Avatar: The Last Airbender

It seems rare for Nickelodeon to turn out a good new show these days, and even more rare for me to like an anime style cartoon, which is why I'm baffled as to why I love this show so much. Having not missed an episode yet, and having a reminder for new episodes on my desktop, I've seen that it just keeps getting better and better as it goes. Some of the story lines are predictable, but that doesn't turn me off of Avatar as it might some other things, which just adds more to my confusion as to why I love this show so much. Many kudos to Nickelodeon, this is easily greatest show since Rocko's Modern Life (IMO) and after Spongebob Squarepants, that is most definitely saying something!

This review will be very long. I adore this show with every fibre of my being, and view it to be a piece of animated perfection. I implore people to avoid the disgusting live-action adaptation by director M. Night Shyamalan, as it is a disrespectful sham that mocks everything that the show stood for and mastered.So as for the show itself, where to begin? Well let's start with the story overall.

Avatar tells a complete a perfectly paced epic plot over the course of 61 22 minute episodes. The show contains several unique and beautifully detailed characters among its main cast, all of whom are given consistent and engaging development throughout. From family related guilt and angst, identity dilemmas and the characters constant, overarching and looming quest, the characters are pressed with many trials which actually truly change them over the course of their magnificent journey. Aside from the primary cast, many intriguing and varied side characters appear throughout the adventure. They offer comedic levity, new forms of drama and help to add to the deep mythological and philosophical backbone of the show. All characters are exquisitely written and voice acted, with not a badly portrayed among them.

Next I will cover the show's borderline legendary animation. It is a sight to behold indeed. I believe I am justified in believing that such stellar production values will never again be pared with this level of artistic imagination again, at least not in my lifetime. The scope, creativity and energy of the shows animation is second to no other show, and it's balance of colour is never anything less than sublime. Aside from sweeping and moving visuals, Avatar also offers fast paced and unbelievably well choreographed action scenes (once again, second to none) and well timed slapstick comedy. Not only is the animation stunning, it is also staggeringly versatile.

The show's epic mythos is also very strong, and demands to be deepened and added to (thankfully Korra is doing just that). It takes inspiration from Buddhist, Inuit, Western, Japanese and Korean cultures to deliver it's unique world, as well as many original and creative elements in conjunction with the more recognisable real world concepts. The show manages to weave philosophy and deep moral concepts within its world and characters, creating one of the most fleshed out fantasy worlds of the last several decades.

In conclusion, what can I even say? I love Avatar: TLA more every time I experience it, and it is one of very few shows (or even films) which can provoke a primal emotional response from me each time I see it, without fail. It sends shivers down my spine, and puts a tear to my eye, leaving me totally satisfied and fulfilled each time. My favourite television show, of all time.

Even though Avatar is of American origin, it has a lot of Japanese anime influence, particularly visually, but keeps the best of both animation cultures with it's American sense of playfulness and more realized characterization. The creators of Avatar have really crafted an artistic piece of fun and creative storytelling that is a rare gem for American TV. Avatar has strength in all the major areas of film and story, starting at ground level with an exceptionally believable world setting where war is taking place among the different nations. The main characters who find themselves caught in this struggle are three teens named Katara, Sokka, and Aang (the Avatar) who have set forth to bring harmony to the world through their influence and through the powers of the still developing Avatar. There is lot of humor and fun in this show, and you can't help but to really love these characters and their pets. But this is just the beginning of the glue that keeps you coming back. Great plots and stunning visuals are just as much of importance to the overall success of the show. The story lines are top notch, being both episodic in nature and chronologically integral from one show to the next. Each episode usually introduces a new and genuinely interesting opposition and/or characters to be overcome by the end of the show, and visually there is plenty of awe inspiring backgrounds and quality animation. With just enough well paced action, some sincere points of moral conviction (can you believe it), and witty humor makes the show a winning combination. This is entertainment for all ages, and definitely a must see.

Avatar The Last Airbender shouldn't be underestimated. For a while I didn't even look twice at it due to it being on Nickelodeon and me being past the age of watching anything on Nick aside from the classic Nicktoons or Nick shows from the 1990s. But word got around that it was really fantastic, a sort of Kung fu style show where a master goes from place to place having adventures. Turns out the people I heard the word from weren't kidding: the saga of Aang, the last airbender and Avatar, who masters the four elements (air, earth, water, fire) and has to save the world by stopping the power-hungry fire lord, Ozai, is as epic as anything I've ever seen. It's an achievement of storytelling that creeps up on you, and while the first season isn't perfect the second season delivers episode after episode that enriches the characters and makes us care about them as we would in, for obvious example, Star Wars.

In fact, the only minor complaint I would have against the second season (not sure yet about the third) is that it borrows quite heavily from the Empire Stikes Back (i.e. the 'one-who-will-save-us-all' mythology from Joseph Campbell is off training with an old master, feels his friend(s) in pain and danger in the future, rushes off before finishing training, bad things ensue, etc). But really, all of the characters get developed quite well, and if anything the development of the character Prince Zuko, a scarred son of Ozai who has been banished until he can bring back the Avatar along with his banished uncle Iroh, is astonishing in its complexity. We don't care about this character at first, in the first season he comes off like a whiner with Iroh as the wonderful comic relief (think Pokemon if the brother and sister weren't so annoying). But by season two a whole other dimension comes into play: who are you, and what are you doing with yourself?

The trek with the three main characters, and the extra characters like Toph (a little blind girl who is one of those great bad-asses you have to see to believe), is one that is sophisticated enough to bring in adults, and for kids it's often just rollicking fun when it isn't deep or dark. The villains are convincing and scary, the humor hits when it needs to (and sometimes it can be just downright trippy and hilarious, like the second episode of season two, the Cave of Two Lovers), and the animation is often breathtaking. As they say on the internet now: it's made of Win!

This is show is one of the best shows ever created. There are many great lessons in this show that all people (adults and kids) should learn. The show delves into many branches of philosophy, including moral philosophy, that teaches people how to think critically and to always help and understand others. The show has a fantastic plot filled with great comedy and character development. The show has great action scenes as well! I highly recommend this show to everyone!