Anime Know-How: What Is Kodomomuke?

Being an anime fan requires an extensive vocabulary.

The fandom is populated with all kinds of terms which describe various kinds of shows, and kodomomuke is one which all trips fans up. Sure, phrases like shonen and shojo get tossed around on the regular, but kodomomuke is not something you hear everyday.

If you’ve got a question about this entry in the anime lexicon, don’t worry; We’ve got you. You can learn about kodomomuke and its origins in the slides below!

Do you have any anime questions? Are you feeling a bit overwhelmed by the otaku fandom? No worries! Hit up Twitter @ComicBook or @meganpeterscb to get all you anime know-how answered fast!

Translation

Literally, the word kodomomuke translates from Japanese into English as “intended for children.” You may have guessed it, but the term is used to described an anime which is specifically geared towards young children who are typically under the age of 13.

History

The history of kodomomue can be traced back formally to the 19th century when short manga series began being published with children in mind. Astro Boy is one of the period’s most notable examples, and kodomomuke continued to grow from there. Often separated in Japanese and Western stories, kodomomuke covers any work brought into Japan for children. Magazines like CoroCoro Comics and Comic Bonbon have helped solidify an audience for the genre, and many adults have come to add kodomomuke contents to their own libraries.

Hallmarks

When it comes down to it, kodomomuke shows are all kid-friendly and have some sort of educational story to tell. Some series use themselves as a way to teach kids valuable moral lessons while others see themselves as a strict entertainment outlet. Most often, kodomomuke series put a heavy focus on its child protagonists and may even ignore adults all-together. It is up the the kids to save the day in these stories, and slapstick humor is often used to reel fans in during more dramatic storylines.

Examples

Here are several notable examples of kodomomuke series:

• Sora Ike! Anpanman
  Pokemon
  Digimon
  Doraemon