10 Good Japanese Cartoons Kids
Can Watch Daily
Having a regular authentic input will help children acquire Japanese naturally through listening. Below is a list of long-running Japanese cartoons that kids can watch daily to support their Japanese language study. The DVDs are available from Amazon Japan.
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The cartoon is a simple story about an adorable cat named Chi and her new family. The series contain 104 episodes.
The cartoon tells the story of a first-grader named Rantarou and his friends who go to a ninja school.
The cartoon tells the adventure of a 5-year old prince Ojarumaru from the first century who accidentally finds himself in modern Japan. It is broadcasted on NHK Educational TV.
Doraemon is a robot cat from the future sent to save Nobita, a fourth-grade boy who frequently falls into mishaps. To do this, Doraemon is equipped with a magic pocket on his front filled with infinite tools from the future.
This is a classic cartoon aired in the 70’s and 80’s about a mischievous, witty, little Buddhist monk named Ikkyuu. Ikkyuu likes to draw inspiration to solve his problems by sitting in a meditative lotus position.
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Let’s Go! Anpanman (それいけ!アンパンマン)
Anpanman is a superhero who is an anpan (Japanese pancake filled with red bean filling). These long-running series tell the story of Anpanman and his battle against his nemesis Baikinman.
Japanese Classical Stories (むかしばなし）
The series are produced by Kodansha Kidsbombom. The folktales included are The Child Gods, The Snow Woman, The Tongueless Sparrow, The Grateful Crane, and many more.
Kidsbombom also produce Western folktales such as Jack and The Bean, Little Mermaid, Pinocchio, Aladdin and The Magic Lamp in Japanese audio and subtitle.
Folktales from Japan (ふるさと再生 日本の昔ばなし)
This is another series on Japanese folktales. Some of the stories contain supernatural themes and unique Japanese traditions.
Sazae-san tells the everyday life story of a mother and her young family. This anime is watched by adults and kids alike. The series originally ran from 1969 until now and makes a good source for cultural study. Viewers can get a feel of traditional Japanese themes in the episodes.
The series tell the simple everyday life of an elementary school girl nicknamed Chibi Maruko-chan. The stories depict her family life and school life. Although the main character is a child, the anime is also watched by adults due to its nostalgic contents.
