History Main / LoveEpiphany

* ''WebVideo/DragonballZAbridged'' gives Krillin one in Episode 51. With the remote in hand that will explode the bomb inside 18, he hesitates and thinks of how her life will end suddenly and, likely, painlessly for her. Realizing that there are no Dragonballs to wish her back to life once Cell is dead, Krillin proceeds to rant at himself that he needs to man up and do something.

** Ed himself has one during his time in Briggs. While Winry is preparing his new cold-resistant Automail, Ed tries to warn her not to trust [[MagnificentBastard Kimblee]], having had a earlier conversation with Riza Hawkeye on the horrors of the Ishval Civil War. He then remembers the ''other'' thing Hawkeye had said — her asking if he loves Winry. This leads to him completely freaking out and ''reciting the periodic table'' at top speed to try to distract himself. Considering he had previously [[SheIsNotMyGirlfriend vehemently denied any romance]] he may feel for Winry, his freak-out here gives away that he has grown to love her after all. [[spoiler:[[BabiesEverAfter At the end of the series, the two are shown to be married and have children.]]]]

* In ''Manga/DeliciousInDungeon'', a flashback shows that Shuro realized he was in love with [[spoiler:Falin when he woke up one night and saw her letting a caterpillar crawl over her hands without being afraid or disgusted by the little creature. He proposes soon after.]]
* ''Manga/InuYasha'':
** Kagome has a very obvious one early in the series which leads to her decision to remain by Inuyasha's side no matter how [[ReincarnationRomance difficult]] the LoveTriangle with Kikyou becomes. Inuyasha actually has a quieter one early in the series as well, but when Miroku tells him to make up his mind which girl he's going to settle for, he asks if he can have both of them, summing up the problem with the LoveTriangle. As a result, the love epiphanies do not resolve the relationship, they just ensure the status quo for the majority of the manga.
** Kagura realizes her feelings for Sesshomaru after he saves her from a river, and he realizes his feelings for her after [[spoiler:she dies]].

** Which, it should be noted, is significant because Akito is [[spoiler: a scary-arse psycho mo-fo, as well as the head of the family, with a sort of supernatural power over all the others suffering the Zodiac curse.]]

* The ''Manga/OuranHighSchoolHostClub'' manga has this -- for several characters. First is [[spoiler: Kaoru]], who realizes he has feelings for Haruhi. Then [[spoiler: Hikaru]] finally sees that he's in love with Haruhi after [[spoiler: Kaoru explains that's why he felt so jealous when Haruhi spoke so kindly about Tamaki]]. Haruhi takes a while longer to finally realize she's in love with [[spoiler: Tamaki]], at first thinking her sudden blushing and being flustered around him were due to a cold. Finally, after over 60 chapters, Tamaki has the revelation that he doesn't love Haruhi as a "father", but that he's actually ''in'' love with her, as a man.

* It's hinted that [[spoiler: everyone's favourite jerkass Fakir]] in ''Anime/PrincessTutu'' gets his realization when [[spoiler: he notices that he can write a story for Ahiru but not for Mytho.]]
** A more canonical example is [[spoiler: Rue, realizing she loved Mytho all along ever since she was little.]]
* Kaoru was already crushing pretty hard on ''Manga/RurouniKenshin'' to begin with, so when he [[spoiler: leaves for Kyoto alone and she goes into a HeroicBSOD]], she realizes just how much he means to her.
** Tomoe also has a tragic version when her allies' words cause her to discover that she's fallen InLoveWithTheMark. [[spoiler: This, in turn, causes her HeroicSacrifice.]]
* In the second season of ''Manga/MagicKnightRayearth'', Hikaru has one of these rather abruptly when Nova [[spoiler: her shadow]] reveals that she is in love with Lantis in a dream world. [[spoiler: Hikaru confesses to him as soon as she is pulled out of her dream state and then faints from exhaustion… ''unfortunately she doesn't remember her confession on her second awakening'']]
* In ''Manga/WhisperedWords'', it is revealed through flashbacks how Sumika fell in love with her best friend Ushio.
** But not before showing how [[spoiler: Ushio is startled by her realization she has feelings for Sumika as well.]]
* In the first season of ''Anime/CodeGeass'' Euphemia has her realization that she's in love with Suzaku--ironically, during the middle of a personal conversation with ''Nina'', [[EvenTheGirlsWantHer who had a hidden crush on Euphemia herself]].

* Subverted in a late chapter of ''Manga/TheWallflower'' manga, much to the neverending frustration of [[BelligerentSexualTension Kyohei/Sunako]] shippers: it looks like Kyohei has finally realized his feelings for Sunako when he finds himself visualizing her in her "beautiful" form while mediating and subsequently acting flustered when he sees that she's become beautiful in real life. No, his epiphany turns out to be that he loves her ''cooking''.
* Played with in ''Manga/AhMyGoddess''. Skuld suspects that she might love Keiichi, and spends a chapter or two trying to disprove it to herself.
* In ''Anime/EurekaSeven'', Eureka realizes her feelings for Renton upon learning of his departure in episode 24.
** The same thing later happens to [[spoiler:Anemone towards Dominic around the time of his HeelFaceTurn, which leads to a far more serious breakdown for her]].
* ''Manga/GunslingerGirl''. Triela in "Returning to the Birdcage" after discovering Victor Hilshire not only saved her from a SnuffFilm, but became her [[TheHandler handler]] solely to continue protecting her. Triela already knew she had feelings for him but wasn't sure if this was just the [[{{brainwashed}} conditioning]] that makes [[MoreThanMindControl every cyborg loyal to her handler]].
* ''Manga/{{Berserk}}'': [[spoiler: ''Before'' she and Guts make love]] Casca recounts how she came to the realization that she was in love with Guts a year ago, when he left the Band of the Hawk after defeating Griffith and didn't turn around once, not even when she called out to him. She didn't want to admit the feeling she had because of her pride as a warrior under Griffith, who she thought she was in love with until [[SnowMeansLove that winter day]].
* In volume 16 of ''LightNovel/ACertainMagicalIndex'' [[spoiler: Misaka is walking through a street that's deserted due to a people-clearing field comes across a near-dead Touma shambling forward to help the Amakusas fight Acqua of the Back. She tries to stop him and confronts him about his memories. During the conversation, she realizes her feelings.]]
* Karina has one of these in regards to [[spoiler:Kotetsu]] in the 14th episode of ''Anime/TigerAndBunny'' when she realizes how worked up she's getting over the loss of a towel simply because he gave it to her.
* One of the most tear-jerking scenes in ''LightNovel/{{Toradora}}'' is this. [[spoiler: [[{{Tsundere}} Taiga]] realizes after sending off [[NiceGuy Ryuuji]] to go confess to her best friend that doing so means that she will no longer be able to hang around Ryuuji every day and that her feelings for him are romantic. Unfortunately, when she runs out the door to stop him, Ryuuji is already gone.]]
* In ''Anime/SuperDimensionFortressMacross''/''Anime/{{Robotech}}'', Misa Hayase/[[DubNameChange Lisa Hayes]] realizes that she has fallen hard for Lt. Hikaru Ichijo/Rick Hunter after accidentally shooting him down in a 'friendly fire' incident. It takes him a little while longer.
* ''Manhwa/IWish'':
** K is first ''told'' by Wye that he loves Lyu-Jin, because he's [[LookALikeLovers assimilating]] to her, but K brushes it off. A bit later, Lyu-Jin snaps at K for not visiting her while she was stuck in bed with a bad cold and K reiterates that ''he'' was sick at the time, ''too''... and realizes that he is assimilating to her.
** Lyu-Jin takes a bit longer. On her birthday, she has a fight with K and meets up with him later. When she's about to ask the wish he suggested to her, he interrupts her and asks if she is hungry and wants to eat. In tears, Lyu-Jin realizes that K loves her and that she feels the same.
** The chapters depicting Seven's past with Lyu-Ui as his master show that Seven didn't realize he actually loved [[spoiler:Lyu-Ui]] until said person has died and, due to belonging to an alien race, Seven's heart breaks.
* Ren of ''Manga/SkipBeat'' realizes he loves Kyoko at a very bad time. He's driving his car, waiting at a red light for it to change and, upon realizing his feelings, blushes, and ''heaves a huge sigh''… while car drivers behind him are honking at him to start driving again.
* In ''Manga/PenguinRevolution,'' the president of Peacock prods Yuzuru Narazaki to think about just why he's so dead-set on getting [[SweetPollyOliver "Yutaka"]] Fujimaru to be his manager. Narazaki contemplates it for a little while, and the next time he sees Fujimaru, his reaction is essentially: "...oh."
* [[spoiler: Ringo Oginome]] from ''Anime/{{Penguindrum}}'' seems to have this in episode 11, when [[spoiler: Yuri Tokikago]] straightforwardly asks her if she loves [[spoiler: Shouma Takakura]] and insists that EveryoneCanSeeIt.
* ''Manga/{{Naruto}}'':
** The spirit of Naruto's mother Kushina explains how she fell in love with his father Minato: When she was kidnapped, Kushina [[TrailOfBreadCrumbs left a trail of strands from her long red hair]]. Minato was the only one able to decipher the trail, [[RescueRomance ended up rescuing her]], and then [[HeroesWantRedheads boldly complimented her red hair]].
** Naruto himself has one mixed with GreenEyedEpiphany in ''Anime/TheLastNarutoTheMovie''. [[spoiler: While trapped in a genjutsu that makes him relive his memories, he starts seeing those memories from [[OneTrueLove Hinata's]] perspective, realizing that she's been in love with him [[ChildhoodFriendRomance since they were children]] after [[RescueRomance he protected her from three bullies]]. After it takes him only one day to wrap his head around this--and after he notices that [[BigBad Toneri]] took an [[{{Yandere}} obsessive interest in her]]--he realizes that he's in love with her as well, and he responds by [[EveryoneCanSeeIt being incredibly unsubtle with his feelings]] and becoming a CrazyJealousGuy every time Toneri tries to take Hinata away from him]].

* Subverted in the ''Manga/SeitokaiYakuindomo'' manga; Shino is irritated when she sees Tsuda and Aria pretending to be boyfriend and girlfriend, but instead of coming to the logical conclusion that she likes Tsuda, with whom she's been [[ShipTease teased with]] for a good deal of the run, she instead wonders if she is in love with ''Aria''.
* In ''LightNovel/ThePetGirlOfSakurasou'', Mashiro has one in episode 12 after Sorata's [[PleaseDontLeaveMe passionate plea to her not to leave Sakura Hall]]. When she asks him about the funny feeling in her chest, he tries to deny it in [[LargeHam his usual fashion]].
* In ''Manga/YandereKanojo'', [[TraumaticHairCut Hijiri's hair got splashed with oil-based paint]] when she painted graffiti in the school. When Shiratori sees it, she begins to cry. Shiratori manages to salvage the situation by giving her a decent haircut. [[spoiler:She realizes that she cried because she was afraid that her image was ruined in the eyes of Shiratori and, from that, realizes that she is in love with him.]]

* In ''Manga/{{Chihayafuru}}'' after spending two seasons of the anime being ObliviousToLove, Chihaya finally realizes her feelings to [[spoiler:Arata]].
* In ''Manga/{{Kobato}}'', both main characters go through this at separate times:
** Kobato's moment of Love Epiphany starts after she sees Fujimoto being hurt by [[spoiler:Okiura]]. She spends the rest of the night and the next morning reflecting on why Fujimoto's pain hurts her so much, and her reflection culminates in a beautiful moment when she decides to sing to him to better express her feelings. By the time she's finished, she's already realized what her feelings are, and she starts crying [[spoiler:because she's a spirit who hasn't got long to live and there's no way [[StarCrossedLovers she and Fujimoto can be together for long]].]]
** Fujimoto's Love Epiphany is slightly mixed with GreenEyedEpiphany: when he hears that Kobato went after [[spoiler:Okiura]] alone, he is reminded of how [[spoiler:Okiura]] stole his FirstLove, [[spoiler:[[TheFirstCutIsTheDeepest Sayaka]]]]. He gets angry that [[spoiler:Okiura]] is always stealing what's his... Then he realizes he just thought of [[SecondLove Kobato]] as something of his. He never really puts the realization into words, but the look on his face says it all.
* In episode 11B of ''Manga/SakuraTrick'', Mitsuki [[spoiler:realizes though a conversation with [[BerserkButton Sumi-sumi]] that her opposing Haruka and Yuu kissing is not because she opposes same-sex attraction, but because [[IfICantHaveYou she wants to be the one beside Haruka]]. And then she realizes [[LoveTriangle she's in love with her sister's girlfriend]].]]
* ''Anime/SamuraiFlamenco'' has an interesting take on this, in which [[spoiler:Masayoshi has a love epiphany about Goto ''after'' he [[WackyMarriageProposal proposed]] to him. "Oh, I get it, this is love."]]

* In chapter 132 of ''Manga/AssassinationClassroom'', Nagisa kisses [[spoiler:Kayano]] for non-romantic reasons: [[spoiler:to interrupt her suicidal berserker-rage]]. Then [[spoiler:Kayano]] realizes that she's enjoying it. You can actually ''see'' her expression from shock to realization.
* ''Manga/{{Ojojojo}}'': Haru realized she was in love with Tsurezure when her father told her she was going to have an arranged marriage (or at the very least, it served as the catalyst for her to confess). Later on, Akane tells Haru that she realized she was in love with Chris when [[spoiler: he came to see her during her HeroicBSOD.]]
* Ichigo of ''Manga/OmujoOmutsuJoshi'' has a condition that causes her to become incredibly nervous around men. So much so it causes her to wet herself. She has a revelation when it's pointed out that lately Shouta, and ''only'' Shouta, has been triggering this problem.
* Ayami Kazama had a rather hilarious example detailed in her autobiographical manga ''Renai 3 Jigen Debut'' where she fell in love with her husband after he answered a question she had about foreskin. At the same time, it's rather appropriate since the guy is a hentai author.
* In ''Anime/DragonBallZ'' Krillin has one about [[spoiler: Android 18 while arguing with himself over whether or not to use the remote to destroy her in order to stop Cell from reaching his complete form. He's paralyzed by indecision for several tense minutes before finally realizing ''why'' he can't destroy her. It's also implied that he's felt this way since she kissed him when they met.]]

* In ''LightNovel/SwordArtOnline'', [[LoveInterest Asuna]] spent the first month in Aincrad terrified she was going to die, and for the next months could not sleep well because she was scared of the days of her life she was losing. Then she found [[TheHero Kirito]] napping under the sun and he convinced her to take one herself... and she slept the best she had in months. She then started to think of him every night before going to sleep and without fail she would sleep without nightmares - prompting her realization that she was in love with him.
* Sousuke finally gets his halfway into ''LightNovel/FullMetalPanic'' when Kaname comes up with a plan that uses herself as TheBait. Sousuke finds himself once again uncharacteristically rattled by the thought of putting Kaname in danger; but after eight months learning to parse [[WhatIsThisFeeling these new, confusing sensations he's been feeling]] ever since meeting Kaname, he's finally able to connect the dots and realize he feels this way because he can no longer tolerate the thought of a life without her.

* ''Manga/MyDressUpDarling'': Marin Kitagawa realizes she's developed feelings for Wakana Gojo after their first outing to a cosplay event. On the train back home, a sleepy Gojo mutters how beautiful Marin looked - something he would only say about someone/thing he ''truly'' cares about - causing her heart to throb and Marin to freak out comically.

** Korra is kidnapped in one episode and Mako is particularly passionate in the search. Once Korra is found, Mako begins acting strangely around her, and it's not until the final episode that he says that he realized how much he loved her while she was gone. Unfortunately, his behavior went unexplained in the meantime and he received much hatred from some of the fandom, who felt he was cheating on his girlfriend and playing with Korra's heart.

* [[Blog/ReadingRainbowverse Octavia]] gets one of these after Vinyl's AccidentalProposal makes her really think about their relationship... leading to an actual proposal.

* From ''Fanfic/RunawayWind'', Ventus comes to this after weeks of adventuring with Naminé.

* In ''[[https://www.fanfiction.net/s/13881364/2/Harry-Potter-A-Change-of-Direction Harry Potter: A Change of Direction]]'' Harry realizes that he loves Hermione when he gives her a ShutUpKiss.

* PlayedForLaughs with [[LoveableSexManiac Miu Iruma]] in ''VisualNovel/DanganronpaV3KillingHarmony''. Miu is in the middle of one after Shuichi ''stopped her from trying to disembowel herself'' in an attempt to show that she is an augmented human and went to check on her afterwards. Despite very obvious signs that she is falling in love with Shuichi (she stripped herself and tried to get Shuichi to do the same, and she even outright admits that she is falling in love with him), [[ImplausibelDeniability Miu tries to insist that Shuichi was in love with her instead]].

* In ''Series/TheMuppets'' after Miss Piggy breaks her leg, and is accidentally given too much morphine, as she's wheeled to the [=ER=], she, in a dazed state tells Kermit she loves him, [[note]]This show is set after the two have broken up.[[/note]] and then goes on to say it to various random objects she passes. Without really thinking, Kermit replies, "I love you too." He then stops and thinks about it for a second before saying to himself, "I love her..."

[[folder:Web Comics]]

* FanFic/{{Greenfire}} has Rarity realize her feelings for Greenfire (AlternateUniverse!Spike) after months of tea parties, engaging conversations, genuine respect, and [[FemaleGaze gawking at his impressive musculature]] following when he acts more chivalrous than an actual knight sent to kill him. After Rarity convinces him to open up about his [[ParentalAbandonment solitary history]], Rarity realizes how lonely he is, which makes her realize how lonely ''she'' is, and when she remembers at least they have each other, she finally realizes how much she cares for the dragon.

--> '''Eleanor:''' *after a long rant about how "there are way more things [she] hates about [[spoiler: Chidi]] than like[s] about him"* He is also incredibly patient, and kind, and surprisingly jacked, and, oh, fork, I'm in love with [[spoiler: Chidi]].

* From ''Fanfic/RunawayWind'':

* Chad from ''Literature/SuperPowereds'' has one when Roy convinces him to look at Angela and turn off the part of his power that reigns in his emotions.

** In ''Literature/MidnightSun2020'' Edward struggles with exactly why he saved Bella and why he is so curious about her, besides his inability to read her thoughts. Then when he hears her saying "Edward, please don't go," in her sleep, and he realizes that he loves her.

* ''Series/LawAndOrderSpecialVictimsUnit,'' of all shows, pulls this off flawlessly in the season 22 finale. Carisi is asked to officiate [[spoiler: Finn and Phoebe's]] wedding, and spends most of the episode agonizing over writing a speech for the ceremony. When the whole thing is abruptly called off, he's disappointed he didn't get to use it, especially since he spent all night rewriting it. Rollins asks him to read it to her, which he sheepishly does. The camera focuses on Rollins while he reads it, and there's a slow, dawning realization that the feelings he's describing in his speech--which compares the intense bond of being police partners to the commitment of marriage--are exactly how she feels about ''him.'' Cue the BigDamnKiss that was long overdue after several seasons of WillTheyOrWontThey.

* Although the actual Love Epiphany for the character in question doesn't happen onscreen (or may not have happened in a bolt of clarity at all), the ''audience'' for the first time realizes that the subtle ShipTease of Josh and Donna on ''Series/TheWestWing'' has become 100% definitely, unequivocally {{Canon}} in the 4th season's penultimate episode "Commencement" when [[spoiler: Amy delivers the long-teased, never-spoken WhamLine "Are you in love with Josh?", and Donna doesn't answer, standing stock still and staring fixedly at her papers while the camera slowly pans in, just as the lyrics to the song ("Angel" by Massive Attack) playing in the soundtrack change to ''"love you love you love you love you..."''']]

* [[LargeHam Owain]] of ''VideoGame/FireEmblemAwakening'' has one if he reaches [[RelationshipUpgrade S-Support]] with the [[PlayerCharacter Female Avatar]].

'''Naminé''': Ven, you’re a little red. Are you—?\\
'''Ventus''': Fine! (''takes a step back and waves his hands.) I’m just fine! No problems at all!\\

* ''Manga/MyDressUpDarling'': Marin Kitagawa realizes she's developed feelings for Wakana Gojo after their first outing to a cosplay event. On the train back home, a sleepy Gojo mutters how beautiful Marin looked, causing her heart to throb and freak out comically.