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** Jedi Padawans such as Ahsoka Tano could very much be considered this. Ahsoka is only fourteen at the beginning of the series and yet leads troops into battle and gets into the thick of the fighting herself. Their talent with the Force and training from childhood makes even the Padawans very deadly warriors. However, Ahsoka is an outlier as she was a TeenGenius while the majority of Padawans enter the field in their late teens or early adulthood.

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** Jedi Padawans such as [[Characters/StarWarsAhsokaTano Ahsoka Tano Tano]] could very much be considered this. Ahsoka is only fourteen at the beginning of the series and yet leads troops into battle and gets into the thick of the fighting herself. Their talent with the Force and training from childhood makes even the Padawans very deadly warriors. However, Ahsoka is an outlier as she was a TeenGenius while the majority of Padawans enter the field in their late teens or early adulthood.



* Hunter the Golden Guard from ''WesternAnimation/TheOwlHouse'' is a highly trained soldier raised in a militaristic cult, and serves as TheDragon to Emperor Belos at just 16 years old. Being Belos's nephew, having no other surviving family, and believing that he doesn't have a future outside of the Emperor's Coven due to his [[FictionalDisability lack of magic]], Hunter was drafted into scout training at a very young age, isolated from the outside world, and ConditionedToAcceptHorror (among other things, he fondly recalls being dropped on the top of a mountain with a bunch of other trainees and seeing who would make it to the bottom alive). This, on top of being subjected to parentification, {{gaslighting}} and regular physical and psychological abuse at the hands of [[AbusiveParents Belos]], has left Hunter's emotional and social growth horribly stunted. Underneath the veneer of haughtiness, he's a kind, creative, and deeply anxious boy who just wants to be a normal teenager, but never got the chance to be [[spoiler:until he got trapped in the human realm in Season 3]]. Made even worse after the reveal that [[spoiler:Hunter is actually the latest in a long line of Grimwalkers, {{Expendable Clone}}s created specifically to be the Golden Guard and discarded as soon as they show the slightest signs of disloyalty or disobedience.]]

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* [[Characters/TheOwlHouseTheGoldenGuard Hunter the Golden Guard Guard]] from ''WesternAnimation/TheOwlHouse'' is a highly trained soldier raised in a militaristic cult, and serves as TheDragon to Emperor Belos at just 16 years old. Being Belos's nephew, having no other surviving family, and believing that he doesn't have a future outside of the Emperor's Coven due to his [[FictionalDisability lack of magic]], Hunter was drafted into scout training at a very young age, isolated from the outside world, and ConditionedToAcceptHorror (among other things, he fondly recalls being dropped on the top of a mountain with a bunch of other trainees and seeing who would make it to the bottom alive). This, on top of being subjected to parentification, {{gaslighting}} and regular physical and psychological abuse at the hands of [[AbusiveParents Belos]], has left Hunter's emotional and social growth horribly stunted. Underneath the veneer of haughtiness, he's a kind, creative, and deeply anxious boy who just wants to be a normal teenager, but never got the chance to be [[spoiler:until he got trapped in the human realm in Season 3]]. Made even worse after the reveal that [[spoiler:Hunter is actually the latest in a long line of Grimwalkers, {{Expendable Clone}}s created specifically to be the Golden Guard and discarded as soon as they show the slightest signs of disloyalty or disobedience.]]
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* ''VideoGame/TalesOfSymphoniaDawnOfTheNewWorld'' gives us Alice, one of the main antagonists who's part of a terrorist organization and is ''clearly'' underage. Marta, too, who is only 15-years-old.

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* ''VideoGame/TalesOfSymphoniaDawnOfTheNewWorld'' gives us Alice, one of the main antagonists who's part of a terrorist organization and is ''clearly'' underage. at only 18. (She's OlderThanSheLooks though - due to being a half elf) Marta, too, who is only 15-years-old.

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** There are also the kids in the prologue of ''Echoes: Shadows of Valentia'', who are 8-11, but the villain Slayde starts that fight and the general strategy for that map is to have them hide behind CoolOldGuy Mycen while he takes care of the dirty work.
** In ''VideoGame/FireEmblemEngage'', while the ages of the characters [[VagueAge are never specified in-game]], Jean, Clanne and Framme look no older than their early teens. Hortensia, second princess of Elusia, seems slightly older, but she's one of the younger characters. She was studying at Elusia's academy, along with her friends Rosado and Goldmary when the Fell Dragon awakened and they were called to war. [[https://www.escapistmagazine.com/what-are-the-character-ages-in-fire-emblem-engage/ Datamining]] puts most of them in their mid-teens to mid-twenties, with Anna being 11 and Jean being ''10'', making the latter the youngest playable character in the series.

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** ''VideoGame/FireEmblemRadiantDawn'' also has [[AChildShallLeadThem Empress Sanaki]], who is 13 years old.
** There are also the kids in the prologue of ''Echoes: Shadows of Valentia'', who are 8-11, but the villain Slayde starts that fight and the general strategy for that map is to have them hide behind CoolOldGuy Mycen while he takes care of the dirty work.
work - because [[SurprisinglyRealisticOutcome they're children who can be easily killed]].
** In ''VideoGame/FireEmblemEngage'', while the ages of the characters [[VagueAge are never specified in-game]], Jean, Clanne and Framme look no older than their early teens. Hortensia, second princess of Elusia, seems slightly older, but she's one of the younger characters. She was studying at Elusia's academy, along with her friends Rosado and Goldmary when the Fell Dragon awakened and they were called to war. [[https://www.escapistmagazine.com/what-are-the-character-ages-in-fire-emblem-engage/ Datamining]] puts most of them in their mid-teens to mid-twenties, with Anna being 11 and Jean being ''10'', making the latter the youngest playable character in the series. On a gameplay level, this is somewhat [[DeconstructedTrope deconstructed]] - as these characters tend to have low build & health stats. This means that they get slowed down by heavier weapons and can't take many hits before dying. The characters who're in their late teens who ''can'' are ones who've trained for much longer.
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* Some of the backstory for the ''VideoGame/{{Crusader}}'' games indicates the Silencer Corps (of whom the main character was a member) prospects are identified through mandatory testing on adolescents. It's also hinted that it's no so much physical prowess they're looking for as it is psychological suitability...
* ''VideoGame/Fallout3'', while not exactly soldiers the children who live in Little Lamplight are all well armed little nutjobs. You can even sell them guns, ammo, and drugs. And thermonuclear devices.

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* Some of the backstory for the ''VideoGame/{{Crusader}}'' games indicates that the Silencer Corps (of whom the main character was a member) prospects are identified through mandatory testing on adolescents. It's also hinted that it's no so much physical prowess they're looking for as it is psychological suitability...
* ''VideoGame/Fallout3'', while ''VideoGame/Fallout3'': While not exactly soldiers soldiers, the children who live in Little Lamplight are all well armed well-armed little nutjobs. You can even sell them guns, ammo, drugs, and drugs. And thermonuclear devices.



* Ikari Warrior's member Whip from ''VideoGame/TheKingOfFighters'' is only 16. She was also a TykeBomb, separated from her brother [[spoiler:K]]. Heidern really enjoys recruiting young girls for some reason.

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* Ikari Warrior's member Whip from ''VideoGame/TheKingOfFighters'' ''Franchise/TheKingOfFighters'' is only 16. She was also a TykeBomb, separated from her brother [[spoiler:K]]. Heidern really enjoys recruiting young girls for some reason.



* EmotionlessGirl Leona from ''VideoGame/TheKingOfFighters'' started this way, after [[spoiler: [[SelfMadeOrphan killing her own parents]] under Goenitz's MoreThanMindControl]] and being adopted by ColonelBadass Heidern [[spoiler: who had lost his daughter and wife]].

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* EmotionlessGirl Leona from ''VideoGame/TheKingOfFighters'' ''Franchise/TheKingOfFighters'' started this way, after [[spoiler: [[SelfMadeOrphan [[spoiler:[[SelfMadeOrphan killing her own parents]] under Goenitz's MoreThanMindControl]] and being adopted by ColonelBadass Heidern [[spoiler: who Heidern, [[spoiler:who had lost his daughter and wife]].

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* Spirits are raised from birth to be soldiers in ''VisualNovel/AseliaTheEternalTheSpiritOfEternitySword''. Birth doesn't appear to start at infancy for them, however.



* Mukuro Ikusaba in ''VisualNovel/DanganronpaTriggerHappyHavoc'' ran away from home to join a {{PMC}} at the age of 12 and spent the next three years going from battlefield to battlefield without sustaining a single injury, earning her the title of "[[SuperSoldier Ultimate Soldier]]".



[[folder:Visual Novels]]
* Spirits are raised from birth to be soldiers in ''VisualNovel/AseliaTheEternalTheSpiritOfEternitySword''. Birth doesn't appear to start at infancy for them, however.
* Mukuro Ikusaba in ''VisualNovel/DanganronpaTriggerHappyHavoc'' ran away from home to join a [[PrivateMilitaryContractors PMC]] at the age of 12 and spent the next three years going from battlefield to battlefield without sustaining a single injury, earning her the title of "[[SuperSoldier Ultimate Soldier]]".
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[[folder:Web Original]]

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[[folder:Web Original]]Originals]]



* The protagonist of ''VisualNovel/{{Planetarian}}'' is a former child soldier, and has {{Flashback Nightmare}}s about the experience throughout the game.



[[folder:Visual Novels]]
* The protagonist of ''VisualNovel/{{Planetarian}}'' is a former child soldier, and has {{Flashback Nightmare}}s about the experience throughout the game.
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[[folder:Web Original]]

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* Patrick Finn enlisted in the United States Marine Corps Reserve in 1947 on a 3 year enlistment at 15 years old by fudging his age, although he did not see any combat until he was over 18 since World War II had just concluded. He re-enlisted when his initial enlistment ended due to having worn out his uniform and was unable to pay the $92 fee to have it replaced. Shortly after his re-enlistment, UsefulNotes/TheKoreanWar broke out and he was deployed there in November 1950 and fought in the Battle of the Chosin Reservoir. He tells his story [[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=waBL6G-U-bQ here]].

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* Patrick Finn enlisted in the [[SemperFi United States Marine Corps Reserve Reserve]] in 1947 on a 3 year enlistment at 15 years old by fudging his age, although he did not see any combat until he was over 18 since World War II had just concluded. He re-enlisted when his initial enlistment ended due to having worn out his uniform and was unable to pay the $92 fee to have it replaced. Shortly after his re-enlistment, UsefulNotes/TheKoreanWar broke out and he was deployed there in November 1950 and fought in the Battle of the Chosin Reservoir. By age 19 he was a veteran of one of the most brutal battles of the entire war, and was evacuated to Hawaii for medical treatment and spent the remainder of the war on military police duty there. He tells his story [[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=waBL6G-U-bQ here]].
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* Patrick Finn enlisted in the United States Marine Corps Reserve in 1947 on a 3 year enlistment at 15 years old by fudging his age, although he did not see any combat until he was over 18 since World War II had just concluded. He re-enlisted when his initial enlistment ended due to having worn out his uniform and was unable to pay the $92 fee to have it replaced. Shortly after his re-enlistment, UsefulNotes/TheKoreanWar broke out and he was deployed there in November 1950 and fought in the Battle of the Chosin Reservoir. He tells his story [[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=waBL6G-U-bQ here]].

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->'''Andre''': I can see what you are thinking. But we need every man we can get.\\
'''Yuri''': Even if they're not men?\\
'''Andre''': A bullet from a 14-year-old is just as effective as one from a 40-year-old. Often more effective.

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->'''Andre''': ->'''Andre:''' I can see what you are thinking. But we need every man we can get.\\
'''Yuri''': '''Yuri:''' Even if they're not men?\\
'''Andre''': '''Andre:''' A bullet from a 14-year-old is just as effective as one from a 40-year-old. Often more effective.



* ''WebVideo/PiratesSMP'': It's stated that pirates have to be aged 15 and up to be able to join a faction. While most of the cast are ostensibly adults by the time the series takes place -- the youngest with a confirmed age being Kuervo at age 19, a handful of characters (usually legacy pirates themselves) either joined up very close to (if not outright ''at'') the lower limit or were straight-up raised into piracy and trained from a young age.
* The youngest ''WebOriginal/ProtectorsOfThePlotContinuum'' are about 13-years-old when they start in the field. The youngest agent ever, Ella Darcy, was ''ten'' when she joined, but she wasn't a field agent.

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* ''WebVideo/PiratesSMP'': ''WebVideo/PiratesSMP'':
**
It's stated that pirates have to be aged 15 and up to be able to join a faction. While most of the cast are ostensibly adults by the time the series takes place -- the youngest with a confirmed age being Kuervo at age 19, a handful of characters (usually legacy pirates themselves) either joined up very close to (if not outright ''at'') the lower limit or were straight-up raised into piracy and trained from a young age.
** Even then, [[spoiler:Kuervo himself]] plays the example straighter than usual, being [[spoiler:an established soldier in the Nayan Armada at age 16]] years before the events of the SMP, and is shown to be a ''very'' good shot with a handgun. [[spoiler:He ends up deserting after being caught committing mass {{Tyrannicide}} and sent on the run, culminating into his arrival on the Faction Isles.]]
* The youngest ''WebOriginal/ProtectorsOfThePlotContinuum'' are about 13-years-old 13 years old when they start in the field. The youngest agent ever, Ella Darcy, was ''ten'' when she joined, but she wasn't a field agent.



-->'''Jules''': But we're just kids!\\
'''Jimmy''': ''[Bleakly]'' War makes you go up fast.

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-->'''Jules''': -->'''Jules:''' But we're just kids!\\
'''Jimmy''': '''Jimmy:''' ''[Bleakly]'' War makes you go up fast.
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** [[spoiler:Raiden]] became a child soldier in the Liberian Civil War thanks to Solidus, recieving the nicknames of "White Devil" and "Jack the Ripper". Having a combat rifle at age six, he became captain of a unit of child soldiers ("the Small Boy Unit") at age ten. Similarly, Solidus himself was also heavily implied to be in his teens when he participated in the war.

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** [[spoiler:Raiden]] became a child soldier in the Liberian Civil War thanks to Solidus, recieving receiving the nicknames of "White Devil" and "Jack the Ripper". Having a combat rifle at age six, he became captain of a unit of child soldiers ("the Small Boy Unit") at age ten. Similarly, Solidus himself was also heavily implied to be in his teens when he participated in the war.
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Crosswicking

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* ''VideoGame/IWasATeenageExocolonist'': Growing up, Vace was raised aboard a military ship under strict instructions to arrest anyone alive at its destination. Thanks to his early training, he also gets promoted to lieutenant during the swearing-in ceremony while Sol and Anemone are promoted to officers despite only being three years younger than him.
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Updating links


* ''WesternAnimation/JusticeLeague'': In an alternate timeline where the Nazis won World War II, Franchise/{{Batman}} is the leader of an underground resistance. The majority of his soldiers are noticeably smaller than him and appear to be children or teens, including alternate versions of [[Characters/{{Robin}} Tim Drake]] and [[ComicBook/Batgirl2000 Cassandra Cain]]. Besides Batman himself, the only ones who are definitely adults are [[ComicBook/{{Nightwing}} Dick Grayson]] and [[ComicBook/{{Oracle}} Barbara Gordon]], who are in their early twenties at the oldest and have likely been fighting with him for years.

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* ''WesternAnimation/JusticeLeague'': In an alternate timeline where the Nazis won World War II, Franchise/{{Batman}} Characters/{{Batman|TheCharacter}} is the leader of an underground resistance. The majority of his soldiers are noticeably smaller than him and appear to be children or teens, including alternate versions of [[Characters/{{Robin}} [[Characters/RobinTimDrake Tim Drake]] and [[ComicBook/Batgirl2000 Cassandra Cain]]. Besides Batman himself, the only ones who are definitely adults are [[ComicBook/{{Nightwing}} [[Characters/NightwingDickGrayson Dick Grayson]] and [[ComicBook/{{Oracle}} Barbara Gordon]], who are in their early twenties at the oldest and have likely been fighting with him for years.
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* In the ''VideoGame/TrailsSeries'', it's mentioned that some Jaeger Corps will start taking the children of existing members onto the battlefield as young as age nine. While this is never shown directly, there are three characters who were this in their background who at least somewhat grew up before entering the story: Randy (who is traumatized by the former mercenary life), Shirley (who is an crazy BloodKnight), and Fie (who never speaks much about her life as a mercenary, but is rather undersocialized and at a loss as to what to do with herself after the Corps let her go after her father's death).

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* In the ''VideoGame/TrailsSeries'', it's mentioned that some Jaeger Corps will start taking the children of existing members onto the battlefield as young as age nine. While this is never shown directly, there are three characters who were this in their background who at least somewhat grew up before entering the story: Randy (who is traumatized by the his former mercenary life), Shirley (who is an a crazy BloodKnight), and Fie (who never speaks much about her life as a mercenary, but is rather undersocialized and at a loss as to what to do with herself after the Corps let her go after her father's death).
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Fixing a sinkhole


* In the ''VideoGame/TrailsSeries'', it's mentioned that some Jaeger Corps will start taking the children of existing members onto the battlefield as young as age nine. While this is never shown directly, there are three characters who were this in their background who at least somewhat grew up before entering the story: Randy (who is traumatized by the former mercenary life), Shirley (who is an AxeCrazy BloodKnight), and Fie (who never speaks much about her life as a mercenary, but is rather undersocialized and at a loss as to what to do with herself after the Corps let her go after her father's death).

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* In the ''VideoGame/TrailsSeries'', it's mentioned that some Jaeger Corps will start taking the children of existing members onto the battlefield as young as age nine. While this is never shown directly, there are three characters who were this in their background who at least somewhat grew up before entering the story: Randy (who is traumatized by the former mercenary life), Shirley (who is an AxeCrazy crazy BloodKnight), and Fie (who never speaks much about her life as a mercenary, but is rather undersocialized and at a loss as to what to do with herself after the Corps let her go after her father's death).

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* {{The Middle Ages}}: The training of a [[KnightInShiningArmor knight]] usually began at the age of seven (7), and it was claimed ''after twelve, the boy is fit only for a priest''. When a [[KidSamurai young nobleboy]] turned 14, he was expected to serve his master on the battlefield as a squire. Around age 20, he would serve as a full-fledged man-at-arms. It's noteworthy, though, that while training did begin at seven, the first years were generally spent under the tutelage of the wife of the knight the boy would eventually serve, where the boy was taught things such as proper etiquette and conduct, chess, music and other societal skills.

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* {{The Middle Ages}}: The training of a [[KnightInShiningArmor knight]] usually began at the age of seven (7), and it was claimed ''after twelve, the boy is fit only for a priest''. When a [[KidSamurai young nobleboy]] turned 14, he was expected to serve his master on the battlefield as a squire. Around age 20, he would serve as a full-fledged man-at-arms. It's noteworthy, though, that while training did begin at seven, the first years were generally spent under the tutelage of the wife of the knight the boy would eventually serve, where the boy was taught things such as proper etiquette and conduct, chess, music and other societal skills. They weren't expected to actually fight in battle until reaching squirehood unless the fight came to them, for the practical reason that most children that age wouldn't have the strength to make a meaningful contribution in the battle line anyway.


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* In the ''VideoGame/TrailsSeries'', it's mentioned that some Jaeger Corps will start taking the children of existing members onto the battlefield as young as age nine. While this is never shown directly, there are three characters who were this in their background who at least somewhat grew up before entering the story: Randy (who is traumatized by the former mercenary life), Shirley (who is an AxeCrazy BloodKnight), and Fie (who never speaks much about her life as a mercenary, but is rather undersocialized and at a loss as to what to do with herself after the Corps let her go after her father's death).
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** The Beauty & Beast Corps that Snake fights in ''VideoGame/MetalGearSolid4'' are all child soldiers who were horribly traumatized in their childhood. For example, Laughing Octopus was forced to laugh while she killed people, despite the fact that she found it horrifying, and so she cackles like a hyena all through her boss battle. At the end, she confesses, "I'm not really laughing..."

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** The Beauty & Beast Corps that Snake fights in ''VideoGame/MetalGearSolid4'' ''VideoGame/MetalGearSolid4GunsOfThePatriots'' are all child soldiers who were horribly traumatized in their childhood. For example, Laughing Octopus was forced to laugh while she killed people, despite the fact that she found it horrifying, and so she cackles like a hyena all through her boss battle. At the end, she confesses, "I'm not really laughing..."
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* ''VideoGame/{{Temtem}}'' is essentially ''Franchise/{{Pokemon}}'' with a hint of SurprisinglyRealisticOutcome, which the Kisiwa arc hammers in hard. The [[NebulousEvilOrganization Belsoto Clan]] invades the island of Kisiwa, creating a refugee crisis as the native [[{{Mons}} Temtem]] tamers try to hold them off and evacuate their families at the same time with many of them being the same age or not much older than the [[KidHero teenage player]], who ''also'' gets conscripted by LaResistance upon their arrival. It's stated that human and {{mon}} casualties are mounting on both sides, including [[spoiler: TheRival Max, who joined the opposite side and is [[DisneyVillainDeath seemingly killed]] [[WouldHurtAChild by General X]] for trying to desert.]]

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* ''VideoGame/{{Temtem}}'' is essentially ''Franchise/{{Pokemon}}'' with a hint of SurprisinglyRealisticOutcome, DarkerAndEdgier, which the Kisiwa arc hammers in hard. The [[NebulousEvilOrganization Belsoto Clan]] invades the island of Kisiwa, creating a refugee crisis as the native [[{{Mons}} Temtem]] tamers try to hold them off and evacuate their families at the same time with many of them being the same age or not much older than the [[KidHero teenage player]], who ''also'' gets conscripted by LaResistance upon their arrival. It's stated that human and {{mon}} casualties are mounting on both sides, including [[spoiler: TheRival Max, who joined the opposite side and is [[DisneyVillainDeath seemingly killed]] [[WouldHurtAChild by General X]] for trying to desert.]]
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* ''VideoGame/ShantaeRiskysRevenge'': After the second Magic Seal, Scuttle Town is under new management, and the yellow -dressed little girl in the second layer has thoughts about it, and what she guesses will happen to child education:
--> We are now a military town? If they start training us kids to be deadly assassins, I'm going to use my power to combat the evil that has taken a stranglehold on the town.
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* The main playable cast of ''VideoGame/FugaMelodiesOfSteel'' are self-inflicted versions of this. With the Berman Imperial Army's invasion of their home and abduction of their families for forced labor, the kids turn to commandeering a [[TankGoodness mysterious giant tank]] known as the Taranis for a chance at getting them back. While the kids do happen to be [[StrongAndSkilled competent]] and [[{{Determinator}} resolute]] enough to qualify for the precociously talented type, the game's WarIsHell theming highlights how they can still get hurt and depressed as a result of this constant fighting, along with how the game infamously has a mechanic where one of them can be [[{{Permadeath}} sacrificed]] to [[PoweredByAForsakenChild the Soul Cannon]] to ensure that the rest survive.
** One of the children, Britz, is an example of this twice over, having been conscripted into the Berman Army at a young age following his father's execution for treason. After doing some grunt work for the army for a few years (and likely witnessing first-hand the atrocities they committed), Britz ends up [[DefectorFromDecadence defecting]] from them through helping a prisoner-- Sheena, another one of the playable children-- escape from being subjected to cruel experimentation.
** Lore revelations in [[VideoGame/FugaMelodiesOfSteel2 the second game]] all but state that [[spoiler:the Taranis was ''intentionally designed'' to make use of child soldiers as its crew. Crusade, the organization that created the Taranis and Belenos thousands of years before, also created many [[ArtificialHuman hybrid]] children to act as pilots for them-- and so intent were they on using these hybrids that the Soul Cannon itself can ''only'' be powered by a child's life force. All of these hybrids barring one lucky survivor either died from Crusade's constant experiments or were outright killed on the battlefield. That [[SarcasmMode lucky survivor]], Jihl, was then promptly forced upon the Taranis for his usefulness as a renewable source of Soul Cannon energy. [[WoobieDestroyerOfWorlds He didn't take it well.]]]]
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** In ''VideoGame/FinalFantasyVII'', no one in the game seems to consider the idea of a 14-year-old Cloud Strife joining the Shinra Army unusual (Zack Fair also joined in at a similarly young age). And then there are people like Sephiroth, Yuffie, Shelke and Cissnei who started their fighting careers as mere children, although not through any choice of their own.

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** In ''VideoGame/FinalFantasyVII'', no one in the game seems to consider the idea of a 14-year-old 13-year-old Cloud Strife joining the Shinra Army unusual (Zack Fair also joined in at a similarly young age). And then there are people like Sephiroth, Yuffie, Shelke and Cissnei who started their fighting careers as mere children, although not through any choice of their own.



** ''VideoGame/FireEmblemThreeHouses'' has students of the Officers' Academy of Fodlan, some as young as 15, being taken into combat to fight against bandits and other threats as part of their training. Sothis, who's uncomfortable with this, grants Byleth the ability to turn back time in order to protect their students. Dimitri and Felix were around 15 when they suppressed a rebellion in their kingdom two years prior to the start of the game, and neither one is in good mental health afterwards, as Felix has become dour and obsessed with becoming stronger following the death of his brother prior to the rebellion, while Dimitri is struggling to keep his own sanity [[spoiler:and ultimately fails (unless the player goes on the Blue Moon route, in which case his sanity can be at least partially salvaged).]]

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** ''VideoGame/FireEmblemThreeHouses'' has students of the Officers' Academy of Fodlan, some as young as 15, being taken into combat to fight against bandits and other threats as part of their training. Sothis, who's uncomfortable with this, grants Byleth the ability to turn back time in order to protect their students. Dimitri and Felix were around 15 when they suppressed a rebellion in their kingdom two years prior to the start of the game, and neither one is in good mental health afterwards, as Felix has become dour and obsessed with becoming stronger following the death of his brother prior to the rebellion, while Dimitri is struggling to keep his own sanity [[spoiler:and ultimately fails (unless the player goes on the Blue Azure Moon route, in which case his sanity can be at least partially salvaged).]]

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* ''VideoGame/{{Drakengard}}'' features a few missions where the enemy soldiers are child conscripts. Naturally, Caim, being the murderous nutcase that he is, viciously slaughters them all, much to the dismay of his more level-headed comrades.

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* ''VideoGame/{{Drakengard}}'' features a few missions where the enemy soldiers are child conscripts. Naturally, Caim, being the murderous nutcase that he is, viciously slaughters them all, much to the dismay of his more level-headed comrades. On the other hand, Caim's dragon bond-creature doesn't seem to care.
-->'''Angelus:''' Soldiers are soldiers!

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* Done with a complete lack of angst in ''Literature/MagicalGirlHunters''. The protagonists stop to comment a few times on how horrible it is for children to be taught to fight at an early age. [[BlackComedy Usually right before putting a bullet between their eyes]].



* ''WebVideo/PiratesSMP'': It's stated that pirates have to be aged 15 and up to be able to join a faction. While most of the cast are ostensibly adults by the time the series takes place -- the youngest with a confirmed age being Kuervo at age 19, a handful of characters (usually legacy pirates themselves) either joined up very close to (if not outright ''at'') the lower limit or were straight-up raised into piracy and trained from a young age.



* Done with a complete lack of angst in ''Literature/MagicalGirlHunters''. The protagonists stop to comment a few times on how horrible it is for children to be taught to fight at an early age. [[BlackComedy Usually right before putting a bullet between their eyes]].



-->'''Tamika''': We do not look around. We do not look inside. We do not sleep. Our god is not a smiling god, [[BadassBoast and we are ready for this war]].

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-->'''Tamika''': -->'''Tamika:''' We do not look around. We do not look inside. We do not sleep. Our god is not a smiling god, [[BadassBoast and we are ready for this war]].
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** When Kamino comes under attack, the clone cadets take up arms to defend their home. Thanks to their accelerated growth, they're about half as young as they look.

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** When Kamino comes under attack, the clone cadets take up arms to defend their home. Thanks to their accelerated growth, they're about half as young as they look. (This also means the mature clone soldiers are actually only about 10-years-old.)
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* ''Webcomic/SleeplessDomain'': The {{Magical Girl}}s that fight monsters every night are little more than this, since they have no chance to refuse the powers they get if they have the dream that grants them. Magical girls ''lose'' their powers if they reach age 18 and they are the '''only''' line of defense, as mundane weapons, including the almost conspicuously absent guns, ''do not work on the monsters.'' They ''do'' have the right to refuse to go on patrol (as Zoe is currently doing), but there is a stigma against magical girls who don't pull their own weight, and for some the incentives outweigh the risks. [[spoiler: Including the risk of death, as what happened to Sylvia, Gwen, and Sally.]] Undine acknowledges how messed up it to make teenage girls fight for the city, but says SomeoneHasToDoIt. Tessa [[spoiler:(who lost her powers healing Undine)]] is showing signs of being a ShellShockedVeteran. Heartful Punch suggests that the M.G.S.I. covers up certain pieces of information [[spoiler:such as what happens if a magical girl gets pregnant]] in order to downplay the 'child' part of this trope.

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* ''Webcomic/SleeplessDomain'': The {{Magical Girl}}s that fight monsters every night are little more than this, since they have no chance to refuse the powers they get if they have the dream that grants them. Magical girls ''lose'' their powers if they reach age 18 and they are the '''only''' line of defense, as mundane weapons, including the almost conspicuously absent guns, ''do not work on the monsters.'' They ''do'' have the right to refuse to go on patrol (as Zoe is currently initially doing), but there is a stigma against magical girls who don't pull their own weight, and for some the incentives outweigh the risks. [[spoiler: Including the risk of death, as what happened to Sylvia, Gwen, and Sally.]] Undine acknowledges how messed up it to make teenage girls fight for the city, but says SomeoneHasToDoIt. Tessa [[spoiler:(who lost her powers healing Undine)]] is showing signs of being a ShellShockedVeteran. Heartful Punch suggests that the M.G.S.I. covers up certain pieces of information [[spoiler:such as what happens if a magical girl gets pregnant]] in order to downplay the 'child' part of this trope.
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*** ''The Phantom Pain'' has two key characters, in particular, who are child soldiers. The first is Tretij Rebenok, a child with terrifying preternatural abilities; and "Eli", the "White Mamba" and leader of a group of child soldiers in the Congo. [[spoiler:They would go on to become Psycho Mantis and Liquid Snake, respectively. Both also have some major mental baggage that prevented them from being well-adjusted: Tretij burned down his hometown when his telepathic powers revealed his father's loathing towards him, while Eli suffers from CloningBlues due to being born of the Les Effants Terribles project.]]

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*** ''The Phantom Pain'' has two key characters, in particular, who are child soldiers. The first is Tretij Rebenok, a child with terrifying preternatural abilities; and "Eli", the "White Mamba" and leader of a group of child soldiers in the Congo. [[spoiler:They would go on to become Psycho Mantis and Liquid Snake, respectively. Both also have some major mental baggage that prevented them from being well-adjusted: Tretij burned down his hometown when his telepathic powers revealed his father's loathing towards him, while Eli suffers from CloningBlues CloneAngst due to being born of the Les Effants Terribles project.]]
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Hurting Hero is a disambiguation


** Turians are said to have a life cycle similar to humans' but are also known to conscript ''every'' able-bodied young person into the military at only fifteen years of age. The psychological ramifications of subjecting teenagers to military life and warfare en masse are left unexplored (but maybe that explains [[HurtingHero Garrus]] and [[JumpingOffTheSlipperySlope Saren]]). Though it is worth noting that not only does outright warfare happen rarely and that the Turians work more like a militarized police for most of the galaxy, its mentioned that Turians are militarized on such a cultural level that prior to their unification the populations of captured cities were moved out of the city itself and into camps because otherwise there would be such rebellion that the city would be effectively burned down by the populace. Conscription of teens who are probably raised to think of it as a rite of passage into the space police is a little different than most child soldiers.

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** Turians are said to have a life cycle similar to humans' but are also known to conscript ''every'' able-bodied young person into the military at only fifteen years of age. The psychological ramifications of subjecting teenagers to military life and warfare en masse are left unexplored (but maybe that explains [[HurtingHero Garrus]] Garrus and [[JumpingOffTheSlipperySlope Saren]]). Though it is worth noting that not only does outright warfare happen rarely and that the Turians work more like a militarized police for most of the galaxy, its mentioned that Turians are militarized on such a cultural level that prior to their unification the populations of captured cities were moved out of the city itself and into camps because otherwise there would be such rebellion that the city would be effectively burned down by the populace. Conscription of teens who are probably raised to think of it as a rite of passage into the space police is a little different than most child soldiers.
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* Noodle from Music/Gorillaz is one of these.

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* %%* Noodle from Music/Gorillaz is one of these.
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Added DiffLines:

* Noodle from Music/Gorillaz is one of these.

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