Do I have to teach you everything?




Growing up, I wasn't much into Pokemon or the accoutrements thereof.  So, when Digimon came out and all those accoutrements, I wasn't into those either.  Ditto for all the other things.  And I'm not really into manga or anime either, which are, let's face it, the slightly more adult version of Pokemon and such.  There's nothing wrong with them, I just don't like them.  I don't see the appeal in them, to be honest.  

 However, I am now a nanny to two boys.  And they are into them.  The first day that I was on the job, I played Beyblades.  Beyblades is a manga series in which the main characters, Beybladers, have these little tops that fight.  So, it's quite easy to make real-life metal tops that fight.  True, they're not as cool as the ones in the show, but they do fight.  I think the tops are extremely fun.  Furthermore, unlike Pokemon, I can actually watch the cartoons without constantly thinking, "Please!  Just turn it off!"  But I had to learn all about Beyblades--all the characters, the different blades and everything! 


Then, came Pokemon again.  Everyday that I clean up around the house, I find more Pokemon cards.  It's hardly bearable.  I sometimes just want to throw them out when I find them--they obviously didn't care enough about them anyways.  But I don't.  And now, I know more about Pokemon then I could possibly have wanted to know.  I know about Ash and his Pikachu, and Iris and her Atzu (no idea how to spell it though).  And yet, I still have no understanding of what is going on there.



Then, came Ninjago.  Ninjago is an American-made, Lego series about four-in-training ninjas, specializing in the art of spin-jitsu.  You can also get little tops for the lego-people--which also fight.  I am going to be honest, Ninjago is entrancing.  I really don't mind watching them, and the tops are fun (especially since you can then put any lego person you want on them).  Also, the animation in the Ninjago cartoons is better than that in Pokemon or most manga.  Seeing as everything in Ninjago is made of legos, that is saying something.


Just when I thought I had learned everything, then came Bakugan.  I sat down with the four-year-old to talk about the Bakugans that he wanted to play with, and I said, "So, tell me about these guys. Who is bad?  Who is good?  Do the Bakugans have humans who own them like Pokemons or Beyblades?"  After asking some questions, he looked up at me, and said, "Do I have to teach you everything?"


Why, yes.  You do.  I have no clue what a Bakugan is.  And before you taught me, I had no idea what a Ninjago was.  Or a Beyblade.  And I had only a tiny idea what a Pokemon was.  So, yes.  I guess you do have to teach me everything.

Comments

Kim said…
Thankfully I've dodged most of those bullets and have never had to endure any Pokemon, Bakugan, or Beyblades. Even Ninjago, which was big at our house for quite a while, is definitely waning.
July 5, 2012 at 11:02 AM
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