 | ON: Content is age-appropriate for kids this age. |
 | PAUSE: Know your child; some content may not be right for some kids. |
 | OFF: Not age-appropriate for kids this age. |
 | NOT FOR KIDS: Not appropriate for kids any age. |
Dinosaur King
- CW
- Genre: Kids' Animation
Common Sense Media says
Card-game-based anime has too many fierce battles.
Parents say
QUALITY
Kids say
QUALITY
What parents need to know
Parents need to know that, much like the Pokemon conglomerate, this anime-style cartoon is based on a card game (and thus part of a merchandising line). Violence is the show's main issue; the dinosaurs do battle multiple times in each episode, and they bite, hit, and collide with each other. Their injuries, though bloodless, can leave them impaired, but the effects are often reversible when the human characters use of a particular game card. Injuries to humans aren't as common, but some end up wearing bandages temporarily.
What's the story?
Based on a Sega card game, the anime DINOSAUR KING follows the adventures of young Rex, Max, and Zoe, who stumble on some mysterious stones and cards that give them the power to summon dinosaurs from the past. They soon find themselves caught up in a violent battle with Dr. Z and his Alpha Gang, who want to use the dinosaurs to take over the world. With the right combination of cards and stones, a player can bring to life a flesh-and-bone animal. When a card is found, both teams race to the site and the dinosaurs they already control do battle for rights to the newfound one. The challenges also include additional cards that can help the players and their dinosaurs escape sticky situations. Certain cards, for example, can re-energize wounded dinosaurs or give them additional power.
Is it any good?
If all of this sounds a bit too familiar, you're not alone. Dinosaur King bears plenty of design and plot similarities to the ubiquitous Pokemon conglomerate, so parents who are averse to the connections between TV series and seemingly endless marketing machines may want to steer clear of this one. There's little of substance here anyway, with mostly weak adult characters, no strong positive messages to speak of, and high levels of unrealistically bloodless violence.
What families can talk about
Families can talk about animated violence. Kids: Do you often see violence in the cartoons that you watch? Does it seem real to you? Why or why not?
What sets animated violence apart from live-action violence? Do you think seeing fighting on TV can make the people who watch it more violent?
What do you know about how dinosaurs lived and died? Which dinosaurs are your favorites? Why? Would you like to study dinosaurs and other extinct species?
- Show:
- All members
- Parents
- Teens & kids
AGE
I Love this game
Dinosaur King is a totally awesome game for kids at all ages.
Was this review useful?
|
|
Kid, 12 years old
June 22, 2010
AGE
Fine for tweens but only tweens
Violent? You guys say SAW 6 is OK but you say this is violent? I say it's one of the few shows not contaminated with crap. How could you sit down and watch some dude bite some girl's neck then make out with another vampire girl? It's like watching "Satan on ice"! Dinosaur King is just innocent... not stupid. And characters NEVER get injured. In the show, the D-Team is trying to PROTECT dinosaurs so they DON'T get hurt!!! If you guys are Digimon, Pokemon, or Lilo and Stich fans... this is the show for you!
Was this review useful?
|
|
AGE
my 4 y.o. cousin watches this, he loves it. chances are since it was dubbed by 4kids it has been severely edited.
Was this review useful?
|
|
AGE
Mostly a Missed Opportunity
Its not just that Dinosaur King is a tv commercial for a Sega video game... its not just that the producers regurgitate Pokemon and its shallow characters - its that they take naturally terrifying and awesome dinosaurs - which kids love without reservation just as they are - and give them superpowers. My 4 year old neighbor insists that T-Rex does not breathe fire. "They're called dragons", he said! Dinosaur King's claim to any educational value is pathetic compared to what could have been done. Most of all this is a tremendous missed opportunity for what might have been!
Was this review useful?
|
|
AGE
i did not know it was based on some thing
Ok could be better
Was this review useful?
|
|
Kid, 11 years old
May 8, 2012
AGE
Cannot stress the terror enough.
I even tried putting safety as a concern, even though the action is illegal! The reason. SPINOSAURUS. ABUSE. It's the internet's thought to the big daddy of the dinosaurs in a lackluster Japanese anime! May or may not be from the creators of Dragon Ball Z, worst show on Television.
Was this review useful?
|
|
| Topics: | dinosaurs, magic and fantasy, adventures |
| TV rating: | TV-Y7-FV |
| Network: | CW |
| Cast: | Darren Dunstan, Rachael Lillis, Veronica Taylor |
| Genre: | Kids' Animation |
Review It
Great alternatives handpicked by our editors
Already seen it? What do you think?
More from Common Sense Media
Top advice and articles
