The Amazing Digital Circus isn't for Kids, But Not for the Reasons You Think

The Amazing Digital Circus isn't for Kids, But Not for the Reasons You Think

There's more to a dark story than sex, drugs, and circuses.

On June 20, Media distributor Glitch Productions published the ninth and final episode of The Amazing Digital Circus on YouTube. This should technically close the door on this animated phenomenon by creator Gooseworx, but the embers of fandom hype rarely cool quickly. There's still a lot of conversation surrounding the 3D animated miniseries, notably from parents whose youngsters visit the titular Circus for the first time and are quickly exposed to content that is too adult for them.

This understandably causes parents to gasp, "Is The Amazing Digital Circus for children?" The easy answer is, “No." Most countries' media ratings systems give Digital Circus a PG or an equivalent, but 13 or 14 seems like a better starting age. This is a little ironic, as the characters populating the Circus are automatically censored if they swear in order to preserve the big top's kid-friendly facade. Romantic bonds also form between some of the characters, but talk of sex is likewise shut down immediately, because that's just not the kind of thing that goes into the code of a game that's effectively one of those “free with purchase” breakfast cereal CD-ROMs from the 1990s.

That said, the sex talk is still there, however brief. And there are moments when Digital Circus gets pretty scary via disturbing imagery and dark psychological hoo-hah. And that’s where you find the real discussion about how appropriate Digital Circus is, or isn't, for kids. A 12-year-old kid who loves gothic stuff and digests Tim Burton movies without so much as an unsettled burp is going to dive nose-first into Digital Circus and adore it. But a shy 14-year-old who's more easily affected by scary images and sounds on TV is probably going to have a really hard time when the Angel from episode 3 pops up. (Look this up at your own peril—we're talking less "Hallmark angel" and more "Biblically accurate angel" here.)     

There's also the question of how ready a kiddo is to confront topics like gender and body dysmorphia (which several characters struggle with), personal identity, and suicide. It's really these deeper, darker moments that bump up Digital Circus' age of admission, much more so than its bad words or salacious jokes. It's an uproariously funny show at times, but not everyone appreciates using of humor to dissipate the tension surrounding life's taboos.

So: “Is The Amazing Digital Circus appropriate for my child?" As always, the most complete answer can only be achieved by observing how your kid reacts to media, then talking to them about it. Generally, 14-year-olds are physically and mentally prepared to identify with a funny circus man whose head is mostly made of teeth. Realistically, that might not be your kid. Move accordingly.