History Main / GrowingWithTheAudience

* ''WesternAnimation/ToyStory'' has been growing with its initial audience through out the entire trilogy, most notable in ''WesternAnimation/ToyStory3'' where main-character Andy is set to go to college. No points for anyone who can guess where most of the original Toy Story fans are or getting ready to go to.
** Keep in mind that the ''Toy Story'' movies are aimed as much at the parents of the kids in the audience as the kids themselves. The stories are told from the viewpoint of the toys that are being left not from the viewpoint of the kid who is leaving them. And that viewpoint is closer to what a parent experiences as their child grows up, develops interests outside the family, and eventually leaves home.

* One word: {{Diniverse}}. Especially ''WesternAnimation/JusticeLeagueUnlimited''.

* ''Franchise/{{Transformers}}'' started as [[WesternAnimation/TheTransformers a daily syndicated cartoon]] based on a line of toys, TheNineties brought the DarkerAndEdgier ''WesternAnimation/BeastWars'', and the 2000s-2010s saw the Creator/MichaelBay live-action movies, ''WesternAnimation/TransformersAnimated'' (a mix of goofy, mature and continuity porn), and the mature TV cartoon ''WesternAnimation/TransformersPrime''.

* ''Franchise/{{Transformers}}'' started as [[WesternAnimation/TheTransformers a daily syndicated cartoon]] based on a line of toys, TheNineties brought the DarkerAndEdgier ''WesternAnimation/BeastWars'', and the current decade sees the Creator/MichaelBay live-action movies as well as the mature TV cartoon ''WesternAnimation/TransformersPrime''.

* Creator/JKRowling has stated that she intentionally wrote the ''Literature/HarryPotter'' series to encompass more mature and scarier themes as the young readers got a little older for each book.

* ''Franchise/{{Transformers}}'' started as a daily syndicated cartoon based on a line of toys, TheNineties brought the DarkerAndEdgier ''WesternAnimation/BeastWars'', and the current decade sees the Creator/MichaelBay live-action movies as well as the mature TV cartoon ''TransformersPrime''.

* ''Franchise/{{Transformers}}'' started as a daily syndicated cartoon based on a line of toys, TheNineties brought the DarkerAndEdgier ''WesternAnimation/BeastWars'', and the current decade sees the Creator/MichaelBay live-action movies.

* ''{{Contra}}: Shattered Soldier'', the ''VideoGame/BionicCommando'' sequels, ''FinalFight Streetwise'', and pretty much the entirety of ''PrinceOfPersia'' in the last decade.

For instance, when ''DegrassiTheNextGeneration'' aired, a lot of old-school Degrassi fans wished the show had stuck to the old characters (who were now adults), while the new ''Degrassi'' fans were annoyed that adult characters had their own storylines in a TeenDrama. Later, when the Next Generation cast got too old to stay in HighSchool, the producers were stuck either following them to college and on (which didn't really fit the format) or switching to a new bunch of kids (who nobody cared about). The producers did ''both'' and satisfied nobody.

* Creator/JKRowling has stated that she intentionally wrote ''HarryPotter'' to encompass more mature and scarier themes as the young readers got a little older for each book.

* ''{{Transformers}}'' started as a daily syndicated cartoon based on a line of toys, TheNineties brought the DarkerAndEdgier ''WesternAnimation/BeastWars'', and the current decade sees the Creator/MichaelBay live-action movies.
* JKRowling has stated that she intentionally wrote ''HarryPotter'' to encompass more mature and scarier themes as the young readers got a little older for each book.
* WarrenEllis wrote a DarkerAndEdgier treatment of ''GIJoe'' called ''G.I. Joe: Resolute,'' which premiered as a WebOriginal series. While hardcore current fans [[TheyChangedItNowItSucks did not really appreciate the changes]], It did receive positive reviews from casual fans who had grown up with the series.
* One could argue that {{Toonami}} and ''WesternAnimation/{{Ben 10}}'' did this. With debatable success.

* One word: {{Diniverse}}. Especially ''JusticeLeagueUnlimited''.
* John Kricfalusi tried this with ''RenAndStimpy Adult Party Cartoon'', and didn't exactly get a positive response.

* ''{{Rugrats}}'' fits this trope because when it first aired it was a children's show that focused on the exploits of toddlers. However when the show passed the ten year mark, it was revamped into ''AllGrownUp'', aging the protaganists to the status of pre-teens to appeal to the aging original audience of Rugrats.

* ''WesternAnimation/ToyStory'' has been growing with its initial audience through out the entire trilogy, most notable in ''Toy Story 3'' where main-character Andy is set to go to college. No points for anyone who can guess where most of the original Toy Story fans are or getting ready to go to.

* ''{{Transformers}}'' started as a daily syndicated cartoon based on a line of toys, TheNineties brought the DarkerAndEdgier ''WesternAnimation/BeastWars'', and the current decade sees the MichaelBay live-action movies.

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* ''{{Transformers}}'' started as a daily syndicated cartoon based on a line of toys, TheNineties brought the DarkerAndEdgier ''WesternAnimation/BeastWars'', and the current decade sees the MichaelBay live-action movies.

* The entire American comics industry has fallen into this over the past 20 years or so, with about 90% of title out there right now focusing on the teen/twenty something male demographic.
* ''ToyStory'' has been growing with its initial audience through out the entire trilogy, most notable in ''Toy Story 3'' where main-character Andy is set to go to college. No points for anyone who can guess where most of the original Toy Story fans are or getting ready to go to.
* ''{{Rugrats}}'' fits this trope because when it first aired it was a children's show that focused on the exploits of toddlers. However when the show passed the ten year mark, it was revamped into ''{{All Grown Up}}'', aging the protaganists to the status of pre-teens to appeal to the aging original audience of Rugrats.
* ''WesternAnimation/TheLegendOfKorra'' with respect to ''AvatarTheLastAirbender''.

<<|{{Aging and Birth Tropes}}|>>

* ''TheLegendOfKorra'' with respect to ''AvatarTheLastAirbender''.

* ''{{Transformers}}'' started as a daily syndicated cartoon based on a line of toys, TheNineties brought the DarkerAndEdgier ''BeastWars'', and the current decade sees the MichaelBay live-action movies.

* ''{{Contra}}: Shattered Soldier'', the ''BionicCommando'' sequels, ''FinalFight Streetwise'', and pretty much the entirety of ''PrinceOfPersia'' in the last decade.

* One could argue that {{Toonami}} and ''{{Ben 10}}'' did this. With debatable success.

* John Kricfalusi tried this with ''RenAndStimpy Adult Party Cartoon'', [[{{Understatement}} and didn't exactly get a positive response]].

* ''HarryPotter'', more or less. It's either this or conveniently timed CerebusSyndrome.

* ''{{Rugrats}}'' fits this trope because when it first aired it was a children's show that focused on the exploits of toddlers. However when the show passsed the ten year mark, it was revamped into ''{{All Grown Up}}'', aging the protaganists to the status of pre-teens to appeal to the aging original audience of Rugrats.

* ''{{Rugrats}}'' fits this trope because when it first aired it was a children's show that focused on the exploits of toddlers. However when the show passsed the ten year mark,it was revamped into ''{{All Grown Up}}'', aging the protaganists to the status of pre-teens to appeal to the aging original audience of Rugrats.

* ''{{Rugrats}}'' fits this trope because when it first aired it was a children's show that focused on the exploits of toddlers. However when the show passsed the ten year mark,it was revamped into ''{{All Grown Up}}'', aging the protaganists to the status
of pre-teens to appeal to the ageing original audience of Rugrats.

You were a kid in TheEighties and grew up watching your favorite MerchandiseDriven cartoon but lost interest as you grew older. Suddenly it's TheNineties, and you're bored, flipping through the channels one day, and what do you see? A DarkerAndEdgier revamp of the show you used to watch! It's good! You get sucked right into it! Fast forward to the TurnOfTheMillennium, and you hear news that this show is being adapted into a big budget LiveActionAdaptation. You go into the theaters, and what do you notice? All the other moviegoers are in their 20s like yourself and probably grew up watching the show like you did. This isn't a coincidence; whoever created the show made a decision to gradually increase the traget audience's age as its fans grew older. This trope is one of the biggest sources of OldGuardVersusNewBlood trouble around. It's absolutely great for the old guard, but the new blood often feels it just isn't the same if they came in late.