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When it comes to choosing the best anime for kids, it is one of the toughest jobs in the world. There are so many anime that have won over millions of kids’ hearts and keep on doing it even today. Every child and several adults have at some time in their lives imagined themselves as a Pokémon trainer or land themselves a Doraemon with a 4D pocket.
People have even bought Beyblades or Shinchan merch for their children due to their popularity. While it was overwhelming to choose, here is a list of the best anime for kids that promote concepts like friendship, teamwork, kindness, courage, etc. These anime will not only provide a jolly good time for children and bring peace to parents’ minds, but also showcase several life lessons, with a great narrative.
1. Doraemon
- Creator: Fujiko F. Fujio (Hiroshi Fujimoto & Motoo Abiko)
- Number of Episodes: 1800+
- Start Date: April 2, 1979
- Animation Studio: Shin-Ei Animation
- Where To Watch: Disney+, YouTube
Doraemon is a 22nd-century robotic cat who was sent back in time to help Nobita Nobi, a lazy boy lacking motivation. The anime follows their daily adventure as Nobita always gets into some problem or wants something, and Doraemon uses his 4D Pocket to bring out futuristic gadgets to help him fix his problems. There are also other characters like Shizuka, Suneo, and Gian, who are equally important to the story.
Doraemon is one of the most entertaining and hilarious anime, with the episodes ending with a moral lesson. The futuristic gadgets like “Anywhere Door”, “Small Light”, “Bamboo Copter”, etc., are things that everyone needs in their life. Doraemon has a global approach, and people of any age can tune in to it and forget about all their problems.
2. Perman
- Creator: Fujiko F. Fujio
- Number of Episodes: 580
- Start Date: 1967
- Animation Studio: Shin-Ei Animation
- Where To Watch: YouTube, Disney+
When a mysterious alien named Birdman gave Mitsuo Suwa a special gear, the latter came to be known as Perman. The special gear includes a helmet for intelligence and strength, a cape that helps in flight, a badge for communication, and a copy robot to protect his superhero identity. With great power comes great responsibility, and likewise, Mitsuo became the protector of Earth. Later in the story, he was joined by multiple Perman, including a monkey named Booby and a girl named Sumire. One of the most beautiful things about Perman is its wholesome humour. The anime brings out several relatable situations that the viewers can connect to, alongside promoting teamwork and responsibility among children.
3. Ninja Hattori
- Creator: Fujiko F. Fujio
- Number of Episodes: 694
- Start Date: 1981
- Animation Studio: Shin-Ei Animation
- Where to Watch: Disney+, YouTube
Ninja Hattori follows the adventures of Iga Clan’s Hattori Kanzo, who starts living with a schoolboy named Kenichi. Later, Hattori’s little brother, Shinzo, and pet dog, Shishimaru, also start living with them. Kenichi is a lazy boy who often faces various challenges from bullies. His rival is Kemumaki, who also happens to be a ninja, with a pet cat named Kagechiyo. Together, they create a fun-paced story, filled with adventure and mischief. The concept of ninja has always attracted people, and when Hattori uses his special techniques, it brings joy to the viewers. Concepts like loyalty and hard work are highlighted in the anime, with a proper balance between comedy and action.
4. Pokémon
- Creator: Game Freak, Nintendo, The Pokémon Company
- Number of Episodes: 1200+
- Start Date: April 1, 1997
- Animation Studio: OLM, Inc.
- Where To Watch: Netflix, Amazon Prime Video, YouTube
In a world filled with different creatures called Pokémon, Ash Ketchum, a 10-year-old boy, embarks on a journey to become the greatest Pokémon trainer ever. He visits Professor Oak’s lab and gets his first Pokémon, Pikachu. Together, along with his friends, Misty and Brook, Ash travels to different cities, catching different Pokémon and defeating other trainers to gain Gym Badges. Each region he travels to has a new variety of Pokémon, making his journey lengthier and adventurous. Pokémon is one of the most iconic anime ever, with iconic characters, positive messages, and an imagination-filled adventure that is suitable for every age. Today, Pokémon is globally renowned, with its popularity increasing every day.
5. Crayon Shin-Chan
- Creator: Yoshito Usui
- Number of Episodes: 1100+
- Start Date: April 13, 1992
- Animation Studio: Shin-Ei Animation
- Where To Watch: YouTube, Disney+, Crunchyroll
Crayon Shin-Chan revolves around Shinnosuke “Shin” Nohara, who is a mischievous 5-year-old, always creating trouble for his parents, friends, and teachers. His family includes his mother, Misae Nohara, his father, Hiroshi Nohara, his sister, Himawari Nohara, and his pet dog, Shiro. Shinchan’s daily shenanigans include inappropriate jokes and naughty antics, which often create several hilarious moments that almost go with any situation. The anime also brings up emotional moments, has great family content, featuring a protagonist who is not a typical U-rated character like others.
6. Kiteretsu Daihyakka
- Creator: Fujiko F. Fujio
- Number of Episodes: 331
- Start Date: March 27, 1988
- Animation Studio: Studio Gallop
- Where To Watch: YouTube, Disney+
Eiichi Kite, popularly known as Kiteretsu, is a child genius who often invents fascinating gadgets and machines by studying an encyclopedia written by his ancestors. Kiteretsu’s most popular invention is a talking robot named Korosuke, with a samurai personality. The anime follows Kiteretsu’s daily adventures with Korosuke, and his friends, Miyoko, Butagorira, and Tonosama, often creating something memorable for the fans. Kiteretsu puts the fun in science and teaches teamwork and empathy to its viewers. With a proper balance of humour, emotion, and science, Kiteretsu remains one of the most in-demand children’s anime.
7. Tsurupika Hagemaru
- Creator: Shinbo Nomura
- Number of Episodes: 59
- Start Date: March 3, 1988
- Animation Studio: Shin-Ei Animation
- Where To Watch: Disney+
Hagemaru is an elementary school student, coming from a family obsessed with saving money. For that reason, he does things that are unthinkable to normal people. With a mentality to save, he often uses the same tissue for multiple days or relies on the same school supplies for long periods. While his attempts at cost-cutting come at a cost, it does not tarnish the fact that the anime is a gold mine when it comes to humour.
The mangaka gave Hagemaru a weird look with cheeky and short stature, and a bald head, with three hairs sticking out. He has large eyes and bushy eyebrows that will make kids laugh at first sight. His absurd frugal ideas are the source of fun, with his family often joining in those antics. Hagemaru highlights the middle class of society, and for that reason, the anime and characters are pretty relatable.
8. Digimon
- Creator: Akiyoshi Hongo
- Number of Episodes: 400+
- Start Date: March 7, 1999
- Animation Studio: Toei Animation
- Where To Watch: Crunchyroll, Amazon Prime Video, YouTube
Digimon is the short form for Digital Monsters. The anime gained massive popularity, especially among kids, due to its heartwarming, imaginative, and adventurous theme. It follows a group of kids with their Digimons as they go on an adventure to defeat the evil. Digimon captures strong friendship and teamwork, and as the story goes on, the audience all gets into the adventure and evolves as the digital monsters. While it is similar to Pokémon, there is a massive difference between the two. Unlike Pokémon, Digimon focuses more on the narrative, offering a more engaging plot, characters, and story arcs. Digimon is fun not only for kids, but also holds a massive nostalgic viewpoint for adults.
9. Beyblade
- Creator: Takao Aoki
- Number of Episodes: 400+
- Start Date: January 8, 2001
- Animation Studio: Madhouse, SynergyOP, OLM, ADK Emotions
- Where To Watch: Amazon Prime Video, YouTube, Disney+
When Beyblade aired, kids instantly fell in love with the anime. The anime showed a new level of popularity for customized spinning tops. Beyblade follows around powerful spinning tops, infused with mythical spirits called Bit-Beasts. The anime featured multiple characters trying to best each other with Beyblade battles, and it depended upon the character to bring out the best of their Bit-Beasts. It featured nail-biting competitions, action, teamwork, and most importantly, created animation. Beyblade highlighted concepts like friendship, loyalty, sportsmanship, strategy, etc. Due to its massive popularity, Beyblade became a real-life global franchise, with people buying Beyblades, customizing them, and taking part in tournaments. If only Bit-Beasts were available, it would have been wild!
Also Read: The Cutest Anime Companions and Familiars of All Time
Priyanko is currently pursuing his Master’s in Economics. He loves to read manga or watch anime in his spare time. He is a massive fan of One Piece, Naruto, and Haikyu. Amidst the Great Pirating Era, he wishes to become the greatest Hokage, even though he is short.
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