Duel Masters (Cartoon Network)

Even with its humor, Duel Masters has its share of battles between larger-than-life monsters who use weapons and their own bodies to destroy each other. Characters are flung about while dueling, sometimes landing on the ground in pain. Characters are also captured and tied up while their friends must duel for their freedom.

But unlike other anime series, there's levity here, and many of the characters are very relatable. Sho's friend Mimi Tasogare, who initially appears ditsy, inept, and clumsy, is actually a martial arts expert who is strong and a great problem-solver. And one evil villain, Kyoshiro Kokujo, is a self-proclaimed evil genius with rock-star hair and black-leather duds. Clearly, the animators are having fun with this show -- pop-culture references abound, including a character named Boy George, and there are "yo momma" jokes and comments about Hammer-time moves. While kids may not understand all the jokes, the humor breaks up the scary moments. It's a good entry into the world of anime.