Twirl of Love
Often seen after a Meadow Run and perhaps the epitome of kitschy romance, the Twirl Of Love occurs often when two characters haven't seen each other for a long time, perhaps after a Meadow Run (an Undead Horse Trope in itself). One character - usually the girl - will attempt to Glomp the other, and this occurs as an extension just before the two embrace or kiss passionately.
This can be realistic if the guy is attempting to maintain his balance after being glomped, or if the glomper is significantly shorter than the glompee (a pretty common occurrence due to the One Head Taller rule). However, it really shouldn't take a full 360 degree spin for him to get his footing back, or else one would expect if it does take that long that the guy should have simply fallen over before it reached the 360 degree point. The extended period of time that the twirl goes on tends to carry this trope into Rule of Romantic territory.
Related to Orbital Kiss
Anime & Manga
- In the last episode of Zero no Tsukaima, Saito and Louise do this when Saito returns from the battlefield after being presumed by Louise to be dead.
- There's an aerial version of this in Urusei Yatsura. When Ataru and Lum run together and hug, Lum lifts Ataru into the air and they whirl around. Watch it here.
- The titular characters in Romeo X Juliet do this at some point in the anime. Juliet jumps into Romeo's arms and they whirl around twice, if I remember correctly.
Film
- In the film of the play of Andrew Lloyd Webber's Phantom of the Opera Raoul and Christine do this during their "All I Ask of You" duet on the opera house roof.
- In Tron the title character dos this to Yori after he helps her off Sark's derezzing ship.
- Sometimes done in Jane Eyre after Jane and Mr Rochester admit their feelings and set to be married. Done in the 2010 adaptation.
Literature
- Done in the novel Deep Secret, between Rupert and Maree. To be fair, one of the participants was Only Mostly Dead for a significant portion of the book, and this is the first time they're wholly themselves in a long time, so it's deserved.
Visual Novels
- This trope is discussed by Mayuzumi and Satoru in a flashback in Remember 11 by referring to it as the "round-and-round thing." During the conversation, Mayuzumi tries to get Satoru to do it with her (and succeeds, as shown by the page image).
Video Games
- In Katamari Damacy, you can roll up couples like this.
- Squall and Rinoa do this in Final Fantasy VIII when she glomps him when they meet in Timber. This is early enough in the game that they haven't even learned one another's names yet, but it's one of many clues that they're destined to be the Official Couple.
- Shown in a flashback in Final Fantasy VII, which contrasts with the narrator's husband not being able to come back and do the same for her.
Western Animation
- Lampshaded a couple of times in Phineas and Ferb. The most notable one is when Buford does it with... his pet goldfish!
- Aladdin does to to Jasmine at the end of the movie.
- As do Beauty and the Beast's Beast to Belle and The Little Mermaid's Eric to Ariel.
- Derek and Odette in The Swan Princess