Pokemon (Cartoon Network, CW)

After the POKEMON invasion began in 1998, "anime" (Japanese animation) became a staple of children's television in the United States, complete with rail-thin bodies, cavernous eyes, and continuing stories about children on quests that take them to mysterious and foreign lands. Over the years, main Pokemon protagonist Ash has traveled with different pals and made great strides in his ongoing efforts to become a highly skilled Pokemon trainer. Ash and his friends constantly find their efforts for good rebuffed by the ruthless, cunning Team Rocket, whose mission is to steal Pokemon in a quest for global control. This ongoing conflict makes many of the episodes feel very similar -- good guys battle verbally with bad guys, and when things get heated, they call on their Pokemon to do their dirty work with loud, explosive fighting.

Pokemon has suffered a lot of criticism, as any product that inspires obsessions undoubtedly will. Like Harry Potter, Pokemon has even been called satanic -- and, indeed, sometime near the year 2000, it seemed poised to take over the world, with best-selling handheld games, record-breaking movie openings, and top ratings. To give it credit, the show/phenomenon did cut across cultural, gender, and age barriers to a remarkable degree, captivating a worldwide audience of girls and boys, preschoolers, grade-schoolers, and adolescents. And it does make an attempt to promote messages about choosing the right path in life and resolving differences peacefully (before the fighting starts, that is).

But brave parents who take a look at the show head-on may just conclude that marketing strategy fuels Pokemon's lasting success as much as imagination does. It would be hard not to, given the huge line of products spawned by what was once just a popular trading card game. And then there's the whole concept of the human characters summoning subordinates to battle in their place -- some kids may need a reminder that this type of relationship doesn't apply to the family pets.