Di-Gata Defenders (Fox)

DI-GATA DEFENDERS revolves around four likeable teens -- Seth (voiced by Noah Cappe), Melosa (Martha MacIssac), Erik (Dan Petronijevic), and Kara (Stephanie Beard) -- who have to carry on their parents' mission to save the RaDos realm from the evil Nazmul (Lawrence Bayne) and his minions. The show's appeal lies in these characters and their abilities to throw Di-Gata stones -- which look like explosive dice filled with mystical energy. The unfolding storyline has a relatively easy-to-follow plot (for anime), so missing an episode or two isn't that big a deal.

The four Defenders work together, laugh together, sometimes make mistakes, and are always intensely loyal to each other. They function well as a team, but each also has his or her own individual challenges to face -- some of which affect battle outcomes. They're still learning about trusting outsiders and what they're fully capable of doing themselves. Their vulnerability makes them even more relatable for younger anime fans.

With an abundance of anime on the small screen today, there's a wide range of violence and darkness levels out there. Di-Gata Defenders fits the bill for school-aged kids who are interested in the genre but aren't nearly ready for darkness of Paranoia Agent or the sexual undertones of Samurai Champloo. (That said, there are still fight scenes in every episode, and characters are kidnapped, poisoned, and threatened.)