By Yali Perez
The world of parenthood is a magical, beautiful and often challenging place. It has its highs and its lows, similar to the world of anime. Of course, that’s without the magical outfit changes. Wouldn’t that make getting ready in the morning so much easier?
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As a single parent to a 10-year-old son, I sometimes use anime as a way to connect with him. Anime is something we mutually enjoy and is a great medium to discuss subjects without the pressure of feeling too serious. The aim of A Mom’s Guide to Anime is to use anime to help you navigate the world of parenthood.
This month’s focus: Career choices. My son is ten, and he’s recently been thinking about what he wants to be when he grows up. Some kids know from an early age and some take a while to figure it out. Heck, many adults still don’t really know. It’s a good idea to let your kid explore the many options out there!
Keep in mind, however, that the careers showcased should not be taken literally and are dramatized. I advise watching each show with your child and explaining its real world counterpart. You’re the parent and you know what’s best!
Attorney – Ace Attorney
Disclaimer: There is violence and blood in this series. Adjust accordingly.
Ace Attorney is based on the cult classic video game franchise of the same name. It follows the journey of defense lawyer Phoenix Wright, who is a bit whimsical and is often unsure of himself. But he’s a very good attorney.
The show and the games both do a pretty great job at showing the basics of what law professionals do, as well as how investigations and court proceedings work in real life. Of course, some aspects are played up for laughs. It’s worth noting that not all court cases (international or otherwise) take three days and have a judge making the ruling.
Mia Fey, a colleague of Wright’s, is a good example of what a defense attorney does. Though take it from me, there is much more paperwork involved with the job in real life.
The bonus here is if your child likes the show, they can then play the game, which follows the same timeline of events. If you’ve got a little one that is a great debater, detail-orientated and asks plenty of questions, maybe a career in law would be perfect for them — or at least a couple of episodes of Ace Attorney.
Watch Ace Attorney on Funimation!
Chef – Restaurant to Another World
Disclaimer: This series contains mild nudity. Adjust accordingly.
Restaurant to Another World is a great example of a real-world job with some pretty fantastical elements. It’s about a restaurant that has some unusual customers of the magical variety.
What I love about this series is that the restaurant specializes in a certain kind of cuisine: Japanese versions of Western dishes. The food at the Nekoya looks so tasty. Be warned! You will drool. Numerous restaurants in real life specialize in a certain kind of food, and as a chef you can decide what your specialty will be!
Restaurant to Another World also shows an integral, yet often under-appreciated role in the restaurant industry — the wait staff. A restaurant is only as good as its waiters and customer service is vital to its success. If the food of Nekoya is really appealing to your kids, you can find recipes from the show online, and even make them together!
Watch Restaurant to Another World on Funimation!
Firefighter – Fire Force
OK, so I know this one is a bit of a stretch, but it can at least introduce the concept. Fire Force does a decent job of representing some of the basics of firefighting and what they do to help prevent disaster. Firefighters have to be brave, physically and mentally fit and have to excel as a team.
Shinra Kusakabe and the crew of Company 8 parallel real life firefighters and the companies or stations they belong to. I’m sure your kids also notice the engine number on firehouses.
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Yes, Fire Force does have some unique elements to it, but the show also introduces the science of investigating fires. After a firefighter extinguishes a fire, an investigation is conducted to determine how the fire started.
In the case of Fire Force, they are dealing with Infernals, humans who spontaneous combust for unknown reasons. Spontaneous combustion is something that happens in real life too, albeit a bit differently. Shinra and company do a great job of showing what heroes can do, and if your kid loves firefighters, this might be one to watch with them!
Watch Fire Force on Funimation!
Athlete – Various sports anime
This one might be obvious, but there are a lot of kids out there that might want to be professional athletes when they grow up. Thankfully, there’s a tremendous amount of sports anime that does a great job of showing that the possibilities are truly endless.
Sports are appealing to children because, from a young age, it’s seen as playtime. It’s only natural that kids would want a fun job.
Shows like Big Windup!, Free! and Cheer Boys!! carefully balance the fun and hard work that comes with being an athlete. It’s physically demanding and requires a lot of practice and time away from home.
These anime also spotlight goal-setting and overcoming those goals. In sports, there’s always a pinnacle — a summit they must reach. The Olympics is a good example of this, and many of the characters featured in these series want to be the best at what they do.
Sports anime offers a good way to discuss with your children how, as they get older, the option of becoming an athlete becomes realistic, through extra-curricular teams, training and more!
Watch sports anime on Funimation!
Teacher – My Hero Academia
A teacher is a common career that kids are interested in. Why? Well, children spend most of their childhood with teachers, and a good portion of their adult lives too.
Teachers do so much more than just teach kids. They’re a shoulder to cry on, an ear to listen, boo-boo fixers, shirt-menders and friends to students. It really is a job that requires a lot, which means there’s a lot to learn from it.
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The teachers at U.A. in My Hero Academia are dealing with super-powered students, but if you’ve ever dealt with kindergartners or high school students, that’s basically the same thing.
Similar to being a chef, you can specialize in a certain subject. Whether your child is good at math, history, art, literature or heroics, they might be able to teach it. Talk to your kids about their favorite subject and favorite teacher in school, and maybe even ask them which teacher in My Hero Academia they would like to be!
Watch My Hero Academia on Funimation!
I hope you’ve enjoyed this anime career day! Which one was your favorite? Is there an anime that spotlights the job you currently have? Let us know on the Funimation Forums!
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