History Main / MostWritersAreAdults

** ''Manga/PokemonAdventures'' is even worse about this than most other adaptations. The characters are preteens and teens in all-but name. 10 and 11-year-olds run around and fight oftentimes brutal Pokémon battles with no adults in sight. Blake is a high-ranking member of the International Police and White runs her own company despite neither being over 15.

* The majority of the ''VideoGame/SonicTheHedgehog'' cast are under 20, while the main protagonist himself is 15. Tails is 8. Child Genius or not, he seems more mature/rational than the rest of the main cast. Also, since when is a 15-year-old and an 8-year-old allowed in a casino? There are almost no adults and [[InvisibleParents only one member of the cast has a parent]] (six year old Cream), meaning that everyone [[MinorLivingAlone lives by themselves]]. 12-year old Amy is shown owning more than one apartment/house for herself and doing her own groceries in ''VideoGame/SonicAdventure''. Amy herself has always acted like a teenager when she's twelve (originally ''eight'').

* ''{{Webcomic/Homestuck}}'': All the main characters are roughly 13 years old... when their segment of the story starts, anyway; by now they're up to about 16, so their preoccupation with romantic concerns is a little more believable. The trolls in particular seem considerably older than their physical age would indicate; by the age of 13, most of them are pretty much maintaining their own households, and several of them are directly responsible for multiple murders. At least in the Trolls' case, they're aliens with a very alien culture. One where life is harsh and murder is considered, at worst, a faux pas. Furthermore, Trolls are raised by monsters; animals at best slightly smarter than a simple beast. The guardians can provide protection from threats, hunt up some food, give a modicum of emotional care... and that's about it. Trolls have to grow up, and fast.

* The ''WesternAnimation/SouthPark'' kids have gotten more and more adult as time has gone by, for definitions of "adult" that fit within ''WesternAnimation/SouthPark''. Indeed, one could argue that the kids are the ''only'' ones who act like realistic adults. At times the show seems to be a {{deconstruction}} of this trope, as it shows how unsettling it is when kids actually act and talk like that.

* Used frequently on ''WesternAnimation/TheSimpsons''. Was [[LampshadeHanging lampshaded]] and [[JustifiedTrope justified]] in one episode where Marge worries that Bart and Lisa (who are 10 and 8 years old, respectively) are already acting like teenagers. Homer chalks it up to all the growth hormones in food. Of course, if the characters in the show actually aged in real time, Bart would be closer to 40 than 10. Lisa in particular has read a lot of classic novels, speaks with a high level of vocabulary, and is very knowledgeable about politics and history. Yes, she has a high I.Q., but she is also only eight years old! Where did she find the time to educate herself?

* Subverted and played straight on ''WesternAnimation/PhineasAndFerb;'' the main characters clearly have a genius intelligence well beyond most adults, but use their abilities for childish antics like building a roller coaster in their backyard. While there ''are'' love interests, these are played more as kiddy crushes than epic romances. Nearly every episode lampshades this with some adult asking them "Aren't you a little young to be ..." The typical response from Phineas is "Yes. Yes I am."

** Blossom, Buttercup, and Bubbles are ''supposed'' to be ''five years old'', yet they (especially Blossom and Buttercup) act like they're at ''least'' 12 years old or so, what with their understanding of certain sexual things like seduction, in a mild way at least. The first time they beat the Rowdyruff Boys by kissing them. They were tipped off to that weakness by Miss Bellum hinting at them by telling them to "act ''nice''" and showing them her cleavage to solidify the fact. True, they aren't necessarily human so that ''may'' be a justification on their maturity, but the thing is, it's not just them- most of the other kids in the show are shown to be as equally mature as the Girls. Interestingly, this is also a rather strange case because they still occasionally struggle with problems a five-year-old might actually have, such as learning manners, getting over "cooties", sharing, and learning what's right from wrong, but, even then, they learn about those things in a more mature way than actual five-year-old girls would.

* ''WesternAnimation/GravityFalls'' plays with this trope all over the place. Dipper and Mabel, just shy of thirteen, are ridiculously capable (Dipper can do advanced mathematics and Mabel is an ActionGirl who can fire a mean grappling hook) and tend to slip into adultlike conversation (example: Mabel, trying to convince an elderly woman to date her great-uncle, explains that "[[BlackComedy women live longer than men so your dating pool is smaller and you should really lower your standards]]"), but the writing clearly treats them as children, with the naiveté you'd expect, and their goals and ambitions (crushes, etc.) tend to reflect those of actual twelve-year-olds. It's somewhat [[JustifiedTrope justified]] with regard to Dipper in that he's considered "mature for his age", and his main character flaw is having the need to be grown-up and to be seen as an adult. The show frequently highlights the fact that "[his] quest for maturity is in itself immature," as creator Alex Hirsch puts it. His PrecociousCrush on a 15-year-old friend, for instance, only serves to underscore the fact that he's not ready to be one of her peers yet. The fact that their arch-nemesis Gideon Gleeful is canonically ''[[AllThereInTheManual nine]]'' seems to be attributable to TroublingUnchildlikeBehavior with a dash of RuleOfFunny.

* Ditto for just about everyone in ''[[LightNovel/HaruhiSuzumiya The Melancholy of Haruhi Suzumiya]]'', also released by same company Kyoto Animation. That is, except for Haruhi herself and Kyon's ten-year-old sister. Mikuru is implied to potentially be OlderThanSheLooks, and Yuki has acess to the full experiences of a several thousand year old being despite technically being three. No one else really has an excuse.

** And then there's Wendy is absurdly strong (justified by her 'freak lumberjack genes'), extremely clearheaded in tense situations, able to approach difficult emotional situations with surprising grace, wisdom and maturity, seems only very slightly fazed by her friends being ''killed'' before her eyes (with no suggestion of previous trauma to justify this), appears to be thriving alone in the apocalypse, and throughout the whole series, shows exactly ''one'' outburst of emotion in response to something irrational. How old is Wendy? ''Fifteen.''

** In ''WesternAnimation/AllGrownUp'' the kids are 9-13 years old, but they often act like and are treated like they're high schoolers, with Dil being the only one who mostly behaves like a realistic preteen. It's one of the reasons why many ''WesternAnimation/{{Rugrats}}'' fans dislike it.

* ''WesternAnimation/{{Rugrats}}'' is justified with the babies; [[AnthropicPrinciple if the babies actually acted like babies, there would be no show]]. So they act closer to 3-5 years old except they can't communicate with the adults. On the other hand, Angelica, who is supposed to be 3, is able to communicate with the adults, and is far more articulate than a 3-year-old should be. Making her a straight example. This one was mocked in a ''WesternAnimation/FairlyOddParents'' movie, where Timmy Turner enters a show which looks the same, but with the children actually acting like the toddlers they are.
* In ''WesternAnimation/AllGrownUp'' the kids, with the exception of Dil, are 9-13 years old, but they're treated like they're in their late teens, to the point of FridgeLogic. It's one of the reasons why many ''WesternAnimation/{{Rugrats}}'' fans dislike it.

* Many ''Series/SesameStreet'' Muppets have canonical ages. For example, Zoe is five, Elmo is three, and Big Bird is six. They act like children, but not like their actual ages. Their vocabularies are more advanced, they're more emotionally mature, and they're more developmentally advanced as well. There are, however, some moments when they act their age, such as Elmo being too young to fully grasp his uncle's death, but usually, most Muppets act several years older than they are supposed to be.

* Part of what made "Music/{{Friday}}" by Rebecca Blank the source of much mockery was this trope's usage. The song wants to be a fun weekend partier song, except it's about middle schoolers. They're too young to drive, never mind going out partying on Fridays.

* ''ComicStrip/CalvinAndHobbes'' played this to excellent effect, with him sometimes wise beyond his years, and sometimes just being hyper-articulate about his various selfish whims. To quote Watterson, "Calvin has never been a literal six-year-old."

* In ''WesternAnimation/AllGrownUp'' the kids are 9-13 years old but they're treated like they're in their late teens, to the point of FridgeLogic. It's the main reason many ''WesternAnimation/{{Rugrats}}'' fans dislike it.

** This also applies to D.W. to a lesser extent, as she's a preschooler who looks and acts more like a first or second-grader, and has knowledge of some mature topics such as divorce and entrepreneurship. Her speech and language are also on par with Arthur and his friends! Special mention goes to the episode "[[Recap/ArthurS8E9FleaToBeYouAndMeKissAndTell Kiss and Tell]]", where she seeks a kiss from a ''specific'' boy after learning that her friend Emily got kissed by a boy, and which includes overt LoveTropes like RescueRomance and ReturningTheHandkerchief.

Toddlers can form complex ideas and speak in full sentences. Eight year-olds are looking for their [[PuppyLove true love]]. Your fourteen-year old will often fret about work and already be looking to settle down with their high school sweethearts. [[FreeRangeChildren A group of nine-year olds will bike on down to the next town with no parents in tow]]. The seven-year old kid down the street will never eat a bunch of sugar and cry because he didn't get the toy he wanted; he's too busy planning out a zany, very involved scheme to get what he wants.

* ''Kocchi Muite Mikko'': This series has good chunk about puberty and serious topics that rarely shown at Kids Manga series. Oh, and its features romance as well, involving ''underage characters''.

** ''Series/TheOC''

* Quite a few of Hispanic {{Soap Opera}}s directed to kids and tweens have an over-emphasis on romantic plots. This has come to bite back, since RealLife preteens now seem as worried about romantic issues who are seen by their parents as way over their age.

* Part of what made "Music/{{Friday}}" by Rebecca Blank the source of much mockery was this trope's usage. The song wants to be a fun weekend partier song, except it's about middle schoolers. They're too young to drive, nevermind go out partying on Fridays.
* Jacob Sartorius' song "[[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=X6yXm88fCa4 Hit or Miss]]" is sung by a 13 year old, but the lyrics are obviously intended for someone at least a decade older. He sings about "life gets hard when you're older", partying with girls, and having [[TheCasanova a lot of girlfriends in the past]]. The song sprinkles about a few kiddie references to emphasise his age, but most of the song is predominantly not something a 13 year old would sing.

* Many ''Series/SesameStreet'' Muppets have canonical ages. For example, Zoe is five, Elmo is three, and Big Bird is six. They act like children, but not like their actual ages. Their vocabularies are more advanced, they're more emotionally mature, and they're more developmentally advanced as well. There are, however, some moments when they act their age, such as Elmo being too young to fully grasp his uncle's death, but usually most Muppets act several year older than they are supposed to be.

* The main girls of ''Toys/{{Bratz}}'' are meant to be high schoolers but they're commonly depicted [[ArtisticAge looking]], [[AgeInappropriateDress dressing]], and acting more like college students, especially prior to the early 2010s {{retool}}. Most 15-18 year olds don't go to nightclubs or have vacation houses to themselves.

* The majority of the ''VideoGame/SonicTheHedgehog'' cast are under 20, while the main protagonist himself is 15. Tails is 8. Child Genius or not, he seems more mature/rational than the rest of the main cast. Also, since when is a 15 year-old and an 8 year-old allowed in a casino? There are almost no adults and [[InvisibleParents only one member of the cast has a parent]] (six year old Cream), meaning that everyone [[MinorLivingAlone lives by themselves]]. 12-year old Amy is shown owning more than one apartment/house for herself and doing her own groceries in ''VideoGame/SonicAdventure''. Amy herself has always acted like a teenager when she's twelve (originally ''eight'').

** The teenaged protagonist has perspectives on violence, sex between exes, and psychology that is beyond the capacity of many middle-aged people.

* Lampshaded by the protagonist of ''VisualNovel/{{Melody}}'' twice. The title character and Becca are both around 20 years old, and have had only a single relationship apiece (and not a very long one at that), yet the protagonist notes how mature they are with romance compared to himself, an experienced man in his late thirties.

* [[InvertedTrope Inverted]] in ''Webcomic/AxeCop'', which actually ''is'' written by a child (though edited by his adult brother). This means the adult characters act very much like children.

* "Assigned Male" is [in]famous for this. The protagonist, Stephie, is supposed to be eleven, yet a lot of the time all she seems to care about is how cisnormative gender roles buds patriarchal masculine fragility.

* ''WesternAnimation/HeyArnold'', where the characters are supposed to be in fourth grade, yet no one finds it odd that Arnold's coach asks him to be the best man at his wedding. Or that the main character takes it upon himself to personally fix the problems of every adult in the neighborhood, ranging from a coach's alienation with his AmbiguouslyGay son, to paranoia, to illiteracy, to obsessive compulsive disorder, to so many more. Also, the kids on the show were voiced by actual kids. Even though they were [[NotAllowedToGrowUp permanently nine years old,]] their characterization seemed to mature along with their voices.

* Used frequently on ''WesternAnimation/TheSimpsons''. Was [[LampshadeHanging lampshaded]] and [[JustifiedTrope justified]] in one episode where Marge worries that Bart and Lisa (who are 10 and 8 years old, respectively) are already acting like teenagers. Homer chalks it up to all the growth hormones in food. Of course, if the characters in the show actually aged in real time, Bart would be closer to 40 than to 10. Lisa in particular has read a lot of classic novels, speaks with a high level of vocabulary and is very knowledgeable about politics and history. Yes, she has a high I.Q., but she is also only eight years old! Where did she find the time to educate herself?

** Watching a group of supposedly ''eight and nine year olds'' (Arthur and his group are stated to be in the third grade, with the occasional fourth-grader) biking around a city, holding jobs, and doing things that are generally more suited for early teens doesn't really make sense. Particularly all those scenes in the Sugar Bowl without a parent in sight... and not to mention the school. Lockers and many-page reports for third graders? Seems more like a junior high than an elementary school, really. Considering [[SternTeacher Ratburn,]] though, he just might assign rather difficult work for third graders. One throwaway line was something like, "For today's test, identify every country on this map of the world. And as always, spelling counts."
** This also applies to D.W. to a lesser extent, as she's a preschooler who looks and acts more like a first or second grader. Her speech and language is also on par with Arthur and his friends!

* ''WesternAnimation/CodenameKidsNextDoor'' often fell into this (especially with Numbuhs 1 and 5), which just got silly when you considered this meant they acted like the adults they hated. One of the ten-year-olds was even in a somewhat serious relationship. Though it's balanced out by having a few characters be [[KiddieKid kiddie kids,]] and at times it seems to be parodying this trope. It also helps that many of the problems they treat like important, epic issues are still kiddy worries like snow days, eating veggies or how evil teenagers are.