History Main / WhatIsThisFeeling

* In ''Literature/FullMetalPanic'', Sousuke's whole HeroicBSOD during TSR. Pretty much everyone was shocked and surprised at how depressed [[TheStoic he of all people]] became when he was split up from Kaname. Mao is shown to especially be exasperated with him when he [[TheAce uncharacteristically]] almost gets them killed because he's so out of it. In ''Always Stand by Me'', Sousuke is a bit unnerved to discover that his mecha's AI has apparently developed the capacity for ''survivor's guilt''.

** ''[[Manga/JoJosBizarreAdventureDiamondIsUnbreakable Diamond is Unbreakable]]'': As Yoshikage Kira takes on Kosaku's identity, he starts to develop some feeling of protection for his wife, Shinobu. He's at a complete loss when he protects her from Stray Cat.
** ''[[Manga/JoJosBizarreAdventureJoJolion JoJolion]]'': Upon learning his true identity, Josuke heads to the hospital to check on Holly and after discovering her condition has worsen, he immediately feels a surge of emotional distress that takes him unlooked for. It only strengthens his resolve to find the optimal treatment for her.

* In ''WesternAnimation/{{Disenchantment}}'', Luci the demon seems to experience sadness for the first time when [[spoiler:Elfo dies]]: "If this is sadness, I don't like it one bit." When Bean unknowingly experiences hope, she describes it as "this feeling I don't want to drink away."

* ''WesternAnimation/{{Invincible|2021}}'': Even after the mass casualties he himself caused on Earth before his departure, Nolan is surprised by his own negative reaction to seeing the Viltrumites slaughter the Thraxans, as he had been raised to see no value in so-called lesser species with such short life-spans.
-->'''Nolan:''' ''Why?'' Why do I care about them? They were weak, short-lived, barely a species, they shouldn't matter to me.\\

* PlayedForDrama in ''Manga/TheAncientMagusBride'': The centuries-old HumanoidAbomination Elias Ainsworth, while capable of ''feigning'' human emotions and even charm, has a serious case of BlueAndOrangeMorality. Things get complicated when he starts developing emotions for his apprentice and fiance Chise Hatori that he has no frame of reference for - he's completely perplexed by the feeling of coldness and emptiness he feels when she leaves for a few days and needs to have it explained to him that he's just lonely without her around. When Chise starts developing friendships and spending time with people ''other'' than him, he's surprised to find out the feelings of resentment bubbling up are jealousy. They eventually decide that while Elias is Chise's magic teacher, Chise is his human teacher.
* Parodied in ''Manga/AyakashiTriangle'': Shadow Mei is confused when a LovePotion makes her infatuated with Matsuri, but jumps to ''entirely'' the wrong conclusion.

* In ''Literature/FullMetalPanic'', Sousuke's whole HeroicBSOD during TSR. Pretty much everyone was shocked and surprised at how depressed [[TheStoic he of all people]] became when he was split up from Kaname. Mao is shown to especially be exasperated with him when he [[TheAce uncharacteristically]] almost gets them killed because he's so out of it.
** In ''Always Stand by Me'', Sousuke is a bit unnerved to discover that his mecha's AI has apparently developed the capacity for ''survivor's guilt''.

* Happened to Literature/HaruhiSuzumiya, after she helped the school band ENOZ out. They were very grateful but Haruhi didn't really know to handle it and becomes sort of melancholic. Kyon then figures that it is because she's not used to being thanked by other people.

-->'''Kabamaru:''' ''"My-my face is getting hot! My heart's beating so fast! [[WhatIsThisFeeling Why? Why?]]"''

--->''"What is this feeling? I did not ask for it. I do not understand it. I do not want it."''

** In ''VideoGame/FinalFantasyVIIRemake'' PlayedForLaughs, if you talk to Chadley, the Shinra materia researcher and secret helper to your party when Cloud is in his dress, he will comment, "Forgive me, miss, but the way you're staring at me is rather... O-oh goodness. I'm experiencing an emotional response." If you speak to him again, he'll ask "What is this emotional response...?". [[spoiler:It's also {{Foreshadowing}} his [[{{Cyborg}} artificial nature]]]]. It's called Love, Chadley.

* ''VideoGame/TheLegendOfHeroesTrailsOfColdSteel'':
** ''Cold Steel II'' - Millium Orion. After seeing Celdic burned to the ground, she starts feeling a "weird tightness" and confers with Rean about it. Rean diagnoses that Millium is feeling sad, something that Millium thinks is definitely out of character for her. Prior to this, she even admits that she'd never felt sadness or cried before, even after the death of the Chancellor (whom Millium affectionately called "Gramps"). This gets subverted in the Epilogue, when Class VII completes their last adventure together and Millium feels a tear running down her face. A few seconds later, the dam bursts in earnest.
** ''Cold Steel III'' - Altina Orion [[spoiler:is a humonculus created by the Black Workshop]] and has trouble understanding certain feelings, such as the concern she feels for her classmates when it's only been her remit before to protect Rean.
** In ''Cold Steel IV'', after one of the many times that Rean has scared the party by taking too much upon himself and ended up collapsed...

* This exchange from ''VideoGame/PokerNight2'';

* In ''VideoGame/XCOM2'' during the ''War of the Chosen'' expansion, if you manage to kill the Chosen Hunter by [[ResurrectiveImmortality destroying his sarcophagus]], he'll remark that "This is what it feels like to be afraid..." as he dies.

[[folder:Visual Novels]]
* ''VisualNovel/TheFruitOfGrisaia'': When Sachi begins to develop an attraction to Yuuji, she doesn't really get why she's acting differently around him. Nor any of the other complex emotions she's locked away.
* In an interesting meta-example, the VN ''VisualNovel/KatawaShoujo,'' when released, turned out to be the one thing on the internet that could [[http://i.imgur.com/by4JK.jpg make]] Website/FourChan [[http://i41.tinypic.com/5owp3a.jpg cry]].
* Present in Hanzo's route in ''VisualNovel/{{Nightshade}}'', though it's downplayed. Hanzo is confused by his feelings for Enju at first because he had simply never loved anyone romantically before, but he does figure it out after a while.
* In ''VisualNovel/PhoenixWrightAceAttorneyDualDestinies'', [[spoiler:the phantom, who claims to be unable to feel any emotions ''at all'', suddenly experiences fear when he realizes he's being targeted by assassins. The realization that he's ''feeling'' something makes him even more afraid, triggering his VillainousBreakdown.]]
* In ''VisualNovel/PrincessEvangile'', there's Tamie Nogi in her route. Having practically been MarriedToTheJob during her stay at Vincennes Academy thus far, she starts to feel affection towards Masaya after spending an entire week traveling around Japan with him. For the second half of the route's first chapter, she's practically wondering why she's beginning to see him differently than how she normally does.
* Arcueid in ''VisualNovel/{{Tsukihime}}'' after Shiki fails to show up for their meeting. She's incredibly angry because to her it feels like she got stood up on a date. After she calms down, she realizes it's not like her to get so upset and asks Shiki why he thinks she got so angry. She's not used to feeling emotion towards people and will be vaguely accepting of the idea that she's selfish or that she hates him.
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[[folder:Webcomics]]

* ''WesternAnimation/AdventureTime'':
** Finn goes through this when he experiences [[GreenEyedMonster jealousy]] for the first time at the sight of Princess Bubblegum with Ricardio the Heart Guy.

** This trope is used in a heartwrenching way in "All Your Fault" when Lemonjon learns of "the feeling of caring unknown to lemons." He later [[spoiler:explodes and reverts to lemon candy, effectively killing himself]], so the Lemon People will have enough food to eat and won't attack the Candy People.
* ''WesternAnimation/AdventureTimeDistantLands'': In the episode "Together Again", Finn has seemingly reached his DarkestHour; he's no closer to finding Jake in the afterlife and his parents have apparently been wiped from existence. However, his intense emotions open a portal to nirvana, and Jake descends from above. Jake has transcended all material attachments, and is content with just a brief glimpse to make sure Finn is okay, until their reunion is interrupted by the Undertakers, who begin mercilessly pounding on Finn while Jake watches passively. However, the sight of his brother and best friend being curb-stomped stirs strange feelings in Jake; his brow furrows and his fingers instinctively clench together. He quickly realizes he [[BigBrotherInstinct doesn't like what he sees]], and leaps in to clobber Finn's attackers.

* In ''WesternAnimation/{{Disenchantment}}'', Luci the demon seems to experience sadness for the first time when [[spoiler:Elfo dies]]: "If this is sadness, I don't like it one bit."
** When Bean unknowingly experiences hope, she describes it as "this feeling I don't want to drink away."

* In ''Fanfic/CatRa'', thanks to an abusive childhood with only one person she could remotely call a friend, Catra is left frequently unable to properly articulate any emotion outside anger and frustration. Which, when mixed with her standoffish attitude, makes it difficult for even those close to her to get an accurate read on her feelings. For example, one chapter has Frosta realize that Catra's clumsily explanation of her relationship with everyone in the Alliance as being "annoying but tolerable" is the only way the cat girl knows how to describe the positive emotions attached to friendship.

-->''These people had made her happy, and they were gone now. It seemed strange that these contrasting truths existed alongside each other-- that she was happy to be learning new things and going new places and sad to be leaving the old ones behind. That Erasmus had been important to her, though she didn't know it until now. That people could hate pain and need it to survive.''

* In ''Fanfic/AGemAHumanAndABaby'', Pearl starts crying what is implied to be TearsOfJoy after Greg declares her Steven's guardian and an official member of the Universe family.

* ''Literature/{{Hurog}}'': In 'Dragon Bones'', Ward is in a bad and irritable mood for some length of time, and eventually figures out that it's the thought of losing Hurog, the castle and surrounding lands he inherited, forever, which makes him feel so bad. His being upset at this is justified, as it's not only the only home he knows, it is a PlaceOfPower, and he feels lonely and empty without its magic.

* ''Literature/{{Jurog}}'': In ''Literature/DragonBones'', Ward is in a bad and irritable mood for some length of time, and eventually figures out that it's the thought of losing Hurog, the castle and surrounding lands he inherited, forever, which makes him feel so bad. His being upset at this is justified, as it's not only the only home he knows, it is a PlaceOfPower, and he feels lonely and empty without its magic.

[[folder:Film — Animated]]

[[folder:Film — Live-Action]]

* Horribly {{deconstructed|Trope}} in ''Literature/FateZero''. Kotomine Kirei has been trying to find something that can give him true happiness for years. Despite being a priest, he doesn't find it in doing good. Despite being TheAce, he feels no pride. Despite being a married man, he doesn't find it in... you know.[[note]]His wife eventually committed suicide, which made his only daughter thoroughly hate him. He doesn't see this as a loss.[[/note]] He finally finds something that makes him feel, it being ''absolute evil''.

* ''Manga/TheDangersInMyHeart'': During basketball practice, Ichikawa ponders to himself about how his actions and thoughts have contradictory to each other the more time he spends around Yamada; between his [[ChuuniByou delusions about ending her life]] and instead helping her of his own volition or feeling a sense of "peace". When he gets hit with a basketball and is about to retaliate, he stops himself when he sees that ''she'' did it by accident and safely returns the ball to her. He soon realizes that [[LoveEpiphany he has a crush on her]] when she gets a nose injury from a ball hitting her face.

* ''Literature/TheMurderbotDiaries'': The titular {{Cyborg}} was artificially created from cloned tissue and mechanical augmentations spent much of its existence under a RestrainingBolt being treated like a product and has only recently gained the freedom to think about what it is as an individual. Consequently, it sometimes gets feelings that it literally has no context to understand, especially when complicated interpersonal situations are involved.

* Franchise/{{DCAU}}: Batman had to be told once in ''[[WesternAnimation/BatmanTheAnimatedSeries The New Batman Adventures]]'' that a warm, fuzzy feeling was called happiness.

* ''Manga/BlackClover'': As Asta and Liebe's fight with Lilith and Naamah reaches its climax, the [[DemonLordsAndArchdevils Supreme Devils]] find that their magic is useless against the duo and, [[WhatTheHellAreYou as they ask Asta just what the hell he is]], begin to experience an emotion they have never felt before as they no longer enjoy the fight. Liebe tells them exactly what it is: it's ''[[HorrifyingTheHorror fear]]''.

* ''Manga/BlackClover'': As Asta and Liebe's fight with Lilith and Naamah reaches its climax, the [[DemonLordsAndArchdevils Supreme Devils]] find that their magic is useless against the duo and, [[WhatTheHellAreYou as they ask Asta just what the hell he is]], begin to experience an emotion they have never felt before as they no longer enjoy the fight. Liebe tells them exactly what it is: it's ''fear''.

* ''Literature/MarketOfMonsters'' depicts two people with traumatic, abusive pasts falling in love for the first time... without understanding what's happening. Nita truly doesn't know what it is she starts feeling when she realizes how similar Kovit's DarkAndTroubledPast is to hers, except that it's like empathy but not quite. She's had such little human interaction throughout her life, she doesn’t understand what it feels like to make a connection with someone. When she starts missing him after they separate, she feels "something intangible" when she remembers him whispering his e-mail address in her ear. Neither of these poor kids knows what genuine "love" feels like, so they can't accurately identify it. When it looks like they're going their separate ways in ''Only Ashes Remain'', Nita sincerely struggles and fails to understand why they met up again in the first place, why they wanted to work together. She concludes they were "using" each other to feel better at a time when they were down, lost, and lonely and sees them finding solace in each other as a sign of being weak and messed up.
* ''Literature/TheRudestAlienOnEarth'': Oluu the alien ends up experiencing emotions she's new to, such as fear.

* From an episode of ''Series/{{Scrubs}}'':
-->'''Jordan:''' I may have screwed up Blond stick’s relationship and now I have this ''really weird'' feeling...\\
'''Dr. Cox:''' It’s called "guilt", ya Vulcan.
* ''Series/{{Profit}}'', when Jim Profit is confused by tears in his eyes [[spoiler:after killing his father.]]
* ''Series/GossipGirl'''s Chuck Bass when he first comes upon feelings of love. "''I feel sick like there's... something in my stomach. Fluttering.''" Poor fellow, the object of his affection promptly informs him that the butterflies have ''got'' to be murdered.
* ''Series/KamenRiderGhost'': It takes [[ArrogantKungFuGuy Alain]] a moment before he realizes that he is afraid. Of death in particular.
* Series/{{Seinfeld}} episode "The Serenity Now". Jerry's current girlfriend challenges him to openly express his feelings, in this case, anger. This backfires as he becomes overly angry about everything, leading to the girlfriend eventually dumping him. For the first time, Jerry actually reacts to this not-too-uncommon turn of events, to which Elaine responds "Jerry, you break up with a girl every week!" Jerry, mystified by his own emotions, touches his eyes and says "W-what is this salty discharge?" Elaine: "Oh my God, you're crying." "That's horrible. I care!"

* On ''Series/{{Angel}}'' Illyria, an EldritchAbomination stuck in human form, is not comfortable with a lot of emotions. While she's familiar with grief and rage, even if she does feel unsure how to [[IFeelAngry express them properly]], feeling betrayed is a new one. In her time anyone would betray anyone else if they showed weakness, and didn't take it personally.
* In the ''Series/{{Star Trek|The Original Series}}'' episode "[[Recap/StarTrekS2E9Metamorphosis Metamorphosis]]", the Companion doesn't understand what Zefram Cochrane means when he complains about being lonely. After she becomes human, she understands.
-->'''Hedford/Companion''': Loneliness... this is loneliness. Oh, what a bitter thing. Oh, Zefram, it's so sad, how do you bear it, this loneliness?
* This happens to several of the emotionless Observers in ''Series/{{Fringe}}''. September feels [[spoiler:paternal love towards Observer child created from his biological material]], and later [[spoiler:sympathy and friendship towards the Fringe team]], which, together, kick off much of the MythArc. August feels [[spoiler:romantic love, leading to his death]]. And Captain Widmark is slowly consumed by [[spoiler:an obsessive desire to catch the Fringe team]].
* ''Series/YoGabbaGabba'': "What, what, what is fun, fun, fun?" - Plex (the robot)

* In season nine of ''Series/{{Supernatural}}'' Castiel is visibly shocked when he finds himself noticing [[spoiler:a woman's breasts]]. As he's just recently [[spoiler:become human]], he wasn't expecting [[spoiler:hormones]].
* In ''Series/TheBigBangTheory'', Amy tries to understand some odd symptoms she's experiencing: raised temperature, sweaty palms, and vascular throbbing in her ears and genitalia. We know full well that it's sexual arousal from meeting Zack.
* ''Series/{{Galavant}}'' has [[BitchInSheepsClothing Mad]][[GodSaveUsFromTheQueen alena]] get a whole song about how she is having her first feeling, and it's a bad one.
* ''Series/DoctorWho'': The Cybermen of the new series have an emotional inhibitor chip that prevents them from realizing the horror of what they are. In [[Recap/DoctorWhoS28E6TheAgeOfSteel their post-2005 debut]], the Doctor effectively weaponizes this trope by shutting off their inhibitors, driving them to die from the sheer BodyHorror of their converted selves.
* ''Series/SchittsCreek'':
** Alexis Rose has had a long string of boyfriends, but she never felt anything after the relationships ended. She never actually felt anything at all and saw doctors about it. This changes when she breaks up with Mutt and has to turn to her brother for advice.
** In Season Five, Alexis is reluctant to accompany her boyfriend Ted on a trip to the Galapagos Islands because she fears that when she is there she will be ''thinking about my family.'' Ted replies that this is normal, and she reiterates that she will be ''there'' while her family is ''here'' and she will be ''thinking'' about them. He explains that it is called missing someone and it is perfectly normal.

--> '''Otis:''' Are you smiling?
--> '''Mayor:''' Is that what's...happening to my face?
--> '''Olympia:''' Yes, because you're happy!

---> What is this feeling so sudden and new
---> I felt the moment I laid eyes on you
---> My pulse is rushing
---> My head is reeling
---> My face is flushing
---> What is this feeling?
---> Fervid as a flame
---> Does it have a name?
---> Yes!
---> '''''Loathing!''''' Unadulterated ''loathing''!
* Valjean and Javert both experience this in ''Theatre/LesMiserables'', when they are given kindness that they feel they do not deserve (Valjean is spared arrest by a Bishop from whom he stole, and Javert has his life spared by Valjean, the man he has hunted for years). It's notable that the way they react is quite different: Valjean vows to atone for his sins and spends the rest of the show doing good, and as for Javert, well, the song it happens in is called "Javert's [[spoiler:Suicide]]" for a reason.
** There's also "In My Life", where Cosette and Marius explore what it's like to be in love for the first time. Marius's reaction to the feeling is also made fun of by Grantaire in the earlier song "Red and Black".

---> ''"What is this feeling? I did not ask for it. I do not understand it. I do not want it."''

* ''VideoGame/TheLegendOfHeroesTrailsOfColdSteel''

--->'''Altina''': I believe I now understand what it means to feel 'frustrated.'
--->'''Elliot''': Haha... Guess you'll just have to take it out on him sometime.

-->'''[[VideoGame/{{Borderlands}} Claptrap:]]''' What's this emotion I'm feeling? It's like, I wish I had those cards, but I also hate you for having them!
-->'''[[VideoGame/{{Portal}} GLaDOS:]]''' [[AC:That's "envy", you emotionally stunted rhomboid.]]
-->'''Claptrap:''' (Beat) And now I'm learning arousal!

* Arcueid in ''VisualNovel/{{Tsukihime}}'' after Shiki fails to show up for their meeting. She's incredibly angry because to her it feels like she got stood up on a date. After she calms down, she realizes it's not like her to get so upset and asks Shiki why he thinks she got so angry. She's not used to feeling emotion towards people and will be vaguely accepting of the idea that she's selfish or that she hates him.

* ''VisualNovel/TheFruitOfGrisaia'': When Sachi begins to develop an attraction to Yuuji, she doesn’t really get why she’s acting differently around him. Nor any of the other complex emotions she’s locked away.

* ''Webcomic/TheOrderOfTheStick'': PlayedForDrama with Belkar. He's such a {{Jerkass}} that when he starts [[CharacterDevelopment developing emotions and empathy for other people]], he is terrified and confused about what's going on.
* In ''WebComic/OwMySanity'', "Nancy" is a HumanoidAbomination, who ''discovered fear'' at the hands of the [[http://owmysanity.comicgenesis.com/d/20100531.html art building's manager]].

* Strong Sad, of WebAnimation/HomestarRunner, claims that "Something weird is happening to the sides of my mouth!" when he smiles in the Halloween special "Happy Hallow-Day".

* WebAnimation/ZeroPunctuation:
-->'''Ben "Yahtzee" Croshaw:''' But after I'd played for a couple of hours, a strange thing happened; I was actually having fun. I know, it was a weird and frightening realization.

* In episode 51 of ''WebVideo/DragonBallZAbridged'', Future Trunks finally stands up to Vegeta after enduring several episodes' worth of abuse from his (alternate timeline) father and blasts Vegeta over the horizon.
-->'''Vegeta:''' Huh. This is a new feeling... {{pride}} [[SoProudOfYou in someone else.]] (''wipes his mouth to find that he's bleeding'') Unfortunately it's OVERSHADOWED BY ALL THIS ''[[UnstoppableRage UNYIELDING RAGE!!!]]''
* [[InvokedTrope Invoked]] in ''WebAnimation/HanazukiFullOfTreasures''. After Hanazuki has a fight with Kiazuki and talks to the Mirror Plant (who has the ability to mimic the thoughts of people nearby). The new treasure she gets turns black with a purple glow and an angry face, while Hanazuki looks sad, and the black tree that sprouts looks like an EmoTeen. The tree represents an unprecedented emotion for Hanazuki, gloom.

''(later)''
-->'''Van:''' ''(internally)'' If she sees [[WrongGuyFirst Allen]] and [[RichBitch Millerna]] together, she'll get her feelings hurt. That's strange... I don't want ''her'' feelings to get hurt, even though they're ''her'' feelings and I'm me. Man, these new powers are complicated!

-->'''Jet''': What does jealous mean? Is that some kind of jelly?
-->'''Mindy''': No, silly. Being jealous is feeling bad about being left out of something fun, or wanting something that somebody else has.
-->'''Jet''': Huh. Maybe I am a little jealous that Sean and Sydney took Jet 2 to the treehouse instead of staying here with me.

* In ''Manga/WelcomeToDemonSchoolIrumaKun'', Azazel Ameri befriends Iruma because he can translate the "Forbidden Text" / Shojo manga. As they spend more time together, Ameri becomes confused and frustrated by how her heart flips by being near him. After being traumatized after [[NotWhatItLooksLike catching him in a dress]], she's forced to confront her feelings on the matter. After an incident where he personality reversed, she realizes that she's fallen for Iruma and makes winning his affections one of her ambitions.

* Checkmate from ''Anime/UltimateMuscle'' was trained by [[BigBad Sunshine]] not to feel pain. He experiences an odd sensation after his opponent attacks his knee for an entire episode, at which point Sunshine is forced to reveal that he only ''thinks'' he can't feel pain.
* Something of a regular plot point in ''Anime/DarkerThanBlack'', as it's assumed by everybody (including [[TinMan Contractors themselves]]) that Contractors are inherently [[LackOfEmpathy unemotional, selfish, and amoral]]. When those pesky emotions ''do'' finally show up, [[NotSoStoic most aren't exactly sure what to do with them]].

--> [[spoiler:'''Aaeru''']]: What have you done to me?! Why does my heart hurt so much?\\

* Happened to Literature/HaruhiSuzumiya, after she helped the school band ENOZ out. They were very grateful but Haruhi didn't really know to handle it and becomes sort of melancholic. Kyon then figures that it is because she's not used to being thanked by other people.
* Mytho from ''Anime/PrincessTutu'' asks this question constantly throughout the series. It makes sense, because he shattered his heart (and thus lost his emotions) to seal away the evil Raven, and slowly regains emotions with each piece of his heart he is given by the title character.
* [[EmotionlessGirl Ren]] of ''Manga/ElementalGelade'' has to be taught jealousy. It works!
* In ''Literature/MyYouthRomanticComedyIsWrongAsIExpected'', [[FriendlessBackground Hachiman]] [[TheCynic Hikigaya]] once, so far, wished to befriend [[IceQueen Yukino Yukinoshita]]. There is a good chance he hadn't wanted anyone specific to be his friend for years. However, his feelings were promptly crushed - courtesy of Yukino.
* Horribly {{deconstructed|Trope}} in ''Literature/FateZero''. Kotomine Kirei has been trying to find something that can give him true happiness for years. Despite being a priest, he doesn't find it in doing good. Despite being TheAce, he feels no pride. Despite being a married man, he doesn't find it in... you know.[[note]]His wife eventually committed suicide, which made his only daughter thoroughly hate him. He doesn't see this as a loss.[[/note]] He finally finds something that makes him feel, it being ''absolute evil''.
-->'''Gilgamesh:''' Rejoice!
* In one ''Manga/FistOfTheNorthStar'' OVA, Raoh feels a strange trembling in his body when he fights Kenshiro, who has recently discovered the secret of the [[SuperMode Musou Tensei]] technique. Kenshiro tells him that this is what fear feels like and that his body unconsciously knows that it should be afraid.
* In ''Manga/KenichiTheMightiestDisciple'', Miu experiences jealousy for the first time when [[AnimeChineseGirl Renka]] comes to visit the dojo and begins acting openly flirtatious towards Kenichi. She even yells [[LampshadeHanging "WHAT IS THIS FEELING?!"]] after she angrily kicks (and breaks) the training post.
* When Naja first sees [[PersonOfMassDestruction the Destruct]] in ''Manga/SandsOfDestruction'', he's so shaken that it takes him a moment to realize that what he's feeling is fear in its deepest form. He's usually TheStoic intellectual and at first dismisses the idea as foolishness, but admits he has no other word fitting for something which causes your whole body to break into a cold sweat and shake uncontrollably.
* In ''Manga/MyMonsterSecret'', Youko [[ShipperOnDeck sets up]] her friends Asahi and Aizawa on a date, then watches them from a distance to make sure everything goes well. As the date goes on and they seemingly get closer, however, she starts feeling an uneasy tightness in her chest and worries that she's sick -- not realizing that she's immensely jealous because of her own buried feelings for Asahi.
* During the rebellion arc of ''Manga/{{Claymore}}'', the warriors of the current generation are ordered to attack a rebellious comrade, namely, [[spoiler:Phantom Miria]]. The one from whose POV this segment is narrated recalls an uneasy sensation that she couldn't quite place as she enters the fray. Only after she is cut down and regains consciousness, she realizes what that feeling was: [[TheDreaded fear]].
* In ''Anime/DarlingInTheFranxx'', Goro, having been raised in a cult-esque environment that censored romantic love, doesn't feel jealousy at first: he only knows that [[LoveInterest Ichigo]] is more important to him than his other teammates. Later he realizes that he wants to be more important to her than anyone else, and becomes annoyed when people flirt with her.
* In chapter 158 of ''Manga/KaguyaSamaLoveIsWar'', Iino says the trope name practically word for word while describing how she felt during the Cultural Festival [[spoiler:when Ishigami gave her a lost heart pendant.]] She knew intellectually it wasn't supposed to convey romantic feelings, but she treasured the moment, to her own surprise.
* PlayedForDrama in ''Manga/TheAncientMagusBride'': The centuries-old HumanoidAbomination Elias Ainsworth, while capable of ''feigning'' human emotions and even charm, has a serious case of BlueAndOrangeMorality. Things get complicated when he starts developing emotions for his apprentice and fiance Chise Hatori that he has no frame of reference for - he's completely perplexed by the feeling of coldness and emptiness he feels when she leaves for a few days and needs to have it explained to him that he's just lonely without her around. When Chise starts developing friendships and spending time with people ''other'' than him, he's surprised to find out the feelings of resentment bubbling up are jealousy. They eventually decide that while Elias is Chise's magic teacher, Chise is his human teacher.
* ''Manga/HappySugarLife'' have [[{{Yandere}} Satou]] feeling jealousy. After realizing Asahi knows Shio, she impulsively tries to kill him, [[PragmaticVillainy stopping in the last second only when it hits her that she won't get away with murdering someone in her own workplace]]. She is very confused by her own actions, as she is usually more self-controlled and pragmatic. It takes a while for her to realize she was feeling jealousy.

* In ''Manga/GirlfriendGirlfriend'', Saki feels something she never felt before when watching her boyfriend hug another girl. Basically, Saki has a {{Netorare}} fetish.
* Parodied in ''Manga/AyakashiTriangle'': Shadow Mei is confused when a LovePotion makes her infatuated with Matsuri, but jumps to ''entirely'' the wrong conclusion.
-->'''Shadow Mei''': This must be hatred. I'm boiling with rage. I'm sure of it!

* During the events of ''ComicBook/TheBlackRing'', ComicBook/LexLuthor achieves near-omnipotence, and uses it to spread perfect joy and goodwill across the Universe. Among those affected is Gorilla Grodd, who's plainly confused by the sensation, wondering if he's ill.

* In ''Fanfic/ATriangleInTheStars'', Bill often questions the little feelings that often come up, wondering what they are and why they exist within him. Even after he's told in Chapter Thirty-Two what it is, [[spoiler:empathy]], he spends a lot of time trying to figure out how it works. More than a trillion years without a feeling tends to do that.

* In ''Fanfic/AGemAHumanAndABaby'', Pearl starts crying what is implied to be TearsOfJoy after Greg declares her Steven's guardian and an official member of the Universe family.
* In ''Fanfic/CatRa'', thanks to an abusive childhood with only one person she could remotely call a friend, Catra is left frequently unable to properly articulate any emotion outside anger and frustration. Which, when mixed with her standoffish attitude, makes it difficult for even those close to her to get an accurate read on her feelings. For example, one chapter has Frosta realize that Catra's clumsily explanation of her relationship with everyone in the Alliance as being "annoying but tolerable" is the only way the cat girl knows how to describe the positive emotions attached to friendship.
* In ''[[https://www.fanfiction.net/s/12978919/26/One-Punch-Man-Hero-s-Harem One Punch Man: Hero's Harem]]'', Saitama has a mildly erotic dream about the women in his life and finds himself feeling arousal for the first time in so long that he doesn't recognize the feeling anymore.

* ''Fanfic/TheFlowerPrincessAndTheAlchemist'': For quite a long time, Edward couldn't understand why he feels so incredibly hurt and angry whenever [[LoveInterest Orihime]] thinks about [[UnknownRival Ichigo]]. Why her love for him causes him great pain and anguish. Thanks to the [[MasterOfIllusion manipulations]] of [[MonsterOfTheWeek Amelia]], he was able to discern the emotion he was feeling was...[[GreenEyedMonster jealousy]].
* In Chapter 14 of ''[[https://archiveofourown.org/works/21828973?view_full_work=true Just Taken]]'', Alan screams at both his ex-wife Joan and [[Music/SpiceGirls Geri]] all over what was happening to [[Music/MelanieC Melanie]]. Alan is bewildered that he did it despite his wife, Carol, letting him know what had to be done.
* ''Fanfic/ADipInTheInkwell'': "Powering Down for the Night" focuses on Ona, one of Oona's Oonabots who acts more human than the other two Oonabots, but also has trouble grasping things like sarcasm and loneliness.

* In ''WesternAnimation/FrozenII'', after Elsa conjures an ice boat sending Anna and Olaf away, Olaf comments that he's sensing anger. When Anna replies that she'd obviously be angry at Elsa, he confusingly explains that he actually sensing his own anger, which he has trouble understanding at first.

* Giselle's first experience with anger in ''Film/{{Enchanted}}''. No classic Disney princess had expressed anger or actively fought the villain until Ariel.
* According to [[WordOfGod Word Of Actress]], Hermione went through this regarding her feelings about [[OperationJealousy Ron dating Lavender]] in ''Film/HarryPotterAndTheHalfBloodPrince'':
-->'''Creator/EmmaWatson''': Hermione doesn't realize what it is that she's feeling, but it's probably just insane jealousy.
* In ''Film/KickAss2'', Mindy "Hit Girl" [=McCready=], who had been trained to be a fighter and killer since childhood, gets aroused for the first time when she watches a boy band music video. She gets scared and asks what is happening to her.
* In ''Film/ErikTheViking'', Thorfinn Skullsplitter asks this when the party meets [[TheDreaded Halfdan the Black]] and he experiences fear for the first time.
* In the full-length movie version of ''[[Film/HowTheGrinchStoleChristmas The Grinch]]'', the Grinch has this reaction when the Who's song fills him with joy. He also suffers from what looks like a heart attack caused by his heart rapidly growing.
* ''Film/BoratSubsequentMoviefilm'': After seeing [[spoiler:the baby doll Tutar made in his likeness]], Borat finally begins to feel regretful and heartsick for pimping out his own daughter to Giuliani. Not used to having sympathy for a woman, he can only describe it as "a pain in my titties".

* In the video game ''{{VideoGame/Borderlands 2}}'', Goliaths will occasionally say this verbatim if their health gets low enough.
* This exchange from ''VideoGame/PokerNight2'';
-->'''[[VideoGame/{{Borderlands}} Claptrap:]]''' What's this emotion I'm feeling? It's like, I wish I had those cards, but I also hate you for having them!
-->'''[[VideoGame/{{Portal}} GLaDOS:]]''' [[AC:That's "envy", you emotionally stunted rhomboid.]]
-->'''Claptrap:''' (Beat) And now I'm learning arousal!
* In one of the epilogues for the ''VideoGame/FalloutNewVegas'' DLC ''Dead Money'', [[ItsAllAboutMe Dean Domino]] (if he survives) eventually discovered [[spoiler:the fate of Vera Keyes and Frederick Sinclair brought about by his actions]]. The epilogue notes that [[MyGodWhatHaveIDone he felt sad for a moment]] but wasn't sure why.

* In ''VideoGame/XCOM2'' during the ''War of the Chosen'' expansion, if you manage to kill the Chosen Hunter by [[ResurrectiveImmortality destroying his sarcophagus]], he'll remark that "This is what it feels like to be afraid..." as he dies.

* In ''VideoGame/KingdomHeartsCoded'', the Data-Sora feels sad when he has to say goodbye to the others at the end and fade back into the data, but doesn't recognize it at first because he hasn't before had any cause to really feel truly sad on his journey. He asks if it's another glitch, but Mickey tells him that this is just what good-byes feel like.
* ''Franchise/FinalFantasy'':
** In ''VideoGame/FinalFantasyVIIRemake'' PlayedForLaughs, if you talk to Chadley, the Shinra materia researcher and secret helper to your party when Cloud is in his dress, he will comment, "Forgive me, miss, but the way you're staring at me is rather... O-oh goodness. I'm experiencing an emotional response." If you speak to him again, he'll ask "What is this emotional response...?". [[spoiler:It's also {{Foreshadowing}} his [[{{Cyborg}} artificial nature]]]]. It's called Love, Chadley.
** In ''VideoGame/FinalFantasyIX'', the black mages are originally created as automatons by Kuja, their sole purpose to wage war. They begin to gain sentience and flee to the Black Mage Village but have trouble processing their feelings about the death and destruction they've taken part in, the "stopping" of their comrades, and other feelings such as simple joy at the wonders of nature around them, such as a baby chocobo. Your party member Vivi also struggles with such feelings but eventually starts to come to an understanding.
--->'''Vivi''': I was really confused when my grandpa died. He told me, 'Vivi, no need be sad.' So I told myself, I can't be sad. That's why I felt confused again when I heard that everyone was stopping around him. I don't know what to do or what to feel... But when I saw Dagger crying when her mom died, I wasn't confused anymore. I was sad.
* In ''VideoGame/Destiny2'', the lore tab on Hawkmoon from Season of the Hunt reveals this is happening to [[spoiler: [[GreaterScopeVillain Savathûn]], the Witch-Queen, as she witnesses the camaraderie and friendship developing between [[PlayerCharacter The Guardian]] and the Crow, as she finds herself remembering her [[YouCantGoHomeAgain long lost homeworld]], [[ThePowerOfFamily the love of her family]], [[ChronicBackstabbingDisorder all the people she's betrayed over the ages]], and [[LifeDrinker all the blood she's spilt to sustain her immortality]].]]
---> ''"What is this feeling? I did not ask for it. I do not understand it. I do not want it."''

* In ''LightNovel/FullMetalPanic'', Sousuke's whole HeroicBSOD during TSR. Pretty much everyone was shocked and surprised at how depressed [[TheStoic he of all people]] became when he was split up from Kaname. Mao is shown to especially be exasperated with him when he [[TheAce uncharacteristically]] almost gets them killed because he's so out of it.

* Happened to LightNovel/HaruhiSuzumiya, after she helped the school band ENOZ out. They were very grateful but Haruhi didn't really know to handle it and becomes sort of melancholic. Kyon then figures that it is because she's not used to being thanked by other people.

* In ''LightNovel/MyTeenRomanticComedySNAFU'', [[FriendlessBackground Hachiman]] [[TheCynic Hikigaya]] once, so far, wished to befriend [[IceQueen Yukino Yukinoshita]]. There is a good chance he hadn't wanted anyone specific to be his friend for years. However, his feelings were promptly crushed - courtesy of Yukino.
* Horribly {{deconstructed}} in ''LightNovel/FateZero''. Kotomine Kirei has been trying to find something that can give him true happiness for years. Despite being a priest, he doesn't find it in doing good. Despite being TheAce, he feels no pride. Despite being a married man, he doesn't find it in... you know[[note]]His wife eventually committed suicide, which made his only daughter thoroughly hate him. He doesn't see this as a loss[[/note]]. He finally finds something that makes him feel, it being ''absolute evil''.
--> '''Gilgamesh''': Rejoice!

-->'''[[VideoGame/{{Borderlands}} Claptrap:]]''' What's this emotion I'm feeling? It's like, I wish I had those cards, but I also hate you for having them!\\
'''[[VideoGame/{{Portal}} GLaDOS:]]''' [[AC:That's "envy", you emotionally stunted rhomboid.]]\\
'''Claptrap:''' (Beat) And now I'm learning arousal!
* In one of the epilogues for the ''Videogame/FalloutNewVegas'' DLC ''Dead Money'', [[ItsAllAboutMe Dean Domino]] (if he survives) eventually discovered [[spoiler:the fate of Vera Keyes and Frederick Sinclaire brought about by his actions]]. The epilogue notes that [[MyGodWhatHaveIDone he felt sad for a moment]] but wasn't sure why.

* In ''Videogame/XCOM2'' during the ''War of the Chosen'' expansion, if you manage to kill the Chosen Hunter by [[ResurrectiveImmortality destroying his sarcophagus]], he'll remark that "This is what it feels like to be afraid..." as he dies.

* In ''VideoGame/AceCombatZeroTheBelkanWar'', enemy ace pilot Anthony "Bedivere" Palmer says "This strange feeling. Is this his doing?" as his squadron is whittled down by [[PlayerCharacter Ciphper]] and PJ, and in his interview after the war, admits that the unfamiliar feeling was fear and once he felt that, he couldn't fly again.