Almost Kiss: Difference between revisions

{{trope}}

 

{{quote|'''Leela:''' A black hole!

 

 

They don't.

In shows aimed at a younger audience where a kiss is a big deal, there is usually a big relationship-sealing kiss saved for the finale, preceded by several "almost" moments during the earlier episodes.

 

 

* ''[[Neon Genesis Evangelion]]'': Shinji almost kisses Asuka when she sleepwalks right into his bed, but [[Dude, She's Like, in a Coma|stops himself]] when she whimpers in her sleep about her mother.

{{quote|'''Asuka:''' I know you tried to kiss me while I was sleeping!

** [[Genki Girl|Nozomi]] and [[Hot for Student|Coco]] in ''[[Yes! Pretty Cure 5]]'' were interrupted by [[Bratty Half-Pint|Milk]]'s sudden appearance.

** Later, in the most infuriating event in ''Pretty Cure'' history, their real [[First Kiss]] would be interrupted by... [[Dancing Theme|Ganbalance de Dance]].

** From the main OVA’s show-within-a-show, Popoko-ko and her chief: "Hey, sorry to interrupt, but we have news to report..." "Aw!"

** In the spinoff ''[[Pretty Sammy]]'', Tenchi and Ryoko nearly kiss, only to be interrupted by [[Rich Bitch|Ayeka]].

* In ''[[Bleach]]'', Orihime attempts to kiss Ichigo while [[Dude, She's Like, in a Coma|he's asleep]]. She finds she just can't go through with it.

** Mai and Reito, until Yuuichi comes along with his date and [[Say My Name|calls Mai's name out loud]]. [[What an Idiot!|Whoopsie]].

** She has another near-miss kiss with Yuuichi in a later episode, except ''she'' stops because she knows it's all part of Yukariko's [[Lotus Eater Machine]], and thus just wishful thinking.

* [[Running Gag]] in ''[[Eureka Seven]]''. The only times Renton gets to actually kiss Eureka are {{spoiler|in the final episode}}. Not that he isn't often tempted or doesn't try...

* Both episodes 41 and 42 of ''[[Cardcaptor Sakura]]'', Sakura and Syaoran being interrupted both times by the highly inopportune appearance of a Clow Card.

* {{spoiler|Hamel and Flute}} in a late chapter of ''[[Violinist of Hameln]]''. They're ''finally'' about to kiss when [[Big Bad|Chestra]], [[Moment Killer]] extraordinaire, sets off an extremely untimely earthquake.

* Happens several times in ''[[SHUFFLE!]]''

* In "[[Mirai Nikki]]" {{spoiler|Nishijima and Uryu}} share an almost kiss but are interrupted by a Walkie-Talkie. Kinda sad once you realize that {{spoiler|Uryu and the 2nd world's Nishijima}} never get another chance.

* A running gag of sorts in ''[[Ah! My Goddess]]'', given that the relationship between Keichii and Belldandy always teeters on the brink of romantic action but never crosses the threshold, making these inevitable.

 

== Comic Books ==

* Several scenes in ''[[Whiteout]]'', playing with the tendency of [[Unresolved Sexual Tension]] to crop up in [[Ho Yay|buddy cop stories]], according to the [[Greg Rucka|writer]].

* Peter and MJ share an Almost Kiss early in ''[[Ultimate Spider-Man]]'' after Peter tells her he's Spider-Man, before they get interrupted by Aunt May. It's effectively a kiss anyway since they officially start going out from there and proceed to kiss a ''lot''.

* In the first issue of ''[[The Avengers (Comic Book)|Avengers]]: The [[Young Avengers|Children's]] Crusade'', Wiccan and Hulkling are about to make out when Speed interrupts them. The two have been dating since day one, so it's probably safe to assume that they've kissed before, but never on-panel.

* At one point in ''[[Shadowpact|Day of Vengeance]]'', Ragman and Enchantress are talking away from the others. They discover they have some things in common and then they fall silent. Then Ragman moves in, and Enchantess pulls away and asks him what he thinks he's doing. She than completes his embarassment by announcing this to the others.

{{quote|'''Enchantress:''' Rory tried to ''kiss'' me! He thought we were having a "moment"!}}

 

== Fan Works ==

 

== Films -- Animation ==

* ''[[The Little Mermaid]]'

** Ariel has to achieve a [[True Love's Kiss]] with the prince in order to win her bet with Ursula and not get turned into Ursula's prisoner. Ariel and the prince have a very romantic ride on a boat, and are about to kiss... when the two eels who are working for Ursula overturn the boat, so as to keep Ariel from winning the bet.

* ''[[Chicken Run]]'' has this as a running gag, largely because the animators couldn't figure out how to make two chickens kiss. For the big kiss at the end, their heads were strategically placed so the beak-action was hidden and therefore didn't have to be animated.

* In the last two minutes in ''[[Surf's Up]]'', Cody and Lani were about to kiss when Arnold (one of the little kids that the crew interviews) interrupts them. Turns out, in "Arnold's Zurfinary" (a four-minutes video on the DVD that teaches you surfer slang), {{spoiler|that he has a crush on Lani.}}

* Another Disney example can be found in ''[[The Princess and the Frog]]'', where Naveen and Tiana almost kiss... then Tiana pulls away when she remembers Naveen is supposed to marry her best friend.

** Hercule and Megara are about to kiss, when Phil on Pegasus, impersonating a police helicopter, drag him away to punish him for sneaking off to hang out with Meg.

** They get interrupted by Zeus near the end as well.

* ''[[Cinderella (Disney film)|Cinderella]]'' has the title character and the Prince leaning forward for a kiss after their [[Dance of Romance]], only for the bell to ring for midnight, signalling to Cinderella that she had to leave before the spell breaks.

* In [[Rio]], following a [[Dance of Romance]], Blu and Jewel almost kiss, until they are interrupted by invading marmosets.

 

== Films -- Live-Action ==

* This is a genre standard in [[Bollywood]] films. Up until very recently, kissing in movies was censored in India (it is still seen as racy), so filmmakers perfected the art of showing the leads caressing with lips oh-so-close to each other. (This is especially common in dance numbers.) Note that, unlike in other instances of this trope, an actual kiss (or more) is usually implied to have taken place.

* Happens in ''[[Dragnet]]'' (the 1987 movie) twice with Joe Friday and Connie Swail.

* ''[[Who Framed Roger Rabbit?]]'': Happens twice between Dolores and Eddie, while in the movie theater and toward the end of the movie after reading the will, when Roger intervenes.

** In the DVD commentary, Chris Carter tries to peddle the idea that the emotions from the almost kiss in the hallway plus the CPR scene later in the movie equals a kiss. Not surprisingly, nobody buys that.

* A [[Running Gag]] between Troy and Gabriella in ''[[High School Musical]] 2'', to the frustration of preteens everywhere. They made sure to make up for it later, though.

* In ''[[Zenon|Zenon: Girl of the 21st Century]]'', Zenon and Greg are sitting side-by-side, facing the same direction, with awkward silence. Zenon tells Greg if he wants to kiss her he should get over it and just kiss her. After a pause, they both turn towards each other at the same time - and accidentally smash their faces into each other.

* In ''[[Iron Man (film)|Iron Man]]'', Tony and Pepper share a nervously awkward dance, leading to getting some air on the roof, leading to... this. And then it led to Pepper's stammering request for a drink right after that freeze of realization. (Of course, the early trailer [[Never Trust a Trailer|suggested the scene went differently]]...)

* In ''[[Zombieland]]'', Wichita and Columbus are slow-dancing and about to kiss... and then the otherwise-awesome Tallahassee barges into the room to ask for their help in building a furniture fort.

* Parodied in ''Bam-Bam & Celeste''. [[One-Scene Wonder|Jane Lynch's]] [[Butch Lesbian]] character has been flirting with Celeste ([[Margaret Cho]]) non-stop. Finally, Celeste looks as if she's wet her panties and is trembling as she leans in to say goodbye to her. Lynch just says goodbye, and turns around to leave.

* In ''[[Speed Racer (film)|Speed Racer]]'', Speed and Trixie nearly kiss while relaxing in Speed's car. They're interrupted when they hear Sprittle making gagging noises in the trunk.

* Happens in the first Christopher Reeve ''[[Superman (film)|Superman]]'' movie near the end. Oh, that wacky, mood-killing Jimmy Olsen!

* ''[[Harry Potter (film)|Harry Potter]] and the Deathly Hallows''. After Ron walks out on them, Harry tries to cheer Hermione up with a dance that ends with a moment of sexual tension... then Hermione guiltily turns away. Harry's [[Like Brother and Sister]] comment from the book is noticeably missing from the scene after Ron destroys the Horcrux (which had been taunting him with illusions of Hermione loving Harry).

* Played hilariously straight in ''[[My Name Is Bruce]]'' between Bruce and love interest Kelly.

{{quote|'''Bruce:''' For the love of god man, I can smell her ''chapstick''.}}

 

== Live-Action TV ==

* ''[[Buffy the Vampire Slayer]]''

** In the first episode of the second season, Willow and Xander share a sweet and believable exchange, before a sexually tense Almost Kiss. It's interrupted when they are attacked by a vampire.

** At the beginning of "Hush" Buffy and Riley are about to kiss when a nervous Buffy does a [[Moment Killer]] by babbling about something inconsequential. Fortunately the [[Monster of the Week]] steals the voices of everyone in Sunnydale, so the two communicate [[First Kiss|the only way they can]].

* Subverted in ''[[Sports Night]]'': The fans almost start pulling their collective hair out after an Almost Kiss between Casey and Dana, and then Casey does a one-eighty, grabs Dana, kisses her seductively, and walks away with fists raised in triumph.

* In ''[[Farscape]]'' Aeryn and John spend a lot of scenes face-to-face, body pressed to panting body...''and they don't kiss''. Also notable in that, when they ''do'' kiss it could sort of still count as an Almost Kiss because they are always either interrupted or Aeryn freaks out.

* Also used in ''[[The Tenth Kingdom]]'' when they get to the appropriately named Kissingtown, where [[Love Is in the Air|love is literally in the air in the form of CGI butterflies.]] The first time at Snow White's coffin, then later on the balcony, but thanks to the [[Rule of Three]] Wolf finally gets one the third time.

* Also seen in ''[[Ashes to Ashes]]'' many ''many'' times between Gene Hunt and Alex Drake, with the same resolution. Arguably, one party was unconscious for three of these.

* ''[[Scrubs]]''

* How has the ''[[Frasier]]'' episode "Daphne Hates Sherry" been omitted from this? A brilliant almost have sex scenario with Niles and Daphne, three years before their actual hookup. Filled with Tennessee Williams references in the title cards and elsewhere. The [[Moment Killer]] is particularly cruel, as Frasier points out to Niles at the end of the episode that if his brain had been in gear (for obvious reasons, it wasn't), it could have been completely avoided. In similar episodes such as "Moon Dance", "Mixed Doubles" and "First Date", Daphne is as oblivious as ever, but in this one, she seems completely ready to jump in. The whole thing is forgotten completely by the next episode.

* In one of the last episodes of ''[[The Mary Tyler Moore Show]]'', Mary and Lou attempt to kiss, but both dissolve into hopeless giggling.

* Obnoxiously overused in the [[CBS]] ''[[Beauty and the Beast (TV series)|Beauty and The Beast]]'' television show from the late '80s. In practically every episode Vincent and Catherine start to engage in a kiss, but at the last moment they always wince and just hug each other instead. After a while, it didn't feel like "the characters always come to the realization that their love is not possible," so much as [[Executive Meddling|"the producers were afraid of outcries of bestiality."]] When he finally did kiss her, {{spoiler|''it was after she was dead''}}. Arrgghhh!

* In the British comedy ''[[Spaced]]'', Tim and Daisy have one of these during a conversation about how things "happen when you least expect it" after getting locked out of their flat. They are interrupted by their dog who has just happened to have found Tim's keys lying on the curb and drops them at his feet.

* A [[Running Gag]] in SM:TV Live's ''[[Friends]]'' parody ''Chums'': Dec and Cat are always interrupted when they are about to kiss by the doorbell.

* Watch the gag reel for ''[[How I Met Your Mother]]'', if anyone forgets their line and ends up just staring they will start moving in.

{{quote|'''[[DVD Commentary|Joss Whedon]]:''' Oh, thank you very much, Book. Way to ruin the kiss!}}

* Played darkly and subtlely in ''[[Robin Hood (TV series)|Robin Hood]]''. Guy of Gisborne has just proposed to Marian and been accepted. He moves in for a kiss, but she looks tearful and uncertain, and both turn their heads away fractionally. (Reasons being that he's just threatened her with execution after accusing her of being in cahoots with Robin over a missing necklace. She proves him wrong by producing it - Robin has just passed it to her through the window, and is privy to everything that goes on inside the room).

* In ''[[Downton Abbey]]'', Sybil and Branson many times through season 2, possibly in the last episode of season 1, too.

** Mr. Bates and Anna quite a few times towards the end of the first season, as well.

 

== Video Games ==

* ''[[Devil May Cry]]''

** Even more frustrating in ''Devil May Cry 4'' with Nero and Kyrie. The [[Big Bad]] has been defeated, the world is at at peace, Nero saves the girl he loves... what better mood to lean in and go for it? Unfortunately just a few millimeters away, Nero pulls a gun at a swarm of demon baddies determined to interrupt, and ends up telling Kyrie that kiss is going to have to wait. You never see it. If one protects her competently during the credits, it's strongly implied that they go through with it.

* ''[[Mass Effect]]''

** Subverted at the end of ''Jak X'' when Daxter interrupts Jak {{spoiler|and Keira yet again, only to continue, "Will ya kiss her already! Sheesh!"}}

* The remake of ''[[Metal Gear Solid]]'', ''The Twin Snakes'', has Meryl and Snake almost kiss after the fight with Liquid; unfortunately they were interrupted by a codec call from Otacon. This isn't present in the original [[PlayStation]] game.

* A version sort of happens in ''[[The Legend of Zelda: Skyward Sword]]''as although they were never going to kiss, to the player it looks like they will. Near the start of the game after Link has {{spoiler|won the Annual Bird Flight Ceremomy and has been given the sailcloth}}, Zelda says that, in what seems like an embarrased way, that there is "something else that they are supposed to do at the end of the ceremony...". Link's expression at this, and the opinions the player is given on how to reply ("Uh...", "Oh Oh!", "Hell Yeah!") it's extremely heavily implied they are going to kiss. {{spoiler|Just before it looks like Zelda is going to kiss Link, she instead turns him around and pushes him of the each of the statue they are standing on as part of the final test of the ceremony}}

 

== Web Comics ==

* A couple of times between Hatsune and Tom in ''[[Mayonaka Densha]]''

* After all the teasing and shipping and angst that led up to it, Mecha-Maid and the titular ''[[Spinnerette]]'' FINALLY work things out, FINALLY realize they've both been going about it all wrong, FINALLY get a proper date set up, and FINALLY go in for the kiss... Or not - [http://krakowstudios.com/spinnerette/2012/04/13/04132012/ Friday cliffhanger and the last page of the chapter!] AARGH!

 

== Web Original ==

 

== Western Animation ==

** [[Running Gag|Well,that happened a lot of times already...]] Two of the many Almost Kiss moments happened in "The Transmogrification of Eunice" (Ben and Eunice, of course) and "Revenge of the Swarm" (Ben and Elena).

* ''[[Code Lyoko]]'': In episode "Routine", Yumi's and Ulrich's [[First Kiss]] after Ulrich saves her from falling into the Digital Sea is interrupted when Aelita resets time.

* ''[[Kim Possible]]'': Way too many times in Season 4 when Kim and Ron are about to kiss. Wade, Monique, and Bonnie are just a few of the people who interrupt would-be kisses between Kim and Ron. The [[Word of God]] admitted it is an intriguing gag. It wasn't as frustrating as most Almost Kiss scenes are, because it isn't used to delay or step back from a [[Relationship Upgrade]].

* Occurs in the second season of ''[[Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles 2003|Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles]]'' during April and Casey's [[Not a Date|un-date]], before they're interrupted by a rampaging Nano.

** Dot and Bob suffer from this on several occasions. Once by the appearance of Rocky the Rabid Racoon, and once by the appearance of a second Bob!

** Another occurrence is in the first season episode "Talent Night", where Dot nearly kisses a very shocked Bob in front of the entire city. Of course, she ends that one herself by putting a hand on his face and pushing him to the ground.

** In the "Daemon Rising" arc the brainwashed AndrAIa explains how important love is to the innocent-looking virus Daemon... who [[No Sense of Personal Space|leans in very close]], as if she was trying to get a kiss from the game sprite.

{{quote|'''Grifter:''' Couldn't have waited ''thirty seconds''? }}

* ''[[The Legend of Zelda (animation)|The Legend of Zelda]]''. The main running gag of the show is Link trying to get a kiss from Zelda, and they frequently come pretty dang close, but are ''always'' interrupted.

[[Category:Bollywood Tropes]]

[[Category:Kissing Tropes]]

[[Category:No Real Life Examples, Please]]