History Main / RivalDojos

* This is the CentralTheme indicated in the trailer for the second season of ''Series/CobraKai.'' Miyagi-Do Karate, run by Daniel at his sensei's old home, serves as a counterbalance to Johnny's dojo. The EscalatingWar eventually turns into a full-scale fight-to-the-finish bloodbath between their respective students.

** Even inside the Brazilian jiu-jitsu side and the very Gracie family there were important dojo wars. Hélio and Carlson Gracie's schools were rivals due to their different approaches to grappling, while another branch of BJJ led by Oswaldo Fadda was against the Gracie doctrine overall.

* Turned drastically UpToEleven in ''Franchise/StarWars'' where the Jedi and the Sith teach opposing philosophical approaches to similar martial and magical skill, and have been at each others' throats for twenty-five thousand years.

* Inverted by ''Film/BestOfTheBest'', where the two schools are both honorable and have similar philosophies.

* ''Manga/KenichiTheMightiestDisciple'' has the Ryonzanpaku Dojo vs. the criminal organization YAMI. They both are run by superhuman martial artists (that have CharlesAtlasSuperpower to the point they are "PhysicalGod"-level badasses), and they re both (in a way) ArrogantKungFuGuy-types (only the former is the "CondescendingCompassion because they are the only ones that can fight other Masters" type vs. ''actual'' '''murderous''' arrogance), and their conflict essentially boils down to "ThouShaltNotKill and use martial arts to protect people vs. martial arts should be used to kill people and lord over them".

* Supported by Miyagi Dojo vs Cobra Kai in ''Film/TheKarateKid1984'' and ''Film/TheKarateKidPartIII''. The rivalry gets revived years later in ''Series/CobraKai'', when Johnny Lawrence revives the titular dojo and [[spoiler:Daniel in-turn revives the Miyagi-do]].

* This is the CentralTheme indicated in the trailer for the second season of ''Series/CobraKai.'' Miyagi-Do Karate, run by Daniel at his sensei's old home, serves as a counterbalance to Johnny's dojo.

* In Brazil, the Brazilian jiu-jitsu and luta livre schools were bitter enemies, as they featured opposite combat philosophies and taught different social demographies (BJJ was the martial art of the high class and Brazilian elite, while LL dojos were cheaper and friendlier to lower classes and poor people). Eventually Brazilian jiu-jitsu side, led by the ubiquitous Gracie family, got the upper hand and expanded internationally via the UltimateFightingChampionship, while luta livre became a shadow of itself and almost faded out.

* ''Film/NinjaAcademy''. Oddly enough, one of the students at the {{Hero}} ninja academy is a mime.

Most often, but not always, the two masters were students of the same martial arts style before branching off to [[OpposingCombatPhilosophies different styles]]: the protagonist usually (but not always) learning under [[TheMentor the benevolent master]] who [[PacifistDojo teaches wisdom and self defense]], while the rival school is run by an EvilMentor who encourages its students to be [[ThugDojo ruthless, aggressive and brutal]]. A tough SenseiForScoundrels who takes the [[Combatpragmatist pragmatic middle-of-the-road approach]] could substitute for either of them.

Most often, but not always, the two masters were students of the same martial arts style before branching off to [[OpposingCombatPhilosophies different styles]]: the protagonist usually (but not always) learning under [[TheMentor the benevolent master]] who [[PacifistDojo teaches wisdom and self defense]], while the rival school is run by an EvilMentor who encourages its students to be [[ThugDojo ruthless, aggressive and brutal]], or by a tough SenseiForScoundrels who takes the pragmatic middle-of-the-road approach.

Most often, but not always, the two masters were students of the same martial arts style before branching off to [[OpposingCombatPhilosophies different styles]]: the protagonist usually (but not always) learning under [[TheMentor the benevolent master]] who [[PacifistDojo teaches wisdom and self defense]], while the rival school is run by an EvilMentor and encourages its students to be [[ThugDojo ruthless, aggressive and brutal]].

* ''Manga/HistorysStrongestDiscipleKenichi'' has the Ryonzampaku Dojo vs. the criminal organization YAMI. They both are run by superhuman martial artists (that have CharlesAtlasSuperpower to the point they are "PhysicalGod"-level badasses), and they re both (in a way) ArrogantKungFuGuy-types (only the former is the "CondescendingCompassion because they are the only ones that can fight other Masters" type vs. ''actual'' arrogance), and their conflict essentially boils down to "ThouShaltNotKill and use martial arts to protect people vs. martial arts should be used to ''kill'' people and lord over them".

* ''Manga/HistorysStrongestDiscipleKenishi'' has the Ryonzampaku Dojo vs. the criminal organization YAMI. They both are run by superhuman martial artists (that have CharlesAtlasSuperpower to the point they are "PhysicalGod"-level badasses), and they re both (in a way) ArrogantKungFuGuy-types (only the former is the "CondescendingCompassion because they are the only ones that can fight other Masters" type vs. ''actual'' arrogance), and their conflict essentially boils down to "ThouShaltNotKill and use martial arts to protect people vs. martial arts should be used to ''kill'' people and lord over them".

* Supported by Miyagi Dojo vs Kobra Kai in ''Film/TheKarateKid1984'' and ''Film/TheKarateKidPartIII''.

Most often, but not always, the two masters were students of the same martial arts style before branching off to different styles: the protagonist usually (but not always) learning under [[TheMentor the benevolent master]] who [[PacifistDojo teaches wisdom and self defense]], while the rival school is run by an EvilMentor and encourages its students to be [[ThugDojo ruthless, aggressive and brutal]].

Most often, but not always, the two masters were students of the same martial arts style before branching off to different styles: the protagonist usually (but not always) learning under the benevolent master who [[PacifistDojo teaches wisdom and self defense]], while the rival school is run by an EvilMentor and encourages its students to be [[ThugDojo ruthless, aggressive and brutal]].

* ''PokemonRedAndBlue'': The current official Gym in Saffron City is dedicated to the Psychic-type under Sabrina. Immediately next door is the Fighting-type dojo, which used to be the sanctioned Gym until Sabrina and her followers crushed it, though they still devote themselves to the practice. And then ''the Player'' comes along and sacks the Fighting-dojo ''a second time'', forcing the Karate King to beg him not to take their emblem, instead offering up one of their prize Pokemon.

* Being the quintessential FightingSeries (at least in Manga), ''Manga/DragonBall'' of course has this, with Goku learning the Turtle Style from Master Roshi, while his rival Crane Hermit's teaches his students styles of brutal assassination. Goku fights two members of the Crane School, Crane's brother Tao and his star pupil, Tien. Tien defeats Goku the first time, but, in a rare occurrence for this trope, his HeelFaceTurn begins even before Goku eventually bests him.
** The two styles get revived after the events of ''Anime/DragonBallZ'' in ''VideoGame/DragonBallOnline'', though the rivalry is more [[FriendlyRival friendly]] in nature since they're headed by Krillin and Tien Shinhan. There's still a schism between their philosophies, inspired by what each took away from their time fighting alongside [[TheHero Goku]]: the New Turtle School is all about [[SupportPartyMember playing support]], while the New Crane School focuses on performing powerful, decisive [[KiManipulation ki]] attacks.
* ''Anime/{{Pokemon}}'' did an episode about a pair of rival gyms.

** Almost the entirety of ''Series/JukenSentaiGekiranger'' is about the battles between the heroic [=GekiJuken=] Beast Arts school and the evil [=RinJuken=] Akugata school.

* Bobby Wasabi's (whose local sensei is an AdultChild BigBrotherMentor) and the [[ThugDojo Black Dragons]] (a Cobra Kai {{Expy}}) in ''KickinIt''.

A pair of rival schools of martial arts, run by a pair of masters who have probably been at it for years before the series even started. If ''dojo'' is applied to non-Japanese martial arts, its use is an example of the FarEast trope.

* So common was this in Japan that Kyokushin karate founder Mas Oyama was GenreSavvy enough to keep [[BatterUp baseball bats]] on his dojo in case of a dojoyaburi.

Most often, but not always, the two masters were students of the same martial arts style before branching off to different styles: the protagonist usually (but not always) learning under the benevolent master who [[PacifistDojo teaches wisdom and self defense]], while the rival school is run by an EvilMentor and is [[ThugDojo characteristically ruthless, aggressive and brutal]].

A subset of this trope comes in the form of members of one school (or even an [[ArrogantKungFuGuy unaffiliated challenger looking to show his prowess]]) going to the other dojo and challenging the sensei or top student to a match, usually as an excuse to then completely ransack the dojo, maim everyone inside, and steal a memento of their victory (typically the dojo's marquee). This kind of act, whose exact term is ''dojoyaburi'' (道場破り, "dojo storming"), is TruthInTelevision, and there are stories about brutal dojo wars in historic Japan and more recently in the [[UsefulNotes/MixedMartialArts Brazilian vale tudo]] scene

Very often comes up in FightingSeries. This situation often involves or ends with the main students from both schools eventually becoming friends or at least allies, usually after [[DefeatMeansFriendship one of them defeats the other,]] effectively ending the feud, or turning it into a [[FriendlyEnemy friendly rivalry]] (if it wasn't already) instead.

See also FeudingFamilies.

* Supported by Miyagi Dojo vs Kobra Kai in ''TheKarateKid 1'' and ''3''.

* ''Ninja Academy''. Oddly enough, one of the students at the {{Hero}} ninja academy is a mime.

[[folder: Live Action TV ]]

----
<<|{{Foil}}|>>