Exam arcs are often among the most beloved in shounen series.
They showcase characters’ abilities and often go along with similarly beloved tournament arcs.
They also often become important turning points of the series.
Exam arcs are a staple of the battle shounen genre. Notable examples include Chunin Exams in Naruto and Hunter Exams in Hunter x Hunter — and both of these arcs are looked at with nostalgia and regarded as one of the best in their respective series. So, how come exam arcs are so beloved?
Exam arcs show characters’ abilities
One thing exam arcs excel at is showcasing the abilities of different characters. After all, to pass the exam, the characters usually have to apply a lot of effort. During that, they show their powers and abilities, as well as what they learned — once again confirming our love for them.
Often combined with tournament arcs
Very often, exam arcs would go alongside the tournament arcs — the aforementioned Naruto comes to mind, but it’s also the case in My Hero Academia (Boku no Hero Academia), for example.
An even more prominent one would be World Trigger, which is just a giant tournament arc in itself — in which the characters have to learn new skills, so it feels like an exam arc (even if it isn’t one).
Tournament arcs are beloved for similar reasons — they showcase the abilities of the characters and often pit them against each other in friendly matches. They often have some of the best action in the series and actually help progress the relationships between rivals if they happen to fight against each other.
Important points in the series
In general, exam arcs often double as important milestone points for anime. After all, characters often strive to become better at something, or obtain certain qualifications.
They usually achieve these goals during these arcs, and this becomes an important turning point for the series. Even if they somehow fail (this also happens), they still learn important skills and life lessons, which are arguably more important than official qualifications.
Examples in Winter 2024 anime
In fact, there are multiple popular anime airing right now that are currently in their exam arcs. Frieren: Beyond Journey's End (Sousou no Frieren) is currently at its First Class Mage Exam Arc, which has an unusual amount of action for the series — something the more impatient fans have been asking for. It’s not a battle shounen, but the sentiment still applies.
The second season of Mashle: Magic and Muscles is literally named The Divine Visionary Candidate Exam Arc, which is self-explanatory. For a series like Mashle, which focuses on a magic school, an arc like this was expected at some point — and, arguably, long overdue.
It’s actually really simple.
Summary:
Exam arcs are often among the most beloved in shounen series.
They showcase characters’ abilities and often go along with similarly beloved tournament arcs.
They also often become important turning points of the series.
Exam arcs are a staple of the battle shounen genre. Notable examples include Chunin Exams in Naruto and Hunter Exams in Hunter x Hunter — and both of these arcs are looked at with nostalgia and regarded as one of the best in their respective series. So, how come exam arcs are so beloved?
Exam arcs show characters’ abilities
One thing exam arcs excel at is showcasing the abilities of different characters. After all, to pass the exam, the characters usually have to apply a lot of effort. During that, they show their powers and abilities, as well as what they learned — once again confirming our love for them.
Often combined with tournament arcs
Very often, exam arcs would go alongside the tournament arcs — the aforementioned Naruto comes to mind, but it’s also the case in My Hero Academia (Boku no Hero Academia), for example.
An even more prominent one would be World Trigger, which is just a giant tournament arc in itself — in which the characters have to learn new skills, so it feels like an exam arc (even if it isn’t one).
Tournament arcs are beloved for similar reasons — they showcase the abilities of the characters and often pit them against each other in friendly matches. They often have some of the best action in the series and actually help progress the relationships between rivals if they happen to fight against each other.
Important points in the series
In general, exam arcs often double as important milestone points for anime. After all, characters often strive to become better at something, or obtain certain qualifications.
They usually achieve these goals during these arcs, and this becomes an important turning point for the series. Even if they somehow fail (this also happens), they still learn important skills and life lessons, which are arguably more important than official qualifications.
Examples in Winter 2024 anime
In fact, there are multiple popular anime airing right now that are currently in their exam arcs. Frieren: Beyond Journey's End (Sousou no Frieren) is currently at its First Class Mage Exam Arc, which has an unusual amount of action for the series — something the more impatient fans have been asking for. It’s not a battle shounen, but the sentiment still applies.
The second season of Mashle: Magic and Muscles is literally named The Divine Visionary Candidate Exam Arc, which is self-explanatory. For a series like Mashle, which focuses on a magic school, an arc like this was expected at some point — and, arguably, long overdue.
