Anime is a universal experience that crosses the binds of age and gender, people from all age groups can enjoy anime whether it is catered to their age sect or not. Visual media is the foremost leading method to share ideas and art in today’s world, especially with the younger generation. What media kids these days consume has become very much important for their perception of life and growth and anime is a great teacher for that.
It can be dynamic yet passionate, young adults have all grown up watching Naruto or One Piece in their childhoods which have shaped and greatly impacted them as adults. Anime can be a tool for learning as well as it can be an entertaining watch, so here are a few shows that young kids can watch as well as enjoy!
1. Little Witch Academia
Like many Shoujo anime for kids, Little Witch Academia is also a successor of the Magical girl or Mahou Shojo trope, which is very much a beloved concept in anime. The show revolves around our protagonist Akko Kagari who has enrolled in a prestigious school, the Luna Nova Magical Academy, to train herself to become a witch despite her non-magical background.
We follow Akko’s journey with her two friends Lotte and Sucy as they go through the many trials, tribulations, and excitement of their magical adventure. The art style of the animation is eye-catching, quirky, and colorful which go along with the quirky personalities of the characters – a style very familiar to Studio Trigger. Little Witch Academia has caught the attention of anime-lovers with its expressive cinematography and compelling cute visuals for the kiddos.
2. PowerPuff Girls Z
It is a universally known fact that good media should remain original and not be “remade”, but there are a few that have been done justice. One of them is Power Puff Girls Z – an amazing rendition of the original cartoon. Demashita! PowerPuff Girls Z or PowerPuff Girls Z is co-produced by Cartoon Network Japan and Aniplex and was animated by the one and only Toei Animation, so you can only expect good things out of this show.
The plot, however, differs slightly from the original; the girls are normal humans with no connection to Professor Utonium and ended up transforming into superheroes when a mishap by Utonium’s son Ken envelopes New Townsville. The anime is light-hearted in comparison to the original with more focus on the comedic fights and quirky villains but it still is a pleasantly nostalgic watch.
3. Yo-Kai Watch
Yo-Kai Watch is also a game turned anime like many other shows for eg, Pokemon, Steins; Gate, The Fate Series, etc. The plot follows a young Nathan Adams, who meets Whisper, a Yo-kai, who was sealed away in a capsule for 190 years, and Jibanyan, another Yo-kai from the Charming tribe, together all three begin the adventure of finding more Yo-kai that are known behind daily occurrences with the help of the Yo-kai watch. The show is entertaining with the colorful supernatural characters and has become appealing to all age groups because of its comedic slice-of-life story-telling, it is an easy and enjoyable watch for the whole family!
4. Astro Boy
The world-famous cartoon robot, Astro Boy is a beloved childhood memory for many anime watchers. In the original plot, the robot boy was created by Umataro Tenma, a robotics engineer, in the image of his deceased son Tobio Tenma. Astro Boy was created to have the emotions of a human child – innocent and with a strong sense of justice. Astro is an embodiment of a hero, always willing to put others before him and to solve all problems with intelligence and prudence. Even if Astro Boy as a series may be old, the values and morals that shaped many individuals throughout its time are evergreen and can be watched far into the future as well. After all, who does not love a cute superhero?
5. Chi’s Sweet Home
Japan is a cat-loving country. Hence, it is not so surprising to see amazing anime based on them. Chi’s Sweet Home is an educational and adorable show following the adventures of Chi – a fun-loving, easily distracted, clumsy force of nature that somehow ends up living with the Yamada family after accidentally straying away from her mother. This is a good show that catches your attention with its cute characters, watercolor style art, and of course the kawaii protagonist.
You can watch the show as an adult to de-stress as well since it has a hint of slice-of-life light-heartedness and comedy. The anime is bound to make you laugh with the character’s expressions and the situations that innocent, curious Chi gets herself into. You can catch this sweet and funny kids anime on Amazon Prime.
6. Hamtaro
Adventures of a group of small hamsters that love to snack on sunflower seeds? Count us in. The story of Hamtaro is quite simple, he is a male hamster who loves his owner (to the point of not being able to be ignored by her) and helping his hamster friends! He is kind and selfless and is often seen trying to solve Laura’s (his owner) problems. This series is assured to make your heart melt on seeing the cute group of animals trot around, living individual lives of their own. The imagery is bright and vivid and both kids and adults will be compelled to become avid Hamtaro fans.
7. Digimon
Digimon is the nostalgia anime (besides Pokemon) for a lot of anime watchers. Any millennial would be lying if they said they do not remember the very catchy opening theme. Digimon or Digital Monsters are the lifeforms of a parallel universe called the “Digital World” that developed from Earth’s various communication networks. Very much like, Pokemon, Digimons also go through evolutions or rather, “digivolution”. However, unlike Pokemon, these digital monsters are intelligent and can speak and understand human speech.
The very first series involved our protagonist Taichi, who was one of the chosen children to be given a “Digivice” that would help him transport to the Digital World along with some other kids to save both the human and digital worlds from evil. Digimon is a beloved memory for many young adults now, but the plot will still appeal to the younger generation and children with its adventurous, dynamic story and the variety of digital monsters to pick favorites from.
8. Inazuma Eleven
Inazuma Eleven is yet again a game franchise anime that has been successful as a series in itself. Endou Mamoru is a passionate soccer enthusiast with a zeal for his sport, he is a talented goal-keeper with a mission to gather four other players for his school soccer club to be able to compete in the first few episodes. Like any other sports anime, Inazuma Eleven is dynamic and the imagery is very lively with powerful shots, bold animation, and the fusion of colors with kick techniques is overall a very exciting concept to watch.
The characters all have good development with problems of their own that they overcome, which could teach a young viewer of this series many lessons. Besides, the arduous journey full of passion and dedication that sports anime have is extremely great for the development of young viewers.
9. Bananya
If you spend a lot of time on the internet, there is a great possibility that you may have come across this motif of a cute white cat in a banana peel. Whether on image websites or social media, you will have seen this cat – news is that its name is Bananya and it also has its very own show! The best fact about the series Bananya is that there is not much depth or a complex storyline to it – Bananya lives a carefree life with its other banana friends and experiences life as it comes.
The silly plot is a breath of fresh air to many viewers who want to just watch a cute show about banana cats going on adventures, finding love, and chasing their dreams. It is a universally appealing show, the kids love it, the adults love it, and one can never go wrong with adorable cats wrapped in fruit peels.
10. Yu-Gi-Oh!
Another successful show from Toei Animation studio, Yu-Gi-Oh is as nostalgic as Digimon or Pokemon is. The basic plot follows the tale of Yugi Motou, a timid boy who loves games but is a victim of bullying. However, one day he solves an ancient puzzle known as the Millenium Puzzle, causing a mysterious spirit of a gambler to possess his body as a host. This sets Yugi on a path to defeat the darkness in people’s hearts by challenging them to dangerous Shadow Games which reveal the true nature of someone’s heart.
The players who lose are subjected to a dark punishment called a Penalty Game. Though this series has some dark themes, it is mixed in with an interesting power system and teaches a good lesson of good versus evil to younger audiences through fun concepts like cards, dice, or role-playing board games throughout the anime series.
Also Read: Best Anime For Kids – Anime Suitable For Children, Must Watch!
