Search - Hello Kitty & Friends, Vol. 5: Princess Dreams on DVD

Baffled

K. | 12/30/2004

(2 out of 5 stars)

"This is the first Hello Kitty show I've ever bought. I have seen the products forever, the cute stationary, etc., but never knew about the DVDs. I expected it to be cutesy, appropriate for my 2 1/2 year old. I was truly surprised when I put this on, and it went from cutesy stuff to scary stuff that was very much in line with JapAnimation anime that I've seen bits of before that are not for the very young. I turned it off when my husband pointed out to a busy me that it didn't look too appropriate. Later we put it on after she went to bed. We were craking up at how it went from super-cutesy stuff to the sweet kitties walking into the spooky forest, seeing a scary monster, etc. Fairy tales can be on the spooky side, and I don't think these tales were watered down for preschoolers. Maybe she'll like it when she's about 6-8, but it's not for her anytime soon when we're used to the innocence of Blues Clues, Kipper, and Caillou still. I am so curious to know if the other Hello Kitties are only cutesy, or if they have this more spooky Japanimation stuff in it too.

"

The fifth volume of Hello Kitty & Friends

Lesley Aeschliman | Enumclaw, WA | 12/03/2008

(3 out of 5 stars)

"Hello Kitty & Friends: Princess Dreams is the fifth volume of DVDs released for Hello Kitty & Friends. This disc features two stories starring Hello Kitty ("The Sleeping Princess" and "The Prince in His Dream Castle") and two stories featuring Keroppi ("The Adventures of the Coward Prince" and "The Frog's Secret House"). However, I am confused by the inclusion of "The Frog's Secret House," since it doesn't fit into the "princess dreams" theme.

Admittedly, this is a rather "low frills" DVD. When the disc is put into the DVD player, it goes straight to the first story after the Hello Kitty's Paradise promo, rather than to the main menu. Also, the only "special feature" on the disc is the DVD credits. While I would normally count the lack of special features against a DVD, I can't with this disc since it's being aimed at and marketed to young children. With young children, special features aren't as important, since they won't sit still long enough to view them, anyway. As an adult, I found the episodes to be enjoyable, and that the writing for the English dub was done in such a way that it wasn't talking down to the kids.

These Hello Kitty DVDs contain anime that's very friendly to young children, although girls will probably be more interested than boys. If you have a young child at home and are looking for kid-friendly anime, then I would recommend the Hello Kitty & Friends DVDs."

First Hand Account: Not Inappropriate

J. Farmer | Eugene, OR | 11/18/2006

(5 out of 5 stars)

"I have to disagree with all the parents that left reviews for this video, stating that it was "inappropriate" for young children. While it does contain some suspense and "scary" images (arguably comparable to those of such children's classics as Snow White), it was far more enjoyable and memorable to me as a young child than the brainlessly cheerful kid's movies that over-protective parents love to expose their children to.

Renting this movie every couple weeks was the highlight of my LIFE as a five year-old, and I'm so grateful that I was able to track down such a beloved part of my (non-dysfunctional) childhood. 5 STARS!"

This used to air on Disney!

Alanna Evans | 06/17/2007

(4 out of 5 stars)

"For all of these people that wrote in to say it was "too scary" for their kids (what?!) I just want to put in my two cents. This is the same Hello Kitty series that used to air on Toon Disney back in the mid 90s. Its basically Hello Kitty and other Sanrio characters (such as Kerroppi and Pekkle) acting as the stars of famous fairy tales and stories such as Heidi, Snow White, Robin Hood, etc. The stories are fairly watered down versions (especially compared to the original Brothers Grimm tales of these same stories - read the originals before claiming the darker bits are because of "Japanimation" - doh!)

No blood is shed, there's little violence. Its the same stuff you have seen before. Cinderella still has the cruel step sisters and the fairy godmother that waves her wand and makes magic for Hello Kitty as Cinderella on the night of the ball, etc. These stories are not too scary for children, they are the same ones we've seen a million times, just acted out by Sanrio properties this time.

Im giving it four stars because the transfer is absolutely atrocious. I dont know what master this came from but the screen is constantly shaky like someone holding a handcam and the colours are dreadfully washed out. There was obviously no attempt to clean this up.... other than that its good clean fun and nice presentations of the fairy tales."