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3%% This page has been alphabetized. Please add new examples in the correct order. Thanks!
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11%%[[quoteright:350:[[Anime/TheIdolmasterCinderellaGirls https://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/bf3e88a377ced1cf501ba148b37cfa47.jpg]]]]
12%%[[caption-width-right:350:"Oh, hey. You dropped something."]]
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14->''"What does a woman need to do, Harry? Rip her clothes off, throw herself on top of you, and shimmy while screaming, 'Do me, baby!'?"''
15-->-- '''Thomas''', ''Literature/TheDresdenFiles''
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17%% Quote changed per thread: https://tvtropes.org/pmwiki/posts.php?discussion=13531231940A00480100&page=164#4097
18%% Do not change or remove the quote without consulting the thread.
19
20LoveHurts; it's messy and [[LoveTriangle a mathematical nightmare]] where only a few can come out happy, never mind unscathed. One of its worst injuries is perhaps the plainest one... pining away at someone because AllLoveIsUnrequited, and in the end never even holding them because IWantMyBelovedToBeHappy.
21
22Then, there are times a deep-frozen love life is not because of StarCrossedLovers, the pursued LoveInterest being the MasterOfTheMixedMessage or any such thing. It's because the rules of plot and characterization dictate [[PlotSensitiveSnoopingSkills that they not notice]] the protagonist's overtures and {{Longing Look}}s. [[AliceAndBob Bob likes Alice]], and he makes several increasingly obvious hints that he's interested, he'd like to ask her out, and wants to be her boyfriend. Alice (though gender reversals are common) will usually be oblivious enough that his [[CannotSpitItOut stuttering overtures]] aren't heard or followed up on, and on top is usually blind to Bob as a love interest because she:
23* [[LikeBrotherAndSister Sees him as a brother]], or [[JustFriends as a friend]].
24* Believes she is [[BrokenBird unworthy of love]] and assumes she's misunderstanding his intentions,
25* Believes she's an OldMaid incapable of attracting love.
26* [[WhatIsThisThingYouCallLove Can not recognize love]] and mistakes it for something else, like a blush for a fever.
27* Isn't convinced that he's [[HasAType her type]].
28* Doesn't pick up on the fact that he's interested in her.
29* [[SelectiveObliviousness Is in deep denial]].
30* Is MarriedToTheJob and has neither the time nor the interest in a relationship.
31* An abusive upbringing results in the character not understanding normal healthy relationships, perhaps being suspicious of Bob because he's "too nice".
32* Culture clash: different cultures have wildly different definitions of what constitutes a romantic gesture. Combine this with a LanguageBarrier or an uptight social environment requiring the use of {{Sexual Euphemism}}s and it's actually hard not to have this trope happen.
33* [[GoldDigger Because she is interested in Charlie's money/chasing fame]].
34* [[IncompatibleOrientation Isn't attracted to men at all]].
35* Is UsefulNotes/{{Aromantic}}.
36
37Expect Alice to say things like "I wish there were someone out there for me" and Bob to respond with "He might be closer than you think." Of course, she'll think he's being vaguely hopeful rather than literal. In the worst cases, Alice may be actively looking for someone (in general or particular) and just be completely blind to other people's feelings for ''her'', or even already seeing someone (let's call him Charlie), Charlie may or may not be the right guy for her, but that's secondary to her being oblivious to Bob trying very hard to get her attention.
38
39If Charlie is the wrong guy, Bob will win Alice's heart in the end. This is a common consequence of OldFlameFizzle. If he's the ''right'' guy, then expect Bob to either [[CleaningUpRomanticLooseEnds hook up with]] whoever ''he'' was ignoring or [[DerailingLoveInterests suddenly be revealed as a psycho slimeball]].
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41TheMatchmaker is particularly prone to this, being used to thinking of love as something she arranges for others, and often tries to hook up Bob with Danielle or Eglantine as just perfect for him.
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43If Alice really is attracted and doesn't realize it, {{Tsundere}} behavior may result, or she may [[BerserkButton treat Bob]] as her {{Protectorate}}, or [[ThroughHisStomach ensure that he's fed]], or [[CrushBlush blush furiously at the mention of him]], prior to the LoveEpiphany. GreenEyedEpiphany is common.
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45This is commonplace in the LoveDodecahedron and also overlaps with EveryoneCanSeeIt. It is also prevalent in YaoiGenre and (especially) YuriGenre works, where it is often mixed with [[{{Gayngst}} confusion about one's feelings for someone of the same gender]]. Compare ItMeantSomethingToMe, where Bob overtly says he loves Alice, but she denies having any feelings. See also DidYouThinkICantFeel Contrast MistakenForFlirting.
46
47If the problem escalates, then this can lead to a case of CluelessChickMagnet. Compare to ChasteHero, where the character in question is completely clueless about the concept of romance; this one knows things about love and may even have a crush, just that [[SelectiveObliviousness he's just oblivious to certain other characters' advances]]. This is one cause of the IgnoredEnamoredUnderling's problems.
48
49The Japanese have a special term for this: ''Donkan'' (鈍感), which is basically the short-form word for this trope. In English fanspeak, a character will simply be called "dense."
50
51For when a character is clueless about their own romantic feelings towards someone else, see UnknowinglyInLove.
52
53----
54!!Example subpages
55[[index]]
56* ObliviousToLove/AnimeAndManga
57* ObliviousToLove/ComicBooks
58* ObliviousToLove/FanWorks
59* ObliviousToLove/{{Literature}}
60* ObliviousToLove/LiveActionTV
61* ObliviousToLove/VideoGames
62* ObliviousToLove/VisualNovels
63* ObliviousToLove/{{Webcomics}}
64* ObliviousToLove/WebOriginal
65* ObliviousToLove/WesternAnimation
66* ObliviousToLove/RealLife
67[[/index]]
68
69!!Other examples
70[[foldercontrol]]
71
72[[folder:Comic Strips]]
73* Calvin and Susie Derkins from ''ComicStrip/CalvinAndHobbes''. WordOfGod [[http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Calvin_and_Hobbes#Susie_Derkins says]] that they have a mutual crush on each other. Calvin, apparently, either doesn't know about it or doesn't know how to deal with it, so he does his best to gross out and anger Susie, who then always gets mad at him.
74** Arguably, this may apply with Susie as well. Susie generally is contemptuous of Calvin, ignores him, and associates with him only when necessary, but at the same time, perhaps like Calvin, doesn't know how to handle her feelings towards him.
75** Strangely enough, in the strip it's Hobbes (Calvin's [[LovesMyAlterEgo alter ego]]?) who is attracted to Susie and is always convincing Calvin to go play with her.
76--> "...So what happened to the mandibles of death, you sissy furball?!?"\
77"I was beguiled by her feminine charms. Yow. Go soak your head."
78** Most likely Calvin just projects his feelings onto his imaginary friend as a way of dealing with them.
79** However, Hobbes also sometimes teases Calvin by suggesting he and Susie like each other; [[NotSoImaginaryFriend assuming he is real]], it's possible he's just acting infatuated to get under Calvin's skin.
80* In ''ComicStrip/{{Curtis}}'', the titular character is too busy crushing on Michelle (who most definitely does ''not'' reciprocate) to realize that his good friend Chutney is head-over-heels in love with him. Once or twice he does wonder "Could it be that Michelle doesn't like me and that Chutney does?" but [[StatusQuoIsGod always writes the possibility off in the end]].
81* ''ComicStrip/{{Peanuts}}'': Charlie Brown and Marcie. He's understandably intimidated by Peppermint Patty's overtures, but has yet to notice Marcie. Charlie Brown does figure out that Marcie likes him, but not until she (very bluntly) ''tells'' him so. His self-esteem is so low, he can't really believe that ''any'' girl can be interested in him, even Peppermint Patty. There's also Charlie and the Little Red-Headed Girl, who probably doesn't even know he exists.
82[[/folder]]
83
84[[folder:Film — Animated]]
85* In ''WesternAnimation/{{Frozen|2013}}'', Anna doesn't realize that Kristoff has fallen in love with her until Olaf casually mentions it.
86* In ''WesternAnimation/{{The Hunchback of Notre Dame|Disney}}'', [[HotGypsyWoman Esmeralda]] is oblivious to [[TheGrotesque Quasimodo]]'s love. Unfortunately for Quasi, this means [[spoiler:[[DidNotGetTheGirl she hooks up]] with [[KnightInShiningArmor Phoebus]] instead. Right in front of him, in fact.]]
87* ''WesternAnimation/TheNightmareBeforeChristmas'': Jack Skellington, thy name is clueless.
88* In ''WesternAnimation/TheSecretLifeOfPets'', Max is completely oblivious to Gidget's rather blatant crush on him.[[spoiler:.. until he develops one on her in turn, after seeing her go [[OneManArmy One Dog Army]] on [[KillerRabbit Snowball's]] minions at the climax.]]
89* ''WesternAnimation/SharkTale'': Oscar is completely oblivious to Angie's blindingly obvious crush on him until she outright screamed it out to his face.
90* ''WesternAnimation/StrangeMagic'': [[PrincessClassic Princess Dawn]] completely fails to notice her [[JustFriends best friend]] Sunny (who's an elf) is desperately love with her, despite his increasingly obvious hints. She's so busy flirting with every fairy boy that she fails to see his attempts to woo her. [[spoiler: This drives Sunny to make a LovePotion to make her love him.]]
91[[/folder]]
92
93[[folder:Film — Live-Action]]
94* This is of course the basic plot of any number of {{romantic comed|y}}ies out there.
95** Parodied ''mercilessly'' in ''Film/NotAnotherTeenMovie'', as [[ChildhoodFriendRomance Rickey]] has absolutely no problems with CannotSpitItOut, but Janey fails to pick up on the hints. Said "hints" include reading "[[Film/TenThingsIHateAboutYou Ten Things I Love About Janey Briggs]]" ''in class'', with other students groaning over hearing such works again.
96* ''Film/AvengersAgeOfUltron:'' Natasha obviously flirts with Bruce by using the joke of a [[IHaveThisFriend man who did her wrong]] implying it to be Bruce with the subtlety of a brick to the face as she mentions traits that could only possibly refer to him, ending with asking if he thinks she should go for it. Bruce remains confused and still thinks she's talking about someone besides him until Steve spells it out for him.
97* Ted, the gym manager in ''Film/BurnAfterReading'', is in love with Linda, who looks everywhere for a man and wants several rounds of cosmetic surgery to improve her odds. In the end, he does something heroically stupid to try and help her.
98* A RunningGag in the original ''Film/Ghostbusters1984'' was Janine's crush on Egon and how he was absolutely oblivious of it due to his cold scientific nature.
99* ''Film/TheHungerGames'': Katniss Everdeen cannot see that Gale and Peeta clearly love her until they outright state it to her. In Peeta's case, it takes some time for her to realize even ''after'' he blatantly says it.
100* ''Film/JoeDirt'' is pretty good at picking up trashy redneck women, but when it comes to sweet girls, he thinks they're just being nice.
101* ''Film/ANewYorkChristmasWedding'': {{Subverted}}. At first it seems like Gabby was completely unaware that Jenni loved her initially, but the last timeline shows that she knew deep down.
102* ''Film/ThePatsy'': Poor Tony has no clue that Pat is besotted with him. When she tells him "I'm in love with a man who hardly knows I exist," he cluelessly offers her advice on how to attract the mystery man.
103* In ''Film/PiratesOfTheCaribbeanTheCurseOfTheBlackPearl'', Will wastes all his frustrated energy on swordplay because he's about the only person who can't see that Elizabeth is ready to jump his bones the minute she can get him alone[[note]]So to speak. WordOfGod says they never had sex before marriage, but they did have a lot of rather close dancing and sword practice.[[/note]]. Jack Sparrow even lampshades this at one point. Granted, he may be aware of it; he just thinks that due to their difference in social class (he's a blacksmith's apprentice and she's the governor's daughter), it would be downright ''disrespectful'' of him to have feelings for her. This can be seen in his refusal to call her anything but "Miss Swann" for most of the movie, even though she keeps telling him to call her Elizabeth.
104* Mark from ''Film/TheRoom2003'', to a ridiculous extent. He never figures that he's helping Lisa, who is his best friend Johnny's fiancée, cheat on Johnny until about the ''fourth or fifth'' time that Lisa calls him over to have sex.
105* ''Film/SkyHigh2005'': Will Stronghold is oblivious to Layla's crush on him, although he does have the excuse that Gwen Grayson [[spoiler: got him to fall in love with ''her'', then pretended not to notice herself in order to better string him along (even though when it came time the reveal that 'it was mutual', he couldn't take the hint until she flat-out said it)]].
106* ''Film/XMenFirstClass'': Charles Xavier doesn't notice that Raven Darkholme harbours some non-sisterly feelings towards him.
107[[/folder]]
108
109[[folder:Manhua]]
110* Mingluan in ''Manhua/GoddessCreationSystem'' is starting to worry his family because he shows no interest in sex, has no concubines and no wife. Xiaxi is eventually sent by his sister to seduce him, but her initial attempts to flirt fly completely over his head, annoying her and forcing her to start from another angle.
111* In ''Manhua/MyWifeIsADemonQueen'', Aisi is infatuated with Ashtone. He is completely unaware of this.
112[[/folder]]
113
114[[folder:Music]]
115* "[[ExactlyWhatItSaysOnTheTin Everybody Knows (Except You)]]" by Music/TheDivineComedy:
116-->Everybody knows that I love you,\
117Everybody knows that I need you,\
118Everybody knows that I do,\
119Except you!
120* "Shiver" - Music/{{Coldplay}} ("it's you / I see / but you don't see me")
121* "3 Libras" by Music/APerfectCircle implies this trope.
122* "That Girl" by The Noisettes
123-->That girl’s in love with you//I know that you’re too blind to see//I know that it’s so plain to see
124* Music/TaylorSwift:
125** "You Belong With Me" is about a girl with an unrequited love towards a friend.
126** "I'd Lie" by Music/TaylorSwift
127-->He looks around the room\
128Innocently overlooks the truth\
129Shouldn't a light go on?\
130Doesn't he know that I've had him memorized for so long?
131%%** "Teardrops on My Guitar" has shades of this, too.
132%%* Westlife's "Obvious"
133%%* 98 Degrees' "Invisible Man," "You Should Be Mine," "You Don't Know," "Why Are We Still Friends?"
134%%* Music/BackstreetBoys' "All I Have to Give"
135%%* Music/{{NSYNC}}'s "Crazy For You"
136%%* Clay Aiken's "Invisible" (if you ignore the StalkerWithACrush subtext...)
137* Herb Alpert's "This Guy's in Love With You" (for when he gets tired or hinting and finally comes out and says it...but it is obvious that he's been hinting for a VERY long time!)
138[[/folder]]
139
140[[folder:Podcasts]]
141* Ethan in the ''Podcast/CoolKidsTable'' game ''Creepy Town'' may not be as dumb as Frank, but he's completely unaware of Veronica and Stacey trying to flirt with him.
142* ''Podcast/RedPandaAdventures'': The Panda's usual response to his driver[=/=]sidekick the Flying Squirrel blatantly flirting with him is "Kit Baxter, behave yourself". [[spoiler:Eventually, he admits that he thought she was just messing with him - not long before they get engaged.]]
143[[/folder]]
144
145[[folder:Radio]]
146* ''Radio/BleakExpectations:'' In series 2, Pip Bin is completely unaware of Ripely Fecund's increasingly unsubtle hints (which didn't exactly ''start'' at subtle) that she is lusting after him, and his own feelings for her, right up until Ripely storms his wedding to Tallulah Not-A-Man.
147[[/folder]]
148
149[[folder:Roleplay]]
150* In ''Roleplay/TheDaoOfTheAwakened'', when Lao Ai requests a dinner together as payment for the new armor, Hua Yin doesn't even realize it's supposed to be a date until it's almost time for them to part ways.
151[[/folder]]
152
153[[folder:Theatre]]
154* In ''Cromwell'' by Victor Hugo, Rochester is one of the men plotting against Cromwell and convinced he's in a forbidden romance with the man's daughter, sharing looks and that this affair will protect him. He's found guilty with the rest and to be executed, at which point the audience learns that Cromwell's daughter had no idea who the man even was and the "affair" existed only in his mind.
155* Theatre/CyranoDeBergerac:
156** Cyrano uses SelectiveObliviousness to refuse to comprehend that he can be loved even with his enormous nose. At Act I Scene V, Le Bret has to remind him of the SmittenTeenageGirl Cyrano meet some moments ago. At Act IV Scene IX, Christian stubbornly tries to convince him that Roxane loves his “soul” –- Cyrano –- instead of his face. Cyrano will not believe it. Justified because Cyrano has serious MommyIssues and [[MartyrdomCulture his upbringing]] makes him more comfortable being the LoveMartyr.
157--> '''Le Bret:''' Your courage and your wit! -- [[SmittenTeenageGirl The little maid]]\
158Who offered you refreshment even now,\
159Her eyes did not abhor you—you saw well!\
160'''Cyrano''' ''(impressed):'' True!
161** Through Act II to Act V, Roxane uses SelectiveObliviousness to refuse to comprehend that Cyrano, the [[ChildhoodFriendRomance Unlucky Childhood Friend]] who always does everything she asks him and whom has been at her side every Saturday without fault for the last fifteen years could want to be more than be JustFriends. Justified again because she is [[FanDumb the Insane Avatar of a Romance Novel Heroine, who longs to be the Mad Bride]] of [[LovingAShadow a guy who was fair and witty]].
162* In ''Theatre/LesMiserables'', depending on the actor, Marius can sometimes come off as quite a bit thick in the head about this with Eponine.
163* Anne in ''Theatre/ALittleNightMusic'' is not only oblivious to her awkward stepson's feelings for her, but also to her own feelings about him, which [[spoiler: she only realizes at the end.]]
164* In the ''Theatre/MrsHawking'' play series: In part IV: ''Gilded Cages'', Victoria does not realize that Reginald is falling in love with her. She explains it to her nephew many years later as her own UsefulNotes/{{aromantic}} nature made it hard for her as a young person to see the signs she herself was unfamiliar with.
165* In ''Theatre/{{Seussical}}'', Horton is unaware of Gertrude's crush on him, even when she sings a song about it straight at him (he's too busy talking to Whos). [[spoiler:This arguably changes after she reveals her {{Determinator}} tendencies in "All For You"]].
166* In ''Theatre/TheSoundOfMusic'', Maria has absolutely no clue the Captain is in love with her until the Baroness (for her own ends, of course) points it out. This is possibly because Maria has spent too much time in a convent. A moral crisis immediately ensues, which the Reverend Mother very nicely clears up.
167[[/folder]]
168
169[[folder:Web Video]]
170* Parodied in ''[[WebVideo/TheNostalgiaCritic The Nostalgia Critic's]]'' fourth video about commercials, which has a RunningGag about [[Film/TheWizardOfOz the Wicked Witch of the West]] wanting to have a sexy time with someone. She attempts to tell her targets about it via all sorts of innuendos, and when that fails, she resorts to bluntly spelling it out to them. They remain utterly oblivious even then -- TheStinger shows [[spoiler: Mark, from ''Film/TheRoom2003'', being the final recipient of her advances, acting just as oblivious before until [[BrickJoke telling her that it's sexual harassment and he doesn't have to take it]].]]
171-->'''Witch''': What's wrong with you?! I [[AddedAlliterativeAppeal want weird, wobbly witch]] sex!\
172'''Critic''': Ohhh, I see what you're saying: you want me and the actress from ''Series/GameOfThrones'', [[Creator/EmiliaClarke the one who plays the Albino dragon chick, to hook up]].
173* ''WebVideo/PokemonPals'': Ash has serious trouble catching on to Misty's advances. The fact that he doesn't know what sex is doesn't help.
174[[/folder]]
175

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