Say hello to the family-friendly anime corner! It’s a common misconception that anime is a little… adult. It’s not unusual to see a few scantily clothed women and a barely restrained fan club; if you’re a grownup who doesn’t have an issue with that, that’s OK. However, you should probably choose a different option if you search for kid-friendly anime on Netflix for your kids or little siblings. Children can learn about new concepts, cultures, and languages through anime. They will gain so much knowledge from observing these programs, but they might also grab some information that isn’t suitable for their stage or that they cannot comprehend yet.
Children can sometimes be rather fussy when it comes to entertainment. They are drawn to cartoons and anime with characters who are similar in age and share their hobbies. We’ve put together a list of a few of the best anime for children to make your life easier. See our selections below! Including everything from animated action films to cute kids’ animation with endearing characters can be found here.
Kids-Friendly Anime on Netflix
9. InuYasha
- Director: Masashi Ikeda
- Writer: Katsuyuki Sumisawa
- Cast: Kappei Yamaguchi, Richard Ian Cox, Darren Pleavin
- IMDb Ratings: 7.9
- Rotten Tomatoes: NA
- Streaming Platform: Netflix, Hulu, HBO Max, and Crunchyroll
This kids friendly anime on Netflix tells the tale of a 15-year-old teenager who is sent back to the past to the Sengoku Period (1467–1615), a duration of virtually continual civil conflict and turmoil in Japanese history. She must assist a half-demon entity in reassembling a mystical jewel lest dark forces do it themselves and seize absolute power.
Even though the series features a powerful female lead, certain parents might be alarmed by the occasional little foul word or a fleeting glimpse of skin. After being dragged down a well by a monster, Kagome Higurashi discovers herself inside the Sengoku period of ancient Japan, where she discovers that a potent diamond has been reincarnated inside her flesh.
Kagome must work with the demon Inu Yasha, who also wants the jewel’s strength, to find the jewel’s fragments after it breaks in an attempt to recover it against one of the numerous demons chasing it. Otherwise, the jewel’s power will slip into the incorrect hands.
8. Sailor Moon
- Director: Junichi Sato
- Writer: Sukehiro Tomita
- Cast: Stephanie Sheh, Kotono Mitsuishi, Kate Higgins
- IMDb Ratings: 7.7
- Rotten Tomatoes: NA
- Streaming Platform: Netflix
The American format of the kids friendly anime on Netflix series is well-liked by a sizable portion of the watching population, even though the uncensored version of the original show has its highlights. Sailor Moon’s rise to fame during its run on Cartoon Network’s Toonami program is to blame for this.
The narrative belongs to the Magical Girl subgenre and is based on a well-known manga. Usagi Tsukino, a mediocre student and whiny klutz who consistently receives terrible grades on her tests, is the novel’s major protagonist. Her routine existence is abruptly upended when she defends a cat with something like a crescent moon over its head from harm. Usagi is chosen to become Sailor Moon, a celestial guardian able to defend the Earth. The cat, Luna, explains that their encounter was not by chance.
But she has concerns beyond just getting used to her abilities and battling bad guys. To prevent the planet’s devastation, she must locate a Moon Kingdom princess who has gone missing, the other Sailor Guardians, and the legendary Silver Crystal. Magic, humor, and relatable family issues are all mixed in Sailor Moon.
7. ReLife
- Director: Satoru Kosaka
- Writer: Michiko Yokote
- Cast: Josh Grelle, Micah Solusod, Jeannie Tirado
- IMDb Ratings: 7.8
- Rotten Tomatoes: NA
- Streaming Platform: Netflix
What if someone was given a chance to spend their life over again to undo their mistakes? Would they accept the opportunity even though there is a potential that another aspect of the revamped edition could go bad and make it even terrible than the old one? Arata Kaizaki, a 27-year-old actor in ReLife, does something like this.
Arata reverts to being 17 through a program at ReLife rehab center, enabling her to finish high school. He discovers what happened wrong in his life there. ReLife is a good anime for families and older kids to enjoy together, even though it may not be appropriate for younger kids.
6. A Silent Voice
- Director: Naoko Yamada
- Writer: Yoshitoki Oima, Reiko Yoshida, Kiyoshi Shigematsu
- Cast: Miyu Irino, Saori Hayami, Aoi Yûki
- IMDb Ratings: 8.1
- Rotten Tomatoes: 95%
- Streaming Platforms: Netflix and Vudu
The renowned company, Kyoto Animation, produced the anime movie A Silent Voice. Their production is renowned for its stunning graphics and uplifting narratives.
The beautiful kids-friendly anime on Netflix, A Silent Voice, centres on Shouko Nishimiya, a new student who faces bullying due to her disability of being deaf. Shôya Ishida is at the forefront of the harassment. He makes Shouko feel so uncomfortable that she transfers to a different school, and as a result, Ishida is shunned by his peers.
Years later, Ishida is still concerned by his actions, so he seeks Shouko to make atonement. A Silent Voice combines topics such as love, discrimination, disability, and friendship to create a fascinating and emotional tale for the whole family. I recommend keeping a box of wipes nearby. A Silent Voice is an anime film that deserves to be praised by everyone.
5. Tamako Market
- Director: Naoko Yamada
- Writer: Reiko Yoshida
- Cast: Aya Suzaki, Yûki Kaneko, Juri Nagatsuma
- IMDb Ratings: 6.9
- Rotten Tomatoes: NA
- Streaming Platform: Netflix
The Office and Parks and Recreation were extremely famous because they depicted everyday life realistically. Fans were allowed to connect with the personas they best admired. These are the audience who ought to like Tamako Market, a loaf-of-life anime.
Tamako Market is another pleasant and lovely kids-friendly anime on Netflix that centres on a young girl during her initial year of high school. A teenage girl who volunteers at her parents’ restaurant to prepare the Japanese delicacy Mochi is the subject of this sweet television program. Neither Gundam nor magical girls exist. Just Tamako, her first year at high school, and how she manages life and work are the story’s subjects.
Tamako is so sweet that younger viewers are guaranteed to become obsessed with her. Additionally, I’m certain that any parents viewing are salivating for a chance to urge you to get employment. Or perhaps that only applies to my parents. In either case, the whole family will enjoy it!
4. Little Witch Academia
- Director: Yô Yoshinari
- Writer: Yô Yoshinari, Masahiko Ôtsuka
- Cast: Megumi Han, Fumiko Orikasa, Michiyo Murase
- IMDb Ratings: 7.3
- Rotten Tomatoes: NA
- Streaming Platform: Netflix
Little Witch Academia originally began as a movie but gained so much popularity it was adapted into an episodic series. The show follows Atsuko and her adventures in learning witchcraft at the Luna Nova Magical Academy. It features a colorful cast of characters that make the show endearing to all who watch it.
I see Little Witch Academia as the modern Sailor Moon in certain ways. Little Witch Academia is an action-packed and exciting anime series that follows Akko and her fellow students at Luna Nova Academy, a prestigious school for little witches. There are battles between fantasy creatures and a few sword fights, but there’s no gore and nothing to frighten a pre-tween.
The main character is new to magic and struggles in her classes. But through perseverance and a stroke of luck, she manages to catch up with the others in no time. Good morals, engaging visuals, a decent story, and a soothing soundtrack. What more can you ask for?
3. Spirited Away
- Director: Hayao Miyazaki
- Writer: Hayao Miyazaki
- Cast: Daveigh Chase, Suzanne Pleshette, Miyu Irino
- IMDb Ratings: 8.6
- Rotten Tomatoes: 97%
- Streaming Platforms: Netflix, YouTube, and HBO Max
Now I will come to Spirited Away. But in all honesty, any Ghibli movie (besides maybe Grave of the Fireflies) is a safe bet. For decades, this movie has been ranked as one of the most acclaimed anime by many. Spirited Away centres around 10-year-old Chihiro and her quest to save her family. In the film, she has to interact and work with the supernatural realm and its unique and sometimes challenging residents.
This movie was directed by the famous Hayao Miyazaki, who is known for making many other highly acclaimed, kid-friendly anime. Miyazaki’s work is always a good choice when showing an anime that’s safe to watch in front of parents.
I chose Spirited Away because its universe never ceases to amaze me. When I first watched it as a kid, I fell in love with all those interesting characters. And I imagined living among them. Now, as a slightly larger child, I look at all the themes in the movie and how they can tie into real-life events.
To a lot of people, this movie is Ghibli’s magnum opus. And I highly recommend bringing it up at your next family movie night.
2. Glitter Force
- Director: Takashi Otsuka
- Writer: Shōji Yonemura
- Cast: Misato Fukuen, Marina Inoue, Hisako Kanemoto
- IMDb Ratings: 6.2
- Rotten Tomatoes: NA
- Streaming Platform: Netflix
Glitter Force is a 2015 Netflix adaption of an older anime called Smile PreCure! that originally aired in 2012. Inspired by the magical girl anime Sailor Moon, it largely revolves around five magical girl warriors called “Pretty Cures.”
When the evil Pierrot attacks a kingdom where characters from fairy tales reside, the queen sends the messenger Candy to Earth to form a team of five magical girls. The series follows the team’s birth and the girls’ adventures as they try to fight off their enemies to collect the magical tokens called Cure Decors that will enable them to upgrade their powers and save the kingdom.
The quintet is the key to saving the place where all fairy tale characters exist. Glitter Force is colorful and full of moments that will make viewers smile and cheer. For those who can’t get enough of Glitter Force, there is also a second series called Gitter Force Doki Doki.
1. Sherlock Hound
- Director: Hayao Miyazaki
- Writer: Hayao Miyazaki
- Cast: Taichirô Hirokawa, Kôsei Tomita, Patricia Parris
- IMDb Ratings: 7.5
- Rotten Tomatoes: NA
- Streaming Platform: Netflix and Prime Video
Imagine Hayao Miyazaki working with the same animation studio that brought to life shows like Animaniacs and Tiny Toon Adventures. This is exactly what happened with Sherlock Hound. These light-hearted tales are loosely based on the famous stories by Sir Arthur Conan Doyle, with all the characters as anthropomorphic animals.
Despite borrowing characters from the original novel by Arthur Conan Doyle, the story of Sherlock Hound is almost entirely original. The cast has been replaced with anthropomorphic dogs, and the dynamic between characters is simplified for children. Professor Moriarty and his subordinates Todd and Smiley are the central villains, whose schemes are thwarted by Holmes and his assistant Dr. Watson. The detective elements are light and instead replaced with Watson’s strange inventions. The added police and chase sequences keep the tone light and fun.
One of the best things about this classic anime is that the English dub is free to watch on YouTube, thanks to its original producer, TMS. This makes this classic incredibly accessible for anyone that wants to watch it.
Perks of Anime for Children
As a parent, some people ask me if it’s OK for their kids to watch anime. I say it’s more than OK, and anime has several genuine benefits.
1. They Experience a Different Culture.
Many anime movies and television shows offer an insight into Japanese culture, history, and society. This can help your child appreciate the perspectives of people from different backgrounds and other ways of life.
2. It May Inspire Innovation.
Many anime fans are inspired to start drawing, writing, or even combining them to write their graphic novels. Many of the stories in anime have a fantasy or magical elements. This can provide a new and exciting form of inspiration for creative pursuits.
3. They might make fresh friendships or deepen old ones.
The anime fandom is a passionate one. Our youngest daughter has met many people she might otherwise not have and has formed strong friendships through her love of anime.
4. It addresses important issues
Death, mental illness, racism, and the intricacies of relationships are all topics that anime does not shy away from discussing. Anime may help spark conversations between parents and children.
5. They will cultivate the skill of reading.
Subtitled anime might help youngsters develop their reading abilities without them even recognizing it. Some anime viewers are also lured to reading the manga comics that many of the series and movies are based on.
6. You Might Be Surprised by Anime
Not all anime is the loud, colorful, and flamboyant cartoon entertainment one may think. Much anime aimed at children is highly complex, with significant plots and intricate character development.
If your youngster is interested, take advantage of the opportunity to watch some with them. You could develop an interest in anime. I’m sure I did.
