What Anime Should My Kid Watch?

Two sisters move to the countryside and meet a giant forest spirit. No villain, no conflict. Just warmth. My daughter watched this at age 5 and it became her comfort movie for years. Hayao Miyazaki made a film that trusts kids to enjoy quiet moments.

My Neighbor Totoro: rated 6+ by TheBooksReview.com. Streams on HBO Max.

You already know what this is. Ash and Pikachu travel around collecting badges and battling. The original series has a nostalgia factor if you grew up with it. Pokemon Horizons (2023) has a new protagonist and is a solid entry point. Zero violence concerns.

Pokemon: rated 6+ by TheBooksReview.com. Streams on Netflix, Disney+, Tubi.

A goldfish princess wants to become human after befriending a boy. Think The Little Mermaid but weirder and more beautiful. The tsunami scene might startle very young kids. Pure Miyazaki magic.

Ponyo: rated 6+ by TheBooksReview.com. Streams on HBO Max.

A young witch moves to a new city and starts a delivery business on her broomstick. It is really about growing up, self-doubt, and finding your place. One of the best "first anime" picks for any kid.

Kiki's Delivery Service: rated 6+ by TheBooksReview.com. Streams on HBO Max.

A robot cat from the future helps a lazy kid with gadgets that always backfire. Huge in Japan, less known here but worth watching. Each episode is self-contained so you can jump in anywhere. Clean comedy, good for younger kids who want a series instead of films.

Doraemon: rated 6+ by TheBooksReview.com.

A girl accidentally releases magical cards and has to recapture them. Classic magical girl anime with zero edge. The action is light, the characters are charming, and the whole thing feels like a warm hug. Good entry point for kids who want something longer than a movie.

Cardcaptor Sakura: rated 6+ by TheBooksReview.com. Streams on Crunchyroll.

A girl who saves a cat gets whisked away to the Cat Kingdom to marry a prince. Lighthearted and whimsical Studio Ghibli adventure. Short runtime, zero concerns, and the Baron is one of the coolest animated characters ever.

The Cat Returns: rated 6+ by TheBooksReview.com. Streams on HBO Max.

Kids battle spinning tops in a pro league. In the US it is dubbed as BeyBattle X and rated TV-Y7, and the battles are between tops, not people. Fair warning: the show exists to sell Beyblades, so expect requests.

Beyblade X: rated 6+ by TheBooksReview.com. Warnings: toy-battle action, built to sell toys. Streams on Prime Video, Netflix, Hulu.

A girl gets trapped in a spirit world bathhouse and has to work to free her parents. Some scenes are creepy (the No-Face character, parents turning into pigs, a dragon bleeding in one scene) but no fight violence. My kids both watched this when they were younger. It holds up better than most Pixar films.

Spirited Away: rated 8+ by TheBooksReview.com. Warnings: some creepy imagery. Streams on HBO Max.

Seven kids get pulled into a digital world with monster partners. Darker than Pokemon, better story. The characters actually grow up across the series.

Digimon Adventure: rated 8+ by TheBooksReview.com. Streams on Hulu.

A girl with no magical talent enrolls in witch school through sheer determination. Made by Studio Trigger, so the animation is incredible. Think Harry Potter energy but lighter. My daughter watched all of it in two days. Short enough that it does not overstay its welcome.

Little Witch Academia: rated 8+ by TheBooksReview.com. Streams on Netflix.

A girl gets cursed into an old woman and moves into a wizard's walking castle. The romance is sweet, the magic is imaginative, and the anti-war message lands without being preachy. My daughter's favorite Miyazaki film. She has watched it four times.

Howl's Moving Castle: rated 8+ by TheBooksReview.com. Warnings: brief war scenes. Streams on HBO Max.

Two kids search for a floating city while being chased by sky pirates and the military. Classic adventure film with incredible world-building. The pacing is perfect. One of the most overlooked Miyazaki films, and it should not be.

Castle in the Sky: rated 8+ by TheBooksReview.com. Streams on HBO Max.

A book-loving girl discovers all her library books were previously checked out by the same boy. Beautiful Ghibli film about creativity, first love, and figuring out what you want to be. One of the best coming-of-age stories in animation.

Whisper of the Heart: rated 8+ by TheBooksReview.com. Streams on HBO Max.

The original Dragon Ball leads into Z, Super, and Daima. The violence is cartoonish. Nobody bleeds much. Goku is basically a golden retriever who punches things.

Dragon Ball: rated 10+ by TheBooksReview.com. Warnings: cartoon violence, some crude humor in original db. Streams on Crunchyroll, Hulu.

High school volleyball, and somehow it is one of the most intense anime ever made. You do not need to care about volleyball. The characters make you care. Zero violence, zero content concerns. The movie finale is incredible.

Haikyu!!: rated 10+ by TheBooksReview.com. Streams on Crunchyroll, Netflix, Hulu.

A boy and girl swap bodies across time and try to find each other. The highest-grossing anime film for years. Visually gorgeous. The twist in the middle hits hard. My daughter cried. I might have too. A perfect introduction to anime films for older kids.

Your Name: rated 10+ by TheBooksReview.com. Warnings: mild body-swap humor. Streams on HBO Max.

An overpowered psychic kid just wants to be normal. From the creator of One Punch Man. The animation gets wild in the best way. What I love is the message: being the strongest does not make you the best person. Kindness does. Three tight seasons, no filler.

Mob Psycho 100: rated 10+ by TheBooksReview.com. Warnings: psychic battle violence. Streams on Crunchyroll, Netflix, Hulu.

Humanity gets turned to stone and a science genius rebuilds civilization from scratch. Every invention is based on real science. The action is mild, the humor is great, and it is one of the most educational anime ever made without feeling like a lecture.

Dr. Stone: rated 10+ by TheBooksReview.com. Warnings: mild petrification violence. Streams on Crunchyroll, Netflix, Hulu.

A young calligrapher punches a critic and gets exiled to a remote island, where the local kids refuse to leave him alone. Gentle, funny, and quietly about learning to be a person. There is almost no conflict in it. One of the calmest shows on this list.

Barakamon: rated 10+ by TheBooksReview.com. Warnings: mild language.

A few high school girls go camping in winter, cook noodles, and text each other photos of the view. That is the whole show, and it turns up on nearly every comfort anime list for a reason. Nothing to brace for. The only risk is a kid finding it too slow.

Laid-Back Camp: rated 10+ by TheBooksReview.com. Streams on Crunchyroll.

A psychic teenager whose only ambition is to be left alone, and the classmates who will not let that happen. Deadpan, fast, and genuinely funny. The only things to screen for are some mild swearing and the odd innuendo. Good for a kid who wants to laugh without signing up for a 200 episode saga.

The Disastrous Life of Saiki K.: rated 10+ by TheBooksReview.com. Warnings: mild language, innuendo. Streams on Netflix.

A girl who has never played a game pours every point into defense so nothing can hurt her, then breaks the game by accident. It is comfort watching. No fan service, no cruelty, and no real stakes to speak of. One of the few action-adjacent shows with nothing to screen for.

Bofuri: I Don't Want to Get Hurt, so I'll Max Out My Defense: rated 10+ by TheBooksReview.com. Streams on Crunchyroll, Hulu.

A hero so strong he defeats everything with one punch, and he is bored by it. Season 1 is one of the best-animated things ever made. Season 2 drops off. The humor works because it is a parody of everything anime takes seriously. My kids found it hilarious.

One Punch Man: rated 10+ by TheBooksReview.com. Warnings: monster violence, brief crude humor. Streams on Crunchyroll, Hulu, Netflix.

From the director of Your Name. A runaway boy meets a girl who can control the weather. Beautiful animation, emotional story, and an ending that actually surprised me. Less universally loved than Your Name but I think it is braver in what it says.

Weathering with You: rated 10+ by TheBooksReview.com. Warnings: gun briefly shown, teen runaways theme. Streams on HBO Max.

A girl chases a mysterious stranger across Japan, closing doors that release earthquakes. Also from Makoto Shinkai. Gorgeous road trip energy. The emotional core about processing trauma from the 2011 earthquake is heavy but handled with care. Lighter than Your Name overall.

Suzume: rated 10+ by TheBooksReview.com. Warnings: earthquake/disaster themes. Streams on Crunchyroll, Netflix, Hulu.

Three high school girls start an animation club to bring their imaginary worlds to life. A joyful love letter to the creative process with incredible visual imagination. If your kid draws, builds, or creates anything, this show will fuel them.

Keep Your Hands Off Eizouken!: rated 10+ by TheBooksReview.com. Streams on Crunchyroll.

A group of kids finds themselves adrift at sea inside an old apartment building. Beautiful visuals and a story about friendship, loss, and growing up. Imagine a Japanese Goonies meets Studio Ghibli.

Drifting Home: rated 10+ by TheBooksReview.com. Streams on Netflix.

A hot-headed delinquent joins the basketball team to impress a girl and discovers a real love for the sport. Classic underdog story with humor and exciting games. The 2022 film is one of the best sports movies ever made.

Slam Dunk: rated 10+ by TheBooksReview.com. Warnings: mild comedic fighting. Streams on Netflix.

Coco wants to be a witch and learns that magic here is drawn, not spoken. Spells are sigils you ink onto the page. Season 1 stays at 10+: peril, a petrified parent, a few unsettling moments. Later manga gets darker. That is the split in our house after my daughter finished the season that is out.

Witch Hat Atelier: rated 10+ by TheBooksReview.com. Warnings: peril, some unsettling imagery. Streams on Crunchyroll.

A Netflix film based on Osamu Tezuka's Princess Knight. Princess Sapphire loses her kingdom and her parents, then fights in secret as a masked hero to protect her new home. It is rated PG, and Common Sense Media puts it at 10+. The sword and magic fights are stylized, with no gore, but the loss at the start can hit younger kids hard.

The Ribbon Hero: rated 10+ by TheBooksReview.com. Warnings: fantasy sword fights, loss of parents, brief smoking. Streams on Netflix.

Miyazaki came out of retirement for this one. A boy grieving his mother follows a mysterious heron into a fantastical world. It is strange and beautiful and does not explain everything. My kids had questions afterward, which led to a great conversation. Art over action.

The Boy and the Heron: rated 12+ by TheBooksReview.com. Warnings: themes of grief and loss. Streams on HBO Max.

A spy, an assassin, and a telepathic girl pretend to be a family. The premise sounds dark but the execution is pure comedy. Anya is the funniest character in anime right now. My whole family watches this one together. The Code: White movie is solid too.

Spy x Family: rated 12+ by TheBooksReview.com. Warnings: cartoon action violence. Streams on Crunchyroll, Hulu, Netflix.

An outcast ninja kid works to earn his village's respect. The emotional beats in this show are devastating. Naruto's loneliness, Itachi's sacrifice, Jiraiya's death. The filler is brutal though. Use a skip guide or read the manga (zero filler). Shippuden is where it really hits its stride.

Naruto: rated 12+ by TheBooksReview.com. Warnings: ninja combat violence, heavy emotional themes, tons of filler episodes. Streams on Crunchyroll, Hulu, Netflix, Prime Video.

A powerless kid in a world of superheroes gets a chance to become one. Deku earns everything through grit. Season 1 is a great hook. It gets darker around season 4. We watched this during a power outage, huddled around a laptop. The manga just finished, and the final season is wrapping up.

My Hero Academia: rated 12+ by TheBooksReview.com. Warnings: superhero violence, gets darker in later seasons. Streams on Crunchyroll, Hulu, Netflix.

A rubber-bodied pirate and his crew chase the ultimate treasure. The length is intimidating. I get it. But the world-building is unmatched in any medium. Start with East Blue (episodes 1-61) or the manga. If you are not hooked by Arlong Park, it might not be for you. The Netflix live-action is a decent shortcut to see if the vibe clicks.

One Piece: rated 12+ by TheBooksReview.com. Warnings: pirate combat, very long commitment. Streams on Crunchyroll, Netflix, Hulu.

An orphaned girl moves in with a family cursed to turn into zodiac animals. Sounds lighthearted. It is not. This show deals with abuse, trauma, and healing in ways that hit adults harder than kids. My daughter loved the romance. I was not prepared for how much the parent storylines would affect me.

Fruits Basket (2019): rated 12+ by TheBooksReview.com. Warnings: themes of abuse and neglect, emotional heaviness. Streams on Crunchyroll.

Players get trapped in a VR game where dying means dying for real. The first arc (episodes 1-14) is genuinely great. After that, quality varies wildly by season. If your kid is into gaming, this will hook them immediately. Just be aware that some later arcs have uncomfortable scenes.

Sword Art Online: rated 12+ by TheBooksReview.com. Warnings: game combat violence, uncomfortable scenes in fairy dance arc. Streams on Crunchyroll, Hulu.

A guy dies and gets reborn as a slime in a fantasy world. Becomes overpowered, builds a nation, makes friends with everything. It is cozy isekai with surprisingly good political storylines. Season 2 takes a darker turn that caught me off guard. My son was fine with it. Solid comfort watch.

That Time I Got Reincarnated as a Slime: rated 12+ by TheBooksReview.com. Warnings: fantasy violence increases in s2. Streams on Crunchyroll, Netflix.

A scholarship student accidentally joins a club of rich boys who entertain girls. It is a romantic comedy that makes fun of its own genre. Every character is a trope played for laughs. My daughter has rewatched this three times. Zero action, zero violence, just charm.

Ouran High School Host Club: rated 12+ by TheBooksReview.com. Streams on Netflix, Crunchyroll.

A cursed prince gets caught between an industrial town and the gods of the forest. This is Miyazaki at his most mature. Arms get shot off. Demons ooze corruption. The environmental message is nuanced, not preachy. I waited until my kids were 11 and 12 for this one. No regrets.

Princess Mononoke: rated 12+ by TheBooksReview.com. Warnings: graphic battle violence, body horror elements. Streams on HBO Max.

Basketball with superpowers. An invisible player teams up with a powerhouse to take on the best players in Japan. The games are absurd and amazing. Physics do not apply. If your kid likes NBA highlights and anime, this is the crossover. Three seasons, no filler, satisfying ending.

Kuroko's Basketball: rated 12+ by TheBooksReview.com. Streams on Crunchyroll, Netflix.

A deaf, powerless prince tries to become the greatest king. The art style looks like a picture book. Do not let that fool you. This show is emotionally devastating in the best way. Betrayal, sacrifice, and a main character you root for with everything you have. Underrated gem.

Ranking of Kings: rated 12+ by TheBooksReview.com. Warnings: fantasy violence, emotional intensity. Streams on Crunchyroll.

The most popular girl in school has extreme social anxiety and cannot speak to people. A classmate helps her on a quest to make 100 friends. Sweet and funny with a surprisingly honest take on how hard socializing can be.

Komi Can't Communicate: rated 12+ by TheBooksReview.com. Warnings: suggestive humor. Streams on Netflix.

Adventurers must cook and eat the monsters they defeat in a dungeon to save their friend. Part cooking show, part fantasy quest, all heart. My kids were grossed out and fascinated in equal measure.

Delicious in Dungeon: rated 12+ by TheBooksReview.com. Warnings: fantasy violence, cartoonish peril. Streams on Netflix.

The popular girl and the quiet boy find out neither of them is anything like their school reputation. It skips most of the will-they-won't-they and just gets on with it, which is refreshing. Sweet rather than dramatic. A step up in maturity from Fruits Basket.

Horimiya: rated 12+ by TheBooksReview.com. Warnings: mild sexual references. Streams on Crunchyroll.

A badminton boy has a crush on the older basketball girl, and then she moves into his family's house. It is a slow-burn sports romance, more practice sessions than drama. Common Sense puts it at 10+. I put it at 12+ with our other romance picks, mostly because of the living-together setup.

Blue Box: rated 12+ by TheBooksReview.com. Warnings: teen romance, living-together premise. Streams on Netflix.

A boy who can see spirits inherits a book that gives him power over them, but he chooses to free them instead. Gentle and touching, about kindness and understanding. If your family liked Spirited Away, this is the series version of that feeling.

Natsume's Book of Friends: rated 12+ by TheBooksReview.com. Warnings: some scary-looking spirits. Streams on Crunchyroll.

A painfully shy girl who is secretly a guitar hero online gets recruited into a band. Funny and relatable story about overcoming social anxiety and finding your people. The animation goes wild in the best way during performances.

Bocchi the Rock!: rated 12+ by TheBooksReview.com. Streams on Crunchyroll.

A girl confesses to her crush, only to discover he is a famous manga artist who ropes her into being his assistant. A hilarious send-up of romance tropes that never takes itself too seriously.

Monthly Girls' Nozaki-kun: rated 12+ by TheBooksReview.com. Streams on HIDIVE.

A boy who quit Japanese archery due to target panic rediscovers his love for the sport with his new high school club. Calm, meditative, character-driven. The archery sequences are hypnotic.

Tsurune: rated 12+ by TheBooksReview.com. Streams on HIDIVE.

An ambitious girl from the countryside moves to Tokyo for high school and quickly makes friends with a laid-back city boy. Charming and heartwarming, with a cast that feels like real people. Zero drama, all warmth.

Skip and Loafer: rated 12+ by TheBooksReview.com. Streams on Crunchyroll.

A boy hunts demons to save his sister. The animation is the best in the business. Period. But it is violent. Demons eat people. Characters get decapitated. Let me be direct: it depends on your kid. My daughter handles it fine. The emotional story hits her harder than the violence. Tanjiro is one of the best protagonists in anime. Kind, determined, empathetic.

Demon Slayer: rated 14+ by TheBooksReview.com. Warnings: graphic demon violence, decapitation, blood. Streams on Netflix, Crunchyroll, Hulu, Prime Video.

A high schooler who can see ghosts becomes a Soul Reaper and fights Hollows. Tite Kubo's art is some of the best in manga. The Soul Society arc is a masterclass in shonen storytelling. The original anime stopped before the ending, but Thousand-Year Blood War (2022) adapts the final arc with incredible animation. The darkest of the Big Three.

Bleach: rated 14+ by TheBooksReview.com. Warnings: sword combat with blood, horror creature designs, character deaths. Streams on Hulu.

The weakest hunter in the world gets a secret leveling system. Power fantasy done right. The action is intense and the animation quality is top-tier. My son and I watched this together. Darker than Demon Slayer in tone but less graphic.

Solo Leveling: rated 14+ by TheBooksReview.com. Warnings: intense action violence, character deaths, dark themes. Streams on Crunchyroll.

Two brothers use alchemy to try to bring their mother back and pay a terrible price. Often ranked the best anime of all time, and I do not argue. The story is complete, the themes are mature (war, genocide, sacrifice), and every character matters. If your teen watches one anime, make it this one.

Fullmetal Alchemist: Brotherhood: rated 14+ by TheBooksReview.com. Warnings: war violence, body horror, genocide themes. Streams on Crunchyroll, Hulu, Netflix.

A genius student finds a notebook that kills anyone whose name is written in it. The cat-and-mouse game between Light and L is peak television. Barely any physical violence. The horror is psychological. My kids found it gripping. Great for teens who like thrillers over action.

Death Note: rated 14+ by TheBooksReview.com. Warnings: psychological horror, moral ambiguity, death as core theme. Streams on Netflix, Crunchyroll, Hulu, Prime Video.

Bounty hunters in space, set to the best soundtrack in anime history. This was my gateway anime in college. The cool factor is off the charts. Each episode is mostly self-contained, but the overarching story about Spike's past builds to one of the greatest finales ever. Aged like fine whiskey.

Cowboy Bebop: rated 14+ by TheBooksReview.com. Warnings: gun violence, smoking/drinking, mature themes. Streams on Crunchyroll.

A self-proclaimed mad scientist accidentally invents time travel in his microwave. The first half is slow. Stick with it. Episode 12 flips everything and the second half is relentless. The best time-travel story in any medium, and I will die on that hill. My daughter loved the mystery aspect.

Steins;Gate: rated 14+ by TheBooksReview.com. Warnings: psychological tension, one violent scene, slow start. Streams on Crunchyroll.

A Viking boy swears revenge on his father's killer. Season 1 is brutal action. Season 2 becomes something completely different and asks whether violence solves anything. The character development across both seasons is among the best in anime. Not for younger teens.

Vinland Saga: rated 14+ by TheBooksReview.com. Warnings: graphic viking violence, war/slavery themes, character deaths. Streams on Crunchyroll, Netflix, HIDIVE, Hulu, Prime Video.

The Forger family goes on a trip and gets caught up in a spy plot involving a kidnapped prince. Bigger action than the series but the same heart, with higher stakes and more intense set pieces than the TV show. Anya steals every scene. Good standalone if you have seen at least the first season.

Spy x Family Movie: Code White: rated 14+ by TheBooksReview.com. Warnings: action violence (more than tv series). Streams on Crunchyroll.

Japan locks 300 strikers in a facility to create the world's best soccer player through elimination matches. It is Battle Royale meets soccer. The ego-driven competition is addicting. Not a wholesome sports show. The characters are selfish by design. My son was obsessed with it.

Blue Lock: rated 14+ by TheBooksReview.com. Warnings: intense psychological competition, aggressive themes. Streams on Crunchyroll, Netflix.

An elf mage outlives her human companions and embarks on a new journey to understand what she missed. Thoughtful and melancholic, about time, loss, and the connections we take for granted. Easily the best anime of 2023-2024.

Frieren: Beyond Journey's End: rated 14+ by TheBooksReview.com. Warnings: fantasy violence, complex emotional themes. Streams on Crunchyroll, Netflix, Hulu.

Generations of one family fight increasingly strange enemies with increasingly strange powers. The art, the poses, and the sheer confidence of the thing are why it became a meme. It is also properly violent, with gore and a dog death in the first part that people still bring up years later.

JoJo's Bizarre Adventure: rated 14+ by TheBooksReview.com. Warnings: graphic violence, gore, animal death. Streams on Netflix, Crunchyroll, Hulu, Prime Video.

A former child soldier takes a job writing letters for other people and slowly works out what her commanding officer meant when he told her he loved her. It is beautiful and it is sad. Nothing graphic, but the grief is the entire point and it never softens it.

Violet Evergarden: rated 14+ by TheBooksReview.com. Warnings: war themes, grief and loss. Streams on Netflix.

Asta is born with no magic at all in a world where magic is everything, and he shouts his way through anyway. The underdog story is as loud and sincere as that sounds, and I enjoyed it more than I expected to. Worth knowing before you hand it over: the fanservice gets heavier as the seasons go on, and noticeably so in the later part of the original run. That is why it sits at 14+ rather than alongside Naruto.

Black Clover: rated 14+ by TheBooksReview.com. Warnings: fanservice, increases in later seasons, fantasy violence, mild language. Streams on Crunchyroll, Hulu, Netflix.

Gon sets out to become a Hunter and track down the father who left him. It opens bright and adventurous, which is exactly how parents get caught out. The later arcs, Chimera Ant especially, go somewhere much darker: torture, body horror, and death that sticks. Do not judge it by the first twenty episodes. Left Crunchyroll in 2026, so Netflix, Hulu, or Tubi now.

Hunter x Hunter (2011): rated 14+ by TheBooksReview.com. Warnings: graphic violence, torture, body horror, character death. Streams on Netflix, Hulu, Tubi, Prime Video.

After her father is murdered and her kingdom stolen, a sheltered princess flees and gathers allies to fight back. Strong female lead with real character growth. A grand adventure that earns its emotional moments.

Yona of the Dawn: rated 14+ by TheBooksReview.com. Warnings: violence, political betrayal. Streams on Crunchyroll.

A popular but unfulfilled high school student discovers a passion for painting and dedicates himself to getting into art school. Compelling and realistic look at creative struggle. If your teen has artistic ambitions, this will resonate.

Blue Period: rated 14+ by TheBooksReview.com. Warnings: themes of self-doubt and pressure. Streams on Netflix.

A deaf college student's world opens up when she meets a multilingual upperclassman eager to get to know her. A sweet and gentle romance centered on communication and understanding. Beautiful representation of the deaf community.

A Sign of Affection: rated 14+ by TheBooksReview.com. Warnings: alcohol use, language. Streams on Crunchyroll, Hulu.

A red panda navigates office frustrations by secretly singing death metal karaoke at night. Sharp, funny commentary on modern work life. Older teens will relate to the frustration. Adults will feel personally attacked.

Aggretsuko: rated 14+ by TheBooksReview.com. Warnings: workplace stress themes, mild alcohol use. Streams on Netflix.

A kid swallows a cursed finger and enrolls in sorcerer school. The action choreography is insane. Gojo is the coolest character in modern anime. But this is not for younger teens. The Shibuya arc is dark. Characters you love die in ways that feel permanent and cruel. The manga ending divided fans, but the anime is still fire.

Jujutsu Kaisen: rated 16+ by TheBooksReview.com. Warnings: graphic violence, body horror, major character deaths. Streams on Crunchyroll, Netflix, Hulu, Prime Video.

Teens pilot giant robots to fight angels, but the real enemy is depression. This broke my brain when I first watched it. The final episodes are controversial. The Rebuild movies offer an alternate take. Not a fun watch. It is an important one. For older teens who want something that challenges them.

Neon Genesis Evangelion: rated 16+ by TheBooksReview.com. Warnings: depression/psychological trauma, violence, disturbing imagery, controversial ending. Streams on Netflix.

Neo-Tokyo, 2019. A biker gang member gains psychic powers that spiral out of control. This film defined anime for Western audiences in the 1980s. The animation still looks better than most modern releases. Graphic and intense. Show this to your teen when they think animation is for kids.

Akira: rated 16+ by TheBooksReview.com. Warnings: graphic violence, body horror, disturbing imagery. Streams on Crunchyroll.

A cyborg detective hunts a hacker in a future where the line between human and machine blurs. Influenced The Matrix, Blade Runner 2049, and basically all cyberpunk. Slow, philosophical, and gorgeous. For teens interested in AI and identity questions. The Stand Alone Complex series is also excellent.

Ghost in the Shell: rated 16+ by TheBooksReview.com. Warnings: violence, nudity (non-sexual, cyborg context), heavy philosophical themes. Streams on Tubi.

Orphans discover the truth about their "perfect" home. Season 1 only. I cannot stress this enough. Season 1 is a masterpiece of tension and clever kids outsmarting adults. Season 2 is one of the worst adaptations in anime history. Stop after episode 12 and read the manga for the rest.

The Promised Neverland (Season 1): rated 16+ by TheBooksReview.com. Warnings: psychological horror, children in danger, disturbing revelations. Streams on Crunchyroll.

A clever girl with deep knowledge of poisons is brought to the emperor's court and solves medical mysteries. Brilliant lead and gripping detective storytelling. Streaming platforms rate this 14+, but the feudal court setting has implied sexual themes throughout. I think mature audiences is more fitting.

The Apothecary Diaries: rated 16+ by TheBooksReview.com. Warnings: implied sexual themes, feudal court politics, poisoning. Streams on Crunchyroll, Netflix, Hulu.

The children of a murdered pop idol are reincarnated and navigate the dark side of the entertainment industry. Gripping and critical look at fame, exploitation, and revenge. Incredible first episode. Not for younger viewers.

Oshi no Ko: rated 16+ by TheBooksReview.com. Warnings: murder, psychological stress, entertainment industry exploitation. Streams on HIDIVE, Crunchyroll, Hulu.

A walrus taxi driver gets entangled in a mystery involving a missing girl, the yakuza, and quirky animal characters. Smartly written, dialogue-heavy mystery with a stunning conclusion. Don't let the cute animal art fool you.

Odd Taxi: rated 16+ by TheBooksReview.com. Warnings: violence, mature themes, complex narrative. Streams on Crunchyroll.

A girl who believes in ghosts and a boy who believes in aliens find out both are real. It is rated TV-MA, and Common Sense Media puts it at 15+. Episode 1 includes a non-graphic reference to sexual assault, and the show leans on sexual humor between the monster fights. I put it at 16+, next to Jujutsu Kaisen.

Dan Da Dan: rated 16+ by TheBooksReview.com. Warnings: sexual humor, sexual assault reference (episode 1), monster violence, strong language. Streams on Netflix, Crunchyroll, Hulu.

A retired hitman, now a married shop owner, keeps getting pulled back into fights to protect his family. It plays like an action comedy, but it is rated TV-MA, and Common Sense Media puts it at 16+ for gory deaths, gunfights and swearing, plus running jokes about his weight.

Sakamoto Days: rated 16+ by TheBooksReview.com. Warnings: gory deaths, gun and weapon fights, strong language, jokes about weight. Streams on Netflix.