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Adorably Precocious Child: Difference between revisions
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This kid is barely past puberty -- if that old -- but acts as if always preoccupied with responsibility. He (or she) works hard at whatever he does and treats things seriously, but every once in a while he does indeed act like a kid (and hates the subsequent teasing). Usually not taken too seriously by anyone and hates being treated like a kid by adults, even if they secretly like the attention.
Often his family situation is problematic, although he may have a [[Cool Big Sis|big sister]] or [[Big Brother Mentor|brother]] he respects and admires. Said sibling may not appear (letting the audience take that role) and the Adorably Precocious Child can attach to the closest adult who lets him -- this is especially common if he's also a [[Mouthy Kid]]. Sometimes this works in reverse, and the adult character may have to defend himself against [[Shotacon|unwholesome]] [[Lolicon|comments]] by other characters by insisting they're [[Like Brother and Sister]], or, alternately, [[Older Than They Look]]. If they grow up, they're likely to become hot, especially if they had a [[Hot Dad]] or [[Hot Mom]], due to the [[Generation Xerox]] effect.
Compare [[Cheerful Child]], [[Innocent Prodigy]], and [[Wise Beyond Their Years]]. Sometimes also a [[Token Mini-Moe]].
{{examples}}
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* Negi of ''[[Mahou Sensei Negima]]'' (pictured above) was the basic polite version earlier on in the manga, while Kotaro Inugami is more of a [[Mouthy Kid]]. Both of them, however, are extremely capable on their own. Due to [[Genre Shift]] and liberal use of magical age-up pills, Negi has this trope more or less [[Break the Cutie|beaten out of him]] by various physical and emotional trauma by the midpoint of the story, although he hasn't been broken of the habit entirely.
* ''[[Rurouni Kenshin]]'': Yahiko. Turns into more of a [[Cute Bruiser]] by the end of the series, to the point that he gets his own sakabato and a lot more responsibility in the epilogue.
* Mamoru Shimesu in ''[[Phantom Quest Corp]]''. He actually runs the company, the contacts, the finances, etc. while his boss Ayaka spends their funds on booze. He has a very stressful job.
* Though he's 13 (and then 14), Riku from ''[[Blood Plus]]'' looks younger. He also acts much older, too.
* Hitsugaya Toshirou of ''[[Bleach]]'' also seems to suffer from this, except that a lot of people in the story do treat him seriously, because he's in a position of authority. Although he's [[Really Seven Hundred Years Old]], he still suffers from this because the rest of the characters he works with are even ''older''.
* Jim Hawkings in ''[[Outlaw Star]]'', who is clearly the more mature of the group between him and his "aniki" Gene.
* ''[[Angel Sanctuary]]'' has Metatron as this. Yes, [[The Bible|that Metatron]].
* Naota from ''[[FLCL]]'', an entire ''series'' based around him trying to act adult (to be a good [[Replacement Goldfish]] for his big brother) and being mocked for lapsing into childish behavior.
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* ''[[Revolutionary Girl Utena|Revolutionary Girl Utena's]]'' Mitsuru Tsuwabuki, who is constantly bending to Nanami's every whim and taking care of her business, takes the desire to be treated like an adult to extremes - {{spoiler|his rants during the Mikage Seminar and his duel with Utena border on the [[Ax Crazy]]. "I want to become an adult and wreck the whole world! Wreck it!" "You become an adult by destroying other adults!" Or something to that effect.}}
* 13-year-old Wataru from ''[[Hayate the Combat Butler]]'' fits both the acting hard-working and responsible (he does pretty much run the head branch of his family's video rental franchise) and [[Mouthy Kid]] aspects of the trope. He doesn't have a big sister, although his maid [[Dojikko|Saki]] does fill the role.
** If Hayate wasn't just a bit too old to qualify, he would probably be the poster-child of this trope. The levels of [[Moe]] that boy radiates are ''staggering''.
* Usso Evin in ''[[Mobile Suit Victory Gundam|Victory Gundam]]'', who is the second youngest [[Gundam]] protagonist at the tender age of 13 but also lived mostly alone and takes care of/is friends with the even younger 11 year old shakti. He [[Gundamjack|GundamJacks]] a mobile suit mid-air singlehandedly for himself, and has to be blackmailed (in a way) to pilot the titular Gundam. In a aversion of this trope, people only make fun of him when he's being childish since whenever he's being serious... well, [[Darker and Edgier|it's not funny.]]
* Mokuba Kaiba from the (second) ''[[Yu-Gi-Oh!]]'' anime. A clear case of [[Bowdlerization]], since in the original manga he qualifies more as an [[Enfant Terrible]] (but responsible, for that). His big sister is a big brother.
* Boo from ''[[Now and Then Here and There]]'' is adorable, loyal, protective, loving, responsible, mature, kind, innocent (but not for long), and realistic. He's also a child soldier, forced to fight in a mad king's army. The responsibility on his shoulders is staggering. Doesn't have a [[Cool Big Sis]], but latches onto the series' [[Ensemble Darkhorse]], even {{spoiler|taking a bullet for him}}.
* ''[[Sayonara Zetsubo Sensei]]'' has Majiru, Nozomu's nephew, who looks to be around 7-9 and sorta looks like a mini version of Nozomu. A bit snarky/mouthy, but still cute. He's not actually responsible for anything, but he acts very mature and sophisticated for his age. And he & [[Hikikomori|Kiri Komori]] seem to be developing [[Shotacon|feelings for each other]].
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* Sui Takishima, from [[Special A]]. Seeing as his big brother is basically perfect, it takes some persuasion by Hikari before Sui decides to actually do something. Once he ''does'', however, he's almost as stuck up as Kei.
* ''[[Hanaukyo Maid Tai]]''. Taro is only 14 years old but tries his best to act in a responsible manner as head of the Hanaukyo family, including looking after the maids' welfare. Although the maids technically are under his orders, they at least influence what he does most of the time and sometimes (as in head Security maid Konoe Tsurugi's case) try to order him around.
* Makoto from ''[[Wandering Son]]'' is only around 9 at the start of the story but is remarkably mature for his age, even compared to the other characters.
* 11-year old Takashi from ''[[Nicoichi]]'' is not only adorable but as a result of his fine upbringing, also very responsible and can easily lead an independent life by himself.
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* Jr. from the ''[[Xenosaga]]'' series plays with this trope. He's certainly set up to be a typical precocious child, acting far more mature than his tender years would suggest. However, he's generally taken seriously by everyone he meets, and we later learn he's actually pretty immature for his age, seeing as how he's chronologically in his thirties.
* ''[[Fire Emblem]]'':
** Rolf from ''[[Fire Emblem]]'' certainly qualifies often putting a tough front despite being very sensitive and sweet.
** Sothe qualifies once we learn his backstory: he's been looking after and protect Micaih for years despite being younger than her.
* Genis from ''[[Tales of Symphonia]]'' qualifies very much. He's [[Wise Beyond Their Years|dang mature]] and can even be a [[Deadpan Snarker]] when he feels up to it.
* The professor's boy assistant Luke Triton from ''[[Professor Layton]].'' Acts mature? Check. Isn't always taken seriously? Check. Played for cute? So very much check.
* Shinra from ''[[Final Fantasy X
* Pierre from ''[[Harvest Moon]]'' would be an almost archetypal example, between his cute, childish appearance, and his mature, sophisticated behavior... Except for that fact that no-one ever fails to take him seriously, even though he looks younger than every other character that's ''not'' explicitly a small child. Making this weirder, he's also an [[Expy]] for an especially grotesque [[Gonk]].
* Alfred, the adorable younger brother to Maya and a member of the rival gang of Drifters in ''[[Wild Arms 3]]''. He's clearly more mature and level-headed than his impulsive, treasure-seeking sister.
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** Though [[They Wasted a Perfectly Good Character|she didn't get much screentime or character development]], [[Token Mini-Moe|Himi]] probably also qualifies due to her precognitive powers giving her a wealth of knowledge to draw from, and she's expressly described as "not much older" than the little kids playing in her hometown.
** Thirty years prior to them in ''[[Golden Sun]]: The Lost Age'', Eoleo was a [[Adorkable|dorky-looking]] toddler too young to talk, but not too young to fake crying to throw off attention, experiment with his new Psynergy powers, ''break his father out of prison'', and reason that Felix can solve the traps in Treasure Island that had the pirates stumped. And when addressed telepathically through Mind Read, he had a perplexing case of [[Little Professor Dialogue]].
* Caillou from [[Recettear]] is a good example of this trope. He's a powerful mage, running a serious investigation, but inside he's still just a kid who can't resist candy.
== [[Western Animation]] ==
* Brainiac 5 in the ''[[Legion of Super-Heroes (TV series)|Legion of Super Heroes]]'' cartoon was made into this kind of (pre-)[[Teen Genius]] for the first season, in contrast to his snarky [[Insufferable Genius]] characterization in recent comics.
* Tricks from ''[[Scruff]]'' is a [[Talking Animal]] version of this trope, being a young Border Collie pup with an easygoing, smart, modest but playful personality.
* The titular character of ''[[Hey Arnold!]]'' OWNS this trope. Acts as if he's preocupied with responsiblity, once had a crush on an older girl (well, she was only two grades ahead), and one of the most adorable kids on the show.
* Flip Chan in ''[[The Amazing Chan and The Chan Clan]]''. He acts responsible for Mimi, Nancy and Scooter when they're out on the case, and is quite a cute kid.
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