Parents' Guide to

The Legend of Zelda

By Emily Ashby, Common Sense Media Reviewer

age 6+

Strong female heroine stands out in decent '80s cartoon.

TV NBC, Online Kids' Animation 1989
The Legend of Zelda Poster Image

A Lot or a Little?

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

Community Reviews

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age 9+

Based on 2 parent reviews

swampfoxsouth
swampfoxsouth Parent of 11-year-old
March 13, 2023
age 12+

Legend of the Holy Grail - PG13 - Review (Logan Lerman, Sean Bean, Natalie Portman)

CSM GUIDE: Violence 3/5 DDS 1/5 Romance 0/5 Language 3/5. Language: Infrequent, strong language includes "piece of s--t," "crap," "hell," "damn," "a--hole," "bulls--t," "effing bastard," "son of a bitch," "asses," "half-assed," "d--k," "goddamn," "d--k head," "sh--hole," plus one "f---ing."
Ghirahim
Ghirahim Parent of 11-year-old
December 22, 2017
age 6+

Good, But Only For Cheesy Zelda Fun

I’m going to be honest with parents... This cartoon is really, really bad. It’s cheesy, the only female character are either princesses or fairies, and the main character Link is a whiner. But, I love this cartoon. Its jokes are way too cheesy, but they’re so bad that they’re good. There is a running gag about the main character (Link) trying to get a kiss from the Princess, but that’s the most inappropriate thing in the series, and it’s not bad at all. There isn’t really any good role models or messages, it’s just all nostalgic fun. I recommend episodes 3 and 12. Definitely the most strange, but the most ridiculous as well. Good for Zelda fans, but if you’re not a Zelda fan, I would not recommend this.
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What's the Story?

THE LEGEND OF ZELDA tells the story of the tug-of-war over the powerful Triforce of Wisdom entrusted to Princess Zelda (voiced by Cyndy Preston) and coveted by the evil sorcerer Ganon (Len Carlson), who already owns the Triforce of Power. Link (Jonathan Potts) is Zelda's resident hero who comes to her aid when Ganon and his minions attempt to steal the Triforce or kidnap her. Together with the fairy princess Spryte (Tabitha St. Germain), these saviors of Hyrule must fend off one attack after another to keep the kingdom's people safe from Ganon's nefarious plans.

Is It Any Good?

Our review:
Parents say (2):
Kids say (8):

Based on an '80s video game, The Legend of Zelda is a mostly formulaic 13-part series with few surprises that's equally short on worrisome content for kids. The good-versus-evil plot yields many conflicts with some tepid violence, but, because injuries are rare and the characters simply disappear rather than dying in the traditional sense, it's not likely to upset even younger kids.

Probably the most notable aspect of the story is the testy relationship between Link and Zelda, which is so unusual for this genre that it's almost comical. Not only is Zelda strong and defiant in her own right, which challenges traditional gender roles, but viewed against Link's relative neediness -- and his inability to take "no" for an answer on the kissing issue -- she often comes across in a more favorable light. Especially given that this series is more than two decades old, it's a surprising win for female heroines.

Talk to Your Kids About ...

  • Families can talk about heroes and heroines. Who is the hero in this story? Does it change with different episodes? Could either Link or Zelda succeed against Ganon on his or her own? Why or why not?

  • Kids: Zelda and Link have an important responsibility to the people of their kingdom. What responsibilities do you have at home and at school? What are the repercussions of not fulfilling your duties? How does this affect people other than you?

  • How does the violence in this show compare to what you see in more modern shows? Have you ever watched a series or movie with violence that scared you? Could these kinds of exchanges happen in real life?

  • Why does Link continue to pester Zelda for a kiss after she's said no? What would you do if something like this was happening to you in real life? Is it OK for someone to continually ask you to kiss or hug them after you've said no?

TV Details

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