11 Best Martial Arts Kids Cartoon Series – And Shocking Ones To Avoid

When parents are looking for martial arts cartoon series for their children to watch, it can be difficult to know what the age appropriateness level is and if there will be objectionable themes present. How is a parent to know what is the best series for their child? Read on and I will give you a detailed list of the top ones from today and decades ago.

Martial arts cartoons should be age appropriate, contain simple moral lessons, have traditional story arcs that kids can recognize, and plainly delineate good and evil. Characters should be round, but not morally ambiguous. Most of all, they should be entertaining and fun for the whole family.

The following list is based on popularity, but not entirely. Some of these series are less appropriate for younger viewers of the production value has not stood the test of time. So if you have very little ones, stick to the higher ones on the list. The further down the list, the more intricate the moral themes become and the more complex the story arcs.

That being said, if you have a kindergarten and above aged kids, some of the ones lower down (but not all) can be more entertaining to some viewers in terms of layering and character development. Be Aware, not all cartoon series are designed for children. At the end of the Best List I will give recommendations on series that should not be viewed by children.

#1 Kung Fu Panda: The Paws of Destiny Cartoon Series

Coming in at the top spot due to humor, moral lessons, age appropriateness, and the list goes on and on is the DreamWorks™ Animation television series for kids released by Amazon Prime Video… Kung Fu Panda: The Paws of Destiny. The first half was released in November of 2018, with the second half becoming available in July of 2019.

Unless you have been living under a large pile of dumplings you have undoubtedly heard of the Kung Fu Panda line of movies. What you might not know is that there are two series that are nearly as well done as the movies. This firs series on the list is set after the third movie of the Kung Fu Panda trilogy.

So Let’s dive right in! Take a look at this official trailer for Kung Fu Panda: The Paws of Destiny from Youtube.

General Overview of The Paws of Destiny

This series is light and fun with humor reminiscent of the excellent writing in the movie trilogy. It gets me every time Po or the other pandas have to rest, hands on knees half way up stairs or through a run.

THE PLOT follows four panda kids that accidentally become the chosen saviors of the world. The only problem? Their new found ‘super powers’ don’t come with instructions. Po (the ‘Dragon Warrior’ and ‘Dragon Master’ from the movie trilogy) must teach them the ways of Kung Fu in order to control their new powers.

The main characters switched in this series from The Legends of Awesomeness (Next on the list). This time we have young children pandas, which may be more relatable to younger kids. That being said, I like the original characters used in The Legends of Awesomeness a bit better, but the price is a huge plus on this one and the difference in characters is not that big of a deal.

Violence In The Paws of Destiny

So, what about the violence and scary elements in this series? Are they a big part of the story line? The best thing about this series it no matter how many kicks and punches fly through the air or how many slapstick boulders are landed on someone, there is never blood.

No one really gets hurt save one or two illusions to death or major injury which are never actually shown. It becomes more about stopping intent rather than permanently disabling the enemies.

This is important to remember as we move on to other series. Some others openly deal with death. They won’t get to the level of a Marvel ™ movie where cities are destroyed which would cause millions of deaths. This one doesn’t come close and all the rest on this list are a much safer bet than Marvel ™.

Availability of The Paws of Destiny

This series was produced directly for Prime Video and can be watched for FREE with your Amazon Prime membership! Due to the fact that it is included with this membership that many already have, it edged out the other Kung Fu Panda series, Legends of Awesomeness for the number one spot.

Here we should talk about Prime Membership. If you haven’t experienced the

• free shipping
• thousands of movies and series
• free music
• free Kindle books
• etc.

I couldn’t recommend it highly enough. This series alone if bought would cost half of the price of membership.

If you want to try it for FREE for 30 Days, you can watch this series for FREE! Click link above to get started.

Here are the two halves of the First Season of Kung Fu Panda: The Paws of Destiny. If you are already a prime member click the link and start watching.

Here is the link to Kung Fu Panda: The Paws of Destiny on Amazon. There is a nifty drop-down menu to allow you to select the season you want.

Seasons and Episodes For The Paws of Destiny

Here I have included a chart so that you can easily keep the seasons and episodes straight.

Season Breakdown	# of Episodes	Release Date
Season 1 – First Half	13	2018
Season 1 – Second Half	13	2019

If you are not keen on letting your kids hog your tablet, phone, or computer, then here is how my kids have always watched endless movies, series, and cartoons from Amazon and many other streaming services. We have used the Rouku™ running non-stop with no issues for many years. Get the Roku™ Streaming Stick here on Amazon and you can reclaim your devices.

We watch family movies and documentaries together in the living room using this very thing as well. Just an option to keep in mind.

#2 Kung Fu Panda: Legends of Awesomeness Cartoon Series

Resting firmly in the number two spot on this list of top martial arts cartoon television series for kids is Kung Fu Panda: Legends of Awesomeness. The series first aired in the Nickelodeon™ fall lineup in November 2011 and halted production in 2016.

This series follows the characters from the first movie and is seen as an intermediary set of stories in between the first and second movies. The humor and antics follow the same subtle childlike humor with adult level puns and jokes kept to a minimum.

Want to get a taste before you set your kids and maybe yourself (I laugh at some of the antics myself) loose on these seasons? Take a look at this trailer found on Youtube and see first hand.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gjatThLKLak

General Overview of Legends of Awesomeness

This humor and story creation is nearly identical to the first movie of the Kung Fu Panda trilogy and though some of the voice acting has been replaced, it is extremely close. It didn’t detract from the viewing for me and kids won’t notice a thing.

THE PLOT follows directly after the first Kung Fu Panda movie. It centers on the journey of Po training learn to be the best ‘Dragon Warrior’ he can be. He learns about the history of Kung Fu, friendship, and honor all while delivering funny one liners and making kid level jokes.

We are still following the ‘Furious Five’ from the first movie: Viper, Tigress, Crane, Monkey, and Mantis. There are also appearances from Master Shifu and a host of villains and story oriented, famous Kung Fu Masters. For anyone, child or adult that liked the first movie, these seasons will be a sure winner.

Violence In Legends of Awesomeness

As with the number one pick, The Paws of Destiny centers on bouncing villains around and dropping things on them with little to know lasting damage. The aim here, as with the following series is to stop the villains intent to harm, rather than their ability to function.

This is definitely important to note for younger viewers who will more than likely see this as nothing more than slapstick comedy. Some villains are shown for short periods as being ominous, but usually some comedic flaw will be brought to light or the antics of our heroes lighten the mood.

Availability of Legends of Awesomeness

The ability to watch these series differs mostly from The Paws of Destiny. Amazon Prime Video is how my kids watch them. These are not usually included in the Prime membership, though a portion of them could possibly show up on the Prime membership line-up in the future.

You can buy or rent from Prime Video without having a membership in Prime, but will not be able to watch some series like The Paws of Destiny without it. Those series and movies are exclusive to Prime members.

Legends of Awesomeness episodes can be bought through the link below and stored on the Amazon cloud to be watched on innumerable devices. They can even be relegated to televisions to free up devices with the above mentioned Roku™ streaming device.

This is a great series and one that your kids will watch again and again and again… well, you know how they are. You can use this link to order the Legends of Awesomeness on Amazon. There they have a convenient drop-down season selector for you to select the season you want.

There is an option to buy the a 13 episode half season (termed volume by Amazon) or you can buy individual episodes. The volume price is at a significant discount.

Seasons and Episodes For Kung Fu Panda: Legends of Awesomeness

To help you keep these straight, here is a chart that lists all of the seasons and relevant information.

Season Breakdown	# of Episodes	Release Date
First Season – 1st half	13	2011
First Season – 2nd half	13	2011-2012
Second Season – 1st half	13	2013-2013
Second Season – 2nd half	13	2013
Third Season – 1st half	13	2013-2014
Third Season – 2nd half	(4 available) 13	2014

**Note: The second half of the third season saw a switch between Nickelodeon and Nicktoons between 2014 and 2016 for show airings. This may account for only 4 episodes being available on Amazon.com.

#3 Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles (Third Animated Series – Nickelodeon 2012)

Turtle power has been my companion for as long as I can remember. Since the rise of the TMNT ™ comic book series in 1984, along with the infamous Karate Kid movie trilogy starring Ralph Macchio and Pat Morita that had its start that same year, my life was never the same.

The power of those two story lines forever changed a picked on, shy kid with a troubled home into an international martial arts champion who has traveled the world many times over and achieved more than he could have imagined. Thanks Raph, Donnie, Mikey, and Leo. The shy, scared little kids still inside many of us, owe you more than words can say.

Ahhhh, 1984. Leg warmers, huge hair, over the top colors, and the T-Top Firebird Trans Am™… it is amazing how some things can seem so shiny and nostalgic in our memories, when in reality they were not much more than bad ideas. Still, I’ll keep my memories just the same.

That brings us to the reason why I chose the 2012 Nickelodeon™ version of TMNT™ series instead of the original long running animated TV series from the ’80s. Like many things from that decade, the aesthetic value just didn’t hold up well over the years. I like the old series fine, but it doesn’t hold the attention like the others.

Here is a taste of this particular comic book style of TMNT that will be more appealing to kids in my opinion. Turtle Power! Go Ninjas, Go Ninjas Go!

General Overview of Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles

Most know the premise of the TMNT™ story line. It takes on very few deviations over the years, but has went through many retellings. One thing that stands the test of time in these series is the moral certitude of the heroes and the clear line between good and evil. This is refreshing when compared with some of today’s ‘Grim Dark’ unrealistic moral ambiguity fad.

THE PLOT centers around 4 teenage mutant turtle brothers turned ninja heroes. Trained by their mutant rat teacher, Master Splinter, they take on the forces of evil, usually headed by their arch nemesis Shredder. The turtles get themselves in and out of trouble along with their friends and city.

Violence In Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles

The violence in these series does not depict death or blood and is based in the good defending against evil framework exclusively. The Turtles are heroes in the on-the-nose sense and are safe rolemodles for little minds. They are surprisingly round characters in much of their portrayal with heavy emphasis on each of their individual stronger characteristics.

Though weapons are used by the Turtles, their use is restricted to stopping intent rather than killing or maiming foes. Though the turtles display immature teenage decisions at times, it rarely leads to unethical actions, especially where violence is concerned.

Availability of Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles (Third Animated Series 2012)

Here again I am going to recommend the way my kids have enjoyed this series, using the Roku™ and through Amazon Prime Video. I will also link DVD options as well for those wanting to have the actual disks in hand.

The Amazon Prime Video seasons can be found here. Here again there are options for individual episodes, savings on buying bundled episodes called seasons, and HD (High Definition more expensive) vs SD (Standard Definition less expensive).

Seasons and Episodes For Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles 3rd Series

Here is a rundown of the seasons and episodes so you can keep it all straight for your Little Ninja.

Season Breakdown	Amazon Season #	# of Episodes	Release Date
Season 1	Seasons 1 & 2	26	2013
Season 2	Seasons 3 & 4	26	2014
Season 3	Seasons 5 & 6	26	2015
Season 4	Seasons 7 & 8	26	2017
Season 5	Seasons 9 & 10	20	2017

#4 Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles (Second Animated Series Nickelodeon 2003)

I will just hit the highlights and differences here rather than rehash the information about the franchise as a whole.

This installment of the series is better than the original ’80s version, though some like to argue, but follows the same cartoon style. It is more of the hand drawn slower action sequencing.

It is a close second to the third series, but kids won’t have the nostalgia element that adults will have and the graphics of the third series seem to resonate with them more. I personally love this second installment.

These seasons are most definitely a great choice to continue on the Turtle Power adventure!

Availability of the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles 2nd Series

The seasons are available on Amazon Prime Video here. If you would like a DVD version then you may have a hard time finding them. There are not many out for this 2nd series. Remember the savings when getting entire seasons streamed.

Seasons and Episodes For Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles 2nd Animated Series

The fact that Amazon does not carry the 4th season on Prime Video more than likely has something to do with the change in networks that aired these shows in the early 2000’s. The first three seasons are complete though and make for great ninja action.

Season Breakdown	# of Episodes	Release Date
Season 1	26	2003
Season 2	26	2004
Season 3	26	2005
Season 4	26	2006

#5 Rise of The Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles (Fourth Animated Series Nickelodeon 2018)

I will not go over the same info for the TMNT™ series here, but will give a couple of thoughts on this version. I put it below the Second and third Third series in the franchise because of changes to the characters that make them seem less like the originals.

I have to say here that one thing really bothers me and many others that see this series is the redesign and overhaul of Master Splinter. Splinter in my opinion is fairly unlikable and the personality changes in the turtles overall are off-putting. It can be overcome to watch it, but it is a bit disappointing for the creators to make such a drastic change in these characters.

All in all, they are still the Turtles saving the world. Once the obvious attempt at revamped ’80s animation is gotten used to and the character reformation is put behind you, it can still be a good extension of the TMNT™ storyline.

Here is a trailer for this series.

Availability of Rise of The Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles 4th Series

The 4th Series can be found again on Amazon Prime Video here. Since these are the newest renditions of the franchise, check back often find more offerings.

There is also the DVD option, one of which can be found on Amazon here.

Seasons and Episodes For Rise of The Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles 4th Series

Season Breakdown	# of Episodes	Release Date
Season 1	26	2018
Season 2	26	2019
Season 3 & Beyond	TBA	TBD

BONUS: If Your Little Ninja Can’t Get Enough TMNT Fun, Then You Can Find The Original Here.

You can find the complete series here for an amazing price once your little ninja has exhausted the other series. You can get all 10 Seasons for one low price here on Amazon.

TMNT Original Series Episodes and Seasons

Season Breakdown	# of Episodes	Release Date
Season 1	5	1987
Season 2	13	1988
Season 3	47	1989
Season 4	41	1990
Season 5	20	1991
Season 6	16	1992
Season 7	27	1993
Season 8	8	1994
Season 9	8	1995
Season 10	8	1996

#6 Ninjago Martial Arts Cartoon Series

If your Little Ninjas like legos and cartoons, this is the perfect series for them. Coming in at number six, Ninjago is a martial arts cartoon series produced by The Lego Group™. There is also corresponding construction sets and books to go along with the story.

The large number of seasons was originally slated for two to three, but was expanded to many more due to its success and profitability. There were a couple of pilots episodes in 2011 followed by 13 episode seasons.

Here are the trailers from the first 9 seasons so you can get a taste of what is in store.

General Overview of Ninjago

The action sequences, special fantasy style weapons and armor, and team up style story elements battling the forces of evil will keep many children engaged. The ideals of training, sacrifice, loyalty, courage, and defense of the defenseless against clear evil foes makes this a safe series for younger and older children.

THE PLOT brings us four, and eventually six teenage ninjas trained by the wise Master Wu in the ancient art of Spinjitzu. The first Spinjitsu master created the realm known as Ninjago using special golden weapons. Ninjago must now be defended from the forces of evil by our courageous and loyal (Lego) teen ninja heroes.

There needs to be a note here. These episodes are well done, with safe elements for children to view, but seeing that the characters are made of Lego™ blocks and much of the environment is as well, it is obviously pointing children toward the Lego™ construction toy sets. Whether you want to address this with your kids or not, you should be aware of it.

Violence In Ninjago

The fantasy style violence in these episodes is center stage, but the character of it is always distinguishable good versus plainly stated evil. There are elements of ancient cultures and weapons mixed with modern buildings and robotic environmental characters. The feel is complete fantasy and the violence seems easily discernible from reality.

The overarching elements of heroism, courage, loyalty, and honor counter the sacrifice and struggle the ninja’s must face. The plot doesn’t seem to center around frivolous violence, but the defense of good and life. There are a couple instances of death being addressed and some villains may seem scary to younger viewers, but overall it is kept in moderation.

Availability of Ninjago

There is a good chance that many of the seasons of the martial arts cartoon series Ninjago will be available FREE to Amazon Prime members. This may not always be the case, and usually some of them must be bought. Here is a link to the product page for Ninjago on Amazon where you can check the drop-down menu for each season you want.

When the episodes are included for Prime members, those with membership can simple start watching. Those who are not can sign up for a FREE 30 day trial. As well, if you like to stream your movies and shows onto your television screens, use the reliable setup I have used through 4 kids and tons of abuse. The Roku™ box is can be found here on Amazon. Follow these links to Amazon and you can be enjoying tons of Lego™ fun in no time.

Seasons and Episodes For Ninjago

There are a lot of these seasons and to make sure you don’t get lost in the mix, here is a handy chart to let you know what to watch next.

Season Breakdown	# of Episodes	Release Date
Pilot Episodes	2	2011
Season 1: Rise of the Snakes	13	2012
Season 2: Legacy of the Green Ninja	13	2012
Season 3: Rebooted-Battle for New Ninjago City	4	2014
Season 3: Rebooted: Fall of the Golden Master	4	2014
Season 4: Tournament of Elements	10	2015
Season 5: Possession	10	2015
Season 6: Skybound	10	2016
Season 7: The Hands of Time	10	2017
Season 8: Sons of Garmadon	10	2018
Season 9: Hunted	10	2018
Season 10: March of the Oni	4	2019
Season 11: Secrets of the Forbidden Spinjitzu: The Fire Chapter	15	2019
Season 11: Secrets of the Forbidden Spinjitzu: The Ice Chapter	15	2019
Season 12 and beyond	TBA	TBD

Ninjago Extras

There are several feature length movies that have been produced from this series which will be addressed in the my post on martial arts movies for kids.

These Ninjago extras can be a great gift ideas. I know I have bought tons of these over the years. These are some of the less expensive ones and even better, they are rated 4 years old and up! Get the LEGO Juniors/4+ Zane’s Ninja Boat on Amazon. Or try the LEGO NINJAGO Cole’s Speeder Car.

#7 Jackie Chan Martial Arts Cartoon Adventures

This is an older series with hand drawn scenes, but one that has stood the test of time better than some older more popular series. It is based off one of the most famous Chinese martial arts action movie stars of all time. Jackie Chan has had a myriad of roles in Chinese and Hollywood films.

He is best known for his slapstick comedy mixed with outrageous stunt and martial arts choreography. His persona has always been family friendly and with many children’s movie attempts under his belt (some well done, some not) he is no stranger to the martial arts family entertainment genre.

Here is a trailer for the first season of the Jackie Chan Adventures series.

General Overview of Jackie Chan Adventures

These are based on roles that Jackie Chan has played over the years with some references to the movies themselves. The story lines are simple, with funny child appropriate humor, and clear moral divides between good and evil. There are talismans and demons galore in this series, so if those types of things are religiously offensive to your family then you may want to consider if this is the right option for you.

That being said, there is distinct demarcations between the evil and the good, making the use of demons in the plot lines uncontroversial. The tone is one of magical fantasy mixed with martial arts acrobatic skill. The boundaries between fantasy here and reality is very starkly illustrated.

Violence In Jackie Chan Adventures

Jackie Chan is known for his acrobatics mixed with Chinese martial arts. The series is based on this with Jackie always standing on the side of good. The violence doesn’t end in death and blood is not an issue.

The ghosts and demons depicted and suspenseful situations could seem scary to some younger more sensitive viewers, which is why it is further down on the list. That being said, if your child would be okay watching Scooby-Doo™, then these villains will work find in this story. The animation is reminiscent of that style as well.

Availability of Jackie Chan Adventures

You can enjoy these episodes and seasons on Amazon Prime Video here. These are very well priced with the season 2 full bundle including all 39 episodes for the price others charge for under half the shows.

Seasons and Episodes For Jackie Chan Adventures

Here is a handy chart to break down the seasons for this fun series.

Season Breakdown	# of Episodes	Release Date
Season 1: The Twelve Talismans	13	2001
Season 2: The Demon Portals	39	2002
Season 3: The Talisman-Powered Animals	17	2003
Season 4: The Oni Masks	13	2004
Season 5: The Demon Powers	13	2005

#8 Hong Kong Fuey Cartoon Series

This is a very cute 1970’s classic Hanna-Barbera production with unique voice acting and simple story lines. Back then, each episode was broken up into two short adventures perfect for those Saturday morning toy commercials.

If you haven’t seen or heard of this one season gem before, you should give it a try. Once you hear the theme song you will be hooked.

There is no need to discuss the violence and other things here. This is old school, Saturday morning, innocent cartoon fun.

This is done in the same style as the old Tom and Jerry cartoons. For those with more P.C. culture sensibilities the name of the show may be a bit scratchy, but there is nothing extreme here. I loved these as a kid. I turned out just fine.

Man, I love me some side kick Spot and that Number One Super Guy!

Availability of Hong Kong Phooey

This is a one season compact set of episodes, great for gifting. But be careful, it may be claimed by a dad like me and the kids may not have control of the remote for some time.

To watch the full season of episodes on Amazong Prime use this link.

You can also buy the entire thing on DVD on Amazon using this link.

Seasons and Episodes For Hong Kong Phooey

Season Breakdown	# of Episodes	Release Date
Season 1	16	1974

#9 Martial Arts Cartoon Series – Avatar: The Last Airbender

Wow, what can you say about a series like The Last Airbender? The only reason that this is not near or at the top is because of the deep themes and advanced story lines that to an adult are a delight, but to a younger child may only be confusing.

This has to be one of the all time greats in story arcs, character developments, and masterful writing. This one makes the list for its martial arts themes, but should make any list due to its overall execution. It is just good television.

Just take note that you may want to reserve it for children at least in lower elementary school age ranges due to the well crafted tension and action sequences here.

Take a look at the trailer for a sampling of its feel for those new to it.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Rz7EsOua-D4

General Overview of Avatar: The Last Airbender

Though the look and some of the feel of the episodes shows its influences found in Japanese Anime, let me be clear, this is not Anime. I am not a fan of Anime in the hands of children of any type.

I will give more on Anime later, but suffice to say, Avatar: The Last Airbender has moral certitude and round characters with clearly defined good and evil.

Anime at times can have those elements, but many of those series cannot be trusted to refrain from explicitly sexual overtones, graphic violence, and rampant morally ambiguous characters and situations. Avatar: The Last Airbender is quality television (with its own faults of course) and should not be considered in the same arena as other Anime.

THE PLOT follows one ‘chosen one’, the last Airbending Avatar in a long line of Avatars. He is a child with the weight of saving the world on his shoulders and needs to learn the other forms of element bending to do it. With the help of friends he takes on the forces of evil found in the Fire Nation and attempts to save the world.

Violence In Avatar: The Last Airbender

There is violence of that good versus evil nature here, with elements of villains grappling with their evil natures and desires for what they consider goods. The fight scenes are usually centered around a moral issue.

The larger battle scenes and boss battles do have death at times and this is one reason that younger children should wait to view this series. The humor can soften some of the violent scenes, but this is not always the case.

Availability of Avatar: The Last Airbender

There are several options here for watching this series. Let me simplify it a bit with a simple list of the streaming options. You can choose which suits your needs better.

• Amazon Prime individual episodes
• Amazon Prime entire seasons
• NickHits FREE month trial and subsequent monthly membership
  • This is also through the Amazon Prime Video system
  • My son loves this membership

All of these options can be found here on the Avatar page of Amazon Prime Video.

• There is also the complete 3 season DVD option on Amazon found here.

Seasons and Episodes For Avatar: The Last Airbender

Season Breakdown	# of Episodes	Release Date
Season 1: Water	20	2005
Season 2: Earth	20	2006
Season 3: Fire	21	2007

#10 Martial Arts Cartoon Series – The Legend of Korra

This marital arts based cartoon series is the continuation of the story of the Avatars in The Last Airbender with a new female Avatar named Korra. Like the first series, the writing is good and the story arcs are well done.

The production is done well and the voice acting is endearing. If you like the first trilogy, you will certainly fall in love with Korra and this next installment.

Here is the trailer for the first season of The Legend of Korra.

General Overview of The Legend of Korra

Here we have more of the same as we saw in The Last Airbender, but this time the villains are more localized and there is not as much war in the mix. We are also dealing with a female lead which could excite girls and bring them to the series.

THE PLOT takes us to a time after the war with the Fire Nation is over. The job of the ‘chosen one’ here is to keep the peace. There are crime bosses and minor skirmishes between tribes of the Water Nation all intricately woven together with comedy and round likable characters.

Violence In The Legend of Korra

This is much of the same as with The Last Airbender. This series should be saved for at least the lower elementary school age groups. It is a great series for girls and will keep them interested for many hours. Just use your own judgement for your child’s maturity level before allowing them to watch.

Availability of The Legend of Korra

Like with The Last Airbender, we have multiple options for this popular series…

• Amazon Prime Video offers each episode individually
• Amazon Prime also offers substantial discounts on entire seasons
• NickHits FREE month trial and subsequent monthly membership
  • Here again we are using the Amazon Prime Video system
  • My son loves this membership
• CBS All Access offers a FREE trial and later monthly membership
  • This is again via the Amazon Prime Video streaming service

All of these options can be found here on the Legend of Korra Amazon Page.

• You could also choose the complete 4 season DVD option here on Amazon.

Seasons and Episodes For The Legend of Korra

Season Breakdown	# of Episodes	Release Date
Book One: Air	12	2012
Book Two: Spirits	14	2013
Book Three: Change	13	2014
Book Four: Balance	13	2014

#11 Samurai Jack Cartoon Series

Samurai Jack is a unique one to have on a list of martial arts cartoon series for kids. It is very stylized for a cartoon in much the same way that many Cartoon Network originals have been. The style is much like that of the Power Puff Girls and the mood and feel of it are definitely more suited to older elementary aged kids and up.

Many children of that age range see it as a bit ‘cooler’ than other titles and thus relate to it more.

Here is a trailer for season one.

General Overview of the Samurai Jack Cartoon Series

This series is mainly here on this list to call attention to it for parents with younger children. None of my children ever watched it and I can’t say that I recommend it after seeing it myself. I want to let you know what you are in for if you choose to get this for your kids.

I would say this should be reserved maybe even for middle school and highschool students. The main character has honorable qualities and is fighting on the side of good, but the treatment is definitely more appealing to specific older crowds.

THE PLOT is based on the evil dark master Aku who attempts to destroy the world. Before he can finish the job, a samurai challenges him with a magical sword specifically made for the job. Fearing that he may be thwarted by this young samurai, he hurls him into the future where the darkness has won. This samurai is given the name Jack by the future inhabitants and his quest is to return to the past to fix the future.

Violence In the Samurai Jack Series

The fight scenes though based upon good battling evil are fairly brutal in most instances. There is a sense that the blood is oil (but it really is blood, its just weird). The stylized art form gives it an ominous look and feel for a smaller child. The scenes with some villains could bring a nightmare or two for the more tender minded.

It should be enough to say, the age suggestion on the series is 7+. I would raise it a bit due to the violence level. But that alone should rule out smaller children altogether.

Availability of the Samurai Jack Series

There are streaming options from Amazon that can be found here. You can save on the SD versions for both the one off episode choice and the entire season choice.

The complete set of 5 seasons can be purchased together on DVD here. Just be aware that season 5 is rated 18+ for good reason and is included in the set.

Seasons and Episodes For the Samurai Jack Series

Season Breakdown	# of Episodes	Release Date	Network
Season 1	13	2001	Cartoon Network
Season 2	13	2002	Cartoon Network
Season 3	13	2003	Cartoon Network
Season 4	13	2004	Cartoon Network
Season 5	10	2017	Adult Swim

**NOTE: I am putting another warning here about season 5. This season is most definitely NOT for children. The fan base switched from older children to adults in the 13 years between those seasons and some very inappropriate material for children made it into season 5.

Martial Arts Cartoon Series to Avoid

Here I am going to give a couple of suggestions to look out for when choosing a martial arts cartoon series for your children.

• I say again the Samurai Jack Season 5 is ADULTS ONLY and is rated 18+ for a reason.
• Anime in simple terms is hard to trust. There are times many anime series will deal honestly with moral issues and hold the line between good and evil, but then many times they absolutely do not. It is a very dangerous proposition to turn children loose into the anime genre. Some episodes will be fine and then all of a sudden there will be a string of them filled with extreme violence, strong sexual overtones, and complete moral ambiguity. Be very careful with Anime. My suggestion is, keep it for upper teen years and adults.