15 Best Anime for Kids

Watching anime is one of the best family-friendly things to do at home. Anime has become more popular as a movie and TV program genre lately, and more children are absorbed in the fun contents not only in Japan but also worldwide. Of course, adults are attracted by the Japanese pop culture now though anime was looked on as contents for kids.

There are lots of anime streaming sites you can watch anime legally wherever you live, which offer a large number of anime options to you. So, you may wonder if which anime is good to enjoy with children and parents together. Here are 15 best anime for kids including toddlers (Age 0-6) and elementary school students (Age 6-10), which you can also enjoy watching.

If you developed a fascination for Japan via anime and are planning a trip, begin with this Ultimate Japan Guide: 30 Best Things to Do in Japan.

1. Doraemon

Doraemon (ドラえもん) is one of the most popular anime among children ever, which has been aired on TV all over the world for a long time. The plot is simple and each story is easy for children to understand. A elementary school boy Nobita has a problem related to the school or friends. And then, Doraemon, a robot coming from the 22nd century, helps him to solve the issues with futuristic gadgets. You can enjoy the anime with one-shot episodes while the long series anime consists of thousands of episodes. Doraemon has been made into movie adaptions as a 3D computer anime for recent years.

Recommended for age 0-10

2. Pokémon

Pokémon (ポケモン) is the greatest Japanese family-friendly anime, watched by domestic and international kids. It is also known for the popular video games since the first title was released in 1996. The protagonist Ash Ketchum, who is known as Satoshi in Japan, sets out on journey with his Pokémon like Pikachu to become a Pokemon master. There are numerous big fans of Pokémon around the world, which include not just kids but adults.

Recommended for age 0-10

3. Anpanman

It is not too much to say that there is no child who don’t know the classic anime Anpanman (アンパンマン) in Japan. The family anime may not be known to foreign people, but it has been one of the most watched kids’ favorites since it started to be aired in 1979 in Japan. The genre of Anpanman is a kind of superhero. The main characters are made of bread, and Anpanman is also inspired by Anpan (pastry filled with red bean paste). They fight help people in need fighting with opposite characters.

Recommended for age 0-6

4. Sailor Moon

For every girl, Sailor Moon (セーラームーン) is a must-watch anime that started in 1992 in Japan. The classic anime series is ongoing with the latest season. A middle school girl Usagi Tsukino, who can transforms into Sailor Moon, and other the Sailor Soldiers battle against villains in the search of Legendary Silver Crystal. The magical girl anime has been adapted into live-action series and musicals, too.

Recommended for age 0-10

5. My Neighbor Totoro

All the anime movies produced by the famous Studio Ghibli have entertained both children and parents worldwide. Above all, the classic title My Neighbor Totoro (となりのトトロ), released in 1988 is the most famous and popular among kids today. The main characters Satsuki and Mei encounter strange happenings seeing the mysterious creature Totoro at the countryside where her family moves.

Recommended for age 0-10

6. Pretty Cure

As a top fantasy anime especially for modern girls, you can avoid talking about Pretty Cure (プリキュア). The series of Pretty Cure has been aired since 2004 and is now attracting both kids and adults. The Pretty Cure, the legendary magical girls who are transformed from some teenage girls, battle against the evil organization to restore peace in the world.

Recommended for age 6-10

7. Naruto

Naruto (ナルト), the Ninja-themed manga and anime aired between 2002 and 2017, is the greatest anime for all ages. Many anime fans look on Naruto as the best Japanese anime of all time. The setting is the fictional world of Ninja, and the ineffective boy Naruto without parents is growing by the help of many friends and masters. Naruto and other Ninja characters battle with various Ninja techniques using the chakra energy. The sequel story titled Boruto is going on, focusing on Naruto’s son named Boruto.

Recommended for age 6-10

8. Crayon Shin-chan

Some Japanese people associate the best kids anime with Crayon Shin-chan (クレヨンしんちゃん), which has been aired on TV in Japan since 1992. The genre of this anime is family and comedy, and the comedy world majorly consists of mischievous behaviors and funny words by Shin-chan (the nick name of the main character Shinnosuke Nohara). There are about 1,000 episodes that have been released ever, however, you can enjoy the anime with any single episode since each story is completed by itself.

Recommended for age 0-6

9. Ponyo

Ponyo (崖の上のポニョ), a.k.a. Ponyo on the Cliff by the Sea, is a newer Studio Ghibli anime which was released in 2008, and it is one of the best fantasy movies suiting kids’ tastes. A five years old boy named Sosuke meets a goldfish character Ponyo that want to become a human like him. The whole story is really simple, and that is why Ponyo has been loved by numerous children.

Recommended for age 0-10

10. Cardcaptor Sakura

Today, not only boys but also girls grow up watching anime, and Cardcaptor Sakura (カードキャプターさくら) is one of the most popular anime series that has been watched with girls for a long time. Cardcaptor Sakura released its first series that consists of 46 episodes between 1998 and 1999. After the first series labelled Clow Card Arc, the second title Sakura Card Arc aired with 22 episodes in 1999. In 2018, the third series Cardcaptor Sakura: Clear Card was aired with 22 episodes. The magical-girl anime features a 4th grade elementary school girl Sakura Kinomoto. She is made to become Cardcaptor by a tiny Cerberus like a teddy bear and collects Clow Cards, which will bring disaster to this world when they are unsealed.

Recommended for age 0-10

11. Kiki’s Delivery Service

Kiki’s Delivery Service (魔女の宅急便) is one of the best Studio Ghibli movies to watch with kids while every Ghibli anime are perfect for both adults and children. Among them, Kiki’s Delivery Service has a simple story that even young children can enjoy. Based on the original novel written by Eiko Kadono in 1985, it was made by the director Hayao Miyazaki. Kiki, a 13-year-old girl with witch’s blood in her veins, leaves her country home and sets out on a journey of training with her black cat, Jiji. This is a story of a girl’s growth through setbacks and love.

Recommended for age 0-10

12. Chi’s Sweet Home

Anime about cute animals are perfect for every kid from toddlers to boys and girls. Chi’s Sweet Home (チーズスイートホーム) has been chosen by lots of parents with small children since it started airing in 2008. Chi’s Sweet Home was followed by some sequel series such as Chi’s Sweet Home: Chi’s New Address in 2009 and Chi’s Sweet Adventure in 2016-2017. After the curious kitten Chi gets separated from his mother and other cats, he ends up living with a kindergartener, Yohei, and his family. This anime depicts a new peaceful life of the kitten.

Recommended for age 0-10

13. Cells at Work!

Cells at Work! (働く細胞) is unique fantasy and comedy anime series with the theme of biology. At first, the original manga of Cells at Work! was a big hit when its publication on Monthly Shonen Sirius began in 2015. There are two seasons in the anime series released in 2018 and 2021 as well as a spin-off Cells at Work! Code Black. This is a story that personifies the trillions of cells that work 24/7 in the body of a certain person, centering on a red blood cell AE3803 and a white blood cell U-1146. The depiction of the cells is so accurate that it is appreciated as a way for children to learn.

Recommended for age 6-10

14. Dragon Ball

As the world’s most famous and popular anime series, Dragon Ball (ドラゴンボール) can be enjoyed by kids of all ages (and adults, of course). Adapted from the legendary manga written by Akira Toriyama, the first anime Dragon Ball was made between 1986 and 1989, followed by the next part Dragon Ball Z between 1989 and 1996. Modern technology allows you to watch higher quality animation in Dragon Ball Kai, a revised version of Dragon Ball Z. Dragon Ball is an action adventure masterpiece that depicts the great adventures of a young boy named Son Goku and his powerful battles with various enemies.

Recommended for age 6-10

15. Captain Tsubasa

Captain Tsubasa (キャプテン翼) is the popular sports anime series with the theme of soccer, based on the manga written by Yoichi Takahashi. Soccer and other sports are recommended to choose as an anime genre for children since it is easy to enjoy even without understanding the plot and words. It has inspired so many soccer players all over the globe including Zinedine Zidane, Neymar, Andres Iniesta and so on. The story proceeds with the Japanese kid soccer player Tsubasa Ozora growing up. (The video above is a trailer of the game Captain Tsubasa: Rise Of New Champions.)

Recommended for age 0-10

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Both adults and children get excited knowing that places seen in anime actually exist. Here, we’ve compiled anime spots from across Japan, ranging from real locations featured in anime to shops and museums: 10 Best Anime Spots in Japan.

Did you find your favorite anime for kids? Anime provides children with an emotional richness and chances to learn words. For more info about recommended anime, you might also like these!

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