Addressing Those Weird Age Gap Crushes In Cartoons

[@TheAlphaJayShow]

I'm alive again.

[@Bet8xlr8]

i'm wasted

[@randomhandleRAH]

welcome back :)

[@azeatre]

YAY!

[@dabatman5187]

See you in another month

[@elmultigame8917]

Cool

[@Truck-kun11]

It's quite common for a young person to have a crush on someone older, the important thing when writing this type of relationship is that the older person DOES NOT reciprocate, because then we have the"Batman and Batgirl" situation.

[@TheAlphaJayShow]

Oh wow, that's what's going on in DC? Lol

[@Truck-kun11]

​@@TheAlphaJayShowAs far as I know this only happened in "Batman: The Animated Series" and "Batman Beyond"

[@Rebelheart1985]

We don’t talk about BruBabs. Mostly because if I could destroy that ship from existence I would.

[@Rebelheart1985]

@@Truck-kun11 It was in The Killing Joke too. As far as I know with TBAS she only had a thing for him. Batman Beyond….yeah I’m just gonna pretend it never happened because that’s just so wrong on so many levels.

[@MsClonetrooper]

@@Rebelheart1985 I always thought that Bruce only allowed something to happen between them as a means to push her away from this life. Bruce new the life he chose would only end in misery and he didnt want any one of the people he cared about to be swept up in his darkness. So he made the effort to push them all away. Breaking Babs heart to get her to hate him and distance herself from him seemed like the quickest method to do it in. Where there better methods? Yes. Less awkward and creepy? Absolutely. But, in the long term thinking. This would be the most effective way to push her away from him.

[@justinbuergi9867]

Love how Gravity Falls handles this where dipper realizes it’s creepy when he time travels and a younger Wendy develops a crush on him that he finds very creepy, which makes him realize how uncomfortable he’s been making Wendy feel Edit: yes I know the age gap between them in the two scenes is quite different but it was still a good moment of reflection for dipper…I also thought Wendy was way older than him than she actually is.

[@SuperStar-ss1pn]

What episode is that

[@dzas_cave]

@@SuperStar-ss1pn blendins game

[@stickthelanding4785]

Love that scene honestly really show's dipper how crazy he was.

[@justinbuergi9867]

@@SuperStar-ss1pn blendin’s game

[@T_E_G]

Also with how he talked to her one on one and she made it clear, and he understood, which was pretty mature and refreshing for them

[@ravenartistofficial]

Tbh I had crushes on grown men and teens when I was much younger, and like any normal kid I grew out of it and started liking people my own age. It’s pretty normal as long as the adult is not reciprocating those feelings or “leading them on” because THEN it’s pretty weird.

[@yoitsSmitty2004]

@Azure168double standards

[@DitzyDew]

Why can’t some Minecraft childhood KZbinrs be normal like this 😢

[@ToProsca]

Both, boys and girls teenagers fo that. So you talking about double standards are just lame.

[@loisty]

@Azurethewolf168 and so do men? more often too

[@rosewood1198]

When I was 12, I had crushes on characters old enough to be my dad.... even master shifu

[@natalimoina]

It's always perfectly fine as long as the older person doesn't reciprocate the feelings and the show doesn't get weird with it.

[@natalimoina]

Phineas and Ferb is not an example of this done well btw. Even if they hadn't known each other beforehand and formed some kind of relationship dynamic (which they obviously have and it makes this so much worse), the age gap when we see them together in the future is still messed up. It's so disgusting that people love fetishizing the age of 18 so much.

[@TheAlphaJayShow]

It's definitely a very narrow line to tread

[@kwayneboy1524]

​@@natalimoinaI wouldnt really say its disgusting more somewhat unethical perhaps but from what I was told as a kid as long your a legal adult no harm no fowl.

[@natalimoina]

@@kwayneboy1524 Yea, that's what I'm saying though. Society ingrains in us that it's ok as long as they're 18 cuz that means they're an adult, as if there's some magic switch that turns on and transforms someone into an adult the second they reach 18 years of age. 18 is legal adult age, but it doesn't mean they're really truly an adult.

[@MeLMeLMox]

@@mikeysigley i mean at least the show made it clear it was wrong in so many levels while anime uh...lets not talk about that

[@bad-girl-coventhe-owl-club1119]

Weird thing is, I never felt this was cringe-worthy because it was clear from the outset that Dipper was never going to win over Wendy, and it was clearly being played for comedic effect. That said, I'm glad they abandoned this storyline early in Season 2 and didn't give Dipper another genuine love-interest for the rest of the series.

[@TheAlphaJayShow]

Well said. I think it'd be very weird if the show *needed* that kind of dynamic for the show to work.

[@CaptainMichaelJCaboose]

He should’ve been with Pacifica, because the parallel, unpopular, dorky(I wouldn’t say nerdy), and Pacifica being, rich, popular, and self absorbed, not to mention dippers relationship with Mabel could’ve been fiddled with.

[@wileycoyote7481]

​@@CaptainMichaelJCaboose Actually, that relationship begins to develop in the canon books that take place after the series!

[@anomalocaris2593]

Personally I wished that Pacifica would have been one, but that just might be me

[@ahmadmalaki8364]

@@wileycoyote7481wait really ?

[@RandoSando.]

Surprised, you didn't mention adventure time with finn's one-sided crush on Princess Bubblegum. It's kinda tragic. Finn was legitimately in love with Princess Bubblegum, and being a 12 year old, he mistook a lot of her platonic affection as romantic interest (kiss on the cheek, calling him her hero,etc). The show even leans into this as whenever we see her from finn's point of view, she looks sparkly and more alluring. The only time they had a genuine connection and romantic chemistry was when she made younger and they hung out together, when she gors back to being her regular age she once again keeps him at a distance. But other than that, she told him more than once to stop being weird.

[@empanado8304]

the arc where she was 13 again felt so weird honestly. idk how to fully articulate it but pb having a "crush" on finn then felt super ooc but maybe thats just me

[@botanicalitus4194]

@@empanado8304 it made sense to me since her mind regressed to being 13 as well. The PB we know now is thousands of years old so I think its normal for 13 year old her to be very different from current her

[@thatguy8711]

I didn't like how she obviously knew in season 1 and joked about it, but never adressed it. They just dropped it in season 2 like she was oblivious. They were just trying to get people invested in the series in the first season. One of the weird shipping decisions by Adventure Time.

[@donleonard4446]

@@empanado8304I mean she basically de-aged. She wasn’t mature. If she was 13 but kept the same emotional stability at her regular age. It would’ve been weird. But she basically became what Finn was.

[@Lala-g4p]

I also don't like how she gave him a kiss on the LIPS, even as a reward for the battle or whatever. No need for me to bring up gender double standards, we all know the song.

[@ChikoCheez]

I feel like Frankie definitely knows about Mac's crush but is just mature enough to think, "Yeah it's adorable and he's a kid who will grow out of it."

[@TheAlphaJayShow]

That's fair! She might but just never showed it

[@ahmadmalaki8364]

Yeah he probably will start having goo goo eyes for goo They have a fun chemistry

[@divine555]

That's still almost as bad though lol any actual responsible adult would immediately shut that shit down, but yk, cartoon

[@darwinbowman8512]

Yea honestly they didn't dwell on it as much which made it tolerable and th titular Frankie my dear epsiode more digestible long term

[@GBazo-en5el]

@@divine555well shes 15 so

[@EerieNone]

The Loud house's situation was really REALLY creepy. Especially that one episode, where Lori believes Clydes moved on from her and desperately tries to win him back, when in reality he never did. Its just.... eugh. So Lori is either 1, selfish to the point where she'd rather lead a literal 11 year old on for the sake of the attention and gifts he gives her, or she genuinely does like him like that which, to me, is predatory. Pick your poison I guess.

[@aceeeeex9]

The fuck? What episode was this

[@StainedBrain]

Isn’t The Loud Houses creator not a great person? Like isn’t he a confirmed pedo?

[@evaGF0290]

With the creator being a sexual offender and someone who made a comic ages ago about a toddler being a pervert with his own mother. Doesn't surprise me if he writes Lori like that.

[@EerieNone]

@@evaGF0290 oh my fucking god it makes so much sense

[@EerieNone]

@@aceeeeex9 I think its called Change of Heart

[@bfdixiifan]

0:29 Fosters Home 4:34 Jimmy Neutron 7:25 Turning Red 9:14 Loud House 14:42 Gravity Falls 19:57 Phineas and Ferb

[@tricksforlife8827]

Thank you kind sir! 🫡

[@estebangutierrez160]

As a child, weird age gap like this always confused me because I always thought the younger person was being weird since i haven't figure myself out.

[@TheAlphaJayShow]

For me, I never really looked into it because as a child, it wasn't as important to me than the comedy or story.

[@ahmadmalaki8364]

@@TheAlphaJayShowromance for me was always a side dish if it’s good I love it but not as much as the main dish If it’s bad I’ll ignore it when I eat my favorite meal again A good example of that is the oblongs I watch that show for the humor and characters but bob and pickles romance is so sweet that I can’t ignore it For a bad example is when the show turns it into a main thing like i was here for the comedy not the salary I don’t really have a bad example of that Will maybe darling in the franxx I asked for a stupid action show instead got a really boring non romance and kinda creepy anime I say non romance because it still feels like it doesn’t tries to be a romance anime yet still wants to be a romance anime

[@beakerbot-xq6pb]

@@ahmadmalaki8364 I agree and think that's an excellent statement.

[@Milk-ck1wv]

Same. It was only after i got a bit older that i was like kids having crushes on adults or way older teen ngl is mad weird especially when the other entertains it

[@ghostinyourcloset]

they confused me as well. tbf phineas & ferb ended when i was 9 or 10 so thats when i began to realize the oddness of it lol edit: im dumb & forgot words

[@icecreamhero2375]

It happens in real life all the time. You get a crush on someone way older than you but you don't act on it.

[@b1uesi1ver66]

Mostly when you're younger. Well imo anyway.

[@TheAlphaJayShow]

For sure, boybands have it all the time

[@jujufoxie.-.]

@@TheAlphaJayShow*cough cough BTS Coughity cough COUGH*

[@dolphinswilltakeover]

I mean that’s literally what he says

[@jocelynecupcake]

As a girl, no! I was always creeped out by older guys.

[@complex2live]

I love how in Gravity Falls: Boy Crazy that at the end when she snaps at Robby, I like how when Dipper asks if she wants hang out with them, this is the only time Wendy blows up at Dipper. Its refreshing to see her react like this because it would be accurate and gives Dipper some real comeuppance for treating her like a prize

[@Blossom_Flower-d1q]

Also I don’t really blame dipper for having a crush I Wendy we all have crazy crushes at one point at our childhood.

[@anniemint3630]

I really liked the way Recess tackled the subject. Mikey’s singing teacher explained to him that someday he would find a girl his age and that she’d be the luckiest person. I thought that was really sweet, and the teacher offered Mikey encouragement when he needed it

[@Tijopi11]

This trope is good for comedic value, but I wish the subject was given some weight from time to time. Kids/preteens still have feelings and unreciprocated feelings can really sting, ESPECIALLY when you're dealing with those feelings for the first time. The example you provided is the only one I can think of that treated the subject with complete seriousness. Not that it should matter, but this was an overweight ten year old who writes poetry crushing on an attractive adult woman, so it wouldve been easy to turn it into a big joke. The fact that Mikey's teacher handled it with utmost kindness was beautiful, and emphasizes why Mikey liked her in the first place.

[@Takinthehobbitstoisengard]

Bro wanted some of that teachussy

[@jessicab831]

​@@Takinthehobbitstoisengard... Just stop.

[@darshansooful9559]

@@Tijopi11 I’m 15 and you write KZbin comments better than I write essays

[@divine555]

​@@Tijopi11that's so disgusting OMG, it's probably due to ignorance but feeding into those feelings like that gives major creep vibes 😬

[@blitz0590]

I don’t think it’s all that weird for a younger party to have a crush on a significantly older party. The problem starts when it’s reciprocated. Dipper and Wendy wouldn’t really be a good couple even if they were the same age so I’m glad they nipped that in the bud at the start of the second season. Probably should’ve happened a bit sooner but whatever, at least they ended up being good friends.

[@TheAlphaJayShow]

Thats well said

[@Milk-ck1wv]

Personally it's weird and shouldn't be a "well their a kid so it's alright" thing because that's giving the kid a sense that having a crush or liking someone way older like a teacher or older friend of a sibling and etc is ok. It opens the child to be in a vulnerable position to a adult if they end up reciprocating those feelings.

[@GweenOfTea]

@@Milk-ck1wv I agree, but also it’s insanely common for kids to have crushes on older parties that are never reciprocated, I’m fairly certain I had a crush on all of my older brothers friends when I was 11-12, and tons of people had a crush on one of the middle school teachers lmao It does run a risk but most of the time, kids who have these crushes never express it to the person they’re crushing on.

[@Starburst514]

​@@Milk-ck1wvno offense but your wording makes it sound like it's the kids fault if the worse happens. It's not the kids fault ever because it's the older person's responsibility to make sure nothing happens and to know better. I was 12 and had a crush on my friend's 17 yr old brother, on a teacher at school, on one of my dad's friends, and 1. A kid is unlikely to ever let on they have a crush in the first place 2. Kids tend to make thier crushes obvious, but if that is the case it's the older person's responsibility to just eyeroll and let it pass. Because it will Nothing ever came of my crushes, and now they're just a part of my cringy middle school days 😂 it's pretty common

[@GlitterF-CK]

​@@Milk-ck1wv you're right it should be discouraged and we should explain to our kids why they shouldn't want to be with it pursue someone who is significantly older than they are, especially an adult with power over them like a teacher. But it's also very natural. And while we can explain morals and teach them not to act on such things and why we can't really control that kids and teenagers are going to idolize adults. And as a result will develope crushes on them. Especially during puberty where they're still trying to identify what different feelings mean. Adults are mature, accomplished, well-spoken. Adults are setting the goals that our kids will strive for in their futures. Obviously, not all adults are well rounded people. But in the eyes of a kid being smart and dressing cool and having a job all seem like huge accomplishments. And if they think you're cool and want to be like you when they grow up and they're full of hormones and confused about what all their feelings mean they may interpret that as wanting to with that adult. Or someone else like that adult. The affection is misplaced. And they really are more often than not mistaking admiration for attraction or romantic interest. But it's still natural for them to feel that way. Good examples are Finn and PB and Wendy and Dipper. The younger person finds the older person to be amazing. On a pedestal. Idolizes and admires them. But the older person discourages them or outright ignores it if they can. As an adult should. It's always 100% on the adult if they start reciprocating or abusing that dynamic. Kids can't control their feelings and will have a harder time interpreting what their feelings are in a nuanced way. Adults should be able to look at the situation and go "that's sweet, but I need to remove myself from the situation"

[@darkserpent7191]

"She's 16" BASED DOOFENSMIRTZ

[@AAG_YT]

the fact that this has 16 likes:

[@AAG_YT]

oh-

[@techno_otaku]

@@AAG_YTnot anymore lol

[@gibbralter]

21:09

[@ShowNumberV]

😢

[@Keith_Norman]

Honestly it's fine as long as they stay crushes because honestly it's pretty normal to have a crush on someone that's older as long as it doesn't go into stalker territory, example it's like no longer funny it's just outright plainly creepy. So I am kind of fine with it

[@TheAlphaJayShow]

What do you think of the Phineas and Ferb one then?

[@smoxthybweh]

@@TheAlphaJayShow imo that one's creepy

[@Keith_Norman]

@@TheAlphaJayShow a little funny and creepy because I forgot that they actually get together in the end so I hope that ferb was older than he looked hopefully when the next season comes out it will probably change that

[@gonhunter3994]

​@@smoxthybweh Not creepy at all imo

[@ahmadmalaki8364]

@@Keith_NormanI mean confirm his real age show If they have a 5 year age gap that. Yeah it is ok as long as one of them is old enough to date

[@JohnSkellington]

Let’s not forget about how in My Little Pony: Friendship is Magic, a kid dragon named Spike used to have this crush on a young adult unicorn named Rarity.

[@toadrice]

I remember there was an episode where Rarity had a crush on a pony named Trender Hoof and then she tried to become a farmer pony since Trender Hoof had feelings for Applejack and Spike was in that episode and didn't really seem to have a problem with the fact that Rarity doesn't have romantic feelings for him

[@JohnSkellington]

@@toadrice I remember that episode. And Applejack acted like a fashionably dressed pony to teach Rarity a lesson for mocking her.

[@inacatt]

I didn't think much of the crush since I *knew* it would never happen, but they specficially calk spike a "baby dragon" several times and she's a full adult with her own business and everything. I think technically he was more akin to ~10 since he later goes through puberty. Never understood why people thought they'd be end-game at all. Even if they were the same age, I don't think she'd like him, either. Just overall a bad ship.

[@TheDanteEX]

@@inacatt They did have that weird episode in season 9 where Rarity is upset when she finds out Spike no longer was to do things for her. It was pretty despised when it came out but I never re-watched it and barely remember it. It also seems pretty late since I think Spike's crush disappeared after season 4 or so. Perhaps it was there a few times, but I don't recall any moments from seasons 5-9 about Spike's crush on Rarity.

[@lifeisadrag7705]

@@TheDanteEX I recently watched that episode for the first time-and yeah it was pretty bad. Made Rarity feel too obsessive

[@foreverknight66]

Wendy and dipper was handled the best when wendy simply drops reality on him. And dipper being emotionally mature enough to realize when he was in the dream world that the real wendy would never persue him romantically.

[@12DAMDO]

in this trope, i prefer when it's the younger one liking the older one instead of the other way around.. at least it's one sided and nothing actually creepy ends up happening.. i do however find it a bit too much how it's handled in The Loud House

[@TheManiple]

The Loud House ditched it. One of the better things that happened.

[@ValiTheCali]

there's one you may've missed. In Total Drama Presents: The Ridonculous Race, starting at Episode 4, Junior started to have a crush on Carrie, although Junior is only 13 and Carrie is 18, although this lasts until Episode 12 when Devin told Junior that Carrie wouldn't date someone as young as he is, until he gets older of course, then Junior did eventually let go of the crush towards Carrie.

[@TheAlphaJayShow]

These were based on the shows I watched growing up (with the exception of Turning Red).

[@mayrahemmerechts5867]

@@TheAlphaJayShow There is an other show that did this, rapunzel’s tangled adventure had Varian who was 15-17 crushing on Cassandra who was 23-25, she was annoyed by it and sorta rejected him but still cared about him in a sibling like way, the trope was resolved within the first season of the show. In the final episode Cassandra even wears a necklace Varian made for her way back in season 1

[@raidenstark315]

And now days junior would be in his early 20's he has a chance now

[@ValiTheCali]

@@raidenstark315 expect Carrie's already dating Devin now

[@madokaslvr]

@caramelarrowcookie3105 yeah but Junior let it go by the like second episode that he had a crush on her

[@Captain_A_Grimm]

I love how every section leads into the next so naturally.

[@jakstrieder]

in the case of turning red I think it's a classic and Real trope of Asian mothers using social embarrassment as a weapon against their kids to punish them stepping beyond what the mother sees as acceptably bounders

[@vilmublues752]

In the movie, the mom actually seemed completely oblivious to the fact that she had embarrassed her daughter. She's just aggressively protective and the type who believes she is firmly in the right and that the responsible thing to do is to make a huge scene to protect her daughter. It's implied she has a reputation for her over the top reactions, which she seems unaware of because she considers her own behavior correct and justified and being a good mom.

[@jakstrieder]

@@vilmublues752 then in that case every classically raised Asian mom is as well, and even some who aren't. it's more feasible to believe that this was a purposeful and tactical strike against her daughter to embarrass and isolate her so she could try to reinforce the mold she thought Mai will filling out, IE see Mai and her mom doing things in flash backs to younger years.

[@kemi_smith]

​@@jakstriederNot really. There's a grey area. The character is more than just "Asian mom" and her behavior here shows more of her being unaware of the embarrassment she's causing, or rather seeing it as an unintended consequence of confronting the daisy mart employee. Her thought process in that moment was "this older boy has clearly been giving my daughter signals, I should chew him out", rather than "I'm gonna embarrass my daughter". I don't think her primary goal was to embarrass Mei, it was just something she was fine with doing. Like, she's okay with Mei being embarrassed because she sees it as protecting her. Saying her only reason/main reason for doing that was just to embarrass Mei doesn't seem like the right reading of that scene.

[@jakstrieder]

@@kemi_smith never said other mothers didn't do it, just that Asian mothers know how to weaponize it better then others.

[@kemi_smith]

@jakstrieder Yes, but your entire reading of the scene should not rely on "she's asian". She clearly was not purposefully weaponizing Mei's embarrassment, her true intentions are made clear throughout the movie.

[@ArendAlphaEagle]

I think out of all the boys that have this kinda dynamic, Ferb is probably the most mature about it. He has not been overly obsessed about Vanessa, and he's never shown any jealousy towards other boys that Vanessa had been dating (in fact, it seems that he doesn't mind Vanessa dating Monty during her Halloween party in "Druselsteinoween"). I think "Summer Belongs To You" had been the only time Ferb tried to make a move, and while he was a bit saddened that Vanessa left him before he could confess, Ferb also seemed content with remaining to be just friends with her. I mean, they're still very well-acquainted with each other in "Night of the Living Pharmacists". Seeing that Ferb and Vanessa eventually did get together in "Act Your Age", when both had grown to be adults, it actually makes me curious _how_ they ended up dating each other, or even how that confession went (or when that happened). Phineas and Ferb is getting a couple new seasons alongside Season 2 of Hamster & Gretel, and I believe Dan Povenmire had confirmed there might be a couple of episodes in the "Act Your Age" era, there might be a possibility that they could explore how Ferbnessa became an official thing (then again, with the recent hatred for the ship, there might also be a possibility they want to avoid it).

[@TheAlphaJayShow]

Ferb was always shown to be quite mature

[@Hezmarglive]

Ferb is literally built like a giga chad.

[@hello_ree]

FERB W!

[@GBazo-en5el]

Thats honestly the only reason i dont think its weird@@TheAlphaJayShow

[@shipper-of-heart8898]

I think the ship started as a joke because their VAs were dating irl iirc, but tbh its a bit weird / feels a bit 'grooming' since Vanessa had known Ferb since he was about 8-10 (idk how old theyre supposed to be) and she was 16, so by 'act your age' shes at least in her mid 20's while he is 17-18.

[@Midnightstarrrsss]

Lori just loves the attention, she’s like nice mean girl she loves popularity

[@meowmeow3532]

@@Midnightstarrrsss yes, she probably just enjoys the attention and doesn’t have any romantic interest

[@deionrobinson7341]

​@@meowmeow3532 i mean there's literally (no pun intended) an episode about her trying to win Clyde back when she thinks her sister Leni likes him

[@starpower1884]

The Ferb and Vanessa one doesn't feel right... It's like if you had a baby sitter and had a crush on her, then eventually when you grew up and end up dating them.

[@theshire9173]

There was an iCarly episode that did that with Spencer and his former babysitter. As they dated, she kept treating him like a baby and Carly eventually talked some sense into them and they broke up.

[@flyingstapler1241]

Ferb only interacted with Vanessa like 2 times. And that was because he purposely went out of his way to help her while she was just doing her own business. I don't think your example really fits because babysitters purposely choose to approach the kid as a job and took care of them. The relationship formed is between the caretaker and cared, which makes it feel weirder if the kid grows up and chooses to date his former caretaker. Ferb was more like the stranger who you came across a few times and didn't have any further interactions. The relationship between them was more like strangers/acquaintances.

[@kemi_smith]

They didn't interact all that much in the show, though. Keep in mind that we miss a lot of years from their starting ages to their adult ones. In that scenario, Ferb helps Vanessa out like 3-4 times, then they reconnect again when they're both adults and start dating. No grooming, and it was clear Vanessa didn't think of Ferb as a little kid she needed to protect, he was just a kid she came across a few times. And the ages in P&F aren't really confirmed. We can just infer that Ferb is a couple years older than Phineas (given he is already in uni when Phineas has just graduated + other hints to that), and Vanessa was 16 while the two were in middle school.

[@pixelzebra8440]

@flyingstapler1241 Exactly what I thought

[@mohamedkashwani950]

I feel like it's more like Georgie's situation in young sheldon

[@gurengamer9053]

At some way it's similar to crushes on celebrities- they're older, but also (much more) out of reach. Kinda like it's life lesson out wanting something is not at our limits.

[@new_username4733]

Younger people having crushes on older people is something that actually happens in real life, and it's not all that weird. What makes it weird is when the other reciprocates it, especially if they know it's wrong. That's when it gets weird and creepy.

[@milosstamenkovic5941]

Yeah that s not far away from the truth i myself had a huge crush on my hot Pe teacher that woman was super hot not just me and other boys had a crush on her i was in high school.

[@__BlankStudios]

I was REALLY curious on how you would address Ferb and Vanessa and having watched it, it makes sense. The two characters never exactly got together TOGETHER until both of them were of age and if any cartoon were to go that route then that is probably the best way to handle it at least without getting too much traction.

[@TheAlphaJayShow]

That one seems to be mixed received from everyone I've spoken to, but the fans may have liked it more

[@bryanthernandez9769]

Right I mean yes Ferb has the crush but never engage what I mean he wait until he was an adult you know or teen

[@inacatt]

I mean... I'm 22 and would NEVER go after an 18-year-old. And I truly think that dating someone you knew when they were a CHILD and you were older is borderline gooming.

[@thebard5019]

@@inacatt THANK YOU

[@LangkeeLongkee]

​@@inacattexactly especially since she KNEW? He confessed to her in one of the movies. And there's some stuff that's just a joke if they don't get together but with them getting together makes it weird. Like her kissing his cheek and that one scene from the Meep episode? Idk if you remember it but when Ferb fixes Meep's space ship and flies it around there's a scene where he pulls up in front of Vanessa and goes "Youre digging my ride from outer space" and she smiles at him before he pulls off and it does the iconic Marilyn Monroe skirt blowing up thing with her jacket. Knowing they get together basically as soon as he's grown, jokes like that become WEIRDDD

[@Kikiorwhatever]

I was never comfortable with Ferb and Vanessa ending up together, tbh. If the genders were reversed, I think more people would find it creepy. There's just such a difference in maturity and power dynamics at those ages.

[@TuesdaysArt]

If they developed the Fireside Girls more, I'm sure they could've developed a ship for him there (if he absolutely HAD to be paired with a girl).

[@peachesandcream22]

@@TuesdaysArt I prefer Ferb to NOT be paired with anyone. Let the dude do science

[@LangkeeLongkee]

Vanessa and Ferb creeped me out the minute I saw them get together and it still does. People defending that are SO weird. Especially as a woman with a younger brother, same age gap as them. If one of my friends my age started pursing my brother upon turning 18 when they knew him as a child I'd HAVE to fight you! Like I'M FIGHTING YOU WTF

[@seg162]

"But what if the genders were reversed?" I wouldn't like it, because I like older woman/younger man pairings, but not so much older man/younger woman pairings... except when I like those, which is sometimes, so I even fail at being a hypocrite. "There's just such a difference in maturity and power dynamics at those ages." Yeah, _in real life._ And in real life, the stakes are such that it's not even worth it to try investigating the specifics of the relationship. In fiction, you get to demonstrate exactly how those factors play into whatever relationship they're in, meaning you get the chance to demonstrate that the older party is a character that wouldn't (or is incapable of conceiving of) leveraging whatever social power he has against the younger party. Or that the younger party is striving towards maturity, or that they've achieved it. Or that the older party is outright immature and may as well be growing in maturity right alongside the younger party-- or maybe they don't, and it's all played for laughs. Then there's the matter of whether they actually touch each other or get intently romantic. I'm not conceited enough to think that a writing premise _can't_ work. Rather, I think that I lack the creativity to see how they'd "work" myself.

[@LangkeeLongkee]

@@seg162 you may not be conceited but definitely pretentious enough to act like the issue is one character being older than the other when we are ALL aware here the problem is specifically how this plays out. Vanessa is 6 years older than Ferb. I'm a resident evil fan and basically the only ship I liked in that series for years and years was Sherry Birkin x Jake Muller. Sherry is 5 years older than Jake. But that's not weird, because they met when Jake was 21 and Sherry was 26. While I wouldn't date someone that much younger than me specifically at that age, their dynamic leaves no room for confusion, they're grown adults who met, and caught feelings for each other, that's all. In this case we have two characters, one younger and attracted to the older one who, while also a minor, would still go to jail for reciprocating (pedophilia is considered when the older party is 16 or over pursuing someone prepubescent). These people knew each other for years and then are magically together when it suddenly isn't illegal anymore. Unlike Jake and Sherry there's a LOT of gray there. It's very fuzzy. You could easily make the argument of waiting for that coming of age, which is one of the many definitions of grooming. And when one of your characters can be easily perceived as a groomer, maybe don't write that dynamic.

[@RommyTVx]

"Age is but a number" Me:Prison is but a bedroom. :)

[@gltterati]

As a young kid watching these cartoons, it was perfectly normal to admire older kids especially teenagers because you think you also want to be an "adult". And even after growing up, I never really thought it was super weird nor that it implied something sinister. It was relatable as a kid/teenager and the shows I've watched never made it bigger than a comic relief- even looking back now. At least they never went Usagi Drop

[@shivamarya5225]

I mean if they went Usagi drop it would be no different than other shows because its a show at the end of the day, the author wanted to what she liked, she cant get in a relation like that but she can still write about it, people like to say that other people will influenced by a show but never themselves, they always grew up fine watching the same shows, and its not our job to control what other people think but to educate them about consequences about why something is wrong, not prevent them from writing about it. And the fact that the only reason we are having this talk is because of we see them in media, had these shows not been made then we wouldnt even be talking about it

[@Mikey-TMNT-is-the-best-turtle]

Usagi drop is SO MUCH WORSE because they are RELATED BY BLOOD 😭

[@leonardolopez888]

I am shocked that you didn’t mention Yakko, Wakko, and Hello Nurse from Animaniacs. That is honestly the first thing that I think of when I think of the “Age Gap Crush” trope.

[@D_YellowMadness]

I always forget their kids because although it is sometimes acknowledged & Dot's whole existence makes it more obvious, I assume adult (or just cartoon animal person) when I see Looney Tunes or Disney style animal character who are anywhere near the size of Bugs Bunny or have a semi deep voice.

[@Anastas1786]

Ah, yes. The Warners were "born" in the '30s, while Hello Nurse is, at best, probably in _her_ 30s.

[@thegodzillafandomsrookie5514]

@@Anastas1786 well theyre cartoons, they dont age

[@shitemastermike]

this is the real western anime age gap logic coming apart

[@weathermangohanssj4]

yeah she's way to young for them.

[@blobbertmcblob4888]

I have absolutely no issues when a younger character has a crush on an older one. Because, hey, it happens irl. I crushed HARD on one of my friends sisters. I was 13 and she was 22 xD. But when the older character reciprocates the feelings, that's where it gets weird. Since the Loud House is the thumbnail I'm gonna bring up a situation where that actually happened. Clyde has a crush on Lori, he's obsessed with her. There's an episode where he wants to get over being weird around her. But as soon as Clyde stops giving Lori attention, she wants to "win him back". That was weird to me.

[@HazbinCovenWitch]

Don't forget Varian's crush on Cassandra in Tangled: the Series! I think he eventually got over it though.

[@TheAlphaJayShow]

These were based on the shows I watched growing up (with the exception of Turning Red).

[@HazbinCovenWitch]

@@TheAlphaJayShow Ohhh. I thought you were using some popular examples. 😐

[@Rebelheart1985]

Oh yeah…….yeah I’m REALLY not a fan of the fact that people actually shipped that.

[@HazbinCovenWitch]

@@Rebelheart1985 SAME! SHE'S WAY TO OLD FOR HIM!

[@noobmasterruben5167]

Yeah that was never gonna last long since Cass became an antagonist in the last season

[@mikoevelynn111]

I got introduced to this trope through mlp's rarity x spike and since I was a kid I DEFINITELY wanted to see them get together when they were older!! Now, that I'M older, I'm so so glad it didn't become canon. Spike AT BEST is 10 or younger, and only later in the series started to have a dragon equivalent of puberty. And rarity is most likely in her twenties... not good....

[@PinkCotton600]

That ship is my literal punching bag 😡😡😡 It makes me so angry 😤😤😤😤😤 I released my inner angry 😡😡😡

[@hope-cat4894]

You could have also done a segment on Codename: Kids Next Door with Number 2 and Cree (Number 5's older sister). Their relationship is interesting because she seemed to like him when he was aged up but clearly was disgusted once she found out who he really was. Edit: There's also the episode of Powerpuff Girls where Buttercup gets a crush on Ace of the Gangreen Gang, but that only lasts for one episode and gets one reference in the later season.

[@RomaroBrandon]

The fact that most of these are boys crushing on older girls and people not seeing a problem in that but will quickly say something if the roles were reversed is the real issue.

[@MegaEdeath]

wdym?

[@Phoenix_Blader_93]

​@megaedeath8063 one has the victim being called lucky, the other is treated like a victim

[@TheAlphaJayShow]

I thought about that as well

[@MegaEdeath]

@@Phoenix_Blader_93 ah, think i misread the og comment lol

[@arandomthingintheabyss2062]

the double standered at play

[@fishnewt1331]

AAAH!!! A TALKING PAN- oh, it’s Jay. Yay! This trope can range from cute (in the sense of a child just learning about the concept of a crush in the most naive ways) to uncomfortable (we all know which ones those are). There are good ones out there though to teach children about emotional maturity and the concept of rejection not being the end of the world.

[@TheAlphaJayShow]

That's well said

[@666_cthulhu]

oh i didn’t even think of that; i totally see how this stuff could teach kids how to deal with rejection. i think that’s especially important when it comes to boys getting rejected by girls because, unfortunately, our culture tends to encourage a ‘“no” just means you haven’t tried hard enough’ mindset when it comes to romance, especially when a woman rejects a man. well said 🤙

[@thereallocksbylady]

Thanks!

[@gleamingroses2952]

Tbh I have never had a problem with this trope, because it isn't actual romance. Why I think this trope works is because it is very clear from the moment the minor crushes on their adult crush, they are never meant to be a ship or endgame, it's just purely from the perspective of the minor. I feel like Mac is a good example, he is in love with Frankie, but that's all it is, the comedy is how say the characters react to it rather than making note over whether or not they are endgame. There are also hints in the show (specially the Dare episode) where Frankie knows of Mac's crush, but Mac being a kid (and minor) just see it as cute in a little kid sort of way, and thinks it is just a phase. Mac sees it one way while Frankie clearly sees it as another, you aren't supposed to see them as a couple that's the point. And while I do think it can be funny, I do find Carl's more extreme advances toward Judy to be very creepy, not because its portrayed as romantic, but that's because Carl tries to push it to that way. Especially in the Valentine's episode where he goes as far as to get Hugh out of the picture. Which was also the episode where Cindy has her awful Valentine song. The same applies to Clyde's nosebleeds for Lori. The same thing with Mac and Frankie is the same with Dipper and Wendy, the age gap might be closer, but is also clear it was never going to be a thing, so it's fine.

[@angelinacamacho8575]

This trope is basically what puppy love is. When you love someone but that love is at face value because the person is way too immature physically or emotionally or both to understand what love actually means. Its a common feeling for some young people to have.

[@InuInugami]

I definitely agree that I'd prefer it was left out most of the time, but i feel like it was important in Turning Red since the way they showed it in the movie was very realistic and made the characters a lot more relatable.

[@jeepmega629]

I always found it a bit weird that Clyde, an 11 year old, would literally nosebleed for Lori, an 18 year old

[@03mbc]

Actually 17 year old by the time and thankfully by season 3 & 4 while the Loud House gotten so much better Clyde crush on Lori started fanited away case in point look at season 5 Ghosted! And honestly I was never a fan of Clyde crush on Lori thankfully they threw that gag out the window

[@robotdisstracks1426]

The attraction is normal, just not the nose bleeding.

[@03mbc]

@@robotdisstracks1426 yeah but hey Lori is hot.😍

[@troin3925]

@@robotdisstracks1426 The nose bleeding as a result of infatuation is a huge anime trope, I think the show was just referencing that.

[@king_gaming6813]

It’s just an anime trope

[@Poppyflavour]

Well technically "Act your age", aka the episode where Ferb and Vanessa get together, is de-canonized by Dan Povenmire himself. As he stated in one of his tweets answering a question about Doofenshmirtz having a middle age crisis despite knowing that he wil become Professor Time ("Milo Murphy's Law" timeline). So in other words, "Act your age" is only a possible timeline, not a main one. I like how fans theorize that it's Isabella's fanfiction or something like that lol

[@larajamila005]

That didn't happen XD What Dan confirmed is that he'd still do the middle-age crisis even if he knew he'd become Professor Time. I think people forget that the point of Doofenshmirtz giving himself middle-age crisis in Act Your Age is that he feels like he doesn't belong with the other middle-aged people because he's actually having a really happy life right now and wouldn't have a natural middle-age crisis

[@RedKnight26]

This is personally a trope that s both uncomfortable and adorable depending how it is used and handled. In the end it’s still very interesting to see the end of the trope in a show.whether they address it well or not

[@ivanbluecool]

While weird in cartoons I'm sure we all had that moment where we had a crush on someone older in life due to them being "mature" or intelligent. It just doesn't translate well in tv shows or anime as it looks very off putting seeing this in action

[@urahara64360]

This is something I think is true

[@animezilla4486]

I couldn't agree with you more I always kind of fine this trope kind of annoying especially anime they tend to go over-the-top and maybe crossing some boundaries maybe people have different opinions for the comes to the gender of of the trope for example: if a little girl has a crush on a adult male people consider that pedophile and want to call the cops but here for a little boy has a crush on a adult woman people are generally fine.

[@TheAlphaJayShow]

I wonder how people who primarily watch anime feel about this trope

[@ivanbluecool]

@@TheAlphaJayShow I see them be fine with it. Most anime are in high school so senpai kohai relationships are fine as it's only a few years difference Though they have more girls who like older men at times so probably more favorable as it happens in real life with double standards.

[@ivanbluecool]

@@animezilla4486 I think it's the opposite. A little girl could have a crush on a male idol or older man due to "boys in class are so immature" type of stuff. Guys in anime who like older woman are usually seen as creeps which is hilarious of a double standard. Cartoons same. The guy is seen as a creep for having a crush while the girl can fan girl all day and even be praised for being a stalker like star in star vs or that marvelous show.

[@Bwillis2099]

I’ve thought the reason why writers kept using this “trope” is because in the real world sometimes kids and teens can have feelings for some older (regardless of how wide the age gap) Now I’m not saying that it isn’t a real problem or that can lead to potential problems down the line…just that happens sometimes and that cartoons (whether for kids or adults) are potentially going to address the sometimes 0:59

[@TheAlphaJayShow]

Oh trust, when I was in high school, some of the students talked about which teachers they would smash. I never got it, but it's a thing. Also, boybands in general.

[@peachesandcream22]

@@TheAlphaJayShow "Smash your teacher" culture around boys is so weird to extremes. Young girls can also have crushes to male teachers, but they usually don't discuss which adult man they would like to "smash". Sometimes, conversations like these can lead to serious trouble and even gross outcome: there are many cases when teenage boys started stalking female teachers, sexually harassed them or even attempted to rape. In my opinion, no one should talk about their teachers like they're some kind of porn stars to have sex with, no matter which gender the kids are. Teacher is teacher and your personal feelings and horniness should be left outside school. "Boys will be boys" doesn't work in cases like that, when women at workplaces involving children are always in danger not only because of male coworkers, but also because of male teenagers with uncontrolled behavior. And the most disturbing fact is such behavior from teenage boys is not only NOT judged, but supported by adult men who think that it will make boys into "real men". Which allows female groomers to sexually assault boys and get away with nothing.

[@IrlLove]

@@peachesandcream22 Agreed

[@empeanutson]

I'm still kinda confused about the use of this trope because even though it does happen in real life, it pretty much has to end with the characters not getting together or risk upsetting the audience. I would think that would negatively affect every viewers' engagement of the story when it focuses on the trope. But I'm probably wrong and there might be something here that I'm not getting.

[@shitemastermike]

@@peachesandcream22 i think more boys that age are extroverts that deal with things better when they make it public and get everyone else to agree with them about it where as a lot of girls are more introverted (around that age) that they handle it more privately. I never saw any girls openly hitting on teachers so. whats annoying is when guys in my class wouldnt stfu about it, i knew i had two hot teachers and was perfectly fine admitting i wanted to bone but i didnt interrupt the entire class to express it, i wish i had more balls and a not so jealous gf at the time it wouldve been nice to tell em to go jerk it in the bathroom in front of everyone lol i disagree somewhat about the 'keep it outside of school / work / professional environment' like yes that works in a perfect world but for me its easier to acknowledge it and move on especially because this is a reoccurring theme everywhere there are hormones. Sometimes not having an outlet to vent those hormones can lead to stalking or rape so i wouldnt say it doesnt influence that but it wouldnt help reduce crimes like that either.

[@SunnyD-andMoon]

"What we have is beautiful and you can't destroy it!" *"Already then"*

[@raydhen8840]

Here's the thing, Carl & Jimmy's mom was handled fine in the love potion episode, now the weird part is we're shown that Carl can be borderline creepy if not outright *outside* of that episode. See, it was fine since we thought it's one-time thing and would've been resolved by the end of episode, but it's clear it's not the case. Sheen & Libby obviously still has things for each other, so does Jimmy & Cindy with their classic tsundere approach. And for Carl, his infatuation would show up time and time again. Dude still have Judy's picture (not sure where did he get it), has dream sequence where Judy become his servant, and ultimately, in that Fairly Oddparents crossover, he ask Cosmo & Wanda to turn shrunken Prof. Calamitous into mini Judy... in a jar. Make of that what you will.

[@runningoncylinders3829]

Carl being the one with the servant and his appreciation of shrunken puts him on a slight power trip. I’ve usually seen these both the other way around, that the simp aspects would show up, so this is an odd one to consider without their ages being what they are just because I think the opposite type tends to be the frequent use of this trope.

[@shitemastermike]

cant we just enjoy the fact that they brought up a reoccurring theme from an earlier eps? if some weirdo wants to fetish over it i say it was worth the laugh when i was younger

[@kingtytyYT]

what the song name at 6:21

[@polocatfan]

I mean the thing is the show goes out of its way to portray it as creepy. Carl is never portrayed as being in the right.

[@tonyfilippo2235]

Reminds me of the 1993 film The Sandlot in which Squints had a crush on a lifeguard named Wendy (I know ironic) who was way older than him but ended up marrying her by the end in the epilogue.

[@RAPIDGAMING-t1e]

Anyways Here’s a simple and delicious pancake recipe: Ingredients: • 1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour • 3 1/2 teaspoons baking powder • 1 tablespoon sugar • 1/2 teaspoon salt • 1 1/4 cups milk • 1 egg • 3 tablespoons melted butter • 1 teaspoon vanilla extract Instructions: 1. Mix dry ingredients: In a large bowl, whisk together the flour, baking powder, sugar, and salt. 2. Mix wet ingredients: In a separate bowl, beat the egg and then stir in the milk, melted butter, and vanilla extract. 3. Combine wet and dry ingredients: Pour the wet ingredients into the dry ingredients and stir until just combined. It’s okay if the batter is a little lumpy-don’t overmix. 4. Cook the pancakes: Heat a non-stick skillet or griddle over medium heat and lightly grease with butter or oil. Once hot, pour about 1/4 cup of batter onto the skillet for each pancake. Cook until bubbles form on the surface (about 2-3 minutes), then flip and cook for another 1-2 minutes until golden brown on both sides. 5. Serve: Stack the pancakes on a plate and serve with your favorite toppings like syrup, butter, fresh fruit, or whipped cream. Enjoy your homemade pancakes!

[@urahara64360]

I definitely am ok with it some times since a kid having a crush on someone older is something I think that everyone goes through at some point. Though i think these scenarios also only really happen for teens and children because only a few years difference stops mattering as you age

[@TheAlphaJayShow]

I think that's what Phineas and Ferb was trying to portray.

[@urahara64360]

@TheAlphaJayShow oh yeah but part of why it can seem a bit off is because of how big a developmental gap can be between a preteen, an early teen and a late teen even if they're only 3 years apart from each other

[@kingtytyYT]

what the song name at 6:21

[@TheCommenterDragon]

It's so good to see a video from you again Alpha Jay! I often theorize that even though the whole age gap crush trope is pretty common in animation, I believe one of the many reasons why it's even a thing at all is because even though it's 100% wrong, In some ways it also can create drama between characters, Mostly emotional drama.

[@TheAlphaJayShow]

That's a very good point! There was quite the emotional drama in Turning Red and Gravity Falls

[@TheSerotoninMuncher]

Isabella and Phineas' ship isn't geometrically possible

[@cryingbananajo]

😂

[@r.r.m1596]

I think with tropes like this it’s perfectly fine as long as the older person doesn’t reciprocate those feelings since it’s perfectly normal to have an older crush I’m sure everyone has had an older crush but once the older person reciprocates those feelings that’s when it’s an issue

[@LM1984Studios]

I always find it funny how by the time Ferb’s off to college, Vanessa’s already 26. And everyone is okay about them dating

[@22espec]

I thought he was 13 and she was 16

[@LM1984Studios]

@@22espec Both Phineas and Ferd are between 8 and 10. And the episode where they’re all teens take place 10 years later.

[@22espec]

@@LM1984Studios well, we know Ferd is older than Phineas(he was already in a university while Phineas just graduated) and they were in middle school when Vanessa was in high school

[@victorlarryesmenda2805]

​@@LM1984Studiosso he was 20 something

[@itsvale6371]

@@victorlarryesmenda2805then is not too weird, probably would be less weird if they meet by that age

[@josiahtheawkward6008]

23:44 The animation has no right being this good here

[@renamon5658]

You forgot my little pony friendship is magic. Spike has a crush on rarity.

[@TheCommenterDragon]

Yes, I too believe that also deserves a spot in this vid.

[@comicadubber1027]

I was thinking about that! It was honestly pretty weird even as a kid it felt wrong. Especially with rarity using him for free labor.

[@vulpixle9659]

At least with spike in later seasons it's shown that his crush on rarity gradually fades

[@renamon5658]

@@vulpixle9659 in the mlp friendship is forever episode 1. you can see spike crushing on rarity. So his crush on her didn't fade. And those 6 episodes are taking place before twilight rules equestria. So after s9e25

[@TheCommenterDragon]

@@vulpixle9659 Yes, And "Dragon Dropped" is proof of that.

[@Athithan_2000]

8:40 - 9:14 that whole segment is life changing advice.

[@the_vine_queen]

I personally hate any sort of age gap trope when the characters actually get together. However, none of the shows mention here actually do that--the only exception being Phineas and Ferb, but this is shown years in the future where, as mentioned, the age gap isn't an issue since they're both adults. These shows do this trope well. I was initially skeptical that any show that depicts this sort of age gap would encourage younger viewers to start pursuing or harassing their older crushes, the resolution of all of these feelings is addressed by explaining that the age gap is an issue, and that the relationship wouldn't work at the moment. This resolution may help viewers with those feelings get over their crushes.

[@kingtytyYT]

what the song name at 6:21

[@KingXeonMyroku]

I think Hey Arnold was one of those I experienced with the age gap where Arnold and Gerald going out with sixth graders and Arnold having a crush on his substitute teacher once. There was even a love triangle episode with Gerald having a crush on a new girl in town but she has a crush on Gerald’s older brother.

[@dwbtech]

10:49 Naw bro Clyde is down bad💀

[@cassandraspoelhof3752]

This can also happen in live action shows. One example is Jessie where Luke, played by the late Cameron Boyce, had a huge crush on Jessie, played by Debby Ryan. Honestly I didn’t like the way this was shown in Jessie as some of the things Luke said to Jessie were definitely sexual harassment as she had told him that she had no interest in him.

[@Trist233]

If I'm not wrong, Zack and Cody had that situation, too. Wasn't Zack fell in love with Maddie?

[@cassandraspoelhof3752]

@@Trist233 Yes. It seems like a situation kinda like Ferb and Vanessa because in one episode of Suite Life On Deck, Maddie came to visit the SS Tipton and she seemed to reciprocate Zack’s feelings.

[@elitely6748]

I have not seen an Alpha Jay video in quite a while but I can just tell from the thumbnail alone it'll be great. The loud house one was always a bit strange considering Lori had a boyfriend who wasn't fond of it and that it seemed like thats all the younger Clyde's character was about sometimes. As others pointed out though its great how Gravity Falls solved it!

[@Aego384]

Clyde was willing to beat Bobby up or even hoped he died.

[@Trainboy452]

Pretty dark and obsessive. I kind of wish they would explore Clyde and Lori's dynamic a little bit more, and see how Clyde's crush on Lori died down.

[@elitely6748]

Your kidding!@@Aego384

[@TheAlphaJayShow]

Of the six, it is the weirdest for sure

[@DDarkestKnight]

​@@TheAlphaJayShowI don't know crushing on your best friend's mom seems a _lot_ weirder😂😂😂

[@WhyNot4764]

This is one of the best videos i've ever watched, amazing editing, scripting, and research. Kudos to you

[@MadameSomnambule]

There's another example that could've been brought up, that one episode of Recess. One of the kids develops a crush on his teacher and even fantasizes about being married to her iirc. Then at the end, he sees her with her husband and gets heartbroken. The teacher ends up talking with him and how the kid being with her wouldn't work at all, the fact he's in 4th grade and she's not. That episode stuck to me for years and it's one of a few Recess episodes I remember from my childhood. I feel like that episode handled the age gap dynamic well, giving a nice lesson on how while children crushing on adults is normal, adults can't reciprocate for obvious reasons.

[@Idkpleasejustletmechangeit]

20:28 it's always weird to me to hear Ferb's original voice. I'm so used to hearing the deep middle aged voice he has in the German dub.

[@MatecaCorp]

Act Your Age is so good and then Vanessa and Ferb show up and it completely throws you

[@blueblooduk23]

In my opinion, I think that when it comes to the age gap crushes in The Loud House and Gravity Falls, one handles the age gap crush better than the other, and the one that deals with it better would be Gravity Falls. Of course, the team behind the show might’ve had Dipper’s crush on Wendy as a running gag, but it wasn’t overdone too much with Clyde and Lori. What I am saying is that When it came to Dipper and Wendy’s relationship, when you look at season two, episode two (how did I forget the name), near the end of the episode, when Wendy and Dipper had their little conversation, Dipper handled it a little more maturely than usual. He understood why Wendy just wanted to be his friend, and all the episodes after that, including the Weirdmaggedon episodes, showed how the team is able to not mention his crush on Wendy (except for that one scene in the second Weirdmaggedon episode), and only show it as a regular and normal relationship. When it came to the Loud House, Clyde’s crush on Lori was VERY overdone in the early seasons before he started to have a relationship with Chloe. The show never gave an explanation to HOW his crush on Lori drifted away from his personality, but I like that in some terms. Going as far to the point of him nosebleed, REALLY isn’t a good way to “try” and make the audience laugh. But that is my opinion!

[@tasmeenbaker9912]

And to make it even weirder, Lori has a whole ass boyfriend and yet she low-key be flirting with Clyde.

[@mitchfletcher2386]

@@tasmeenbaker9912 Not so much that she was flirting, more like she realized that she actually LIKED the attention when it seemed like Clyde was crushing on Leni in one episode.

[@tasmeenbaker9912]

@@mitchfletcher2386 Still weird though

[@itsvale6371]

@@tasmeenbaker9912is way better to think she just like the attention, yeah it make her look a bit bratty but is better that the other option (also remember whos the creator)

[@KaratekidSMW]

Chloe was a one-off character, though

[@sansbazinga9821]

The Ferb and Vanessa relationship never sat right with me. And the fact they get together is a bit disturbing. It can't have been confirmed for any reason other than fan service, but now that P&F is coming back and is supposed to have flashes to the future, it's gonna be interesting and telling to see how they explain and justify it.

[@kathrineici9811]

They didn’t really interact until they were both of age-it strikes me as a dynamic between a 20yo and a 25yo, there’s still a gap but it’s less concerning

[@itsvale6371]

@@kathrineici9811 i personally dont see much problem with the gasp of age when they are adults, but if weird if they interacted too much as minors, if not then is less concerning

[@kou7191]

I think it depends really. I mean, who's to say they didnt start dating right before the episode. Maybe Vanessa's just giving Ferb a chance now that he's in her age range, rather than having waited for him for 8-10 years. Same with Wendy and Dipper for that matter. She's obviously too old for him now, but it's all fair game when they're both in their 20's.

[@TheDancingMudkip]

Reminder this shit is fictional

[@kingtytyYT]

what the song name at 6:21

[@rokakoma3639]

I really like how Gravity falls showed this intruduced us to that dynamic And Gravity falls in comon...tbh

[@TheMarketableJackFrost]

I’m happy to see that a lot of the comments are about how the trope is perfectly fine so long as it’s portrayed correctly, in that it doesn’t go anywhere and is resolved well

[@thefabuloustrash05]

I feel that age gap crush are fine if it only stays as crushes that the kid grows out of over time. Kids crushing on someone older than them is normal, I mean when I was 10 I was crushing on multiple celebrities who were twice my age, but as I got older I grew out of it like all kids do. Something like Ferb and Venessa with them getting together never sat right with me while something like Dipper and Wendy was handled perfectly with Dipper moving on from his crush on her and them not getting together in the end.

[@SunsetDragon]

The thing with Vanessa and Ferb's relationship is that they actually handled it pretty well. Both characters were mature and calm about the situation, and no romantic relationships were started until after they were both over 18. And, assuming Ferb was 10 during the show, then by the time they were in a relationship, they were 20 and 26. I'll admit here, that's a smaller age gap than my parents. And like you said in the video, 6 years is a big deal to kids, but not so much to adults.

[@justjoannak]

He was 19

[@SunsetDragon]

@@justjoannak Ah, my bad. Ty!

[@TheGamingCaveYT]

i really like what they did in adventure time with Finn and PB for the most part, like they showed that it could work if they were the same age, then how he got over PB with FP but they stay as really good friends in the end.

[@purplehorseneigh]

God now I'm remembering the Naked Brother's Band and how Alex Wolf (like around 6-8 in the show??) had a crush on his babysitter and even referred to her as his girlfriend. That was so much worse that all these because it was a live action mockumentary with a real life little boy and adult woman. Oh, and it's worth noting that in real life outside the show, the two are cousins and the show was created by Nat and Alex's mother.

[@productionsinparadise2880]

How could anyone not be interested in Ferb, he's the complete package deal.

[@ErikTheOkapiYT]

Once I heard the age gap between Dipper & Wendy, it made me think of the age gap between Sonic & Amy in Sonic Boom. (15 for Sonic & 12 for Amy) Amy keeps her crush on Sonic to herself, but in a few episodes, it does show a little bit. Sonic even mentioned SonAmy in "The Biggest Fan".

[@TuesdaysArt]

I had totally forgotten about the context with the crush pheromone, I just thought Carl was a creep. The weirdest cartoon age gap thing I've seen in a kid's show is a cat with the voice of a grown man having a crush on a literal eight year old...and then another cat with the voice of a grown man also gets a crush on her for an episode. Who wants to guess what cartoon that was?

[@ArendAlphaEagle]

That's not unfounded of you to have forgotten it; if I recall correctly, Carl remained having a crush on Judy in other episodes... including the second Jimmy Timmy Power Hour, to the point he requested Cosmo and Wanda to shapeshift a tiny Professor Calamitous (stuck in a bottle) into Judy. Yeah, they conveniently forgot Timmy had a crush on Trixie in all three Power Hours to force a Jimmy/Timmy/Cindy love triangle in the first two, but they remembered THAT.

[@alejandromojarro904]

Cat scratch?

[@TuesdaysArt]

@@alejandromojarro904 Congratulations! You get this emoji trophy! 🏆

[@TuesdaysArt]

@@ArendAlphaEagle Why would they keep that going 😭

[@theminipyro1236]

gordon's crush on kimberly is definitely weird to say the least, blik even starts liking kimberly when she roasts the shit out of him, then in the end its waffles who just had a spaceship fall on him, although it seems that gordon really cares about kimberly more than blik and waffles, wanting to impress her at every turn and even lying about the unicorn in her introduction episode, its obvious it won't work but imo it should be seen more as comedic rather than serious despite being a part of the show. +it seems they're just best friends rather than gordon crushing on kimberly, kimberly is clearly not privy to gordon's feelings but its a fun dynamic in the show that works/

[@recklessabandon5678]

6:03 I like that Hugh is just like "Yeah whatever, bro" and keeps going

[@MyMooCowz1]

Honestly I don't see anything wrong with these crush dynamics as long as the older person isn't reciprocating. I've yet to meet a single person that didnt have a crush on someone older. Their English teacher. KPop boy bands. Actors. Anime characters. It's up to the adult in the dynamic to maintain an appropriate relationship.

[@elhazthorn918]

I remember being young and crushing on someone older. It's a weird time when kids aren't sure what things mean, and mistake thoughts of respect, admiration and seniority, or heck, just a simple observation that somebody looks pretty, and thinking they're what this Disney concept of "love" is. Like, in Sleeping Beauty, it's 'poetic' that a prince wakes a girl with a kiss, and not at all creepy. And that 'love at first sight' is a thing. Of course a childhood crush is not romantic love. At least I hope not. It's young people trying to understand what feelings are. They're introduced to Sleeping Beauty, Snow White, Little Mermaid and see love as something that comes to everyone just like that. Like... "Oh the prince kissed me! That means we love each other now!" That's why Mac mistakes Frankie kissing him on the cheek as a romantic kiss, rather than a kiss of appreciation like an auntie might give for helping to clear the table. I mean, even as an adult I mistook an episode of infatuation as love, but snapped out of it afterwards. It's not even intuitive for adults either. To complicate things further, philosophy types would even argue there are several types of love, like eros, philia, agape, storge. Romantic love is the obvious one, as well as love for family and love for friends. All distinct, but share elements, too. And when I mentioned before about thoughts of respect and admiration, some argue that's a type of love too. (Was it Marilyn Frye who said that?) Edit: Since we're talking cartoons, I like what happened in Steven Universe -- I haven't watched a lot of the show, but in one episode, there's this side character who's a mail carrier with a love for theatre. It's not so much an age difference thing, but more to illustrate my point of mistaking other feelings for romantic love. Garnet emerges from the ocean and walks toward him and Steven still dripping wet (she's in full armor, so it's less lewd that it sounds from me describing it). He mistakes seeing a tall, suave, strong woman on the beach for love and the episode revolves around this. Long story short, Garnet tries to smack him out of these feelings because she recognises this isn't love; it's infatuation. And she gives a pretty real speech regarding love, to counter what people often see in media. "Love at first sight doesn't exist. Love takes time. It takes effort and work. And you have to know the person first."

[@archonic_]

this is beautifully put

[@mikeydavid4500]

20:27 "I was weak" I just loved that Ferb acknowledged that he was a simp

[@Equalizer4]

Bro was honest from the jump, I respect that.

[@moosethegamer9140]

Kids should be able to have crushes on adults, but not the other way around.

[@theconqueringram5295]

You know, this is a trope I care very little for, but this analysis kind of makes me appreciate it a little more.

[@TheAlphaJayShow]

Glad to showcase it

[@Suddsy11037]

and then theres this trope in anime... lets just say they dont tend to handle this kind of dynamic with as much care...

[@alexneuman600]

Hxh fans when they watch 5 episodes in a row without pedophilia (new record):🤑🤑🤑🤑🤑

[@Suddsy11037]

@@alexneuman600 isnt there only one relationship like that for like half an arc?

[@alexneuman600]

@@Suddsy11037 I barely remember, i watched that a long time ago, but i remember at least three pedos from that series and way more than just three creepy scenes. One too many if you ask me but yeah.

[@vitalsignscritical]

Personally I think they should get "weird" with it, reciprocate and such. I don't see a problem with it, it's just media, entertainment, I think everyone needs to lose their hang-ups about what's portrayed or in the lore/plot of shows etc.

[@anotherrandomguy8871]

⁠@@vitalsignscritical​​⁠​⁠maybe it’s because I’m a late teen to young adult, but I mostly agree. I never got hung up on this trope in cartoons, not as a kid, not even now, I don’t even get hung on loli in anime, but maybe that’ll all change, but I doubt it. Though at the same time I’d say maybe it shouldn’t be replicated unless the gap is low, or they are both of age, or one of them become of age, but again it’s not like it’s real in a cartoon. Actually most of the time I care little for the age of a cartoon character.

[@DonutToast]

No but honestly the loud house was just plain weird about it. It's such a weird trope and I hope the way it's treated in the loud house fades out as a whole,,

[@galacticmusicalgirl2179]

Fortunately, later seasons got rid of the whole crush thing. There’s even an episode where Clyde talks to Lori and he doesn’t crush on her at all.

[@FriendlyNeighborhoodNoob]

I always saw Dipper and Wendy's relationship as a "not now" type of deal

[@theminipyro1236]

dipper and wendy does seem like it would 100% work if they both grew up over the age of 18

[@NoiseDay]

Robbie: goads Dipper for being a child Robbie: picks fight with said child

[@maxmeidl4909]

And even when Clyde was able to act normal around Lori, we eventually had Carl Casagrande want to bang Lori, who is YOUNGER than Clyde.

[@bullmonty764]

That’s mostly because the Casagrandes has to do absolutely *everything* that the Loud House did. It’s also (imo) the sole reason the spin-off is also getting a movie despite having neither the fandom nor unresolved plot threads to justify it

[@TheAlphaJayShow]

Lol what

[@nicholassims9837]

@@bullmonty764 I think Carl got over his crush as in later appearances he shows no attraction to Lori and why was she such a boy magnet ?

[@bullmonty764]

@@nicholassims9837 I guess it’s fine that Carl got over it, except that again, Clyde got over his crush too. Once again, the Casagrandes is an exact copy-and-paste of its parent show

[@nicholassims9837]

@@bullmonty764 not an exact copy as Sid didnt have a big crush on Bobby doing a gender swap take on Clyde and Lori also we saw how Clyde got over his crush Carl we dint even get a passing mention and The Casagrandas didn't have any bad episodes on the same level as Brawl in the Family or No Such Luck and finally They had an Aunt and Uncle in the family we haven't seen any for the Loud House outside of very brief flashbacks

[@Eddieavina123]

Love your video, Alpha Jay Show, and keep up the great work. You are awesome.

[@itsalexclark]

its also in my series about dating my babysitter. hahahahah lol

[@Santiago-i7g]

Bro I watched that as a little kid

[@gladisjoseph6646]

oh yeah i remember those days

[@nickdorenkamp959]

Phineas: Hey Ferb *two random ads play* 😂😂😂😂 Talk about timing.

[@saniyacantey4108]

Honestly I’m not surprised at the weird jokes and that fact that Lori wanted Clyde’s attention and love since the creator of the show is a creep himself. He used to make comics depicting a little cat boy being attracted to his cat mom, purposely dropping things on the floor to look up her skirt and wanting to take baths with her to look at her boobs. It really gives another reason as to why the Loud House fandom is so gross.

[@MadameSomnambule]

Bleh. Reminds me a bit of what I've seen of Petit Spirou back in high school. It's a spinoff of the mainline Spirou and Fantasio comic series, where the title character is a little kid. I honestly think the way the kid characters' crushes on adult women were handled in that comic were WAAAAYYYY overdone and weird, and it's kinda why while I was able to get into the main Spirou series back when I took four years of French, I could NEVER get into Petit Spirou. It's like a hornier Dennis the Menace.

[@saniyacantey4108]

@@MadameSomnambule oh wow yeah I hate it when series take something obviously gross and wrong and ram it up to 100, or just makes it weirder then it needs to be it results in an unpleasant watch and an even more unpleasant fandom

[@fightingmedialounge519]

I wouldn't judge entire Fandom over the creator and a few individuals.

[@-cat_in_space-]

eww.

[@Billy23456]

21:12 what a hero

[@IllusionMaster17]

Age-gap relationships sure are an interesting trope to use, but one that must be treated carefully. Normally when it happens, you know from the first time that it simply won't work and it's because it's something normal for many, have a crush on someone older than you, even if the age gap is so little, is a thing that happens, along that in a certain moment the one with the crush (or both) will have to realize it's just awkward. So, it was a surprise that Ferb and Vanessa actually ended together, it was reciprocated and honestly I don't complain, I feel like this one simply works well.

[@MaggieFox45]

You can be friends with anyone within reason, age doesn’t matter, so long as the friendship is platonic.

[@demontamerbf18]

As I grew up these relationships were completely normal and it wasn't until recently, when I found out there was another case of it in The Loud House that I realized how weird they could be if they aren't developed the right way. My favorite will always be Wendy and Dipper, I feel it gave Dipper way more personality than what he already had and the conclusion was sad but expected and showed how mature Wendy was, Lori and Clyde's story is also really good and it got me even more interested in watching The Loud House.

[@Lapeno456]

Didnt even know people found this weird, almost everyone i know had a crush on someone way older as a kid (some still do to this day, and some achieved their goals in the end and im not elaborating further lol)

[@capyisnotemo]

Weird asf