History BodyguardCrush / AnimeAndManga

** [[GenderInvertedTrope Gender-flipped]] with Kallen and Lelouch. AcePilot and ActionGirl Kallen Kouzuki develops a crush on rebel leader Zero (who eventually does make her his bodyguard). [[spoiler:The second season plays with this as, now knowing Zero's real identity as her classmate Lelouch Lamperouge/vi Britannia, Kallen has a hard time reconciling her feelings for him with the IdleRich image he's projected at school. The twist? Had Lelouch let Kallen in on ThePlan, she not only would have turned against the Black Knights and the rest of the world for him (as well as abandoned a HappilyEverAfter ending with her mother), but she would have also followed him in death.]] This in turn makes the ending even more bittersweet, especially during ''The Miraculous Birthday'' in which [[spoiler:Kallen states she'll never forget (i.e. stop loving) Lelouch, even if she wanted to.]]

** A classic case with Lelouch's half-sister [[RebelliousPrincess Princess Euphemia li Britannia]] and her [[KnightinShiningArmor Knight Suzaku Kururugi.]] At their first meeting, she ''pretended'' to be in danger so they could have a RescueRomance. Later she names him her official knight (in part) because she has a crush on him.

** ''Anime/MobileSuitGundamSEEDDestiny'': A foregone conclusion with Athrun and Cagalli in the first part as they were both interested in each other well before he became her bodyguard. Many cute moments ensue, as he became her bodyguard ''because'' of the fact that they were interested in one another. [[spoiler: However, they break-up midway through the series since [[MarriedToTheJob Cagalli's]] ultimate priorities are rebuilding the kingdom of Orb ''and'' helping stop the war. Not every hope is lost, however, since both are more or less single at the GrandFinale (though Athrun has Meyrin, who Cagalli personally asked to keep an eye on him, as another possible suitor).]]

** [[{{Yakuza}} Ginji Matsuzaki]]'s loyalties are all for [[YakuzaPrincess Yukio Washimine]], and it's almost a sure thing that they're romantically-inspired. Rock tells Yukio that he's sure she accepted the role of Yakuza boss to be with Ginji, who could never have a normal life with her. [[spoiler: It ends tragically, however: with the Washimine clan decimated, Ginji slain by Revy, and Yukio commiting ''[[{{seppuku}} jigai]]'' with his katana [[TogetherInDeath right after his death]].]]
*** In that same arc, one can also make the argument that Revy applies to this for Rock since this is one of the parts where the ShipTease between them is at its most visible.

* ''Manga/ChainsawMan'' has Fumiko Mifune, who was assigned to be Denji's bodyguard after he [[ResignationsNotAccepted quit Public Safety and was forced]] into TenMinuteRetirement. Her EstablishingCharacterMoment was fondling him while [[OlderThanTheyLook masquerading as a teenage girl]], but once her cover's blown she confesses that her feelings for him were genuine [[WeaknessTurnsHerOn as a result of seeing how vulnerable he could be]].

** It's played straight when Hilshire and his cyborg Triela are assigned to protect [[CrusadingLawyer prosecutor]] Roberta Guellfi. After the assignment is over, Hilshire starts a relationship with Roberta (while Triela [[IWantMyBelovedtoBeHappy decides not to tell him about *her* feelings]])

* ''Manga/CallOfTheNight'': Kiku accidentally turned Azami into her offspring when she tried to suck his blood after he had seemingly died protecting her from a yakuza that shot the rest of their family. Not only was Azami still dying from his wounds, he had unknowingly developed a crush on Kiku, which fulfilled the condition for vampirization. Both Kiku and Azami were surprised by this development, [[MistakenForGay as Kiku had assumed that Azami was gay]].

* ''{{Anime/Voltes V}}'' has a rare gender-inverted example of this between an EvilPrince and his [[LadyOfWar]] female bodyguard. [[ProperLady Noblewoman]] Katherine Rii is one of [[NobleDemon Prince Heinel]]'s aides and prevents several assassination attempts on his life [[spoiler: due to his position as the rightful heir to the throne. She has had a crush on him since they were both children]].

* ''{{Anime/Voltes V}}'' has a rare gender-inverted example of this between an EvilPrince and his [[LadyOfWar]] female bodyguard. [[Proper Lady Noblewoman]] Katherine Rii is one of [[NobleDemon Prince Heinel]]'s aides and prevents several assassination attempts on his life [[spoiler: due to his position as the rightful heir to the throne. She has had a crush on him since they were both children]].

* ''Webcomic/HetaliaAxisPowers'': [[NinjaMaid Hungary]] towards [[{{Meganekko}} Austria]]. She worked as his maid and later as his advisor before they got married, yet she also was quite happy to try get [[DoesThisRemindYouOfAnything "his vital regions"]] back, [[BladeOnAStick spear]] in hand and supported by her legions...

* ''Anime/ReZero'':

* Played with in ''LightNovel/{{Kurenai}}'', as 7-year-old Murasaki seems to develop a puppy-love crush on her hired bodyguard/protector, Shinkurou. The relationship develops into the affectionate sort one might expect between a little sister and a caring older brother, [[spoiler:quite unlike her ''[[BrotherSisterIncest real]]'' older brother]]...

* In ''LightNovel/MirageOfBlaze'', Naoe is madly in love with his lord and master, Kagetora. Kagetora shows no sign of reciprocating, and in fact has been known to use that to keep Naoe chained to his side. Of course, this situation is exasperated by the fact that they have been reincarnated into this situation for the past ''400 years''. It's no wonder Naoe is [[LoveMakesYouCrazy losing it]].

* ''Manga/{{Hellsing}}'''s [[SociopathicHero Alucard]] is intensely devoted to his Master and Countess [[TheWomanWearingTheQueenlyMask Integra Hellsing]] to the point of any insult done towards her in his presence triggers a BerserkButton. He's referred as her lapdog and bodyguard a couple of times, so fits this role.

* ''LightNovel/TheFamiliarOfZero'' combines this trope with HappinessInSlavery in regards to Saito's relationship with Louise. As her familiar, he has incentive to protect her. [[spoiler: Eventually, he becomes her husband.]]

* ''LightNovel/FullMetalPanic'': Sousuke Sagara is the militarily placed protector of modern schoolgirl [[{{Tsundere}} Kaname Chidori]]. Raised by the KGB, he has NoSocialSkills. Nonetheless, he means well. ''Nothing'' on Earth had better threaten Chidori, be it a gang of {{Delinquents}}, a PsychoForHire, or a majorly armed nation, ''[[{{Determinator}} for he will take it down]]''. Kaname even calls him [[Film/TheBodyguard Kevin Costner]] when he gets too annoying about it.

* ''[[LightNovel/HaruhiSuzumiya The Melancholy of Haruhi Suzumiya]]'': Itsuki and Mikuru take these roles in the club's home-made movie. Mikuru's character is supposed to protect Itsuki's from Yuki, the antagonist. Given that ''Haruhi'' is directing this movie, it quickly goes pear shaped.

* The whole premise of ''LightNovel/{{Katanagatari}}'' is that Togame wants her bodyguard and human sword Shichika to fall in love with her so that he will develop UndyingLoyalty for their quest. Shichika agrees, and the feeling eventually becomes mutual.
* Ayano's father in ''LightNovel/KazeNoStigma'' tries to [[InvokedTrope use this trope]] on Kazuma to quietly set him up with his daughter, but Kazuma is actually smart enough to realize, a great rarity in this media [[IdiotHero for a main character]].
* Played with in ''[[LightNovel/KureNai Kure-nai]]'', where 7-year-old Murasaki seems to develop a puppy-love crush on her hired bodyguard/protector, Shinkurou. The relationship develops into the affectionate sort one might expect between a little sister and a caring older brother, [[spoiler: quite unlike her [[BrotherSisterIncest REAL]] older brother...]].

* Conrad Weller might feel something like this for his charge, the king Yuuri Shibuya, in ''LightNovel/KyoKaraMaoh''.

* The first season of ''LightNovel/ShakuganNoShana'' is driven by a gender-inverted version of this trope. Since Shana is possibly the biggest {{tsundere}} of all time, she doesn't admit it until the final episode and Yuji doesn't hear it, so the writers get to keep running with this trope well into season 2!

* Inverted in ''LightNovel/{{Slayers}}'': during the NEXT season, [[spoiler: when Gourry is taken away from her]], Lina suddenly realizes she's fallen in love with her bodyguard and companion Gourry, much to her initial surprise and dismay. Gourry has feelings for her too, but he's a lot more comfortable with them than the volatile sorceress. In fact, Gourry is the one who makes the first move, [[spoiler: when he lectures Lina after she fakes her death without telling him. He first calls her "unsensitive", then asks if she knows what he's come to feel for her, which makes [[TsunDere Lina]] ''very'' flustered.]]

* ''Anime/OddTaxi'': Sekiguchi has traces of this towards Yano in the anime proper: he is hostile towards pretty much everyone apart from his boss, hates Dobu with burning passion (which could be interpreted as a sign of jealousy, considering Dobu's and Yano's history as an Oyabun and Kobun, respectively), and is exrtremely worried that he might look weak in Yano's eyes if he loses to Dobu in a fight. Amplified significantly in the additional materials, character songs, and the movie. E.g., in the movie, it is revealed that Sekiguchi used to work for Dobu, until suddenly, under unexplained circumstances, he quit to become Yano's right hand man. When it comes to Yano himself, he doesn't seem to mind Sekiguchi invading his personal space, compliments him on his appearance regularly, and easily forgives him for things other yakuza members would probably lose their fingers for (such as letting a hostage escape or talking his boss out of counting the money properly during a robbery, which eventually leaves them with ten suitcases of counterfeit bills). Moreover, both Yano's character EP, 2019, and Sekiguchi's character song, PANAMA, imply that, after the events of the anime, the two escaped police custody and fled to Panama together.

* ''Anime/OddTaxi'': Sekiguchi has traces of this towards Yano in the anime proper: he is hostile towards pretty much everyone apart from his boss, hates Dobu with burning passion (which could be interpreted as a sign of jealousy, considering Dobu's and Yano's history as an Oyabun and Kobun, respectively), and is exrtremely worried that he might look weak in Yano's eyes if he loses to Dobu in a fight. Amplified significantly in the additional materials, character songs, and the movie. E.g., in the movie, it is revealed that Sekiguchi used to work for Dobu, until suddenly, under unexplained circumstances, he quit to become Yano's right hand man. Moreover, both Yano's character EP, 2019, and Sekiguchi's character song, PANAMA, imply that, after the events of the anime, the two escaped police custody and fled to Panama together.