Goblins are often associated with high-fantasy adventures for kids and teenagers. But is Goblin Slayer safe for kids to watch?
Here's what you need to know about the content and age rating of the dark fantasy anime!
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Here Is Goblin Slayer's Age Rating
The best age to watch Goblin Slayer depends on a viewer's maturity and individual circumstances, with different countries rating the anime between 13+ and 18+.
On the anime database MyAnimeList, Goblin Slayer is rated R (17+).
This rating is given to shows that feature violence, profanity, and possibly fanservice but no extreme sex scenes that would render them strictly 18+.
On IMDb's Parents Guide, different countries rate Goblin Slayer more or less strictly. In a DVD version in Malaysia, the anime is rated 13+, according to IMDb.
Australia rates Goblin Slayer as 15+ and Canada as 16+, while the UK and Singapore rate it as 18+.
In the US, Goblin Slayer is only considered appropriate for mature audiences.
Is Goblin Slayer for Kids? Parents' Guide
Various countries' reported age ratings indicate that Goblin Slayer is not appropriate for children and younger teenagers.
The Fall 2023 anime season offers many good fantasy anime such as Frieren whose themes are more suitable for younger audiences.
While younger viewers may not necessarily be traumatized, there's virtually no reason for them to be exposed to Goblin Slayer's sexual violence and extreme gore.
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What Adult Content Does Goblin Slayer Feature?
Goblin Slayer features many of the things you wouldn't want young viewers to watch, including scary fights and the abduction and sexual abuse of women.
Here's a further breakdown of Goblin Slayer's adult elements:
Violence and Gore
One thing you need to know about the titular Goblin Slayer is that he's single-mindedly devoted to eradicating his targets. This makes the anime extremely gory.
The show features a lot of bloody and graphic scenes. The Goblin Slayer does not hesitate to maim goblins, including goblin children.
Sure, the goblins are the villains of the show, but we can't imagine any young viewer benefiting from such graphic violence.
Sex and Nudity
In Goblin Slayer, the goblins often abduct women of other species to reproduce with them, so there are a lot of mentions of rape throughout.
For instance, in the controversial first episode, there is a graphic rape scene.
Goblin Slayer has been rightfully criticized for using sexual assault to create gritty realism in a fantasy show, while the goblin's brutality could have been shown in other ways.
The show also features mild nudity, which is not particularly shocking, but the constant threat and occasional depiction of sexual assault make the show unacceptable viewing for children.
Alcohol and Drug Abuse
In terms of alcohol and drug abuse, Goblin Slayer isn't the worst offender, but its other questionable elements mean that younger viewers have nothing to gain from it.
Characters are occasionally seen consuming beverages that are popular in medieval settings, such as ale, but nothing too extreme.
There is, however, a scene in which a character encourages another to drink, with the latter becoming intoxicated as a result.
Inappropriate Language
Goblin Slayer does feature some strong language, especially during tense action scenes or during moments of frustration.
For the most part, it features typical swear words you're likely to encounter in many similar works.
The show's swear words aren't the worst, nor are they particularly shocking or unusual, but they do exist.
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