Common Sense Media Review
Soldiers drink, kill, curse in animated war sci-fi.
Parents Need to Know
Why Age 14+?
Any Positive Content?
Where to Watch
Videos and Photos
Moonrise
Parent and Kid Reviews
What's the Story?
MOONRISE follows childhood friends Jack Shadow (voiced in English by Alan Lee) Rhys Rochelle (voiced by Courtney Lin) and their mission to assassinate the moon's rebel leader. A surprise discovery leads Jack to confront his past and his true identity. Working with a special unit of Earth's army, Jack and Rhys learn there's more to this war than they were originally taught.
Is It Any Good?
This futuristic sci-fi anime works well as a character drama but suffers from weak plot development. Moonrise tries to tackle big issues like corrupt governments and unjust war. Unfortunately, the many time jumps and slowly revealed secrets make it hard to track the real conflict. The themes end up getting lost in convoluted storytelling.
It's also hard to follow which Moonrise characters you're supposed to resonate with. But if the point is to see all sides of the story, then having an ensemble cast makes it kind of work. Each character has a chance to grapple with their own role in the war. While the larger plot can be hard to follow, it's more clear how individual characters grow and change. That makes the show worth a casual watch.
Talk to Your Kids About ...
Families can talk about how characters are able to change things for the better by just "helping a friend"?
What can the conflict between Earth and the moon teach us about real-world history and current events?
Is there a character you admire or relate to? What role do they have in the story? What can you learn from them?
TV Details
- Premiere date : April 10, 2025
- Cast : Alan Lee , Courtney Lin , Ryan Colt Levy
- Network : Netflix
- Genre : Anime
- TV rating :
- Last updated : July 15, 2025
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