Kamen Rider for kids or adults?

[ChoHenshin]

Hi.

As a fan of the Kamen Rider franchise, I really don't mind what the target audience is and I would like to introduce Kamen Rider to our 7-year-old son, but I seriously question the age at which Kamen Rider seems designed for. I can't remember about all the series, but what I do remember is seeing dieing people, turned to ash, kicked down to dead, exploded, stabbed, electrocuted, etc... Then, I really don't consider a "show for kids" something that contains very direct, explicit and visual violence.

Furthermore, some of the plots in certain series seem way deeper than just "find the bad guy and kill him".

Althoug my wife tells me that Kamen Rider is meant for kids in Japan (she is Japanese) I really doubt it could fall under that classification in our western countries.

So, what is your oppinion? Should come Power Rangers before Kamen Rider?
Actually, I don't know too much about Power Rangers, other than watching a pair of episodes when I was a kid, but it seems they are less "hardcore" than Kamen Rider. How about Ultraman?

Also, which other Tokusatsu would be the most appropriate for a 7-years-old buddy?

Thanks in advance.

 

[Shogun_Master]

It depends on the child & what he/ she can handle. I've seen kids who would have nightmares over that. Also seen a two-year-old girl watch a violent, zombie-related video game like it was the news with no repercussions whatsoever. Ironically, though, she was terrified of bugs & frogs.

 

[Hraklea]

I don't think Kamen Rider is excessively violent for a kid, but some seasons seem to have a complex plot that a kid might not follow or enjoy. Power Rangers and Super Sentai (the ones I watched, at least), seem to have a more straight-forward story.

 

[SentaiRiderFan]

Rider is definitely a kid's show (and if it seems like it wouldn't be classified as such over here, it's because broadcast standards are sooo different over there). However, some rider shows (like Kuuga, Faiz, and maybe Gaim) reeeaaally push what they can get away with on a kid's show, mostly to try and grab some older viewer's attention and sell blu-rays (and because in the early days, rider wasn't the toy-selling juggernaut it is today, so they didn't have to just appeal to kids).

For the most part though, your son can probably handle most of what rider has to offer (though bear in mind, there IS some swearing in there, partially due to translation issues), so I'd test the waters with something light like Fourze or W, and hold off on the darker shows 'til he's older (to be safe, I'd avoid anything before Kabuto). And if you're just worried about violence, I think most of those examples you mentioned are from those early shows.

I will say, though, like Hraklea mentioned, rider shows can have fairly complex plots, which (combined with needing to follow subtitles) might make it a little hard for a seven-year-old to follow (unless he's used to it). If that's the case, I'd HIGHLY recommend Ultraman (it's more simplistic, the fights are more impressive effects-wise, and it's almost never too dark). Even my family (including my parents) got into it.

 

[raden238]

Kamen Rider is definitely intended for children IN Japan. It has a strong adult fanbase in Asia and of course in the West. As for whether its appropriate for Western children, you can think of it as a PG or PG-13 tv show in the Western world. What children watch as kids shows in the East, maybe deemed too violent for Westerners. But it varys of course for each child. I'll say start off with Den-O or Fourze for your son, because those are PG and some of the more tamer series. Save Kuuga-Blade and Gaim till your son gets older because those shows are pretty violent for a 7 year old and not recommended.

As for other Toku shows to watch, you can check out some of recent Sentai shows like Toqger and even Ninninger. The newer Ultraman shows are also a very kid friendly toku show to watch and not as violent as Kamen Rider.

 

[Kamen rider sol]

For all ages hear is what shinichiro shirakura said about it:
“It doesn’t mean that the Heisei Riders have to defeat the Showa Riders to protect the kids, kids might not want to see a movie where their heroes lose to the older generation. That’s fine though. Because Kamen Rider isn’t for kids only and this is the proof. Whether Showa or Heisei wins, it doesn’t matter. Kamen Rider isn’t Showa or Heisei, it isn’t strictly for kids only or adults only. It’s for the people of this country”

 

[ChoHenshin]

It depends on the child & what he/ she can handle. I've seen kids who would have nightmares over that. Also seen a two-year-old girl watch a violent, zombie-related video game like it was the news with no repercussions whatsoever. Ironically, though, she was terrified of bugs & frogs.

More than nightmares, I am worried about what are our son taking as a model of behaviour. If his/her hero is someone how mauls people down he will imitate that behaviour.

Rider is definitely a kid's show (and if it seems like it wouldn't be classified as such over here, it's because broadcast standards are sooo different over there). However, some rider shows (like Kuuga, Faiz, and maybe Gaim) reeeaaally push what they can get away with on a kid's show, mostly to try and grab some older viewer's attention and sell blu-rays (and because in the early days, rider wasn't the toy-selling juggernaut it is today, so they didn't have to just appeal to kids).

For the most part though, your son can probably handle most of what rider has to offer (though bear in mind, there IS some swearing in there, partially due to translation issues), so I'd test the waters with something light like Fourze or W, and hold off on the darker shows 'til he's older (to be safe, I'd avoid anything before Kabuto). And if you're just worried about violence, I think most of those examples you mentioned are from those early shows.

I will say, though, like Hraklea mentioned, rider shows can have fairly complex plots, which (combined with needing to follow subtitles) might make it a little hard for a seven-year-old to follow (unless he's used to it). If that's the case, I'd HIGHLY recommend Ultraman (it's more simplistic, the fights are more impressive effects-wise, and it's almost never too dark). Even my family (including my parents) got into it.

Great advice, I think. I will review Fourze or Wizard, because I barely remember, but as you say, and according to what the general oppinion is, they seem the lightest of the Riders
Also, the plot is something worrying me. I really would like him to enjoy Kamen Rider from the beginning, but my point of view is that of an adult, and I really can't say that something will be interesting because I like it. And as I started with Tokus when I was in my 20s, then I really don't know how interesting Fourze and/or Wizard could be for a kid.

As for subtitles, they are not needed. He already knows Japanese, and I really want him to not forget about his "roots", so he will see it without subtitles.

I will take a look at Ultra too, but right now, I want to introduce him into Kamen Rider, rather than "Tokusatsu world".


Then, As you and the other users suggested, I will start with Fourze or Wizard; maybe I give a shot to Super Sentai or Ultraman.
I have been thinking about Metal Heroes, and I don't remember them to be excessive violent or with plenty of guts and blood, but I don't know if the plot would be any interesting for him.

 

[kamsasdn13213231]

The franchise may have been intended for young audience in japan but it can be also used for other family members as well even older ones though the thing with the young actor or as the japanese called it 'ikemen' who portray lead roles have been used to attract female viewers even their mothers including female 'ikemen' which was used to attract older men ,SO i wonder what happens if there is a kamen rider series that should have a lead role be a 'non-ikemen' instead in the future.

Rider is definitely a kid's show (and if it seems like it wouldn't be classified as such over here, it's because broadcast standards are sooo different over there). However, some rider shows (like Kuuga, Faiz, and maybe Gaim) reeeaaally push what they can get away with on a kid's show, mostly to try and grab some older viewer's attention and sell blu-rays (and because in the early days, rider wasn't the toy-selling juggernaut it is today, so they didn't have to just appeal to kids)..

For the most part though, your son can probably handle most of what rider has to offer (though bear in mind, there IS some swearing in there, partially due to translation issues), so I'd test the waters with something light like Fourze or W, and hold off on the darker shows 'til he's older (to be safe, I'd avoid anything before Kabuto). And if you're just worried about violence, I think most of those examples you mentioned are from those early shows.

I will say, though, like Hraklea mentioned, rider shows can have fairly complex plots, which (combined with needing to follow subtitles) might make it a little hard for a seven-year-old to follow (unless he's used to it). If that's the case, I'd HIGHLY recommend Ultraman (it's more simplistic, the fights are more impressive effects-wise, and it's almost never too dark). Even my family (including my parents) got into it.

Yeah i agree with that. and i agree the part about the early days where the franchise was not a merchandise driven type back then (sigh)

 

[Herman the German]

Personally, I think that the show's primarily targeted at kids, but can be considered all-family-entertainment, too. The difference in regards to the depth of the actual plots lies in western kids entertainment, particularly that originating from or edited for the USA has a tendency to try and shield kids from the harsh facts of reality as much as possibility - pets and people die, you bleed if you get punched hard enough, etc., even though many kids fairly early on DO learn this fact. Eastern entertainment seems to treat the young audience expectant of understanding such. Now, I could be wrong, but I believe therein lies the core difference - Asian entertainment doesn't baby the audience the way western entertainment would, but I don't think that makes it less suitable to a child from anywhere outside of Japan.
Now, CULTURAL references could be a different thing, but those are MOST of the time not as prevalent in Toku at least.

 

[Solari]

Super sentai series is a lot tamer than Kamen rider series, so maybe you might want to show sentai first? If your kid watched Power Rangers before, then he might be familiar with the costumes and themes.