Monster Rancher series (NR)

A mediocre Pokemon clone.

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Movie details

Studio: No Studio
Running Time: 65 minutes
Release Date: 09/18/2000
Video/DVD Release Date: 09/18/2000
Genre: Family and Kids
MPAA Rating: NR

Parents need to know

Parents need to know that the best that can be said about this series based on a video game is that it is a clone of Pokemon and Digimon: Digital Monsters. It ranges from grating to merely adequate. It's probably best to stick with the far superior originals, but if your child decides this series is right for them, it's best to know that there are a lot of battles, though cartoonish in nature, and that the show may encourage kids to get the video game.

Families can talk about how this series tries to mirror Pokemon and Digimon. Why do you think the creators tried to copy them, and what are the advantages and disadvantages to coming up with completely original material? Can you think of other "copycat" examples, in film/videos, video games, TV programs, and even books?

Message
Violence
Sex
Language

Message

Social Behavior:

Consumerism:

This show is based on a video game and will likely encourage viewers to get and play the game.

Drugs/Alcohol/Tobacco:

Violence

Cartoonish, video game-style violence, mostly implied. Lots of battles between "good" and "bad" monsters.

Sex

Language

Common Sense says

What's the story?

Reviewed by Brian Camp

Borrowing shamelessly from both Pokémon and Digimon, this four-part series follows a young video gamer who finds himself in an alternate world where humans and "good monsters" are allied in a fight against "bad monsters." After first gaining success as a video game, the Japanese-animated TV series Monster Rancher premiered in both Japan and the U.S. in 1999. Appealing mainly to adolescents, the stories are wildly varied in tone, but distinguished by slick, colorful animation and several exciting action scenes. Still those who might be interested in this series would probably be better sticking with the Pokémon series.

Is it any good?

The animation is fairly attractive, although it lacks the directness and purity of Pokémon: I Choose You Pikachu and the overall polished design of Digimon. Each episode is interrupted by a brief rap interlude, in which the singer urges viewers to "unlock your disk," a reference to the means by which monsters trapped in disks are freed. The voice-acting by the English dubbing cast ranges from grating to merely adequate.

This series of four videos starts with Vol. 1: Let the Games Begin! and ends with Vol. 4: The Problem with Pixie.

Fast Friends and Fiendish Foes is probably the best of the lot, which isn't saying much. It still contains a good deal of uneven story telling.