Naruto for kids

[Kiel]

Anyone have any younger siblings or young kids who you've shown Naruto to, or to some degree?

My little brother's always on me like glue, so he eventually found out about my love of the spikey headed orange ninja guy who speaks jibberish.

I tried showing him a couple of the tamer episodes, 101 and other more kid friendly ones. It's a little difficult.

"How come I can't understand what they're talking?"

"It's because they're speaking Japanese."

"Oooh, language? I don't know language!"

"Um, well, that guy just said he'd never forgive the other guy with the black hair."

"Why are their lots of him?"

"Because he's a ninja."

"All ninjas do that?"

"...yes...yes they do."

"Can I do that?"

"are you a ninja?"

"Yeah! I'm a totally a ninja! Wyaaaah! *punches*"

"Well...I guess you can then...but you gotta use chakra."

"What's chakra?"

"Um...it;s like...nevermind. Watch that guy get snow dumped on him."

"What's that move?! He did stuff!"

"Um...Katon: Goukakyuu no jutsu."

"He breathed fire! Like a dragon!"

"He certainly did."

"Gogaguu juusoo! Pshooo!"

"Yup...that's totally what I just said...yeah."



So, eventually I tracked down a tape of the first episode of the english dub for my little brother to watch. Less blood, in english, understandable, right?

In retrospect, the show's pretty hard to follow...I mean, A boy has a fox inside him? One guy suddenly turned into smoke, then into another guy? That's crazy stuff.

Luckily, the jokes are still funny. No matter how many times Konohamaru trips, it'll always be funny.

So now my little brother loves naruto and wants to be a ninja...

...well...at least it's better than wanting to be the Hulk and smashing my desk all the time ^^

[SeraphMazrakiel]

Lol. XD

I can't say I've shown Naruto to little kids... but then I haven't had little kids around since I got it. However, I DID show RANMA 1/2 to a couple of my cousins... lol...

They thought it was mildly funny, actually. Granted, they saw some nudity (Akane opening the door to find Ranma climbing out of the bath)... but meh.

[Sorien]

Thats kinda cute actually. I guess I've never had that. I have a brother 4 years younger, and 2 years older. So I don't get that. But its kinda funny listening to you explain.

[Tensei Kaori]

I don't have any siblings, so I don't have anyone to show Naruto to.... yeah....

[Kiel]

My parents don't exactly approve on anime, much less cartoons, so we gotta watch it on the downlow...

...My little bro seems to like it though, so If I can tape more episodes, I might.

[SeraphMazrakiel]

I dunno about that, K-chan. You had been telling one of your siblings about it a long time ago, and he came to enjoy the series... very much... XD

My mother doesn't entirely approve of anime, but my father knows how to enjoy it. He thinks some of it's very complex and alot better than some western TV. XD

[Kiel]

I'm envious.

My parents still think they're cartoons.

[Tensei Kaori]

You know the kind I meant, Mazzykins. But yeah, my mom thinks anime is just cartoons for kids, and that cosplay is childish. So I just stopped mentioning it around her. My Dad's family though, like he, my Aunt, and my Granny, they all think it's great. Woo!

[Sorien]

Yeah...its actually quite odd how people percieve things that way. I know its somewhat falling outta topic, but it has to be said, that parents perceive anime, and in that respect Naruto, beign for children. Even my older brother thinks so. Ahh well. I think it takes a keen mind to see otherwise ^_^

[Kiel]

Well, Naruto is intended for young adolesents (aged 12-16) or so, but surprisingly has a much larger fanbase of older folks (such as myself, dagnabbit) in North America.

Such is the case for many anime. Some of them, are indeed, intended for children.

However, we just can't stop loving the somewhat 'edgier' or 'more sophisticated' plot threads and weighty themes that exist in so many anime, now can we?

In the meantime, I'm gonna go dye my little brother's hair black and dress him up as wittle Sasuke...

...just because I can ^_^

[Tensei Kaori]

XD Be sure to get piccies!

[Sorien]

Yeah. The plot lines within anime are always so much deeper than in other things. Well...in most animes anyways. The likes of DBZ...welll...it speaks for itself. But I'm surprised they aimed for 12-16 with Naruto actually. Almost really IS Naruto for kids. I think that the themes and stuff within it are a lot older than the characters themselves are. What...to begin with they're 12-13. And even when you get the growing up going on, its only another 3 years. That brings it to 15-16... Meh. Its still great, after all you're only as old as your heart says you are

[Kiel]

probably.

It's just that while some adults read the Naruto manga, the amount of adult Naruto fans in Japan pales to the amount in North America and beyond.

[Tensei Kaori]

Makes me wonder if we wouldn't be doing our kids a favor by giving them deep, thought-provoking anime to watch instead of mindless flashing colors like alot of kids' TV in the West is these days - within reason, of course.

[Kiel]

You'd think that, but I dunno...

I can't exactly show my little brother a whole lot of Naruto simply because of the level of violence.

On YTV (the Canadian equivelent to maybe Cartoon Network, only with live action shows as well), every 'older' anime comes with a viewer discretion warning, as it's intended for an "Older Youth Audience".

A lot of anime with weighty themes about life, love, growing up, continued existence, and other existential and metaphysical themes are also often violent, or contain some more mature things such as sexuality and nudity.

It's hard to balance both with programming.

I don't want to shelter my brother, but I also know he has a penchant for acting out things he sees in movies and TV. I don't want him wailing on me or others in the pretext of "playing ninja".