Anime has gained massive popularity over the years. With amazing shows like Naruto, One Piece, and Dragon Ball out there, it's hard to not see why. Still, not all of these staples of animation are the best choices to put on the television with kids in the room.

A lot of parents or older siblings may be looking for shows they can watch with the younger people in the house. It can be easy to point to shows like Pokemon or Digimon, but fans likely want something a little more interesting and unique to share with younger audiences to get them interested in anime.

Updated April 23, 2022 by Mark Sammut: It is never too early to get someone into anime. The medium produces a lot of shows that cater to a younger demographic, with most of the popular shonen series serving as gateway anime for a lot of people. Still, if a parent is searching for something to watch alongside their children, they might find the sheer quantity of shows available to be overwhelming. Consequently, this article has been expanded to include a few more of the best anime for kids. Each show's streaming information has also been added.

12 Little Witch Academia

Several witches flying on brooms
Japanese Title Little Witch Academia
Studio Trigger
Genre Magical Girl
Where to Stream 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 incredibly endearing to all the watch it.

It's also easy to watch for anyone with a Netflix account making it an easy show for potential viewers to see if it follows the three episode rule.

11 Bananya

Several cats inside of banana peels

Not all children have a long attention span, so something cute, quirky, and funny might be the perfect fit for them. Enter Bananya: a series with three-minute episodes featuring the adventures of incredibly adorable feline-fruit hybrids! The series isn't just an obscure one either — even famous clothing brand Gucci has made some fan gear for the show.

10 Silver Spoon

A picture with several high school students at a farm
Japanese Title Gin no Saji
Studio A-1 Pictures
Genre Slice of Life
Where to Stream Funimation

It's hard to look at Silver Spoon and realize it was created by the very same woman who brought Full Metal Alchemist to life but it's absolutely true. This show can be a great way to introduce young anime fans to Hiromu Arakawa with a story that isn't as intense or violent.

Silver Spoon follows Yuugo Hachiken's adventures at Ooezo Agricultural High School, a place he enrolled in to escape the stress of his everyday life. It can be a great opportunity to learn some realities of farm life for younger viewers while enjoying a lighter story.

9 Chi's New Address

Chi's New Address
Japanese Title Chi's Sweet Home: Atarashii Ouchi
Studio Madhouse
Genre Comedy, Slice of Life
Where to Stream Crunchyroll, VRV

With over 100 episodes, Chi's New Address is the perfect choice for anyone that wants a longer series to sink their teeth into. It's impossible to watch the adventures of this adorable cat and not have a massive smile. This slice of life anime is light enough for kids while still be funny for the adults in the room.

Plus, there's also Chi's Sweet Adventure for fans that want even more fantastic feline adventures.

8 My Hero Academia

Several heroes running into battle

With the current popularity of superhero stories thanks to MCU movies, it's incredibly easy to get younger viewers into My Hero Academia. It has a story with universal appeal and its theme of helping those in need sends a perfect message to any kids in the audience.

Just a fair warning that some of the battles can get pretty intense so make sure that whatever kids are watching can handle a bit of blood and animated violence.

7 Doraemon

A boy hugging his blue robot friend

Whether it's the original from the '70s or the remake released in 2005, Doraemon is an anime classic. It has spawned over forty movies showing it has the kind of staying power to keep audiences hooked on the adventures of this little cat-like robot.

Whatever gadgets from the future he pulls from his four-dimensional pocket are sure to start marvelous zany antics and adventures. The Doraemon shows are difficult to find online, but there are two great movies available on Netflix.

6 Hamtaro

Two cute hamsters
Japanese Title Tottoko Hamtarou
Studio TMS Entertainment
Genre Adventure, Comedy
Where to Stream N/A

Watching these little hamsters on big adventures can keep kids and children at heart entertained for hours. The series has over 290 episodes as well, some of which aired on Toonami in the states, making it a great show to get into for the long haul.

Unfortunately, this series never had its English dub fully completed so fans may eventually have to switch to reading subtitles. At this point, it may be worth looking into a similar hamster anime called Pui Pui Molcar which is considered one of the best children's animes of all time by critics but never saw an English release.

5 Mysterious Joker

Kaitou Joker anime

Lasting for four seasons, Mysterious Joker got a lot of mileage out of its straightforward premise: Joker is a master thief who can steal anything. In order to prove this point, the protagonist goes on globe-trotting escapades to nick all sorts of glorious treasures, all the while enjoying the finer parts of life such as gaming.

Mysterious Joker is an entertaining episodic anime about a child protagonist who frequently gets the better of everyone around him. More importantly, Joker acts like a kid when he isn't performing heists, and these sections tend to be quite funny.

4 Moomin (1990)

Tanoshii Muumin Ikka anime
Japanese Title Tanoshii Muumin Ikka
Studio Telescreen
Genre Fantasy, Slice of Life
Where to Stream N/A

Starting out in novels, Tove Joansson's Moomins have been starring in TV shows and movies since the late '50s. One of the best adaptations of the books, 1990's Moomin does a splendid job of capturing the blend of wander and normalcy synonymous with this franchise. The show revolves around mythical creatures known as Moomin that live within Moominvalley alongside humans, focusing on their daily adventures that are typically lighthearted and relatable.

Moomin simply oozes magic out of every scene, even if the episodic storylines are mostly mundane. The characters are lovable, the animation dated but charming, and the lessons are timeless.

3 Pretty Cure (Series)

Several cute anime girls
Japanese Title Futari wa Precure
Studio Toei Animation
Genre Magical Girl
Where to Stream Crunchyroll, VRV

Pretty Cure isn't just one of the longest-running magical girl series of all time – it also has some of the most breathtaking visuals viewers will ever see in an anime fit for younger audiences. With countless spin-offs, sequels, and movies, it's incredibly easy to jump into the series.

Several Pretty Cure shows and movies have been released over the years, so there is plenty of content to jump into. The original series is available on Crunchyroll, and it is generally regarded as one of the best in the franchise.

2 Sherlock Hound

Several anthropomorphic animals in a plane fight

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.

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.

1 Rilakkuma And Kaoru

A woman with two giant living stuffed bears
Japanese Title Rilakkuma to Kaoru-san
Studio dwarf
Genre Slice of Life
Where to Stream Netflix

Rilakkuma and Kaoru was originally an ONA — an anime directly released to the internet. These days, it has a home on Netflix making it easy for potential fans to check out. It's also short and sweet, with each episode running for only eleven minutes apiece.

The show follows Kaoru's life living with her roommate, a giant stuffed bear named Rilakkuma. What makes the show unique isn't just its unusual visuals and unique sound design. It's also willing to tackle more adult themes, like mental hygiene or money problems, in a way younger audiences can still identify with. It can be a little weird at times but is absolutely worth giving a watch.

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