History Main / AnchoredShip

->''"ComicBook/{{Rogue}} and ComicBook/{{Iceman}} totally want to make out but they can't! This, by the way, is the central conflict of Rogue's character that played out over the course of '''''thirty actual years'''''. Except that in the comics, there was a [[ComicBook/{{Gambit}} truly awful Cajun accent involved]], ''chere.''"''

* ''Manga/InuYasha'':

* In ''Manga/MyHeroAcademia'', Izuku and Ochako both have strong admiration towards each other. However, when Ochako realizes her feelings, she chooses to suppress them so a potential romance won't interfere with their goals (Izuku to be the next Symbol of Piece, Ochako to make enough money to help her parents).

* ''Manga/RedRiver1995'' plays with this between Queen Nakia and Urhi. With both of them being very close, rumors have been flying around that they might be romantically involved [[spoiler:and that her son Juda is from Urhi, not from the previous king, though this turns out to not be the case]]. The chapters revealing their past explains how things came this way. [[spoiler:Both felt lonely and like outcasts in the Empire, with Nakia eventually asking Urhi to run away with her from Hattusa, but Urhi points out several reasons why they can't abandon their positions, and that his status as an eunuch means he cannot 'make her happy as a man'. They remained in their respective positions, with Nakia insisting on her bloodline eventually ruling the Hittie Empire, and Urhi becoming her personal confidant and servant.]] The relationship eventually [[spoiler:ends when Urhi claims sole responsibility for crimes that would get Nakia's title as Tawananna removed and kills himself, but not before whispering something to Nakia that could [[ManipulativeBastard still help Nakia fulfill her goals]]]].
* A mix of this and MaybeEverAfter for Mustang and Hawkeye from ''Manga/FullmetalAlchemist''. They love each other, but they're officers working closely together in military whose [[InappropriatelyCloseComrades anti-fraternization rules]] prevent them from showing their relationship publicly. [[SubordinateExcuse That]] doesn't stop them [[LivingEmotionalCrutch emotionally]] though, and having the rules change after Roy becomes Fuhrer is perfectly possible.
* ''Manga/AyakashiTriangle'': Suzu and Matsuri share a mutual attraction that eventually leads to [[spoiler:both confessing their love to each other]]. However, Matsuri [[GenderBender was turned into a girl]], and feels he can't date ''anyone'' until he changes back because he's [[GenderBenderAngst "not really himself"]] in the meantime. Suzu isn't convinced, and tries to get as close as possibly while nominally remaining "just friend".

* Hayate of ''Manga/HayateTheCombatButler'' is unwilling to start a relationship because the massive debt his parents dumped on him makes him feel he can't fulfil the duties of a boyfriend. (His first girlfriend really screwed up his way of thinking.) The girl who confessed to him is just happy to understand his reasoning and the series throws plenty of other blocks into the LoveDodecahedron.

* ''Series/VeronicaMars'' has this with Veronica and Duncan in season 1 [[spoiler: ((eventually they get back together and then break up for good)]] and later with Logan and Veronica. [[spoiler: ((When the series was revived Logan and Veronica were living together, albeit with the question of their nuptials still up in the air, until Logan’s untimely demise in the series end)]]

* ''Series/VeronicaMars'' has this with Veronica and Duncan in season 1 [[spoiler: ((eventually they get back together and then break up for good)]] and later with Logan and Veronica, which ends with no definite resolution, mostly due to the show's [[NoEnding cancellation]].

* ''Series/StarTrekVoyager''. Captain Janeway with her NumberTwo Commander Chakotay, though [[RelationshipWritingFumble you'd be forgiven for expecting they'd hook up eventually]]. The main problem was that TheCaptain felt she should not be involved with a subordinate, which as they were stranded in the Delta Quadrant meant everyone on board the ship.

* ComicBook/{{Storm}} and Forge of the ComicBook/XMen. He nurtures her back to health after (accidentally) depowering her. They fall in love. Both the ''"accident"'' and the Adversary undermine her trust in him. Some stabbing happens. When things are finally looking good, Mystique arrives (a broken bird, just like Storm was when Forge first met her). Forge asks Storm to marry him: she has to think about it. Forge asks Jean if she thinks her friend would leave the X-Men and just settle down with him: Jean (the ''telepath'') is suspiciously evasive on the subject. Storm flies in the skies over the Xavier mansion, she is filled with joy and, after making up her mind, goes back to Forge to give him her answer. Confusingly, Forge has a backpack: he's leaving with Mystique that same night. He doesn't let her speak, and tells her they both know she's married to the X-Men and she'd never leave them for him. Storm falls on her knees, crying.

* ''Series/DarkAngel'': Season one at least. Max and Logan don't get together and strongly deny it despite both of them hallucinating the same dream of them dancing... Until [[spoiler:the finale, in which, a dying Max hallucinates the two finally getting it on, before flashing back to reality and admitting her love to Logan before dying... Don't worry though. Zack commits suicide to give her his heart.]] In Season 2, as much as they'd like to get together, [[CantHaveSexEver they literally can't]], because Max is infected with a virus tailored to Logan's DNA that makes it impossible for them to even touch each other safely.

* ''Series/DarkAngel'': Season one at least. Max and Logan don't get together and strongly deny it despite both of them hallucinating the same dream of them dancing... Until [[spoiler:the finale, in which, a dying Max hallucinates the two finally getting it on, before flashing back to reality and admitting her love to Logan before dying... Don't worry though. Zack commits suicide to give her his heart.]] In Season 2, as much as they'd like to get together, they literally can't, because Max is infected with a virus tailored to Logan's DNA that makes it impossible for them to even touch each other safely.

* ''Series/DarkAngel'': Season one at least. Max and Logan don't get together and strongly deny it despite both of them hallucinating the same dream of them dancing... Until [[spoiler:the finale, in which, a dying Max hallucinates the two finally getting it on, before flashing back to reality and admitting her love to Logan before dying... Don't worry though. Zack commits suicide to give her his heart.]] In Season 2, as much as they'd like to get together, they literally can't, because Max is infected with a virus tailored to Logan's DNA.

** After acting like a couple in all but name for several episodes, a number of misunderstandings and the Eleventh Doctor's centuries-long stay on Trenzalore (during which he saw generations of humans live and die) led him to break off his relationship with Clara. After his regeneration into the older-looking Twelfth Doctor, he further attempts to anchor the ship by claiming that he had been mistaken in thinking of himself as her boyfriend. Clara tries to be mature about it, denies any interest she might have had, and asks out a co-worker whom she eventually becomes involved with. But throughout Series 8, it becomes quite apparent (and was confirmed by actors and writers) that despite their occasional fallouts, mutual attraction is still very much there, resulting in a ship-lifting anchor in "Mummy on the Orient Express" and creating a somewhat unusual LoveTriangle scenario. In Series 9 (by which time Clara's boyfriend in Series 8 is [[spoiler: deceased]]) it is clear, if never ''explicit'', that the ship between the Twelfth Doctor and Clara is no longer anchored, with both lead actors and the producer speaking openly in promotional interviews about the two being "crazy for each other" (Peter Capaldi's words) and Clara being "totally in love" with the Doctor (Jenna Coleman's words). Due to TheILoveYouStigma long held by this show, they express this through looks and other subtleties. Ultimately, the Series 9 finale "Hell Bent" ''forces'' the ship to be anchored, perhaps permanently. [[spoiler: Clara '''died''' two episodes prior, but the driven-mad Doctor '''risks all of time and space''' to bring her back. Realizing the relationship is now dangerous, they part and the Doctor undergoes a mind wipe of memories of her that isn't lifted until shortly before his regeneration into Thirteen]]. The relationship '''could''' be revived down the line, but justifying it would be difficult under these circumstances.

* ''Series/DarkAngel'': Season one at least. Max and Logan don't get together and strongly deny it despite both of them hallucinating the same dream of them dancing... Until [[spoiler:The finale, in which, a dying Max hallucinates the two finally getting it on, before flashing back to reality and admitting her love to Logan before dying... Don't worry though. Zack commits suicide to give her his heart.]]

** Later Admiral Adama and President Roslin start having feelings towards each over but with both having key positions in the fleet (and the politically repercussions of such a union) they decide not to act on it. [[spoiler: Well until things go to completely to hell and they decide to put themselves first for a change.]]

* ''Manga/AyakashiTriangle'': Suzu and Matsuri share a mutual attraction that eventually leads to [[spoiler:both confessing their love to each other]]. However, Matsuri [[GenderBender was turned into a girl]], and feels he can't date ''anyone'' until he changes back because he's [[GenderBenderAngst "not really himself"]] in the meantime.

* ''Manga/AyakashiTriangle'': Suzu and Matsuri share a mutual attraction that eventually leads to [[spoiler:both confessing their love to each other]]. However, Matsuri [[GenderBender was turned into a girl]], and feels he can't date ''anyone'' until he changes back because he's [[GenderBenderAngst "not really himself"]].

* A mix of this and MaybeEverAfter for Mustang and Hawkeye from ''Manga/FullmetalAlchemist''. They love each other, but they're officers working closely together in military whose anti-fraternization rules prevent them from showing their relationship publicly. [[SubordinateExcuse That]] doesn't stop them [[LivingEmotionalCrutch emotionally]] though, and having the rules change after Roy becomes Fuhrer is perfectly possible.
* Suzu and Matsuri of ''Manga/AyakashiTriangle'' share a mutual attraction, but have several things keeping them from acting on it, several related to Matsuri [[GenderBender being turned into a girl]]. Even before that, Matsuri's low self-esteem kept him from noticing her feelings or from acknowledging his own, while Suzu had grown tired of him being so paranoid and overprotective. After the fact, Suzu is surprised to find herself still attracted to Matsuri, but not comfortable with it either. Meanwhile, the idea of a same-sex relationship seems beyond Matsuri's comprehension and he isn't interesting in guys, effectively making ''any'' relationship a non-starter for him so long as he's living as a girl. [[spoiler:Though Matsuri has a LoveEpiphany after not too long, it's quickly established that [[FirstLawOfGenderBending his sustained female form]] is quite a roadblock in their relationship.]]

* ''Manga/MyMonsterSecret'': Sakurada has some strong feelings toward his homeroom teacher, and when he confesses, it turns out that she reciprocates... but due to the ethical issues with a StudentTeacherRomance they agree to put the whole thing on the back burner until he graduates.

** Also, Jinko, one of the few anchored ships that remain so, is mostly due to Jin's being a one-time character. Zuko and Jin go out once in book two, and after the initial awkwardness, Zuko seems to actually enjoy their date. There is speculation that Zuko truly cared about Jin, going so far as to use firebending to light lanterns so she wouldn't be disappointed, and even returning her kiss. It can be inferred that this is also why he left so abruptly. Jin is never mentioned in the show again, and the finale strongly implies that Zuko eventually marries Mai.

** Marinette/Ladybug and Adrien/Cat Noir have mutual crushes on each other, but cannot get together due to a whacked-out [[TwoPersonLoveTriangle Two-Person Love Square]] where Marinette is crushing on Adrien the civilian, but Adrien is crushing on Ladybug the superhero. Then "Cat Blanc" comes along and reveals that [[spoiler:Adrien's father, secretly the supervillain Hawk Moth, will forcibly break the two up if they try to get together so he can akumatize Marinette. This means that there's pretty much now way for them to safely get together until Hawk Moth is removed from the equation.]]

** Ted and Robin which had been going on for most of the seasons. Then, Ted decided to [[IWantMyBelovedToBeHappy let go of his feelings with Robin]] when she's about to marry Barney and eventually met the Mother. [[spoiler:However, the series finale swerves around with Robin and Barney divorced after three years of marriage and the Mother dead six years prior to Ted telling the story to his kids, which turned out to be more of asking their permission to date Robin again. The kids approved and the show ends with Robin looking out of her apartment window and saw Ted holding a blue French horn. It should be noted that Ted is just asking for another date with Robin and that some of their issues which resulted to their break-up hadn't been resolved so it's still a MaybeEverAfter for them]]. Needless to say, the ending caused one of the biggest BrokenBase in TV history.

* Jin and Misaki in ''LightNovel/ThePetGirlOfSakurasou'' an example that ends in a successful resolution. Jin feels an inferiority complex over [[TheAce Misaki]], so he played a [[TheCasanova Casanova]] front, despite faithful of their ChildhoodFriendRomance. [[spoiler:The issue was resolved in volume 5 of the light novel.]]

* ''Manga/AnatoliaStory'' plays with this between Queen Nakia and Urhi. With both of them being very close, rumors have been flying around that they might be romantically involved [[spoiler:and that her son Juda is from Urhi, not from the previous king, though this turns out to not be the case]]. The chapters revealing their past explains how things came this way. [[spoiler:Both felt lonely and like outcasts in the Empire, with Nakia eventually asking Urhi to run away with her from Hattusa, but Urhi points out several reasons why they can't abandon their positions, and that his status as an eunuch means he cannot 'make her happy as a man'. They remained in their respective positions, with Nakia insisting on her bloodline eventually ruling the Hittie Empire, and Urhi becoming her personal confidant and servant.]] The relationship eventually [[spoiler:ends when Urhi claims sole responsibility for crimes that would get Nakia's title as Tawananna removed and kills himself, but not before whispering something to Nakia that could [[ManipulativeBastard still help Nakia fulfill her goals]]]].

* [[ComicBook/{{Nightwing}} Dick Grayson]] and [[ComicBook/{{Batgirl 2011}} Barbara Gordon]] in ''ComicBook/{{New 52}}''. Despite internally expressing their feelings for one another in their individual books, they have yet to get together in the new continuity due to them each dealing with their own personal issues. The ship appears to be anchored for a while now, given that Barbara currently believes that [[ComicBook/{{Grayson}} Dick]] is [[FakingTheDead dead]].

* ''Manga/AnatoliaStory'' plays with this between Queen Nakia and Urhi. With both of them being very close to each, rumors have been flying around that they might be romantically involved [[spoiler:and that her son Juda is from Urhi, not from the previous king, though this turns out to not be the case]]. The chapters revealing their past explains how things came this way. [[spoiler:Both felt lonely and like outcasts in the Empire, with Nakia eventually asking Urhi to run away with her from Hattusa, but Urhi points out several reasons why they can't abandon their positions, and that his status as an eunuch means he cannot 'make her happy as a man'. They remained in their respective positions, with Nakia insisting on her bloodline eventually ruling the Hittie Empire, and Urhi becoming her personal confidant and servant.]] The relationship eventually [[spoiler:ends when Urhi claims sole responsibility for crimes that would get Nakia's title as Tawananna removed and kills himself, but not before whispering something to Nakia that could [[ManipulativeBastard still help Nakia fulfill her goals]]]].

* Suzu and Matsuri of ''Manga/AyakashiTriangle'' share a mutual attraction, but have several things keeping them from acting on it, several related to Matsuri [[GenderBender being turned into a girl]]. Even before that, Matsuri's low self-esteem kept him from noticing her feelings or from acknowledging his own, while Suzu had grown tired of him being so paranoid and overprotective. After the fact, Suzu is surprised to find herself still attracted to Matsuri, but not comfortable with it either. Matsuri's stated view on dating is that, if you can't eventually get married (even for arbitrary legal reasons), you may as well just hide your feeling. Japan does not allow same-sex couples to marry, and Matsuri has expressed no interest in guys, so apparently ''any'' relationship is a non-starter for him so long as he's living as a girl. [[spoiler:Though Matsuri has a LoveEpiphany after not too long, it's quickly established that [[FirstLawOfGenderBending his sustained female form]] is quite a roadblock in their relationship.]]

* Suzu and Matsuri of ''Manga/AyakashiTriangle'' share a mutual attraction, but have several things keeping them from acting on it, several related to Matsuri [[GenderBender being turned into a girl]]. Even before that, Matsuri's low self-esteem kept him from noticing her feelings or from acknowledging his own, while Suzu had grown tired of him being so paranoid and overprotective. After the fact, Suzu is surprised to find herself still attracted to Matsuri, but not comfortable with it either. Matsuri's stated view on dating is that, if you can't eventually get married (even for arbitrary legal reasons), you may as well just hide your feeling. Japan does not allow same-sex couples to marry, and Matsuri has expressed no interest in guys, so apparently ''any'' relationship is a non-starter for him so long as he's living as a girl.

* ''Series/StarTrekVoyager'': Happened more than one episode for Captain Janeway and [[NumberTwo Chakotay]], though given that the question kept coming up, [[RelationshipWritingFumble you'd be forgiven for expecting they'd hook up eventually]].

* A mix of this and MaybeEverAfter for [[spoiler: Mustang and Hawkeye]] from ''Manga/FullmetalAlchemist''. It's been revealed that the reason they aren't married is [[spoiler: the anti-fraternization rules in the military]]. [[SubordinateExcuse That]] doesn't stop them [[LivingEmotionalCrutch emotionally]] though, and having the rules change after Roy becomes Fuhrer is perfectly possible.
* The default mode of would-be relationships in ''Manga/{{Naruto}}'', especially considering that several participants have unresolved personal issues and all of them [[spoiler:are involved in the middle of a war that will decide the fate of the ninja world]]. They don't [[RomanceArc move forward along the usual lines]]; they're not in any sort of [[WillTheyOrWontThey believable deadlock where each party is unsure of the other's feelings]]; they're not [[LetsJustBeFriends put off the table]]; they're clearly not [[AbortedArc completely forgotten about]], either, if the ShipTease is any indication. They're just... there.
** Averted as of the epilogue for most of the ships.

A situation that occurs when one or both potential partners in a relationship refuses to get involved with the other or take the relationship to the next level for personal reasons, often seemingly intractable ones. For example, Bob is in love with Alice, but unfortunately, he is also a widower, and is concerned about honoring the memory of his dead wife Carol. Therefore, while neither has rejected the other, their relationship isn't going anywhere.

[[folder:Web Comics]]

Compare CannotSpitItOut, in which one of the people in the relationship merely cannot work up the nerve to confess to the other; in many Anchored Ships, the other partner is aware to some degree of how the person with the problems feels. See TheFirstCutIsTheDeepest, ItsNotYouItsMyEnemies and IDontWantToRuinOurFriendship for some of the reasons why this happens. ShipSinking is the permanent variation of this.

** Also, Jinko, one of the few anchored ships that remain so, is mostly due to Jin's being a one-time character. Zuko and Jin go out once in book two, and after the [[{{Adorkable}} initial awkwardness]], Zuko seems to actually enjoy their date. There is speculation that Zuko truly cared about Jin, going so far as to use firebending to light lanterns so she wouldn't be disappointed, and even returning her kiss. It can be inferred that this is also why he left so abruptly. Jin is never mentioned in the show again, and the finale strongly implies that Zuko eventually marries Mai.