Just Started Avatar The Last Airbender

[Mr Light]

In preparation for the coming movie I finally got around to buying the first season/book of Avatar the Last Airbender.

Well I love it! I watched 6-7 episodes just today. It's a nice world/premise, good characters, good action, a nice blend of dark storyline with silliness...

The only complaint I could see developing is the repetition of Zhao chasing after them every episode. That could get annoying fast. He doesn't do that the entire series does he? I do like the old uncle though, great character. I also appreciate that the pursuing villain has a decent character motivation being the exiled unloved son of the evil emperor seeking approval.

One thing I find odd... the Fire Nation seems to have 1940s era technology while the rest of the world is living in the middle ages. Is that right?

I like the way the messiah badass of the series is a silly child who likes to go off and have fun without ever compromising his responsibility and duty.

I'll definitely watch the entire series and I'm definitely looking forward to the film... even if M. Night is direct it!

 

[Hugo Rune]

The single best US animated adventure show since Samurai Jack left the screens.

Incredibly silly at times, but the series has real depth in character and storytelling that the sillier moments are balanced out. However, it's the world and myth-building of the show that really stands out. There are moments when I get flashes of what Lucas always says he wanted for Star Wars... to be able to be viewed as a silent movie accompanied by soaring music. Airbender does that in a fashion that Lucas simply couldn't attain with his prequels.

Zhao does have his mission (as does Aang), but where it leads is very suprising for a childs cartoon. In fact the turns this show takes are at times more on the level of a Ron Moore/Joss Whedon "Did they just do that?" style of storytelling, allowing the characters to make difficult, sometimes rather dark decisions with honest-to-god consequences.

And then Sokka will hatch a crazy plan... For all of his sillyness he actually helps ground the show somewhat given he's the "normal guy" in the group. Well, he and Momo.

Momo. My very favourite flying-lemur ever to grace the TV screen. Momo, the little rascal. Momo, Air Temple speak for "Epic Win"

Enjoy it, because for all its flaws it really is that damned good.


Hugo - I'm just a guy... with a boomerang... I didn't ask for the flying... and magic...

 

[Christopher]

The only complaint I could see developing is the repetition of Zhao chasing after them every episode. That could get annoying fast. He doesn't do that the entire series does he?

Answering that question would be a spoiler. Suffice to say that the series as a whole is anything but formulaic.

One thing I find odd... the Fire Nation seems to have 1940s era technology while the rest of the world is living in the middle ages. Is that right?

It's more of a steampunk, early-industrial technology. And that makes sense, since firebenders have a built-in power source. They don't need to burn coal, they can just use chi energy to summon and control fire. So they've got the built-in ability to develop an industrial technology. Plus their firebending would make metallurgy easier for them, giving them an edge there as well. It's a very imaginative bit of worldbuilding, really thinking through the potentials and ramifications of the bending abilities.

Conversely, the Earth Kingdom -- the other really powerful urban society -- doesn't need industrial technology since they can use earthbending to drive trains, build complex structures, and do all sorts of other stuff that we non-magical humans need machines for. Whereas the lifestyles of the Water Tribes and Air Nomads aren't really compatible with industrialization.

I'll definitely watch the entire series and I'm definitely looking forward to the film... even if M. Night is direct it!

I'm not expecting the film to live up to the series on any level except possibly the visual. Shyamalan is profoundly the wrong choice for this franchise, and just about all the decisions -- from hiring Shyamalan to casting mostly white actors in the lead roles to casting The Daily Show's Aasif Mandvi as Zhao to filming in Pennsylvania rather than East Asia -- have seemed grossly off the mark.

If you want to see a live-action feature film made the way The Last Airbender should've been done, rent The Forbidden Kingdom.

 

[Skywalker]

I actually just recently started watching this show after a friend of mine introduced me to it (she wouldn't shut up about it ), and I really love it. I'm in the early episodes of Book Three now. I thought Book One was pretty good, but I think the quality really jumped up a couple notches in the middle portion of Book Two.

 

[Mr Light]

They filmed the movie in Pennsylvania?! Oh lord. I live there and I'm not really seeing the visuals matching! Is it all going to be green-screened or something?

 

[intrinsical]

Its a low budget movie, I won't be expecting great visuals or great CGI.

 

[Christopher]

Well, the teaser trailer had spectacular visuals and thrilled me to watch despite my grave reservations about the film.

 

[exodus]

The only complaint I could see developing is the repetition of Zhao chasing after them every episode. That could get annoying fast. He doesn't do that the entire series does he?

No, Zhao is only in the the first chapter.

 

[byron lomax]

I loved this series too. I never managed to watch it properly while it was running, but early last year I got to see it by.... certain means, and enjoyed it so much I got the series on DVD. I agree that season two (from about five or six episodes in), is the peak of the series.

This was the first time in ages that I found myself caring about the characters and wanting to know how things turn out in the end. The setting is fantastic too, and those cross-breed animals are just awesome!

 

[darthraidr]

i just finished watching the series and it was awesome! so awesome that i plan to buy the dvds and lend them to friends/co-workers that haven't seen it.

it's pretty impressive how big the scope and the cast gets as the show goes on.

Toph is my favorite character. She rocks!! (Ty Lee is cool too)

 

[ProtoAvatar]

Avatar: The Last Airbender is a good show, but at times one can see that its target audience is composed of children - the show is too light-hearted, it tries too much to avoid grit.

 

[Christopher]

Avatar: The Last Airbender is a good show, but at times one can see that its target audience is composed of children - the show is too light-hearted, it tries too much to avoid grit.

Where is it written that adults can't appreciate a light-hearted, non-gritty story? Why should adults be trapped by such narrow definitions of what constitutes "adult" programming? Why should adults only watch programming that's forbidden to children, as opposed to programming that's accessible to children and adults alike?

The best children's shows have always had plenty of adult appeal -- Rocky and Bullwinkle, Doctor Who, Batman: TAS, Gargoyles, and so on. "Adult" programming doesn't have to mean only grit and violence and sex and overuse of four-letter Anglo-Saxon vocabulary. It should mean programming that's intelligent, imaginative, multifaceted, and well-made. And there's no reason in the world why children's programming can't fit those standards. Indeed, don't we owe it to our children to give them the very best we can offer? And if we do so, then the shows that result can be satisfying for children and adults alike.

And Avatar: TLA was the best, smartest, richest children's show of the 2000s, and that makes it one of the best, smartest, richest shows of the 2000s. It's more than good enough to satisfy any adult who defines adult sensibilities in terms of good, smart storytelling rather than R-rated content alone.

 

[Peter the Younger]

In preparation for the coming movie I finally got around to buying the first season/book of Avatar the Last Airbender.

Well I love it! I watched 6-7 episodes just today. It's a nice world/premise, good characters, good action, a nice blend of dark storyline with silliness...

Glad you like it! Personally I think it's one of the best cartoon series to come out in decades.

The only complaint I could see developing is the repetition of Zhao chasing after them every episode. That could get annoying fast. He doesn't do that the entire series does he? I do like the old uncle though, great character. I also appreciate that the pursuing villain has a decent character motivation being the exiled unloved son of the evil emperor seeking approval.

Don't worry, it's not that simple. If you think the character has some interesting motives now, just wait.

One thing I find odd... the Fire Nation seems to have 1940s era technology while the rest of the world is living in the middle ages. Is that right?

I don't know if you can equate any of the four nations directly to Earth tech levels. Yes, the Fire Nation is definitely more technically advanced in terms of metallurgy and mechanical engineering (which seems reasonable for people who can bend fire to smelt metal), but it's weird steampunk tech, with - in general - no handheld firearms to speak of. Other civilizations seem to use bending in place of technology. There are other examples of gadgeteers outside the Fire Nation as well.

I like the way the messiah badass of the series is a silly child who likes to go off and have fun without ever compromising his responsibility and duty.

I didn't like Ang all that much at first, but as the series goes on, you can see why the writers gave him this optimistic, carefree attitude; it's a necessary counterbalance to the darker aspects of the story. It's also, of course, fun for kids.

I'lldefinitely watch the entire series and I'm definitely looking forward to the film... even if M. Night is direct it!

I have my doubts but here's hoping I'm wrong.

 

[exodus]

I wonder how far long in the series Mr.Light is now?

 

[Mr Light]

I just finished ep 9 and won't see anymore till Saturday. Ep 8 was interesting, setting up a future peril, this comet coming that will supercharge the evil Fire Lord making him invincible. Now, I know the series finale is called "Souzen's Comet", so I guess this comet will arrive in the series finale and Aang will go up against an invincible villain. Sounds cool. I like the way we know where the show is headed and there's a clear ticking clock and peril. I also like how the Fire Nation is not all bad; there's the monk who flat out helps Aang contact his predecessor and there's Zhao's uncle who is hilarious and insightful.

 

[exodus]

I just finished ep 9 and won't see anymore till Saturday. Ep 8 was interesting, setting up a future peril, this comet coming that will supercharge the evil Fire Lord making him invincible. Now, I know the series finale is called "Souzen's Comet", so I guess this comet will arrive in the series finale and Aang will go up against an invincible villain. Sounds cool. I like the way we know where the show is headed and there's a clear ticking clock and peril. I also like how the Fire Nation is not all bad; there's the monk who flat out helps Aang contact his predecessor and there's Zhao's uncle who is hilarious and insightful.

I'm so glad you're enjoying it.

I just wish their were four books to the series instead of three.

 

[FordSVT]

Its a low budget movie, I won't be expecting great visuals or great CGI.

http://lastairbenderfilm.com/category/budget/

$250 million for the trilogy, a lot of it will be spent up front (like the LOTR trilogy) for world-building.

Is that where we are now? If it doesn't have a Avatar-like budget it's "cheap and won't be good looking"?

And while I guess a lot of it is shoot in Philadelphia, there is a lot of planned location shooting. The photo in the article above is from Greenland. Need I remind you that a sound stage can be located anywhere. I think part of LOTR was shot in a sound stage converted from a racquetball court at a local hotel in New Zealand.

 

[ProtoAvatar]

Avatar: The Last Airbender is a good show, but at times one can see that its target audience is composed of children - the show is too light-hearted, it tries too much to avoid grit.

Where is it written that adults can't appreciate a light-hearted, non-gritty story? Why should adults be trapped by such narrow definitions of what constitutes "adult" programming? Why should adults only watch programming that's forbidden to children, as opposed to programming that's accessible to children and adults alike?

The best children's shows have always had plenty of adult appeal -- Rocky and Bullwinkle, Doctor Who, Batman: TAS, Gargoyles, and so on. "Adult" programming doesn't have to mean only grit and violence and sex and overuse of four-letter Anglo-Saxon vocabulary. It should mean programming that's intelligent, imaginative, multifaceted, and well-made. And there's no reason in the world why children's programming can't fit those standards. Indeed, don't we owe it to our children to give them the very best we can offer? And if we do so, then the shows that result can be satisfying for children and adults alike.

And Avatar: TLA was the best, smartest, richest children's show of the 2000s, and that makes it one of the best, smartest, richest shows of the 2000s. It's more than good enough to satisfy any adult who defines adult sensibilities in terms of good, smart storytelling rather than R-rated content alone.

Christopher, adults can, indeed, appreciate a light-hearted, non-gritty story. And many shows targeted at adults are, indeed, light-hearted and non-gritty - comedies, etc; but not war movies.

And Avatar depicts a large scale war. Which is why the light-hearted, non-gritty tone is, sometimes, inappropriate/grating - if we judge Avatar by adult sensibilities.

 

[Mr Light]

On this note I just saw ep 10 "Jet" which raised the question about killing. The characters take a moral stance against this guy killing enemy soldiers. Does this mean in the entire series they'll never kill anyone? Or will it be the convenient "they fell to their deaths on their own" type thing?

 

[intrinsical]

On this note I just saw ep 10 "Jet" which raised the question about killing. The characters take a moral stance against this guy killing enemy soldiers. Does this mean in the entire series they'll never kill anyone? Or will it be the convenient "they fell to their deaths on their own" type thing?

We can't say much without revealing spoilers. Suffice to say, the use of violence and killing is definitely addressed in the series.