Hey friend, is Alice in Borderland suitable for our kids?

I know you‘ve been wondering if that new Netflix show Alice in Borderland is okay for teens to watch. As a dad myself, I totally get how hard it can be to make the right call on shows with intense violence and mature content. You want to let your teens watch the popular shows their friends are all talking about, but you‘ve got to be sure it won‘t negatively impact them, right?

Let me walk you through what I‘ve discovered about Alice in Borderland. I‘ll give you the details on why it‘s rated MA, compare it to other shows, and share some precautions you could take. My aim is to provide a realistic perspective so you can make an informed decision as a parent. Sound good? Okay, let‘s dive in.

What Exactly is Alice in Borderland Anyway?

First things first, let me provide some background for context. Alice in Borderland is a Japanese sci-fi thriller series based on a manga comic of the same name. It follows a bored young man named Arisu and his friends, who suddenly find themselves transported to a parallel Tokyo where they are forced to compete in deadly survival games.

The tasks they face range from playing children‘s games like red light/green light to confronting horrors like getting doused in acid or facing down monster-like masked warriors. Failure to win generally means gruesome death. Each game has a suit and number attached, like the King of Hearts or Seven of Spades, which tie into an overarching mystery.

So in essence, it‘s a violent action series with psychological thriller elements and some pervasive creepy vibes. The tone is quite intense throughout.

Yikes! No Wonder It‘s Rated MA

Given that insane plot, you won‘t be shocked to hear Alice in Borderland is rated TV-MA by Netflix, meaning it‘s specifically designed for mature adult audiences.

The rating reflects a high level of profanity, sexual situations, and graphic bloody violence. We‘re talking full view of throats being slashed, people burned alive, corpses mutilated. Not to mention rape and suicide are also implied at times.

So in terms of inappropriate content, Alice in Borderland is up there with famously violent shows like Game of Thrones or Walking Dead.

It‘s definitely worse than lighter teen-appropriate shows like Stranger Things, Avatar, or even Squid Games which show less gore and sexual imagery overall.

Common Sense Media agrees, warning of “gruesome injury detail” and “intense peril and violence.” So the mature rating is well deserved.

Violence in Media Can Impact Kids

Here‘s where we have to consider how exposure to intensely violent shows could affect teens psychologically and behaviorally. The research shows it potentially has negative impacts:

• Desensitization – Frequent exposure to violence leads kids to become numb to violence and its true consequences.
• Aggression – Evidence suggests violent media can cause increased aggression in kids both short and long term.
• Fear – Graphic visuals can cause anxiety, sleep troubles, and generally disturbing thoughts in kids.

In fact, the American Academy of Pediatrics warns against any exposure to graphic violent media for kids under 14.

So we definitely need to use extra caution allowing teens to view such intense and graphic content. It could potentially influence them at a vulnerable stage developmentally.

How Does It Compare to Other Shows?

To offer some perspective, let‘s quickly compare Alice in Borderland to some other popular MA and teen shows:

Looking at this comparison, you can see Alice in Borderland is among the most violent, on par with stuff like Squid Game. Shows like Riverdale, despite being TV-14, may actually have less intense violence your teens have seen before.

What Age Can Handle It?

So what age is appropriate to watch Alice in Borderland? There‘s no universal standard, but most child experts and parents agree around 15 or 16 is the bare minimum.

Allowing mature shows requires kids have:

• Good judgment
• Ability to distance fiction from reality
• Emotional stability

Those factors generally emerge by mid-teens. But even then parental guidance is a must! Kids under 14-15 frankly lack the maturity to handle the violence level here. Their risk of desensitization or fear is quite high.

Ultimately you know your teen best in terms of their sensitivity and maturity. But I advise extreme caution allowing under 15s to view something on this level graphically.

Rules and Safeguards We Can Set

If we decide to allow mature shows, there are definitely rules and safeguards we can put in place as parents to make it a safer viewing experience:

• Watch 1-2 episodes first ourselves to assess it
• Set clear time limits on viewing
• Co-view show with teens and discuss the themes and our concerns
• Remind kids it’s fiction and point out unrealistic aspects
• Keep the show out of sight of younger siblings
• Set ongoing check-ins on how they are responding to the show‘s content

I‘ve found structures like these help teens engage with shows maturely. We just have to put in the guidance work on our end!

Trust Your Parental Instincts

At the end of the day, I encourage you to trust your gut when deciding if Alice in Borderland, or any show, is right for your teen. Every child reacts differently. By screening shows ourselves, setting ground rules, co-viewing, and checking in on their reactions, we can allow some mature shows while still prioritizing their emotional well-being.

Hope this gives you a good overview of the themes, risks, and precautions to take with a show like Alice in Borderland. Let me know if you have any other questions! Wishing you the best making the viewing decisions for your family.