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    Kodomomuke explained with meaning, themes, types, and examples

    Children’s manga and anime are also known as Kodomomuke manga and anime refers to manga and anime with a specific audience consisting of children. These series are typically moralistic, advising children on how to stay on the correct path in life. Each chapter is usually a standalone story. Let’s get into more detail about Kodomomuke meaning, its types, history, and some examples.

    What does Kodomomuke mean?

    Kodomomuke is a Japanese term for anime or manga aimed at children between the ages of five and adolescence. Kodomomuke literally translates to “for children,” as Kodomo (子供- こども) means “children” and Muke (向け) means “for or toward.” When you put the two together, you get a word that relates to children’s television shows. The age range is mainly for those under 13-year-olds.

    History

    Astro Boy Manga Panel
    Astro Boy Manga Panel

    Kodomo manga began in the late nineteenth century with the publication of short, 15-page comics in periodicals. These short mangas were produced as an effort to promote literacy among Japanese youngsters. The invention of Astro Boy by Osamu Tezuka was what started this genre. Astro Boy was the first big-time kodomomuke anime series, and it gained immense popularity. The biggest reason for its rise was due to its depiction of a young boy as the main character, which made many kids relate to it and enjoy their superhero who is a kid like them.

    Types of Kodomomuke anime and manga

    Kodomo anime and manga are classified into four types.

    The first category includes anime and manga adaptations of Western stories. The majority of them are TV shows. Despite their popularity, they are not typical of traditional Japanese anime nor become greatly popular on a commercial basis.

    The second category includes adaptations of Japanese media as well as original works. They employ linguistic humor, make references to Japanese society, and may be difficult to comprehend for non-Japanese audiences. They are similar to American animation in certain aspects. Doraemon is one such example.

    The third group, includes manga and animation geared at young females, such as Hello Kitty. Anime and manga, like Pucchigumi, target young girls as well.

    The fourth category, which is more similar to shounen, has ties to popular video games and toy properties and has had the most commercial success. Kodomo manga magazines like CoroCoro Comic and Comic BomBom typically target young boys.

    The themes of Kodomomuke anime or Manga

    All kodomomuke anime and manga are kid-friendly and provide some kind of instructive story. Some series use themselves to offer essential moral lessons to children, while others consider themselves purely entertaining.

    Most kodomomuke series center on their child protagonists and may even neglect adults entirely. In these stories, it is up to the kids to save the day, and slapstick humor is frequently utilized to keep viewers interested through more dramatic themes.

    The idea of making kids learn through cartoons is the tried and trusted way as it provides them with an entertainment source along with bits of information. Ask anyone, and they’ll clearly remember their childhood favorite cartoons that were their favorite.

    Even if they claim that they didn’t learn anything from them, they unknowingly may have adopted some things from the characters. This makes the learning non-preachy and fun.

    Examples of Kodomomuke anime or Manga

    Anpanman
    Anpanman

    Here are some examples which go under this category of anime or manga and are often known to be referred to when figuring out Kodomomuke meaning.

    • Astro Boy
    • Doraemon
    • Anpanman
    • Pokemon
    • Bakugan

    That’s all you’ll need to know to understand Kodomomuke meaning and identify the anime or manga under this category.

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    Izna Anjum
    Izna Anjum
    Izna is an avid reader, gamer and anime-lover who likes to express thoughts through words. She has years of experience playing single-player games and writing guides about them. In Retrology, she has been a professional gaming guides writer for 1+ year. She is currently playing Hogwarts Legacy and Valorant.
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