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* In ''Webcomic/LittleLapses'', Cinnabar's mom has to work long hours as a waitress to make ends meet. This causes her to miss out on much of Cinnabar's life, much to the dismay of both.
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* In ''WesternAnimation/HazbinHotel'', [[SatanIsGood Lucifer is a caring father]] but between his [[MaddenIntoMisanthropy depression over a constant exposure to the worst of humanity]] and his duties as the King of {{Hell}} he was largely absent from his daughter Charlie's life, leaving her mother Lilith to do most of the work raising her. When they reconnect in the present day he's elated to be a part of her life again, while Charlie's initially frustrated that he ''still'' hasn't been paying her any attention.
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* In the ''Series/StarTrekDeepSpaceNine'' episode [[Recap/StarTrekDeepSpaceNineS03E09Defiant "Defiant"]], Gul Dukat laments to Ben Sisko that, rather than spending the day trying to stop the hijacked USS ''Defiant'' from attacking Cardassian space, he was ''supposed'' to be taking his son to an amusement park for his eleventh birthday.

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* In the ''Series/StarTrekDeepSpaceNine'' episode [[Recap/StarTrekDeepSpaceNineS03E09Defiant "Defiant"]], [[Characters/StarTrekDeepSpaceNineGulDukat Gul Dukat Dukat]] laments to Ben Sisko that, rather than spending the day trying to stop the hijacked USS ''Defiant'' from attacking Cardassian space, he was ''supposed'' to be taking his son to an amusement park for his eleventh birthday.
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* ''FanFic/PerfectCompanions'': Applejack's parents had to travel to help the other Apple Families get their farms started up, and as a result weren't there that often, even missing her birthday several times. They finally made it to give her Winona to help keep her company while they were gone. [[spoiler:Sadly they died in an accident shortly thereafter.]]

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* ''FanFic/PerfectCompanions'': ''Fanfic/PerfectCompanions'': Applejack's parents had to travel to help the other Apple Families get their farms started up, and as a result weren't there that often, even missing her birthday several times. They finally made it to give her Winona to help keep her company while they were gone. [[spoiler:Sadly they died in an accident shortly thereafter.]]



* Captain Olga Romanoff of the Ankh-Morpork City Air Watch lives a busy professional life. She commands Ankh-Morpork's Air Police. The Pegasus Service means she has to fly seriously long-distance missions on behalf of the City. On top of this she is one of the three or four people in the next tier down from Sam Vimes who can reasonably be expected to step up and take acting command of the whole Watch. Olga is also married with twin children. She values being able to see them every now and again. And she frets that she isn't giving them enough time. Read more about this working mother in ''Fanfic/ThePriceOfFlight'' by Creator/AAPessimal.

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* ''Fanfic/ThePriceOfFlight'': Captain Olga Romanoff of the Ankh-Morpork City Air Watch lives a busy professional life. She commands Ankh-Morpork's Air Police. The Pegasus Service means she has to fly seriously long-distance missions on behalf of the City. On top of this she is one of the three or four people in the next tier down from Sam Vimes who can reasonably be expected to step up and take acting command of the whole Watch. Olga is also married with twin children. She values being able to see them every now and again. And she frets that she isn't giving them enough time. Read more about this working mother in ''Fanfic/ThePriceOfFlight'' by Creator/AAPessimal.



* Creator/JRRTolkien's ''Literature/TheFallOfNumenor'': Aldarion loves his family, but he spends long periods of time in sea because of his obsession with sailing. As a result of it his daughter Ancalimë spends most of her early childhood asking who is his father and why he is not around.

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* Creator/JRRTolkien's ''Literature/TheFallOfNumenor'': Aldarion loves his family, but he spends long periods of time in sea because of his obsession with sailing. As a result of it his daughter Ancalimë spends most of her early childhood asking who is his her father and why he is not around.

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* Thomas Wayne is sometimes portrayed as having been this kind of father to [[Franchise/{{Batman}} Bruce]] -- in some versions, the fateful trip to the movies was intended to make up for this...
** Many versions detailing [[ComicBook/{{Nightwing}} Dick Grayson]] first moving into the Wayne Mansion have shades of this trope; the little orphan desperate for some attention from his new guardian, but Bruce being caught up with "business". Once Dick finds out the truth and takes up the mantle of Robin this changes, of course.
** [[ComicBook/RedRobin Tim Drake's]] parents were often out of Gotham on business trips and visiting archeological sites, and when they were in Gotham his father was pretty much always busy and never really knew much about his son though it's clear he wanted to be a better parent and felt guilty about it.
* Played with in the case of Jacob Kane, [[ComicBook/{{Batwoman}} Kate]] and Beth Kane's father. As a Special Forces soldier, he was often away on missions, and thus commonly missed events in his daughters' lives, such as their birthdays. However, this tapered off as he received promotions, and after Kate enrolled at West Point, he was present at a few Academy events, such as accompanying Kate to R-Day or attending one of her boxing matches.

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* ''ComicBook/{{Batman}}'':
**
Thomas Wayne is sometimes portrayed as having been this kind of father to [[Franchise/{{Batman}} Bruce]] Bruce -- in some versions, the fateful trip to the movies was intended to make up for this...
** Many versions detailing [[ComicBook/{{Nightwing}} In some versions, Dick Grayson]] Grayson first moving into the Wayne Mansion have shades of this trope; is depicted as the little orphan desperate for some attention from his new guardian, but Bruce being caught up with "business". Once Dick finds out the truth and takes up the mantle of Robin this changes, of course.
** [[ComicBook/RedRobin Tim Drake's]] Drake's parents were often out of Gotham on business trips and visiting archeological sites, and when they were in Gotham his father was pretty much always busy and never really knew much about his son though it's clear he wanted to be a better parent and felt guilty about it.
* ** ''ComicBook/{{Batwoman}}'': Played with in the case of Jacob Kane, [[ComicBook/{{Batwoman}} Kate]] Kate and Beth Kane's father. As a Special Forces soldier, he was often away on missions, and thus commonly missed events in his daughters' lives, such as their birthdays. However, this tapered off as he received promotions, and after Kate enrolled at West Point, he was present at a few Academy events, such as accompanying Kate to R-Day or attending one of her boxing matches.



* The opening for issue one of ''ComicBook/PoetAndersonTheDreamWalker'' show Jonas and Alan's parents are often absent due to their jobs.

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* ''ComicBook/PoetAndersonTheDreamWalker'': The first issue's opening for issue one of ''ComicBook/PoetAndersonTheDreamWalker'' show Jonas and Alan's parents are often absent due to their jobs.



* In the ''ComicBook/SpiderMan'' comic that first revealed that ComicBook/NormanOsborn was the Green Goblin, we see Norman being this to his son Harry in a flashback. We even see him bringing Harry an expensive present and trying to tell himself that this surely makes up for never having time for him. No, Norman, it doesn't.

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* In the ''ComicBook/SpiderMan'' comic that first revealed that ComicBook/NormanOsborn was the Green Goblin, we see Norman being this to his son Harry in a flashback. We even see him bringing Harry an expensive present and trying to tell himself that this surely makes up for never having time for him. No, Norman, it doesn't.



* ''Fanfic/AbraxasHrodvitnon'': Although the [[Characters/AbraxasHrodvitnonHumans AbraxasVerse version of Ren Serizawa]] hasn't taken it [[FreudianExcuse nearly as badly]] as the ''Godzilla vs. Kong'' incarnation of the character did (see the Literature folder), it's still implied that his father Ishirō Serizawa rarely made time to visit him at home due to the demands of his work for Monarch.

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* ''Fanfic/AbraxasHrodvitnon'': Although the [[Characters/AbraxasHrodvitnonHumans AbraxasVerse version of Ren Serizawa]] hasn't taken it [[FreudianExcuse nearly as badly]] as the ''Godzilla vs. Kong'' incarnation of the character did (see the Literature folder), did, it's still implied that his father Ishirō Serizawa rarely made time to visit him at home due to the demands of his work for Monarch.



* The 1998 comedy ''Film/{{Jack Frost|1998}}'': Jack Frost is a workaholic singer of his self-titled rock band and he constantly puts his career over his wife Gabby and son Charlie and often breaks/forgets the promises he made to them. Jack misses Charlie's hockey game but promises to make up for it with a trip to the mountains for Christmas. But then Jack is called in to record songs that mean he won't be home for Christmas. On his way to the gig, Jack realizes his mistake and cancels the gig and leaves to spend the holidays with his family. Unfortunately, a bad storm begins to block his vision, and he crashes his car and is killed instantly. One year later, the spirit of Jack is reincarnated inside a snowman in order to put things right with Charlie before he completely disappears into the afterlife.

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* The 1998 comedy ''Film/{{Jack Frost|1998}}'': Jack Frost is a workaholic singer of his self-titled rock band and he constantly puts his career over his wife Gabby and son Charlie and often breaks/forgets the promises he made to them. Jack misses Charlie's hockey game but promises to make up for it with a trip to the mountains for Christmas. But then Jack is called in to record songs that mean he won't be home for Christmas. On his way to the gig, Jack realizes his mistake and cancels the gig and leaves to spend the holidays with his family. Unfortunately, a bad storm begins to block his vision, and he crashes his car and is killed instantly. One year later, the spirit of Jack is reincarnated inside a snowman in order to put things right with Charlie before he completely disappears into the afterlife.



* Both parents from ''Film/MaryPoppins'' are period-piece examples of this trope, although in the mother's case it's her political crusades, not a job, that take up too much of her time (she's a suffragette). Moreover, in both cases, it seems as if it's not that their jobs are particularly time-consuming so much as they're mildly disinterested in the children and willing to palm their parental responsibilities off on someone else. Then again, this was completely normal for a well-off family in the Edwardian Era.
** The kids get an aesop on the subject as well; just because their parents aren't around as much as they'd like doesn't mean they don't love them. They also learn that being a grown-up and providing for a family is very hard, and you shouldn't be too hard in judging them.

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* ''Film/MaryPoppins'': Both parents from ''Film/MaryPoppins'' are period-piece examples of this trope, although in the mother's case it's her political crusades, not a job, that take up too much of her time (she's a suffragette). Moreover, in both cases, it seems as if it's not that their jobs are particularly time-consuming so much as they're mildly disinterested in the children and willing to palm their parental responsibilities off on someone else. Then again, this was completely normal for a well-off family in the Edwardian Era.
**
The kids get an aesop on the subject as well; just because their parents aren't around as much as they'd like doesn't mean they don't love them. They also learn that being a grown-up and providing for a family is very hard, and you shouldn't be too hard in judging them.



* Su-ryeon in ''Film/TheSchoolgirlsDiary'' bitterly resents her father for constantly working and only making brief and very infrequent visits home to his family. However, this film was made in UsefulNotes/NorthKorea, so the Aesop is that her father is ''right'' to essentially abandon his family for his work because he's serving the state and Kim Jong Il.

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* ''Film/TheSchoolgirlsDiary'': Su-ryeon in ''Film/TheSchoolgirlsDiary'' bitterly resents her father for constantly working and only making brief and very infrequent visits home to his family. However, this film was made in UsefulNotes/NorthKorea, so the Aesop is that her father is ''right'' to essentially abandon his family for his work because he's serving the state and Kim Jong Il.



* Blaze's mother in ''Literature/BlazeOrLoveInTheTimeOfSupervillains'' works double-shifts as a nurse to support the family since Blaze's father left them. She's not home a good bit of the time, forcing Blaze to take on the role of making sure that dinner gets on the table and Josh gets to soccer.

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* ''Literature/BlazeOrLoveInTheTimeOfSupervillains'': Blaze's mother in ''Literature/BlazeOrLoveInTheTimeOfSupervillains'' works double-shifts as a nurse to support the family since Blaze's father left them. She's not home a good bit of the time, forcing Blaze to take on the role of making sure that dinner gets on the table and Josh gets to soccer.



* One of the ''Literature/ChickenSoupForTheSoul'' books contains a poem entitled "But You Didn't," in which the narrator repeatedly asks one of his parents to play with him, ending each request with the words "but you didn't." In the end, [[spoiler:[[{{Glurge}} "My country called me to war; you asked me to come home safely... but I didn't!"]]]] (Some versions of this poem are between lovers or spouses though.)

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* One of the ''Literature/ChickenSoupForTheSoul'' books contains a poem entitled "But You Didn't," in which the narrator repeatedly asks one of his parents to play with him, ending each request with the words "but you didn't." In the end, [[spoiler:[[{{Glurge}} "My [[spoiler:[["My country called me to war; you asked me to come home safely... but I didn't!"]]]] didn't!"]] (Some versions of this poem are between lovers or spouses though.)



* Entirely averted by ''{{Literature/Discworld}}'s'' Sam Vimes, who ''will'' read his son's favorite storybook to him every night at 6 PM, come hell, high water, or terrorist attack. The Watch get in on the act, blocking off the two busiest streets in Ankh-Morpork at rush hour solely so he can get through, and he even manages, [[spoiler:while in a berserk fury, deep underground and possessed by a vengeance demon]], to roar the story loud enough for his son to hear it from several miles away.
* The first conversation between [[spoiler:Harry and Maggie Dresden]] in ''Literature/TheDresdenFiles'' has shades of this - mainly because, for a variety of reasons ([[spoiler:eight years of not knowing Maggie exists, one year of being mostly dead, and a year of being unable to leave a small island in the middle of Lake Michigan]]), this first-ever father-child conversation happens when the child is ''ten''.

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* Entirely averted by ''{{Literature/Discworld}}'s'' Sam Vimes, who ''will'' read his son's favorite storybook to him every night at 6 PM, come hell, high water, or terrorist attack. The Watch get in on the act, blocking off the two busiest streets in Ankh-Morpork at rush hour solely so he can get through, and he even manages, [[spoiler:while in a berserk fury, deep underground and possessed by a vengeance demon]], to roar the story loud enough for his son to hear it from several miles away.
*
''Literature/TheDresdenFiles'': The first conversation between [[spoiler:Harry and Maggie Dresden]] in ''Literature/TheDresdenFiles'' has shades of this is somewhat aloof - mainly because, for a variety of reasons ([[spoiler:eight years of not knowing Maggie exists, one year of being mostly dead, and a year of being unable to leave a small island in the middle of Lake Michigan]]), this first-ever father-child conversation happens when the child is ''ten''.''ten''.
* Creator/JRRTolkien's ''Literature/TheFallOfNumenor'': Aldarion loves his family, but he spends long periods of time in sea because of his obsession with sailing. As a result of it his daughter Ancalimë spends most of her early childhood asking who is his father and why he is not around.
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*''VideoGame/TheLegendOfHeroesTrailsFromZero'': One of the game's great many townspeople subplots is the little girl Lima constantly talking about how she never sees her father Melson at all, which is due to him getting home from the mines after her bedtime.

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!!Examples:

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!!Examples:!!Example subpages:
[[index]]
* [[WhenYouComingHomeDad/AnimeAndManga Anime & Manga]]
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!!Other examples:



[[folder:Anime & Manga]]
* ''Manga/TwentiethCenturyBoys'': This has happened with a police detective and his daughter, to the point that she tells him if he's only one hour late to his grandson's birthday party, it'll be okay. [[spoiler:It's a DoomedAppointment, of course.]] It also happened to Otcho, with similarly devastating consequences.
* In ''Manga/{{Bokurano}}'', Waku tells Moji that he used to play soccer, but his father never showed up for the tournament he was in, so he began to question why he was doing it and decided to take a break from it. [[spoiler:At his funeral]], his father admits to having been burdened with work. In the manga, Aiko "Anko" Tokiosumi's father Akira is one as a news reporter, and it's revealed that she had once hoped to be an IdolSinger to see him on TV.
* ''Manga/CardcaptorSakura'':
** Sonomi Daidouji, Tomoyo's mother. Like Dr. Mizuno, Sonomi's always very busy with her business and barely has time to see Tomoyo, but is genuinely affectionate to her and her friends when she ''is'' around. [[spoiler: Specially seen in the episode where Tomoyo temporarily becomes a CuteMute due to a Clow Card stealing her voice]].
** Sakura's father Fujitaka is a milder example, as he's an archeologist and uni professor with a very heavy schedule. Since he has been widowed since Sakura was three years old, Touya, his older son and Sakura’s big brother, often gets PromotedToParent while he’s away. Fujitaka, however, is not abusive, and genuinely loves his children.
* Fans often think this is the case in ''Anime/DragonBallZ'', though Gohan has never shown much if any anger for his father not being there more for him. This is probably because his absences are usually with good reason, and he spends as much time as he can with his family when he ''is'' around. His first absence of one year is because he dies saving Gohan, and stays in the afterlife to train so he can protect the Earth from the Saiyan threat. The next time, he crash-lands on a distant planet following his fight with Frieza, and only declines to return to Earth immediately because he is in the midst of learning an incredibly useful technique - he returns of his own accord a year and a half later. His longest separated time (seven years) was due to him sacrificing himself to prevent Cell from destroying Earth, and believing that if he stayed dead there would be no more foes (like Frieza or Cell). Despite this, he ends up returning and staying until he had to leave to teach his successor - which doesn't prevent him from visiting often if Neko Majin Z will have us believe. Least to say, neither of Goku's sons are in any way resentful for this and Chichi ends up understanding (but still doesn't cease to worry).
* Shun of ''Anime/{{Endride}}'' is rather more proactive than most, so when his dad doesn't come home for his own birthday, Shun goes to his office to drag him back home. Ironically, the tables are turned when this leads to his getting TrappedInAnotherWorld, with his parents now probably missing him.
* ''Manga/FateKaleidLinerPrismaIllya'': Shirou and Illya's parents spend most of their time away on business trips, leaving them in the care of the family maids. Iri comes back every once in a while, but Kiritsugu is almost always busy. While it's mostly PlayedForLaughs (with Shirou complaining that the male to female ratio is too skewed), in ''2wei'' it's implied that the reason Kiritsugu is so busy is that [[spoiler:he's killing anyone who might try to start another Holy Grail War, since doing so would put his daughter in danger]].
* Tsubomi's parents in ''Anime/HeartcatchPrettyCure'' ''had'' this problem, being well-respected botanists and always off on business trips until Tsubomi had an emotional breakdown, forcing them to realize that they were destroying their family. They quickly quit their jobs and move to Kibogahana so they can be with Tsubomi's grandmother and be a family again, which kicks off the story.
* ''Literature/IHadThatSameDreamAgain'': Nanoka's parents both work a lot and are rarely home at the same time, which is part of why she spends so much time with Minami, [[OnlyKnownByTheirNickname "Skank-san"]], and Obaachan. This bugs her more than she tends to let on, but when Nanoka learns that her parents can't come to school on the day that her class gives their reports on the "happiness" assignment due to sudden work commitments, she blows up at her mother.
* ''Manga/IThinkOurSonIsGay'': The boys' father often goes overseas for his job, which causes him to be rather out of the loop regarding his son's [[TransparentCloset sexuality]]. However, while he ''is'' home, he tries to spend as much time as possible with his children, and they get along well.
* Tsugawa's family in ''Manga/JapanInc''.
* ''Anime/JewelpetTwinkle'':
** Miria has parents who're famous in the music business, and so they spend the majority of time away from home, making Miria feel lonely. It was during one of these periods of angst that she met her Jewelpets.
** Sara also has scientist parents who went abroad when she was a kid. The only news she gets of them is when they send gifts.
* In ''Manga/JoJosBizarreAdventure'', we have [[Manga/JojosBizarreAdventureStardustCrusaders Jotaro Kujo]]'s father, who wasn't around often, due to being a jazz musician that was frequently on tour. Not that Jotaro seems to resent him for this, but he clearly didn't understand that most people need a dad while growing up. This affects his and his daughter Jolyne's relationship in ''[[Manga/JojosBizarreAdventureStoneOcean Stone Ocean]]'', as he just sort of assumed that she would inherently know that his near-constant absence was to keep her and her mother out of the Stand-related trouble he regularly dealt with.
* ''Manga/LittleHouseWithAnOrangeRoof'': This is one of the catalysts for the premise; to keep the soulless corporation from firing him, the series' "dad" spends every waking moment working. It costs him his first marriage.
* In ''Manga/MagicOfStella'', Tamaki's father's jobs require him to only available at home ''one weekend a month''. This is the FreudianExcuse for Tamaki's [[LikesOlderMen fascination of fictional middle-aged men]].
* This is the tragic backstory of [[spoiler:[[BigBad Precia Testarossa]]]] in ''Anime/MagicalGirlLyricalNanohaTheMovieFirst''. The sad part is, she did know that this was a problem and tried her best to make time for her daughter, but unlike the other GoodParents in the series who managed to balance their work and family life, she got smacked with the double whammy of a demanding job ''and'' unreasonable higher-ups. [[spoiler:Unsurprisingly, when her daughter died [[FondMemoriesThatCouldHaveBeen before she could make up for lost time]] because [[IgnoredExpert said higher-ups ignored her expert warnings about her project]], [[LoveMakesYouEvil her mind broke]]]].
* ParentalSubstitute {{Aver|tedTrope}}sion in ''Manga/MissKobayashisDragonMaid''. Kobayashi initially said she wouldn't be able to attend Parent's day (Sports Day in the anime) at Kanna's school due to it being the launch day for a project she was working on, but she then worked even more insane hours than normal to go anyway after realizing how important it was to Kanna.
* Lunge from ''Manga/{{Monster}}'' is this to the extent that his wife and daughter actually leave him. He doesn't particularly care at the time (that is how much he is obsessed with his work), but at the end of the story shows a desire to reconnect with his daughter.
* ''Manga/MyHeroAcademia'': Izuku's relationship with his father is so distant, he never mentions the guy even in internal monologue, and seems to consider All Might his ParentalSubstitute (when he gets his provisional license, he wants to show his mom Inko and All Might). The only reason we know Inko is married is because she mentions her husband ''once''. It's only in supplemental material that we find out that his name is Hisashi and he works overseas.
* In the DistantFinale of ''{{Manga/Naruto}}'' and its [[Manga/{{Boruto}} sequel series]], Boruto Uzumaki seems to have this relationship with his father Naruto. He spends a lot of time playing pranks mostly as an effort to get his dad's attention since he's too busy being the [[spoiler:seventh Hokage]]. While Naruto perhaps means well, it is shown that he barely knows anything about his son and has burned up much of Boruto's goodwill towards him, leading his eldest child to openly disrespect both him and his title of Hokage. Even when Naruto attempts to spend time with Boruto, it mostly revolves around things Naruto himself preferred as a child, such as taking Boruto out for ramen. Sadly, the man who once declared that "I never go back on my word, it's my ninja way!" seems to either be stretched too thin or just not understand his responsibility to his children. Boruto is particularly enraged when he feels he received a promise from Naruto to be at Himawari's birthday celebration, only for Naruto to send a clone...and one that dispels while carrying Himawari's cake. Needless to say, Boruto is NOT pleased with Naruto. His younger sister Himawari doesn't have this issue and is more accepting of their father's job.
* ''Anime/NeonGenesisEvangelion'': Gendo appears to be an example of this during the JourneyToTheCenterOfTheMind[=/=]DreamSequence[=/=][[GainaxEnding who knows what]] in ''End of Evangelion'', and at least one AlternateContinuity runs with the idea that this is how he'd be if his StartOfDarkness hadn't taken place. It's somewhat telling that even when experiencing [[AssimilationPlot Instrumentality]], which supposedly lets you live out your greatest wishes without limit, this is the most positive portrayal of his father that Shinji's imagination can devise.
* An episode of ''Manga/NurseAngelRirikaSOS'' reveals that the AlphaBitch Miyuki who frequently bullies Ririka has [[LonelyRichKid issues]] because her father is always at work and doesn't spend time with her. She [[ParentalSubstitute becomes friends]] with Ririka's father however doesn't learn until the end who he is.
* This idea kicks off the story in ''Anime/OblivionIslandHarukaAndTheMagicMirror'', exaggerated by the fact that the main character's mother died when she was young, so she feels especially abandoned by her remaining parent. In the end, the magic mirror projects her childhood and reveals that [[spoiler:her father was more openly affectionate and around her more, leading to a twist on this trope of the child ultimately coming to realize that the father's workaholic tendencies are out of love and are necessary to support her, and she learns to accept it and to start loving him just the way he is]].
* ''Franchise/{{Pokemon}}'':
** Sorrel from ''Anime/PokemonIChooseYou'' has parents who work often. When he was younger, he was raised by their Luxray. [[spoiler:The Luxray ended up freezing to death keeping him warm while they were stuck outside in a snowstorm]].
** In [[Anime/{{Pokemon}} the series proper]], Lillie feels this way about her workaholic mother Lusamine. She opens up about it to Professor Burnet after losing her temper over it that morning, which starts to mend the strained relationship they had.
* In ''Anime/PonyoOnTheCliffByTheSea'' the father of main character Sosuke is this, much to his mother's annoyance. Creator/HayaoMiyazaki made the film at least partially as an apology to his son and wife for working so much. When the father signals ''I'm sorry'' from the ship, it's Miyazaki, talking to his family.
* ''Manga/TheQuintessentialQuintuplets'': Fuutarou's father Isanari often has to work extra hours to provide for his children, but he otherwise seems to have a fairly good relationship with them. By contrast, Maruo Nakano, the quintuplets' stepfather, seems to spend more time running his hospital than at home, and his relationship with them is at best distant and at worst even strained.
* ''Franchise/SailorMoon'':
** Ami's mom is a workaholic doctor, but also a pretty good person who had to raise her daughter almost on her own after her divorce. She even laments in the [[Manga/SailorMoon manga]] that she would really love to spend more time with her kid, but she cannot. This is to the point where she doesn't show up at all in TheNineties anime. Likewise, her DisappearedDad is a travelling artist (seemingly a wildlife painter) who communicates to her via letters and paintings but almost never actually shows up.
** Rei also suffers from this -- she lives with her grandfather in a Shinto shrine and only sees her father (a famous politician) on her birthday each year. Though in her case, Rei is perfectly happy with this arrangement - she hasn't really gotten along with her father since he couldn't be bothered to take some time off from work to be with his ''terminally ill wife'' some years before.
* [[{{Ojou}} Eri]] from ''Manga/SchoolRumble'' has this sort of relationship with her rich businessman father, who spends a lot of time away on business. One time she had put a lot of effort into her plans to cook nikujaga for dinner for the two of them that night, only for him to pull up right in front of her in his limousine on the way home to let her know that he has to fly out of Japan immediately and can't make it to dinner after all. She puts on a brave face and tries to be understanding, telling him she had plans to meet up with a friend anyway, but as he drives away leaving her [[GrayRainOfDepression standing in the rain]] it's clear she's heartbroken.
* In ''Anime/SonicX'' both of Chris Thorndyke's parents have this problem, leaving him to depend on the company of an eccentric grandfather, and later a blue hedgehog and his friends. Subverted somewhat in that they both obviously care deeply about him, as shown by his father immediately calling him in concern after hearing from his mother that he went near the pool at night.
* Kotetsu/Wild Tiger's relationship with his daughter and how it's become strained because of his work as a {{Superhero}} (especially the fact that [[CannotSpitItOut he's afraid to tell her about his job because he doesn't want her to worry about him]]) becomes a primary focus in the second half of ''Anime/TigerAndBunny''. [[spoiler:After the series' climax, he uses the gradual decline of his powers as an opportunity to retire and spend more time with his daughter... Only to have said daughter talk him into coming ''[[TenMinuteRetirement out]]'' [[TenMinuteRetirement of retirement in less than a year]].]]
* ''Manga/ToLoveRu'' has this with Rito and Mikan Yuuki's parents, who are around and loving, but very busy with their occupations. Their father is [[MostWritersAreWriters a mangaka]] who works under such strict deadlines that he effectively lives in his remote studio, while their mother is [[TheFashionista a fashion designer]] who works overseas, and both of them only drop in to check on very rare occasions. Neither of the kids seem to mind much as they're smart enough to take care of themselves (especially as [[HaremGenre the hijinks Rito finds himself in attracts further companions]]), and they also don't seem to harbor any resentment towards their parents or their reasons for extended leave.
* Chiaki's father in ''Manga/TodaysCerberus'' is a globetrotter who even refers to himself as eternally traveling in letters to Chiaki.
* ''Franchise/YokaiWatch'':
** It's revealed that Nate's friend Eddie is a LonelyRichKid whose parents are often too busy.
** Touma from ''Anime/YokaiWatchShadowsideTheReturnOfTheOniKing'' feels as if his existence doesn't matter because his parents are usually away at work and he's [[FriendlessBackground never had any friends]]. This resent and anger leaves him the perfect target for manipulation by the Onimaro.
* In ''Anime/YuGiOh5Ds'', the father of Akiza Izinski was a politician and, due to this, often couldn't be there for his daughter. One day, when he had a duel with his daughter, he got a call from his office, which triggered Akiza's PsychicPowers due to her rage about this.
[[/folder]]



* Thomas Wayne is sometimes portrayed as having been this kind of father to [[Franchise/{{Batman}} Bruce]] -- in some versions, the fateful trip to the movies was intended to make up for this...
** Many versions detailing [[ComicBook/{{Nightwing}} Dick Grayson]] first moving into the Wayne Mansion have shades of this trope; the little orphan desperate for some attention from his new guardian, but Bruce being caught up with "business". Once Dick finds out the truth and takes up the mantle of Robin this changes, of course.
** [[ComicBook/RedRobin Tim Drake's]] parents were often out of Gotham on business trips and visiting archeological sites, and when they were in Gotham his father was pretty much always busy and never really knew much about his son though it's clear he wanted to be a better parent and felt guilty about it.



* The ''Film/Godzilla2014'' tie-in graphic novel ''Godzilla Awakening'' shows that [[Characters/MonsterVerseIshiroSerizawa Dr. Ishirō Serizawa]] got this from his father [[Characters/MonsterVerseMonarch Eiji Serizawa]] as a child. After joining Monarch, Eiji was often absent for long periods during Ishirō's childhood, to the dismay of his son who was unaware of the true nature of Monarch's work as anything other than a cargo company. After Eiji revealed the full truth to Ishirō as an old man, it led to reconciliation.



* ''ComicBook/NewMutants'' shows that ComicBook/{{Sunspot}}'s mother is an archaeologist who's almost always away from home. She didn't show up to the football game where he developed his mutant powers, which he later calls her out on. Combined with his father, who is revealed to be a [[ParentalBetrayal villain]], it leaves Sunspot as a LonelyRichKid.
* The opening for issue one of ''ComicBook/PoetAndersonTheDreamWalker'' show Jonas and Alan's parents are often absent due to their jobs.
* ''ComicBook/{{Plutona}}'''s hero gets this treament. She comes home from her day job earning money they need to survive only to be immediately called back out to save lives as a superhero. Her teenage daughter begs for more time but Plutona refuses.



* Thomas Wayne is sometimes portrayed as having been this kind of father to [[Franchise/{{Batman}} Bruce]] -- in some versions, the fateful trip to the movies was intended to make up for this...
** Many versions detailing [[ComicBook/{{Nightwing}} Dick Grayson]] first moving into the Wayne Mansion have shades of this trope; the little orphan desperate for some attention from his new guardian, but Bruce being caught up with "business". Once Dick finds out the truth and takes up the mantle of Robin this changes, of course.
** [[ComicBook/RedRobin Tim Drake's]] parents were often out of Gotham on business trips and visiting archeological sites, and when they were in Gotham his father was pretty much always busy and never really knew much about his son though it's clear he wanted to be a better parent and felt guilty about it.
* ''ComicBook/NewMutants'' shows that ComicBook/{{Sunspot}}'s mother is an archaeologist who's almost always away from home. She didn't show up to the football game where he developed his mutant powers, which he later calls her out on. Combined with his father, who is revealed to be a [[ParentalBetrayal villain]], it leaves Sunspot as a LonelyRichKid.
* The opening for issue one of ''ComicBook/PoetAndersonTheDreamWalker'' show Jonas and Alan's parents are often absent due to their jobs.
* ''ComicBook/{{Plutona}}'''s hero gets this treament. She comes home from her day job earning money they need to survive only to be immediately called back out to save lives as a superhero. Her teenage daughter begs for more time but Plutona refuses.



* ''Fanfic/AbraxasHrodvitnon'': Although the [[Characters/AbraxasHrodvitnonHumans AbraxasVerse version of Ren Serizawa]] hasn't taken it [[FreudianExcuse nearly as badly]] as the ''Godzilla vs. Kong'' incarnation of the character, it's still implied that he received this treatment from Dr. Serizawa when the latter was alive, as he made time to visit Ren rarely.

to:

* ''Fanfic/AbraxasHrodvitnon'': Although the [[Characters/AbraxasHrodvitnonHumans AbraxasVerse version of Ren Serizawa]] hasn't taken it [[FreudianExcuse nearly as badly]] as the ''Godzilla vs. Kong'' incarnation of the character, character did (see the Literature folder), it's still implied that he received this treatment from Dr. his father Ishirō Serizawa when the latter was alive, as he rarely made time to visit Ren rarely.him at home due to the demands of his work for Monarch.



* Franchise/MonsterVerse: The ''Godzilla Awakening'' graphic novel shows that [[Characters/MonsterVerseIshiroSerizawa Dr. Ishirō Serizawa]] got this from his father [[Characters/MonsterVerseMonarch Eiji Serizawa]] as a child. After joining Monarch, Eiji was often absent for long periods during Ishirō's childhood, to the dismay of his son who was unaware of the true nature of Monarch's work as anything other than a cargo company. After Eiji revealed the full truth to Ishirō as an old man, it led to reconciliation. The ''Film/GodzillaVsKong'' {{novelization}} reveals that Ishirō was the same way toward his own son Ren, but unfortunately Ren responded differently to the ParentalNeglect and became an [[AntagonisticOffspring evil antithesis to his father]] after the latter's death.



* The ''Film/GodzillaVsKong'' {{novelization}} reveals that [[Characters/MonsterVerseIshiroSerizawa Ishirō Serizawa]] was the same way toward his own son Ren as Eiji was to him (see Comic Books), beinng extremely absent to the point where he barely made any time to console Ren even when Ren's mother died and he had to organize the funeral all on his own. Unfortunately, Ren responded differently to the ParentalNeglect than Ishirō, growing up filled with resentment and rage at the lack of attention, which turned him vengeful after Ishirō's death and led him to become an [[AntagonisticOffspring evil complete antithesis to everything that his forefathers had stood for]]; [[spoiler:allying with a ruthless humanocentric CorporateConspiracy to try and murder Godzilla, and arrogantly believing that they could control an undead Ghidorah's remains]].



* ''Series/MonarchLegacyOfMonsters'': [[Characters/MonsterVerseFamilies Hiroshi Randa]] was a barely present father, who was always away on work as far as either of his children knew. It's heavily implied that he was actually working for [[BenevolentConspiracy Monarch]] the whole time. His [[SecretOtherFamily trans-Pacific double life with two wives and a child by either of them]] certainly couldn't have helped with his lack of time for them. He had to go away on Titan-related work in the immediate aftermath of G-Day, only visiting his freshly-traumatized daughter long enough to give her tickets for her and her mother to leave the quarantine zone.
* On ''Series/{{NCIS}},'' Tony's mother died when he was young and his father was a struggling businessman who was usually one step away from bankruptcy. [=DiNozzo=] Senior spent a lot of time traveling and would regularly neglect Tony when trying to scrounge up a new business opportunity. Tony remembers one summer when they went on vacation to Hawaii and Tony spent an entire week by himself in the hotel room because his father met some investors and was trying to hammer out a deal.



* On ''Series/{{NCIS}},'' Tony's mother died when he was young and his father was a struggling businessman who was usually one step away from bankruptcy. [=DiNozzo=] Senior spent a lot of time traveling and would regularly neglect Tony when trying to scrounge up a new business opportunity. Tony remembers one summer when they went on vacation to Hawaii and Tony spent an entire week by himself in the hotel room because his father met some investors and was trying to hammer out a deal.
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* In ''Literature/TheShipWho Partnership'' Nancia, unlike most [[ManInTheMachine shellpeople]], has contact with her family, but they're all busy people and her father likes to remind her that every time he visits her he's taking a lot of time from his busy schedule. None of the family makes it to her graduation, or to her being installed in her first ship. Her brother manages to visit before she takes off on her first assignment, and her father sends her a very short, distracted message. Nancia finds this rather crushing and wonders if she's embarrassed the family. [[spoiler: It turns out he didn't show BecauseYouCanCope and he wanted to try to make her brother leave music and get a "real" job.]]
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* ''Series/{{Acapulco}}'': "Time After Time" reveals that Don Pablo had a son who adored him as a kid, but the demands of his job (and his tendency to enjoy the high life the resort provided) kept him from coming home too often. Eventually his wife left him, and he doesn't reconcile with his son until the latter is well into adulthood.
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* ''Fanfic/AbraxasHrodvitnon'': Although the [[Characters/AbraxasHrodvitnon AbraxasVerse version of Ren Serizawa]] hasn't taken it [[FreudianExcuse nearly as badly]] as the ''Godzilla vs. Kong'' incarnation of the character, it's still implied that he received this treatment from Dr. Serizawa when the latter was alive, as he made time to visit Ren rarely.

to:

* ''Fanfic/AbraxasHrodvitnon'': Although the [[Characters/AbraxasHrodvitnon [[Characters/AbraxasHrodvitnonHumans AbraxasVerse version of Ren Serizawa]] hasn't taken it [[FreudianExcuse nearly as badly]] as the ''Godzilla vs. Kong'' incarnation of the character, it's still implied that he received this treatment from Dr. Serizawa when the latter was alive, as he made time to visit Ren rarely.



* Franchise/MonsterVerse: The ''Godzilla Awakening'' graphic novel shows that [[Characters/MonsterVerseMonarch Dr. Ishirō Serizawa]] got this from his father Eiji as a child. After joining Monarch, Eiji was often absent for long periods during Ishirō's childhood, to the dismay of his son who was unaware of the true nature of Monarch's work as anything other than a cargo company. After Eiji revealed the full truth to Ishirō as an old man, it led to reconciliation. The ''Film/GodzillaVsKong'' {{novelization}} reveals that Ishirō was the same way toward his own son Ren, but unfortunately Ren responded differently to the ParentalNeglect and became an [[AntagonisticOffspring evil antithesis to his father]] after the latter's death.

to:

* Franchise/MonsterVerse: The ''Godzilla Awakening'' graphic novel shows that [[Characters/MonsterVerseMonarch [[Characters/MonsterVerseIshiroSerizawa Dr. Ishirō Serizawa]] got this from his father [[Characters/MonsterVerseMonarch Eiji Serizawa]] as a child. After joining Monarch, Eiji was often absent for long periods during Ishirō's childhood, to the dismay of his son who was unaware of the true nature of Monarch's work as anything other than a cargo company. After Eiji revealed the full truth to Ishirō as an old man, it led to reconciliation. The ''Film/GodzillaVsKong'' {{novelization}} reveals that Ishirō was the same way toward his own son Ren, but unfortunately Ren responded differently to the ParentalNeglect and became an [[AntagonisticOffspring evil antithesis to his father]] after the latter's death.
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* In ''VideoGame/TheSandMan'', Richard Grundler is always busy with work, to the point that he leaves notes for his daughter letting her know that he'll be staying there for several days at a time to get things done. For her part, Sophie [[StepfordSmiler hides how she feels about this]].

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* In ''VideoGame/TheSandMan'', ''VideoGame/TheSandman2014'', Richard Grundler is always busy with work, to the point that he leaves notes for his daughter letting her know that he'll be staying there for several days at a time to get things done. For her part, Sophie [[StepfordSmiler hides how she feels about this]].
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* In ''[[VideoGame/DotsHome Dot's Home]]'', migrant mother Esperanza is worried that her daughter might forget her and her father Rafi's faces because work long hours away from her.

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* In ''[[VideoGame/DotsHome Dot's Home]]'', migrant mother Esperanza is worried that her daughter Zeze might forget her and her father Rafi's faces because they work long hours away from her.
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I know it doesn't have a page yet, but still

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* In ''[[VideoGame/DotsHome Dot's Home]]'', migrant mother Esperanza is worried that her daughter might forget her and her father Rafi's faces because work long hours away from her.
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** ''Recap/TheSimpsonsS3E3Days Of Blunder'': After failing to spend bonding time with Bart (simply because he was lazy, not workaholic), Homer calls the National Fatherhood Institute for advice. Their [[MockingMusic hold music]] is the TropeNamer.

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** ''Recap/TheSimpsonsS3E3Days Of Blunder'': ''Recap/TheSimpsonsS3E9SaturdaysOfThunder'': After failing to spend bonding time with Bart (simply because he was lazy, not workaholic), Homer calls the National Fatherhood Institute for advice. Their [[MockingMusic hold music]] is the TropeNamer.

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