A Lot or a Little?
What you will—and won't—find in this TV show.
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Positive Messages
a lot
The show's main themes are the pursuit of dreams and the importance of friendship. The Straw Hat crew always put others before themselves and will go out of their way to help people in need -- but only if they demonstrate their honest passion about what they hold dear.
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Positive Role Models
a lot
As a pirate, Monkey D. Luffy knows he's not a saint -- but despite his career choice, he's very kind and courageous and has unbridled determination when it comes to protecting his crew and becoming the new pirate king. The rest of the main crew are fairly worthwhile role models in how, despite their very different backgrounds, they behave very much like a close family.
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Violence & Scariness
a lot
A wide range of violence, from slapstick comedy antics to brutal fights between rival pirates. During the action scenes, weapons such as swords, knives, martial arts, guns, and even various superpowers are used. Though characters can be grievously injured almost to the point of death, death isn't all that common and is rarely shown on screen. The main cast, while pirates, only resort to violence if there's no other alternative, and there are moments when the more aggressive characters are shown that violence will only make matters worse.
Did you know you can flag iffy content? Adjust limits for Violence & Scariness in your kid's entertainment guide.
See AlsoKid reviews for Naruto -
Sex, Romance & Nudity
a little
One of the main characters, Sanji, constantly flirts with the two female crew members, but only for the purpose of humor.
Did you know you can flag iffy content? Adjust limits for Sex, Romance & Nudity in your kid's entertainment guide.
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Language
some
Much like its Japanese counterpart, some swearing – including "s--t," "damn," and "bastard" -- is used in the Funimation dub.
Did you know you can flag iffy content? Adjust limits for Language in your kid's entertainment guide.
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Drinking, Drugs & Smoking
some
During some of their lighter moments, some characters are shown drinking alcohol to the point of intoxication, but they don't do anything too outrageous. A few characters -- such as Sanji and Captain Smoker -- also smoke cigarettes and cigars, respectively.
Did you know you can flag iffy content? Adjust limits for Drinking, Drugs & Smoking in your kid's entertainment guide.
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Parents Need to Know
Parents need to know that One Piece, while cartoonish in its animation and humor, has many very serious and dramatic moments. As pirates, the Straw Hat crew are willing to put their lives on the line in order to achieve their goals. This leads to a lot of serious conflicts in which characters die or come close to death. There are currently two English dubs of this anime, one by 4Kids Entertainment (which has been discontinued) and another by Funimation Studios. The Funimation dub includes more mature language (including "s--t" and "bastard"), and some of the fight sequences include large amounts of blood (especially during the sword fights). There can also be a bit of sexual humor, but it's very mild.
What's the Story?
A 17-year-old boy named Monkey D. Luffy (voiced by Colleen Clinkenbeard) dreams of becoming the next pirate king. He sets off to the open ocean to find a ship, gather a crew, and follow the clues to find the lost treasure of the previous pirate king, Gold Rodger. With an entire ocean full of rival pirates -- not to mention the Marines trying to capture them -- the journey won't be an easy one. But with their unbreakable bond, the newly formed Straw Hat crew is willing to take on all this and more in order to make their life-long dreams come true.
Talk to Your Kids About ...
Families can talk about what separates Luffy and the Straw Hat crew from the other pirates seen in the show. Does this make them good or bad? Can you think of other rascally characters on TV or in the movies that you root for?
How far are you willing to go to achieve your dreams?
How does the violence compare to other anime shows? Does it make the show more realistic or cartoonish?
