Pokemon is a Japanese media franchise that began as a video game in the mid 90’s. In Pokemon, humans known as Pokemon trainers catch and train Pokemon to battle other Pokemon. The Pokemon game series is the fourth best selling video game franchise of all time with more than 380 million copies sold and over 1 billion downloads.
Following shortly after the video games, an anime TV series was released that currently has 20 series and over 1000 episodes. The Pokemon Trading Card Game followed suit after the release of the TV series and is the best selling trading card game of all time.
But who is Pokemon for?
Although you would generally assume an anime like Pokemon is just for kids, this isn’t true. Due to Pokemon’s popularity and its release almost 30 years ago, Pokemons demographic has become a little muddy. With that said, there are certain Pokemon products that are suited to different age groups.
To help you understand if Pokemon is for your kids and what age groups, I’ll explain it all in this blog.
Who is Pokemon for
Pokemon Target Audience
Pokemon is targeted for kids 6 years and above as general guide. The Pokemon Trading Card Game in my opinion is suitable for kids of all ages as the cards don’t contain much fantasy violence whatsoever – they are great collectibles.
Pokemon as a whole is great media franchise and can really help your children develop attributes such as teamwork, sportsmanship, friendship and respect. Whether it’s collecting the trading cards, playing the games or just watching the TV series with some friends. Pokemon has something for everyone of all ages.
Lastly Pokemon is one of the best selling media franchises in the world for a reason… put simply its lots of fun.
Why Pokemon isn’t always for kids (6 and under)
The Pokémon are kid-appealing, but the series features some fantasy violence. Pitting the cute, monster-like characters against each other on behalf of their trainers. Most commonly known as ‘battles‘.
Pokemon has a wide variety of Pokemon products whether it’s the games, TV series or the Trading Card Game. In that respect each aspect of Pokemon may be suitable or intended for different age groups.
The Pokemon Games, TV series and movies do contain low level fantasy violence and parental guidance may be needed. This means they are suited to older kids and depending on each family this age can vary. Below I talk about every product and the age groups they are recommended for.
Pokemon Age Rating
Pokemon is intended for kids 6 years and older. Firstly you should check which Pokemon product your children enjoy, for example Pokemon GO is great game but will require parental guidance for young children.
The Pokemon Trading Card Game is perfect for young kids as the cards are kid-friendly and do not contain any fantasy violence.
The TV shows and movies may have been edited from the originals to make them more suitable for younger children. However it depends on which country you live in and what there guidelines are for such content.
Pokemon Products and Their Intended Age Groups
Trading Card Game
The Pokemon Trading Card Game is a fantastic way to enjoy Pokemon. Although my opinion may be biased as I am a massive Pokemon card collector. The fun and excitement of opening up packs, putting a set together or trading cards with your friends is unparalleled.
Although the Trading Card Game is intended for kids aged 6 and above, that is open to personal interpretation. In my opinion the cards are very easy on the eye and do not contain any fantasy violence.
Lastly The Trading Card Game can help your children socialise, make fair decisions and respect others especially when doing trades with other kids. All whilst having fun.
TV Shows and Movies
The Pokemon TV shows and movies can have a varying intended age and is subject to your countries guidelines. For the most part, especially English releases the movies and TV shows are kid friendly and intended for kids aged 6 and above.
Enjoying a good Pokemon movie or TV series can teach your children some very important attributes for life. For instance, caring for others, respect for your elders, teamwork, creativity and accountable.
In conclusion, each series or movie will have an intended age group specific to your country. Please check each series or movie and see if its correct for your kids.
Video game
Games such as Pokemon GO require users to catch Pokemon on their mobile device by walking throughout the real world. Many issues can arise from this style of game such as having children unsupervised walking around the streets. Therefore it would be highly recommended that children partaking in these activities are supervised by parent or suitable guardian.
However, playing Pokemon GO can have some outstanding health benefits. Such as getting exercise, easing anxiety and depression, meeting new people and keeping your mind sharp.
In the right environment Pokemon GO can be super beneficial to your childs health.
Traditional Pokemon games such as the iconic ‘Red and Blue‘ versions from the late 90’s are intended for children aged 6 and above. But that is open to interpretation and would be up to each individual parent or guardian to decide. In my experience I played these games when I was as young as 5 years old and found them to be very enjoyable.
Pokemon toys
Pokemon toys and merchandise can be suitable for kids of all ages. When it comes to merchandise you can get hats, shirts, shoes, pens, notepads and basically anything you can think of. Name an item and there is bound to be something Pokemon themed for it.
Depending on what you buy they will have different age ratings for each item. Some may be a choke hazard and will not suitable for children for obvious reasons. Just use your due diligence when selecting different forms of merchandise.
As for toys, your options are basically limitless and common sense will be needed to decide what bests suits your children.
Before you go…
As you can see Pokemon as a whole is a fantastic experience for children of all ages. Pokemon has no age limit either…
The memories you make with Pokemon will last a lifetime. For instance, a large portion of Pokemon collectors are 20 years and older. Which is another reason why the original cards have become so expensive, due to the fact these collectors are now adults and have more expendable income.
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Thank you for taking the time to read and we hope you have learnt something new.
