X-Men

Review

Common Sense Media says

Marvel mutants headline violent anime-flavored series.
greenON: Content is age-appropriate for kids this age.
yellowPAUSE: Know your child; some content
may not be right for some kids.
redOFF: Not age-appropriate for kids this age.
not for kidsNOT FOR KIDS: Not appropriate for kids any age.

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Quality
 
Sometimes media can be age appropriate but a real waste of time. Our star rating assesses the media's overall quality.

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Parents say

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Kids say

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What parents need to know

Parents need to know that this anime adventure series is heavy on fantasy violence, although without excessive detail or gore. The show's anime stylings mean it's more intense than superhero series aimed at a younger audience; while teen viewers should be able to handle it, younger viewers may find it too complex and immersive. As they have in films and previous TV series, the lead characters act as an allegory for misunderstood teenagers, with mutant powers that make them both remarkable and repugnant to society at large.

  • Positive messages3
    The series depicts fairly traditional superheroes in a battle against the forces of evil. An extra layer of meaning is added by the repression of the lead characters as "mutants," gifted with superpowers but shunned by society. They still defend humanity even if they are rejected by it.
  • Positive role models3
    The heroes display bravery in the face of horrible odds, along with a stoic resilience to the persecution they suffer as mutants.
  • Violence3
    Superhero battles involve a heavy level of violence. Action sequences last for longer periods than on some other superhero shows, and acts of violence are occasionally central to the show's plot -- for example, a lead character's death inspires the team to go on a hiatus in the show's early episodes.
  • Sex0
    Not applicable.
  • Language2
    "Damn," "hell," and "crap" are heard occasionally.
  • Consumerism2
    The film promotes the Marvel Comics comic book franchise and features well-known characters from its pages.
  • Drinking, drugs, & smoking1
    One of the characters occasionally smokes cigars.
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What's the story?

Based on the Marvel Comics team of misunderstood mutants, X-MEN finds the team in shambles following the destruction of Jean Grey (Jennifer Hale) at the hands of the evil galactic entity Phoenix. Professor X is compelled to bring his team back together after one of his students is abducted and taken to Japan. The X-Men gather once again to face their past and their demons even as they must also take down the diabolical U-Men.

Is it any good?

 

Some Marvel Comics franchises lend themselves more easily to an anime-flavored interpretation, where heightened action and emotion are the order of the day. X-Men is one of those properties that fits into anime stylings like it was always meant to be this way. It helps that the X-Men have always been one of the more angst-filled concepts churned out by Stan Lee and Jack Kirby in the sixties, alongside such iconic superheroes as the Fantastic Four, Iron Man, and the Hulk.

Fighting for a humanity that is confused, ashamed, and frightened of their very existence, the X-Men translate to anime with their essential natures intact. The character designs for the series take their cue from the original franchise, and the battles push the outer limits of cartoon violence and action -- this is an intense series in some ways. It is faithful to the X-Men characters, however, and provides yet another medium for the deathless mutants to conquer.  

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What families can talk about

  • Families can talk about the show's attitude toward violence. Does it send a positive message about how to solve problems?

  • How do you think mutants would be treated in the real world? What are some of the metaphors in this series that translate to real life?

This review was written by Matt Springer

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This review was written by Matt Springer
TV rating:TV-14
Network:G4
Cast:Jennifer Hale, Scott Porter, Steven Blum
Genre:Action
This review was written by Matt Springer
 

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About our rating system
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.
Learning ratings
BEST: Really engaging, great learning approach.
GOOD: Pretty engaging, good learning approach.
FAIR: Somewhat engaging, OK learning approach.
NOT FOR LEARNING: Not recommended for learning.
Our child development rating guidelines

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