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Since the broadcast of it's sequel “The Legend of Korra,” Avatar: the Last Airbender seems to have spiked in popularity. Pinterst is jam packed with posts about its characters. Tumblr is host to hoards of gifs, images, and jokes, based on the show. And I must admit that I was skeptical. How could a little kid's show live up to this level of popularity? Surely, everyone was seeing it with nostalgia-colored classes, enjoying a trip back to their childhoods when they thought about the showing. My sister finally talked me into watching it, and well, I was wrong. It was as good as they see it is, maybe better. I'm here to tell you that it really as good as people say it is. |
Background:
This Nickelodean animated fantasy series, which played from 2005-2008, is 62 episodes long and is broken into 3 books. It's rated TV-Y7, which surprises me because it's fairly heavy in the violence category. However, there is no blood, gore, etc. There is, of course, no bad language, and little to no crude humor. However, it takes a lot of elements from Eastern religion, so viewers who might find that offensive should be aware.
The Plot:
This show is set in a world divided into four nations – the Earth kingdom, the Fire Kingdom, the Air Kingdom, and the Water kingdom. Select people from each kingdom can bend, or control, their respective elements. The Avatar, who is the only person who can learn to bend all four elements, 9is entrusted with the job of keeping balance, safety, and peace in the world. Our TV show opens when a brother-sister duo from the Water kingdom, Katara and Sokka, discover 12-year-old Aang, the latest reincarnation of the nearly immortal Avatar, frozen in the ice. He emerges into a world that is 100 years older and now at war; the Fire Nation has been conquering each of the nations. He and the brother-sister duo set out to help Aang to learn to bend all four elements, so he can stop the Fire Nation before they take complete control.
The plot is roughly that of a video game; each book ends with a “boss level,” where the main characters have to attempt to defeat a strong and dangerous foe. On top of that, the plot is fairly fast-paced. Because the characters spend the bulk of the series evading capture , they face kidnapping, imprisonment, Kidnapping, and even their own deaths. However, especially toward the beginning, the plot can be a bit meandering. Though Aang has a clear goal to learn to bend all of the elements and defeat the Fire Nation, a few episodes seem to have little or no connection to that primary goal, which frustrates me sometimes. Also, some of the romantic pairs that form seem forced to me, as if they're plot devices more than character development.
Characters:
This shows plot is engaging, but the characters were largely what kept me coming back Each one is fleshed out slowly and carefully so that they feel more like friends than figments of someone's imagination. However, Sokka's character development is one of the most impressive. He begins the story as an egotistical and zealous, but inept child who is driven by a need to make his father proud. He can't fish; he can't fight; he can't even make half-decent jokes. While his jokes don't improve a great deal (their terribleness is part of their charm, in my opinion), he learns competence and humility. He learns to lead the rag tag group of freedom fighters with strategy and forethought, depending on logic and science where his friends would depend on bending. He also becomes a brilliant fighter and battle strategist.
The primary villain is also REALLY hatable. However, if I tell you about him, I'll give too much of the plot away.
World Building:
The world-building in this series is intricate and believable. Each of the three books takes place in a different nation (Water, Earth, and Fire, respectively) and during those books our heroes show us the day-to-day lives of the people within those nations. For example, you learn that earth benders entertain themselves with bending competitions that resemble professional wrestling, while the Fire Nation seems to favor theatrical productions and the Water Nation likes dance. We learn that the Earth Nation is full of strong and stubborn people, the Water Nation is full of people who prefer peace but can fight when necessary, and the Fire Nation tends toward anger and impulsivity. The show also introduces us to a host of strange animals that are actually combinations of two animals. (The ostrich-horse is one of my favorites.) By taking their characters to markets, the ports, and the homes all over the currently inhabited world (the Air nation has been destroyed, hence the title Avatar: The Last Airbender) the creators form a beautiful and immersive fantasy realm.
The Animation:
I swear this show is a gateway drug to true anime. Though it is American, it is steeped in Asian culture (honor is a major factor in this series, for example), and becomes progressively more anime-like in its animation style. While I am not versed enough in Japanese animation to explain this well, just trust me; the third book especially takes more of its style from Japan.
The Bottom Line:
If you haven't seen it, WATCH IT! If you have seen it, but its been a while, WATCH IT AGAIN!
In all seriousness, though, it is the type of riveting series that sticks in your mind for a long time, and I think most (fantasy-liking) people would really enjoy it.
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