History Main / OrdinaryHighSchoolStudent

[[folder:Anime & Manga]]

** Negi thinks early on that he'll need to hide his being a [[WizardsAndWitches Magister Magi]] from his class of ordinary middle school students... who just so happen to include an AntiMagic-capable [[EverythingsBetterWithPrincesses princess]] ([[spoiler:Asuna]]), two ''Magistra Magi'' (Evangeline, [[spoiler:Chao]]), a MagicKnight [[spoiler:[[HalfHumanHybrid Half-Bird Tribe]]]] (Setsuna), [[GiveHimANormalLife two children]] of ''Magi'' ([[spoiler:Konoka & Yuna]]), a ''Ministra Magi'' ([[spoiler:Misora]]), a [[ColdSniper mercenary]], former ''Ministra Magi'', [[spoiler:[[OurDemonsAreDifferent and half-demon]]]] (Mana), [[spoiler:[[OurDemonsAreDifferent a full demon]]]] (Zazie), a [[OurVampiresAreDifferent vampire]] (Evangeline again), a [[TimeTravel time traveler]] ([[spoiler:Chao again]]), a ghost (Sayo), a [[NinjaPirateZombieRobot magic puppet/robot]] (Chachamaru), and a {{Ninja}} (Kaede); meaning that roughly a third his 31 students are [[EverybodyKnewAlready already in on his secret or have one of their own]]. One can just imagine LightNovel/HaruhiSuzumiya kicking herself for not enrolling in Mahora Academy.

->''"I am Shirahama Kenichi, an [[RidiculouslyAverageGuy extremely ordinary]] first-year high school student who loves reading books and growing flowers. But, for some reason now, '''I'm locked in a desperate battle on top of a speeding bus!"'''''

* Darren Michaels is this in the second ''VideoGame/BlackMirror'' game.

* Doug Ramsey was a kid from suburban New York who was good at languages and didn't know any different until he was informed by an acquaintance from the [[{{Comicbook/X-Men}} odd boarding school nearby]] that he was in fact a mutant the with powers of... [[WhatKindOfLamePowerIsHeartAnyway comprehending languages]]... and dragged out of bed in the middle of the night to come establish communications with a potentially-hostile alien.

* As with most MagicalGirl series, the main characters of ''Anime/PuellaMagiMadokaMagica'' fall into this category (mostly in the Ordinary Middle School Student variant) before gaining supernatural powers. The WeaselMascot, Kyubey, mentions that it's strange [[spoiler:how much karmic potential the TitleCharacter seems to have, since girls who fall into this category really shouldn't be that significant]].

* The title character of ''Franchise/LyricalNanoha'' was an ordinary elementary school student, which shocked her students [[TimeSkip in the third season]] when they visited her [[InsignificantLittleBluePlanet home planet]] [[AllThereInTheManual during the first Sound Stage]] and discovered that the legendary mage Nanoha had a completely unlegendary past and civilian life. Well, an unlegendary past before she was 9 years old.[[note]]She does come from a family of samurai bodyguards, but has only received training in [[Manga/MagicalGirlLyricalNanohaINNOCENT a single continuity]].[[/note]]

Sometimes, instead of gaining superpowers or TakingALevelInBadass, they merely become a WeirdnessMagnet: for example, they gain ''something'' that makes the [[ChickMagnet opposite sex flock to them]], and possibly the [[EvenTheGirlsWantHer odd member]] [[EvenTheGuysWantHim of their own]], whether they [[UnwantedHarem want the attention or not]]. Or they are a CosmicPlaything who frequently find themselves in the unenviable position of having to SaveTheWorld [[NormalPerson without any special powers]].

->''"I am Shirahama Kenichi, an extremely ordinary first-year high school student who loves reading books and growing flowers. But, for some reason now, '''I'm locked in a desperate battle on top of a speeding bus!"'''''

Sometimes, instead of gaining superpowers or TakingALevelInBadass, they merely become a WeirdnessMagnet: for example, they gain ''something'' that makes the [[ChickMagnet opposite sex flock to them]], and possibly the [[EvenTheGirlsWantHer odd member]] [[EvenTheGuysWantHim of their own]], whether they [[UnwantedHarem want the attention or not]]. Or they are a CosmicPlaything who frequently find themselves in the unenviable position of having to SaveTheWorld, without any special powers.

Protagonists based on this trope are typically invoked to provide an AudienceSurrogate. Considering the demographic works with these protagonists are generally aimed at, the OrdinaryHighSchoolStudent is someone every young person can easily relate to and [[EscapistCharacter place themselves into]]. By extension, such a character also appeals to [[PeripheryDemographic older viewers]] for this reason. The character may additionally be an EverydayMan or a RidiculouslyAverageGuy.

Sometimes, instead of gaining superpowers or TakingALevelInBadass, they merely become a WeirdnessMagnet--for example, they gain ''something'' that makes the [[DudeMagnet opposite sex flock to them]], and possibly the [[EvenTheGirlsWantHer odd member]] [[EvenTheGuysWantHim of their own]], whether they [[UnwantedHarem want the attention or not.]]

Protagonists based on this trope are typically invoked to provide an AudienceSurrogate. Considering the demographic the works with these protagonists are generally aimed at, the OrdinaryHighSchoolStudent is someone every young person can easily relate to and [[EscapistCharacter place themselves into]]. Look for [[HollywoodDressCode the kid in the fully open button shirt over a T-shirt, jeans and Converse sneakers]].

Sometimes they're actually [[AmnesiacGod gods]]. And sometimes they are true average joes who simply have something unusual happen to them, and then nothing in their lives is ever the same again.

Typically invoked to provide the audience with an AudienceSurrogate or EscapistCharacter, considering the demographic the works with these protagonists are generally aimed at. Look for [[HollywoodDressCode the kid in the fully open button shirt over a T-shirt, jeans and Converse sneakers]].

Sometimes, instead of TakingALevelInBadass, they merely become a WeirdnessMagnet--for example, they gain ''something'' that makes the [[DudeMagnet opposite sex flock to them]], and possibly the [[EvenTheGirlsWantHer odd member]] [[EvenTheGuysWantHim of their own]], whether they [[UnwantedHarem want the attention or not.]]

Look for [[HollywoodDressCode the kid in the fully open button shirt over a T-shirt, jeans and Converse sneakers]].

** If you're looking for the ''truly'' normal students, there are Saten Ruiko, Hamazura Shiage and Wataru Kurozuma, who do not have the benefit of anti-magic or anything of the like, they really have no abilities. The latter two are BadassNormals, since even normals can outdo espers and mages where it counts.
*** Though even a Level 0 is technically an esper, emitting their own AIM fields and as well as experiencing harmful backlash if they attempted to use magic. Its just that their ability to bend reality is so insignificant its practically nonexistent. The only people that could be truly called ordinary are those who have not gone through the power curriculum program.

* Emiya Shirou from ''VisualNovel/FateStayNight''. Sure, he's the adopted son of a magus, but his own magic isn't useful for anything other than [[MundaneUtility fixing radios]]. Until such time as it makes him a candidate to [[MagicContractRomance summon]] [[LadyOfWar Saber]]...

** Ordinary or not, he has leashes on two of the most powerful beings in the area and can [[spoiler:destroy the universe at will]]--or, rather, [[spoiler:holds the keys to the molly guard over the nuke button, as it were]]. [[spoiler:And the third girl trusts him to keep her secret from herself]].

** If you're looking for the ''truly'' normal students, there are Saten Ruiko, Hamazura Shiage and Wataru Kurozuma, who do not have the benefit of anti-magic or anything of the like, they really have no abilities. Just special abilities, since even normals can outdo espers and mages where it counts.
*** Though even a Level 0 is technically an esper, emitting their own AIM fields and as well as experiencing harmful backlash if they attempted to use magic. Its just that their ability to bend reality is so insignificant its practically nonexistent. The only people that could be truly called ordinary are those who have not gone through the power curriculum program (unlike espers who have to undergo special processing, anyone can do magic).

* Makoto Naegi from ''VisualNovel/DanganRonpa'' is this in a nutshell. In his intro, he keeps re-iterating how [[RidiculouslyAverageGuy normal and unremarkable he is]], almost saying the trope word-for-word. He's overtly [[TheEveryman plain]] compared to the rest of the cast of crazy characters.

** Hajime Hinata and Nagito Komaeda of the [[VisualNovel/SuperDanganRonpa2 sequel game]] also qualify, [[spoiler:at least at first. Despite Komaeda's title being the same as Naegi's and the fact that he got into Hope's Peak under the ''exact'' same circumstances (lottery), he's stated to have ''legitimate, extreme fluctuations between good luck and bad luck''. Hinata, however, is revealed to have ''no'' outstanding talent, and is ''actually'' an Ordinary High School Student from one of the reserve groups. At least, before his [[TheAce transformation]]]] that he underwent out of hatred for being ordinary.

* Sam Witwicky was just an Ordinary High School Student until he bought his first car. [[TransformersFilmSeries Turns out it was an alien robot.]] [[WeKnewIt Who knew?]] His special quality is just being the great-grandkid of the man who found Megatron.

* The Franchise/PowerRangers are [[RecruitTeenagersWithAttitude teenagers with attitude]] by definition, although some seasons such as ''Series/PowerRangersTimeForce'' have them as full-time heroes who only have to maintain a civilian identity for the purpose of blending in.

* Ayase Yuuto, the male protagonist of ''LightNovel/NogizakaHarukaNoHimitsu'', found out the [[TheOjou female protagonist's]] [[ClosetOtaku secret]] and the two of them became friends because of this since he didn't look down on her for this. Her fans can't understand what she sees on him.

* ''LightNovel/ReZero''' protagonist, Subaru, is an ordinary student TrappedInAnotherWorld. One of the main {{Deconstruction}}s of the series is actually to show how an ordinary person with no special abilities will struggle in a fantasy setting rather than thrive, and how they will cope with this realization.

** After being avoided in ''Anime/YuGiOh5Ds'', this trope returnes into effect in ''Anime/YuGiOhZEXAL'' and ''Anime/YuGiOhArcV'' as [[YoungerAndHipper Ordinary Middle School Students]]; though in the latter case, it applies to the protagonist's female ChildhoodFriend as well, and it dances into the territory of {{Deconstruction}} in a manner not unlike ''Neon Genesis Evangelion'' listed below.

* [[VideoGame/MegaManBattleNetwork Lan Hikari]] and [[MegaManStarForce Geo Stelar]], but the latter fits better the description. None of them are high schoolers, but close enough.

* The title character of ''Anime/MagicalGirlLyricalNanoha'' was an ordinary elementary school student, which shocked her students [[TimeSkip in the third season]] when they visited her [[InsignificantLittleBluePlanet home planet]] [[AllThereInTheManual during the first Sound Stage]] and discovered that the legendary mage Nanoha had a completely unlegendary past and civilian life. Well, an unlegendary past before she was 9 years old.

* Uma from ''Webcomic/EverydayHeroes''. To everyone else, she's perfectly [[http://www.webcomicsnation.com/eddurd/everydayheroes/series.php?view=single&ID=107230 normal]].

* Taken to extremes in ''Anime/CodeGeass''. Lelouch is an ordinary high school student...who is an outcast prince, genius military strategist [[TheChessmaster chessmaster]], and all around MagnificentBastard (with [[CompellingVoice freaky mind-control powers]]) biding his time to jump at a chance to destroy [[TheEmpire Britannia]]. Kallen and Suzaku are inversions, being ace mecha pilots (with inexplicably superhuman physical abilities, especially Suzaku) for their respective sides who in the first few episodes come back to high school.

* Takashi Komura, the main character of the anime/manga ''Manga/HighschoolOfTheDead'', is a pretty ordinary average high school student, prone to skipping classes and accused by his childhood sweetheart of being lazy...that is, until [[spoiler:the school's professors, then students, start being turned into zombies, and the aforementioned childhood sweetheart's current boyfriend starts turning into one. Takashi bashes his head in with a baseball bat]].

** Negi thinks early on that he'll need to hide his being a [[WizardsAndWitches Magister Magi]] from his class of ordinary middle school students...who just so happen to include an AntiMagic-capable [[EverythingsBetterWithPrincesses princess]] ([[spoiler:Asuna]]), two ''Magistra Magi'' (Evangeline, [[spoiler:Chao]]), a MagicKnight [[spoiler:[[HalfHumanHybrid Half-Bird Tribe]]]] (Setsuna), [[GiveHimANormalLife two children]] of ''Magi'' ([[spoiler:Konoka & Yuna]]), a ''Ministra Magi'' ([[spoiler:Misora]]), a [[ColdSniper mercenary]], former ''Ministra Magi'', [[spoiler:[[OurDemonsAreDifferent and half-demon]]]] (Mana), [[spoiler:[[OurDemonsAreDifferent a full demon]]]] (Zazie), a [[OurVampiresAreDifferent vampire]] (Evangeline again), a [[TimeTravel time traveler]] ([[spoiler:Chao again]]), a ghost (Sayo), a [[NinjaPirateZombieRobot magic puppet/robot]] (Chachamaru), and a {{Ninja}} (Kaede); meaning that roughly a third his 31 students are [[EverybodyKnewAlready already in on his secret or have one of their own]]. One can just imagine LightNovel/HaruhiSuzumiya kicking herself for not enrolling in Mahora Academy.

* Kouji Kabuto from ''Anime/MazingerZ'' was an ordinary student sometimes skipped classes, drove bikes and [[ParentalSubstitute took care of his little brother]]. Then he found out his grandfather had built a HumongousMecha and wanted him piloting it to save the world of a MadScientist. His friend Boss also counts: before Kouji moved to his school, his life was completely normal. If we check the sequels, Tetsuya and Jun from ''Anime/GreatMazinger'' averted this trope, but Hikaru Makiba from ''Anime/UFORoboGrendizer'' did not. She was a pretty normal high-school student lived in a ranch and loved riding horse... until she found out the cute boy worked at the ranch run by his father was an alien prince in disguise and a HumongousMecha pilot. [[spoiler:Maria Fleed]] believed she was an ordinary high-school student, raised by her grandfather...until her ''grandafather'' revealed to her that [[spoiler:she was the last survivor--as far as he knew--of the royal family from planet Fleed]].

* Doug Ramsey was a kid from suburban New York who was good at languages and didn't know any different until he was informed by an acquaintance from the [[{{Comicbook/X-Men}} odd boarding school nearby]] that he was in fact a mutant the with powers of...[[WhatKindOfLamePowerIsHeartAnyway comprehending languages]]...and dragged out of bed in the middle of the night to come establish communications with a potentially-hostile alien.
* The ''ComicBook/{{Runaways}}'' were all normal teenagers...who in the course of a night watched their parents kill a young woman, discovered superpowers/super gadgets/a telepathic dinosaur, fought off their parents, and ended up becoming runaways living in an underground mansion.

* Justin is one in ''FanFic/KiraIsJustice'' besides for the fact he is a ShrinkingViolet and a little smarter than normal...until he receives the Death Note.

* The basic premise of every Creator/DisneyChannel show ever made. "S/he's a just a normal high-schooler...except that s/he's really [[[Series/ThatsSoRaven a psychic]], [[Series/HannahMontana a teen pop star]], [[Series/WizardsOfWaverlyPlace a wizard]], an alien, [[Series/TheSuiteLifeOfZackAndCody twins living in a hotel]], a man/woman, etc]!"

* Maria, Kelsey, Clyde and Rani from ''Series/TheSarahJaneAdventures''. Clyde and Rani do have distinct talents, however--Clyde's a splendid sketch artist and Rani has great journalism skills. Maria is more the average protagonist until actor Yasmin Paige's own [[RealLifeWritesThePlot academic life]] persuaded her to leave the show. Kelsey was just a pilot-only character who got a SecondEpisodeSubstitute in the form of Clyde because there were too many females in the cast...and she was a bit bratty, too. Luke and [[spoiler:Sky]] don't fit this trope because they were created to be extraordinary. In fact, Luke ends up going right into college because of his high intelligence.

* ''Series/VeronicaMars'': a normal high school student...and a private eye.

* Nick Reilly, Bill Wilson, Tony Chandler...a lot of the kids who become mutants and then go to SuperheroSchool Whateley Academy in the Literature/WhateleyUniverse.

* WesternAnimation/KimPossible...sort of. Right from the start she's insanely overachieving, even without the WakeUpGoToSchoolSaveTheWorld stuff. Her {{sidekick}} Ron fits the trope a bit better.

* WesternAnimation/DannyPhantom was one of these before gaining his powers, and during the brief periods he's BroughtDownToNormal.

* [[WesternAnimation/{{Doug}} Doug Funnie]] is an Ordinary Elementary School Student in the Nick show and an Ordinary Middle School Student in the Disney one.