We’ve been covering some Made in Abyss anime news here at PostApocalyptic Media. Japanese animation, or anime, has been gaining popularity in North America over the past two decades. Some anime is aimed at children and teens for the most part, with shows like Dragon Ball Z, Sailor Moon, and Inuyasha. But what some people don’t realize is that anime has a huge adult-aimed repertoire too. With that being said, you may have wondered, is Made in Abyss for children?
No, Made in Abyss is Not for Children
No. Absolutely not. Definitely nope. Turn the TV off right now if you’ve got kids.
Warning: there are a few coarse words in this post. You’ve been warned.
Made in Abyss, a show about children going down a labyrinth of tunnels, has both anime and manga (the comics counter-part of anime) and people like this deleted user on the anilist are quick to remind us that it is not for children.
They claim that they don’t mean to imply that we can’t or even shouldn’t enjoy Made in Abyss, but they give us a fair warning before we bury our face in the manga or start watching the show itself.
A Series About Children, But Definitely Not Meant for Children
The deleted anilist user starts their forum post by saying, “Below I’m gonna list of a bunch of things that I found weird, or off, in the show. I want you to ask yourself, ‘was that necessary?’” And sure enough, a LOT on that list was not necessary at all, and definitely not intended for children’s eyes.
They also state that the manga has most, if not all, of the things they mention uncensored. A big yikes if children put their hands on them.
You can read the user’s post for the exact reasons that certain depictions are troublesome and should most definitely not be viewed by children. There are mentions of body parts and boners that are definitely inappropriate, along with casual mentions of children being strung up naked and beaten at the “school” where they grew up.
The anilist user goes on and explains: “First off, no matter how you try to view it, the characters are depictions of children. Make the argument they aren’t real all you want, it’s weird and it’s gross.”
They also post some arguments that people have made and their explanations as to why they are not valid. The bottom line is “don’t sexualize children” and I will have to agree big time.
They also link to another person’s review of the manga which mentions this exact problem. Otherwise, Made in Abyss is, in their opinion, an amazing anime. But it’s most definitely not for children.
A Dark Theme
Another thing to keep in mind is that the show is really dark. TVTropes.com mentions that “Despite its kid-friendly appearance and art style, Made In Abyss is a very disturbing horror series in the lines of Berserk and Warhammer 40,000 featuring strong gore, mutilation and body horror. Yeah, it’s that kind of show.”
On the Fifth Layer of the Abyss, the ascension curse causes you to lose all senses. This means that Riko’s attempt to ascend a flight of stairs results in her biting her own teeth so hard that she cracked her molars in two, slashed her own arm, and lost her sense of self. Prushka had to sew the resultant wounds back together. Anesthesia was not applied.
Some of the characters end up nearly being dissected, and so much more. It is a very disturbing and gory theme, for sure. And not appropriate for children.
Have you watched the show? Do you agree with the delete user’s comments? Let us know! I’m particularly intrigued by what you think of the manga if you’ve read it, too.
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