Dickens & Rumi
Cover of Next Gen

film

Next Gen

Age rating, content warnings & parent guide

2018

Is Next Gen appropriate for your child? See the reviewed age guidance, content cautions, positive themes, and supporting evidence below.

A friendship with a top-secret robot turns a lonely girl's life into a thrilling adventure as they take on bullies, evil bots and a scheming madman.

Ages 10+Source checked

Why this age? PG-rated animated action includes robot battles, weapons, explosions, kidnapping, deaths, frightening peril, a villain seeking human extinction, and grief over lost family and memories. The violence is fantastical but emotionally significant. This is guidance, not a safety guarantee; reading level and family context may differ.

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10-second decision

Is this likely to fit your family?

Age guidanceAges 10+
Strongest cautionsDeath of a character 4/5 · Frightening scenes 4/5 · Violence 4/5
Strongest positivesCourage & resilience 4/5 · Kindness & empathy 4/5
Recommendation3.8/5

Courage & resilience; strongest caution: death of a character.

This is the quick scan. Open the evidence and methodology below for the basis behind each rating.

Quick context

What parents should know

PG-rated animated action includes robot battles, weapons, explosions, kidnapping, deaths, frightening peril, a villain seeking human extinction, and grief over lost family and memories. The violence is fantastical but emotionally significant. This is guidance, not a safety guarantee; reading level and family context may differ. Courage & resilience; strongest caution: death of a character.

Readiness snapshotAge guidance: 10+Main watch-out: Death of a character 4/5
Recommendation 3.8/5

Editorial rating

How this review was built

Dickens & Rumi editorial
Source checkedPublication method
13Scored categories
13Evidence notes
1Explicit 0/5 checks
Oct 22, 2026Last updated

Dickens & Rumi describes what is present; families decide what matters to them. Community reactions are kept separate from official content ratings.

How ratings workReport a rating or series issue
Review depth13 scored categories13 evidence notes

Quick view

At a glance

Recommended age10+

Strongest cautions

  • Death of a character4/5
  • Frightening scenes4/5
  • Violence4/5

Strongest positives

  • Courage & resilience4/5
  • Kindness & empathy4/5
  • Positive messages4/5

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What’s in it?

Products & advertising2/5
Why this rating?

The story prominently features a robotics corporation, product launch, Q-Bots, and technology marketing, though this serves the plot rather than directly selling products.

Death of a character4/5
Why this rating?

Mai’s father has died; Dr. Rice is killed; Pin and Ares are destroyed; and 7723’s reset brings an emotional loss of his memories.

Strong language1/5
Why this rating?

The supplied material indicates mild name-calling and snark, with no evidence of strong profanity or slurs.

Frightening scenes4/5
Why this rating?

Frequent high-stakes peril includes pursuit, kidnapping, lethal robots, explosions, threatened human extinction, and a child in danger, though presented in animated sci-fi action.

Violence4/5
Why this rating?

Frequent animated action sequences involving robot combat, explosions, and weapons. Characters are threatened and some instances of destruction occur, but no realistic gore.

Checked and not flagged

No concern recorded in these categories

These categories were explicitly scored 0/5 in the published review. This is not a guarantee that every edition or reader experience is identical.

Graphic injury · 0/5

What’s good in it?

Courage & resilience4/5
Why this rating?

Characters frequently display courage by standing up to bullies and facing life-threatening odds to protect others.

Creativity & curiosity3/5
Why this rating?

Encourages imagination regarding the potential and ethical implications of future technology.

Diverse representation2/5
Why this rating?

Features a multi-ethnic cast of characters in a diverse futuristic city setting.

Educational value1/5
Why this rating?

Incidental lessons on social-emotional intelligence and processing trauma.

Kindness & empathy4/5
Why this rating?

The relationship between Mai and the robot is built on mutual support and acts of kindness.

Positive messages4/5
Why this rating?

Strong themes regarding the importance of memories, forgiveness, and the value of human connection over technology.

Good role models3/5
Why this rating?

Mai is initially portrayed as a rebellious and somewhat impulsive character, but she matures and learns from her mistakes.

Family discussion

Talk about it

Conversation starters based on this title’s published content notes.

  1. What did courage look like in this story? Was being brave always the same as being fearless?
  2. How did the story approach death or loss? What helped the characters cope?
  3. Which choice in Next Gen would you have made differently, and why?
  4. Who changed the most in Next Gen, and what caused that change?
Discuss this title with other parents

Community perspective — separate from editorial ratings

What families noticed

Community signal

Community ratings and written reactions are a separate layer. They do not automatically change Dickens & Rumi’s official age guidance or content scores.

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These content notes are a starting point, not a guarantee. Review the evidence and use your own judgment before choosing a title.

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