Parents' Guide to

Ingress: The Animation

By Melissa Camacho, Common Sense Media Reviewer

age 15+

Cyberpunk anime has violence, some clunky storytelling.

TV Netflix Anime 2018
Ingress: The Animation Poster Image

A Lot or a Little?

What you will—and won't—find in this TV show.

  • Ingress: The Animation Series: Makoto sees a vision.
  • Ingress: The Animation Series: An unknown mastermind.
  • Ingress: The Animation Series: Sarah and Makoto.

Community Reviews

See all

There aren't any parent reviews yet. Be the first to review this title.

What's the Story?

Based on a mobile game of the same name, INGRESS: THE ANIMATION is an animated series that features a unique battle whose winner will control the world. After scientists discover a mysterious substance called "Exotic Matter," or XM, two rival factions, the Enlightened and the Resistance, seek to control and exploit its power. When a laboratory researching XM explodes under strange circumstances, a young psychic investigator named Makoto (Yoshiki Nakajima) is called in to work the case. But nothing is what it appears to be, and he soon finds himself caught up in a massive conspiracy, leaving him, and researcher Sarah Coppola (Reina Ueda), the only accident survivor, caught between the two sides.

Is It Any Good?

Our review:
Parents say Not yet rated
Kids say (1 ):

This intense cyberpunk anime series combines science fiction with the suspense of a cat-and-mouse thriller chase. Like many shows in its genre, it contains lots of fantasy violence, and characters often use fantastical powers to navigate their way through the story world. But the story's transition from mobile reality game to a series is a little clunky, and it requires a lot of explanation from the characters, especially during the first few episodes. The rivalry between the factions is never fully explained, either, despite the fact that this is what drives much of the show. But anime fans who enjoy the game or who are entertained by these types of story worlds will find Ingress: The Animation worth streaming.

Talk to Your Kids About ...

  • Families can talk about adapting video games to TV shows. What do you think are some of the challenges?

  • Does Ingress: The Animation have to be violent in order to stay true to its story? What can the impact of this be on viewers, especially kids?

TV Details

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 suggesting a diversity update.

See all recommended tv lists

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