History Main / MentorMascot

* In the first episode of ''Series/PowerRangersNinjaStorm'', Sensei Watanabe gets into a fight with [[BigBad Lothor]], and is turned into a guinea pig. Nonetheless, he is still the team's mentor, and still a master ninja - just very, very small. The same goes for his Japanese counterpart in ''Series/NinpuuSentaiHurricaneger''
* Mandora Boy in ''Series/MahouSentaiMagiranger''. He educates the Ozu kids about their powers through song in light of their parents being absent, and provides additional info on the show's spells in a bonus segment.
* Bomper in ''Series/EngineSentaiGoOnger'' is the closest thing the team has to a mentor. He's also a small, pink robot.
* Yurusen in ''Series/KamenRiderGhost''. [[spoiler:Ironically, the final episode reveals that her real form is an ordinary housecat.]]
* Mr. Belt from ''Series/KamenRiderDrive'', though rather than a TalkingAnimal he's a Talking Belt, which doubles as Drive's TransformationTrinket. Otherwise he fits the trope's description quite well, [[spoiler:especially the "OldMaster turned helpless" part, since he was the inventor of the Drive System, who transferred his consciousness into the belt when he was killed by the Roidmudes.]]

* Every ''Franchise/PrettyCure'' series has at least one.

* Yoruichi from ''Manga/{{Bleach}}'', in the early-but-not-the-beginning episodes wherein she had a very masculine voice in the form of a cat,and in that the rest of the group mistakenly assumed that she was a male. She was grouchy and uncommunicative and seemed to be something of parody of Luna from ''Franchise/SailorMoon''.

* Yoruichi from ''Manga/{{Bleach}}'', in the early-but-not-the-beginning episodes wherein she had a very masculine voice in the form of a cat,and thus the rest of the group mistakenly assumed that she was a male. She was grouchy and uncommunicative and seemed to be something of parody of Luna from ''Franchise/SailorMoon''.

* Yoruichi from ''Manga/{{Bleach}}'', in the early-but-not-the-beginning episodes wherein she was impersonating a "tomcat" for incognito purposes. She was grouchy and uncommunicative and seemed to be something of parody of Luna from ''Franchise/SailorMoon''.

* Yoruichi from ''Manga/{{Bleach}}'', in the early-but-not-the-beginning episodes wherein she was impersonating a tomcat for incognito purposes. She was grouchy and uncommunicative and seemed to be something of parody of Luna from ''Franchise/SailorMoon''.

* Omnis from ''VideoGame/{{MGCM}}'' is essentially one of these in RemoteBody form. His true name is Tobio Hakari, a guy who got transported to the White Room minus his memories after a very strange happening that he has no damned clue about. He is often as in the dark about [[OntologicalMystery what the hell is going on]] as the girls he's charged with turning into {{Magical Girl}}s and commanding against the demons seeking to devour people, and has to rely on the strange being known as Kamisaman for answers. [[spoiler:Like all Executors, he also has the ability to create and merge alternate realities, which he only discovers after one of the Magical Girls under his command dies horribly and turns into a demon, sending him into a GroundhogDayLoop to try to SetRightWhatOnceWentWrong]].

* Omnis from ''VideoGame/MGCM'' is essentially one of these in RemoteBody form. His true name is Tobio Hakari, a guy who got transported to the White Room minus his memories after a very strange happening that he has no damned clue about. He is often as in the dark about what the hell is going on as the girls he's charged with turning into {{Magical Girl}}s and commanding against the demons, and has to rely on the strange being known as Kamisaman for answers. [[spoiler:Like all Executors, he also has the ability to create and merge alternate realities, which he only discovers after one of the Magical Girls under his command dies horribly and turns into a demon, sending him into a GroundhogDayLoop to try to SetRightWhatOnceWentWrong]].

* In ''WesternAnimation/MiraculousLadybug'' they're called Kwamis, little fairy things that resemble [[AnimalMotifs various animals]]. Each [[TransformationTrinket Miraculous]] has a Kwami that flies inside of it when its bearer [[HenshinHero transforms]]; otherwise they offer advice. The main ones are Tikki (Ladybug) and Plagg (Cat Noir), though it's eventually revealed that there are more: Nooroo (butterfly), Trixx (fox), Wayzz (turtle) and [[spoiler: Duusu (peacock)]].

* [[RidiculouslyCuteCritter Kyubey]] from ''Anime/PuellaMagiMadokaMagica''. He is the one who delivers the call to [[OrdinaryHighSchoolStudent regular teenage girls]] to become magical girls who must fight [[MonsterOfTheWeek witches]] and save the universe. He also gives them [[MakeAWish one wish]] and plenty of advice. [[spoiler: [[SubvertedTrope However]] he has a habit of [[YouDidntAsk withholding crucial information]] from his charges, along with [[ExactWords wording things in misleading ways]] and his motives for creating and mentoring magical girls are... [[BlueAndOrangeMorality amoral]]. He turns them into [[TragicMonster witches]] to be used as disposable energy generators [[WellIntentionedExtremist to prevent entropy]]. Homura implies he's a straighter example in the AlternateUniverse created in the GrandFinale]].
** In ''Anime/PuellaMagiMadokaMagicaTheMovieRebellion'', [[spoiler: he actually turns out to be an even ''worse'' BigBad due to his interest in restoring the Witch System, making him an even bigger inversion.]]

Generally an {{anime}} and {{manga}} trope (especially common in MagicalGirl anime) but still present in other media. In MagicalGirl shows, this critter is usually the one who initially gives the girl her powers, and is known as a companion, {{familiar}}, or fairy.

Generally an {{anime}} and {{manga}} trope (especially common in MagicalGirl anime) but still present in other media. In MagicalGirl shows, this critter is usually the one who initially gives the girl her powers, and is known as a companion or a {{familiar}}.

* Chamo from ''Manga/MahouSenseiNegima'' is more of a DirtyOldMan in ermine form. He does a bit of mentoring about a particular aspect of the local magic system (a special form of partnership), but mostly so he can collect a hefty paycheck from somewhere or other every time Negi gets a partner.

* Reborn from ''Manga/KatekyoHitmanReborn'' definitely applies for this, as he is a cute killer stuck in a baby form asked to transform Tsuna in a decent mafia capo.

* Paya-tan from ''Anime/DaiMahouTouge'' is certainly an adorable mascot, most of the time, [[spoiler:but wait till he gets into his "Colonel Paya Livingston" persona]].

* Ninufa from ''Manga/BarajouNoKiss'' is both extremely creepy and cute. Can also shift into an enormous black dragon when [[BewareTheCuteOnes distressed]].

* ''[[Franchise/ShinMegamiTenseiPersona Persona]]'':

* [[Literature/TheHobbit Smaug]] plays this role to Bilbo (albeit for selfish reasons) in ''[[http://archiveofourown.org/works/1470613/chapters/3099160 I'll Make a Dwarf out of You!]]'' -- appropriate, since it ''is'' a fanmake of ''Disney/{{Mulan}}''.

* Disney/{{Mulan}} has Mushu, a tiny, wisecracking Chinese dragon as her guide.

* The Toad in ''Discworld/TheWeeFreeMen'' ("I'm not a familiar, I'm just slightly presumptuous.") helps Tiffany understand the worlds of witchcraft, Feegles and elves.

* ''Film/StarWars'': Yoda plays this role in the original trilogy, where he was this manic muppet hiding in a swamp and mostly just provided a training montage.

* The President from ''Anime/HoukagoNoPleiades'' is a cute blob-shaped alien who serves this role.

* Dusty from ''Literature/SailorNothing'' plays this role.

** The Magical Child archetype for the vigilante class comes with a small animal that can transform into a magical creature of the players choice and even chagne back into a normal animal to disguise themselves.