Common Sense Media Review
By Fernanda Camargo
,
based on child development research. How do we rate?
Battle-focused sibling to Pokémon hints at solid values.
Parents Need to Know
Why Age 8+?
Any Positive Content?
Where to Watch
Videos and Photos
Bakugan
What's the Story?
BAKUGAN are friendly creatures from another galaxy that come to Earth after being forced out of their planets. They love battling each other in brawls and soon make friends with human kids who join them in the arena. After they form a strong bond with human kids, they grow to giant sizes and the government becomes hostile to them. Brawling becomes illegal. To protect their Bakugan friends, kids form clans and continue to battle against potential threats. These clans are categorized by type, except for one -- the Misfit Clan, which embraces differences.
Is It Any Good?
With basic visuals and a simple premise, this energetic show features a sophisticated storyline that may keep viewers curious for a few hours. While Bakugan is not exactly new--it's similar to franchises like Pokémon and Digimon -- this last Netflix iteration differentiates itself with a heavily serialized story designed for binge-watching that takes a while to develop.
Bakugan brawling brings the arcade to the screen, with health points and power-ups that kids who like video games will enjoy. Despite the violence in brawling, the show has positive messages and values, although they might be too subtle for younger viewers. The kids in the show grow into powerful brawlers instead of being good from the beginning, which promotes a growth mindset. Overall, the show isn't meaningful or life-changing, but it's not damaging either.
Talk to Your Kids About ...
Families can talk about the tolerance in Bakugan and how it affects characters' actions in the show. When Bakugan arrived on Earth, they were embraced, but when people felt threatened, they began to exclude them. Can you think of situations when that happens in your life?
Friendship is important and we can learn from people who are different. Can you point out how the characters in the show complemented each other's skills? For example, Dan is hot-headed and Mia is more patient.
Brawling was a tradition for the species. How does that change when humans use Bakugan battles to resolve their own conflicts? Do you think that's fair to the creature?
TV Details
- Premiere date : June 12, 2023
- Network : Netflix
- Genre : Anime
- Topics : Fantasy ( Magic ) , Adventures , Friendship
- TV rating :
- Last updated : September 18, 2025
Did we miss something on diversity?
Research shows a connection between kids' healthy self-esteem and positive portrayals in media. That's why we've added a new "Diverse Representations" section to our reviews that will be rolling out on an ongoing basis. You can help us help kids by
Suggest an Update
Common Sense Media's unbiased ratings are created by expert reviewers and aren't influenced by the product's creators or by any of our funders, affiliates, or partners.
See how we rate