Characters who are oblivious to their own descriptions in Anime and Manga.
- In Assassination Classroom, the viewpoint character clinically remarks on the bloodlust and 'killing intent' of his enemies- often as if he didn't also possess those traits.
- In Bleach, when Yumichika complains about his Zanpakuto being stuck-up and vain, Rangiku points out that it's an accurate reflection of its owner. She then starts complaining about how lazy and moody her own Zanpakuto is, provoking Yumichika to throw her own words back at her.
- In a flashback scene from Case Closed, Shinichi rejects the love of his football club's manager because he already has a girl he likes —a childhood friend whom he describes as "strong, stubborn, but gentle and sensitive" — obviously referring to Ran. When Sonoko tries to point this out, Ran wonders if there is such a girl.
- The Dangers in My Heart: When Ichikawa tries reading "Kimi Iro Octave", a romance manga his crush Yamada is really fond of, he starts to wonder if the male lead represents her ideal boyfriend. He makes a mental list of his character traits; he acts aloof and rude but is really nice deep down, and is unexpectedly cute and clumsy; a description that fits him to a T. He then concludes that no one like that actually exists.
- In Girls und Panzer, there is an OVA where the girls try to guess the subject of an impersonation. Hana gets everyone right.... but has no clue who they are trying to mimic when they do hers.
- Hanamaru Kindergarten: Nanako Yamamoto knows that her younger sister Mayumi is completely oblivious to Hanamaru-sensei's crush on her...but is completely unaware that she's in exactly the same situation with her fellow teacher Tsuchida. And of course, Mayumi is the same way in reverse, knowing about Tsuchida's crush on Nanako. One episode even has a dinner scene where the two sisters both think "I feel sorry for him for having to put up with someone as clueless as my sister!" to themselves.
- In Hitoribocchi no OO Seikatsu, Nako tells Bocchi about a weird girl who is following Nako around and trying to become friends with her. Bocchi, the only person who has been shown interacting with Nako at this point in the story, wonders who this girl is and whether she can become friends with her.
- In chapter 71 of Kaguya-sama: Love Is War, Kaguya describes herself while talking about the kind of girl that would go after Shirogane (completely hopeless, uses every dirty trick in the book, and oblivious to her own feelings). Hayasaka's response is predictable.Hayasaka: I agree with you from the bottom of my heart.
- Happens in Lovely★Complex when Koizumi describes Otani as her perfect guy and he does not get it despite it being a perfect description of him. He finally gets it when she tells him her perfect guy is right there when they are the only two in the room.
- Miss Kobayashi's Dragon Maid: While reading the outline for one of Fafnir's doujinshi, Lucoa comments that the woman in it is horrible for trying to molest a young boy, which suggests that either this trope is in play or her intentions with Shouta are more innocent than they appear.
- In Monthly Girls' Nozaki-kun, Nozaki asks Sakura if there's anybody she likes and she describes her unsuccessful confession to Nozaki himself without mentioning his name. His response? "What's so good about a guy like that?"
- My Youth Romantic Comedy Is Wrong, as I Expected: In the OVA, Komachi describes her ideal man (and the traits that would make him unable to cheat on her), and her brother doesn't seem to realize that she just described him perfectly. Yea...
- In New Game!, The first character Aoba designs is based on Aoba herself: the latter's most distinguishing feature is her bright-coloured Girlish Pigtails, and is earnest but slightly ditzy. All of Aoba's coworkers recognize that character is based on her, but Aoba herself doesn't realize that until Kou tells her after she submits the design. Amusingly, Aoba tries to search for images of girls with pigtails, prompting Kou to tell her that Aoba herself has that hair style.
- In Nyaruko: Crawling with Love!, during its field test the Dreamlands defense mecha Banshin develops an obsessive crush for Mahiro and starts striking Kamen Rider poses. Nyarko angrily asks if its brain is short-circuiting...and Mahiro quietly points out that it's acting exactly like her, the AI being an exact copy of Nyarko's own brain patterns. At which point she starts praising it.
- Played for Laughs in One Piece during the Water Seven arc: when Sanji prepares to face CP7 Chef Wanze and describes him as a grinning moron, Wanze looks behind him as to see whom he was referring to, much to Sanji's wrath.
- NOT Played for Laughs, however, with Saint Figarland Garling. His only line upon his introduction is to state that defending "subhuman scum" like the Neptune Royal Family makes you lower than them yourself, as he executes Saint Mjosgard. It is painfully clear that this description is more fitting for himself and his defense of the decadent and monstrous Celestial Dragons and their way of life, yet he seems utterly uncomprehending of it.
- Happosai and Cologne's first meeting in Ranma ½ has Happosai display a jeweled bracelet which he claims he got from an old girlfriend. Cologne mentions that it looks very much like one of the treasures a wandering pervert stole from her village after pestering all the local girls. Happosai doesn't catch on...at least until Cologne attacks him for his theft.
- Rent-A-Girlfriend plays with this. At the end of the protagonist Kazuya's big rental date to cheer his crush Chizuru up following her grandmother's death, he tells her his idea of his perfect woman (ie. her) when she asks if she's been able to meet his date standards for the evening. Chizuru does get it on some level (and wants to be right on a deeper level), but thinks he can't possibly be talking about her, because their relationship is supposed to be a business transaction and she doesn't believe anyone should fall in love with a Rental Girlfriend.
- Sing "Yesterday" for Me: In Episode 5, Haru meets Minato, an old classmate of hers from high school, for the first time since she dropped out. They end up having the following exchange, in which Minato hints that he has feelings for Haru.Haru: Are you in a relationship with anyone, Minato-kun?
Minato: I had a crush back in high school. We ran into each other again recently, but she's already in love with someone else.
Haru: Oh, yeah? We're the same. I feel a little better.
Minato: (thinks) She's so dense. - In Smile Down the Runway, Ikuto tries to bring up the possibility of him working full-time to his Jerkass boss, Hazime, by telling him about one of his "friend"'s current work situation, then asking Hazime for advice. In doing so, Ikuto describes Hazime's many unpleasant antics, which prompts Hazime to respond, "Tell your friend to quit working for that trash."
- Sword Art Online Alternative: Gun Gale Online: When LLENN calls Pito the most ruthless player in the game, Pito says there's one player who's more ruthless than her. LLENN innocently asks who she's talking about. This is after LLENN became the most infamous player-killer in the game, was the champion of two tournaments, and killed Pito by having her own hands cut off and then biting her throat out. Pito just rolls her eyes.
