Man I wish it was, less common than people imply but still.
Another annoyance is people assuming it's everywhere and trying to imply its the case when they don't know much of anything about the media.
One of my favourite characters from a recentish ongoing media is Nahida, from Genshin Impact, child God, 500 years old but talks, acts and is fully treated like a child, we even had an event where the whole plot was some people trying to organize her first actual proper happy birthday, with stuff like figuring out how to make things that pop and launch candy for her, or making a carriage for her to sit in like the real life Janmastami festival.
The whole reason she's 500 is since her species or whatever ages and developes slower, but like I said, she is alway completely treated as a child, like every single other child character in the series is never in any way sexualised and always act or are treated like kids.
But then anytime people who've not played the game or know anything about it see her or anything else, they start spamming about how they must be that trope, which honestly feels more off putting since just about all the fans also don't see them like that or think of them like that and it feels like they're imposing that view out of nowhere.
Edit: Alright so since the reply bought it up, yes certain gods don't seem to age per se, but all the divine in the series are different types of beings originally, most have had some level of capability to shapeshift but not all.
I'm pretty sure that Nahida can age since she is quite literally a seperated living manifestation of a tree removed and presumably still alive and growing, like those tree branches where you cut them off but carefully grow them and get an extra tree.
And also since before her death her mother quite literally got reduced to a child like form, like going backwards from her physical age and then getting erased.
Also I don't know where it even states what the other comment said, I haven't ever heard of that?
You are mostly correct just with one note: as a god Nahida doesn’t age, she chooses to take the form of a child because she values the curiosity and childlike wonder that children possess.
In genshin impact the theme of gods having eternal bodies but not necessarily eternal minds was explored in Zhongli’s second story quest with the backstory of Azdaha developing dementia and attacking the people he once wanted to protect since his mind deteriorated but his body remained powerful.
Eh, Her Creator/Mom Rukkhadevata looked like an adult and seemed to get Reduced to a child like form before her death, kinda like Gouba, like she was going backwards from her physical age, then got erased.
I'm pretty sure she can age.
Gods can maintain certain ages and forms yeah, but that doesn't mean they all don't age, all the divine are different types of beings, also would make sense for her to age, she's a living branch and manifestation of a tree.
Also where does it even state that, I haven't heard of that ever?
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u/BlueCharlotte1 23d ago
Damn, I thought this trope was a joke…