History Main / InnocentProdigy

* While whether [[ChildProdigy Hiroki Sawada]] of ''Manga/DetectiveConan: [[NonSerialMovie Phantom of Baker Street]]'' wanted to [[WellIntentionedExtremist reset Japan]] is debatable, the [[ImprobableAge ten-year-old MIT graduate]] does want to [[IntelligenceEqualsIsolation play with the other kids]].

TruthInTelevision, since intelligence and maturity are not the same thing and real-life prodigies typically have emotional maturity better fitting their actual age than their intellectual level.

* [[ChildProdigy Ten-year-old high-schooler Chiyo]] from ''Manga/AzumangaDaioh'' always keeps acing test after test while failing miserably to understand mature stuff any teenage schoolgirl would already know by heart. The epitome of this may be her understanding ''nothing'' of Nyamo's (to everyone else) extraordinarily-uncomfortably-detailed drunken sex-ed lesson.

* ''Manga/{{Naruto}}'': While this trope is mostly averted, with [[BrokenAce most prodigies either being jerks or having several screws loose]] (such as [[MadScientist Orochimaru]], [[WellIntentionedExtremist Nagato]], [[MyGreatestFailure Kakashi Hatake]], [[YouCantFightFate Neji Hyuga]], [[FaceHeelTurn Sasuke Uchiha]] and [[Anime/BorutoNarutoNextGenerations Boruto]] [[JerkWithAHeartOfGold Uzumaki]]), it is played straight with Minato Namikaze and Itachi Uchiha : they were the best students the Ninja Academy ever had (Minato was ''the'' best, and Itachi was the second best) and were peace-loving individuals. It respectively took war and the threat of a coup d'état for them to show [[BewareTheNiceOnes their more ruthless side]], and not without pressure, especially on Itachi's side.

* Hiiragi from ''Manga/HanamaruKindergarten'' is very intelligent and knowledgeable for her age but still enjoys children's activities such as going down slides, and playing dress-up.

* Sister Maria from ''LightNovel/{{Haganai}}'' shot her way through the education system and ended up as a high school teacher at 10 year old. Also, she ended up as an insufferable, foul-mouthed BrattyHalfPint...until she met [[ToughLove Yozora]].

* The Professor from ''Manga/{{Nichijou}}'' is a completely normal eight-year-old girl...except that she can make highly advanced robots. One robot, Nano, basically acts as a parental figure to her, and the Professor likes to install strange functions in her like a rocket-powered arm or a bean cannon just because she thinks it's funny. She also refuses to remove the wind-up key in Nano's back (which Nano resents, since what she wants most is to [[PinocchioSyndrome pass as a human being]]), since she thinks it's cute.

** Bokuden from is a master swordsman and master of her own dojo. She's also a little girl who wants to spend time playing with her friends.
** Episode 23 gives us Tsunehisa Amago, a tactical and strategic genius at age four. She uses this genius to take over her day care's sandbox so she can create the biggest sand castle ever.

* ''Manga/SnowWhiteWithTheRedHair'': Ryuu may be a twelve year old herbalist prodigy who has managed to become a fully accredited pharmacist but he's still very much a twelve year old and shows a very innocent side when presented with the opportunity to climb a tree or participate in a snowball fight, both things he had never had the opportunity to do before. There's also his reaction when presented with emotionally straining situations which usually involves running to an adult he trusts to get them to intervene, hiding behind one of the aforementioned adults, or just running away and hiding. He makes a choice to become better about facing things himself when he's thirteen and is working on it.

* When [[ComicBook/RedRobin Tim Drake]] first approached [[ComicBook/{{Nightwing}} Dick Grayson]] to ask him to return to acting as Robin since [[ComicBook/{{Batman}} Bruce]] needed someone to balance out his self destructive tendencies Tim's innocence and inability to understand just why Dick would find the idea unbearable reflect his age and relationship with his own parents despite his abnormal intelligence. The DCU then spends the next several years brutally beating any remaining naivety and idealistic ideals out of him.

* ''Film/{{Gifted}}'': Emotionally Mary is still seven, and her reactions to situations like [[spoiler: finding out her father had been tracked down for the custody case but still didn't want to see her]], or [[spoiler: when Frank leaves her with the foster family]] remind the audience she is still very much a child. She is also seen reacting innocently on happier occasions, such as dancing with a family at the hospital for a birth, or playing with friends in the Girl Scouts.

* Unlike her self-conscious, worrywort sister Aya, Nako of ''Literature/TanteiTeamKZJikenNote'' is innocent ChildProdigy all the way into ''[[SpinOff G]]''.

* [[TheChooserOfTheOne Henry]] from ''Series/OnceUponATime''. He's a growing GuileHero with more than a few doses of GenreSavvy and GoodIsNotDumb, but he talks about super secret information at the local diner just because he's hungry and believes that fairy tales are real. He's right, of course, but his eagerness and willingness to believe in them definitely shows off his age of 10.
* Played for laughs with Pitt the Younger in ''Series/{{Blackadder}} the Third'', who's elected Prime Minister right in the middle of his exams. On the one hand he's a capable politician and matches Blackadder's political scheming with his own. On the other he's still going through puberty, writes angsty poetry, and uses childish insults. And then taken to hilarious extremes when his brother Pitt the Even Younger runs for office.

* ''VideoGame/CrashBandicoot's'' little sister, Coco, is a science wiz and noticeably more sane and intelligent than her ditzy older brother. She does often show a dorky or childish streak to remind us she is still of Crash's blood however.

* Franziska von Karma, daughter of the veteran prosecutor Manfred von Karma from ''Franchise/AceAttorney'', has shades of this. She's a eighteen year old prosecutor who began her career at ''thirteen'' and wants revenge on Phoenix Wright for ruining the von Karma family name.[[labelnote:spoiler]]She actually wants to get her revenge on ''Miles Edgeworth'' for overtaking her by defeating a lawyer Edgeworth could not.[[/labelnote]] She ''tries'' to act mature, but she has a lot of habits that give her away, such as treating the trials as personal competitions with Phoenix and claiming that her victory will be broadcast on the global news, [[WhipItGood whipping anyone she disagrees with]], her speech devolving into a firestorm of the word "[[YouFool fool]]" and variations when she gets upset, {{Rage Quit}}ing after losing her first trial, and later [[SelfServingMemory acting like her losses to Phoenix Wright never happened]]. [[spoiler:At the end of ''Justice For All'', she ends up crying about how everyone expects so much of her because she is Manfred's daughter.]] She undergoes CharacterDevelopment by the third game and the ''Investigations'' games, however.

* Elie in ''Webcomic/GiftsOfWanderingIce''. A naive and gentle 12 year old girl with a memory of an ancient man stored in her brain. She's a living ice gift herself and the youngest expert on ice gifts ever.
* In ''Webcomic/TheInexplicableAdventuresOfBob,'' all three of the Peanut Butter Monsters have aspects of this, since they're born geniuses but [[YoungerThanTheyLook have little to no life experience yet.]]

* ''WesternAnimation/TheSimpsons'': Lisa Simpson, while [[WiseBeyondTheirYears Wise Beyond Her Years]] and one of the few Springfield citizens who isn't stupid, incompetent or just plain lazy, loves her Malibu Stacy doll more than anything else (except, perhaps, activism) and likes immature cartoons like "The Itchy and Scratchy Show." She also [[AllGirlsLikePonies wants a pony]] and indulges in juvenile crushes on boys named Cory who are featured in ''Non-Threatening Boys Magazine.'' On some occasions she'll happily join Bart's destructive antics. (Indoor bike jousting? Sure!)

* ''WesternAnimation/{{Kaeloo}}'': [[DitzyGenius Quack Quack]] is a genius who can solve complex math problems inside his head in mere seconds and is a brilliant scientist, but he otherwise acts like the little kid he is - he's sensitive, naive and enjoys video games, comic books and children's games.

[[folder:Newspaper Comics]]
* ''ComicStrip/{{Peanuts}}'': Linus Van Pelt, Charlie Brown's best friend. He has great insight into some situations and a very high intellect such as being able to precisely quote ''any'' passage of Biblical scripture, but he also believed in [[WesternAnimation/ItsTheGreatPumpkinCharlieBrown the Great Pumpkin]], which brought him ridicule despite his intelligence. And he hates to be separated from his [[SecurityBlanket beloved blue blanket]].
** As an infant it was even worse. As Charlie Brown struggled to balance one card on top of two others to start a house of cards, Linus used the rest of the cards to make a Gothic cathedral.
* Calvin of ''ComicStrip/CalvinAndHobbes'' waxes philosophical about the nature of the universe...to his stuffed tiger. While pretending to be a space cadet. Or a superhero. Or a jungle explorer. Or a private eye. Or a dinosaur. [[LampshadeHanging Lampshaded]] by Calvin's mother in a punchline, "How can one kid be so smart and yet so dumb at the same time?"
* ''ComicStrip/{{Mafalda}}'''s greatest concerns are: the terrible ordeal of the starving kids in Biafra, the permanent tensions between USA and the Soviet Union, the armed conflicts in the Third World, [[ArsonMurderAndJaywalking and Mom's terribly hideous soup]].
* Sheldon from ''ComicStrip/UsAcres'' has shades of this.
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* Vivi Ornitier from ''VideoGame/FinalFantasyIX'' is physically nine years old and a very proficient BlackMage, but is also naïve and innocent.

* Edward Elric and, to a lesser extent, his little brother Alphonse USED to be this in ''Manga/FullmetalAlchemist'', before all of the BreakTheCutie kicks in.

* Negi of ''Manga/MahouSenseiNegima'', a ten-year-old genius mage who often acts a fair bit older than his age, but is inexperienced with life in general and particularly romance. Sometimes his young age peeks through though. For example, when he gets his hands on a TimeMachine, his ''immediate'' thought is a desire to go [[EverythingsBetterWithDinosaurs see dinosaurs]], and he's crestfallen when told the Time Machine doesn't have that kind of range.

* Sister Maria from ''LightNovel/BokuWaTomodachiGaSukunai'' shot her way through the education system and ended up as a high school teacher at 10 year old. Also, she ended up as an insufferable, foul-mouthed BrattyHalfPint...until she met [[ToughLove Yozora]].

* ''Manga/{{Naruto}}'': While this trope is mostly averted, with [[BrokenAce most prodigies either being jerks or having several screws loose]] (such as [[MadScientist Orochimaru]], [[WellIntentionedExtremist Nagato]], [[MyGreatestFailure Kakashi Hatake]], [[YouCantFightFate Neji Hyuga]], [[FaceHeelTurn Sasuke Uchiha]] and [[Anime/BorutoNarutoNextGenerations Boruto]] [[JerkWithAHeartOfGold Uzumaki]]), it is played straight with Itachi Uchiha and Minato Namikaze : they were the best students the Ninja Academy ever had (Minato was ''the'' best, and Itachi was the second best) and were peace-loving individuals. It respectively took war and the threat of a coup d'état for them to show [[BewareTheNiceOnes their more ruthless side]], and not without pressure, especially on Itachi's side.

* ''VideoGame/CrashBandicoot's'' little sister, Coco, is a science wiz and noticeably more sane and intelligent than her ditzy older brother. She does often show an {{Adorkable}} or childish streak to remind us she is still of Crash's blood however.

%%* Miles "Tails" Prower of ''Franchise/SonicTheHedgehog'' fame. While some popular depictions stick solely with one [[WiseBeyondTheirYears extreme]] or the [[TagalongKid other]] (eg. in ''WesternAnimation/AdventuresOfSonicTheHedgehog'' Tails is extremely childlike and not very bright, while in ''Anime/SonicX'', ''VideoGame/SonicAdventure'' and ''VideoGame/SonicAdventure2'' he is the most soundly intelligent member of the team), he is a clear example of this trope in most of the franchise, including the rest of the game series, ''WesternAnimation/SonicTheHedgehogSatAM'', ''Anime/SonicTheHedgehogTheMovie'' and ''WesternAnimation/SonicBoom''.

* Miles "Tails" Prower of ''Franchise/SonicTheHedgehog'' fame. While some popular depictions stick solely with one [[WiseBeyondTheirYears extreme]] or the [[TagalongKid other]] (eg. in ''WesternAnimation/AdventuresOfSonicTheHedgehog'' Tails is extremely childlike and not very bright, while in ''Anime/SonicX'', ''VideoGame/SonicAdventure'' and ''VideoGame/SonicAdventure2'' he is the most soundly intelligent member of the team), he is a clear example of this trope in most of the franchise, including the rest of the game series, ''WesternAnimation/{{Sonic SatAM}}'', ''Anime/SonicTheHedgehogTheMovie'' and ''WesternAnimation/SonicBoom''.

A young, but incredibly bright child whose high intellect comes with rather large doses of naivete. He seems incredibly deep at times, but he has moments where [[ChildrenAreInnocent his innocence reminds the audience (and the other characters) that he's still a child]].

Compare ChildProdigy, AdorablyPrecociousChild, SkilledButNaive, DitzyGenius. Contrast ActingYourIntellectualAge. See also PingPongNaivete.

* Unlike her self-conscious, worrywort sister Aya, Nako of ''Literature/TanteiTeamKZJikenNote'' is innocent ChildProdigy all the way into ''[[{{Spinoff}} G]]''.

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[[folder: Newspaper Comics ]]

[[folder: Video Games]]
* Miles "Tails" Prower of ''Franchise/SonicTheHedgehog'' fame. While some popular depictions stick solely with one [[WiseBeyondTheirYears extreme]] or the [[TagAlongKid other]] (eg. in ''WesternAnimation/AdventuresOfSonicTheHedgehog'' Tails is extremely childlike and not very bright, while in ''Anime/SonicX'', ''Videogame/SonicAdventure'' and ''Videogame/SonicAdventure2'' he is the most soundly intelligent member of the team), he is a clear example of this trope in most of the franchise, including the rest of the game series, ''WesternAnimation/SonicSatAM'', ''Anime/SonicTheHedgehogTheMovie'' and ''WesternAnimation/SonicBoom''.
* Vivi from ''VideoGame/FinalFantasyIX''.

[[folder: Visual Novels]]

[[folder: Web Comics]]

[[folder: Western Animation]]

* Miles "Tails" Prower of ''Franchise/SonicTheHedgehog'' fame. While some popular depictions stick solely with one [[WiseBeyondTheirYears extreme]] or the [[TagAlongKid other]] (eg. in ''WesternAnimation/AdventuresOfSonicTheHedgehog'' Tails is extremely childlike and not very bright, while in ''Anime/SonicX'' ''Videogame/SonicAdventure'' and ''Videogame/SonicAdventure2'' he is the most soundly intelligent member of the team), he is a clear example of this trope in most of the franchise, including the rest of the game series, ''WesternAnimation/SonicSatAM'', ''Anime/SonicTheHedgehogTheMovie'' and ''WesternAnimation/SonicBoom''.

* Miles "Tails" Prower of ''Franchise/SonicTheHedgehog'' fame. Most depictions stick solely with one [[WiseBeyondTheirYears extreme]] or the [[BrattyHalfPint other]] for the most part (eg. ''WesternAnimation/AdventuresOfSonicTheHedgehog'' and ''WesternAnimation/SonicSatAM'' Tails are extremely childlike and not too bright while the games and ''Anime/SonicX'' counterparts is arguably the most sensible and soundly intelligent member of the team), but he is a rather valid example of this trope in ''Anime/SonicTheHedgehogTheMovie'' and ''WesternAnimation/SonicBoom'', as well as in recent games in which his childish traits start to show again.

Compare ChildProdigy, AdorablyPrecociousChild, SkilledButNaive. Contrast ActingYourIntellectualAge. See also PingPongNaivete.

* Ike Brovlovsky from ''WesternAnimation/SouthPark'' has had a [[TeacherStudentRomance relationship with a teacher]] and was involved in a GovernmentConspiracy to elect UsefulNotes/BarackObama. And yet, he's still in kindergarten and confuses Milan for a [[Disney/{{Mulan}} Disney film.]]

* ''Literature/{{Discworld}}'' has a ''rodent'' version. [[Discworld/TheAmazingMauriceAndHisEducatedRodents Dangerous Beans]] is brilliant but by most of the other character's standards rather naive. However, the book clearly sympathizes with his [[SlidingScaleOfIdealismVersusCynicism idealistic]] views.

--> "Huh, this toy contains small parts. But why would they include small parts in a toy for someone my age...? Unless I'm supposed to eat them! Of course, it all adds up!"

* ''Manga/AkagamiNoShirayukihime'': Ryuu may be a twelve year old herbalist prodigy who has managed to become a fully accredited pharmacist but he's still very much a twelve year old and shows a very innocent side when presented with the opportunity to climb a tree or participate in a snowball fight, both things he had never had the opportunity to do before. There's also his reaction when presented with emotionally straining situations which usually involves running to an adult he trusts to get them to intervene, hiding behind one of the aforementioned adults, or just running away and hiding. He makes a choice to become better about facing things himself when he's thirteen and is working on it.

* Diamond from ''Manga/PokemonSpecial''. He likes to eat and watch robot anime (singing its theme tune in an attempt to bolster his confidence when he's scared), but he is shown to be very thoughtful and sensitive at times- he's associated with Mesprit, the legendary Pokemon of emotion, and delivers heartfelt speeches that convince legendaries to fight alongside him.

* ''Franchise/CrashBandicoot's'' little sister, Coco, is a science wiz and noticeably more sane and intelligent than her ditzy older brother. She does often show an {{Adorkable}} or childish streak to remind us she is still of Crash's blood however.

TruthInTelevision, since real-life prodigies typically have emotional maturity better fitting their actual age than their intellectual level.

* Nanoha in ''Fanfic/{{Game Theory|FanFic}}'', which is a contrast to [[Anime/MagicalGirlLyricalNanoha the source material]], in which she was WiseBeyondHerYears.

* ''WesternAnimation/{{Kaeloo}}'':
* [[DitzyGenius Quack Quack]] is a genius who can solve complex math problems inside his head in mere seconds and is a brilliant scientist, but he otherwise acts like the little kid he is - he's sensitive, naive and enjoys video games, comic books and children's games.

* Miles "Tails" Prower of ''Franchise/SonicTheHedgehog'' fame. Most depictions stick solely with one [[WiseBeyondTheirYears extreme]] or the [[BrattyHalfPint other]] for the most part (eg. ''WesternAnimation/AdventuresOfSonicTheHedgehog'' and ''WesternAnimation/SonicSatAM'' Tails are extremely childlike and not too bright while the games and ''SonicX'' counterparts is arguably the most sensible and soundly intelligent member of the team), but he is a rather valid example of this trope in ''Anime/SonicTheHedgehogTheMovie'' and ''WesternAnimation/SonicBoom'', as well as in recent games in which his childish traits start to show again.