OK Animes for my kids?

[Anime Dad]

Hello Glad I found this site.

I'm a father of 3 kids, including a 14 year old boy. He has lately become interested in anime through some of his mates, and I was just wondering if anyone has any thoughts on what I should and should not be allowing him to watch, from a Christian perspective. Obviously I would like to be there to make sure what he's watching is OK, but that's not really practical for many reasons Bearing in mind that we're in Australia, and we don't have pay TV/ cable, so most of what he sees would be on DVD and hired/bought or borrowed.
All my kids were Pokemon fans when they were a bit younger (and probably secretly still are) but that show was just irritating My son used to watch Dragonball Z when it was on TV, but I found that very repetitive.

At the moment he's watching Cowboy Bebop, and has borrowed some episodes of Evangelion (I know it's not meant to be discussed, if a staff member would PM me the reasons why I would appreciate it )

Any thoughts?

PS I've read some of the reviews here, and a lot on some of the other review sites. The problem with the other sites is their non-Christian perspective.. what they see as OK may not be to me....
Also, just so you know, I'm not against anime as an art form or a pastime (i'm a fan of Japanese culture in general!) or my kids watching it, as long as it's not ALL they do

PPS: I have to admit i'm enjoying Cowboy Bebop too

[Mr. SmartyPants]

ahh ^^ glad that you have an open mind sir

well first off... obviously sit down and watch some episodes with your children

i havent seen evangalion, but some say that its somewhat got weird religious themes... in a way that goes against Christianity, but im not entirely sure

some people tend to be more tolerant then others, even in this forum... (not to be bashinn on my fellow caaers) some take more precaution into what they view, while others know that they will be fine and will not disturb them. As your son if some shows are more disturbing to him then others

With your son, focus on language (i mean extreme amounts, he is 14, so im sure he can handle many things), boys generally are more tolerant to violence, so you can be lenient on that, and also for any nudity/sexual references, i don't believe that Cowboy Bebop has any nudity, the only thing sorta fanservicey would be Faye (a female character) in skimpy clothes sometime

hope that helps ^^

[Anime Dad]

Thanks for the reply

First of all, please don't call me sir. It just makes me feel old I've been around the net and forums for a long time

Thanks for your thoughts. I've seen the way Faye is dressed in some episodes, and while I wouldn't want my girls dressing like that, i've seen worse at the local shopping centre... really! (unless it changes from one episode to the next)

My son is pretty mature for his age (in some ways), his favorite TV show is CSI Miami, which should give you an idea. We do keep an eye on his behaviour to make sure he isn't being influenced by what he sees. And he is active with our church, youth group etc.

[Mangafanatic]

Could just give us a run down on the general content that you find acceptable and, on the flipside, unacceptable? I know some families are particularly sensative about language, or more sensative about violence, or whatever.

If you can stand some violence and a few little homosexual undertones (which I and many of the other members of this board agree are meant to purely be a joke), I suggest Fruits Basket. The show itself has no sex or nudity and the only real problem points are a couple of characters who can use colorful language when properly provoked and two male characters who enjoy weirding other people out by pretending to be gay.

If you can get past the above, Fruits Basket is a really beautiful story about the change that one loving, compassionate person can make in a family full of people who have been deeply wounded by those around them.


An offical CAA review as well as a synopsis of the show can be found here: http://www.christiananime.net/reviews.php?display=24

[Ashley]

Welcome to the site! I'm so thrilled to see parents that are not only supportive of anime, but want to know more about it so they can make very informed decisions in their children's lives. That's wonderful!

I'm sure you'll find our review database to be of a lot of help; Gypsy takes great care to be sure that anything reviewed mentions anything that could offend, and all are written with a very clear Christian stance in mind.

As for title recommendations, the best I can think of right now would be Gundam Wing (light cursing in the uncut; little to none in the dub; very little blood (like, a scratch; the most offensive thing I can think of is Duo's gundam is called the shirigami, which translates roughly into English as the god of death--it's from Japanese folklore--overall I think it's a great series and one of my favorites). Fruits Basket might be good if he's willing to open up and give a romantic comedy a try. Trigun was also a very popular title with my brother, who is 15, although a little on in the series it gets a bit disturbing. I don't know your son, so I don't know what to recommend exactly. ^^

And I'll be pm'ing you about Evangelion in a bit. Glad to see you here!

[Mr. SmartyPants]

if he sticks around he could become the CAA-Dad

*gasp* CSI??? blasphemy! law and order is better!

I too, definately recommend fruits basket... it is a really cute story =)

if you want a pure comedy about some highschool girls, i would check out Azumanga Daioh, it's very clean, although in some occasions (like 2 episodes) there are bits of fanservice ^^

and there is a girl that seems to have a "crush" on another girl, but it's not given if she is a lesbian or just idolizes another girl (like a hero or role model)

also! get your son to join the forums if he can! we love new members XD

[TKD Samurai]

Welcome to the boards! A parent who's supportive of anime? I wish my parents were like that...

Anyway, I would definitely recommend Trigun. It's action-packed without being too bloody, and it has a lot of humour and drama as well. The only objectionable part that one might consider is Nicholas D. Wolfwood, a somewhat questionable priest, but that's resolved by the end of the series.

Another recommendation would be Rurouni Kenshin (aka Samurai X). It has more blood and violence than Trigun, but the action is awesome IMO.

By the way, the Reviews here are really helpful.

[Warrior 4 Jesus]

Hi and welcome to CAA! I'm an Australian too and so anime is hard to come by unless I buy it or rent it. That said I would have to say Last Exile is a great series with some violence and a little adult themes. Its PG. Quality animation and the characters are very human.

CSI is a good series. My favourite is the original, but Miami is good and New York can be good but lacks some of the humor of the other series.

[Arnobius]

Let's see,
Nadia: Secret of Blue Water is a good one with one area of objection:
[spoiler]The Biblical story of creation is made out to be done by aliens[/spoiler]
Azumanga Daioh
The movies of Hayao Miyazaki

and I have a PM also on Eva

[Azier the Swordsman]

Some good anime I would recommend:

Rurouni Kenshin:
Awesome series about an ex-assasin who turned his life to protecting others with his sword. Because of a vow to never kill again, he uses a special sword that can't kill others. Throughout the series he faces many adversaries, many very evil, while trying to resist the temptation to return to his darkside.

Warnings:
Some bloody, gory violence ( mostly caused by Kenshin's ruthless adversaries)
Mild language

Dragonball: I know you already don't like DBZ..... but the original Dragonball is completely different! Focused on comedy and adventure rather than 100 episode brawls.... better characterizations.... the plot gets to where it's going a lot quicker, and it's all around a fun series to watch.

Warnings:
Nudity (not female)
Mild Language
Risque humor (Master Roshi and Ooglong are major perverts who are played for comic relief)
Martial arts violence (nothing very graphic)
Some mystical references

Nadia: Secret of the Blue Water
Loosly based on 10,000 Leagues under the sea. Awesome story. Check our review in the database.....

Warnings:
Mild nudity (no detail)
Mild risque humor
Mild bloody violence
Some screwed biblical themes

As Ash already said, Gundam Wing.....

[Anime Dad]

Wow, a lot of replies already.

Thanks for all the suggestions. I'll definitely be taking them on board.

As for being a supportive parent..... well, I try In many ways, i'm a big kid myself. I have to try not to be too enthusiastic sometimes lol. I figure it's better to be interested in what your kids are doing, and sharing it with them, than finding out much later that they have been doing something you don't approve of, just because you didn't know about it.

If you think it's difficult being a teenager, try being the parent of one Remember, we were teenagers once too.

[Anime Dad]

Oh, BTW Mr Smarty Pants...
My son is a Law and Order fan too.... except when it clashes with CSI lol. He really likes all the CSI's, but thinks Horatio from Miami is cool.
He decided at one stage he wanted to be a forensic scientist, until he found out how much study it involved

[Stephen]

Like Ashley said, welcome abord Anime Dad. I think its awesome when parents care enough about there kids to join sites and all. Welcome to CAA. If you have any questions feel free to ask.

[ChristianKitsune]

Hmmm I agree with The rurouni Kenshin post.. That Is an AWESOME series, and It has been around for awhile and should be easy to find in Austrailia (maybe)

I also would suggest Trigun....If you can Handle Violence, Mild Drinking habits, and cussing.. (but if your son is watching Cowboy Bebop, Then this show SHOULDN't Be a problem! ^_^ ) for CB is more marture.. (or at least that is my opinion.)

[FadedOne]

ooh....sweet thread. *waves to anime dad*

I suggest looking into Last Exile, Detective Conan, and Big O. Especially Last Exile. ^_^

[Ichigo_89]

ooh....sweet thread. *waves to anime dad*

I suggest looking into Last Exile, Detective Conan, and Big O. Especially Last Exile. ^_^

I second Big O and Last Exile. (Though Last Exile can be a pretty slow moving show at times...) If your son is wanting to see an incredible action anime, look no further than Spriggan. There isn't any sex/nudity of any sort, and if your son watches CSI, I'm sure he could handle the violence.

[battletech]

Mobile Suit Gundam, Gundam Wing , Gundam 0080, Gundam 0083, Samurai Troopers (Ronin Warriors) warning Buddism , Full Metal Panic, Robotech

[AngelSakura]

<<Anyway, I would definitely recommend Trigun. It's action-packed without being too bloody, and it has a lot of humour and drama as well. The only objectionable part that one might consider is Nicholas D. Wolfwood, a somewhat questionable priest, but that's resolved by the end of the series.>>
Man, I'm gonna hurt you, TKD. XDD You beat me to it. Yes, yes, I second everything he's said. Although the anime was not quite as well done as the manga.

[Sparrowhawk]

Welcome
WOW a dad that's checks this stuff out... my dad has no clue exatly what I'm into(not that he needs to. I'm actually stricter on what i watch than he is (he took me to a movie that i was shocked about once)) ... he knows i read manga and play video games. He gets more into my sports hobbies. I have not seen too much anime, i mostly read manga so if you ever have questions, please ask

What few anime I have seen
Gundam (not sure which) it seemed pretty good but if there was an edited version it was edited (i was watching it on tv)

Nadidesco (i think thats spelled wrong) not seen it all yet, its pretty good and so far nothing that bothered me (can't remember if there was some language or not)

Crest of the Stars (again not seen all) slow, but interesting, you would have to ask others for info on it

DBZ yeah, very repetitive, but some still like it and its not horrible

.Hack//sign VERY VERY VERY good in my opinion, and the opening has the most questionable pics, the show has nothing in it except Mimiru's outfit is a little skimpy. I think this is the only one that i could truly recommend cause i saw all of it. Watch one episode and you should be able to tell if you are okay (the opening like i said is the only part i think you may find somewhat questionable which you can always skip and just watch the show)

Well, sorry i could not be more help. Other here could help you more, but you should check out the reviews here. Feel free to ask me anything and i will do what i can. C you around.

[Godly Paladin]

All of these have already been proclaimed as great, I believe, but I guess I'll just throw my recommendations in there as well.

Trigun: Like Ashley said, it gets bizarre later on (as in psych stuff and supernatural forces), but overall it's a truly wonderful show.

Gundam Wing: I don't know... You seem to have to be a fan of this sort of stuff to really care for it. It's biggest problems are a plot that seems to ramble on, some really bad dialogue at times, and questionable logistics. I still like it, though. ^_^

Big O: Not a high recommendation, but it's a decent show that has some really good moments.

Outlaw Star: Like Big O. Some great episodes and aspects, but it has a bit of objectionable content in it along the sexual line.

[Godly Paladin]

And Rouroni Kenshin.

Of course.

By far the best show listed on this page. I can't praise it enough.

[eva-boy7985]

Hey there! It's great to see parents with a willingness to support their kids hobbies like this! Some good titles that come to mind (for the 14 year old) are Last Exile, Gundam Wing (or really most any of the Gundam animes for that matter; Gundam Seed is excellent as well!), Rahxephon, and .hack SIGN. Last Exile is a great epic type anime with huge sky battles between airships and fighters called "vanships"; it's a really powerful show with great characters and a pretty involved plot. Rahxephon is what might called the "positive counterpart" to Evangelion; the show has some abstract elements but an overall great message of hope and the unending power of love. The Gundam animes are great for good plot and moderate to a lot of action. .hack SIGN has a really intriguing, "mess with your head" kind of plot, but because of its somewhat more abstract or emotionally oriented there's not as much action per se, if that's what his fancy is. For a good samurai show, there's Peacemaker; it's got a good balance of plot, action, and humor spread throughout it, and while the bloody parts are rather intense, they aren't over the top. I would say everything I've mentioned here ranges from a PG to PG-13 range. There's nothing blatantly sexual in any of these; Rahxephon does contain one scene in the last episode of disc three in which the main character is tempted to give into his "base desires" in what might be called a "psychological landscape", but he handles it intelligently, and it's nothing ultra psychotic in terms of content. Also, bear in mind that I recommend these shows more out of the power of their stories and the priniciples involved vs. sheer entertainment value. Very little fo the anime that I own I would say that I own for reasons of entertainment, as most all of it is about sad stuff, dramatic topics, or other things of a very serious or mature (in a good way) nature. Hope some of this helps!

[Anime Dad]

Wow, what an awesome response. I'm so glad I found this place

With all the series you've mentioned, we'll have enough to occupy ourselves until my son is 18 and old enough to make up his own mind.

Thanks again, I hope i'll be around here to ask some more questions.

[That Dude]

Escaflowne is also a good series to check out. It can get bloody at times though. The main objectionable content is that it has quite a bit of tarot card usage (the main character does give it up at the end though.)

[Joshua Christopher]

Check out Nadesico. Nothing too bad in the series, it is very funny.

[agasfas]

Personally, of all the animes I've seen I know a few good titles that are appropriate for kids/ or younger audiences.

1) Princess Nine
An anime about baseball. At first it didn't seem interesting to me, but I bought it on a huntch, and because it was on sale . To my surprise, it's a really good anime, story wise and and content wise.

2)Figure 17
I bougth the whole collection on sale in a value pack, and although I haven't seen the whole series, it looks good.

3) Someday Dreamers
A really good series. A slice of life type but not too slow paced. But what some may find wrong with it is the aspect of a girl mage. But to be honest, it really didn't matter. The story was strong w/ a good message. And it's not about doing magic just for the sake of it... I would recommend this one.

4) Chance Pop Session
About 3 and their path to stardom as a singing trio. Again, another one many pass up because of it's premise. This is in opinion is one of the better "sleeper titles." There are christian themes and has a really good story. I got mine on ebay; all 3 dvd's (15eps) for about $25 after shipping; US region one release. I was quite shocked on how good it really was. Not bad...

5) Grave of the Firefiles
It's probably one of the "best" anime movies I've ever seen, period. Makes you see how special, yet fragile life is. It's a really emotional film- towards the end. A must see I think.

Those are a few random titles I know that content is okay and the story premise is strong. A few other random animes are: crest of stars, outlaw star and Dual and Kanon.

A few good review sites are:

Anime Tempy
My favorite site for reviews. Most animes have more then one review, giving you an better look overall.

http://www.animeondvd.com

[Bobtheduck]

I was coming into this thinking younger child, then I would have said Hamtaro or maybe some Ghibli movie (other than Princess Mononoke) but since the kid is 14, well... If you don't mind the Japanese mythology, Princess Mononoke is great... There is a discussion of women who USED to be prostitutes (they were put to work in an Iron Mill) and it's rather violent, but it's a beautiful and exhilerating(sp?) story.

Nadesico has a decent amount of fanservice... Something you prolly wouldn't see on CSI, but if you're not bugged by Bebop, Nadesico is saintly. It's a bit, um... Well, it started as a parody and developed into a full story, but even so, the characters are a bit one dimensional... There is a bit of development for a couple of the characters, but it isn't the best... I like it for nostalgia purposes...

Ruroni Kenshin and Trigun... Well, your son may end up liking those, but I sure can't stand either one of them... Just IMNSHO, BTW...

[Kenshin17]

Awsome. My dad really isn't an anime fan so much as a fan of good writting. I think I can blame him for really getting me into anime.

I don't believe I saw anyone recomend Last Exile. I loved this show. It had no nudity, little if any sexual content (that I remember, if there was any my forgetting it shows how memorable it was) and it had an awsome story. The animation by Gonzo was steller.

Another I like is Stellvia. So far this show has been bout as harmles as you can get. At first glance it seems to be just another saturday morning fare but its very good. No nudity or sexual stuff yet (I'm on volume four) and at the rate its going it doesn't appear to be getting any closer to such material. The only "sexual" content is that two characters kiss, nothing explicit just a simple kiss. The animation is very, very good.

I recomend Gundam Seed (some mild fanservice and a bit of nudity towards the end) but a very good (and well animated) series. Gundam Wing is also worth a look. Well written series.

And I also strongly recomend Rouruni Kenshin. Its just way cool. And the only real "problem" is its violence. A good series with a good story. Just be carful the movies, especially the first one are very violent.

RahXephon was another I enjoyed. It has a bit of nudity towards the end, and a little bit of sexual content but it was very good and well done. I enjoyed it quit a bit.

I carefully sugest Full Metal Panic. I say carefully because this one is violent and has nudity towards the end. I would recomend watching this one yourself before letting your kids watch it. I really liked it (I own the whole series) but it can get rough.

[Radical Dreamer]

Rurouni Kenshin. Definitely. A beautiful series, full of action, romance, comedy (I find it to be hysterical), history, and characters you will never forget. If you enjoyed the movie "The Last Samurai," chances are you'll love this series. Sure, it's violent, but considering the era in which it is set, it's really not much of a problem. At least, not with me anyways. Also, consider the fact that Himura Kenshin fights with a Sakabatou (or reverse-blade sword) in order to keep himself from killing. The inner battle between the rurouni Kenshin (rurouni meaning wanderer) and the Hitokiri Battousai Kenshin(or Battousai the Manslayer) is compelling and will literally keep you on the edge of your seat. Other than the occasional cuss word (usually from the villians, but Sano lets a few words slip every now and then, and Yahiko says "D***it" several times in the second episode), the series is very clean. If you and your son can handle Cowboy Bebop, then this series is a definitely a must-see. You'll be hooked after the first few episodes! ^_^ I know I was...

I hope I helped, and enjoy!

[Myoti]

Man, I kinda wish my dad was into anime. He just doesn't get why I watch it.

.hack//sign is, like said before, REALLY good. Mild language, nothing really controversial, and no real violence (since they're in a game). It's the only one I've actually seen every episode of (though I saw the whole thing in Japanese ).

I've only seen a few episodes of Trigun, but I thought it was pretty good. Of course, the "bizarre" things I can't really vouch for as I haven't seen that far into ii yet.

Man, most of the others I do watch have been really screwed over, thanks to a certain American company **cough4Kidscough**. These shows I speak of would be Shaman King and One Piece, but if the uncut versions are anything like the mangas... well, they may not be as bad as some other certain series.

Why hasn't Full Metal Alchemist been brought up (or has it)? I haven't seen enough to review it, but from what I did see I thought it was pretty good.

BTW, bring your son into CAA!! He may like it.