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->''"And my other goal is to make you youngsters go crazy before I reach 40."''
-->-- '''Jade Curtiss''', ''VideoGame/TalesOfTheAbyss''

A story that centers around a group made up of children, teenagers, or just younger adults, introduces an older character who decides they wants to join the youngsters. They're the oldest character in the group. That's the Token Adult.

In adventure stories especially in video games or {{Role Playing Game Verse}}s the group is often made up of children or teenagers with one "adult" exclusively allied to them. Their age could be anywhere from being old enough to drink (if the other group members are just kids) to someone who is middle aged or over 50. Also sometimes TV shows will have older characters help the heroes once per episode, or for only one episode.

In stories directed at older audiences, where it's more common for this character to be the elder to a group of younger adults, a CoolOldGuy or TheMentor can fill this role when his CompetenceZone is shifted upward [[ConservationOfCompetence compared to the rest of the group]]. This can be done by making the youngsters NewMeat, {{Man Child}}ren, or {{Bunny Ears Lawyer}}s. Take note, that the rest of the group don't necessarily need to be "adults"
to count, they just have to be noticeably younger than the Token Adult.
Also occasionally the Token Adult will stick out in a group of adults ''because'' they're a BunnyEarsLawyer. See Si from ''Series/DuckDynasty'' in the examples.

They may be [[FireForgedFriends a stranger]] that joins because they happen to have the same or a similar goal as the heroes. Or an experienced veteran who joins the group. Could also be intended as an aversion, or subversion to ThereAreNoAdults by the author, by making the character a [[ParentalSubstitute substitute parent]] that acts as the [[TeamDad team's]] [[TeamMom guardian]] in their parent's absence. They may even literally be a trusted friend or relative of one of the team member's parents, or a [[OldMaster team member's]] [[CoolTeacher teacher]]. Often times they're also TheMentor, or just a wiser grownup in non-action works who guides the characters in the right direction, or MrExposition, who, because they're older and more experienced, explains how the world works.

Tends to be TheBigGuy, because they're older, taller, and stronger, at least in the beginning. They could also be TheSmartGuy based on their years of experience. You can expect YearsTooEarly comments in either case. If they're a badass most of the time they're a CoolOldGuy but they could be a ColonelBadAss or TheCaptain depending on the setting, or a BadAssBookworm. If they were TheLeader of TheTeam at one point, but isn't TheHero, they're probably the BigGood. If they're the {{Foil}} to the TheHero they might end up becoming TheLancer. If played for [[PluckyComicRelief comedic effect]], they might be a DeadPanSnarker who employs [[InsultComic Insult humor]] on their younger peers. They could also be OneOfTheKids, might be a CrouchingMoronHiddenBadass, or if [[AdultsAreUseless Adults really are useless]] they may be used by the author to [[ButtMonkey drive that]] [[CompetenceZone point home]].

If employed to the Token Adult because of job politics, the group may have been ReassignedToAntarctica.

Sometimes, they start out as their adult in the beginning of the story, and more older characters are included in the group later, in which case, the original character who took up the role still counts.

Other stories have the Token Adult separated from the group, and replaced by another older character. In that case ''both characters'' count.

If hurting their friends is their BerserkButton, expect them to be the PapaWolf or the MamaBear.

SubTrope of MustHaveLotsOfFreeTime (a character spends a lot of time with protagonists outside their own age or social group). Contrast TagalongKid and TokenMiniMoe, this trope's opposite. Compare TheMentor, AdultsAreUseless, and ThereAreNoAdults.
----
!!Examples:

[[foldercontrol]]

[[folder:Anime & Manga]]
* ''Manga/CaseClosed''
** Middle-aged Detective Kogoro Mouro (Richard Moore in the dub) is an adult watching over KidHero Conan. Except he's kind of a {{Jerkass}}, and [[AdultsAreUseless he's not good]] [[CompetenceZone at his job]] [[ButtMonkey either]]. Since he's an adult, people are more willing to listen to him than Conan, who uses Kogoru's adult status, solves the crimes for him, and lets him take the credit for it on almost every case. Since he's an on and off ally to Conan it's a ZigZaggingTrope.
** Professor Agasa generally serves this for the Detective Boys, since he's the only adult who supervises them on a regular basis and has created gadgets for them. It helps that he's one of the few people who knows about Conan's and Haibara's secret identities.
* ''Manga/HighschoolOfTheDead'': At 27 year old, [[TheDitz Shizuka]] is the only adult among the main cast. Despite this, and her medcal expertise as a SchoolNurse, she mainly serves as [[BadassDriver the group's driver]], since Takashi is the leader while Saya is the brains. So it's the kids who keep ''her'' ([[TagAlongKid and Alice]]) safeguarded, while they handle the planning and the fighting.
* ''Manga/KOn'': Sawako Yamanaka is the [[CoolTeacher teacher]] in charge of their high school's light music club. Fitting in that she was a rocker in the past too. She's more for [[PluckyComicRelief comic relief]] though, and she doesn't use her authority as a teacher very often. Naturally the rest of the characters are high school students.
* ''Manga/{{Naruto}}'' has this institutionalized in that their school's ninja teams begin as three twelve-year-olds with one adult teacher assigned to guide them.
* ''Anime/PokemonTheSeries'' has one adult that helps out almost every episode. Sometimes it's Officer Jenny or Nurse Joy, but there's a whole list of others they come across depending on the episode. The main characters never age past their teen years.
* Some ''Anime/PrettyCure'' seasons give the Cures an adult friend who they often hang out with, and who occasionally helps them out.
** ''Anime/FutariWaPrettyCure'': The 14-year-old Cures are good friends with Akane Fujita, an alumna of their school who now runs a food truck. In the SequelSeries, Akane gets a spotlight boost as she becomes the guardian of Hikari.
** ''Anime/FreshPrettyCure'': Like the ''Futari wa'' Cures, the teenage ''Fresh!'' Cures are good friends with an adult food truck owner, this time being a male donut maker named Kaoru.
** ''Anime/HeartcatchPrettyCure'': Of Tsubomi's allies, there are 14 year olds Erika and Itsuki, 17 year old Yuri, the young fairies Chypre and Coffret, the baby fairy Potpourri, and then her 70s-age grandmother Kaoruko, who served as Cure Flower in her youth.
** ''Anime/DokiDokiPrecure'': The teenage Cures (and one preteen) are helped by the adult Joe, [[spoiler:a former knight of the Trump Kingdom]].
** Toyed with in ''Anime/StarTwinklePrettyCure'': Lala is thirteen like all the other Cures, but claims that on her planet, thirteen is considered adult-age.
** ''Anime/HealinGoodPrettyCure'': Halfway through the series, an Earth spirit takes on the form of a human named Asumi, who is physically twenty years old, making her technically an adult among the other Cures despite being chronologically a newborn.
** ''Anime/DeliciousPartyPrettyCure'': Of the six main teammates, all are 13-14 except for Rosemary, whom was specifically designed to be a Token Adult to show that adults could indeed help Cures with their missions.
** ''Anime/HirogaruSkyPrettyCure'': At eighteen years old, Ageha Hijiri/Cure Butterfly is the oldest character to become a Cure (not counting Asumi above due to technicalities), and is the only adult among 14 year old Sora and Mashiro and 12 year old Tsubasa.
* Tetsuichiro Kurumada from ''Anime/FutureGPXCyberFormula'' is this and a TeamDad for team Sugo before his retirement. As the team manager in the first 3 series, he acts the authority figure to his racing team.
* Though most enemies and secondary characters in ''Manga/OnePiece'' are adults, for a while Nico Robin was the only one of the main protagonists who was more than 19 years old - 28 years to be exact. Later, 34-year-old Franky and ''88''-year-old Brook join, but since they're both [[ManChild Man Children]] of dimensions, Robin still keeps her place as the only Straw Hat who is both adult and ''acts'' like an adult. Following the TimeSkip, however, the Straw-Hats are joined by Fishman and former Warlord Jinbe, 46, who acts his age.
* ''Anime/MobileSuitGundamIronBloodedOrphans'': When CGS is taken over and renamed Tekkadan, most of its members are teenaged to child boys. Since the adults were the ones abusing (and even enslaving in some cases) them, they are all ousted from the organization. There are only two exceptions: Nadi, the head mechanic, [[BecauseYouWereNiceToMe because he was always friendly with the boys]], and Dexter, the accountant, whom they only keep around because none of the boys are well-versed in mathematics and they're smart enough to know [[CantKillYouStillNeedYou they're going to need someone around who can manage the finances]].
* ''Anime/{{Gravion}}'': The titular robot is a six-man piloted and five of them are piloted by teenagers. The last pilot is Mizuki Tachibana, an adult woman and a complete MsFanservice with a huge chest to match. [[spoiler:She's also a spy from the EFA, a job that only adults like her could undertake.]]
* The main adult colleague on Senku's team ''Manga/DrStone'' is Kaseki, an elder craftsman [[CoolOldGuy that gets excited about building the technology from the 21st century]], up to having his clothes burst off from his bulging muscles.
* ''Manga/JoJosBizarreAdventure''
** ''Manga/JoJosBizarreAdventureDiamondIsUnbreakable'': Returning protagonist Jotaro Kujo, now a 28-years-old doctorate student [[spoiler:and a DisappearedDad]], is initially the sole adult among the main characters (the rest being high-school students) until 20-years-old mangaka Rohan Kishibe joins the group.
** ''Manga/JoJosBizarreAdventureTheJOJOLands'': 49-years-old Meryl May Qi is the sole adult and leader of her criminal gang, with her subordinates (ranging from the protagonist Jodio at 15 to 19-years-old Paco) being high school students. Additionally, she's also the principal of the school that they go to.
* In ''Manga/YuriIsMyJob'', most of the staff at Liebe Girls' Academy Salon are teenagers, but Mai is significantly older than most of them, as she is older than Nene, who was 18 at the time of the salon's founding two years prior to the start of the story.
[[/folder]]

[[folder:Fan Works]]
* ''Fanfic/InfinityTrainBlossomverse'': The main hero groups will usually have one of these. ''Fanfic/InfinityTrainKnightOfTheOrangeLily'' has Paul London in his late thirties as part of White Gestalt while ''Fanfic/InfinityTrainBlossomingTrail'' and ''Fanfic/InfinityTrainVoyageOfWisteria'' has Amelia Hughes (she in her sixties) for the Red Lotus Quarto later turned Travelers of Wisteria.
** In ''Fanfic/InfinityTrainSeekerOfCrocus'', both London and Amelia become this for their respective groups once more, with Augustine Sycamore becoming this for the Windchasers since Yuri is 11, Vaillant is 15 and Garchomp, Tobe and Netto fall under VagueAge.
* In the ''Literature/{{Animorphs}}'' fanfic ''[[Fanfic/{{Eleutherophobia}} The Thing from Another World]]'', [[SparedByTheAdaptation Tom]] is put in charge of Jake, Cassie, and Marco on a mission investigate a crashed [[TheGreys Skrit Na]] ship because the military wanted a legal adult to supervise them. It's {{downplayed}} because he's only a few years older than them.
* ''Fanfic/AThingOfVikings'': Wulfhild is 21 when she becomes Hiccup's concubine (Hiccup and Astrid being 16 and 15 at the time respectively). That being said, the line between "child" and "adult" was much earlier back then so it is more of a downplayed example.
* ''Fanfic/WhereTalentGoesOnVacation'' has Yukari Nagato, the homeroom teacher for the junior class of Talent High School, and the mother of Chiyuri Nagato. While most of the students are 16 when they get into Talent High School (and [[ChildProdigy Miharu Mihama]] is 11), Yukari is 40 years old. Since Yukari isn't an Ultimate, Monokuma has her imprisoned below decks in the ship, and threatens to execute her with the spotless if someone graduates.
[[/folder]]

[[folder:Films -- Live-Action]]
* ''Film/{{Bushwhacked}}'' is a comedy starring Daniel Stern as Max Grabelski, a sleazy delivery guy who thinks he's been framed for murder. He impersonates a Scout leader with a group of kids while on the run into the woods, and intends to ditch the group later, but they all [[FireForgedFriends grow to like each other]], and he starts to become the role.
* ''Film/GodzillaVsKong'': [[Characters/MonsterVerseFamilies Bernie Hayes]] is the sole adult on the three-man Team Godzilla led by the teenaged Madison Russell, who recruits him for the aid he can provide in investigating Apex. Although [[BunnyEarsLawyer he's definitely not the most mature-acting member of the team, which is quite the achievement when both his teammates are literally high school aged]].
* ''Film/TheRocker'': Creator/RainnWilson plays failed drummer "Robert Fishman" who joins a band of people 20 years younger.
[[/folder]]

[[folder:Literature]]
* Defied in ''Literature/HarryPotterAndTheDeathlyHallows''. Lupin asks the PowerTrio if he can be SixthRanger to them, but Harry tells him rather bluntly that he needs to stay with his wife and their unborn child instead.
* ''Literature/TheOutsiders'': Everyone in the gang is a teenager, mostly 16-17 with one Tagalong Kid at 14. The one outlier is Darry, who is 20 and the leader.
* Wedge Antilles in the ''Literature/XWingSeries'' novels, particularly the ''Wraith Squadron'' trilogy, isn't chronologically that much older than his pilots -- but he's vastly more experienced and way more emotionally stable than the DysfunctionJunction that is Wraith Squadron (to say nothing of his [[BunnyEarsLawyer Bunny Ears XO]], Janson). He directly compares the squadron to his children several times, and his much-put-upon lament that "Wes, [[HereWeGoAgain they're doing it to me again...]]" becomes a notable running gag.
-->'''Wedge:''' I'm leading children, and I'm getting them killed.\\
'''Janson:''' That's true.\\
'''Wedge:''' What did you say?\\
'''Janson:''' It's true. ''[shrugs]'' Wedge, you asked for [[MilitaryMaverick misfits]]. You had to know that even with the ones that made the grade, they were going to take losses that were heavier than in a normal unit. So many of them are carrying around these weights of emotional problems. It makes it tougher for them to hop in the right direction at the right time.
* In ''Literature/TheColSecTrilogy'', [[spoiler:thirty-something Bren Lathan]] becomes a SixthRanger for a central cast with an average age of about seventeen otherwise.
* ''Literature/TheHeroesOfOlympus: The Lost Hero'': For once in ''Literature/TheCampHalfBloodSeries'', the trio of heroes this time get a tagalong guardian, 100-year old Coach Gleason Hedge, to supervise them on a journey that most half-bloods die screaming in failure. Unfortunately, his persona in the mortal world is an "Aluminum Bat" abusive coach and his real persona is an inattentive, gluttonous hippie. He does have his uses.
* In ''Literature/{{Hawksmaid}}'', Friar Tuck is the token adult in Myth/RobinHood's otherwise teenaged outlaw band.
[[/folder]]

[[folder:Live-Action TV]]
* Giles in ''Series/BuffyTheVampireSlayer'', is an adult leader working for the Watchers, who watch over the Slayers. He acts as a father figure to Buffy and {{mentor}} to their team, sometimes, but is usually not part of the action himself. This counts before the main characters become competent adults themselves.
* ''Series/DuckDynasty'': Uncle Si is the only person his age (in his 60s) working at the duck call business. He's a BunnyEarsLawyer, who frequently takes naps, snack, hunting, and basketball "breaks", and plenty of other hijinks with the younger guys at work. As much as he'd like to, since no-one else will take his job, Willie just can't get rid of him.
* ''Series/HenryDanger'': Ray/Captain Man was this by a technicality through most of the show’s run, as Schwoz never got added to the opening credits until Season 5.
* ''Series/ICarly'': Spencer often gets involved in the teenage PowerTrio's antics, despite being a good ten-fifteen years older than them.
* Donald Davenport, played by Creator/HalSparks, from ''Series/LabRats'', is the only adult credited as a lead on the show, though you could argue Maile Flanagan as Perry is unofficially a lead character.
* ''Series/MickeyMouseClub'' had two adults, Jimmie Dodd and Roy Williams, who regularly interacted with the cast of children who were the Mouseketeers.
* Horace Diaz from ''Series/MightyMed'' is the only main adult character on the show (though technically he never made it past guest star status), unless you count Wallace and Clyde in the first season.
* ''Series/NedsDeclassifiedSchoolSurvivalGuide'' only credits Gordy as a main character amongst the faculty (although Mr. Monroe got starring credits in the first season).
* ''Series/{{NCIS}}'': Gibbs is the local CoolOldGuy in charge of the major case team. The rest of the cast [[SurroundedByIdiots often being distracted by various things]] or being held back by their character flaws, and never reaching his place in the CompetenceZone.
* ''Series/PowerRangersDinoThunder'': Tommy Oliver is the only one of the Dino Rangers who isn't a teenager. As this [[Series/MightyMorphinPowerRangers is not]] [[Series/PowerRangersZeo his first]] [[Series/PowerRangersTurbo time]] battling the forces of evil, he is the perfect mentor for the team and can understand what they are going through more than anyone else. It also helps he is their high school teacher.
* ''Series/PowerRangersMysticForce'': Daggeron is the SixthRanger but also a full adult compared to the young adults making up the core team. As such he also becomes a secondary mentor to them alongside Udonna.
* ''Series/{{Psych}}'': Henry Spencer, is hired by the Chief of Police to be Shawn and Gus's adult in later seasons. Because [[ManChild they're immature]] and use questionable methods of solving crimes that get them into trouble, hiring Henry minimizes risk. He was already Shawn's {{mentor}}, and his Dad, so it works out.
* Jim's dad, Rocky, on ''Series/TheRockfordFiles'' zigzags this trope. Sometimes he is a voice of reason for his son, as well as for Angel. Other times Rocky is the kid. But he always makes Jim see things froma different perspective.
* ''Series/SavedByTheBell'' has Mr. Belding, the only adult to be credited as a main character (except Max in the first season). The rest of the adults appear in only a few episodes at most, but Mr. Belding appears in nearly every episode. He occasionally even hangs around the 6 main students.
* ''Series/SquarePegs'': In two episodes Johnny's band "Open 24 Hours" performs. It includes himself on lead vocal, some other teens as backup singers/guitar/etc., and John Densmore from Music/TheDoors on drums (age about 38).
* Mr. Moseby from ''Series/TheSuiteLifeOfZackAndCody'' became this for ''On Deck'' after Carey left the show.
* Whenever Atticus has successfully joined the gang in ''Series/ToddAndTheBookOfPureEvil'' he tries to fill this role. His complete lack of maturity makes him a poor fit for it, though.
* ''Series/{{Victorious}}'' has a few episodes where Sikowitz, the gang's acting teacher, will join in with the group's daily adventure.
[[/folder]]

[[folder:Music]]
* Music/{{Descendents}} first formed when guitarist Frank Navetta, drummer Bill Stevenson, and later singer Milo Auckerman were all in the range of 15 to 17 years old. Bassist Tony Lombardo, meanwhile, was in his mid-thirties.
* Music/TheOffspring provide a [[DownplayedTrope downplayed]] example; guitarist Noodles was only two years older than the other members of the band and was a janitor at the high school that the other members went to, but joined because the small age gap meant he was the only person who could buy everyone beer.
* Music/{{The Rolling Stones|Band}}: Their former bassist Bill Wyman is 7-10 years older than the rest of the band. After he "retired" they didn't officially add another bassist.
** The band's long-time pianist/road manager Ian Stewart was the same way, older than the other guys but not quite as old a Bill Wyman. He also looked noticeably older and beefier than the others, which was why he was demoted to an unofficial member of the band.
[[/folder]]

[[folder:Video Games]]
* ''VideoGame/AtelierRorona'': Most of the playable characters are in their teens. Then there's the 28-year old Sterk. And later we also get CoolOldGuy Gio, who's in his forties. Both of them are considered the most powerful party members.
* ''VideoGame/CrescentPrism'': At 27 years old, Rain is the only adult party member. After the ten year timeskip, everyone is an adult.
* ''VideoGame/DigimonSurvive'': Among the humans trapped in the digital world, [[EveryoneCallsHimBarkeep the Professor]] is the only adult, while the rest are around elementary or middle school age.
* ''Franchise/{{Disgaea}}''
** Subverted in ''VideoGame/Disgaea2CursedMemories''. All Characters that join your party are in their teens, or less, except for [[ReallySevenHundredYearsOld Etna, who is about 1400 years old]]. However, she doesn't look, or act, like she's any older than 14 years old.
** Played straight in ''VideoGame/Disgaea3AbsenceOfJustice'' with the HotBlooded [[RealMenWearPink Home Ec]] teacher Mr.Champloo, in a game where all other playable characters are the students of the Evil Academy.
* ''VideoGame/FinalFantasyV'': Galuf is a token grandpa among a team of people in their early 20s. He eventually gets replaced with his [[TagalongKid 14-year old granddaughter,]] Krile.
* ''VideoGame/FireEmblemThreeHouses''
** A downplayed example with Hubert von Vestra if playing as the Black Eagles. Hubert is 20 at the start of the game, while the rest of the Black Eagles are in their teens. It's downplayed because Dorothea is 18 at the start, while Ferdinand and Edelgard turn 18 early into the story.
** In the Blue Lions, Mercedes is 22 at the start of the game, and is older than all of her fellow Blue Lions.
* ''VideoGame/GoldenSun''
** Kraden, a 70 year old scholar who goes on a journey with a party consisting of 3 teens and someone who [[VagueAge is implied to be]] Really700YearsOld but looks to be in his early twenties, in the second game, ''VideoGame/GoldenSunTheLostAge''. [[spoiler:Which by the end of the game has become ''seven'' teens and the probably-Really700YearsOld guy.]] He's not actually a playable character, though, instead serving as MrExposition.
** ''VideoGame/GoldenSunDarkDawn''
*** 30 years later, Kraden reprises his role, with the teen-aged descendants of the cast of the first game, ''VideoGame/GoldenSun1''. He still isn't a playable character.
*** Eoleo, who is in his early thirties (as he was seen as a toddler in the previous game), joins the playable cast this time around.
*** Hou Zan might also count, being an elderly man traveling with his grandchildren who turns out to be quite the BadassNormal.
* ''VideoGame/{{MOTHER}}''
** ''VideoGame/EarthBoundBeginnings'': Most of the main characters aren't over 12 except for Teddy who is about or over 20 years old.
** ''VideoGame/Mother3'': Duster is [[VagueAge most likely]] at least in his mid-20s, while Lucas is about 13 and Kumatora's around 17.
* ''VideoGame/Persona2'':
** During the ''Innocent Sin'' half of the duology, both Maya Amano (23) and Yukino Mayuzumi (20) fight alongside high schoolers Tatsuya (18), Lisa (17), and Eikichi (16). While Yukino more or less plays this straight, Maya, while clearly acting as an [[CoolBigSis upbeat sister type]] to the rest of the group (all too fitting when it's revealed that [[spoiler:she babysat them a number of years prior when they were children]]), can also be very immature at times, occasionally even more so than the teens. This gets emphasized more when Yukino leaves them and is replaced by another teenager, [[spoiler:Jun (17).]]
** This gets inverted in ''Eternal Punishment,'' which is the only installment to date to feature a party of adults: Maya leads this time around, accompanied by her roommate Ulala (24), Tatsuya's cop brother Katsuya (25), extortionist Baofu (32), and - depending on a rumor you spread - either Kei Nanjo or Eriko Kirishima (both 20). Late in the game, Tatsuya joins in place of either Eriko or Kei as the sole underage party member.
* ''VideoGame/Persona4'':
** The game has the protagonist's uncle's partner, Adachi, who isn't in on the secret (as the police were in ''3''), but works as a FriendOnTheForce for the investigation team, who are all high school students. [[spoiler: Until he turns out to be the one behind the murders]]. Said uncle ends up serving the role (again, without finding out about the supernatural aspects).
** Igor, the old man who serves as the proprietor of the Velvet Room, and appears in every ''Persona'' game to date, to contract with the protagonist, and aid him via Persona fusion to obtain more powerful Personas. He also serves as MrExposition, to explain the mechanics of Personas. He's essentially been the BigGood of the ''Persona'' series ever since Philemon departed after ''Persona 2''. He's the, first, and most important ally the protagonist has.
* ''VideoGame/Persona5Strikers'' has Zenkichi Hasegawa, an adult assistant police inspector who teams up with the teenage Phantom Thieves to solve the latest crisis. The Phantom Thieves repeatedly poke fun at his age as a RunningGag.
* ''Psychic 5'' is an old arcade game where the titular [=ESPer=] playable characters are four kids and an 80-something man called Genzoh.
* ''VideoGame/DevilSummoner'' (1995) has an interesting aversion with Demon Hunter Kyouji, who could have been this to the protagonist, and his girlfriend, who are both college students. Except, shortly after they meet in the beginning, [[AnyoneCanDie Kyouji dies under suspicious circumstances]].
* ''VideoGame/SkiesOfArcadia'': All three of the rotating party members, though Drachma (pictured above) is the first and most prominent example. A bitter old sailor who lost [[Literature/MobyDick his family to]] [[AnimalNemesis an arcwhale]], he saves Vyse and company when their ship capsizes. Although he's not very happy to accept help from a bunch of youngsters (all three are 17), he does reluctantly agree to let them stay on his ship as long as they pull their weight, and they get sailing experience in exchange. That is until they get separated. Then Gilder replaces him for a while, but Drachma's notable because his story arc is developed a lot more than Gilder's. After Gilder comes Enrique, who's on the fuzzier end of the trope: he's 25, but his sheltered upbringing and [[OlderThanTheyLook youthful features]] don't make him stand out as much against the three leads.
* ''VideoGame/TalesSeries''
** Jade Curtiss of ''VideoGame/TalesOfTheAbyss'', who is in his 30's. All his teammates are no older than 18, the only exception being Guy (age 21) who is one of the last members to join after Jade and Anise. Guy doesn't take up much of a leading role either preferring to [[OneOfTheKids crack jokes]] [[PluckyComicRelief with (and at)]] Luke and company instead.
** Claus F. Lester from ''VideoGame/TalesOfPhantasia'' is the only adult in a team where nobody else is older than 18.
** Raven is frequently referred to as the group's "old man" in ''VideoGame/TalesOfVesperia''.
** In fact, this is a staple of the Tales series-- nearly every game has at least one main party member over the age of 21.
** ''VideoGame/TalesOfSymphonia'' averts this, as approximately ''half'' of its playable cast is over 20.
* This trope has popped up a few times in the ''VideoGame/TrailsSeries''.
** ''VideoGame/TheLegendOfHeroesTrailsOfColdSteel II'' has [[BadassTeacher Sara Valestein]] who accompanies Class VII throughout the CivilWar. Meanwhile in ''Cold Steel III'', this position is taken up by [[TheHero Rean Schwarzer]] who is the field instructor to his students in the new Class VII.
** ''VideoGame/TheLegendOfHeroesTrailsIntoReverie'' has C and his party. C himself is the oldest in the group for a majority of his route due to his true identity being [[spoiler:Rufus Albarea, who was formerly a major antagonist in the Erebonia arc at age 29.]] His companions meanwhile are in their early teens and a talking doll who has only been active for half a year.
** For the first two chapters of ''VideoGame/TheLegendOfHeroesTrailsThroughDaybreak'', Van Arkride unwittingly leads his employees who are still in their teens in his daytime job as a Spriggan, a worker who takes on jobs that skirts near the line of the law.
* ''VideoGame/WildArms''
** ''VideoGame/WildArms1:'' Jack Van Burace. A 27 year old treasure hunter, and expert swordsman, amidst a team of teenagers, trying to save a dying world. His main reason for tagging along is he hopes to find an item called the "guardian blade" while traveling with them so that he can become powerful.
*** Jack's Wind Mouse companion, Hanpan, ''might'' be older than anyone on the team, but the game never explains what a "Wind Mouse" is in the first place.
** ''VideoGame/WildArms2'': Brad Evans is 31 years old, and a war veteran from a revolution years before the story starts. The only other playable character in the party that's technically older than he is is the [[Really700YearsOld Immortal,]] [[FriendlyNeighborhoodVampires Vampire]], Marivel Armitage, but she's an optional character. Kanon, seems to be around the same age as Ashley, but we [[VagueAge never learn her actual age]]. The rest of the party are known to be over a decade younger than Brad.
[[/folder]]

[[folder:Visual Novels]]
* ''VisualNovel/HigurashiWhenTheyCry'': Detective Akasaka plays this role to the teenage main cast by returning to Hinamizawa on a hunch and [[spoiler: ending up protecting them from [[BodyguardBetrayal Takano and]] [[MurderInc the Yamainu]] who murder many people, and are out to get Rika too]]. Ooishi would have been this but he is too aloof and often antagonizes the kids.
* ''VisualNovel/DanganronpaTriggerHappyHavoc'': Yasuhiro Hagakure, Ultimate Clairvoyant, is 20 years old (edited to 21 in the game's localization) compared to the other cast members implicitly being around 16-17. [[HeldBackInSchool In a cast exclusively composed of high school students.]] He's ironically one of the ''[[ManChild least]]'' [[CloudCuckoolander mature]] cast members, though he does have his moments of ''trying'' to act his age or encourage others (the one that stands out being [[spoiler:in the third chapter, where he's unique among the cast for putting in a genuine effort to reach out during Ishimaru's HeroicBSOD]]), and shakily starts to move past the worst of it with CharacterDevelopment [[spoiler:that continues after his survival into the other series installments he appears in.]]
* ''VisualNovel/KindredSpiritsOnTheRoof'' has Tsukuyo Sonou, a 24-year-old teacher who's the oldest regularly appearing character(not counting the ghosts), [[OlderThanTheyLook even if she doesn't look the part]].
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[[folder:Web Comics]]
* Zachary in ''Webcomic/BittersweetCandyBowl'' during their vacation arc. He's in his early 20's, while the other characters are in their freshman to junior years in high school. He helps the group out multiple times, in a crisis.
* Characters in ''Webcomic/CucumberQuest'' have intentionally vague ages. But third member to join, Sir Carrot, is [[http://gigidigi.tumblr.com/post/75358888766/princesskaiju-asked-you-if-you-had-the confirmed to be an Adult]] by Gigi. While "Cucumber and the rest are just kids". Carrot is also a [[KnightInShiningArmor Knight]], that's vowed to rescue his Princess Parfait, who is trapped in Caketown Castle. [[TitleDrop Cucumber's quest]] to find the dreamsword, and defeat the Nightmare Knight just happens coincide with Carrot's goal.
* ''Webcomic/{{Paranatural}}'' has Mr. Spender as a club adviser, assigned to supervise their club. The rest of the activity club being about 12.
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[[folder:Web Original]]
* Jun Kim of ''Literature/{{Galactiquest}}'' feels like this, being nearly a decade older than most of their crewmates, including the captains. However, they're still [[ImprobableAge pretty young for their mission]] being only 27, and two of their friends on the crew are closer in age. But those two aren't really [[{{Delinquent}} typical]] [[CloudCuckooLander adults]].
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[[folder:Western Animation]]
* In ''WesternAnimation/AdventureTime'', Jake the Dog is the closest thing to this in the show, being in a serious relationship, which makes him more of an adult than Finn is, and being old enough to give Finn advice about growing up. Being a dog his age goes by dog years so he matures faster than Finn does. Them being technically adoptive brothers also gives Finn a reason to trust him with a lot of things.
* ''WesternAnimation/AmericanDad'': Parodied in the episode "American Dream Factory" where Steve forms a band consisting of his school friends and a coke-snorting JadedWashout for their drummer. He is eventually replaced by the similarly older Roger.
-->'''Barry:''' We told you, no drugs!\\
'''Gerry:''' And I told you if I was responsible, I wouldn't be in a band with a bunch of 14-year-olds!
* ''WesternAnimation/{{Arthur}}'': Francine's band "U Stink" consists of her and several of her 3rd grade friends, plus 60-something Mrs. [=MacGrady=] on keyboard.
* ''WesternAnimation/{{Ben 10}}'' has Grandpa Max, an [[ParentalSubstitute authority figure]] to Ben and Gwen on their trip, and an OldSoldier [[spoiler: since he was a member of "The Plumbers" who even BigBad Vilgax is scared of]].
* ''WebAnimation/BravestWarriors'' has the Emotion Lord as the Token Adult often tagging along with a group of teenagers. He wants to help and be part of the team, but Chris keeps telling him to go away because he is too old. [[spoiler:Although the Emotion Lord is actually Chris from the future.]]
* ''WesternAnimation/CarmenSandiego'' has a [[DownplayedTrope downplayed]] example with [[spoiler:Shadow-San]], a former member of VILE's high command who joins Carmen's crew of young adults after he betrays the organization. It helps that he used to be one of Carmen's teachers and is an OldSoldier, so he's able to divulge information on VILE's inner workings that Carmen simply doesn't have.
* ''WesternAnimation/ClassOf3000'' has Sunny Bridges, who is the only adult of the main eight characters, the other seven being in the 12-13 bracket. It's [[JustifiedTrope justified]], as he's a teacher and they're students.
* ''WesternAnimation/TheFunnyCompany'' was a group of children--and a Native American man in a stereotypical feather headdress called Super Chief, who sounded like a train horn when he opened his mouth ("Super Chief" was the name of a well-known train that used Native American themes).
* ''WesternAnimation/GravityFalls'': While Grunkle Stan is Dipper and Mabel's guardian for the summer, his [[spoiler: feigned]] ignorance of the supernatural activities in Gravity Falls means that Soos, the Mystery Shack's handyman is the only adult consistently tagging along for Dipper and Mabel's adventures.
* ''WesternAnimation/KidCosmic'': Papa G is the sole adult of the team. The rest of the team consists of a toddler, a teenager, a young child and a cat.
* ''WesternAnimation/TheMagicSchoolBus'' has [[CoolTeacher Ms. Valerie Frizzle]], who takes her class of elementary school students on exotic field trips. Her age is vague, but it's clear that she's an adult, [[OneOfTheKids even if she doesn't always act like one]].
* ''WesternAnimation/StormHawks'': While not quite as extreme as some of the age gaps on this page, AirborneAircraftCarrier pilot Stork is a 20-year-old on a squadron of 14-year-olds.
* ''Franchise/TeenageMutantNinjaTurtles'': Splinter, in all incarnations, is the Turtles' OldMaster and ParentalSubstitute who teaches them the art of the ninja, and stealth to hide from the cold eyes of the world. The Turtles are always teenagers.
* In ''WesternAnimation/{{Wakfu}}'' Ruel Stroud, an elder to the rest of the team, joins because he's asked to watch over Yugo by his old friend Alibert who is Yugo's adoptive father. He agrees since he's become fond of Yugo. All of the other characters are younger than 19. Yugo is 12.
* ''WesternAnimation/TheWildThornberrys''. In an episode called "The Dragon and the Professor", Eliza Thornberry is dying to see a komodo dragon, but her plans are halted by her tutor who wants her to do homework. The solution? She does it anyway, and her tutor becomes her adult as he tags along with her to find it.
* ''WesternAnimation/ZakStorm'': The 7C's are almost all children in their teens with the exception of the the Chaos, a sentient ship with no known age, and Calabrass, the titular hero's [[TalkingWeapon talking sword]] and mentor.
[[/folder]]
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