History Main / SchoolIdol

Beyond that, however, school idols can be a widely varying bunch. Though membership of TheBeautifulPeople is generally mandatory, school idols can be academically accomplished (or not), great athletes (or not), or the nicest people you've ever met (or not). While more school idols tend towards being [[TheAce Aces]] than not, what really only defines this trope is massive in-series popularity; most common symptoms of which include being met with fawning adulation wherever they go, an InstantFanClub or three, and/or a group of [[StalkerWithACrush highly jealous and violently protective stalkers]].

* [[FerrisBuellersDayOff Ferris Bueller]] is the definitive Western example. The entire school grinds to a halt when they learn that Ferris is "sick", and devote all their energies to making his life better. He's also beloved by all, regardless of their own place on the school totem pole:

* Kaoru, Miya and Rei from ''OniisamaE''

This trope is frequent in Japanese media, where the character is often TheOjou, functioning as something of a School Princess. While the notion of "most popular student(s)" exists in the standard Western HighSchool setting as well, [[TheLibby Libbys]] and {{Jerk Jock}}s are generally portrayed [[PopularIsDumb in a much less positive light]], and as such rarely have a similar cult of personality to the school idol. A possibly helpful distinction: is the student an ''idol'' (as in, is he or she ''idolized''?), or "merely" wildly popular?

* ''DearDumbDiary'' has Angeline, who is seen by the narrator as a mixture of TheLibby and this trope. It's played almost completely straight in the eyes of the rest of the school.

* ''TokimekiMemorial 1'' 's HighSchool, Kirameki High, has three School Idols dominating the campus: Saki Nijino, "[[CuteSportsClubManager The Idol of Kirameki High's Sports Clubs]]"; Mira Kagami, "[[TheLibby The Madonna of Kirameki High]]", and Shiori Fujisaki, "[[TheAce The Superstar of Kirameki High]]". Their {{Iconic Item}}s (Saki's home-made "[=NijiBen=]" lunch box, Mira's earrings, and Shiori's hairband), are, according to [[BromanticFoil Info Man]] Yoshio, the most valuable items among the boys in the school, and getting one of them is considered as a feat and a proof of close relationship with the girl.

* In ''TigerAndBunny'', it turns out that Barnaby was one during his time at the HeroAcademy.
-->'''Principle Missini:''' Why, the whole school looked up to you. You even had a fan club. They all wore glasses just like yours.
-->'''Barnaby:''' You're embarrassing me.

* [[TallDarkAndBishoujo Mitsuru]] [[TheOjou Kirijo]] of ''{{Persona 3}}''. Granted, her status as something of a YakuzaPrincess thanks to being the heiress of a MegaCorp involved in shady activities that makes generous donations to the school allows her to practically run Gekkoukan High regardless of what others may think of her, she still has quite a reputation and more than a few fans among the student body.

* ''TokimekiMemorial 1'' 's HighSchool, Kirameki High, has three School Idols dominating the campus: Saki Nijino, "[[CuteSportsClubManager The Idol of Kirameki High's Sports Clubs]]"; Mira Kagami, "[[TheLibby The Madone of Kirameki High]]", and Shiori Fujisaki, "[[TheAce The Superstar of Kirameki High]]". Their {{Iconic Item}}s (Saki's home-made "[=NijiBen=]" lunch box, Mira's earrings, and Shiori's hairband), are, according to [[BromanticFoil Info Man]] Yoshio, the most valuable items among the boys in the school, and getting one of them is considered as a feat and a proof of close relationship with the girl.

This trope is frequent in Japanese media, and while similar to the trope BigManOnCampus, is not quite the same thing. While the notion of "most popular student(s)" exists in the standard Western HighSchool setting as well, [[TheLibby Libbys]] and {{Jerk Jock}}s are generally portrayed [[PopularIsDumb in a much less positive light]], and as such rarely have a similar cult of personality to the school idol. A possibly helpful distinction: is the student an ''idol'' (as in, is he or she ''idolized''?), or "merely" wildly popular?

* Love interest Natsu in ''BabySteps'' is referred to by the protagonist's best friend as the school's "Number 1 cutie." He and several other students then threaten the [[{{Jerkass}} protagonist with bodily harm]] when they catch him talking to Natsu in the hall.

* Hinagiku Katsura of ''{{Hayate the Combat Butler}}'', it's even called out on, particularly during the Valentines Day and White Day arcs, and a lampshade is hung during her birthday arc.

* Hinagiku Katsura of ''{{Hayate no Gotoku}}'', it's even called out on, particularly during the Valentines Day and White Day arcs, and a lampshade is hung during her birthday arc.

* Hinagiku Katsura of {{Hayate no Gotoku}}, it's even called out on, particularly during the Valentines Day and White Day arcs, and a lampshade is hung during her birthday arc.

* One possible Western example is ''She's All That'', where (IIRC) Freddie Prinz Junior's character was popular, smart, and nice, but he hung out with a lot of the aforementioned nasty popular kids.
* [[FerrisBuellersDayOff Ferris Bueller]]. Maybe

* Similarly, [[FateStayNight Rin Tohsaka]] is the most popular girl in school. This is achieved by being very good looking and keeping up an honor student {{Facade}}, but she's actually quite a short tempered {{Tsundere}} (more evident in the original VisualNovel than the anime.)

* Similarly, [[FateStayNight Rin Tohsaka]] is the most popular girl in school. This is achieved by being very good looking and keeping up an honor student facade, but she's actually quite a short tempered {{Tsundere}} (more evident in the original VisualNovel than the anime.)

* Kaname Chidori of FullMetalPanic is explicitly said to be one as she is introduced.
* Similarly, Rin Tohsaka is the most popular girl in school. This is achieved by being very good looking and keeping up an honor student facade, but she's actually quite a short tempered {{Tsundere}} (more evident in the original VisualNovel than the anime.)

* Ferris Bueller. Maybe

* ''Nobuta wo Produce'' is about a school idol who works really hard to keep up this image until he starts hanging out with [[ThoseTwoGuys those two weird kids]], one of whom he is trying to turn into a school idol as well. At some point he ends up falling from his idol position spectacularly, but in compensation he learns ThePowerOfFriendship or something.

* DaCapo has Kotori Shirakawa. She's explicitly referred to as this, and it's easy to see why: she's pretty (enough to win the school beauty pageant!), a good singer, and one of the nicest people a person could hope to meet.

This trope is frequent in Japanese media, and while similar to the trope BigManOnCampus, is not quite the same thing. While the notion of "most popular student(s)" exists in the standard Western HighSchool setting as well, [[TheLibby Libbys]] and {{Jerk Jock}}s are generally portrayed in a much less positive light, and as such rarely have a similar cult of personality to the school idol. A possibly helpful distinction: is the student an ''idol'' (as in, is he or she ''idolized''?), or "merely" wildly popular?

* [[TallDarkAndBishoujo Mitsuru]] [[TheOujo Kirijo]] of ''{{Persona 3}}''. Granted, her status as something of a YakuzaPrincess thanks to being the heiress of a MegaCorp involved in shady activities that makes generous donations to the school allows her to practically run Gekkoukan High regardless of what others may think of her, she still has quite a reputation and more than a few fans among the student body.