Apr 08, 2022 (The Guardian) - If you have looked at Netflix over the past few days, there is an overwhelming chance that you will have been bashed over the head by a weird-looking Japanese documentary.
No matter what your viewing history is – whether you prefer Bridgerton or Stranger Things, Breaking Bad or second world war documentaries – there it is. Floating in multicoloured bubble letters, devoid of any context whatsoever, is the title Old Enough. Which begs the question: what the hell is Old Enough?
Unfortunately, the initial explanation is even more confusing than Netflix’s aggressive push. Old Enough is the wildly popular Japanese show Hajimete no Otsukai (My First Errand), an entertainment documentary show where toddlers are sent out into the world completely alone, to go shopping or navigate public transport. In Japan, Old Enough has been airing for 30 years, with two three-hour shows broadcast each year. When it airs, a fifth of all Japanese viewers tune in. It’s a true phenomenon.
The length between episodes can be explained by the sheer level of preparation that goes into each task. All the errand routes are inspected by parents and production staff, to check for dangerous roads or “suspicious persons”. The children are chosen after a laborious selection process, the camera crew and safety team are given hiding places so the kids won’t spot them and all the local neighbours are informed of the task, so as not to freak out and call the police when they see a four-year-old wandering aimlessly through the streets.
