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Bakugan Battle Brawlers

  • Is it age appropriate?

    About our ratings

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    Not age appropriate for kids under 6, age appropriate for kids over 8; suggested age 8.
  • Is it any good?

    2.0
  • Common Sense says

    So-so anime series has heavy marketing tie-in.

Why We Rated This on for Ages 8 and Up

The good stuff

  • Messages:

    Dan, the main character, is obsessed with becoming the top-ranked Bakugan player and often ignores his parents and teachers in favor of playing. Female characters tend to have minor roles and seem to be there mainly to support Dan. Some of the main Bakugan creatures are actually from another dimension and are engaged in an epic battle between good and evil.
 

What to watch out for

  • Violence & scariness:

    A significant portion of each episode centers on "battles" based on a complicated game using cards and small balls that transform into fearsome creatures that attack each other. These beasts look dangerous, but there's little actual physical contact or violence in the fights.
  • Sexy stuff:

    No sex or nudity. But, as in many other anime shows, some of the female characters wear clothes that simultaneously emphasize their childishness and show more skin than seems age-appropriate.
  • Language:

    "Butt," "crud," "dorkus," and other mild name-calling is about as bad as it gets.
  • Consumerism:

    The show often seems like a massive marketing campaign for Bakugan toys. Characters are frequently shown playing the central, complicated card/ball game, and, when they aren't playing, they discuss their strategies and rankings or arrange matches. The cards and balls are also available for sale in the real world, and -- perhaps not coincidentally -- both the cartoon and the merchandise were developed by Sega Toys.
  • Drinking, drugs, & smoking:

    Not an issue.
 

What Parents Need to Know

About Bakugan Battle Brawlers

Parents need to know that this anime-style action cartoon is very obviously tied to an extensive line of Bakugan toys, and young fans may quickly start begging their parents to buy them. Characters in the show frequently play the central tie-in card game, and, when they aren't playing, they spend most of their time discussing it. That said, other than the obvious commercialism and some cartoon fantasy violence involving the Bakugan beasts, the show is age-appropriate for tweens.

Did this review help you decide?

Families Can Talk About

  • Families can talk about the connection between entertainment and marketing. Like many shows aimed at kids, this series is tied to lots of merchandise. But this link may seem more obvious here than in other shows. Do you think this show can be enjoyed on its own, or is it too much of a toy commercial? How has connecting toys and TV shows two changed the way we choose what shows to watch -- and what toys to buy? Do you think a TV network would want to air a show that didn't have any good toy tie-ins? Why or why not?

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Our Members Say

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  • What did you think about Bakugan Battle Brawlers?
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See all 18 member reviews

Most Recent Reviews

  1. Teen Reviewer Age 13
    I rate this title off for age 17 and give it 1.0
    My concerns are:
    • Excessive consumerism
    • Negative message
    • Negative role models

    this show is fake.

  2. Teen Reviewer Age 13
    I rate this title off for age 17 and give it 1.0

    this show is fake

  3. Kid Reviewer Age 11
    I rate this title on for age 5 and give it 1.0
    My concerns are:
    • Excessive consumerism

    pokemon is better

    My 5 year old cousin watches this,it is quite possibly one of the worst shows on TV. This show sucks.

  4. Kid Reviewer Age 11
    I rate this title on for age 5 and give it 1.0
    My concerns are:
    • Excessive consumerism

    pokemon is better

    My 5 year old cousin watches this,it is quite possibly one of the worst shows on TV. This show sucks.

  5. Kid Reviewer Age 11
    I rate this title on for age 5 and give it 1.0
    My concerns are:
    • Excessive consumerism

    pokemon is better

    My 5 year old cousin watches this,it is quite possibly one of the worst shows on TV. This show sucks.

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