Parents don’t know too much about
What most parents know about
- Negative
- Based on assumptions
- Hearsay
- False preconceptions
Or any off the cuff
I know I have fans in this category as well so let’s talk about it.
Here’s what you need to know.
What parents need to know about anime :
1. Anime is a medium, NOT a genre
The first mistake I see parents making, either from what I’ve seen or from what fans say of their parents…. Is how parents judge
That’s false and it’s not too surprising to see why this narrative is so prevalent outside the
I can’t say what started it but let’s break it down.
- A genre is a category (romance, action,etc).
- A medium is a format (video, books, entertainment, etc).
And Anime is a MEDIUM, not a genre.
That means
- Films
- Regular TV shows
- Video
games
And so on.
You don’t call video
So that’s the first thing you need to drill into your head (or your parents head) about
Related: This Is What Haters Think Of Anime, And How They Describe It
2. Anime has MANY genres
Unlike films and TV shows,
In the
- Police
- Psychological
- Horror
- Yuri
- Yaoi
- Romance
- Action
- Shounen
- Josei
- Shojo
- Adventure
- Fantasy
And the list goes on forever… It seems that way because there’s so many genres to choose from.
That’s why
There’s probably around 12,000+
3. Anime content is rated differently
That’s the reason why an
It’s not the kind of
That’s important to know because the way anime is designed can trick you into believing otherwise.
Another example of the ratings being different (and the content based on ratings) is Dragon Ball Z.
Dragon Ball Z and the seasons they’ve put out are anything but PG in certain scenes.
There’s plenty of blood in
You do get some fan service and inappropriate scenes (more so in the first season) so the rating doesn’t reflect the content down to a T.
Especially not in the way western shows and
So the best judge of content is to watch the content or look at what people say about it… Because ratings aren’t always the best judge.
More so when it’s PG 12 and up.
Relevant: The Most Intense 22+ Anime Series That Are Too Mature For Little Kids
4. Hentai and anime are NOT the same thing
In a nutshell
- Nudity
- Obscene content
- “Naughty” bits
- Sex
And all the good stuff you can imagine (sarcasm).
The reason
Anime is Japanese animation for all ages.
From:
- Kids
- Teenagers
- Young Adults
- Adults
And beyond.
It all comes down tot he type of
Psychological anime and obviously horror tend to be more violent, savage, and
Romance shows are more lightweight in general, and slice of life is the most relaxed as far as “safe” content.
And the list goes on.
5. Anime is no worse than “general” entertainment
There’s this idea that
- Worse
- Evil
- Brainwashing
And all these other nonsensical words that haters use to describe
They describe
The reality is that’s not true. It’s more like a convenient myth people choose to believe because of their lack of understanding.
On the surface,
- Disney films
- Hollywood films
Or anything you choose to compare it to.
The only difference is in:
- The types of subjects it covers
- The stories
- The designs
- The creativity
And everything else that lies under the surface.
You can learn from anime no different to films, books or
After all it’s a medium, not a genre. And it all comes down to what you watch and what you’re into.
It also comes down to what you think is appropriate and what your tolerance level is. And then watching whatever you feel most comfortable with.
All mediums are like that and all mediums have that type of content to some degree.
6. Anime is educational
I mentioned this before, but
Take an
This
Everyone mentions the inspirational lessons you can take from
They’re not wrong. It’s true.
5 Naruto Uzumaki Lessons About How To Handle Life’s Difficulties

The same is true for an
The
You learn about:
- White blood cells
- Red blood cells
And how they function in the body, their role in your health, fighting disease and so on.
Each character is a representation of parts of our body, and that makes it relatable and easy to understand. While giving you practical information.
Anime is full of all sorts of educational lessons and they’re all different.
Related: The 10 Most Educational Lessons You Can Learn By Watching Anime
7. Anime can be family friendly
While it’s true that
Again –
This
It’s family friendly in the most literal way possible.
- No inappropriate scenes
- No fan service
- Relaxing
- Laid back
- Comedy
- Realistic
It’s almost like watching a realistic TV show but with animated characters in it. And because of the vibes and the story, you can watch it with anyone. No matter their age.
There’s plenty of
Relevant: 7 Of The Greatest Family-Friendly Anime
8. Anime is more “free” with its topics
Because of the way Japan works, creative expression isn’t limited. Artists can be themselves to the fullest, even if the message or story is controversial.
That’s the way art was always intended to be. This is art at its purest.
I mention this because it’s the reason
- Gay relationships
- Lesbian romance
- Incest
- Ecchi
And so on. The types of topics a lot of critics will use as a crux to paint
I get it, but it’s one aspect you should be aware of.
There’s NOT a lot of
It’s more of an inside joke when it happens.
But… It’s a relevant thing to be aware of.
Remember what I said earlier: anime is FULL of genres and topics. More so than western media.
There’s something for everyone, but the more “extreme” topics in no way represent
It’s just a small piece of the bigger puzzle, and is something to be aware of.
Remember:
There are 1000’s of
You can find good, bad, controversial, subtle, creative, challenging and “questionable” content. Just like any other medium.
But anime as a whole isn’t bad, immoral, or whatever word you wanna use that’s negative.
And one of the more creative mediums because it’s more open and doesn’t hold back on exploring things others might not.
–
In the end, talk to your kids about it. Communicate with them. If you don’t you’ll be left in the dark, and you’ll only make things worse by judging
Recommended Next:
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