Animators need to do more than simply draw compelling characters. They need to tell engaging stories with their drawings, ones that’ll captivate their audience and make them laugh (or cry) throughout. And Jaiden Dittfach, content creator behind JaidenAnimations, is able to do both.

In her work, Dittfach primarily uses things she’s personally experienced throughout her life, from going to the dentist to traveling to Japan. And while not every topic she speaks on may sound initially worth a 10-minute video, her nearly 13 million subscribers will testify to her ability to be funny and engaging on almost any topic.

POSITIVE CONTENT

As mentioned before, Dittfach is a wonderful storyteller, capable of weaving fun stories together that typically last 10 to 20 minutes. Whether she’s describing a trip to Japan or her multiple ventures in Pokémon Nuzlocke (a challenge which makes a Pokémon game much more difficult), Dittfach keeps viewers hooked until the very end.

For the most part, JaidenAnimations strives to be quite friendly to younger audiences. In the instances in which she does touch on topics that are more adult (such as when she describes confusing tetanus for AIDS), she tries to not go into too much detail for the sake of any potential watching children.

CONTENT CONCERNS

Nevertheless, some of Dittfach’s stories contain elements that families may find inappropriate. In one video, Dittfach recounts trying out five psychics, and the video includes references to tarot cards, palm readings and chakras. Likewise, another video gets into Dittfach learning about her sexuality, which she describes as “aromantic and asexual.” (Rarely does Dittfach’s sexuality come into play in her other videos.)

Other videos contain some light swearing, including words like “d–n,” “h—,” “p-ssed” and “crap.” God’s name is occasionally used in vain. And there was one instance in which an s-word is cut off.

CHANNEL SUMMARY

With some exceptions (particularly the aforementioned two video topics and occasional swearing), JaidenAnimations is an enjoyable watch. Younger audiences will certainly be drawn in by Dittfach’s fun art style. However, because some videos contain content that may not be appropriate for said children, we’d caution parents to watch beforehand to determine if JaidenAnimations is right for them.

The post JaidenAnimations appeared first on Plugged In.

In fact, finding movies and TV shows strange is pretty much Meyers’ theme for his channel. I mean, I personally like the movie Holes, but I’d have to admit that it does have some silly elements. And on his eponymous YouTube channel, Meyers jokes about those oddities.

Well, technically, Meyers’ animated character does it. The nameless animation is a white, bald, inoffensive-looking creature. But his appearance belies the (ahem) sometimes-colorful thoughts he has on the subjects and plotlines of all types of movies and shows, from old-school Disney channel dramas to explicit R-rated thrillers.

POSITIVE CONTENT

Meyers pokes fun at movies young and old, and he encourages us that it’s OK to poke fun at entertainment—even entertainment we might otherwise enjoy.

Meyers is quick to point out sections in movies or TV shows that didn’t age well. He also occasionally mentions “red-flag” behavior in films: characters with problematic attitudes, for instance, especially those that exhibit controlling demeanors or emotional attachment issues.  

CONTENT CONCERNS

Some movies Meyers reviews are not appropriate for younger audiences, such as Fifty Shades of Grey, Jennifer’s Body and No Hard Feelings. Meyers augments his reviews with film clips, and while the most intimate moments of those scenes are censored or not shown, references are made to what’s going on, with Meyers frequently using the phrase “devil’s tango” as a euphemism for sex. Likewise, Meyers occasionally makes his own sexual jokes, referencing porn and masturbation.

Light swears such as “a–,” “b–ch” and “h—” occasionally pop up in movie clips. Meyers has used words like “d–chebag” and “ho” in a couple videos. Heavier swears, like the f-word, are censored when they appear in movie clips.

CHANNEL SUMMARY

Alex Meyers is, admittedly, quite funny. And few can deny the flaws in some movies when he points them out. But parents shouldn’t take Meyers’ animated character nor the many videos on kid’s movies as evidence that the channel is child friendly. With the occasional sexual joke and the discussion of movies across the entire MPA-rating spectrum, parents will want to exercise caution with Alex Meyers.

The post Alex Meyers appeared first on Plugged In.

Garcia started her channel in 2010, and she became one of the first prominent Minecraft YouTubers. Her Minecraft-centric videos span hundreds of episodes and have earned her channel millions of views.

But Minecraft isn’t the only game featured on the channel. From adventure to horror to obscure indie games, Garcia and, oftentimes, her husband, Mario, progress through many virtual worlds, all with their audience in tow.

So, let’s find out if this Cupquake is a tasty treat.

POSITIVE CONTENT

Garcia enjoys many games with her husband, Mario, and it’s evident that the two love spending time with one another. They’re often seen playing games together on the channel.

In a couple videos, Garcia noted both the joy and challenges that have come with her becoming a mother. She expresses that, while being a mom can be difficult sometimes, she ultimately loves it.

Because iHasCupquake has been on YouTube for a long time, the channel features a dedicated following of people expressing the positive impact Garcia has had on their lives as they grew up.

Garcia has used her channel to raise money for charity.

CONTENT CONCERNS

Though infrequent, we did hear mostly milder swear words like “a–,” “h—” and “crap.” But in one video, the f-word is used. God’s name was also taken in vain in a number of videos.

Some of the games Garcia plays contain elements that are inappropriate for younger children. For instance, Yandere Simulator contains sexual elements and murder. Mount Your Friends likewise contains sexual elements, and Garcia makes a couple suggestive jokes in an episode about it. Other videos for games like Fran Bow and Little Nightmares contain demonic and/or supernatural elements—and horror games are played on the channel, too. Other games contain blood, death and violence. And in Who’s Your Daddy?!, one gamer plays as a baby attempting to find ways around the house to kill himself while the parent player attempts to stop him.

In a couple videos, iHasCupquake shares some of her political beliefs.

CHANNEL SUMMARY

The thing about gaming YouTubers is that a large portion of their content issues will often be dependent on the games they choose to play. So if parents don’t want to outright ban a channel, they can choose individual videos that unpack more “kid-friendly” games, which wouldn’t have as much problematic content.

That’s not always the case: Some gaming YouTubers are foul no matter what game they play. But on iHasCupquake, the content is indeed throttled back. Yes, some games on this channel are dark and have bloody, disturbing elements. Others, like Minecraft, will likely generate no qualms. The more innocent a game is, the fewer problems Garcia’s video is likely to have.

But “fewer” doesn’t mean “none.” And with that in mind, parents should especially heed our advice to check out these videos beforehand if they’re considering allowing their child to watch.

The post iHasCupquake appeared first on Plugged In.

But if you have five minutes, Casually Explained, a channel managed by a guy named James, somewhat teaches/jokes about such out-of-the-way topics. From rock climbing to travel to red flags in dating, Casually Explained spends a few moments giving a brief synopsis of it filled with dry one-liners.

For a few years, the channel uploaded roughly one video each month before James suddenly stopped uploading more than a year ago. However, the channel has recently returned with a new video, and James alleges that more are on the way. Popular YouTubers who do this tend to pop up on YouTube’s recommendations as their return spreads around the site. So, for those who may think about clicking on the channel, what can you expect?

POSITIVE CONTENT

It’s apparent that James looks to entertain above all else. And many of his jokes are clever and well-constructed. But the channel also wants to teach you about his video’s respective topics, too. For instance, a video on being healthy teaches genuine facts about calorie consumption. Segments typically explain topics with a fair amount of accuracy—even if there’s a joke tacked on at the end.

CONTENT CONCERNS

While some of the channel’s jokes and topics are family friendly, many of them are not. Many of Casually Explained’s jokes are based on references to sexual things. We hear James joke about and make references to sex, male genitalia, masturbation and more. In one video, a naked girl is seen censored behind a black bar. In another, he says that one red flag in dating is when the person in question is a stripper. A video ends with a Viagra commercial. A video on lifting weights shows various men in tight clothing. One video looks generally positively upon one-night stands and hookup culture.

Language is also a concern. Viewers will hear the occasional f-word and s-word. We also heard an instance of the c-word, and in an audio clip played by the channel, someone says the n-word. God’s name is abused, including in the form of “g-dd–n.” And this is hardly an all-inclusive roundup.

Some videos discuss alcohol, and while James does tell viewers to drink responsibly, he also talks about becoming intoxicated in a number of videos. James also jokingly references doing cocaine.

Some videos discuss the theory of evolution, and another video mocks a Bible verse.

CHANNEL SUMMARY

Casually Explained probably isn’t a channel you’ll want your kids watching. While James can be funny and teaches a bit on each topic, the many sexual references and swearing (among other concerns) will likely be too far for your family.

The post Casually Explained appeared first on Plugged In.

First, we like to choose channels that have unique draws to them, and many baby-focused channels tend to focus on the same themes, such as toy unboxings or nursery rhymes (that additionally makes it hard for us to say much of anything positive or negative about the channel). Second, we also choose channels that may have a viral video or two that’d bring viewers (particularly young viewers) to them, and that virality isn’t as likely with the generalized content of baby channels. And third, when you, our readers, write in to ask us to review certain channels, we notice that there’s just not much interest in baby-centric channels.

All that being said, however, we’ve got a couple things to say about ABC – All Babies Channel. After all, it does have some unique videos, which we’ll touch on below.

All Babies Channel uploads exclusively 3-D nursery rhymes roughly two to three times per week. The channel’s videos are typically compilations of children’s songs, sometimes providing hours of animation to the songs that children can watch and listen to. That includes classic songs like “The Wheels on the Bus,” “Old MacDonald Had a Farm” and “Twinkle Twinkle Little Star.”

POSITIVE CONTENT

The channel offers lots of content to get your child engaged with nursery rhymes. The fun videos will teach viewers how to pronounce words and grow in their literary comprehension. Other videos focus on other beneficial topics, like teaching viewers how to deal with emotions, apologizing and saying “please” or the importance of brushing their teeth.

But many of those positives could be said for any channel focused on nursery rhymes. Unfortunately, the unique side of All Babies Channel comes in the form of some concerns.

CONTENT CONCERNS

While certainly not scary, a large amount of All Babies Channel content is based around Halloween or otherwise “spooky” content. In these types of videos, classic nursery rhymes are played in a minor key, and the creatures depicted on screen include zombies, vampires and living skeletons. One nursery rhyme shows the channel’s four mascots being turned into zombies. These videos are uploaded with relative frequency rather than being based around Halloween.

CHANNEL SUMMARY

All Babies Channel contains many nursery rhymes that can keep your child engaged for as long as you think is appropriate. But its peculiar focus on spooky rhymes may make you reconsider subscribing.

The post ABC—All Babies Channel appeared first on Plugged In.

It just may be a bit overwhelming, and that’s why Study Hall was created: to help give prospective students—young and old—all the information they can to help them make a more informed, more confident decision regarding their college education.

What can you expect from Study Hall? Well, quite a bit.

The channel is a collaboration by educational YouTube channel CrashCourse, Arizona State University and YouTube. And its main content is divided up into three respective groupings.

The first, named “How to College,” will hyperlink you to a CrashCourse playlist that’ll take you through all the basics, including how to choose a school, major and specialization, how to pay for college and even how to manage any loan payments after college.

Another series, labeled “Fast Guides,” tries to make the process of picking a major easier. Each video centers on a specific major, such as Nursing, Computer Science and Mass Communications. These videos will inform viewers what kind of classes you’ll likely need to take, what specializations you could study and what kinds of jobs (and salaries) you could get with the degree.

Finally, the channel contains introductory courses via the “College Foundations” series. They’re courses taught by “CrashCourse and ASU educators,” according to the channel’s website, covering topics like “Chemistry,” “Real World College Math” and “Rhetoric and Composition.” The videos allow viewers to “test-drive college level topics that interest [them] most,” according to Study Hall.

And if you’d like to earn actual college credit, Study Hall has a way to do that, too, via its aforementioned website. After paying a fee (at time of posting, $25), users can join the respective College Foundations’ full course, where they will “complete projects, assignments and assessments, have conversations with other learners, and receive feedback from course faculty.”

You’ll only have to actually pay for the ASU college credit when you’re happy with the grade you got in the class. (And, if you’re planning to attend somewhere other than ASU, the credits can transfer to all institutions that will accept them, which Study Hall notes is in “the hundreds.”)

POSITIVE CONTENT

Study Hall offers yet another resource that will prepare people for their college journey, helping them make informed decisions about the university they want to attend and major they want to study. Videos will provide detailed information and instruction on how a prospective student might go about many tasks necessary to college.

The channel further helps to make college credit more easily accessible to everyone. Not all high schools offer the same amount of AP credit or dual credit options, meaning that some college students have to spend more money getting an education in college simply based on the school district to which they were assigned. But with Study Hall, provided students have a good enough Internet connection, they can earn cheaper college credit they otherwise would not have been able to obtain.

CONTENT CONCERNS

There aren’t many concerns here of which a high school or college-aged person would likely be wary. Of course, whenever it comes to education, students should always be guarding their hearts against any false or misleading teaching, or if a teacher posits their personal opinions as fact.

In the preview video for the Real World College Math course, the LGBT flag can be seen hanging on a door as the instructor talks about wanting to make the course accessible to all types of people.

CHANNEL SUMMARY

Study Hall mimics its CrashCourse predecessor through the shared vision of wanting to make education accessible to everyone. It also attempts to offer a more tangible way for viewers to benefit from that vision by providing a way for them to earn more affordable college credit. As with anyone submitting to a teacher’s education, prospective students of Study Hall will want to be watchful of teaching that may not be helpful, true or biblical. But generally, Study Hall just might be the thing that’ll help get you started on the process of getting your degree.

The post Study Hall appeared first on Plugged In.

The fun times and mishaps of cat ownership are the focus of his YouTube channel, Simon’s Cat. It sports more than a hundred different web cartoons for viewers to watch (and perhaps even relate to). From the incessant scratching on everything except the scratching post to having to constantly step over the cat as it sleeps on the steps, this animated cat causes a lot of mayhem.

POSITIVE CONTENT

Tofield’s cartoons are funny, enjoyable shorts and feature situations to which pet owners will likely be able to relate. One video warns against overfeeding your pet. And in general, viewers can enjoy the videos without needing to worry about content within them.

CONTENT CONCERNS

There is very little content to be concerned about on the channel. The cat’s anus is depicted by a dot on its rear. We’ll see slapstick humor, such as when the cat uses a baseball bat to wake its owner, or when it throws objects at Simon to avoid his grasp. The cat urinates on Simon in one web cartoon. One video’s title will bring to mind a common crass saying (but is in itself just fine). The channel’s merchandise website sells items related to horoscopes.

CHANNEL SUMMARY

Simon’s Cat is the modern-day equivalent of opening the newspaper to the funny pages for your favorite comic artist. We found only minor hairballs to be concerned about with this web cartoon, and it’ll be especially relatable to pet owners.

The post Simon’s Cat appeared first on Plugged In.

Whether it’s ranking pizza toppings, discussing getting appendicitis or talking about growing up with two sisters, Ice Cream Sandwich has plenty to say and plenty of jokes to tell.

POSITIVE CONTENT

Andy encourages people to try things that fall outside of their comfort zone because they may discover that they’ll enjoy it. His videos are based around subjects and life stories he wants to talk about, and each video contains many jokes for its viewers.

CONTENT CONCERNS

In a couple videos, Andy refers to himself as an idiot. Light swearing may be heard, primarily misuses of God’s name but also including “h—,” “a–” and “crap.” Andy occasionally references alcohol, and he also tells a story of a man attempting to ship a box of marijuana at Andy’s job. Videos contain comical slapstick violence. Because of this (and likely due to compliance with COPPA), Ice Cream Sandwich lists its videos as appropriate for viewers ages 13 and up.

CHANNEL SUMMARY

Ice Cream Sandwich isn’t likely to teach you anything new, but sometimes we just like to use YouTube to take a moment and relax. In the latter case, Ice Cream Sandwich just might accomplish the task. Parents will just want to be aware of the channel’s light language concerns before allowing their children to munch on this video sandwich.

The post Ice Cream Sandwich appeared first on Plugged In.

But then, suddenly, Sam vanished, and his channel would go untouched for more than two years—before he returned at the beginning of October, 2022.

This, however, isn’t your average YouTube history channel. For one, everything is drawn in crude stick-figure fashion. For another, the content can often be crude, too.

POSITIVE CONTENT

Sam O’Nella Academy will teach viewers about various historical events and other interesting facts. Whether it’s obscure inventions, etymology or “history’s worst non-water floods,” viewers will surely learn about various topics of varying importance.

CONTENT CONCERNS

Some topics, like “Dead Body Hijinks,” may not be appropriate for younger audiences, and parents can often tell just by the title. But even seemingly innocuous topics will have their issues due to Sam’s delivery.

In the video “Scandalous Popes of the Middle Ages,” Sam discusses various popes and their history with gambling, prostitution and more. Sam’s videos additionally contain frequent uncensored heavy swears. We’ll hear references to various sexual acts, and one video depicts a sex object. Jesus holds a Playboy magazine in one video, and Wikipedia is depicted as God in another. Furthermore, Sam displays a misunderstanding of why Christians use the cross as a religious symbol.

We’ll see an animated character vomit, and we’ll hear references to evolution.

CHANNEL SUMMARY

There’s a lot to learn on the Sam O’Nella Academy YouTube channel, but there’s also a lot of content issues that parents may not want their children viewing.

The post Sam O’Nella Academy appeared first on Plugged In.

At least, so thinks Jeremey Chinshue, the man behind TerminalMontage. His channel summarizes those classic games (and a few others) through a hodge-podge of crazy and chaotic animations, each with their own hectic twist to add humor.

Watch as Kirby’s nonchalance (and apparently, Christian faith) save the day. See Link be beaten into a pulp over and over in Ocarina of Time as you realize that, at the end of the day, though he’s an adult, he’s still got a child’s mind. See Mario try to speed run through every obstacle that comes his way.

POSITIVE CONTENT

In “A Very Kirbo Christmas,” Kirbo celebrates Christmas by spending time passing out food and donating supplies to a homeless shelter. He also thanks God “for loving us so much by sending your son Jesus Christ, so that we may have eternal life.”

Though the videos are often quite chaotic, we often see characters sacrificing for and helping one another.

CONTENT CONCERNS

As many of TerminalMontage’s video titles indicate, videos will often have loud noises and flashing lights. Videos will occasionally contain flatulence and vomiting. One video contained a censored animated character running nude. Additionally, characters fight with a variety of weapons and are killed in slapstick ways.

God’s name is occasionally misused. Additionally, a running joke is that “Kirbo” (TerminalMontage’s version of Nintendo’s Kirby) is a devout Christian, and he often pulls out a cross and quotes from the Bible in order to defeat the final boss in his videos. (It should be noted that Jeremey himself professes to be Christian, and while some may find the depictions inappropriate, the depiction isn’t meant to mock.) At one point, God expresses that Kirbo is His most favorite creation. Other characters, like Luigi, also express faith, and the two perform an exorcism to remove a “speed demon” from Mario.

Some animated characters may be frightening to younger audiences.

CHANNEL SUMMARY

Jeremey’s videos contain a lot of details that fans of each franchise will get a kick out of noticing and jokes for them to laugh at. However, the chaotic videos and the content therewithin may be a bit too intense for younger audiences.

The post TerminalMontage appeared first on Plugged In.