History Main / RenownedSelectiveMentor

* ''[[https://www.fanfiction.net/s/10092339/1/Ranma-Saotome-Chi-Master Ranma Saotome, Chi Master]]'' has an extremely skilled Indo-Chinese guru living in Hong Kong, one very well-known among practitioners of chi manipulation. She rarely takes students, but those she accepts almost invariably become influential members of the martial arts world. Ranma spent a year as her apprentice, which led to him [[TookALevelInBadass becoming a good deal stronger and more skilled than he was in canon]].

* In Literature/BelisariusSeries an emperor hires one of the greatest warriors in India to train his daughter as a BadassPrincess. Later she and her mentor get married and they become a BattleCouple.

* Kaname Sengoku in ''Manga/WelcomeToTheBallroom'' is a downplayed example. He's a world-class dancer who ends up mentoring [[TheHero Fujita]] ([[BigBrotherMentor in a very informal way]]), but it's only much later that the viewer (and Fujita) learns that he's never taken a student before. RealityEnsues in that despite being an excellent dancer, he's still new at being a teacher and fumbles with teaching on occasion.

* Kaname Sengoku in ''Manga/WelcomeToTheBallroom'' is a downplayed example. He's a world-class dancer who ends up mentoring [[TheHero Fujita]] ([[BigBrotherMentor in a very informal way]]), but it's only much later that the viewer (and Fujita) learns that he's never taken a student before. RealityEnsues in that his lack of mentoring experience also causes him to fumble on occasion.

* Kaname Sengoku in ''Manga/WelcomeToTheBallroom'' is a downplayed example. He's a world-class dancer who ends up mentoring [[TheHero Tatara]] (in a very informal way), but it's only much later that the viewer (and Tatara) learns that he's never taken a student before. RealityEnsues in that his lack of mentoring experience also causes him to fumble on occasion.

* Koumyou Sanzo from ''Manga/{{Saiyuki}}'' puts his chosen successor, Kouryuu (later Genjyo Sanzo)) in a tough place by making him the favored disciple. The rest of the monks at the temple are explicitly jealous, and spread rumors of Koumyou choosing him for [[ParentalIncest other]] [[{{Shotacon}} reasons]].

* Circe of the WhateleyUniverse chooses Phase to mentor. Circe has only chosen an apprentice about once a decade or so. Downside: all of Circe's apprentices end up dying horribly.

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* Literature/HarryPotter has a much closer relationship with the headmaster, Dumbledore, than is usual for a student, to the point of the Professor being almost a surrogate father. In the [[Literature/HarryPotterAndTheHalfBloodPrince sixth book]] Dumbledore even gives him special lessons.

* [[Literature/HeraldsOfValdemar Darian]] certainly has this reaction when he finds out Firesong k'Vala has moved to k'Valdemar Vale specifically to train Darian.

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-->'''Thomas''': You�re taking a lot of trouble with Alfred. I feel quite jealous.
-->'''Carson''': I don�t know why. He asked for help. ''You'' never did.

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* In the OldWorldOfDarkness [=RPGs=], placing [[PointBuildSystem four or five dots]] into the "Mentor" Background will give one of these to your PlayerCharacter.

* In Creator/TamoraPierce's ''Literature/CircleOfMagic'' series, Tris is trained by Niko, the super duper famous mage. [[JustifiedTrope Justified]], in that the rules of magic dictate it.
** Specifically, any mage that discovers magic in someone is responsible for teaching them or finding a mage with the same kind of magic to take over instruction. Mages who can control lightning like Tris are both rare and [[PowerIncontinence tend to get themselves killed young]] so Niko is responsible.

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-->'''Thomas''': You’re taking a lot of trouble with Alfred. I feel quite jealous.
-->'''Carson''': I don’t know why. He asked for help. ''You'' never did.

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* While developing ''[[VideoGame/PokemonRedAndBlue Pokémon Red and Green]]'' in Japan, Creator/SatoshiTajiri was mentored by Creator/ShigeruMiyamoto, whom he already admired. Later, when the Pokémon anime was made, and the main character named "Satoshi" (after Satoshi Tajiri), his rival was named "Shigeru" in Miyamoto's honor.

May have some overlap with TheObiWan. MentorOccupationalHazard may also occur.

* Played with Zeref in ''Manga/FairyTail''. He's the most powerful wizard in history, and is [[TheDreaded a boogeyman]] for mages all over the continent and he takes in Mavis and her friends as his students not because they had talent or the like, but simply to repay Mavis for [[PetTheDog her act of kindness toward him]]. They would all later on become the most powerful mages in the series.

* Lord Muten-Roshi from ''Manga/DragonBall'' is implied to be this. When he offers to train Goku, Yamcha (watching nearby) comments on how the master never takes on students, and when Kuririn comes asking for training, Roshi simply tells him to go home. Then he changes his mind when Kuririn shows him some dirty mags.

* While developing ''[[VideoGame/PokemonRedAndBlue Pokémon Red and Green]]'' in Japan, Creator/SatoshiTajiri was mentored by ShigeruMiyamoto, whom he already admired. Later, when the Pokémon anime was made, and the main character named "Satoshi" (after Satoshi Tajiri), his rival was named "Shigeru" in Miyamoto's honor.

* The Forwards in ''NanohaStrikerS'' have been handpicked for a year-long personal training by the eponymous character. Most combat mages in the setting consider themselves lucky to get Nanoha to act as their OPFOR for half a day. Not to mention that she normally only teaches advanced aerial combat to squadron-sized classes (as opposed to one-on-four training from basics up for the Forwards).

* ''StarWars'': Due to his unusual affinity with the Force, Anakin gets mentoring and attention from high-ranking Jedi beyond that given to other padawans.

* Pai Mei from ''Film/KillBill''. Apparently he only rarely accepts students and is a thousand-year-old renowned recluse. For extra irony points, his greatest student [[spoiler:whom he taught the Five Point Palm Exploding Heart Technique]] is someone who pushes all of his [[BerserkButton Berserk Buttons]]: [[PoliticallyIncorrectVillain a Caucasian American woman who favors Japanese swords.]]

* In ''StarWarsTheOldRepublic'', Master Orgus Din hasn't taken on a new Padawan since his last was killed a decade ago in the Sacking of Coruscant. Then he decides to train the Jedi Knight PlayerCharacter.

* [[HeraldsOfValdemar Darian]] certainly has this reaction when he finds out Firesong k'Vala has moved to k'Valdemar Vale specifically to train Darian.

* In TrudiCanavan's [[Literature/TheBlackMagicianTrilogy Black Magician trilogy]], the heroine, [[ActionGirl Sonea]], becomes "The High Lord's favourite". He supposedly takes an interest in her unusually powerful magic and talent (and he does) but it's actually also[[spoiler: so he can keep an eye on her and use her to blackmail her friends into keeping his ability to use Black Magic a secret]].
* In the JediApprentice series, Qui-Gon Jinn is this to Obi-Wan Kenobi. Because of his previous apprentice's FaceHeelTurn, Qui-Gon had been reluctant to accept a new one, despite the fact that the position of being his Padawan was highly sought after. Nevertheless, [[TheForce fate]] conspired to bring the two of them together.

* Played with Zeref in FairyTail. He's the most powerful wizard in history, and is [[TheDreaded a boogeyman]] for mages all over the continent and he takes in Mavis and her friends as his students not because they had talent or the like, but simply to repay Mavis for [[PetTheDog her act of kindness toward him]]. They would all later on become the most powerful mages in the series.

* General Ty Jun's mentor, Lady Sho, is described as such in ''FanFic/KyoshiRising''; a reclusive martial arts master who lives on Ember Island, she has turned away many students including the Fire Lord, and the only way to get in appears to be a TrialByCombat

* Master Piandao from ''WesternAnimation/AvatarTheLastAirbender'', skilled swordman, former Fire Nation Elite Soldier ([[BadassNormal but not a]] [[KungFuMagic FireBender]]), [[spoiler: High Master of the White Lotus Order]] and famous for [[OneManArmy defeating 100 soldiers alone]] after he deserted the army, there were many people who wanted to be trained by him, but he rejected most of them, between the few pupils he accepted to train were Prince Zuko, and Sokka ([[TookALevelInBadass who gained him a level in Badassery after his training]]).