Avatar: The Last Air Bender

[Tommy]

Okay, I`m not a fan of this show at all, but I`m curious to hear why other people like it so much.

As for MY avatar, I`m just using this as a joke. I need to switch back to the Bunny petition you know.

So tell me why this show is good. Is it just me, or does it look like most of it`s themes are based on Naruto?

[Ssjjvash]

that's a very good observation--that it's like Naruto.
I don't particularly like it, so I don't have an answer. I thought it was a little cute show for kids, but it's not worth my time

[Tommy]

Same here. I think it`s fine for kids but I noticed alot of older members on CAA liked its plot so i was quite curious.

[TallasLint]

I like the show mainly because it is (in my opinion) the smartest thing any of the kids tv networks have released for a long time. It has complex characters, interesting themes. a fairly creative concept, and it's humor doesn't rely mostly on underwear jokes like some shows ( Spongebob, for example).

This show has a real plot, which is a fairly new concept for American cartoons. I think this show is an attempt to branch out from the traditional american cartoon mini-adventure half episode stories, and I'm curious to see how it works out, because I'm sure if these people put their minds to it, they can create some interesting concepts, and hopefully it'll attract kids these days to appreciate more complex plots and stories.

I know that the show's storyline and animation are more than just "influenced" by Anime, but I mean, if Anime is so popular, maybe Nickelodeon can learn a little from it, so that aspect doesn't bug me. I think if the plot is good enough, it shouldn't matter that its american. I just congratulate them for actually having a plot. I've only seen a few episodes of Naruto, but from what I can tell, it does seem similar, the bending and Juutsu being kinda similar. And Avatar does have a lot of hindu/buddhist influences (I don't quite know the difference between the two, but it's one of those), and just general oriental influence, but I don't think that takes away from it at all.

[Tommy]

I can agree. The main thing that caught me is how there a certain continents for specific elements such as Naruto`s Village of the Hidden Leaves, and Land of Waves.

Stuff like that.

[mitsuki lover]

The protagonists also behave in a realistic manner.

[Tommy]

Sarcasm or no?

[GrubbTheFragger]

i would asume sarcasm but i liked it cuz the animation is pretry well done and the plot compared to most shows on nick is actually good

[Joshua Christopher]

Avatar is a really excellent show. The plot is interesting, and the animation is very, very good.

I think a lot of people are turned off by the TV station it's on, and since some dorks think if it isn't anime it sucks. Give it a chance, and watch some episodes, it's a really well done show.

[Kawaiikneko]

Its nothing at all like Naruto... there's four elements and four countries that follow those elements, but I never drew the connection between that and Naruto. I think the ideas behind it is fundamentally different.

For an American cartoon Avatar is really really good. Its got good animation, good characters, and a PLOT. Yeah, that gives it bonus points. Plus it has Americanish jokes (however kidish they can sometimes be) that are good and manage to be good without screwing up a translation or sounding cheesy. The characters are unique and it is a little bit more interesting than "This guy is evil, this guy is good." The enemies have feelings and aspirations also. You never see that in American cartoons.

I'd say its one of the best American cartoons on right now and I'm eagerly awaiting the premier of the second season this friday.

[MyrrhLynn]

Back in college (when I still had cable) my friend and I would watch this show religiously. I LOVE it. I think the biggest reason I love it, is that as mentioned it has a decent plot that extends beyond a few episodes. The characters have more depth then the average American cartoon as well. The animation is very slick and well done (and yes shows more then a bit of anime influence).

The story in general is sort of a first for American anime. Think about how many of the shows on now deal with kids and their school problems! Something like this is like a breath of fresh aire in my opinion.

I guess there are some Naruto influences now that I think about it. But sorry, no offense people, but if you looked close enough at any anime/manga series you could see how it rips off/is similar to some other series. It's a fact of life.

[beau99]

But sorry, no offense people, but if you looked close enough at any anime/manga series you could see how it rips off/is similar to some other series. It's a fact of life.

What????

Since the whole show is based on Chinese things, I fail to see how it rips off any anime series.

[mastersquirrel]

I really like this show, mainly because I like the whole concept behind it. Plus, they mix the humor, story telling, and action quite well. Also, the characters are believable, and you feel as if they're real.

Anyway, that's my take. I'll leave it to the long posts to go more in depth.

[Tommy]

My friends said they watched this show and said it was the stupidest thing they ever saw. An anime has to be REALLY good for me to like it.
There are very few anime I like.
Avatar is not an anime.

BTW, ML, there is no such thing as American Anime. Anime is animation in Japan.

[beau99]

My friends said they watched this show and said it was the stupidest thing they ever saw.

Your friends are in the minority.

[Tommy]

Well, they hate ALL anime except "Kill Bill" so.....I don`t really trust their opinion.

I gave this show a chance and highly disliked.
Should I watch it from the start?
If so, then tell me when nick airs Avatar.

[Kawaiikneko]

erm... anime is just the Japanese word for animation. I've fairly sure that if a Japanese person was talking about, say, Spongebob, they would call it anime. Therefore it is not logical to say there is no such thing as American anime. If you want to define anime as a Japanese cartoon be my guest, but don't jump on American artists drawing in the anime art style. It can still be a good story.

My gosh why do we always have to have this silly argument!?

And yes, you should watch it from the start. they air marathons every once in awhile of the whole series straight through, but recently the avatar marathons have been jumping around. *shrug*

on a COMPLETELY seperate topic: Is Kill Bill a cartoon too? I thought it was just a movie.

[mitsuki lover]

I think Tom Dincht better check his definitions.Anime is actually the French term for animation.In Japan it refers to ANY form of animation from what we would consider
anime proper to American and other foreign cartoons.The fact that the Japanese themselves use it more loosely than we do should be a hint.
In the non-Japanese world we use it to describe animation from Asia,but mainly from Japan.There are also Korean and Chinese versions of anime which aren't as well known since the Japanese variety is so popular.
Prior to anime being adopted as the name for Japanese animation it was primarily referred to as Japanimation.Some people,I think,still perfer to use the term.

[GrubbTheFragger]

on a COMPLETELY seperate topic: Is Kill Bill a cartoon too? I thought it was just a movie.

actually it is only th movie but there are actual anime segments during the fighting or so thats what i've heard

[Tsukuyomi]

Oh wow, I almost forgot about season two starting tomorrow night at eight. I started watching it because it was the only anime Nickelodeon has showed in a long long time. Well, there was Martin Mystery. Hey, did you notice that the girl's voice was done by the person who does Sango's from Inuyasha? I forgot her name (lol). I guess the reason I like it is becasse if you really think about it... it really sends out a message. Oh yeah, and the stances the fire benders and the earth benders use are real martial arts stances. I guess you can associate it with the four gods to.

Water with Seiryu- A blue dragon
Wind with Byakoo: The white tiger
Fire with Suzaku: The red pheonix
Earth with Genbu: Not to sure what Genbu is. I think a turtle or something like that.

I love mythology ^_^

[Pent]

I remember when this whow was first coming out and I thought it would be to much for kids. But I decided to watch the first episode and I was suprised I liked it. I've seen it off and on and caught some of the marathons now and then, so I know most of the plot. I didn't know they had a new season starting tomarow. I should watch that.

[Raiden no Kishi]

I don't know how much my opinion is worth, having only seen the first four episodes, but I'll say this: it looks to be really good. I don't think it's as entertaining as the anime I've seen, but it's a step above most other American cartoons I've seen. It does, after all, have (dun dun dun) an over-arching plot. I've always thought American animation needed to have more plot arcs and less "adventure-of-the-day" thinking. As to the characters . . . they don't really interest me much so far, but I'm willing to give it some more time. There's only so much room for character development in four episodes.

.rai//

[Kawaiikneko]

Loved the first episode of the new season~ I'm interested as to where Zuko will go from here... Here's to joining up with Aang and crew!! Eventually I KNOW its going to happen. You just don't give a villian a huge backstory and a sympathy factor if he's not going to be somehow good.. at least not in an American cartoon.

[Joshua Christopher]

An anime has to be REALLY good for me to like it.

...Don't you like Dragonball Z?

[Aka-chan]

My cousins just recently introduced me to the series, so I don't have everything in order yet, but I must say that I was quite impressed. I'm one of those purists who tends to write off American cartoons that try to imitate the anime style, but Avatar still retained a decent American flavor and didn’t try overly much to do the exaggerated expressions.

A word to the sensitive: the one thing that mildly bothered me was the heavy Eastern mysticism. Not the elements, but the meditation and such. Not a huge deal, but I wasn’t sure how I felt about it being in a Nickelodeon cartoon.

[Tommy]

...Don't you like Dragonball Z?

When I was little.

I think it`s dumb now but it`s still a classic anime.

And I mean really good from my point of view not in general which are completly different things.

[Linksquest]

I really enjoy this series. I think it is the best "american anime" that I have seen. The basic story is really well thought out and I enjoy the characters and the way that the writers have them interact and cross each other's paths. The story developement continues to intrigue me. The style is very clean looking and the voice-acting is well done.

[mitsuki lover]

I think Asuma makes a far better villian than her brother ever did.I watched Friday's episode and she really showed she outdid her brother in cruelty in the way she 'recruited' her friend that was in the circus.
Actually I kind of liked Asuma's friends,especially the one that was the acrobat.
Too bad they had to fight Ang and the others.

[Jih]

Avatar is a fun show to watch, I wouldn't say its evolutionary by any means and it obviously copies concepts from anime in the past but hey, anime isn't a place of originality. As for why 4 million people watch this show, characters, themes, plot. All three of these essentials are fairly well drawn up and examine interesting aspects in each. I think the other reason Avatar has such a diverse fan group is because it examines the ago old issue of where one fits into the world (among other things).

I have to tell you the first couple of times I watched this show I thought it was stupid and for little kids. I felt it was pretty idiotic and immature through its humor but then I saw an episode that looked deeper and starting watching more and more of the show. Just lighten up and watch it, its pretty good. Btw, what do you sbelieve to be "good" anime.

On the note of what this show draws from, I felt the politics were Escaflowne inspired.