History Main / SingleGirlSeeksMostPopularGuy

->It's your freshman year and you're gonna be here\\

"You know, I haven't seen you around before"

There's something about the BigManOnCampus that drives all the girls wild... even the ones that know he is ''sooo'' out of their league. If the dorky girl wants the most popular guy at school, it usually ends in one of two ways: either the two end up together, or she finds out that he's actually a huge jerk. Sometimes all it takes is [[BeautifulAllAlong a makeover]] to get the guy to notice the girl. If he ends up returning her feelings, often his ex-girlfriend the AlphaBitch will get [[GreenEyedMonster jealous]]. [[NoAccountingForTaste Classmates will wonder]] [[WhatDoesSheSeeInHim what the quarterback is doing with the nerd.]] This version is common WishFulfillment often seen in shows aimed at tweens and in {{chick flick}}s. If it doesn't work out between them, expect there to be AnAesop, usually something like [[BeYourself "Don't change yourself for a jerk"]] or "Popularity isn't everything".

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* Most of [[Manga/FruitsBasket Tohru's]] homeroom think this is going on between her and the very popular Yuki. [[BetterAsFriends It isn't]]. Played with in the end, as he does hook up with the shy and usually-overlooked Machi, but he is the one who falls for her first.
* In ''Manga/TokyoMewMew'', Ichigo has a crush on Aoyama, the popular KendoTeamCaptain (sort of the Japanese equivalent of the football quarterback) and they start dating partway through the series.
* In ''Manga/MermaidMelodyPichiPichiPitch'', Lucia is involved with Kaito, a local surfing celebrity with hordes of fangirls.
* ''Manga/SugarSugarRune'' has Chocolat paired up with Pierre, the prettiest and most popular boy in school, although theirs is a weird case because a) she initially dislikes him and soon finds out that [[DatingCatwoman he's her enemy]], and b) at first she's only pursuing him so that she can [[PlotCoupon take his heart]], which would kill him.
* Sadako likes Kazehaya in ''Manga/KimiNiTodoke''. This is actually played with in the series because her love is requited by him, but ''because'' she's a loner.
** For an added bonus, he fell for her first and is genuinely a nice guy who wants her to be happy. When she stops being a loner, he's a little sad she's not just his anymore, but overlooks his desires for her happiness. Cue "Aaaww."
* In ''Manga/ShugoChara'', heroine Amu has a crush on the school's resident ChickMagnet, Tadase, [[spoiler: which he eventually reciprocates. She still ends up with [[AllGirlsWantBadBoys bad boy]] Ikuto anyway.]]

* In a {{shonen}} example, Sakura of ''{{Naruto}}'', has an infatuation with Sasuke, which is one of her defining traits, particularly at the beginning. It is also totally unrequited, with Sasuke often calling Sakura out for being average. Of course, this is often PlayedForLaughs, as almost every girl in ''Naruto'' (except [[SingleWomanSeeksGoodMan Hinata]]) is obsessed with Sasuke, particularly while they're still in the Academy. The competition over Sasuke has had such results as ending friendships, causing fights in classrooms, and trampling innocent bystanders.

* In another Disney Channel movie, ''Film/SuzieQ'', the girl tries to change herself so the popular guy likes her.

* Singer Creator/KatyPerry went back and performed at her old high school, and took the time to single out the football star she had a big crush on, who never noticed her. Shane Lopes is a football coach at his old high school now, and Katy kind of rubbed it in.

* Riley in ''WesternAnimation/TheReplacements'', on {{Yandere}} levels.

* [[DeconstructedTrope Deconstructed]] in ''{{Carrie}}'', where it does ''not'' end well for anybody involved.
* [[ShrinkingViolet Amy]] liking Ian near the start of ''{{The 39 Clues}}'' series.

* In ''Manga/BlueFlag'', Kuze is attracted to Mita, a very friendly and popular baseball player. She asks Ichinose, the main character and childhood friend of Mita to help her get Mita's attention. Little do either Kuze or Ichinose know that [[spoiler:Mita is actually gay and crushing on Ichinose.]]

** Later is played for more tragedy, as Sakura's specific case is actually a {{deconstruction}} of AllGirlsWantBadBoys. [[spoiler:Ultimately she still marries him and has his kid anyway.]]

* In a {{shonen}} example, Sakura of ''{{Naruto}}'', has an infatuation with Sasuke, which is one of her defining traits, particularly at the beginning. It is also totally unrequited, with Sasuke often calling Sakura out for being average. Of course, this is often PlayedForLaughs, as almost every girl in ''Naruto'' is obsessed with Sasuke, particularly while they're still in the Academy. The competition over Sasuke has had such results as ending friendships, causing fights in classrooms, and trampling innocent bystanders.

-->-- '''TaylorSwift''', "Fifteen"

* The speaker in "You Belong With Me", a Creator/TaylorSwift song.

* Most of [[FruitsBasket Tohru's]] homeroom think this is going on between her and the very popular Yuki. [[BetterAsFriends It isn't]]. Played with in the end, as he does hook up with the shy and usually-overlooked Machi, but he is the one who falls for her first.

* A bit of subversion in ''WesternAnimation/MiraculousLadybug''. Marinette didn't like Adrien at first when she caught him cleaning up the chewing gum that [[AlphaBitch Chloe]] had intended to put in her seat, assuming he was in on the prank. However, the next day, Adrien offers her his umbrella and explains what had happened. After seeing how kind he was, Marinette immediately falls for him.

* In ''Series/NedsDeclassifiedSchoolSurvivalGuide'', level-headed Moze surprisingly does fall for Seth, the BigManOnCampus BrainlessBeauty who doesn't do much but spin a basketball on his hand. He does end up liking her, but she realises he's a waste of time.

* ''Series/SabrinaTheTeenageWitch'': Sabrina for Harvey, obviously.
** Only in the live-action show. He is a regular guy in the [[ComicBook/SabrinaTheTeenageWitch comics]] (and its more faithful adaptions.)

* In another DisneyChannel movie, ''Film/SuzieQ'', the girl tries to change herself so the popular guy likes her.

* In the goofy film adaptation of ''TheBradyBunch'', Marcia single-mindedly pursues the very cute but jerkish Doug specifically because "he's the BigManOnCampus." This has a different result than the similar situation in the original show (see below).

* [[ShrinkingViolet Amy]] liking [[HandsomeDevil Ian]] near the start of ''{{The 39 Clues}}'' series.

* Sadako likes Kazehaya in ''KimiNiTodoke''. This is actually played with in the series because her love is requited by him, but ''because'' she's a loner.

* A bit of subversion in ''WesternAnimation/MiraculousLadybug''. In the end what attracted Marinette to Adrien wasn't his good looks, his fame or his money but his kindness.

* In ''NeverBeenKissed'', the sweet but dorky Josie likes the BigManOnCampus but gets humiliated by him.
* Similar to ''Film/ThirteenGoingOnThirty'', Romy of ''RomyAndMichelesHighSchoolReunion'' crushed hard on the popular guy in high school who spurned her affections at the prom. At the reunion we find he's a loser unhappily married to the AlphaBitch.
* ''{{Hairspray}}'', in all incarnations, features this, though Link Larkin is genuinely nice in the end and it doesn't take a makeover to get him to notice Tracy.

* Carter, in ''PrincessProtectionProgram'', had a crush on Donny since third grade. Everyone who knows her, even her enemies, knows about it. At the dance, when SheCleansUpNicely and he finally notices her, she turns him down flat. "Before I put on this dress, you couldn't even remember my ''name''." (She's right. His inability to remember her name was actually a running gag throughout the movie.)