With the increasing popularity of Anime, there are some misconceptions surrounding it as well. Anime is referred to as Japanese Animation, which is often misunderstood as cartoons. Although they are based on 2D animations it does not mean that every Anime show can be child friendly.
Anime touches on many hardcore serious topics for example nationalism, mental health, obscenity, violence, and social issues that may not be ideal for 12 years olds. Therefore parents need to read this blog to get to know some age-appropriate Anime for their kids.
Who invented anime?
The origins of anime may be traced back to the early twentieth century, with the first confirmed films appearing in 1917. Ten Shimokawa, Jun’ichi Kuchi, and Seitaro Kitayama were among the first group of animators in the late 1910s, and are often regarded as the “fathers” of anime.
During WWII, propaganda films such as Momotar no Umiwashi (1943) and Momotar: Umi no Shinpei (1945), the latter being the first anime feature film, were produced. Anime evolved further throughout the 1970s, breaking away from its Western roots and spawning unique genres such as mecha and its super robot subgenre.
Astro Boy, Lupin III, and Mazinger Z are examples of popular shows from this era. Several filmmakers rose to prominence during this time period.
What Anime can a 12-year-old watch?
Anime aired on Cartoon Network (or other children’s cartoon networks) before 9 p.m. is definitely safe for most kids under the age of 13. If it’s on-air after 9 p.m, you know it’s not suitable for 12-year-olds. An Anime with ecchi elements or fan service or violence are not kids-friendly.
Not every Anime is made for a mature audience. There is always kid-friendly content there. You can check out a few episodes with your kids to find out how it is.
Anime shows have an age restriction or a limit on their DVDs and Blu-Ray to make this easier for parents to recognize.
Here are some suggestions for kids-friendly Anime shows:
Dr. Stone
| No. of Episodes | 24 |
| Created by | Boichi, Riichiro Inagaki |
| Genre | Isekai, Adventure, Time travel |
| Duration | 24 minutes per episode |
This Anime chronicles the heroic efforts of the genius Senku Ishigami to bring humanity back from the stone age.
The entire human species turns into stones by an enigmatic energy wave, but now that it’s time to rebuild, Senku is brave and upbeat despite the enormous obstacles he must overcome.
The show also offers young viewers vibrant graphics, wonderful humor, and inspirational life teachings. Older viewers will like the high-IQ twists that this series adds to the Isekai genre, giving it a new sense of life.
Cells at Work!
| No. of Episodes | 13 |
| Created by | Akane Shimizu |
| Genre | Comedy, Biology, Human Anatomy, Edutainment |
Cells at Work! explores the internal workings of the human body while also showcasing the microscopic world.
The show primarily focuses on the immune system, but it also explores other organs including the lungs, heart, and stomach. Body cells are represented as uniformed employees, while germs are represented as eye-catching monsters of the week (and the action scenes can be rather bloody at times).
Really, this anime is a great way to get your kids interested in learning! Every parent’s list should include such an educational watch.
Here’s how a doctor has reacted to this Anime:
Little Witch Academia
| No. of Episodes | 25 |
| Duration | 24 minutes |
| Created by | Masahiko Otsuka |
| Genre | Adventure, Comedy, Supernatural |
Little Witch Academia chronicles the magical adventures of Akko and her friends as they discover the real meaning of being a witch in a period when wizardry is on the decline.
Akko dreams to be the kind of witch who can make others smile. She enters Luna Nova Magical Academy despite not having any magical training.
However, her tenure at Luna Nova would prove to be more difficult than Akko could have ever imagined. She strongly refuses to remain inferior to the rest of her colleagues, and so she depends on her tenacity to make up for her reckless personality and lack of magic proficiency.
Barakamon
| No. of Episodes | 12 |
| Duration | 22 minutes |
| Created by | Satsuki Yoshino |
| Genre | Slice of Life |
In Barakamon, Handa Sei, a promising calligrapher, is depicted as someone who acts on impulse. Handa causes trouble after receiving criticism for submission to an exhibition.
Then, unbeknownst to him at the time, he is sent to an island to ponder on his actions and observe that there is much more to life than the world of calligraphy.
The show makes the most of every opportunity from the first to the very last episode to create a supportive environment and brings back the innocence of youth to people who appear to have become overwhelmed by the responsibilities of adulthood.
Castle Town Dandelion
| No. of Episodes | 12 |
| Duration | 24 minutes |
| Created by | Ayumu Kasuga |
| Genre | Comedy, Supernatural |
The plot follows the story of the Sakurada family. As their father, the king, desires, the Sakurada family leads a typical existence.
Each of the siblings in the royal family has a superpower. One day, all of the king’s daughters and sons are made to compete to determine who will win the crown and capture the town.
The plot is fairly simple, but the lessons you can learn are what this Anime’s hidden message is. It’s extremely nicely done, the execution is excellent, and the narrative is understandable.
Being a fun royalty is the best-hidden part of this story. This Anime emphasizes character development and a supernatural slice of life.
Tamako Market
| No. of Episodes | 12 |
| Duration | 23 minutes per episode |
| Created by | Reiko Yoshida |
| Genre | Slice of life |
Teenage girl Tamako Kitashirakawa, who is clumsy yet adorable, comes from a family of mochi bakers who run a little store named Tama-ya.
One day Tamako encounters a talking bird that poses as a monarch from a far-off kingdom. Dera Mochimazzi, as he goes by, claims to be looking for a wife for the prince of his homeland.
Intent on completing his job, Dera follows Tamako home and becomes addicted to mochi. Unable to fly back to his native country, he settles in with Tamako’s family and becomes the neighborhood’s popular mascot.
Is Anime not for children?
The major reason why Anime is so frowned upon among western parents is due to cultural differences. Even some kids-friendly Anime may have topics like death, and suggestive clothing because such things are not a norm in Japan.
Not every Anime features a happy ending. Characters die, and some villains win. Death is not avoided in Japanese society, because portrayals of it might help kids accept grief. Make sure the tv programs your kids watch, don’t feature graphic violence or have age ratings that are inappropriate for them.
Action and adventure, which is sometimes referred to as “battle Anime” is one of the most well-liked Anime subgenres.
This has a lot of action, generally including martial arts, and the characters could be hurt or even wounded. They normally bounce back, but if your child is getting into a long-running war Anime, make sure you read the story summary.
Additionally, nudity and suggestive material are tolerated more leniently in Japan, which may be seen in PG-rated television. Depending on the rating, many female characters have exaggerated features and don semi-sexy attire, but a girl wearing a short sailor suit doesn’t make the show provocative.
The main characters in the kid-friendly Anime series Sailor Moon dress in sailor suits since it’s part of their uniform for school.
Is Anime good for all ages?
Anime shows like My Hero Academia, Avatar: The Last Air Bender, and Yona of the Dawn are good for all ages. But not all Anime is good for all ages, some Anime shows are classified as G for children, while others, like Vinland Saga, are rated R.
But many Anime shows are enjoyable for all ages and suitable for families.
Due to their mature themes, R-rated content, and plodding, dull stories that would bore young viewers, many seinen-style Anime shows are better appreciated by adult audiences. Some Anime, like Doraemon, is only intended for children.
But if you’re curious, I can advise you to look up which shows are more suitable for families.
Skim the Anime and take a look for yourself, or look it up if you think the Anime is a tad off-color. The internet will often inform you of where and which content may not be acceptable.
Once you get the green light, let your kid enjoy some Anime! I’ve been watching Anime since I was 5, starting with Dragon Ball Z and Pokémon.
Is there a dark side to anime?
If you watch Japanese animation (anime), you may notice that children and women are frequently sexualized.
This objectification, however, does affect not only children and women but also men. Child fetishes, unrealistic depictions of children/women/men, and deviant character clichés have all grown commonplace in anime.
In Japan, there is also a word for manga and anime that contain sexually graphic imagery of children. They termed it “Lolicon,” an abbreviation for “Lolita complex.” And according to Flip Guide, a Japanese culture newspaper, it is estimated that 30-40% of anime and manga feature sexual undertones, with many featuring underage characters.
Conclusion
- Anime is a genre made for children and mature audiences however not every show is appropriate for young minds.
- Anime can have Fan service, violence, complex themes, and psychological drama that can be off-putting for a kid under 12 of age.
- You can look for anime suitable for kids like dragon ball Z or Doraemon.
- If chosen correctly, Anime can be very educational for young minds like Cells at work or Dr. Stone.