Parents' Guide to

BNA: Brand New Animal

TV Netflix Anime 2020
BNA: Brand New Animal Poster Image

Common Sense Media Review

Melissa Camacho By Melissa Camacho , based on child development research. How do we rate?

age 13+

Humans and beasts clash in sometimes-violent anime.

Parents Need to Know

Why Age 13+?

Any Positive Content?

  • BNA: Brand New Animal TV Show: Marie and Michiru head to Anima-City.
  • BNA: Brand New Animal TV Show: Michiru discusses things with Shirou Ogami.
  • BNA: Brand New Animal TV Show: Michiru in Anima-City.

Parent and Kid Reviews

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age 13+

Based on 5 parent reviews

Katherine R.
Katherine R. Parent of 10, 14, 18+, 18+, 18+ and 5-year-old
July 5, 2024
age 14+

Raven V.
Raven V. Parent of 8-year-old
September 11, 2023
age 13+

A great representation for tolerance and acceptance

While yes the show has language parents might not like, it's nothing that your child hasn't heard from their friends at school. The show heavily focuses on the message of tolerance and acceptance. Yes there is fighting how ever their isn't blood and gore as one might think. While some violent ideologies are seen its made very clear that those ideas aren't ok. Again the shows strongest points are it's messages about tolerance, acceptance, empathy, and equality. While many parents aren't comfortable talking about racism to their kids/teens this show is a great way to describe it with its analogous main theme. If you have a pre teen or teen I reccomend this. Not only is it fun with great character designs, it's a great way to open that door on the conversation of racism and tolerance.
See all 5 parent reviews

What's the Story?

BNA: BRAND NEW ANIMAL is a Japanese anime series about a world where where humans and humanoid-like animals are trying to co-exist. When high school student Michiru Kagemori (voiced by Cherami Leigh) suddenly turns into a tanuki (raccoon dog) beastkin, she flees to Anima-City with the help of sly mink "beastkin" Marie Itami (Reba Buhr). Now living in a place where beastkins can live openly and freely, Michiru tries to find out why she is no longer human, and if she can be turned back. Helping her out is wolf beastkin Shirou Ogami (Ben Diskin). The two find themselves navigating some strange adventures, and are also determined to help stop the beastkin hunters that are terrorizing the city. But they soon discover that Michiru has a unique set of powers that she can use to help people, making the mystery behind her transformation even more intriguing.

Is It Any Good?

Our review:
Parents say (5 ):
Kids say (31 ):

This entertaining series combines elements of horror, mystery, and superhero stories while addressing issues like racism and bigotry. While humans are presented as the more intolerant species, the beastkins have personalities that match their animal traits. While the divide between humans and beastkins is clear, the beastkin community reveals itself to be complicated and imperfect in its own right, and an interesting world to explore. It is because of this that BNA: Brand New Animal offers a number of interesting storylines that anime fans will find worth checking out.

Talk to Your Kids About ...

  • Families can talk about why humans in BNA: Brand New Animal do not want to co-exist with beastkins. What are the reasons they give for not wanting the animal beings around? Are any of these reasons valid for treating them the way they do?

  • Does Michiru ever accept herself as a beastkin? Should she? If she does become human again, will she feel about, or treat them, differently than before?

TV Details

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