History Main / OlderAlterEgo

* In ''Anime/HareGuu'', Guu can change into a beautiful young woman who is strong enough to defeat a bear.

* In ''Manhwa/DorothyOfOz'', Mara ages ten years and gains the powers of a witch whenever she uses the boots given to her by [[HotWitch Selluriah]]. Her hair also turns white and her eyes turn gold, for some reason.

** Exaggerated in ''Anime/HirogaruSkyPrettyCure'', with Elle normally appears as a baby who is capable to temporarily turn into teenager in order to become Cure Majesty.

** ''Anime/KibouNoChikaraOtonaPrettyCure23'', despite its main selling point being that we'll see the ''Anime/YesPrettyCure5'' and ''Anime/FutariWaPrettyCureSplashStar'' teams [[KidHeroAllGrownUp as adults]], inverts this when Nozomi re-awakens her Pretty Cure power for the first time in years, reverting her back to her pre-teen age for the first big action sequence.

* ''WesternAnimation/YoungJustice''. Becomes a plot point when there's an EvilPlan to make all the adults disappear. They've actually been shunted to AnotherDimension where they assume that all the children have disappeared, and only discover the truth after Captain Marvel changes to his adult form. He then changes back and forth to coordinate efforts between the adults and children. This is the first time everyone finds out about Marvel's alter-ego, and a later episode has the Justice League debating whether Captain Marvel should remain in the League given that he's legally still an adolescent.

* One particular Website/ThatGuyWithTheGlasses SlashFic casts [[WebVideo/AtopTheFourthWall Lewis Lovhaug]] as a high school student who uses a Franchise/PowerRangers transmorpher to become the superhero "Linkara". While the age difference isn't major, Linkara is stated to be five years older than teenaged Lewis (making him roughly Mr. Lovhaug's ''actual'' age).

* This happens in ''Anime/{{Beyblade}}'' of all things with BEGA member Ming-Ming who goes through some kind of magical girls transformation and like Yugi in ''Franchise/YuGiOh'' appears taller and has sharper eyes and slightly different hair. It's a very odd case as she was introduced in the later half of the last season. Notably, the small, cute Ming-Ming is the IdolSinger while the taller, sexy Ming-Ming is the Beyblader.

* ''Anime/YuGiOh'': When Yugi calls upon his mystical Millennium Puzzle to evoke the spirit of an ancient pharaoh into him, his voice deepens and he grows about a foot in height without raising comment from anyone. Since the cameo of the older Yugi in ''Anime/YuGiOhGX'' has him look largely the same, this is probably just a visual aid to the audience indicating his maturity.

* ''Anime/YuGiOh'': When Yugi calls upon his mystical Millennium Puzzle to evoke the spirit of an ancient pharaoh into him, his voice deepens and he grows about a foot in height without raising comment from anyone. Since the cameo of the older Yugi in ''Anime/YuGiOhGX'' has him look largely the same, this is probably just a visual aid to the audience indicating his maturity. Though this is played with: the Pharoah looks older, but was actually younger than Yugi when he died.

* ''Anime/YuGiOh'': When Yugi calls upon his mystical Millennium Puzzle to evoke the spirit of an ancient pharaoh into him, his voice deepens and he grows about a foot in height without raising comment from anyone. Since the cameo of the older Yugi in ''Anime/YuGiOhGX'' has him look largely the same, this is probably just a visual aid to the audience indicating his maturity.

* Early in ''Anime/SailorMoon'', Usagi gets a disguise pen that ages her up from 14 to mid-20s and disguises her as a named career. Unlike Minky Momo, this doesn't grant her any of the skills that go with the career, so Usagi usually just brazens it out. The pen disappeared once Sailor Moon became a team show.

* [=ChaCha=] in ''Manga/AkazukinChacha'' can use the power of her brooch (and Riiya's bracelet, and Shine's ring) to turn into a "Magical Princess" who looks to be about 16 years old. She herself looks to be about 7-8.

* Souji Mitsuka, A.K.A. Tail Red, from ''Literature/GonnaBeTheTwinTail'' is an {{inver|tedTrope}}sion -- he is a SuperGenderBender who transforms from a teenage boy to a little girl.

* Souji Mitsuka, A.K.A. Tail Red, from ''LightNovel/GonnaBeTheTwinTail'' is an {{inver|tedTrope}}sion -- he is a SuperGenderBender who transforms from a teenage boy to a little girl.

* Koneko from ''LightNovel/HighSchoolDXD'' has one in her Shirone mode, where she [[HeroicRROD overclocks]] her senjutsu; not only optimizing its power but temporarily aging her to the body she will have once she matures to the point of saying that that will be the body she will have when she becomes Issei's bride. Unfortunately, [[AwesomeYetImpractical It's very exhausting to the point of being a final sweeper attack]].

* Probably used first in manga in the first ever MagicalGirl manga (though not the first anime - [[Manga/SallyTheWitch that was another show]]) ''Manga/HimitsuNoAkkoChan'', which first appeared in 1963. The CuteWitch female lead, Atsuko Kagami aka Akko, had a MagicMirror that allowed her to [[MasterOfDisguise take up the appearance of other people]]. Obviously, more than once she aged herself up to help the rest. In fact, she invoked the trope in the ''very'' first time she used her mirror by wishing to become "the Queen of the Stars" - the result was her becoming a beautiful older girl in a sparkly gown.
* ''Manga/MarvelousMelmo'' is another early MagicalGirl example, in which the 9-year-old heroine uses magic candies to age into an attractive 19-year-old PantyShot-tastic version of herself.

** Studio Pierrot would later use the same plot line in ''Anime/PersiaTheMagicFairy'', ''Anime/MagicalEmiTheMagicStar'' and ''Anime/FancyLala''.
* [[Anime/MagicalPrincessMinkyMomo Minky Momo]] had a wand that likewise aged her from 8-ish to 18. It also gave her perfect skill with any career she named with the age-up.
* ''Anime/SailorMoon'' had a wand similar to Minky Momo, used several times in the first 10 or so episodes, and then was promptly forgotten about after the FillerArc in the second series.
** Likewise, Minako has a compact that serves the same purpose in ''Manga/CodenameSailorV.'' Since Usagi is an {{Expy}} of her it's not surprising.
* Princess Sparkle from ''Anime/SpiderRiders'' assumes this form by using her Manacle due to her small size.

* In ''Manga/LoveHina'' Kaolla Su becomes older under the semi-mystical "red moon" and when her "big brother" visits.
* This seems to be Evangeline's power in ''Manga/NegimaMagisterNegiMagi''; however it's revealed that her "adult form" is just an illusion. Of course, it's [[PlayingWithATrope played around with]]... due to the fact that she's ReallySevenHundredYearsOld and stuck in her current form because [[OurVampiresAreDifferent she's a vampire]], Evangeline's illusion actually makes her appear ''younger'' than she really is... it's just her true form looks even younger than ''that''.
** Later in the manga "Age Changing Pills" start appearing, which are stated when introduced to just cast the same illusion Evangeline uses. Evidently, this illusion is fully tactile, extends or reduces actual reach and height, and doesn't cover your clothes (which can end up falling off or getting very tight).

* ''Anime/YuGiOh'': When Yugi calls upon his mystical Millennium Puzzle to evoke the spirit of an ancient pharaoh into him, his voice deepens and he grows about a foot in height without raising comment from anyone. Since the cameo of the older Yugi in ''Anime/YuGiOhGX'' has him look largely the same, this is probably just a visual aid to the audience indicating his maturity.
* In ''Manga/ChronoCrusade'', Chrono is usually to be found in the form of a teenage boy. However, in his full demon form, when getting power from Rosette's seal, he is a fully grown and not-unattractive man.
* In ''Manga/TenjhoTenge'', Maya is usually portrayed as a really young girl, almost [[SuperDeformed chibified]]. It seems unlikely that such a child would be sword master; however, when she gets serious she transforms into well-endowed and shapely woman, capable of making members of the male species goggle. This is actually a reversal of the trope: The buxom beauty ''is'' Maya's true form. She regularly transforms into the tyke to conserve her strength.
* When schoolgirl sportscaster Tsukuda Miina becomes the Space Rabbit Girl Warrior Tsushiro Miina in ''Anime/GetsumenToHeikiMina'', she takes on a notably more... "mature" form.

* Hono and Yuki from the ''Anime/MasterOfMosquiton'' OVA both have an adult form, which seems to be the form in which they can most effectively use their elemental powers. It's used as an excuse for blatant fanservice in the case of Yuki.
* The manga ''Manga/InstantTeenJustAddNuts'' is centered around this trope, with the 10-year-old main character aging herself up to an adult after she eats some magical nuts.
* ''Manga/CeresCelestialLegend'' has an odd partial example--Aya's friend and fellow ten'nyo Chidori is in her late teens, but physically looks about ten. When she transforms into her ten'nyo form, however, she looks her actual age.

* [=ChaCha=] in ''Manga/AkazukinChacha'' can use the power of her brooch (and Riiya's bracelet, and Shine's ring) to turn into a "Magical Princess" who looks to be about 16 years old. She herself looks to be about 7-8.

* In ''Manga/YuYuHakusho'', Koenma normally looks like a baby despite being ReallySevenHundredYearsOld. When in the human world, in order to be taken seriously, he appears in the form of a handsome young man... with a pacifier in his mouth. [[spoiler:He actually has a good reason to always carry the [[ArtifactOfDoom pacifier]].]]
* Both Jiyu and Freesia from ''Anime/JubeiChan'' have adult alter-forms for serious butt-kicking.
* In the ''VideoGame/DevilMayCry3DantesAwakening'' manga, Alice (who resembles the protagonist from ''Literature/AliceInWonderland'') actually goes so far as to trade her innocence to demons for the sake of becoming older and more attractive.
* Vivio in ''Manga/MagicalGirlLyricalNanohaVivid''. If you've seen ''[=StrikerS=]'' [[spoiler:it's the same one she used in the final battle, though with less black in the Barrier Jacket]]. Like her mom, however, she takes a very responsible approach to life-altering magics and readily promises her to never use her adult form for fun and mischief. She also displays acute awareness of the fact that suddenly growing breasts doesn't actually make her an adult. Other characters also have a similar Adult Mode, like Einhart Stratos, her [[TheRival rival]] [[ReincarnationRomance and maybe something more]].
** A villain example in ''Manga/MagicalRecordLyricalNanohaForce'': [[spoiler:Curren's child-like appearance in Chapter 29 may or may not be her true form]].
** ''Anime/VividStrike'' made using an Adult Mode standard fare among younger martial artists.
* In ''Manga/FateKaleidLinerPrismaIllya'', Illya appears about 17 when she [[spoiler:becomes a Heroic Spirit]].
* Played straight with DarkMagicalGirl Pixy Misa in ''Anime/PrettySammy''. This is presumably a reflection of Misao wanting to be a daring, attractive grown-up. Meanwhile, the heroine Pretty Sammy is basically Sasami in a silly costume (the cast-offs of her {{Cloudcuckoolander}} sponsor). Sasami doesn't want to be someone else, being rather well-adjusted.
* Spoofed in a bonus manga chapter of ''Kodomo no Jikan'' that came with the 2nd OAV DVD. Poor Kuro remains flat-chested even in adult form, and poor Mimi gets even bigger.
* Aram of ''Manga/MeruPuri'' transforms from a 12 year old kid into a 17 year old teenager by coming in contact with darkness.
* There's a borderline example in ''Manga/{{DNAngel}}''--the main hook of the story is that Daisuke transforms into his alter-ego, Dark, when he experiences the feelings of being in love. Dark looks older and is much taller (to the point that Daisuke gets into the habit of wearing clothing that is too big for him). However, Dark is also presented as his own individual, who has appeared in the men of Daisuke's family for over four hundred years.
* When Ahiru transforms into ''Anime/PrincessTutu'', she looks noticeably older, and also becomes several times more graceful, with a melodious voice and stunning dance skills.

* ''Anime/SpellboundMagicalPrincessLilPri'' Being [[MagicIdolSinger magical idol singers]], this isn't surprising.
* In ''Anime/HareGuu'', Guu can change into a beautiful young woman who is strong enough to defeat a bear.
* This is how Digivolving works in ''Anime/DigimonFusion'', as opposed to the usual EvolutionaryLevels.
* In ''Manhwa/DorothyOfOz'', Mara ages ten years and gains the powers of a witch whenever she uses the boots given to her by [[HotWitch Selluriah]]. Her hair also turns white and her eyes turn gold, for some reason.
* This happens in ''Anime/{{Beyblade}}'' of all things with BEGA member Ming-Ming who goes through some kind of magical girls transformation and like Yugi in ''Franchise/YuGiOh'' appears taller and has sharper eyes and slightly different hair. It's a very odd case as she was introduced in the later half of the last season. Notably, the small, cute Ming-Ming is the IdolSinger while the taller, sexy Ming-Ming is the Beyblader.

* Koneko from ''LightNovel/HighSchoolDXD'' has one in her Shirone mode, where she [[HeroicRROD overclocks]] her senjutsu; not only optimizing its power but temporarily aging her to the body she will have once she matures to the point of saying that that will be the body she will have when she becomes Issei's bride. Unfortunately, [[AwesomeYetImpractical It's very exhausting to the point of being a final sweeper attack]].
* Subverted cleverly in ''Manga/MagicKnightRayearth.'' [[spoiler:Princess Emeraude is always seen in the form of a pre-teen/young teenager... but that's because her growth was stunted when she became the Pillar of Cephiro. Once Zagato is killed, [[BreakTheCutie Emeraude completely breaks]] and reverts to her ''actual'' age and form - that of a beautiful LadyOfWar who is [[LoveMakesyouEvil completely]] [[BrokenBird broken]] and a borderline OneWingedAngel.]]
* In ''Anime/UmiMonogatari'', Sedna possessing Urin causes her to age to a young woman.

* Souji Mitsuka, A.K.A. Tail Red, from ''LightNovel/GonnaBeTheTwinTail'' is an {{inver|tedTrope}}sion -- he is a SuperGenderBender who transforms from a teenage boy to a little girl.
* The protagonists of ''Anime/BraveBeats'' age up after transforming, going from elementary school kids to athletic teenagers in an instant.
* According to ''Anime/SpacePatrolLuluco'''s WordOfGod, [[spoiler:this is what Miss Trigger is in relation to Luluco. She ages up from 13 years to 17 whenever she transforms.]]
* In ''Animation/FloweringHeart'', the girls' magical girl forms are adult women.
* In the Korean cartoon ''Sophie Ruby'', 13-year-old girl Ruby is given the power to transform into the 19-year-old Sophie in order to collect "good deed stamps".

* The trope was formerly named, perhaps [[IAmNotShazam ironically]], after one of the exceedingly few western examples of it: DC comic hero [[ComicBook/{{Shazam}} Captain Marvel]]. The "awkward situations with adults of the opposite sex" was played straight with [[MeaningfulName Beautia Sivana]], but inverted in ''ComicBook/JusticeSocietyOfAmerica'' in which Captain Marvel reveals his identity to and begins dating a fellow superhero the same age as Billy Batson, and is later forced to break up with her due to misunderstandings from others who didn't know he was actually 16. His twin sister, ComicBook/MaryMarvel, has exactly the same power in some versions. (In the original Fawcett comics she gets the powers but doesn't age, like Captain Marvel Jr. In Creator/JeffSmith's ''Shazam and the Monster Society of Evil'' and Mike Kunkell's ''ComicBook/BillyBatsonAndTheMagicOfShazam'', Mary doesn't get older and is also [[CuteBruiser noticeably younger than Billy]]).
** Similar thing happened to his Creator/MalibuComics CaptainErsatz, Prime from ComicBook/TheUltraverse. He tried to use the older form to get together with a girl he had a crush on, which really creeped her out. Meanwhile, an adult heroine was nursing a crush on Prime.
* ''ComicBook/TheBoys''' version of Captain Marvel is a twelve-year-old who uses his magic word to transform into a superpowered adult male and rape women. Billy Butcher's solution is to ''cut the kid's tongue out'' and call it a day, leaving him crying as he keeps trying and failing to say the word.
* ComicBook/UltimateSpiderMan does this... sort of. He's actually 16, but usually tells people he's in his twenties when he's in costume. No-one really buys it. Except ComicBook/BlackCat, who had once kissed him. She threw up later when she found out he was really a kid.
* Creator/ArchieComics Superhero ''[[http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Fly_(Archie_Comics) The Fly]]'' (also known as Fly Man) was originally one of these. Young orphan Tommy Troy was given a magic ring that allowed him to transform into an adult with insect-based powers. Unusually for this trope, the age differential didn't last. By the fifth issue Thomas Troy had aged a good ten years, gaining a law degree along the way, and was drained of any lingering trace of originality. (This was concurrent with the departure of the original Joe Simon/Jack Kirby creative team.) When The Fly and other Archie Comics heroes were revived under DC Comics' Impact imprint, this trope was re-established for the character.
* The ComicBook/New52 version of Magog is a child who can turn into a superpowered adult, almost making him Captain Marvel's EvilCounterpart.

* A victim of the Scarecrow's experiments, an [[ConvenientlyAnOrphan orphan]] named Colin can willingly become the hulking vigilante Abuse (with reverse-embossed knuckle-dusters to match).
* Aside from Prime (see above), ComicBook/TheUltraverse also had Elven, a teenage girl who transformed into an adult female elf.
* ''Tod Holton, Super Green Beret''. [[http://www.misterkitty.org/extras/stupidcovers/stupidcomics36.html Check it out.]]
* As created by Mick Anglo, [[ComicBook/{{Miracleman}} Marvelman]] originally had this, being a CaptainErsatz of Captain Marvel. When Creator/AlanMoore wrote the character, he had Micky Moran grown up.
* Thunderbolt Jaxon was another homegrown British {{Expy}} of Captain Marvel, a boy who, using a magic belt, could transform into Thor.
* Inverted with Kevin Trueblood/Maximum Man in ''ComicBook/WelcomeToTranquility'', a CaptainErsatz of Captain Marvel who is now an old man, but, when he remembers his magic word, still turns into a thirty year old superhero.
* One arc of ''ComicBook/SupermanBatman'' has the titular duo encounter a team of expies of ComicBook/TheUltimates. The [[ComicBook/TheIncredibleHulk Hulk]] expy is a cute little girl who turns into a big blue monster.
* In ''Colt Noble and the Megalords'', an AffectionateParody of ''Franchise/MastersOfTheUniverse'', Colt Noble (the equivalent of He-Man) is the older alter-ego of the 13-or-so Prince Jaysen. The original one-shot starts with Jaysen fruitlessly trying to gain entry into a strip club, and ends with him enjoying himself at the club as Colt.
* In both the comic and [[WesternAnimation/{{WITCH}} animated]] version of ''ComicBook/{{WITCH}}'', the girls' transformation to their Guardian forms take them from middle school-age (13-15) to somewhere older (18 tops). The comic version of Will prefers her transformed state since she looks much more attractive than she does normally while the cartoon version of Hay Lin is accidentally insulted by Irma's mom when she mistakes her Guardian form for a Halloween costume and claims that she didn't know that costumes had "that kind of padding".

* ''ComicBook/{{Thunderbunny}}'': Lesser-known 80s comic in which a boy transforms into a grownup anthro rabbit superhero.

* [[Creator/MarkWaid Mark Waid's]] ''Captain Kid'' inverts this with forty-something Chris Vargas gaining the ability to transform into the titular teenaged superhero.

%%* Den from ''WesternAnimation/HeavyMetal''.

* In Creator/GeneWolfe's ''Literature/WizardKnight'' series, the hero is a young kid who is transformed into a brawny KnightInShiningArmor in a fantasy world but is still as naïve as your typical KidHero.
* ''Literature/FlossieTeacakes'': The 10-year-old main character finds a magical coat that magically transforms her into the young woman she dreams of being whenever she wears it.
* ''Literature/ComeOnOssie'': Oswald turns into an 18-year-old when he borrows his grandfather's medal.

* ''TabletopGame/PrincessTheHopeful:'' The sourcebook mentions that more than a few child Princesses have an adult Transformed self.

* [[spoiler:Johnny Garland]] from ''VideoGame/ShadowHeartsFromTheNewWorld''. His actual age is... complicated, but he looks about [[spoiler:ten years old]] most of the time. Towards the end of the game, however, [[spoiler:he unleashes his hidden power, and gains the ability to temporarily transform into a rather adult-looking {{bishonen}} with a bitchin' double-ended lightsaber, unstoppable superpowers, and no pants. Which goes a long way towards justifying the fact that, in the Best Ending, he ends up living with Shania, a RIDICULOUSLY attractive and voluptuous Native American woman. And yes, he still looks like a kid most of the time]]. I guess most people choose not to bug them about it, since their combined power is enough to [[DidYouJustPunchOutCthulhu Punch Out Cthulhu]].

* Anna, PintsizedPowerhouse of ''VideoGame/ManaKhemiaAlchemistsOfAlrevis'', uses this trick in her FinishingMove.
* From the first ''VideoGame/BloodyRoar'' game, the FinalBoss is Uriko, a cute but creepy little girl who, due to being BrainwashedAndCrazy, turns into a young woman to fight you.

* ''Franchise/AceAttorney'': When channeling their dead sister/cousin Mia, Maya and Pearl Fey become vessels for her spirit. All this really means is that the full-sized Mia, bust and all, turns up wearing the younger Feys' clothes. It's bad enough when she turns up in Maya's body, but with Pearl, it gets downright {{Stripperiffic}}. This is actually ''invoked'' in one case, when Phoenix is trying to interrogate a witness who's a DirtyOldMan. To get the witness to talk, he brings in Maya, wearing a waitress outfit that the witness considers fetish appeal. The witness just takes one look at her and says for her to "come back when [she's] older". Cue her channeling Mia, and the witness starts talking immediately. Needless to say, Mia is mortified by this act of exploitation.

** [[Anime/MagicalPrincessMinkyMomo Minky Momo]] had a wand that likewise aged her from 8-ish to 18. It also gave her perfect skill with any career she named with the age-up.

* Hono and Yuki from the ''Anime/MasterOfMosquiton'' OVA both have an adult form, which seems to be the form in which they can most effectively use their elemental powers. It's used as an excuse for blatant fanservice in the case of [[GagBoobs Yuki.]]

A trope closely tied with the MagicalGirl and some Western superheroes, this is a character with the ability to turn into a noticeably older counterpart of themselves. The most famous use is the "MagicIdolSinger", a pretty blatant piece of innocent wish fulfillment. It somewhat runs on the idea that "you can be anything you want to be when you grow up."

A trope closely tied with the MagicalGirl and some Western superheroes, this is a character with the ability to turn into a noticeably older counterpart of themselves. The most famous use is the "MagicIdolSinger", a pretty blatant piece of innocent wish fulfillment.

* Creator/OrsonScottCard's novel ''Literature/TreasureBox'' plays this for horror. Mild-mannered dot-com millionaire Quentin Fears meets - and marries, and has sex with - the girl of his dreams, but some things about her are a little odd. About halfway through the book she admits that she's been lying about her identity and is actually a witch who used magic to turn herself into his dream girl. It's not until much later in the story that Quentin and the reader find out her other secret and the real reason for her unusual behavior - that she's [[{{Squick}} twelve years old]] and has been bluffing her way through an adult romantic and sexual relationship.

* [[Creator/MarkWaid Mark Waid's]] ''Captain Kid'' inverts with forty-something Chris Vargas gaining the ability to transform into the titular teenaged superhero.