#aging up

I just want to get your thoughts on this because for me, they are kids.

Also, if you are okay with aging up characters, are you okay with the fact that more likely than not there are minors who are going to be reading your work and thinking it’s okay to interact with adult content because the characters are only 14/15 years old?

You all use the argument that they “age faster” but they are still children. Lo’ak (and Neteyam too) don’t even look they have gone through puberty.

Again, I am not trying to fight. This fandom will forever be divided on this. I personally just don’t get the justification and would like to have a conversation about this.

Hey, I really appreciate you reaching out and wanting to have a respectful conversation about this. I get that this is a pretty sensitive and often divisive topic within the fandom, so l'll do my best to explain my perspective.

First off, it’s really important to remember that these characters are entirely fictional, they don’t exist in real life. Aging them up doesn’t mean being attracted to real children or teenagers, it’s about imagining these characters in a different context. Fiction and reality are separate things, and just because I choose to age up a character doesn’t mean I’m okay with or support anything inappropriate involving actual minors!

One of the main reasons I age up these characters is because, in canon, they still act a lot like kids, and that doesn’t really fit the kind of stories I want to tell. I like imagining them as adults because I can see how they would behave when they’re more mature, and that version of them is attractive to me. It’s not about being drawn to their younger selves at all.

Also, if it were just about making them barely legal to avoid criticism, I would age them up to around 18. But that’s not what I do. I usually make them at least 25-28 years old because that’s closer to my own age, and I’m attracted to people around my age group. I don’t want them to be just technically adults, i want to Imagine them as fully grown, mature individuals who fit the context of the stories I want to create.

To be honest, I do think these characters are all pretty looking, and that’s obviously a big reason why I want to write for them and imagine them as adults. It’s natural to find certain characters aesthetically appealing or interesting, and for me, aging them up makes sense because I want to picture them in a way that aligns with my own age and preferences.

When I first watched the movie, by the looks of them all I actually thought they were around 18 or 19 years old. They’re literally fighting in a war alongside their parents, and they’re portrayed as capable and skilled in battle, which gave off a more adult vibe. When I got home and looked up their ages, I was really surprised to find out they were younger. So when I create content, I’m imagining them as older, more mature versions of themselves, because that’s how they seemed to me at first, and it makes more sense for the stories I want to explore.

Another thing to keep in mind is that I don’t just say they’re aged up and leave the rest of their story as it is in the movies. I usually change a lot about their lives and their situations to make it even more obvious that they’re grown up. I reimagine their personalities, experiences, and relationships to reflect a more mature, adult version of them. I don’t just up their age number, i want to fully develop them as older, more mature individuals.

I understand that some people might still be uncomfortable with aging up characters, and that’s totally valid. But it’s important to recognize that aging up a fictional character is fundamentally different from being attracted to real-life minors. It’s about creativity and storytelling within the context of fiction, not real-life situations.

Again, I want to make it clear that aging up has nothing to do with being attracted to kids/teens. For me, it’s about reimagining these characters as adults so I can explore more mature themes in my work without feeling uncomfortable. In fanfiction and fandom spaces, aging up characters is a pretty common practice because it allows writers and creators to explore different scenarios, especially when canon doesn’t give us much to work with. It’s a way to take characters we love and think about how they might grow up, change, or navigate adult situations.

Also, another big reason why people age up characters is because they feel attached to the personalities, dynamics, or potential that these characters have, not because of their age in canon. It’s also important to remember that fictional characters aren’t real people, they don’t have actual lives, feelings, or experiences. When we age them up, we’re essentially creating alternate versions that are separate from their younger selves. It’s more about imagination and creativity than anything else.

Regarding the concern about minors consuming this content, I totally understand why that might worry some people. The reality of being on the internet is that it’s impossible to fully control who views what, but I do my best to act responsibly. I clearly label my content, include warnings, and state explicitly that it’s for adults only. If I find out that someone interacting with my work is a minor, I block them immediately. Ultimately, I can only control my own space and my own behavior. I take my responsibility as a creator seriously, but I’m not responsible for what others, especially minors, choose to engage with online.

In honor of The Sims 2’s 20th anniversary, I’d like to share an interesting fact about the aging mechanics in the game! 🎂

Why do Sims age up at 6 p.m.? Initially, during the game’s development, Sims were supposed to transition to the next life stage at 7 p.m. However, due to bug #37450, the time was changed to 6 p.m. Meanwhile, lighting transitions still happen at 7 p.m., creating an interesting discrepancy in the game’s schedule.

This fact was found in the objects.package file of the base game under the Text List (STR#) resource. The resource name is Dialog prim string set, group 0x7F07FBBC, instance 0x0000012, in the English language section. The developers’ comment explains the time change:

<-String->

$Object will grow up in just one day at 6 p.m. It's time to plan a party and buy $Object a Birthday Cake!

<-Desc->

The Sims 2 - Needs Translation - Batch24

8/1 change - time changed from 7 p.m. to 6 p.m. per bug 37450. Lighting transition is at 7 p.m., apparently.

This changed from 2 days to one day.

Note - this is the notification when a Sim is one day away from their age transition.

Screenshot from SIMPE:

While it may seem minor, for fans and game researchers, these small details reveal the true depth and complexity behind the game's development!

Source (RU):

Mentions of aging up, enjoying villian characters, and disliking popular characters.

Something I have noticed about anime becoming more popular and mainstream and also the rise in minors in certain spaces is a constant level of discourse over certain topics. I truly believe it’s a good thing anime has become more popular. However, as it brings in more viewers, I think it’s important too open up the conversation surrounding the necessity of distinguishing fiction from reality. There is a lot of posts I see while browsing tags and although I don’t post often I think something needs to be said about three very specific topics that, for me, mean a lot and seem to have a lot of discourse surrounding them. 

One of the things I see happening a lot lately within the community is the hatred against people for liking fictional characters who happen to be minors in their respective animes. The aging up dilemma. First off, let me start by saying that a fictional pixel on a screen does not = minor. It can not be a minor because it is a drawing that was made up whenever the author wrote it. And in a lot of these instances, these characters are crafted by the authors with traits that appeal broadly to audiences, transcending their canon ages. This is particularly evident in shonen anime, where characters are often depicted with maturity, wisdom, or exaggerated physical features that align more closely with adult aesthetics rather than with children. This stylistic choice by many authors is done purposely to cater to a wide demographic, enabling viewers to form connections with characters regardless of age. 

It's important to recognize that a great majority of the time it is NOT the age that attracts viewers to the character which differentiates them with people in real life who are attracted to minors. Having a crush on, or writing about a fictional character that, like I said previously more closely align with adult aesthetics, does not make someone a pedophile. I think when it comes to loli and shota, then yes maybe we can open up this conversation as those characters are made to look like children. But that’s another topic. Acknowledging the fictional nature of these characters and their resemblance to adult fictional characters should be taken into consideration and not be misconstrued as indicative of real-life inclinations towards minors. Not to mention many of these authors don’t want them to be minors which is why they write about them as adults. Again, these are NOT minors. They are drawings and their ages can be changed depending on who’s writing them. An author could come out tomorrow and say the character has always been an adult and that would make it canon. It is not the same as pedophilia. Most people like characters like Sukuna that doesn’t reflect their real life tastes. Which brings me to my next point. 

Liking a villainous character does not correspond to endorsing those actions in real life. Anime often portrays "evil" characters with a depth that makes them appealing through usually through some form of tragic backstory, a charismatic or confident personality, or having extremely complex motivations. I think this makes people often misunderstand that liking them is a reflection of one's real-world values. That is not the case. 

Some people even like these characters just for being attractive and due to the fact they are fictional, and again an authors way of getting people to appeal to said characters, it can not be misconstrued of saying that those actions would be okay in real life scenarios. These characters allow viewers to explore themes of conflict, redemption, and moral ambiguity that can be explored in safety because it’s fiction. I think one of the main reasons people find themselves drawn to them is that villian characters are often created with flaws and authors give them depth to explore said flaws. This is why anti-hero characters are also often seen as more relatable and engaging. Anti-heroes, like villains, aren't bound by the usual moral constraints and often make decisions that are more realistic than heroes would. They can express doubts, conflicts, and vulnerabilities that mirror real human experiences. This makes them intriguing and allows audiences to connect with them on a deeper level.

All that said I think the attraction to villainous or morally grey characters often stems from their complexity and the opportunity they provide for viewers to engage with difficult ideas and emotions in a safe, controlled setting. These characters challenge our perceptions of good and evil by navigating a blurred line between the two which is appealing for most people. 

The last thing I want to bring up which kind of ties in with liking villainous characters is that disliking certain characters beloved by others is not necessarily a negative stance. Anime characters are crafted with diverse backgrounds, personalities, and motives, which naturally produce varied reactions among viewers. Understanding a character's motives yet still disliking them is completely valid and should stop being treated as inherently wrong or a negative reflection of someone. 

People are allowed personal preference and I think that encourages a a better discussion within anime communities whereby differing opinions can coexist. It is through these discussions that fans can dig into character analysis and conversations revolving around characters. Recognizing that disagreement over characters is totally normal and that people can be cool with each other, or be friends and disagree is important in both real life and fiction. 

Two sets of the Twins have aged up!

Fox and Wolf are Children!

So I dreamed about Daniel Day Lewis last night (don’t ask) which prompted a google search (eh I wonder what he’s up to now kind of thing) and tell me why he’s just basically 60 year old Ronan Lynch? Nah because its actually him that’s crazy.

Ominis and Sebastian have a secret meeting in the Undercroft... with a surprise guest!

(Don't worry, they are "aged up")

(sound on, please!)