The Gaming Den

As I've done before, I have another question about a list of anime/animation that a 4-5 year old can watch.

As a reference point, she's seen all the Miyazaki films (Kiki's delivery service, Howl's moving castle, Castle in the sky), quite a few of the Disney movies (Aladdin, Little Mermaid, Sword in the stone), Don Bluth movies (secret of nimh, all dogs go to heaven), and a few of the Pixar flicks.

Oh, she also absolutely loves "Avatar: The last airbender." We're in the third season now and slowly coming towards the end and wondering what to show her next.

Her attention span is getting longer and longer. With all this info, could I get a few suggestions for animated shows or even manga/comics to view/watch.

She would be the one reading at this point. She's going through 3-4 books a day as well. So (aside from being a beaming father) what can I show her?

We're trying the first volume of the Inuyasha manga on her as I write this.

Some of the suggestions I was thinking about were Future Boy Conan, Astroboy, The little fairy sugar (or something like that), and maybe Doraemon. I've never seen the last one but have heard it's pretty tame and also fun.

~
Cynic

Darcy and I just finished Oban Star Racers. It should be kid safe, and while I found the writing a let down, the character design is downright awesometastic - even for some of the minor racer-opponents-of-the-week.

There's a fair few more Ghibli films you could go with. Porco Rosso, Spirited Away, My Neighbour Totoro etc.

I've had Kimba The White Lion recommended, but I've never seen the series (I've read the manga)

Grave of the Fireflies and Barefoot Gen are some of the most kid-safiest animes that have ever been kid-safed.

Lago, we're talking about 4-5 year old kids here. Stop being a perverted retard.

Grave of the Fireflies ends with the kids dying and is widely considered one of the most depressing animes ever. Barefoot Gen is about the atomics bombs dropped on Japan. Not kid safe unless you want them crying in bed.

Kimba is basically Lion King: The series and is fairly good. Astroboy is okay. I don't recommend Doraemon - not because the series is bad (it's actually a very good aesop series for kids) - but because the animation is dated and may not appeal to kids.

Edit: Caveat on Kimba: I watched the dubbed version. I dunno if there is something horrible and unnatural in the original version.

Zoids (CN dubbed) isn't a bad choice either.

Zinegata wrote:Lago, we're talking about 4-5 year old kids here. Stop being a perverted retard.

Grave of the Fireflies ends with the kids dying and is widely considered one of the most depressing animes ever. Barefoot Gen is about the atomics bombs dropped on Japan. Not kid safe unless you want them crying in bed.

Zine, he's doing it on purpose, that's why he has the smiley face there.

Kaelik wrote:

Zinegata wrote:Lago, we're talking about 4-5 year old kids here. Stop being a perverted retard.

Grave of the Fireflies ends with the kids dying and is widely considered one of the most depressing animes ever. Barefoot Gen is about the atomics bombs dropped on Japan. Not kid safe unless you want them crying in bed.

Zine, he's doing it on purpose, that's why he has the smiley face there.

I want to be deadpan, dammit!

Lago PARANOIA wrote:Grave of the Fireflies and Barefoot Gen are some of the most kid-safiest animes that have ever been kid-safed.

Why don't we go all out and recommend Now And Then, Here And There while we're at it?

Ganbare Gincun wrote:

Lago PARANOIA wrote:Grave of the Fireflies and Barefoot Gen are some of the most kid-safiest animes that have ever been kid-safed.

Why don't we go all out and recommend Now And Then, Here And There while we're at it?

For the uninformed... Now And Then, Here And There features child soldiers, rape of a main character, and comfort women. The author apparently was inspired to make this anime to shed more attention to the problems in Africa.

When my sister was 4 or so she used to demand that I put on Aliens. Over and over again. That and Wizard of Oz. Aliens she called "The Skin Coming Out of the Lady Movie" and when I wouldn't put it on she cried until I did. I got in so much trouble with our parents for that one.

Anyway, the first couple of seasons of Ranma 1/2 are very funny and very kid appropriate.

-Username17

Lago, try harder: Narutaru (apparently the first few episodes are quite child-safe, then suddenly the test tube episode to send people crying themselves to sleep.)

FrankTrollman wrote: Anyway, the first couple of seasons of Ranma 1/2 are very funny and very kid appropriate.

Although it does contain NIPPLES, THE SIGN OF THE DEVIL. THAT'S PORNOGRAPHY!

Which is actually why Ranma 1/2 is my Dad's favourite anime. He was just walking past and saw Shampoo showering (OVA 1: Curse of the Contrary Jewel) and was amazed/delighted. A cartoon that shows nipples.

Anyway, kid-friendly...
Slayers has comic violence (half the time, people survive getting exploded by high power spells) and some real violence (people die when they are killed), and breast jokes (many breast jokes). But I'd say it's basically child-friendly.

Pokeymans is of course fine, likewise Digimon and Yu-Gi-Oh!.

Ah! My Goddess! (also known as Oh My Goddess) is fine, and rather sweet actually (in the "Aww" sense, not the "Sweet, dude!" sense)

Card Captors (Card Captor Sakura) is perfectly childsafe. Azumanga Daioh as well.

Magic Knight Rayearth has fantasy mecha fightan, but is pretty much fine.

I was tempted to say Card Captors too but a friend of mine kept pointing out all of the... how to put it politely... atypical relationships except for Sakura and Shao Ran.

I only saw a few episodes, so I can't remember any weird relationships. I mean, there's the >implied stuff between Sakura and her friend, but "oh noes, telling kids that gay people exist" and it's in a harmless, childish way anyway.

I can't really remember if there's anything like Your Friendly Neighbourhood Paedophile (see: the scientist in Excel Saga, possibly the scientist in Angelic Layer for that matter).

I thought the big one about card Captor Sakura was about how most of the various cards were sexual fetishes.

...you'd think I'd remember that. I mean, really. It's the kind of thing I'd remember, and yet I didn't. I guess memory is the first thing to go with age.

Memory is the second thing to go.

Koumei wrote:I only saw a few episodes, so I can't remember any weird relationships. I mean, there's the >implied stuff between Sakura and her friend, but "oh noes, telling kids that gay people exist" and it's in a harmless, childish way anyway.

I can't really remember if there's anything like Your Friendly Neighbourhood Paedophile (see: the scientist in Excel Saga, possibly the scientist in Angelic Layer for that matter).

I was referring more to Sakura's big bro, actually >_>

FrankTrollman wrote:When my sister was 4 or so she used to demand that I put on Aliens. Over and over again. That and Wizard of Oz. Aliens she called "The Skin Coming Out of the Lady Movie" and when I wouldn't put it on she cried until I did. I got in so much trouble with our parents for that one.

Anyway, the first couple of seasons of Ranma 1/2 are very funny and very kid appropriate.

-Username17

For me it was Beetlejuice at that age. Watched it similarly. My mother still teases me about it.

If you like Rayearth (Which I do) and the sequel (which I also do) and Cardcaptor Sakura (which I don't) then you should also check out Tsubasa Chronicle which is by the same studio and has actually has characters kind of in common with both.

And Lago, you disappoint me. You coulda pulled Elfen Lied or even Shin Chojin Densetsu Urotsukidoji. I mean kids can learn about the A-bomb in school, but it takes a particular breed of anime to explain the proper use of decapitated bodies as human shields and the absolute necessity of nazi rape machines properly.

Gantz.

Lago PARANOIA wrote:Grave of the Fireflies and Barefoot Gen are some of the most kid-safiest animes that have ever been kid-safed.

Well, for some manga to read I can't think of anything better than Yotsuba&!. Honestly I'd recommend it to everybody but it's just about perfect for a little girl I think.

DN Angel is aimed at 12-year old girls in which a winged, shapeshifting gentleman thief engages in bloodless homoerotic violence with his bishonen nemesis. (When he's not being an adorable middle-school art student).

Should be perfectly safe, although possibly boring if her attention isn't held by middle-school anxiety drama.

Josh_Kablack wrote:...it takes a particular breed of anime to explain the proper use of decapitated bodies as human shields and the absolute necessity of nazi rape machines properly.

I had forgotten about the Nazi rape machines. Thanks!

Mango:
The Sailor Moon manga is child-friendly, and as a bonus, the official translation won't make your eyes bleed (unlike the dubbed animu).

I'll second Yotsuba&!, it is a wonderful read for anyone.

There's a manga (actually, a "comic" (the English term for those manga that go left-to-right!) published by a company that usually does mangoes) set as the sequel to Labyrinth (the movie with David Bowie). I've only read the first book, and it was a while ago, but IIRC it was fine. And if she's seen the movie (mandatory viewing for all people) then it should be good.