Recommendations Competitive... Studying?

[eternalparticle]

Studying is always competitive in today’s world, but hear me out...

The sports genre might just be my favorite so far. And by sports, I don’t mean the usual football or basketball (though they count too). What I mean is a high-stakes, competitive environment where every character treats their goal like it’s a matter of life and death. The entire story is a one long training arc, and this genre breeds the best underdog stories.

So… we have competitive dancing, competitive fashion design, competitive karuta—competitive everything. But do we have stories about competitive studying? Stories that make students look like they’re fighting, where exams are the final showdowns? Imagine someone using “Secret Technique: Pythagoras Theorem!” or those moments like: “It’s finally time to get serious,” pulls out the quadratic formula.

As cringe as it sounds, I genuinely want to know if there are any stories that hype up studying—like a protagonist striving to enter a prestigious academy and fighting for the top spot. We’ve seen countless versions of that concept in magical settings, but are there any that revolve purely around studying?

Again, any form works... novel, manga whatever ... movies? sure.

 

[pangmida]

Don’t know if you like cheesy shoujo romance but the anime/manga “Special A” features a pair of rivals as FL and ML. FL is forever second place to ML. Super competitive in grades and sports. ML enjoys the attention and loves teasing FL, annoying her to no end.

 

[Assurbanipal_II]

Studying is always competitive in today’s world, but hear me out...

The sports genre might just be my favorite so far. And by sports, I don’t mean the usual football or basketball (though they count too). What I mean is a high-stakes, competitive environment where every character treats their goal like it’s a matter of life and death. The entire story is a one long training arc, and this genre breeds the best underdog stories.

So… we have competitive dancing, competitive fashion design, competitive karuta—competitive everything. But do we have stories about competitive studying? Stories that make students look like they’re fighting, where exams are the final showdowns? Imagine someone using “Secret Technique: Pythagoras Theorem!” or those moments like: “It’s finally time to get serious,” pulls out the quadratic formula.

As cringe as it sounds, I genuinely want to know if there are any stories that hype up studying—like a protagonist striving to enter a prestigious academy and fighting for the top spot. We’ve seen countless versions of that concept in magical settings, but are there any that revolve purely around studying?

Again, any form works... novel, manga whatever ... movies? sure.

Why is it always maths?

 

[LeilaniOtter]

Why is it always maths?

I'm with you. If there was such thing as a Mathematics Skill, I'd love it. Maybe I can roll for that - no wait, I'm bad at math, maybe not. ?

 

[eternalparticle]

Why is it always maths?

Now that I think about it... why is it always math?

Might have to change it to "Thermodynamics: 2nd Form: Universal Decay"

And moments like, "It's either you or me" Judgement Hour: Survival of the fittest

 

[Assurbanipal_II]

Now that I think about it... why is it always math?

Might have to change it to "Thermodynamics: 2nd Form: Universal Decay"

And moments like, "It's either you or me" Judgement Hour: Survival of the fittest

I suspect because it naturally lends itself. You require brute force rather than genuine thought. You have a clear path to a solution. You apply your solution "formula". That is what most people would consider "studying".

 

[Placeholder]

There was a quizshow competition club manga.

 

[SternenklarenRitter]

Imagine someone using “Secret Technique: Pythagoras Theorem!” or those moments like: “It’s finally time to get serious,” pulls out the quadratic formula.

As a math major in college, I feel strange that the special deadly techniques are something I learned back in highschool. Not that I expect a lot of people to bust out tensor calculus or Fourier series, but... Anyway, philosophers throughout the ages have always been pretty competitive. Maybe look for a biography of Thomas Hobbes? He was controversial in his time, but his most famous assumptions (about human nature) have been largely rebuked by modern psychology.

 

[LuoirM]

Don’t know if you like cheesy shoujo romance but the anime/manga “Special A” features a pair of rivals as FL and ML. FL is forever second place to ML. Super competitive in grades and sports. ML enjoys the attention and loves teasing FL, annoying her to no end.

I like that one arc of the guy who had to take care of two other classmates so he didn't have time to study but when he does he's smart af rivalling the MMC

 

[BigBadBoi]

So... like Assassination Classroom or literal competition via tests like Baka to Test.

 

[Arkus86]

literal competition via tests like Baka to Test.

I knew I saw this concept executed somewhere! Forgot about Baka to Test.

Imagine someone using “Secret Technique: Pythagoras Theorem!” or those moments like: “It’s finally time to get serious,” pulls out the quadratic formula.

And then there are the Dark Arts users with techniques like "Subterfuge: Hidden Cheat Sheet", "Stealth: Copy Answers" and "Premeditation: Stolen Test Template".

 

[happyquill]

Studying is always competitive in today’s world, but hear me out...

The sports genre might just be my favorite so far. And by sports, I don’t mean the usual football or basketball (though they count too). What I mean is a high-stakes, competitive environment where every character treats their goal like it’s a matter of life and death. The entire story is a one long training arc, and this genre breeds the best underdog stories.

So… we have competitive dancing, competitive fashion design, competitive karuta—competitive everything. But do we have stories about competitive studying? Stories that make students look like they’re fighting, where exams are the final showdowns? Imagine someone using “Secret Technique: Pythagoras Theorem!” or those moments like: “It’s finally time to get serious,” pulls out the quadratic formula.

As cringe as it sounds, I genuinely want to know if there are any stories that hype up studying—like a protagonist striving to enter a prestigious academy and fighting for the top spot. We’ve seen countless versions of that concept in magical settings, but are there any that revolve purely around studying?

Again, any form works... novel, manga whatever ... movies? sure.

i'm currently writing one where the top male student inherits a company/empire, because the sole heir is a girl and the family doesn't allow a girl to inherit. it's a private school romance with suspense. lol. currently with 20k words and ten chapters out.

 

[CharlesEBrown]

Why is it always maths?

Because Adric's sacrifice killed off the dinosaurs (aside from the few Silurians took with them on their ships, of course), allowing us to evolve but forever tainting us with the dreaded "Maths"

 

[ConansWitchBaby]

Spelling bee is all I can think of.

 

[eternalparticle]

Book: King's Examination

Chapter: 0. Prologue

After being unable to find a similar story (though I am sure it does exist somewhere), I decided I'd do it myself and created this. Started off as a writing prompt, but I might have gone overboard with my imagination, and created a new book. Not sure if I'll write it further, but maybe once in a while like a side project.

After writing, I realized, what best explains, what I imagined of competitive studying, is— "Blue Lock but for Brains"

Spoiler

I am also really proud of how it turned out to be

 

[happyquill]

Studying is always competitive in today’s world, but hear me out...

The sports genre might just be my favorite so far. And by sports, I don’t mean the usual football or basketball (though they count too). What I mean is a high-stakes, competitive environment where every character treats their goal like it’s a matter of life and death. The entire story is a one long training arc, and this genre breeds the best underdog stories.

So… we have competitive dancing, competitive fashion design, competitive karuta—competitive everything. But do we have stories about competitive studying? Stories that make students look like they’re fighting, where exams are the final showdowns? Imagine someone using “Secret Technique: Pythagoras Theorem!” or those moments like: “It’s finally time to get serious,” pulls out the quadratic formula.

As cringe as it sounds, I genuinely want to know if there are any stories that hype up studying—like a protagonist striving to enter a prestigious academy and fighting for the top spot. We’ve seen countless versions of that concept in magical settings, but are there any that revolve purely around studying?

Again, any form works... novel, manga whatever ... movies? sure.

this has the competition of rivalry and race to be the top student:

romance/suspense, english boarding school with intrigue and high stakes (think of gossip girl meets game of thrones meets succession):

CLARENDON

Four heirs. A peasant. An inheritance. Zero self-control... *** Welcome to Billard Academy! A sanctuary of ivy, secrets, and power-where old money whispers through stone corridors and every gilded crest hides a knife. Corin Clarendon, flawless heiress of the wealthiest dynasty in the nation...

www.scribblehub.com