The latest Japanese import on Netflix, Old Enough, is stealing hearts everywhere. Viewers can’t help but melt at the cuteness of the toddlers who are left to navigate the big bad world without their parents. The premise makes you apprehensive, right? It has sparked several debates regarding the message it sends and the development of the kids. Despite the opposing views, cuteness is consistent in all the episodes that have a runtime of eight to 20 minutes. 

In this show, parents ask the toddlers from roughly two to four years old to run some errands. The errands include making juice, picking things up from the supermarket, and even taking public transport.

Although this is new to the international audience, this show debuted in the 1990s on Japanese television as Hajimete no Otsukai. But who are these kids that you see on the show? Let’s meet them. 

Meet the Old Enough toddlers on Netflix 

In the first episode of Old Enough on Netflix you meet the two-year-old Hiroki. He has to take public transport and travel 0.6 miles to buy flowers, fish cakes, and curry for his mother. The camera follows Yuta in the second episode. He has to make mandarin juice with lemon and syrup. After much nudging from his mother, he finally gets the job done. In another episode, we follow Koiki. Her job is simple – she has to deliver her father’s lunch to his job site at the harbor. However, she has to brave 1.2 km. Her brother also completed his first task a month before her. He had to deliver souvenirs around the neighborhood. 

How are the Kids cast for the show? 

The show picks kids for the series through a rigorous process. After the casting is finalized, they devise a meticulous plan along with the parents. The camera crew constantly supervises the kid and steps in if things go wrong. Even the neighbors are notified about the kid’s first errand in the neighborhood so that they can oversee his activities as well. 

Moreover, the streets in Japan are built in a way so that pedestrians and children alike can walk safely. It’s very common for Japanese toddlers to go to school all alone.