Preteen girl looking at a cell phone with her parents

Family movie night? There's an app for that

Download our new mobile app on iOS and Android.

Get the app
Parents' Guide to

Samurai Girl

By Emily Ashby, Common Sense Media Reviewer

age 13+

Action-packed drama with strong female character.

TV Freeform Drama 2008
Samurai Girl Poster Image

A Lot or a Little?

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

Community Reviews

See all

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

What's the Story?

For 19-year-old Heaven Kogo (Jamie Chung), the thought of her upcoming wedding stirs lots of emotions, none of which are joyous. The adopted daughter of a wealthy Japanese family, Heaven's marriage was arranged by her father, Tasuke (Anthony Brandon Wong), as a way to further his business prowess, and Heaven's heart is heavy as she pictures her future with a man she doesn't love. But when the wedding ceremony is interrupted by a ninja attack, and her beloved brother delivers a cryptic message before he's killed, Heaven is left to solve the mysteries her family has hidden about themselves -- and her. With the help of her brother's trusted friend, Jake (Brendan Fehr), she must master the samurai arts if she's to hold her own against the powerful forces bent on destroying her.

Is It Any Good?

Our review:
Parents say: Not yet rated
Kids say: Not yet rated

There's good reason to cheer for SAMURAI GIRL, especially if you're craving a story with a strong female heroine. Not since Alias have TV viewers seen a woman wage war on corruption and evil with such principled tenacity (not to mention look as accomplished as the talented Chung doing it). This action-packed miniseries is never short on suspense, with multi-layered secrecy, uncertainty, and betrayal lurking around every corner. Amid the physical challenges she faces, Heaven also struggles with issues that many of her female viewers will relate to, including self-confidence, sense of duty to her family, and her own impression of right and wrong.

But the fact that this story is rooted in the samurai arts means that there's a hefty amount of violence, so it's not completely age-appropriate for kids and tweens. People are stabbed, shot, and impaled by swords, and a central plot point is the existence of a group of assassins that does the murderous bidding of their power-hungry employer. All of that said, teens and adults are sure to be drawn in by the story and the heart-pounding suspense.

Talk to Your Kids About ...

  • Families can talk about how women and minorities are portrayed in the media. How often do you see TV shows or movies that feature a woman or a person of color in the lead role? Are the shows and movies that fall into that category usually in a particular genre (romance, drama, comedy, etc.)? If so, which one? Does this reflect society's expectations based on gender or race, or are our impressions of people's roles affected by the media? What other series have you seen that feature strong female or minority roles? How have such roles changed over the past few decades?

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.

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