|.::What is Anime?::.|
Since I'll be saying "Anime" throughout this entire article, let me give you a simple, American definition. Anime is animation from Japan. Before you even begin to click away from this article because you suddenly realize what anime is, please, just read the entire article.

I would also like to add...Family Guy is not anime.

|.::Part I: The Stereotypes On and Offline::.|
Quoting from the lovely dictionary inside of Microsoft Word:

• Stereotype - an oversimplified standardized image of a person or group (cit: Encarta Dictionary)

In summary...a stereotype is when someone takes something (whether it's a person, hobby, or whatever) and completely blows the truth out of proportion, making people believe something otherwise. That idea becomes popularized and...BAM! You got yourself a stereotype.

And why did I start off this section like this? I started this section off like that because anime has stereotypes. Just like everything else in this world.

When I ask people at school what they think anime is, they will typically reply with an answer that's something like "it's for babies" or something similar. On the other hand, the other half (and just about everyone else who I asked) will say something like anime "is for adults only" or something like that. Which one is correct? You'll find out in the next part. For now...keep on reading.

If you look up anime inside a dictionary, it give you some of the most common stereotypes (let me remind you; these are only stereotypes; continue on reading after these):

• Big Eyes
• Bright, neon colours
• Spiky Hair
• Extreme Violence
• Well-endowed women
• Sexually Explict
  

Now that you read these, you probably don't want your children getting anywhere near this stuff, right? I hope you kept in mind that these are only stereotypes. That doesn't mean they're right.

Please, do continue on reading.

|.::Part 1.1: Defeating the Stereotypes::.|
You've just read them. You were probably turned off by them. If you're still reading, I thank you for doing so.

I would like to first answer this question:

Is anime for adults only or kids only?
The answer: BOTH! Kids, Preteens, Teenagers, Adults and everybody in between...anime can be for all of them. Now, now. I'm not saying every anime out there is for kids. Or adults. There are anime that are targetted towards those age groups. Further down in this large article, I'll explain the age ratings and perfect anime for your kids to watch and other stuff.

Now...ONTO THE STEREOTYPES!
Big Eyes - This is one stereotype that refers to many series. Not all. I've seen various different series where the eyes were human-like. This obviously isn't a huge deal if your kids see animated characters with huge eyes. Most of the cartoons your kids probably watch everyday probably have non-anime characters with big eyes.
Bright, Neon Colours - Some anime might, espeically if the audience is target for girls or younger kids. Most of the anime I've seen were just as bright and colourful as a pair of blue jeans and a black t-shirt. Basically, anime isn't full of bright, neon colours. Some might have bright colours, but many contain normal, everyday colours that you probably wear everyday to work.

Spiky Hair - Yes. Mainly the boys. With gravity defying hair. This does not apply to every anime. There's plenty out there with people with normal hair cuts and normal hair styles.

Exteme Violence - Depends on what age group the series is targetted at. Many anime have cartoon violence or fantasy violence, which your kids are probably watching on non-anime cartoons. Some anime don't have any sort of violence at all (which is rare, since having some sort of violence is more realistic then none; seriously, think about it).

Well-endowed Women - Sometimes depends on the targeted age group. But heck...you see well-endowed women in non-anime TV-Y shows. I don't know why you're caring about this. And if you aren't...good.

Sexually Explict - Again, depends on the targetted age group. If it'd targetted for little kids, there will be none. Adults...there's a chance you're going to find it there. But that's for adults. Which your kids probably won't be watching.

You see, these stereotypes can be defeated easily. I hope that they didn't turn you off more.

|.::Part 2: The Good That Comes Out Of This::.|
Chances are, you're probably bored of reading this article. Plus you're probably turned off by the stereotypes. If you're still reading, thank you very much. You're making me smile.

Anyway, there are great things that can come out of letting your kids become an anime fan. You might be looking at the text funny, wondering what the benifits might be. Let me list and explain them:

1.) Books/Reading - a mixture of manga (Japanese graphic novels or Japanese "Comics") and novels from Japan are just enough to inspire a kid to read more. Reading is good for kids, even if it's a graphic novel. Reading skills will improve (visualization, questions, etc.) and help them score higher on state test.

2.) New Hobbies - Kids will suddenly discover that they'll want to pursue things they never thought they wanted to. They might want to learn how to sew because their favourite character's clothes are so awesome. They might learn to draw because they would like to publish their own graphic novel one day. They might want to improve their writing skills because they want to publish a novel. They might want to take up acting because it seems so cool to be a voice actor or actress. There are many awesome, new hobbies they will probably want to get into, instead of the typical "texting on cellphones" and "hanging with friends" that seem so cliché with kids and teens these days.

3.) Inspiration - Linking to the hobbies reason above, kids will get inspired. A Japanese novel might just be enough to improve their writing skills. Their drawings might improve, making them get an A in that art class they keep on seeming to fail. They might want to start designing their own clothes because of the wacky styles of the clothes in anime. The inspiration might be enough to get them to study for the spelling test on Thursday.

4.) Individualism - Chances are, being into anime will get them out of being zombies of the media. They'll develop their own taste in clothes. You, as a parent, should be encouraging them to be different, not the same.

|.::Part 3: Age Ratings and their American TV/Movie Equalivlents (And Recommendations)::.|
Now, this is the best way to make sure your kids don't see stuff you don't want them to.

On the back of every anime (and manga), there should be an age rating. Somewhere on it. You might have to put in a little effort into it, since some aren't really noticable.

Here's a mini guide to the age rating system. I also put the American TV and Movie Equalivilents, so you can relate the content to those.

ALL AGES/EVERYONE - Probably the most obvious one of all, the content is usually G/PG/TV-Y rated. Parents can feel safe about their kids having exposure to these manga.

YOUTH (7/10+)- Not every publisher uses this age rating. It's equalivlent to TV-Y7/PG. There might be fantasy or cartoon violence (usually cartoon violence).

TEEN (13+) - Before you even think that this is a PG-13 equvilent rating...it's not really. Depending on the anime, it's a cross between PG and PG-13 (some go towards one way or another). A TV equalvilent would be TV-PG. May contain some fanatsy, cartoon, or realistic violence (nothing suuuuuuuper extreme), semi-nudity (NO DETAILS; just a simple outline, usually; all private parts are blocked by something; might be smoke, soap, or something of the sort), and a bit language (though, it's not too common...even in manga targeted at older teens). If you let your child watch ALL PG-13 movies, then you should let them watch TEEN anime and read rated TEEN manga.

OLDER TEEN (16+) - A cross between rated PG-13 and rated R (usually, towards the PG-13). A TV equalivent rating would be TV-14. May contain fantasy, cartoon, realistic, extreme violence, strong language, sexual situations...and that's it off the top of my head. Sounds like a typical PG-13 movie nowadays, doesn't it? You might want to keep your kid away from this until they're in High School, at least.

MATURE (18+) - Probably the most obvious one of all. I can't say much...because I've never read one before. Probably rated R material. Obviously, don't let your kids read this.

ANIME RECOMMENDATIONS FOR TARGETED AGE GROUP:
All Ages - Pokémon, Prince of Tennis
Youth - Bottle Fairy, Digimon
Teen - Kaleido Star, Bleach
Older Teen - Le Chevalier D'Eon

|.::Part 4: The End::.|
I don't know if I convinced you or not to let your kid be into anime (probably not), but thank you for reading. I hope this helps you in your decision for letting your kid getting into anime.

I apologize for grammer and spelling mistakes. I did look and read over this.