History Main / SpiritedCompetitor

If this character is really in it for the brutality and/or rush of a physical fight (and who will thus rush into any fight, big or small, just to get their jollies, and never back down from a fight), not the challenge, then he is a BloodKnight, not a SpiritedCompetitor (a Spirited Competitor will probably avoid a conflict that wouldn't challenge them or doesn't involve someone they feel is worth it). If he's in it for sadistic pleasure, then you've got a PsychoForHire (or a CombatSadomasochist, if he ''also'' gets off on '''receiving''' injuries). If the character wishes to face challenges while striving to be the best, then he wants ToBeAMaster (usually such characters become these after a while). If the character is completely laid-back or carefree about the challenges, or even nonchalant about them to the point of cockiness, then he's a CavalierCompetitor.

* ''Anime/YuGiOh'': Joey/Jounouchi is much like this, especially later in the show. After losing the unofficial duel for third place against Kaiba in Battle City he is exuberant about the challenge Kaiba gave him, and when Kaiba derides this attitude in contempt, he asks, mystified, why the hell Kaiba even duels if not for fun.
* ''Anime/YuGiOhGX'': Kaiser Ryo and Judai are both like this, but in different ways.

* Salsa from ''Franchise/LapisReLights'' is a werewolf and an avid sports fanatic. Despite her numerous physical advantages because of her demi-human nature, she's an extremely polite and kind competitor, wishing her opponents luck and thanking them for fun, challenging games, win or lose. The only thing she doesn't tolerate is underhanded tactics.

* Many characters from ''Manga/YuYuHakusho'', especially Yusuke and Kuwabara. The number of such characters goes way up in the Dark Tournament Saga, where each team has at least one (for example, Chu, Jin/Gin, and Younger Toguro, who doubles as a DeathSeeker).
** The last saga, which deals with Demon World Tournament, has a ton of these. Both Raizen's old sparring partners and Yusuke's old enemies share this love of a challenge, the latter thanks in no small part to Yusuke's influence. In fact, this mindset is the subject of an entire episode in the anime, and it's inferred that such an attitude could actually bring in an era of honor and sportsmanship among demons, replacing bloodlust with a love of a challenge.
* Ikusabe from ''Manga/BusoRenkin'' is one of these. When his likes are listed as "winning battles, losing battles," you know the guy loves fighting.

* Light from ''Manga/DeathNote'' is like this. While he'll bang on about how he's going to be a god, and how the world will be far newer under his divine guidance, what really drives him is the challenge from people who can match him. Watch and see.
** But he takes losing horribly, and reacts in the most pathetic way possible. On top of that, when he [[spoiler:manages to kill L]], he isn't exactly a graceful winner either.
** Light started off as a bored genius. He appreciates being able to engage his full intellect on a problem, and comes to admire L on that level, but actually threaten his position as Kira and he'll kill you as soon as possible.
* ''Anime/YuGiOh'': Joey/Jounouchi is much like this, especially later in the show. After losing the unofficial duel for third place against Kaiba in Battle City he is exuberant about the challenge Kaiba gave him, and when Kaiba derides this attitude in contempt, he asks, mystified, why the hell Kaiba even duels if not for fun.
* ''Anime/YuGiOhGX'': Kaiser Ryo and Judai are both like this, but in different ways.
* Many characters in ''Manga/HikaruNoGo'', but the strongest example would be Sai, who has been a ghost for centuries, striving to play the greatest game of Go ever ("the Hand of God", as he puts it).
* ''Manga/HajimeNoIppo'': [[TheAce David 'Golden' Eagle]] is a good example of this as well, his main motivation in his fight with [[BloodKnight Takamura]] was to fight someone fun. He was also looking forward to fighting [[PsychoForHire Bryan Hawk]] for the same reason. [[spoiler:After losing he grinned and shook Takamura's hand, overjoyed he'd finally fought someone stronger than him]]. He is also fits the anti-villain mold of typical {{Spirited Competitor}}s in that even though the series usually has the enemy boxers be non-villainous, Eagle stands out as being so [[KnightInShiningArmor honourable and likeable]] he actually got considerable support in Japan.
* Zangulus from ''LightNovel/{{Slayers}}'', one of the mercenaries and bounty hunters who tried to capture the party. After the first encounter with Gourry he flatly stated that for him it's about the challenge and his fee and his employer's orders don't matter much. He just wanted a duel to see who's the best swordsman out here, that's all, and reappeared as a WorthyOpponent until he got his final fight. Also, once he was persuaded to join the party just by mentioning that there's a strong opponent for him. Naturally, in such circumstances he didn't use underhanded tactics.

* Defied in ''Manga/SlamDunk'' by the coach of Kainan. Having deduced that TheHero gains his strength from playing against the best, he intentionally marks him with a player with a less imposing disposition. Feeling he's being mocked by a seemingly inferior player being assigned to him, TheHero loses focus and his game becomes sloppy.

* ''Anime/VariableGeo'': Yuka Takeuchi has been a practictioner of [[SupernaturalMartialArts Kyokushin Karate]] since childhood and firmly believes that bonds can be formed through competition [[WorthyOpponent with strong opponents.]] Her fighting style has even evolved to center around this concept, by quite literally allowing her to [[WarriorTherapist empathize with her opponents through combat]] and [[HeartIsAnAwesomePower purge them of any negative emotions]] with her [[LimitBreak ultimate attack]]: [[KameHameHadoken Kyuukyo Kikou Dan.]]
* ''Anime/PokemonTheSeries'': [[KidHero Ash Ketchum]] is a prime example, travelling anywhere and battling anyone on his quest ToBeAMaster.

* ''Anime/GundamBuildFighters'' and its sequel ''Anime/GundamBuildFightersTry'' have a lot of these for two main reasons: Gunpla Battle attracts people with similar personalities (and who already have a shared love of the ''Franchise/{{Gundam}}'' franchise to bond over), and the battles' stakes are relatively low. The only characters who don't really qualify as this trope are [[StopHavingFunGuys those who take the game]] [[SeriousBusiness way too seriously]] like the Renato Brothers in the first series (who act like they're participating in an actual war) and their spiritual descendants the Toritsu Academy team from ''Try'' (who gleefully discuss how to take advantage of the fact that [[TheHero Sekai]] [[YourMindMakesItReal suffers sympathetic damage from his Gundam]].
* ''Manga/{{Bleach}}'':
** Captain Kenpachi is one of the strongest people around, but loves fighting so much that he deliberately weakens himself in order to have a more even match. He does this even against an opponent that is trying seriously to kill him. His techniques include an [[EyepatchOfPower eyepatch]] that drains his energy, bells that make it harder for him to do a sneak attack, and deliberately wielding his [[OneHandedZweihander two-handed sword with one hand]].
** Aizen, after absorbing the Hougyoku and achieving godlike power, takes his time setting about the end of the world in case someone comes along who can present a decent challenge. He intentionally destroys the Cleaner in the [[VoidBetweenTheWorlds Precipice World]], knowing that Ichigo can then use the Precipice World's YearInsideHourOutside effect for some last-minute training to unlock his strongest technique. In this case, Aizen probably wasn't looking for a real challenge, just someone to test his power on who wouldn't die instantly.
* ''LightNovel/HighSchoolDXD'' has several examples:
** [[TheRival Vali Lucifer]] is the most overt, being the "craves a strong opponent" type. In his first fight with [[TheHero Issei]], he takes time out to threaten his friends and family despite having no actual ill will to them just to try and get him to fight harder. He ends up joining the heroes because his alliances [[NotInThisForYourRevolution were fluid anyway]], and the side he was on keeps pulling out better and better opponents (making for an amusing inversion of IFightForTheStrongestSide).
** Surprisingly for the main heroine, Rias Gremory is this, although she has no love for life-and-death combat. It's Ratings Games, essentially a non-lethal BloodSport Devil [[ChessMotifs Kings]] use to sort out their pecking order. It's stated that one of her long-term goals in the series is resolving the main conflict so she can clean out the corruption and start enjoying Games as the combat sport they were meant to be.
* Junk Dog and Yuri from ''Anime/MegaloBox'' both love boxing. They're both really good boxers in their respective worlds (Junk Dog being an unlicenced underground boxer who is forced to throw fights for money, and Yuri the champion of the official Megalo Boxing tournament) and the anime's events are set into motion when Junk Dog, annoyed at the whole sport because he's never able to fight anyone worth his time in his own ring, ends up inadvertently picking a fight with Yuri.
* Salsa from ''Franchise/LapisReLights'' is a werewolf and an avid sports fanatic. Despite her numerous physical advantages because of her demi-human nature, she's an extremely polite and kind competitor, wishing her opponents luck and thanking them for fun, challenging games, win or lose. The only thing she doesn't tolerate is underhanded tactics.

* Jean Girard from ''Film/TalladegaNightsTheBalladOfRickyBobby'' is this. He is simply looking for a WorthyOpponent.

* Franchise/SherlockHolmes. When he doesn't have a problem to solve to occupy his mind (or even better, an antagonist to match wits with) he becomes lethargic and turns to drugs. Some adaptations play up this aspect by suggesting Holmes is amoral, uninterested in justice and only cares about crime as an intellectual exercise - which was not the case in the original. Well, particularly the Creator/BasilRathbone and Nigel Bruce version.

* Ryu, Ken, and Akuma from ''Franchise/StreetFighter''. Akuma, in particular, is a prime example of the AntiVillain version. Other examples of such characters from Street Fighter include E. Honda, Alex, Sakura, and Makoto.
** Sagat is also like this after his HeelFaceTurn after his FaceHeelTurn, though only really towards Ryu, who is the only one who has ever truly beaten him. Be warned, you will find [[AllThereInTheManual none of this through playing the game]].
* This is Wolfgang Krauser's motivation for hosting the second, international King of Fighters tournament in ''VideoGame/FatalFury 2''; he'd become bored after beating so many challengers that he finally decided it was time to fight the best in the world. Rugal Bernstein also hosts the tournament in '94 for the same reasons, but unlike Krauser (who is brutal in the ring but a nice guy otherwise) he just wanted to stroke his ego and maybe add a few more statues to his...collection.

* ''VideoGame/Persona3'':
** Akihiko Sanada embraces every dangerous new challenge as an opportunity to push himself to become stronger. At least three characters call him out on not taking the dangers of [[TheHeartless the Shadows]] seriously enough and not caring what secrets are being kept from the heroes as long as he gets to fight; it's a mark of [[CharacterDevelopment newfound maturity]] when he starts taking the team's battles more seriously, although he's still resolved to meet all challenges - up to and including TheEndOfTheWorldAsWeKnowIt - head-on.
** A slightly less extreme example is Mamoru, the Star Social Link--a star athlete who really just likes to test himself. His Social Link concerns how to maintain this in the face of ever-growing family troubles.

* ''VideoGame/FireEmblemFates'' has the ChildProdigy Hayato, an InsufferableGenius spellcaster from the Wind Tribe. While most of the time he pretends to be unaffected and [[TheStoic stoic]] in [[AdorablyPrecociousChild order to seem mature]], he reveals a [[FieryRedhead more excitable and competitive side]] occasionally; in his supports with Orochi, he becomes obsessed with proving himself the better herbalist, and ends up taunting and teasing her when he wins. He seems determined to not be outshone on the battlefield as well, as his [[GameplayAndStoryIntegration personal combat skill]], "{{Pride}}", allows him to deal extra damage to units that are higher-leveled than him.

* ''Webcomic/{{Misfile}}'': Kate is like this with racing. So is Ash.

* ''Fanfic/SonOfTheSannin'': Temari gets annoyed Shikamaru when Shikamaru forfeits during their match in the Chunin Exam preliminaries and spent the next three years pestering him for a proper rematch every time they see each other (which is a lot more than you'd think since they were dating for about a third of that time) until he finally relented.

* Gao from ''{{Manga/Eyeshield 21}}'' could easily be considered a football {{expy}} of Kenpachi. Although violent and merciless, his true objective is simply to find a {{worthy opponent}}, god help any person who gets in the way of that. In fact, he's actually quite honorable, freely praising and admiring those he considers strong and brave even after he defeats them.

* Kotarou of ''Manga/MahouSenseiNegima''. His reaction when he learned that TheRival who had beaten him before could now do martial arts and match him in melee too?

* Light from ''Manga/DeathNote'' is like this. While he'll bang on about how he's going to be a god, and how the world will be far [[strike:better]] [[strike:happier]] newer under his divine guidance, what really drives him is the challenge from people who can match him. Watch and see.

* Zangulus from ''{{LightNovel/Slayers}}'', one of the mercenaries and bounty hunters who tried to capture the party. After the first encounter with Gourry he flatly stated that for him it's about the challenge and his fee and his employer's orders don't matter much. He just wanted a duel to see who's the best swordsman out here, that's all, and reappeared as a WorthyOpponent until he got his final fight. Also, once he was persuaded to join the party just by mentioning that there's a strong opponent for him. Naturally, in such circumstances he didn't use underhanded tactics.

* ''Anime/{{Pokemon}}'': [[KidHero Ash Ketchum]] is a prime example, travelling anywhere and battling anyone on his quest ToBeAMaster.

* ''{{Franchise/Batman}}''

* ''Comicbook/ElfQuest'': At one point in ''The Rebels'' spin-off, the main characters, still on the run from military agents due to their desertion and stolen spacecraft, drop by their home world of Abode to get some rest-and-relaxation. Scorch ends up participating in a major televised car race, and the SpiritedCompetitor here is [[spoiler:the nephew of the SympatheticInspectorAntagonist on their tails]], who ends up helping Scorch out in multiple ways because he wants more than a mere race: He wants to beat the very best name in the sport.

* ''[[VideoGame/AdvancedVariableGeo Advanced V.G.]]'' has several among itsmain cast, with [[TheProtagonist Yuka Takeuchi]] being the primary example:

* ''{{VideoGame/Persona 3}}''

* [[HornyDevils Morrigan]] is portrayed like this occasionally, especially in the VideoGame/MarvelVsCapcom games, where her dialog is loaded with many a DoubleEntendre and other suggestions that she likes fighting an awful lot. This makes even more sense if you factor in her [[VideoGame/{{Darkstalkers}} original canon]], which not only establishes her as powerful enough to curbstomp the FinalBoss if she cared to, but also states that it's the intensity of physical sensations that feeds succubi, not necessarily their nature. For her, a good fight is just as satisfying as a good fu- [[LastSecondWordSwap seduction]].
* VideoGame/SonicTheHedgehog loves to race others to prove that he's the fastest. This is also the given reason why he’s driving a car in games like ''Videogame/TeamSonicRacing'': if he was running, he’d take everyone to the cleaners.
* ''Videogame/FireEmblemFates'' has the ChildProdigy Hayato, an InsufferableGenius spellcaster from the Wind Tribe. While most of the time he pretends to be unaffected and [[TheStoic stoic]] in [[AdorablyPrecociousChild order to seem mature]], he reveals a [[FieryRedhead more excitable and competitive side]] occasionally; in his supports with Orochi, he becomes obsessed with proving himself the better herbalist, and ends up taunting and teasing her when he wins. He seems determined to not be outshone on the battlefield as well, as his [[GameplayAndStoryIntegration personal combat skill]], [[{{Pride}} "Pride,"]] allows him to deal extra damage to units that are higher-leveled than him.

* ''{{Webcomic/Misfile}}'': Kate is like this with racing. So is Ash.

* VideoGame/SonicTheHedgehog loves to race others to prove that he's the fastest.

* Deconstructed in ''Manga/MutekiKanbanMusume'', a hiliarious deconstruction of the FightingSeries: Miki is a Kanban Musume, a delivery girl for her mother's ramen restaurant, who never manages to deliver the food on time because she's always picking fights, especially on those opponents who are worthy. So, she fights with an AngryGuardDog for hours just to make a delivery, despite the owners telling her that she could yell their names and they'd go out, just for the chance to fight it.

* Deconstructed in ''Manga/MutekiKanbanMusume'', a hiliarious deconstruction of the FightingSeries: Miki is a Kanban Musume, a delivery girl for her mother’s ramen restaurant, who never manages to deliver the food on time because she’s always picking fights, especially on those opponents who are worthy. So, she fights with an AngryGuardDog for hours just to make a delivery, despite the owners telling her that she could yell their names and they'd go out, just for the chance to fight it.
-->'''Miki’s mother:''' Well, what's your excuse this time? For only a delivery, you have taken a long time.\\
'''Miki:''' Yes, I did take a long time... but that’s because I had the determination not to lose. To trade work hours for my victory, it was worth it.\\
'''Miki’s mother:''' Shut up!

* ''{{Franchise/Predator}}'': The Predator is a creature that travels the galaxy looking for the best of the best to fight and kill. It lives off combat and is steeped in a code of honor so great that it would rather die then cheat or dishonor itself.

-->-- '''Kuwabara''', on fighting Yusuke, in ''Manga/YuYuHakusho''

[[folder: Web Comics ]]

* The Jäger Generals in ''Webcomic/GirlGenius''. They even [[http://www.girlgeniusonline.com/comic.php?date=20120521 argue with each other]] over which kills "counts". And [[http://www.girlgeniusonline.com/comic.php?date=20120523 request]] CombatByChampion as an alternative to surrender.

* This trope is part of what makes Johnny Lawrence sympathetic in ''Series/CobraKai'', and a NobleDemon rather than an outright VillainProtagonist. Exemplified when he savages his own students for winning a tournament by extremely underhanded tactics; although Johnny wholeheartedly embraces the CombatPragmatist trope, he considers the win meaningless.

** The Riddler is a partial example; he lives for the mental challenge of his and Batman's battle of wits, but he also hates to lose. ComicBook/TheJoker is a better example, and is one of the few examples of this kind of character who is also actively cruel.

If you tell this character to BringIt they'll say "can't wait!" You tell them you're stronger and they'll say "then this should be a good fight!". If you beat them they'll say "I guess I need to train more and face you again when I'm stronger". If you lose to them, they'll say "That was fun! Train hard for next time. I can't wait to fight you again." This is a character who lives for a challenge. It doesn't matter where they are or what lies at stake, what they really love is the battle, the challenge of going against someone who is a WorthyOpponent, no matter what the venue or the game is. Usually they hold no grudges, and have no one they'd consider their enemy. (Their [[TheRival rivals]], on the other hand...) Instead, they have those whom they relish challenging again and again, so that they can enjoy themselves. The win or the loss doesn't matter to them so much as the chance to test themselves and face a challenge. If they lose, they're usually a GracefulLoser and even if they win they never engage in UnsportsmanlikeGloating but rather encourage their opponent to get better so they can have a rematch.

** He'll also viciously attack ANYONE who insults his fallen opponents, whom he'll consider a comrade. Apparently, challenging the strong is Gao's way of making friends.

* Ikusabe from ''Manga/BusouRenkin'' is one of these. When his likes are listed as "winning battles, losing battles," you know the guy loves fighting.

If you tell this character to BringIt they'll say "can't wait!" You tell them you're stronger and they'll say "then this should be a good fight!". If you beat them they'll say "I guess I need to train more and face you again when I'm stronger". If you lose to them, they'll say "That was fun! Train hard for next time. I can't wait to fight you again." This is a character who lives for a challenge. It doesn't matter where they are or what lies at stake, what they really love is the battle, the challenge of going against someone who is a WorthyOpponent, no matter what the venue or the game is. Usually they hold no grudges, and have no one they'd consider their enemy. (Their [[TheRival rivals]], on the other hand...) Instead, they have those whom they relish challenging again and again, so that they can enjoy themselves. The win or the loss doesn't matter to them so much as the chance to test themselves and face a challenge. If they lose, they're usually a GracefulLoser and even if they win they never egage in UnsportsmanlikeGloating but rather encourage their opponent to get better so they can have a rematch.

* Wrestling/TheWorldsGreatestTagTeam had this attitude toward Wrestling/RingOfHonor, wanting to fight every tag team there available in the belief they were all great. This attitude changed somewhat after the Briscoe Brothers went on an anti WWE rant though.[[/folder]]

* Rainbow Dash is like this about racing in ''WesternAnimation/MyLittlePonyFriendshipisMagic''. She's so competitive, she even decides that holding a race competition is the best way to choose a pet. Other characters like this include Applejack (their friendship starts out as a rivalry and maintains a friendly-rivals dynamic throughout), Scootaloo, and on the antagonistic side, the Flim Flam brothers and Trixie.

A character who lives for a challenge. It doesn't matter where they are or what lies at stake, what they really love is the battle, the challenge of going against someone who is a WorthyOpponent, no matter what the venue or the game is. Usually they hold no grudges, and have no one they'd consider their enemy. (Their [[TheRival rivals]], on the other hand...) Instead, they have those whom they relish challenging again and again, so that they can enjoy themselves.

** [[AmbiguouslyBrown Jun]] [[AmazonianBeauty Kubota]] is a former Olympic wrestler, who's ''also'' become close friends with Yuka and moreso with [[ForeignFanservice Erina Goldsmith.]] They've competed directly with each other in nearly every game, which is even seen briefly during the intro for ''Advanced V.G. II''.

* Franchise/SonicTheHedgehog loves to race others to prove that he's the fastest.

* Rainbow Dash is like this about racing in ''[[WesternAnimation/MyLittlePonyFriendshipisMagic]]''. She's so competitive, she even decides that holding a race competition is the best way to choose a pet. Other characters like this include Applejack (their friendship starts out as a rivalry and maintains a friendly-rivals dynamic throughout), Scootaloo, and on the antagonistic side, the Flim Flam brothers and Trixie.