The Sailor Moon for the TikTok Era
It’s easy to look at the poster and think this is just a 90-minute music video. It isn't. The reason critics went wild for this is that it actually has a point of view. Think of it as a "magical girl" anime updated for a generation that grew up on Blackpink and high-stakes animation. The dynamic between Rumi, Mira, and Zoey feels authentic. They have the chemistry of a band that’s spent too many hours on a tour bus, which makes the stakes feel higher when the supernatural stuff kicks in.
If your kid has been cycling through the same three pop albums on Spotify, they’re the target audience. But unlike a lot of brand-driven movies, the music here actually drives the plot. It’s worth checking out our Grammys 2026 viewing guide for parents to see how the soundtrack is landing with the Demon Hunters crowd, because these songs are going to be everywhere.
When "Demon" isn't a metaphor
The biggest friction point for parents is usually the gap between the glittery marketing and the actual creature design. These aren't Scooby-Doo monsters. They’re stylized, but they can be genuinely unsettling. If your kid is 8 or 9 and handled the more intense moments of the recent Spider-Verse movies, they’ll probably be fine. If they’re still sensitive to "creepy" imagery or jump scares, you might want to watch the first twenty minutes alone.
The action is fast and fluid, leaning into the rhythm of the music. It’s less about "hitting" and more about choreography, which takes the edge off the violence for some. However, the imagery itself—dark shadows, glowing eyes, and distorted faces—is what triggers the "too scary" reports from parents of younger kids. The movie is loud, both visually and sonically.
The Award Season Buzz
Because this movie hit that sweet spot of critical acclaim and massive streaming numbers, it’s been a staple in the 2026 awards conversation. If you’re trying to figure out if the hype is just industry noise or if there's actual substance there, our 2026 Golden Globes parent guide breaks down how it stacked up against the year’s other big animated releases.
If they liked "Turning Red"
This is the natural next step for the Turning Red crowd who are now a few years older and looking for something with a bit more edge. It captures that same feeling of intense female friendship and the pressure of public performance, just with more literal monster-slaying. It’s also a great entry point into the broader world of K-pop if you’ve been wondering what the obsession is about. The movie doesn't talk down to its audience, which is likely why it’s seeing such high scores from both critics and fans on Netflix.
