TL;DR: Animation is no longer a "safe" genre by default. The G-rating is effectively extinct, PG now covers everything from Bluey to intense emotional dramas like Inside Out 2, and PG-13/TV-14 animation is the fastest-growing sector in streaming. If you see a cartoon on Netflix, don't assume it's for your seven-year-old just because it's colorful.
Quick Links to Top Rated Modern Animation:
- Best for Littles (Ages 3-6): The Wild Robot
- Best for Elementary (Ages 7-11): The Bad Guys
- Best for Tweens/Teens (Ages 12+): Spider-Man: Across the Spider-Verse
- The "Check Before They Watch" List: Hazbin Hotel, Invincible, and The Amazing Digital Circus.
We grew up in an era where "cartoon" was shorthand for "for kids." If it was animated, it was either Disney, Looney Tunes, or something on Saturday morning. Today, that logic will get you into trouble.
The "Animation is a Medium, Not a Genre" movement has fully taken over. Creators are using animation to tell stories about generational trauma, existential dread, and high-octane violence. Meanwhile, the MPAA (the people who give out ratings) has shifted the goalposts. A PG rating in 1994 meant something very different than a PG rating in 2025.
If you aren't looking past the letter on the box, you might accidentally let your ten-year-old sit down for a "superhero cartoon" like Invincible that features more gore than a slasher flick, or a "musical comedy" like Hazbin Hotel that is strictly for adults.
Have you noticed that almost nothing is rated G anymore?
Major studios like Disney, Pixar, and DreamWorks have largely abandoned the G-rating. Why? Because to a modern ten-year-old, a "G" rating is the kiss of death. It signals "baby stuff." To capture the widest possible audience, studios aim for PG.
This means the PG rating has become a massive, confusing bucket. It now includes:
- Gentle stories with maybe one "scary" scene (like Finding Nemo).
- High-energy comedies with constant "potty humor" and slapstick (like Despicable Me 4).
- Heavy emotional dramas that deal with anxiety and puberty (like Inside Out 2).
When everything is PG, the rating itself becomes meaningless. You have to look at the "descriptors" (the fine print under the rating) to see if it’s for "mild rude humor" or "thematic elements."
Ask our chatbot about the difference between PG and PG-13 in modern movies
Streaming services like Netflix, Prime Video, and Max are leaning hard into adult animation. This isn't just The Simpsons or Family Guy anymore. We are seeing high-budget, beautiful, and incredibly dark stories that look exactly like the "cool" shows your kids are interested in.
This show is based on League of Legends, which many of our kids play. The art is breathtaking. But it is rated TV-14 for a reason. It’s gritty, violent, and deals with some pretty heavy drug-use metaphors and political unrest. If your middle schooler is begging to watch it, they’re likely drawn to the "vibe," but you should know it’s a far cry from a Saturday morning cartoon.
This is arguably the best animated film of the last decade, but it pushes the PG rating to its absolute limit. It’s loud, visually overstimulating, and focuses heavily on the "destiny vs. choice" struggle. For kids under 7, it might be too much to process. For tweens, it's a masterpiece.
Studio Ghibli films are often lumped into the "kids" category, but this Oscar winner is deep, weird, and at times, unsettling. It deals with grief and the aftermath of war. It’s a "thinker," not a "distractor."
Learn more about navigating Studio Ghibli films for different ages
We can't talk about modern animation without mentioning the wild west of YouTube. This is where ratings go to die because they don't officially exist.
- Skibidi Toilet: It looks like a low-res video game. It’s weird, it’s loud, and parents often dismiss it as "brain rot." While it's not necessarily "adult" in a sexual way, it is increasingly violent and dark.
- The Amazing Digital Circus: This is a massive hit with the elementary crowd. It looks like a bright, colorful 90s computer game, but the theme is literally "existential horror." The characters are trapped in a digital world and are slowly losing their minds. It's not "bad," but it’s definitely not the mindless distraction it looks like on the surface.
Ages 3-6: Gentle and High Quality
At this age, you want to avoid "hyper-active" animation that is just fast cuts and screaming.
- Puffin Rock: Calm, educational, and beautiful.
- Bluey: The gold standard. It’s PG because of "mild humor" (looking at you, Bandit), but it’s the most wholesome thing on TV.
- The Wild Robot: A newer entry that is visually stunning and emotionally resonant without being traumatizing.
Ages 7-11: Adventure and Humor
This is the "sweet spot" for most big-budget animated films.
- The Bad Guys: Great style, fun heist energy, and a good message about not judging books by their covers.
- Klaus: A Netflix original that is arguably one of the best holiday movies ever made.
- The Mitchells vs. the Machines: Hilarious, chaotic, and very relatable for any family struggling with screen time.
Ages 12+: Complexity and Style
- Nimona: A fantastic story about being an outsider. It’s edgy and cool but has a massive heart.
- Spider-Man: Into the Spider-Verse: The first one is a bit more accessible than the sequel for younger tweens.
- Avatar: The Last Airbender: If they haven't seen this series yet, it’s the ultimate "bridge" between kid content and adult storytelling.
Check out our full list of "Non-Brain Rot" show recommendations
When you’re looking at a new animated movie or show, here is your three-step checklist:
- Check the "Why": Don't just look at the PG or PG-13. Look at the specific reasons. "Thematic elements" usually means "this movie is going to make your kid cry or ask about death." "Rude humor" means "expect your kid to start saying 'fart' and 'stupid' more often."
- Watch the Trailer Together: You can usually feel the "vibe" of a movie in the first 30 seconds. Is it frantic and loud? Is it dark and moody? Ask your kid what they think it’s about.
- The "Sausage Party" Rule: Just because it's on the "Animation" shelf on a streaming app doesn't mean it's for kids. Shows like Big Mouth or movies like Sausage Party are R-rated for a reason. Keep your parental controls tight on Netflix and Prime Video profiles.
If your kid wants to watch something you think is too old for them (like Arcane or Hazbin Hotel), don't just say "no because it's a cartoon for adults." That makes them want to watch it more.
Instead, try: "I looked into that one, and it’s actually made for people in their 20s. It’s got a lot of heavy stuff about [violence/trauma] that I don't think is fun to watch right now. Let’s find something that has that same cool art style but isn't as dark."
Ask our chatbot for shows with a similar art style to Arcane but for younger kids
We are living in a golden age of animation, which is great for us as adults, but it requires a bit more "detective work" as parents. The G-rating is a relic of the past. Today’s PG is a mixed bag, and PG-13 animation is often more intense than live-action.
Take five minutes to check the Screenwise media page for a movie before you hit play. Your future self (who won't have to explain a "Hazbin Hotel" joke to a confused 8-year-old) will thank you.
- Audit your streaming profiles: Ensure your kids are on "Kids" profiles, but remember that some PG-13 content still slips through.
- Check out our guide on YouTube Kids vs. YouTube to understand how animation is filtered there.
- Plan your next movie night: Use our media search to find something that hits the "WISE score" sweet spot for your family's age range.