Professor Layton and the Eternal Diva

  • Review Date: November 7, 2011
  • NR
  • Genre: Fantasy
  • 2011
 Review

Common Sense Media says

Excellent anime based on video game characters, some peril.
greenON: Content is age-appropriate for kids this age.
yellowPAUSE: Know your child; some content
may not be right for some kids.
redOFF: Not age-appropriate for kids this age.
not for kidsNOT FOR KIDS: Not appropriate for kids any age.

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Quality
 
Sometimes media can be age appropriate but a real waste of time. Our star rating assesses the media's overall quality.

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Parents say

Not yet rated

Kids say

What parents need to know

Parents need to know that Professor Layton and the Eternal Diva is a feature-length anime based on the characters of a popular and highly regarded series of Nintendo DS video games. Viewers can choose between an English-language soundtrack or a Japanese-language soundtrack with English subtitles. The movie contains mild fantasy violence, such as killer sharks, angry wolves, martial arts, giant robots, explosions, and sword fights, but even though death is discussed, no one is actually injured or dies. There's also a comical instance of a minor character pouring a large glass of wine. The main characters, a professor and his young apprentice, are excellent role models, demonstrating kindness, compassion, intelligence, and even good manners. A message about remembering loved ones after they die is positive, but not for all younger viewers.

  • The message here is that our loved ones can live on eternally in our memories. "Eternal life" is only achieved through the love and care of the people around you. Though it's a good and heartfelt message, it's also a bit on the dark side because it requires young viewers to think about death and its repercussions.
     
  • Professor Layton is a wonderful role model: he's a smart solver of puzzles and a "true gentleman." He's shown to be kind and considerate of others. Better still, the movie's young hero, Luke, is the professor's apprentice. He sets a good example for other kids by trying to emulate the professor's best qualities (he wants to become a "true gentleman" himself someday). The professor also has a young female helper, skilled in martial arts.
     
  • The movie contains a fair amount of fantasy violence with some chasing and fighting and talk of death, plus a dark tone. A bad guy threatens the lives of innocent bystanders (though no one actually dies). There are killer sharks and scary wolves. A young boy is sometimes in peril, though he's very brave and resilient. One character uses martial arts combat. There's a sword fight, a giant robot rampage, and explosions.
     
  • Not applicable.

What's the story?

After solving a case involving Big Ben, the gentleman sleuth Professor Layton (voiced by Christopher Robin Miller) and his young apprentice Luke (voiced by Maria Darling) receive an invitation to hear an opera, sung by one of the professor's former students, Janice (Emma Tate). After the show -- about a beloved queen and an elixir that gives eternal life -- they learn of a contest: the winner will receive an actual elixir, but everyone else will lose their lives. The mandatory contest consists of answering tricky questions, which the professor can do easily. But what will happen when the stakes grow ever higher, and the professor discovers the diabolical mastermind behind the game?
 


Is it any good?

 

Professor Layton and the Eternal Diva is the first movie based on the popular Nintendo DS video game series, and doesn't sound promising. But the actual movie is a most welcome, utterly delightful treat. On every level, it's a clever combination of old-fashioned and ultra-modern: the characters are hand-drawn, while the elaborate backdrops are computer-generated. On a story level, Professor Layton and his apprentice Luke seem to come from a simpler time when being a "true gentleman" is something to aspire to.

Indeed, there's a real Sherlock Holmes dynamic to this duo, using deduction and traditional know-how to solve problems. But at the same time, they live in a fantastic world of high-tech robots and high-flying inventions. Even the subject matter feels cozy; there's nary a strong word or a hint of sexual innuendo. The only real issue here is some fantasy violence, as well as the threat of death (even though no character actually dies). Anime fans (and non-fans) will be in heaven.


Explore, discuss, enjoy

  • Families can talk about the movie's violence. How intense or realistic is it? Are people ever in real danger? What would be the real-life consequences of the kind of violence portrayed in the movie?

  • What do you think about the style of this movie? What are some differences between Japanese anime and that produced in the United States?

  • Who are the role models in this story? Does every story need role models?

  •  


This review of Professor Layton and the Eternal Diva was written by
Adult
January 1, 2012
 
A Hidden Gem
This is a great movie.There is some violence/scary scenes such as someone being chased by sharks, people being attacked by wolves, and the villain catching everyone in cage. However there is no blood or deaths. The movie is free from any bad language or bathroom humor. I highly recommend it.
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Teen, 16 years old
November 12, 2011
 
One of my current favorite kids' movies.
I'm a huge fan of the Professor Layton series, and this movie is no exception. It has good messages, a captivating storyline, and strong role models, including a strong female role in Emmy, who is tough but extremely loyal, and in Janice, who cares strongly about others and makes a huge sacrifice to help a friend. Also, Layton is a gentleman who is always polite and use logic to get him through tough situations, and Luke, as Layton's apprentice, follows in his footsteps. There are some "scary" scenes, with characters in peril, but no one is hurt. Most kids should be able to handle it.
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Teen, 13 years old
December 19, 2011
 
professor layton never fails to wow me!
INCREDIBLE movie! HIGHLY reccomend it to everyone! professor layton and luke are great role models them selves, aiming to become true gentleman and Emmy is also a great role model showing that women can be tough too! 7 and up because kids under 7 might not understand because some parts may be a bit confusing (I'm 13 and it was tough for me to completely get it!)
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Kid, 11 years old
March 6, 2012
 
good things about this movie
It's a good movie with action,music and other stuff
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Teen, 13 years old
April 12, 2012
 
My favorite animated movie so far.
Professor Layton and the Eternal Diva is a wonderful movie. My sister (Age 7) and I (Age 13) greatly enjoyed this movie. The main characters are very positive role models (The secondary characters...not so much.) Professor Layton is a puzzle-loving, gentlemanly archaeologist who always puts others before himself. He knows how to use critical thinking and special tactics to get himself and others out of even the biggest predicaments. He fights when necessary, though it's mostly for self-defense and to protect others. (He's never shown actually hurting anyone, though.) His assistant Emmy is a young but loyal woman who is intelligent as well as a skilled fighter. She also helps others in need when she can. His 10-year-old assistant, Luke, is also a very good role model. He tries his best to become a true gentleman as Layton has. He wants to protect those around him from danger even though he isn't very strong. He is also smart, and is seen solving a few of the puzzles given in the movie. There is a bit of violence, though it's nothing major due to the lack of blood and the fact that no one already living actually dies and none of the protagonists are greatly injured.
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This review of Professor Layton and the Eternal Diva was written by
Topics:magic and fantasy
Studio:Viz Media
Director:Masakazu Hashimoto
Cast:Christopher Robin Miller, Emma Tate, Maria Darling
Genre:Fantasy
Run time:99 minutes
DVD release date:November 8, 2011
MPAA rating:NR

This review of Professor Layton and the Eternal Diva was written by
 

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