Parents' Guide to

Johnny Tsunami

By Emily Ashby, Common Sense Media Reviewer

age 7+

Surfing, boarding, and strong lessons for kids.

TV Disney Channel Drama 1999
Johnny Tsunami Poster Image

A Lot or a Little?

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

  • A man and a boy looking at each other
  • A person holding a snowboard looks down a snow covered mountain

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What's the Story?

Adorable Brandon Baker stars as Hawaii native Johnny Kapahala, a well-adjusted teen whose passion for surfing was cultivated by his legendary wave-riding grandfather, known throughout the islands as Johnny Tsunami (Cary-Hiroyuki Tagama). The younger Johnny's dad decides to move the family to Vermont -- which turns out to be Hawaii's polar opposite in more ways than the obvious one. Johnny experiences extreme culture shock among his new group of prep-school peers, and he struggles to find a niche in his new home. With the help of new friend Sam (Lee Thompson Young), Johnny tries out the closest thing Vermont has to a surfboard and discovers that he's just as good at snowboarding as he was at riding the waves. But his new hobby causes quite a stir among his snobby classmates, who sneeringly remind him that in this neck of the woods, your scholastic status comes with a pre-determined set of interests, and boarding is out for him because, well, "Academy kids ski, public-schoolers board." As he grapples with the repercussions of his actions -- not the least of which is his father's disappointment that he's not trying to fit in with his elitist peers -- Johnny must decide whether it's worth putting it all on the line to change history in his new hometown.

Is It Any Good?

Our review:
Parents say Not yet rated
Kids say (2):

JOHNNY TSUNAMI's premise is by no means unique: An unexpected life change tests a teen's determination and sense of self when he's forced to find common ground with a new set of peers in an unfamiliar place. But add a dusting of Disney magic to that timeworn scenario and you get an entertaining, heartwarming movie that's practically popping with positive messages for kids.

Brimming over with positive messages about perseverance, friendship, forgiveness, and finding common ground with people who seem different from you, Johnny Tsunami has lots to offer kids in addition to the action-packed surfing and snowboarding scenes. Johnny's emotional growth will speak volumes to tweens who've experienced similar identity-testing situations. There's so much to love about this movie that parents will find themselves drawn in by the same magic that intoxicates their kids.

Talk to Your Kids About ...

  • Families can talk about peer relationships. Kids: Do you think this movie does a good job showing how tweens and teens relate to each other? Have you had any similar experiences? What situations have you been in that compare to Johnny's? How did you handle them? Would you have done anything different if you were in his shoes? If so, what?

TV Details

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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.

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