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Monsuno
By Emily Ashby,
Common Sense Media Reviewer
Common Sense Media Reviewers
Imaginative action cartoon has violence, but heart, too.
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Based on 1 parent review
Best show ever!
What's the Story?
Eons ago, asteroids carrying mysterious DNA matter crashed into the Earth's surface and wiped out the dinosaurs, leaving traces of their life essence deep within the planet's crust. Millions of years later, Dr. Jeredy Suno discovers this DNA as he's searching for a solution to the planet's energy crisis, but his experiments reveal that the glowing substance actually enables the re-creation of mystical monsters with super powers. Through experiments, he develops a way to harness and summon these creatures, but when he goes missing from his lab, he leaves behind a core containing the life force of one of these MONSUNOs for his son, Chase. Chase and his friends, Jinja (Karen Strassman) and Bren (Christopher Smith), suddenly find themselves in a heated struggle over control of the Monsunos with Dr. Suno's former employer, S.T.O.R.M., as well as fending off the advances of the evil Dr. Emmanuel Klipse, who's out to collect the monsters and use them to exact revenge on the world.
Is It Any Good?
Fast-paced action, a multi-layered story, and powerful, magical beasts make Monsuno a dream for adventure-seeking kids who want to believe there's something more to the world than what meets the eye. This fun series stretches the imagination and makes the process of scientific discovery seem like a pretty cool endeavor...especially if it leads to the rebirth of alien creatures. What's more, the fact that the show's heroes are a bunch of teens who hardly look the part but who find the courage and character when it counts doesn't hurt the show's likability, either.
It's tough to tell an enticing good-vs.-evil tale without devoting some time to the violence that erupts between opposing sides, so that's something to watch for in Monsuno. The good news is that the humans -- and the heroes in particular -- don't usually get their hands dirty in the skirmishes, thanks to the Monsunos who are at the ready to defend them. There is some weapon play, mostly directed at the creatures, but even so, the imaginative nature of this action/adventure story greatly downplays the effect of this violence on its audience.
Talk to Your Kids About ...
Families can talk about taking on challenges. Have you ever been put in a tough position you didn't expect? How did you cope? How do these experiences make you stronger? What can you learn from them?
Kids: What are some scientific discoveries and/or inventions that have greatly changed our society? What improvements did they make? Were there any negative effects from them? Can you think of an instance in which the bad might outweigh the good for a new discovery?
What are the benefits of being part of a team? How do teammates bring out the best in you? What do you do when you and your friends disagree about a course of action?
TV Details
- Premiere date: February 23, 2012
- Cast: Christopher Smith , Karen Strassman
- Network: Nicktoons
- Genre: Kids' Animation
- Topics: Magic and Fantasy , Science and Nature
- TV rating: TV-Y7-FV
- Last updated: February 25, 2022
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