Parents' Guide to

Wolverine

By Matt Springer, Common Sense Media Reviewer

age 15+

Solid Marvel anime series with lots of gore, some drinking.

TV G4 Action 2011
Wolverine 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 14+

Based on 2 parent reviews

dndben
dndben Parent of 14-year-old
December 12, 2022
age 10+

This title has:

Great messages
chaplainbecky
chaplainbecky Adult
September 25, 2011
age 18+

Disappointing, Overly violent

Was shocked and disappointed -- constant violence, killing, over and over again. The morals from the first two were not seen in this as Wolverine often seems confused as to what is right and wrong.

This title has:

Too much violence
Too much swearing
Too much drinking/drugs/smoking
See all 2 parent reviews

What's the Story?

Based on the Marvel Comics character and breakout star of the blockbuster X-Men film series, WOLVERINE takes its primary inspiration from a classic comics story published in the 1980s, which defined Wolverine (also known as Logan) as a "defeated samurai" type character with a strong moral code and propensity for animalistic violence. In the anime, Logan (Milo Ventimiglia) battles valiantly as his girlfriend, Mariko Yashida, is kidnapped. A year later, he learns Mariko has been taken to Tokyo by her father Shingen, who is the head of a Japanese crime syndicate and a supplier to the global terrorist organization Advanced Idea Mechanics (AIM). Logan pursues his lost love and in doing so enters a dark criminal underworld with no recourse but to fight his way out.

Is It Any Good?

Our review:
Parents say (2 ):
Kids say (1 ):

For fans of comics and action movies, Wolverine is a character who has reached a point of saturation. It doesn't help that he is most often depicted as the same essential collection of cliches -- strong, silent, and vicious, but with a firm code of honor. The Wolverine anime series doesn't significantly alter that formula, but in drawing from one of the character's earliest and most formative stories, it manages to present a classic version of Wolverine with just the right tone of regret and rage.

The Wolverine limited series published in 1982 by writer Chris Claremont and artist Frank Miller (who would later go on to create the media crossover hits 300 and Sin City) transformed the violent cigar-chomping, wisecracking thug into a noble warrior with a tortured, mysterious past. The anime series underplays the costumes and fantastical elements in favor of a more realistic approach; although it's not reinventing any geeky wheels, it does manage to relate its story with conviction and style.

Talk to Your Kids About ...

  • Families can talk about the lead character's consumption of alcohol. Does it make alcohol seem appealing? Why or why not?

  • Do you think the characters rely too much on violence to solve problems? What are some other effective ways to solve disagreements?

TV Details

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