''Manga/Yuria100Shiki'' literally doesn't know what love is--it's not in the dictionary that was programmed into her. Yuria turns out not to understand the word either, though it later becomes apparent that she feels something beyond mere lust.
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* In ''Anime/TheGalaxyRailways'', Yuki is a sexaroid assigned to the SDF platoon and doesn't really feel like part of the team at first because she's just programmed to do her job and can be easily be replaced if she gets destroyed. Manabu, however, doesn't buy this and helps her to see that she's more than this.
* In ''Anime/GundamBuildDiversReRise'' Episode 20, Par and Kazami are notably embarrassed when the [[FemBot EL-Diver]] May suddenly hugged and even gave a kiss on the cheek to the NotSoStoic Hiroto during his HeroicBSOD. May however doesn't seem to understand the potential implications of it, saying she simply did what her guardian said you should do when someone is sad.
* In ''Anime/GundamBuildDiversReRise'' Episode 20, Par and Kazami are notably embarrassed when the [[FemBot EL-Diver]] May suddenly hugged and even gave a kiss on the cheek to the NotSoStoic Hiroto during his HeroicBSOD. May however doesn't seem to understand the potential implications of it, saying she simply did what her guardian said you should do when someone is sad.
to:
* In ''Anime/TheGalaxyRailways'', Yuki is a sexaroid assigned to ''Manga/NegimaMagisterNegiMagi'': Negima has the SDF platoon and doesn't really feel like part RobotGirl Chachamaru, who is just one of the team at first because she's just programmed many girls in Negi's class to do join his [[HaremGenre Harem]]. When her job creator discovers this, she goes on a wild, rapid rant about the ethical and can be easily be replaced if she gets destroyed. Manabu, however, doesn't buy this and helps her to see that she's more than this.
* In ''Anime/GundamBuildDiversReRise'' Episode 20, Par and Kazami are notably embarrassed when the [[FemBot EL-Diver]] May suddenly hugged and even gave a kiss on the cheek to the NotSoStoic Hiroto during his HeroicBSOD. May however doesn't seem to understand the potentialphilosophical implications of it, saying she simply did what her guardian said you should do when someone is sad.a robot learning to love. See the [[Quotes/WhatIsthisThingYouCallLove quotes page]].
* In ''Anime/GundamBuildDiversReRise'' Episode 20, Par and Kazami are notably embarrassed when the [[FemBot EL-Diver]] May suddenly hugged and even gave a kiss on the cheek to the NotSoStoic Hiroto during his HeroicBSOD. May however doesn't seem to understand the potential
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* In ''Anime/SDGundamForce'', the question is the subject of a Zako Zako Hour... two of them. And they still don't figure it out.
* Juria in ''Manga/Yuria100Shiki'' literally doesn't know what love is--it's not in the dictionary that was programmed into her. Yuria turns out not to understand the word either, though it later becomes apparent that she feels something beyond mere lust.
* Juria in ''Manga/Yuria100Shiki'' literally doesn't know what love is--it's not in the dictionary that was programmed into her. Yuria turns out not to understand the word either, though it later becomes apparent that she feels something beyond mere lust.
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* This is essentially the plot of ''Anime/SuperDimensionFortressMacross''/''Anime/{{Robotech}}''. The Zentraedi know nothing of love or sex; their genders are divided at all times. A woman singing is a valuable distraction, a kiss can bring down fleets, and a mere child can sufficiently creep them out (Well, the kid was a half-Zentraedi with green hair, and that would freak anyone out).
** It should be noted however that in the ''Anime/{{Macross}}'' franchise, humans and Zentraedi are closely related descendants/creations of the same {{precursor|s}} race: the Protoculture. So the series falls under the human variation of the trope as well.
** [[http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Milia_Fallyna_Jenius Milia Fallyna Jenius]] (re-named [[http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Miriya_Parina_Sterling Miriya Parina Sterling]] in ''Robotech'') embraces the emotion after falling in love with Max, and uses the concept of mercy to provoke a Zentradi mutiny.
* Happens again in ''Anime/GenesisClimberMospeada[=/=][[Anime/{{Robotech}} New Generation]]'' with Aisha and Sorzie (Marlene/Ariel and Sera), the first Inbit/Invid to be in human forms. [[spoiler:Eventually causes their HighHeelFaceTurn.]]
* In ''Manga/{{Parasyte}}'', Migi is baffled when Tamura Reiko, a fellow Parasite (a species of aliens who take over humans' bodies and sustain themselves by eating other humans) [[spoiler: cradles her baby to protect him from a hail of bullets by police and dies from her injuries. Migi is confounded, almost angrily asking himself why she didn't fight back and escape; he's told Shinichi numerous times that human concepts like tender emotions and self-sacrifice mean nothing to him, so seeing a powerful Parasite willingly die so her child can live safely makes no sense to him.]]
* Oasis in ''Literature/KyouranKazokuNikki'''s last arc came to Earth specifically to figure out what love is. She tries to ask Chika and Madara for advice, but this doesn't end well.
* The eponymous character of ''Anime/EurekaSeven'', being an EmotionlessGirl representative of StarfishAliens, is extremely confused when someone suggests she's in love with Renton. However, she seems to have figured out familial love on her own, since she adopted children and is very affectionate towards them.
** It should be noted however that in the ''Anime/{{Macross}}'' franchise, humans and Zentraedi are closely related descendants/creations of the same {{precursor|s}} race: the Protoculture. So the series falls under the human variation of the trope as well.
** [[http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Milia_Fallyna_Jenius Milia Fallyna Jenius]] (re-named [[http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Miriya_Parina_Sterling Miriya Parina Sterling]] in ''Robotech'') embraces the emotion after falling in love with Max, and uses the concept of mercy to provoke a Zentradi mutiny.
* Happens again in ''Anime/GenesisClimberMospeada[=/=][[Anime/{{Robotech}} New Generation]]'' with Aisha and Sorzie (Marlene/Ariel and Sera), the first Inbit/Invid to be in human forms. [[spoiler:Eventually causes their HighHeelFaceTurn.]]
* In ''Manga/{{Parasyte}}'', Migi is baffled when Tamura Reiko, a fellow Parasite (a species of aliens who take over humans' bodies and sustain themselves by eating other humans) [[spoiler: cradles her baby to protect him from a hail of bullets by police and dies from her injuries. Migi is confounded, almost angrily asking himself why she didn't fight back and escape; he's told Shinichi numerous times that human concepts like tender emotions and self-sacrifice mean nothing to him, so seeing a powerful Parasite willingly die so her child can live safely makes no sense to him.]]
* Oasis in ''Literature/KyouranKazokuNikki'''s last arc came to Earth specifically to figure out what love is. She tries to ask Chika and Madara for advice, but this doesn't end well.
* The eponymous character of ''Anime/EurekaSeven'', being an EmotionlessGirl representative of StarfishAliens, is extremely confused when someone suggests she's in love with Renton. However, she seems to have figured out familial love on her own, since she adopted children and is very affectionate towards them.
* The eponymous character of ''Anime/EurekaSeven'', being an EmotionlessGirl representative of StarfishAliens, is extremely confused when someone suggests she's in love with Renton. However, she seems to have figured out familial love on her own, since she adopted children and is very affectionate towards them.
* Happens again in ''Anime/GenesisClimberMospeada[=/=][[Anime/{{Robotech}} New Generation]]'' with Aisha and Sorzie (Marlene/Ariel and Sera), the first Inbit/Invid to be in human forms. [[spoiler:Eventually causes their HighHeelFaceTurn.]]
* Oasis in ''Literature/KyouranKazokuNikki'''s last arc came to Earth specifically to figure out what love is. She tries to ask Chika and Madara for advice, but this doesn't end well.
* In ''Manga/{{Parasyte}}'', Migi is baffled when Tamura Reiko, a fellow Parasite (a species of aliens who take over humans' bodies and sustain themselves by eating other humans) [[spoiler: cradles her baby to protect him from a hail of bullets by police and dies from her injuries. Migi is confounded, almost angrily asking himself why she didn't fight back and escape; he's told Shinichi numerous times that human concepts like tender emotions and self-sacrifice mean nothing to him, so seeing a powerful Parasite willingly die so her child can live safely makes no sense to him.]]
* Happens again in ''Anime/GenesisClimberMospeada[=/=][[Anime/{{Robotech}} New Generation]]'' with Aisha and Sorzie (Marlene/Ariel and Sera), the first Inbit/Invid to be in human forms. [[spoiler:Eventually causes their HighHeelFaceTurn.]]
* Oasis in ''Literature/KyouranKazokuNikki'''s last arc came to Earth specifically to figure out what love is. She tries to ask Chika and Madara for advice, but this doesn't end well.
* In ''Manga/{{Parasyte}}'', Migi is baffled when Tamura Reiko, a fellow Parasite (a species of aliens who take over humans' bodies and sustain themselves by eating other humans) [[spoiler: cradles her baby to protect him from a hail of bullets by police and dies from her injuries. Migi is confounded, almost angrily asking himself why she didn't fight back and escape; he's told Shinichi numerous times that human concepts like tender emotions and self-sacrifice mean nothing to him, so seeing a powerful Parasite willingly die so her child can live safely makes no sense to him.]]
* This is essentially the plot of ''Anime/SuperDimensionFortressMacross''/''Anime/{{Robotech}}''. The Zentraedi know nothing of love or sex; their genders are divided at all times. A woman singing is a valuable distraction, a kiss can bring down fleets, and a mere child can sufficiently creep them out (Well, the kid was a half-Zentraedi with green hair, and that would freak anyone out).
** It should be noted however that in the ''Anime/{{Macross}}'' franchise, humans and Zentraedi are closely related descendants/creations of the same {{precursor|s}} race: the Protoculture. So the series falls under the human variation of the trope as well.
** [[http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Milia_Fallyna_Jenius Milia Fallyna Jenius]] (re-named [[http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Miriya_Parina_Sterling Miriya Parina Sterling]] in ''Robotech'') embraces the emotion after falling in love with Max, and uses the concept of mercy to provoke a Zentradi mutiny.
** It should be noted however that in the ''Anime/{{Macross}}'' franchise, humans and Zentraedi are closely related descendants/creations of the same {{precursor|s}} race: the Protoculture. So the series falls under the human variation of the trope as well.
** [[http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Milia_Fallyna_Jenius Milia Fallyna Jenius]] (re-named [[http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Miriya_Parina_Sterling Miriya Parina Sterling]] in ''Robotech'') embraces the emotion after falling in love with Max, and uses the concept of mercy to provoke a Zentradi mutiny.
* In ''Anime/CControl'', Assets do not feel much emotion and do not understand most human concepts, though Q and Msyu do care deeply for Mikuni and Kimimoro respectively. When Msyu sees a kiss on TV, she's confused and asks Kimimoro about it. He awkwardly says it is what people do when they like each other 30 times as much as normal. [[spoiler:In the final episode, Msyu and Kimimoro finally kiss, with her saying she likes him 40 times as much.]]
* ''Manga/HanatsukiHime'': Siva, and any of the other devils involved in making contracts with humans, ''want'' to experience this trope because the devils do not have emotions (or the emotions that humans have). It starts out as a game to relieve boredom and simply ends that way for most -- for some, however, the trope gets played straight.
* ''Manga/HanatsukiHime'': Siva, and any of the other devils involved in making contracts with humans, ''want'' to experience this trope because the devils do not have emotions (or the emotions that humans have). It starts out as a game to relieve boredom and simply ends that way for most -- for some, however, the trope gets played straight.
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* ''Manga/HanatsukiHime'': Siva, and any of the other devils involved in making contracts with humans, ''want'' to experience this trope because the devils do not have emotions (or the emotions that humans have). It starts out as a game to relieve boredom and simply ends that way for most -- for some, however, the trope gets played straight.
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* In ''Anime/CControl'', Assets do not feel much emotion and do not understand most human concepts, though Q and Msyu do care deeply for Mikuni and Kimimoro respectively. When Msyu sees a kiss on TV, she's confused and asks Kimimoro about it. He awkwardly says it is what people do when they like each other 30 times as much as normal. [[spoiler:In the final episode, Msyu and Kimimoro finally kiss, with her saying she likes him 40 times as much.]]
* In ''Anime/YashahimePrincessHalfDemon'', that's a real weakness for the [[{{Youkai}} half-demon]] Towa. She is inexperienced with romance and only knows the concept of liking someone. During romantic advances she is flattered, slightly nervous, blushed and speechless. Riku takes advantage of this by partially confessing his feelings and manipulating her to give him her silver rainbow pearl.
* In ''Anime/YashahimePrincessHalfDemon'', that's a real weakness for the [[{{Youkai}} half-demon]] Towa. She is inexperienced with romance and only knows the concept of liking someone. During romantic advances she is flattered, slightly nervous, blushed and speechless. Riku takes advantage of this by partially confessing his feelings and manipulating her to give him her silver rainbow pearl.
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* In ''Anime/YashahimePrincessHalfDemon'', that's a real weakness for the [[{{Youkai}} half-demon]] Towa. She is inexperienced with romance and only knows the concept of liking someone. During romantic advances she is flattered, slightly nervous, blushed and speechless. Riku takes advantage of this by partially confessing his feelings and manipulating her to give him her silver rainbow pearl.
* In ''Manga/SazanEyes'', when Yakumo asks Amara if he loves Ushas, Amara replies that he doesn't exactly understand the concept (he's a plant-based lifeform, after all) but his whole existence is devoted only to her safety. Yakumo decides that's close enough.
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* In ''Manga/SazanEyes'', when Yakumo asks Amara if he loves Ushas, Amara replies that he doesn't exactly understand the concept (he's a plant-based lifeform, after all) but his whole existence is devoted only to her safety. Yakumo decides that's close enough.
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[[AC:Anime and Manga]]
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[[AC:Robotic Examples]]
* Creator/KenAkamatsu's ''Manga/AILoveYou'', where the main character (the brother) creates an A.I. that he falls in love with, and vice versa. Of course, hilarity ensues:
-->'''[[Manga/NegimaMagisterNegiMagi Hakase]]:''' Wait... Robot capable to feel love = Nobel prize, right?
* ''Manga/{{Chobits}}'' has "persocoms" who express affection and happiness much like humans do. However, the manga has a partial subversion: [[spoiler:Freya tells Hideki that despite rumors to the contrary, the Chobits (an affectionate name given to her and Elda, later Chi) cannot feel or love. Hideki accepts this with the reasoning that while Chi's love for him is not the same love that a human would feel, it is still a love that deserves to be treasured]].
* ''Manga/NegimaMagisterNegiMagi'': Negima has the RobotGirl Chachamaru, who is just one of the many girls in Negi's class to join his [[HaremGenre Harem]]. When her creator discovers this, she goes on a wild, rapid rant about the ethical and philosophical implications of a robot learning to love. See the [[Quotes/WhatIsthisThingYouCallLove quotes page]].
* In ''Anime/DualParallelTroubleAdventure'', the love the cyborgized D has for Kazuki enables her to regain her humanity (as well unlock the full potential of the ultimate weapon).
* In ''Anime/SDGundamForce'', the question is the subject of a Zako Zako Hour... two of them. And they still don't figure it out.
* The Angeloids of ''Manga/HeavensLostProperty'' do not understand love, instead interpreting the blushing and feelings in their reactors as "malfunctions". The AxCrazy Tykebomb Chaos, thanks to a bad logical interpretation of a line from Ikaros, eventually concludes that love is pain and promptly decides to share it with everyone.
* ''Anime/ImGonnaBeAnAngel'': Noelle many times asks people around her about stuff like love, hugging, kissing, happiness etc. [[spoiler: because she's a 1/3 third of an angel soul and doesn't understand the concept of love. The same can be said in case of Mikael and Silky. This is a major theme of the series as well.]]
* Juria in ''Manga/Yuria100Shiki'' literally doesn't know what love is--it's not in the dictionary that was programmed into her. Yuria turns out not to understand the word either, though it later becomes apparent that she feels something beyond mere lust.
* ''Anime/IrresponsibleCaptainTylor'': Android spy Harumi hasn't been programmed for emotions like fear, guilt and eventually love, but finds herself experiencing them in the face of Tylor's bumbling good nature.
* In ''Anime/TheGalaxyRailways'', Yuki is a sexaroid assigned to the SDF platoon and doesn't really feel like part of the team at first because she's just programmed to do her job and can be easily be replaced if she gets destroyed. Manabu, however, doesn't buy this and helps her to see that she's more than this.
* In ''Anime/GundamBuildDiversReRise'' Episode 20, Par and Kazami are notably embarrassed when the [[FemBot EL-Diver]] May suddenly hugged and even gave a kiss on the cheek to the NotSoStoic Hiroto during his HeroicBSOD. May however doesn't seem to understand the potential implications of it, saying she simply did what her guardian said you should do when someone is sad.
* Schwi of ''Literature/NoGameNoLife [[BigDamnMovie Zero]]'', an Ex-Machina who has been exiled from her [[HiveMind collective]] due to her efforts to understand "the human heart" causing a [[LogicBomb critical error]]. She eventually succeeds thanks to her relationship with the main character, Riku. [[spoiler:Right before [[ProudWarriorRaceGirl Jibril]] [[HeroKiller blasts her to oblivion]], Schwi manages to convince her collective to reconnect her -- passing them her love and her understanding of the human heart and making them allies to Riku's cause.]]
[[AC:Alien Examples]]
* This is essentially the plot of ''Anime/SuperDimensionFortressMacross''/''Anime/{{Robotech}}''. The Zentraedi know nothing of love or sex; their genders are divided at all times. A woman singing is a valuable distraction, a kiss can bring down fleets, and a mere child can sufficiently creep them out (Well, the kid was a half-Zentraedi with green hair, and that would freak anyone out).
** It should be noted however that in the ''Anime/{{Macross}}'' franchise, humans and Zentraedi are closely related descendants/creations of the same {{precursor|s}} race: the Protoculture. So the series falls under the human variation of the trope as well.
** [[http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Milia_Fallyna_Jenius Milia Fallyna Jenius]] (re-named [[http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Miriya_Parina_Sterling Miriya Parina Sterling]] in ''Robotech'') embraces the emotion after falling in love with Max, and uses the concept of mercy to provoke a Zentradi mutiny.
* Happens again in ''Anime/GenesisClimberMospeada[=/=][[Anime/{{Robotech}} New Generation]]'' with Aisha and Sorzie (Marlene/Ariel and Sera), the first Inbit/Invid to be in human forms. [[spoiler:Eventually causes their HighHeelFaceTurn.]]
* In ''Manga/{{Parasyte}}'', Migi is baffled when Tamura Reiko, a fellow Parasite (a species of aliens who take over humans' bodies and sustain themselves by eating other humans) [[spoiler: cradles her baby to protect him from a hail of bullets by police and dies from her injuries. Migi is confounded, almost angrily asking himself why she didn't fight back and escape; he's told Shinichi numerous times that human concepts like tender emotions and self-sacrifice mean nothing to him, so seeing a powerful Parasite willingly die so her child can live safely makes no sense to him.]]
* Oasis in ''Literature/KyouranKazokuNikki'''s last arc came to Earth specifically to figure out what love is. She tries to ask Chika and Madara for advice, but this doesn't end well.
* The eponymous character of ''Anime/EurekaSeven'', being an EmotionlessGirl representative of StarfishAliens, is extremely confused when someone suggests she's in love with Renton. However, she seems to have figured out familial love on her own, since she adopted children and is very affectionate towards them.
* The root of the conflict in ''Manga/DearS'' was that the title species is incapable of loving.
* ''Anime/DragonBallZ'':
** {{Downplayed|Trope}} with the [[OneGenderRace Namekian]] Piccolo. He doesn't puzzle over it so much as get mildly annoyed by it.
** Goku asks Chi-Chi what she meant when she said she loved him. Granted, Goku may know love in a friendship sense, but not in a [[ObliviousToLove romantic one]].
** In the backstory of ''VideoGame/DragonBallOnline'', Majin Buu created a wife for himself after reading one of Mr. Satan's adult books and getting lonely for companionship. ''VideoGame/DragonBallXenoverse2'' actually depicts the event, with Buu showing Satan the book and asking what it means, with an embarrassed Satan trying to retrieve the book and change the subject.
* ''Anime/PuellaMagiMadokaMagica'':
** [[spoiler:[[ManipulativeBastard Kyubey]] is a member of a race of highly advanced StarfishAliens with a HiveMind, [[LackOfEmpathy no empathy]] and [[TotalitarianUtilitarian a supreme emphasis on cold-hearted efficiency and logic]], stating outright that they consider emotions as a form of mental disorder. "I just don't get it" is almost a CatchPhrase for Kyubey, who cannot understand why humans would, for example, become distressed [[OurLichesAreDifferent when their soul is displaced from their body into a magical trinket]]. Mind you, Kyubey is savvy enough about emotions to be aware that humans are experiencing them and even to exploit them to his own ends, but remains puzzled by them and considers humanity a primitive race that [[TheyJustDontGetIt just doesn't get it]]. Due to operating in a HiveMind, Kyubey's race fails to understand why humans care so much about specific individuals and even their own lives, exhorting Madoka to sacrifice herself for the sake of furthering Kyubey's goal of [[WellIntentionedExtremist staving off the heat death of the universe]]. Ironically, in the end, his scheme is ruined by Madoka sacrificing herself, but in such a way as to save all other {{Magical Girl}}s]].
** Love per se doesn't come up explicitly until ''[[Anime/PuellaMagiMadokaMagicaTheMovieRebellion Rebellion]]''; [[spoiler:Kyubey still doesn't understand it, but needs no further convincing of how powerful it is, as Homura [[RageAgainstTheHeavens dethrones the kind and benevolent God-Madoka]] to become devil-queen of the universe--[[LoveMakesYouEvil ostensibly out of love for Madoka]], screwing up his [[PoweredByAForsakenChild human power plants]] system even worse than before. The movie notably features a memetic scene of a whole group of Incubators all saying "[[{{Catchphrase}} I just don't get it at all]]!" in one voice before getting blown up]].
* In ''Anime/{{Tamagotchi}}'', Melodytchi has absolutely no understanding of romantic love and how it works, so much so that in one episode of ''GO-GO Tamagotchi!'', she's not especially fazed by the prospect of being forced into a marriage until Lovelitchi explains to her that she'll have to live with her new husband for the rest of her life if they do get married.
[[AC:Human Examples]]
* ''Literature/{{Baccano}}'':
** Chane Laforet from is roughly aware of love entails but, [[MadScientistsBeautifulDaughter because of]] [[WellDoneSonGuy the way]] [[ManipulativeBastard her father]] [[{{Tykebomb}} raised her]], the idea that anyone could possibly care about her for who she is rather than for what she can do for them is so utterly foreign that [[spoiler:Claire's proposal]] and [[MartyrWithoutACause Jacuzzi's]] unconditional concern for her nearly lead her to [[HeroicBSOD BSOD]] [[WhatIsThisFeeling from the confusion]].
--->'''Chane:''' Why? Why do these people do this for me? Even though we've just met? Even though we're not family. ''Why!?''
** Szilard's [[OurHomunculiAreDifferent homunculus]], Ennis did not understand love at all at first. Firo more hopes she'll catch on without needing to be taught. [[spoiler: After about 50 years she apparently understands.]]
* Because of how his commoner mother, the mistress of a noble, was treated and discarded, and because of how [[HeroicBastard he was treated as a result]], Glen of ''Manga/BokuraNoKiseki'' gained a cynical, skeptical outlook on love. [[spoiler: He acknowledges that he likes [[RebelliousPrincess Veronica]], but he has no idea if those feelings are what would be called "love".]]
* In ''Manga/Brave10'', Kamanosuke doesn't get what love/affection is, so he approximates it to what he likes most: [[AxCrazy killing]]. [[InLoveWithYourCarnage His relationship with Saizo is colored by this]], although it gets ''really'' confusing when Saizo checks his temperature after he goes swimming in a river in winter and shows, perhaps for the first time, even a modicum of concern. Cue monologue trying to work through what he's feeling, while [[FunnyBackgroundEvent Sasuke fearfully sits by and watches him as he strokes Sasuke's pet weasel because it's therapeutic]].
* In ''Manga/CallOfTheNight'', the main requirement for a [[OurVampiresAreDifferent vampire]] to turn a human into their offspring is for the mark to fall in love with them before they suck their blood. Yamori expresses interest in [[VampireVannabe becoming a vampire]], but has no innate understanding of what it means to fall in love with someone (he even turned down another girl's confession at school because of this). Therefore, he strikes a deal with Nazuna: she can suck his blood whenever she wants, and as they spend time together he will learn to love her.
* ''Manga/CeresCelestialLegend'': Subverted, seeing as it was an assumption rather than a question, between [[TheStoic Tooya]] and Aya right after their official first kiss.
-->'''Tooya:''' Before I knew it, I was worried about you. I unconsciously ran here to rescue you. This feeling I have for you might be what you call "love".
* Because of her inability to love, Anri from ''Literature/{{Durarara}}'' has a difficulty with understanding this concept, and therefore she cannot tell apart the feelings she feels for Mikado, Masaomi, ''and'' Mika.
** Near the end of the first season, [[spoiler:Izaya states that it's not so much she's incapable of it but using SelectiveObliviousness to avoid any potentially painful situation like what happened with her parents. Then again, it's [[ConsummateLiar Izaya]] we're talking about here. Coin toss for whether he was bullshitting or whether it's true]].
** In later seasons, it appears Izaya may have been right in his deductions (or more likely had an AccidentalTruth), as Anri loves Mikado, yet insists she is only a parasite incapable of love due to her own self-loathing. Kujiragi points out that by Anri's logic, monsters don't deserve to be happy, feel love or be loved, which makes little sense. Eventually, [[spoiler:Anri does start a relationship with Mikado]].
* [[HandsomeLech Shigure]] in ''Manga/FruitsBasket'' -- he says that he discovered a strange new feeling when [[spoiler:he first met Akito in a dream]]. Considering [[spoiler:[[ThePowerOfLove what the Curse actually is]]]], it must have been the first time he felt love for someone else.
* In ''Literature/FullMetalPanic'', Sousuke for the majority of the story. Having been [[{{Tykebomb}} literally raised]] as a [[ChildSoldiers soldier]], he's grown up completely divorced from the idea of romantic love, is incapable of recognizing any of its associated norms and behavior, [[ParalyzingFearOfSexuality and is downright terrified of sexuality]]. It's bad enough that, while he winds up falling [[WorthLivingFor hopelessly]] [[LivingEmotionalCrutch in]] [[DevotedToYou love]] within two weeks of being appointed as her {{bodyguard|crush}}, it takes him another eight months to realize all the inexplicable sensations and mood shifts he's been feeling since then have anything to do with this "love" thing at all.
* In ''Literature/{{Gosick}}'', Victorique [[spoiler:(before she was freed from her prison and locked up in the tower)]] seems to have trouble understanding it.
-->'''Victorique:''' Love... what's that? This is the first time I've heard that word since I was born.
* Yuri of ''Manga/IThinkOurSonIsGay'' doesn't understand the concept of romantic love. A flashback shows he understands friendship, but has no clue as to why a female classmate would "like [him] if [they] get along". At present day he seems to be able to recognize [[TransparentCloset Hiroki]]'s crushes, but hardly his own.
* ''Manga/InTheHeartOfKunoichiTsubaki'': Because the [[LadyLand Akane Class]] is a clan of ''{{kunoichi}}''[[note]]Female ninja[[/note]] and combined with the way they were taught and brought up, none of the students have any knowledge of what love or romance is, let alone have any actual idea of what a man is. The exception to this is Tsubaki, who was told the truth after her teachers accidentally slipped up.
* In episode 17 of ''Literature/MuvLuvAlternativeTotalEclipse'', Cryska asks Yuuya about why thinking about him is causing both her and Inia to have lapses in their concentration. Yuuya, for whatever reason, says that those feelings are the result of stress from their superiors in order to perform better. At first Cryska seems to accept this answer, but then after seeing Inia admiring some flowers, he buys some for both of them, and then Lt. Cui shows up, gets [[ClingyJealousGirl upset at him and hits him twice]], it only further confuses her as to why she [[LoveEpiphany feels this way]] towards him.
* ''Manga/{{Naruto}}'' understands love, but not ''romantic'' love. He cannot tell the difference between romantic love and the love he has for ''ramen''. This is largely due to his upbringing without parental figures or unconditional affection for most of his life. Thus, Naruto's main (and final) growth in ''Anime/TheLastNarutoTheMovie'' is coming to terms with this idea of romantic love. It has a tremendous impact on his relationship with [[spoiler: [[OneTrueLove Hinata]], who has loved him since childhood, because after he finally does understand, [[TwiceShy he can't look her in the eye afterwards]]. By that point, it's made patently clear to everyone that he's in love with her -- everyone except for, {{iron|y}}ically, ''Hinata'']].
** ''[[Literature/NarutoHiden Gaara Hiden]]'' reveals that due to having a similar childhood as Naruto, Gaara is very much the same. He understands friendship and familial love, but when it comes to romantic love he's incredibly dense. For example, Shikamaru and Temari's EveryoneCanSeeIt BelligerentSexualTension was something even [[ObliviousToLove Naruto]] noticed, and Gaara is the ''only one'' surprised when they finally get together.
* Rei Ayanami from ''Anime/NeonGenesisEvangelion'' had this trope happen when, while fighting the 16th angel, she asked herself what love is, realized that she loved Shinji enough to sacrifice her life for him, and promptly did, all within the space of about a minute. Girl is ''fast.''
** Kaworu also does this in the manga, after ironically having Rei's love for Shinji essentially Xerox'd onto him by the 16th. He asks Shinji if what he's feeling is love and tries to romantically advance on him after ''kissing Shinji while he was hyperventilating.'' [[AllLoveIsUnrequited It doesn't end well]].
** ''Anime/RebuildOfEvangelion 2.0'' handles the heavy Shinji/Rei subtext very well: at one point, Shinji makes lunch for Rei who reacts with a blush and thanks him; later on, she wonders why did she do that when she never thanks anyone. In another instance, Asuka questions Rei about her feelings towards Shinji and she responds that she feels "warm and content" around him but doesn't know why.
* Mashiro Shiina from ''Literature/ThePetGirlOfSakurasou'' basically says exactly this when she [[spoiler:begins having feelings for Kanda Sorata]]. Her social inability due to her mental disorder has her inept, unnerving some the first time she expresses these feelings as "my chest hurts" and other such manifestations of her feelings.
* ''Manga/PetShopOfHorrors'': Count D, owner of titular shop, admits that love is beyond him. [[spoiler: At least concerning people. Animals are something else entirely.]]
-->'''Count D:''' I do not understand love between people.
* Hishiro of ''Manga/{{ReLIFE}}'', by virtue of [[FriendlessBackground being]] [[EmotionlessGirl Hishiro]], has no idea how to understand certain emotions. She resorts to experimenting on Kaizaki, much to his discomfort.
* In ''Anime/SamuraiFlamenco'', when [[ChasteHero Masayoshi]] is told love is the ultimate weapon, he is completely lost, as he has spent his whole life training to be a hero and never paid attention to such a thing. He spends the rest of the episode wondering what love means. [[spoiler: He finds out the answer in the next episode, when [[LoveEpiphany he realizes he is in love]] with his best friend Goto. ''[[WackyMarriageProposal Right after proposing marriage to him]]''.]]
* ''Manga/ScienceFellInLoveSoITriedToProveIt'': The premise of the series is two [[TheSpock Spocks]], Ayame Himuro and Shinya Yukimura, trying to answer the question of "what is love?" via the scientific method, experimenting with things like the WallPinOfLove and charting how often one appears in the other's dreams and what they were doing.
* ''Manga/SevenSeeds'' has majority of Team A. They sort of know what love ''means'' but, given how they were raised, they don't really understand what it entails, what it feels like or how it could affect anyone. Some of them, like Koruri, know about and have fallen in love easily, where as Ayu is too [[TheStoic cool]] to really know what it means and Ryo has ''no'' idea what Matsuri means when she [[LoveConfession confeses]] that she likes him.
* ''Literature/{{Shimoneta}}'' [[PlayedForDrama plays this for all the drama]]. Due to being in a society where ''anything'' relating to sex which range from words, gestures and materials can and will be punished to the full extent of the law, everyone slowly began to lose the ability to love.
* In ''Anime/{{Simoun}}'', [[spoiler:Aaeru]] has to be specifically told by [[spoiler:Neviril]] what that painful feeling in her chest is. It makes their mutual declaration of love immediately afterward all the more touching.
* In ''Manga/SoulEater'', Stein tells Medusa that "people like [[MadScientist you and me]]" aren't capable of love. Nygus says this, too, but it's somewhat contradicted a few pages later when [[ArmedWithCanon he's seen]] [[JustForFun/IThoughtItMeant physically comforting Marie]].
* Shuu Tsukiyama from ''Manga/TokyoGhoul'' seems to understand concepts of Affection from an intellectual standpoint, being an avid reader. But he proves utterly incapable of comprehending his own feelings of affection towards others, deciding that his lack of interest in killing his MuggleBestFriend is because she must be a "pet". After his HeelFaceTurn and months spent trying to get close to Kaneki, he ends up InLoveWithTheMark but continues to think of his feelings as purely epicurean. [[spoiler:After Kaneki is supposedly killed, his despair leaves him still in mourning two years later and ill as a result of his grief.]]
* ''Manga/VinlandSaga'': When a Christian priest is asked in passing about what he considers valuable in the world, he answers that 'love is the thing that makes all other things valuable'. The Viking marauders and mercenaries he's traveling with not only are confused, but have NO IDEA what he's talking about, and a few more curious ones ask for clarification on this "love" thing he mentions. Part of the trouble is that the priest is using [[https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Agape a definition of unconditional love for all people]] that would be pretty alien to their worldview.
* This is the primary driving point for ''Literature/VioletEvergarden'''s CharacterDevelopment: she becomes a member of the Auto Memory Dolls Service because she wishes to know the meaning behind the supposed last words her military superior-slash-ParentalSubstitute told to her.
* In ''Manga/WildRose'', Mikhail was raised to show no [[EmotionlessBoy emotion]] in order that his [[PowerTattoo markings]] wouldn't appear. As a result he doesn't understand what separates love and indifference. In contrast, not feeling love is the only thing Kiri can't understand, which makes him want to teach him.
[[AC:Demonic Examples]]
* Ulquiorra in ''Manga/{{Bleach}}'', although notably he isn't ''jealous'' of it...he's more annoyed by it. [[spoiler:"You damn humans speak so easily of the heart... what is this "heart?" If I tear open your chest, will I see it inside? If I shatter your skull, will I see it ''there''? As he dies, he finally figures it out: "What is that? Would I see it if I cracked open your chest? If I broke open your skull, what would I see inside? You humans say the word so easily. Just like...Oh. I get it. This is it. This here in my hand. The heart."]]
* The youko ([[{{Obake}} fox spirit]]) Tamamo from ''Manga/HellTeacherNube'' can't even begin to comprehend how or why Nube was so [[{{Determinator}} determined]] to [[PapaWolf protect his students]], much less why such drive gives him power beyond more powerful entities. Therefore, he sticks around to see exactly how ThePowerOfLove works, and also to annoy Nube as the school's physician. The interesting part is that he becomes just as attached to Doumori Elementary and its students without him ever realizing it, and gains the same kind of determination and selflessness as Nube. It comes to a head when Tamamo exorcises an emotion-parasite [[{{Obake}} yokai]] from a little girl, and, still wishing to explore emotions, attaches it to himself. He is overcome with human feelings that overwhelm even his demonic side.
* ''Manga/HanatsukiHime'': Siva, and any of the other devils involved in making contracts with humans, ''want'' to experience this trope because the devils do not have emotions (or the emotions that humans have). It starts out as a game to relieve boredom and simply ends that way for most -- for some, however, the trope gets played straight.
* In ''Manga/KamisamaKiss'' [[AsianFoxSpirit Tomoe]] gets rescued by Yukiji [[spoiler: actually Nanami posing as Yukiji]] and starts developing romantic feelings for her, something he had never experienced before. Given his normal attitude towards humans this leaves him rather conflicted and confused.
* In ''Anime/CControl'', Assets do not feel much emotion and do not understand most human concepts, though Q and Msyu do care deeply for Mikuni and Kimimoro respectively. When Msyu sees a kiss on TV, she's confused and asks Kimimoro about it. He awkwardly says it is what people do when they like each other 30 times as much as normal. [[spoiler:In the final episode, Msyu and Kimimoro finally kiss, with her saying she likes him 40 times as much.]]
* In ''Anime/YashahimePrincessHalfDemon'', that's a real weakness for the [[{{Youkai}} half-demon]] Towa. She is inexperienced with romance and only knows the concept of liking someone. During romantic advances she is flattered, slightly nervous, blushed and speechless. Riku takes advantage of this by partially confessing his feelings and manipulating her to give him her silver rainbow pearl.
* ''Manga/WelcomeToDemonSchoolIrumaKun'' has a variant, where demonkind understands not just lust but romance as well, but the concept of platonic companionship is basically a foreign idea to them, to the point they [[LanguageEqualsThought don't even have a word for it]]. Everybody who meets [[TokenHuman Iruma]] and learns both the concept of and word for friendship from him comes to view it as a perfect term to describe the [[TrueCompanions bonds]] he [[TheHeart helped them form]].
[[AC:Anime and Manga]]
* In ''Manga/HunterXHunter'', [[spoiler: Meruem]], a total [[TheSocialDarwinist Social Darwinist]] and someone who saw humans as merely food and his own kind as basically slaves, both had no idea why he enjoyed his games with [[spoiler: Komugi]], which he always lost and ''should'' have been annoyed by, but also did not understand why he felt the urge to protect someone as weak as her from any harm. When he begins to figure out his feelings, he undergoes major CharacterDevelopment.
* An odd example with Seishirou from ''Manga/TokyoBabylon'' and ''Manga/{{X 1999}}''. As the current[[spoiler: Sakurazukamori]], he understands it in concept since the [[spoiler: role is inherited when the predecessor is killed by the person whom they love most]]. Seishirou questions the previous title holder, [[spoiler: his mother, who'll ever kill him as he simply can love no one]]. Her dying words recall how she once thought the same way until she met him. Despite being TheSociopath and claiming to see no difference between killing a person and breaking an object, his [[DestructiveRomance relationship]] with [[StarCrossedLovers Subaru]] ends with him [[spoiler:pulling a ThanatosGambit that forces the kind-hearted Subaru [[TorsoWithAView into murdering him]]. [[DiedInYourArmsTonight Dying in Subaru's arms]], [[DyingDeclarationOfLove he admits his feelings]]]]. [[TheUnreveal Probably...]]
[[AC:Other Examples]]
* [[BigBad Dead Master]] from ''Anime/BlackRockShooter'' cannot figure out why the eponymous character keeps holding out her hand as an invitation to fight, after the fight has already started. [[spoiler: She also freaks out when she receives a CoolDownHug due to her not knowing what the hell her enemy's doing. Though she could have just been expecting some sort of [[FinishHim finishing blow]].]]
* ''Anime/DeathParade'' has one of the rare examples that's played for horror. This is pretty much the worst possible question to be asked by the judge of the afterlife when [[spoiler:you're evaluating how he judged (and misunderstood) two people to be sent to the void and reincarnation; he doesn't realize the woman he sent to the void actually lied about not loving her husband in order to save him from guilt, meaning ''he sent her to the wrong place'']].
* The mermaids in ''Manga/HekikaiNoAiON'' seems to have this case, but they know is used by humans to mate. One of them discovered what it is though, and also that LoveHurts.
* In ''Manga/SazanEyes'', when Yakumo asks Amara if he loves Ushas, Amara replies that he doesn't exactly understand the concept (he's a plant-based lifeform, after all) but his whole existence is devoted only to her safety. Yakumo decides that's close enough.
* Dragons in ''Manga/MissKobayashisDragonMaid'' have a very simplistic view on interpersonal relationships since they tend to be a solitary species. Things like romance or familial bonds are completely foreign to them, and it's specifically stated that those who express a desire for such things learned it from mimicking humans. One particular example of this would be when Ilulu gets a warm feeling in her chest after getting a headpat from [[ImpliedLoveInterest Taketo]] and mistakenly believing that she's going into heat.
* The half-elf Emilia from ''Literature/ReZero'' is inexperienced in romantic love. She knows why each other is cared for, but she is innocent because she has been shunned all her life. Subaru is very important to her and she likes that he loves her. But Emilia is not sure whether she loves him too or just likes him.
----
* Creator/KenAkamatsu's ''Manga/AILoveYou'', where the main character (the brother) creates an A.I. that he falls in love with, and vice versa. Of course, hilarity ensues:
-->'''[[Manga/NegimaMagisterNegiMagi Hakase]]:''' Wait... Robot capable to feel love = Nobel prize, right?
* ''Manga/{{Chobits}}'' has "persocoms" who express affection and happiness much like humans do. However, the manga has a partial subversion: [[spoiler:Freya tells Hideki that despite rumors to the contrary, the Chobits (an affectionate name given to her and Elda, later Chi) cannot feel or love. Hideki accepts this with the reasoning that while Chi's love for him is not the same love that a human would feel, it is still a love that deserves to be treasured]].
* ''Manga/NegimaMagisterNegiMagi'': Negima has the RobotGirl Chachamaru, who is just one of the many girls in Negi's class to join his [[HaremGenre Harem]]. When her creator discovers this, she goes on a wild, rapid rant about the ethical and philosophical implications of a robot learning to love. See the [[Quotes/WhatIsthisThingYouCallLove quotes page]].
* In ''Anime/DualParallelTroubleAdventure'', the love the cyborgized D has for Kazuki enables her to regain her humanity (as well unlock the full potential of the ultimate weapon).
* In ''Anime/SDGundamForce'', the question is the subject of a Zako Zako Hour... two of them. And they still don't figure it out.
* The Angeloids of ''Manga/HeavensLostProperty'' do not understand love, instead interpreting the blushing and feelings in their reactors as "malfunctions". The AxCrazy Tykebomb Chaos, thanks to a bad logical interpretation of a line from Ikaros, eventually concludes that love is pain and promptly decides to share it with everyone.
* ''Anime/ImGonnaBeAnAngel'': Noelle many times asks people around her about stuff like love, hugging, kissing, happiness etc. [[spoiler: because she's a 1/3 third of an angel soul and doesn't understand the concept of love. The same can be said in case of Mikael and Silky. This is a major theme of the series as well.]]
* Juria in ''Manga/Yuria100Shiki'' literally doesn't know what love is--it's not in the dictionary that was programmed into her. Yuria turns out not to understand the word either, though it later becomes apparent that she feels something beyond mere lust.
* ''Anime/IrresponsibleCaptainTylor'': Android spy Harumi hasn't been programmed for emotions like fear, guilt and eventually love, but finds herself experiencing them in the face of Tylor's bumbling good nature.
* In ''Anime/TheGalaxyRailways'', Yuki is a sexaroid assigned to the SDF platoon and doesn't really feel like part of the team at first because she's just programmed to do her job and can be easily be replaced if she gets destroyed. Manabu, however, doesn't buy this and helps her to see that she's more than this.
* In ''Anime/GundamBuildDiversReRise'' Episode 20, Par and Kazami are notably embarrassed when the [[FemBot EL-Diver]] May suddenly hugged and even gave a kiss on the cheek to the NotSoStoic Hiroto during his HeroicBSOD. May however doesn't seem to understand the potential implications of it, saying she simply did what her guardian said you should do when someone is sad.
* Schwi of ''Literature/NoGameNoLife [[BigDamnMovie Zero]]'', an Ex-Machina who has been exiled from her [[HiveMind collective]] due to her efforts to understand "the human heart" causing a [[LogicBomb critical error]]. She eventually succeeds thanks to her relationship with the main character, Riku. [[spoiler:Right before [[ProudWarriorRaceGirl Jibril]] [[HeroKiller blasts her to oblivion]], Schwi manages to convince her collective to reconnect her -- passing them her love and her understanding of the human heart and making them allies to Riku's cause.]]
[[AC:Alien Examples]]
* This is essentially the plot of ''Anime/SuperDimensionFortressMacross''/''Anime/{{Robotech}}''. The Zentraedi know nothing of love or sex; their genders are divided at all times. A woman singing is a valuable distraction, a kiss can bring down fleets, and a mere child can sufficiently creep them out (Well, the kid was a half-Zentraedi with green hair, and that would freak anyone out).
** It should be noted however that in the ''Anime/{{Macross}}'' franchise, humans and Zentraedi are closely related descendants/creations of the same {{precursor|s}} race: the Protoculture. So the series falls under the human variation of the trope as well.
** [[http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Milia_Fallyna_Jenius Milia Fallyna Jenius]] (re-named [[http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Miriya_Parina_Sterling Miriya Parina Sterling]] in ''Robotech'') embraces the emotion after falling in love with Max, and uses the concept of mercy to provoke a Zentradi mutiny.
* Happens again in ''Anime/GenesisClimberMospeada[=/=][[Anime/{{Robotech}} New Generation]]'' with Aisha and Sorzie (Marlene/Ariel and Sera), the first Inbit/Invid to be in human forms. [[spoiler:Eventually causes their HighHeelFaceTurn.]]
* In ''Manga/{{Parasyte}}'', Migi is baffled when Tamura Reiko, a fellow Parasite (a species of aliens who take over humans' bodies and sustain themselves by eating other humans) [[spoiler: cradles her baby to protect him from a hail of bullets by police and dies from her injuries. Migi is confounded, almost angrily asking himself why she didn't fight back and escape; he's told Shinichi numerous times that human concepts like tender emotions and self-sacrifice mean nothing to him, so seeing a powerful Parasite willingly die so her child can live safely makes no sense to him.]]
* Oasis in ''Literature/KyouranKazokuNikki'''s last arc came to Earth specifically to figure out what love is. She tries to ask Chika and Madara for advice, but this doesn't end well.
* The eponymous character of ''Anime/EurekaSeven'', being an EmotionlessGirl representative of StarfishAliens, is extremely confused when someone suggests she's in love with Renton. However, she seems to have figured out familial love on her own, since she adopted children and is very affectionate towards them.
* The root of the conflict in ''Manga/DearS'' was that the title species is incapable of loving.
* ''Anime/DragonBallZ'':
** {{Downplayed|Trope}} with the [[OneGenderRace Namekian]] Piccolo. He doesn't puzzle over it so much as get mildly annoyed by it.
** Goku asks Chi-Chi what she meant when she said she loved him. Granted, Goku may know love in a friendship sense, but not in a [[ObliviousToLove romantic one]].
** In the backstory of ''VideoGame/DragonBallOnline'', Majin Buu created a wife for himself after reading one of Mr. Satan's adult books and getting lonely for companionship. ''VideoGame/DragonBallXenoverse2'' actually depicts the event, with Buu showing Satan the book and asking what it means, with an embarrassed Satan trying to retrieve the book and change the subject.
* ''Anime/PuellaMagiMadokaMagica'':
** [[spoiler:[[ManipulativeBastard Kyubey]] is a member of a race of highly advanced StarfishAliens with a HiveMind, [[LackOfEmpathy no empathy]] and [[TotalitarianUtilitarian a supreme emphasis on cold-hearted efficiency and logic]], stating outright that they consider emotions as a form of mental disorder. "I just don't get it" is almost a CatchPhrase for Kyubey, who cannot understand why humans would, for example, become distressed [[OurLichesAreDifferent when their soul is displaced from their body into a magical trinket]]. Mind you, Kyubey is savvy enough about emotions to be aware that humans are experiencing them and even to exploit them to his own ends, but remains puzzled by them and considers humanity a primitive race that [[TheyJustDontGetIt just doesn't get it]]. Due to operating in a HiveMind, Kyubey's race fails to understand why humans care so much about specific individuals and even their own lives, exhorting Madoka to sacrifice herself for the sake of furthering Kyubey's goal of [[WellIntentionedExtremist staving off the heat death of the universe]]. Ironically, in the end, his scheme is ruined by Madoka sacrificing herself, but in such a way as to save all other {{Magical Girl}}s]].
** Love per se doesn't come up explicitly until ''[[Anime/PuellaMagiMadokaMagicaTheMovieRebellion Rebellion]]''; [[spoiler:Kyubey still doesn't understand it, but needs no further convincing of how powerful it is, as Homura [[RageAgainstTheHeavens dethrones the kind and benevolent God-Madoka]] to become devil-queen of the universe--[[LoveMakesYouEvil ostensibly out of love for Madoka]], screwing up his [[PoweredByAForsakenChild human power plants]] system even worse than before. The movie notably features a memetic scene of a whole group of Incubators all saying "[[{{Catchphrase}} I just don't get it at all]]!" in one voice before getting blown up]].
* In ''Anime/{{Tamagotchi}}'', Melodytchi has absolutely no understanding of romantic love and how it works, so much so that in one episode of ''GO-GO Tamagotchi!'', she's not especially fazed by the prospect of being forced into a marriage until Lovelitchi explains to her that she'll have to live with her new husband for the rest of her life if they do get married.
[[AC:Human Examples]]
* ''Literature/{{Baccano}}'':
** Chane Laforet from is roughly aware of love entails but, [[MadScientistsBeautifulDaughter because of]] [[WellDoneSonGuy the way]] [[ManipulativeBastard her father]] [[{{Tykebomb}} raised her]], the idea that anyone could possibly care about her for who she is rather than for what she can do for them is so utterly foreign that [[spoiler:Claire's proposal]] and [[MartyrWithoutACause Jacuzzi's]] unconditional concern for her nearly lead her to [[HeroicBSOD BSOD]] [[WhatIsThisFeeling from the confusion]].
--->'''Chane:''' Why? Why do these people do this for me? Even though we've just met? Even though we're not family. ''Why!?''
** Szilard's [[OurHomunculiAreDifferent homunculus]], Ennis did not understand love at all at first. Firo more hopes she'll catch on without needing to be taught. [[spoiler: After about 50 years she apparently understands.]]
* Because of how his commoner mother, the mistress of a noble, was treated and discarded, and because of how [[HeroicBastard he was treated as a result]], Glen of ''Manga/BokuraNoKiseki'' gained a cynical, skeptical outlook on love. [[spoiler: He acknowledges that he likes [[RebelliousPrincess Veronica]], but he has no idea if those feelings are what would be called "love".]]
* In ''Manga/Brave10'', Kamanosuke doesn't get what love/affection is, so he approximates it to what he likes most: [[AxCrazy killing]]. [[InLoveWithYourCarnage His relationship with Saizo is colored by this]], although it gets ''really'' confusing when Saizo checks his temperature after he goes swimming in a river in winter and shows, perhaps for the first time, even a modicum of concern. Cue monologue trying to work through what he's feeling, while [[FunnyBackgroundEvent Sasuke fearfully sits by and watches him as he strokes Sasuke's pet weasel because it's therapeutic]].
* In ''Manga/CallOfTheNight'', the main requirement for a [[OurVampiresAreDifferent vampire]] to turn a human into their offspring is for the mark to fall in love with them before they suck their blood. Yamori expresses interest in [[VampireVannabe becoming a vampire]], but has no innate understanding of what it means to fall in love with someone (he even turned down another girl's confession at school because of this). Therefore, he strikes a deal with Nazuna: she can suck his blood whenever she wants, and as they spend time together he will learn to love her.
* ''Manga/CeresCelestialLegend'': Subverted, seeing as it was an assumption rather than a question, between [[TheStoic Tooya]] and Aya right after their official first kiss.
-->'''Tooya:''' Before I knew it, I was worried about you. I unconsciously ran here to rescue you. This feeling I have for you might be what you call "love".
* Because of her inability to love, Anri from ''Literature/{{Durarara}}'' has a difficulty with understanding this concept, and therefore she cannot tell apart the feelings she feels for Mikado, Masaomi, ''and'' Mika.
** Near the end of the first season, [[spoiler:Izaya states that it's not so much she's incapable of it but using SelectiveObliviousness to avoid any potentially painful situation like what happened with her parents. Then again, it's [[ConsummateLiar Izaya]] we're talking about here. Coin toss for whether he was bullshitting or whether it's true]].
** In later seasons, it appears Izaya may have been right in his deductions (or more likely had an AccidentalTruth), as Anri loves Mikado, yet insists she is only a parasite incapable of love due to her own self-loathing. Kujiragi points out that by Anri's logic, monsters don't deserve to be happy, feel love or be loved, which makes little sense. Eventually, [[spoiler:Anri does start a relationship with Mikado]].
* [[HandsomeLech Shigure]] in ''Manga/FruitsBasket'' -- he says that he discovered a strange new feeling when [[spoiler:he first met Akito in a dream]]. Considering [[spoiler:[[ThePowerOfLove what the Curse actually is]]]], it must have been the first time he felt love for someone else.
* In ''Literature/FullMetalPanic'', Sousuke for the majority of the story. Having been [[{{Tykebomb}} literally raised]] as a [[ChildSoldiers soldier]], he's grown up completely divorced from the idea of romantic love, is incapable of recognizing any of its associated norms and behavior, [[ParalyzingFearOfSexuality and is downright terrified of sexuality]]. It's bad enough that, while he winds up falling [[WorthLivingFor hopelessly]] [[LivingEmotionalCrutch in]] [[DevotedToYou love]] within two weeks of being appointed as her {{bodyguard|crush}}, it takes him another eight months to realize all the inexplicable sensations and mood shifts he's been feeling since then have anything to do with this "love" thing at all.
* In ''Literature/{{Gosick}}'', Victorique [[spoiler:(before she was freed from her prison and locked up in the tower)]] seems to have trouble understanding it.
-->'''Victorique:''' Love... what's that? This is the first time I've heard that word since I was born.
* Yuri of ''Manga/IThinkOurSonIsGay'' doesn't understand the concept of romantic love. A flashback shows he understands friendship, but has no clue as to why a female classmate would "like [him] if [they] get along". At present day he seems to be able to recognize [[TransparentCloset Hiroki]]'s crushes, but hardly his own.
* ''Manga/InTheHeartOfKunoichiTsubaki'': Because the [[LadyLand Akane Class]] is a clan of ''{{kunoichi}}''[[note]]Female ninja[[/note]] and combined with the way they were taught and brought up, none of the students have any knowledge of what love or romance is, let alone have any actual idea of what a man is. The exception to this is Tsubaki, who was told the truth after her teachers accidentally slipped up.
* In episode 17 of ''Literature/MuvLuvAlternativeTotalEclipse'', Cryska asks Yuuya about why thinking about him is causing both her and Inia to have lapses in their concentration. Yuuya, for whatever reason, says that those feelings are the result of stress from their superiors in order to perform better. At first Cryska seems to accept this answer, but then after seeing Inia admiring some flowers, he buys some for both of them, and then Lt. Cui shows up, gets [[ClingyJealousGirl upset at him and hits him twice]], it only further confuses her as to why she [[LoveEpiphany feels this way]] towards him.
* ''Manga/{{Naruto}}'' understands love, but not ''romantic'' love. He cannot tell the difference between romantic love and the love he has for ''ramen''. This is largely due to his upbringing without parental figures or unconditional affection for most of his life. Thus, Naruto's main (and final) growth in ''Anime/TheLastNarutoTheMovie'' is coming to terms with this idea of romantic love. It has a tremendous impact on his relationship with [[spoiler: [[OneTrueLove Hinata]], who has loved him since childhood, because after he finally does understand, [[TwiceShy he can't look her in the eye afterwards]]. By that point, it's made patently clear to everyone that he's in love with her -- everyone except for, {{iron|y}}ically, ''Hinata'']].
** ''[[Literature/NarutoHiden Gaara Hiden]]'' reveals that due to having a similar childhood as Naruto, Gaara is very much the same. He understands friendship and familial love, but when it comes to romantic love he's incredibly dense. For example, Shikamaru and Temari's EveryoneCanSeeIt BelligerentSexualTension was something even [[ObliviousToLove Naruto]] noticed, and Gaara is the ''only one'' surprised when they finally get together.
* Rei Ayanami from ''Anime/NeonGenesisEvangelion'' had this trope happen when, while fighting the 16th angel, she asked herself what love is, realized that she loved Shinji enough to sacrifice her life for him, and promptly did, all within the space of about a minute. Girl is ''fast.''
** Kaworu also does this in the manga, after ironically having Rei's love for Shinji essentially Xerox'd onto him by the 16th. He asks Shinji if what he's feeling is love and tries to romantically advance on him after ''kissing Shinji while he was hyperventilating.'' [[AllLoveIsUnrequited It doesn't end well]].
** ''Anime/RebuildOfEvangelion 2.0'' handles the heavy Shinji/Rei subtext very well: at one point, Shinji makes lunch for Rei who reacts with a blush and thanks him; later on, she wonders why did she do that when she never thanks anyone. In another instance, Asuka questions Rei about her feelings towards Shinji and she responds that she feels "warm and content" around him but doesn't know why.
* Mashiro Shiina from ''Literature/ThePetGirlOfSakurasou'' basically says exactly this when she [[spoiler:begins having feelings for Kanda Sorata]]. Her social inability due to her mental disorder has her inept, unnerving some the first time she expresses these feelings as "my chest hurts" and other such manifestations of her feelings.
* ''Manga/PetShopOfHorrors'': Count D, owner of titular shop, admits that love is beyond him. [[spoiler: At least concerning people. Animals are something else entirely.]]
-->'''Count D:''' I do not understand love between people.
* Hishiro of ''Manga/{{ReLIFE}}'', by virtue of [[FriendlessBackground being]] [[EmotionlessGirl Hishiro]], has no idea how to understand certain emotions. She resorts to experimenting on Kaizaki, much to his discomfort.
* In ''Anime/SamuraiFlamenco'', when [[ChasteHero Masayoshi]] is told love is the ultimate weapon, he is completely lost, as he has spent his whole life training to be a hero and never paid attention to such a thing. He spends the rest of the episode wondering what love means. [[spoiler: He finds out the answer in the next episode, when [[LoveEpiphany he realizes he is in love]] with his best friend Goto. ''[[WackyMarriageProposal Right after proposing marriage to him]]''.]]
* ''Manga/ScienceFellInLoveSoITriedToProveIt'': The premise of the series is two [[TheSpock Spocks]], Ayame Himuro and Shinya Yukimura, trying to answer the question of "what is love?" via the scientific method, experimenting with things like the WallPinOfLove and charting how often one appears in the other's dreams and what they were doing.
* ''Manga/SevenSeeds'' has majority of Team A. They sort of know what love ''means'' but, given how they were raised, they don't really understand what it entails, what it feels like or how it could affect anyone. Some of them, like Koruri, know about and have fallen in love easily, where as Ayu is too [[TheStoic cool]] to really know what it means and Ryo has ''no'' idea what Matsuri means when she [[LoveConfession confeses]] that she likes him.
* ''Literature/{{Shimoneta}}'' [[PlayedForDrama plays this for all the drama]]. Due to being in a society where ''anything'' relating to sex which range from words, gestures and materials can and will be punished to the full extent of the law, everyone slowly began to lose the ability to love.
* In ''Anime/{{Simoun}}'', [[spoiler:Aaeru]] has to be specifically told by [[spoiler:Neviril]] what that painful feeling in her chest is. It makes their mutual declaration of love immediately afterward all the more touching.
* In ''Manga/SoulEater'', Stein tells Medusa that "people like [[MadScientist you and me]]" aren't capable of love. Nygus says this, too, but it's somewhat contradicted a few pages later when [[ArmedWithCanon he's seen]] [[JustForFun/IThoughtItMeant physically comforting Marie]].
* Shuu Tsukiyama from ''Manga/TokyoGhoul'' seems to understand concepts of Affection from an intellectual standpoint, being an avid reader. But he proves utterly incapable of comprehending his own feelings of affection towards others, deciding that his lack of interest in killing his MuggleBestFriend is because she must be a "pet". After his HeelFaceTurn and months spent trying to get close to Kaneki, he ends up InLoveWithTheMark but continues to think of his feelings as purely epicurean. [[spoiler:After Kaneki is supposedly killed, his despair leaves him still in mourning two years later and ill as a result of his grief.]]
* ''Manga/VinlandSaga'': When a Christian priest is asked in passing about what he considers valuable in the world, he answers that 'love is the thing that makes all other things valuable'. The Viking marauders and mercenaries he's traveling with not only are confused, but have NO IDEA what he's talking about, and a few more curious ones ask for clarification on this "love" thing he mentions. Part of the trouble is that the priest is using [[https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Agape a definition of unconditional love for all people]] that would be pretty alien to their worldview.
* This is the primary driving point for ''Literature/VioletEvergarden'''s CharacterDevelopment: she becomes a member of the Auto Memory Dolls Service because she wishes to know the meaning behind the supposed last words her military superior-slash-ParentalSubstitute told to her.
* In ''Manga/WildRose'', Mikhail was raised to show no [[EmotionlessBoy emotion]] in order that his [[PowerTattoo markings]] wouldn't appear. As a result he doesn't understand what separates love and indifference. In contrast, not feeling love is the only thing Kiri can't understand, which makes him want to teach him.
[[AC:Demonic Examples]]
* Ulquiorra in ''Manga/{{Bleach}}'', although notably he isn't ''jealous'' of it...he's more annoyed by it. [[spoiler:"You damn humans speak so easily of the heart... what is this "heart?" If I tear open your chest, will I see it inside? If I shatter your skull, will I see it ''there''? As he dies, he finally figures it out: "What is that? Would I see it if I cracked open your chest? If I broke open your skull, what would I see inside? You humans say the word so easily. Just like...Oh. I get it. This is it. This here in my hand. The heart."]]
* The youko ([[{{Obake}} fox spirit]]) Tamamo from ''Manga/HellTeacherNube'' can't even begin to comprehend how or why Nube was so [[{{Determinator}} determined]] to [[PapaWolf protect his students]], much less why such drive gives him power beyond more powerful entities. Therefore, he sticks around to see exactly how ThePowerOfLove works, and also to annoy Nube as the school's physician. The interesting part is that he becomes just as attached to Doumori Elementary and its students without him ever realizing it, and gains the same kind of determination and selflessness as Nube. It comes to a head when Tamamo exorcises an emotion-parasite [[{{Obake}} yokai]] from a little girl, and, still wishing to explore emotions, attaches it to himself. He is overcome with human feelings that overwhelm even his demonic side.
* ''Manga/HanatsukiHime'': Siva, and any of the other devils involved in making contracts with humans, ''want'' to experience this trope because the devils do not have emotions (or the emotions that humans have). It starts out as a game to relieve boredom and simply ends that way for most -- for some, however, the trope gets played straight.
* In ''Manga/KamisamaKiss'' [[AsianFoxSpirit Tomoe]] gets rescued by Yukiji [[spoiler: actually Nanami posing as Yukiji]] and starts developing romantic feelings for her, something he had never experienced before. Given his normal attitude towards humans this leaves him rather conflicted and confused.
* In ''Anime/CControl'', Assets do not feel much emotion and do not understand most human concepts, though Q and Msyu do care deeply for Mikuni and Kimimoro respectively. When Msyu sees a kiss on TV, she's confused and asks Kimimoro about it. He awkwardly says it is what people do when they like each other 30 times as much as normal. [[spoiler:In the final episode, Msyu and Kimimoro finally kiss, with her saying she likes him 40 times as much.]]
* In ''Anime/YashahimePrincessHalfDemon'', that's a real weakness for the [[{{Youkai}} half-demon]] Towa. She is inexperienced with romance and only knows the concept of liking someone. During romantic advances she is flattered, slightly nervous, blushed and speechless. Riku takes advantage of this by partially confessing his feelings and manipulating her to give him her silver rainbow pearl.
* ''Manga/WelcomeToDemonSchoolIrumaKun'' has a variant, where demonkind understands not just lust but romance as well, but the concept of platonic companionship is basically a foreign idea to them, to the point they [[LanguageEqualsThought don't even have a word for it]]. Everybody who meets [[TokenHuman Iruma]] and learns both the concept of and word for friendship from him comes to view it as a perfect term to describe the [[TrueCompanions bonds]] he [[TheHeart helped them form]].
[[AC:Anime and Manga]]
* In ''Manga/HunterXHunter'', [[spoiler: Meruem]], a total [[TheSocialDarwinist Social Darwinist]] and someone who saw humans as merely food and his own kind as basically slaves, both had no idea why he enjoyed his games with [[spoiler: Komugi]], which he always lost and ''should'' have been annoyed by, but also did not understand why he felt the urge to protect someone as weak as her from any harm. When he begins to figure out his feelings, he undergoes major CharacterDevelopment.
* An odd example with Seishirou from ''Manga/TokyoBabylon'' and ''Manga/{{X 1999}}''. As the current[[spoiler: Sakurazukamori]], he understands it in concept since the [[spoiler: role is inherited when the predecessor is killed by the person whom they love most]]. Seishirou questions the previous title holder, [[spoiler: his mother, who'll ever kill him as he simply can love no one]]. Her dying words recall how she once thought the same way until she met him. Despite being TheSociopath and claiming to see no difference between killing a person and breaking an object, his [[DestructiveRomance relationship]] with [[StarCrossedLovers Subaru]] ends with him [[spoiler:pulling a ThanatosGambit that forces the kind-hearted Subaru [[TorsoWithAView into murdering him]]. [[DiedInYourArmsTonight Dying in Subaru's arms]], [[DyingDeclarationOfLove he admits his feelings]]]]. [[TheUnreveal Probably...]]
[[AC:Other Examples]]
* [[BigBad Dead Master]] from ''Anime/BlackRockShooter'' cannot figure out why the eponymous character keeps holding out her hand as an invitation to fight, after the fight has already started. [[spoiler: She also freaks out when she receives a CoolDownHug due to her not knowing what the hell her enemy's doing. Though she could have just been expecting some sort of [[FinishHim finishing blow]].]]
* ''Anime/DeathParade'' has one of the rare examples that's played for horror. This is pretty much the worst possible question to be asked by the judge of the afterlife when [[spoiler:you're evaluating how he judged (and misunderstood) two people to be sent to the void and reincarnation; he doesn't realize the woman he sent to the void actually lied about not loving her husband in order to save him from guilt, meaning ''he sent her to the wrong place'']].
* The mermaids in ''Manga/HekikaiNoAiON'' seems to have this case, but they know is used by humans to mate. One of them discovered what it is though, and also that LoveHurts.
* In ''Manga/SazanEyes'', when Yakumo asks Amara if he loves Ushas, Amara replies that he doesn't exactly understand the concept (he's a plant-based lifeform, after all) but his whole existence is devoted only to her safety. Yakumo decides that's close enough.
* Dragons in ''Manga/MissKobayashisDragonMaid'' have a very simplistic view on interpersonal relationships since they tend to be a solitary species. Things like romance or familial bonds are completely foreign to them, and it's specifically stated that those who express a desire for such things learned it from mimicking humans. One particular example of this would be when Ilulu gets a warm feeling in her chest after getting a headpat from [[ImpliedLoveInterest Taketo]] and mistakenly believing that she's going into heat.
* The half-elf Emilia from ''Literature/ReZero'' is inexperienced in romantic love. She knows why each other is cared for, but she is innocent because she has been shunned all her life. Subaru is very important to her and she likes that he loves her. But Emilia is not sure whether she loves him too or just likes him.
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