Now that I’m thinking about confusing takes I keep seeing in the ZA fandom, people need to stop acting like Team MZ are below eighteen when:
MC: Comes to Lumiose alone despite not being a Trainer, which is unheard of in the series. Traveling children are always either Trainers, or accompanied by an adult. I believe they also sign a legally binding contract with the Rust Syndicate (can’t remember one hundred percent).
Rival: Definitely signs a legally binding contract. Starts training to take over a company at the end of the postgame.
Lida: Had to pay rent before coming to Hotel Z.
Naveen: Handles his own finances. Spends at least some nights at the hotel, and if he was doing that as a minor against his guardian’s wishes, AZ could get in trouble for letting him. This is not even hinted to be a worry that crosses anyone’s mind.
All four: Inherit the hotel after AZ’s death. There’s no mention of it going to someone else until at least one of them is an adult.
The only arguments in favor of them being under 18 seems to be that some older characters call them kids (not uncommon for older people to refer to young adults this way, especially in fiction) and “it’s Pokemon, kids as young as 10 do these things!” but that relies on a fundamental misunderstanding of canons. Kids leaving home for a journey at age ten in most regions is an invention of the anime, and doesn’t apply to the games. In the games, protagonist ages vary much more, and the youngest confirmed age of any of them is 11. The X and Y MC, in particular, is said to be a kid, but also older than the 16 year old Emma, so even though they aren’t an adult, this sets the precedent for Kalos protagonists as being older. Also, once there’s enough hints that a group of characters are adults, saying “well kids could just do that in this world” becomes less a valid argument and more grasping at straws.
