It has often been a belief of mine that children?s animation in western countries tends to look down on them quite frequently. They are never given any mature stories to watch or three-dimensional characters to root for.
Fortunately, my faith in western animation has been given a boost recently with my viewing of a brilliant show from Nickelodeon studios.
Avatar ? The Last Airbender.
(Just so you know, this review will contain spoilers.)
This series, spread over three seasons of approximately 20 episodes each, is based in a fictional world based off various Asian cultures. The world is divided into four nations, the Fire Nation, Earth Kingdom, Water Tribes and the Air Nomads. Within these nations are grounds of peoples called ?benders?, who have the ability to control the elements that their nation represents.
Within this world there is a legendary figure known as the ?Avatar? who has the ability to control all four elements and whose task in life is to maintain balance between the four peoples. Every time one dies they are reincarnated into the next nation in the cycle.
At the time the story starts, the Fire Nation has been fighting a century-long war against the other three nations, and are close to achieving victory against them. The Avatar was believed to have died long ago.
However, two children from the Southern Water Tribe, Water-bender Katara and her older brother Sokka, find a young air-bender boy from the Air Nomads frozen in ice. Upon waking from his ice prison we learn the young boy?s name, Aang. We find out that he is the Avatar, who was frozen for the whole 100 years that the war has been raging and it is now his solemn duty as the Avatar, to stop the war.
Unfortunately, he?s only 12 years old and inexperienced. To defeat theFiren Nation, he must learn over the course of the series to master the other three elements, water, earth and fire. Katara and Sokka accompany him across the world to help him learn and prepare him for the upcoming battle.
During their journeys, they encounter many enemies they must overcome. Most notable of which is Prince Zuko, a banished Prince of the Fire Nation, who was disgraced and can only return to his homeland once he has capture the Avatar, though at the time of his banishment to be impossible.
This is a very good series. Not since the DC animated universe has a series for children put the effort in to treat it?s audience like adults. There are many great mature moments in this series that one might not expect from a show intended for children. But despite it?s target demographic, the show never shies away from the scary stuff. Be prepared for a revelation in episode three that you just would never get in any other kid?s show.
The story is incredibly good. I?ve always been a fan of serialised stories and this is a great example. While there are episodic moments that can be skipped, the main story always builds and become more and more epic, until we reach the end. Just a heads up, the end episodes are some of the best concluding moments you will ever see in an animated show.
It?s not all serious though. There are plenty of humorous moments here and there and though that might seem odd given the mature direction they go with the series, they really do work.
The animation is brilliant at all times. The look of the show seems to go for a blend of traditional western character designs with Japanese anime influences, which fits in well with the show?s overall Asian aesthetic.
The characters are really well-done, each one being incredibly complex and multi-faceted. Aang goes on one of the most complete journeys any main character has ever gone on, starting as a young boy who cannot cope with the enormous responsibilities placed on him, to a hero who willingly embraces his role in the world. All of the other characters are good but the biggest impression by far was the anti-hero Zuko. He is by far one of the most complex and well put-together characters I?ve ever seen in animation. He is the character who gets the most development by far, a character torn by his nation, his family and his own sense of right and wrong. You will never get a more nuanced character in animation, I guarantee. Zuko is not alone in his journey though .He travels mainly with his kindly uncle Iroh (voiced by the late great Mako), who offers advice to friend and foe alike.
Overall, this is a brilliant series and a perfect example of how you can make good animated series for children. The characters were complex, the story was epic, the animation was impressive and any problems you may have with it are so superficial that they are easily forgotten.
I can say, without a shadow of doubt that this is one of the greatest pieces of animation that has ever been created. If you see a DVD of it, BUY IT! If you see it on TV, WATCH IT! Seriously, I cannot recommend this series enough.
Good job Nick. Very good job.
Fortunately, my faith in western animation has been given a boost recently with my viewing of a brilliant show from Nickelodeon studios.
Avatar ? The Last Airbender.
(Just so you know, this review will contain spoilers.)
This series, spread over three seasons of approximately 20 episodes each, is based in a fictional world based off various Asian cultures. The world is divided into four nations, the Fire Nation, Earth Kingdom, Water Tribes and the Air Nomads. Within these nations are grounds of peoples called ?benders?, who have the ability to control the elements that their nation represents.
Within this world there is a legendary figure known as the ?Avatar? who has the ability to control all four elements and whose task in life is to maintain balance between the four peoples. Every time one dies they are reincarnated into the next nation in the cycle.
At the time the story starts, the Fire Nation has been fighting a century-long war against the other three nations, and are close to achieving victory against them. The Avatar was believed to have died long ago.
However, two children from the Southern Water Tribe, Water-bender Katara and her older brother Sokka, find a young air-bender boy from the Air Nomads frozen in ice. Upon waking from his ice prison we learn the young boy?s name, Aang. We find out that he is the Avatar, who was frozen for the whole 100 years that the war has been raging and it is now his solemn duty as the Avatar, to stop the war.
Unfortunately, he?s only 12 years old and inexperienced. To defeat theFiren Nation, he must learn over the course of the series to master the other three elements, water, earth and fire. Katara and Sokka accompany him across the world to help him learn and prepare him for the upcoming battle.
During their journeys, they encounter many enemies they must overcome. Most notable of which is Prince Zuko, a banished Prince of the Fire Nation, who was disgraced and can only return to his homeland once he has capture the Avatar, though at the time of his banishment to be impossible.
This is a very good series. Not since the DC animated universe has a series for children put the effort in to treat it?s audience like adults. There are many great mature moments in this series that one might not expect from a show intended for children. But despite it?s target demographic, the show never shies away from the scary stuff. Be prepared for a revelation in episode three that you just would never get in any other kid?s show.
The story is incredibly good. I?ve always been a fan of serialised stories and this is a great example. While there are episodic moments that can be skipped, the main story always builds and become more and more epic, until we reach the end. Just a heads up, the end episodes are some of the best concluding moments you will ever see in an animated show.
It?s not all serious though. There are plenty of humorous moments here and there and though that might seem odd given the mature direction they go with the series, they really do work.
The animation is brilliant at all times. The look of the show seems to go for a blend of traditional western character designs with Japanese anime influences, which fits in well with the show?s overall Asian aesthetic.
The characters are really well-done, each one being incredibly complex and multi-faceted. Aang goes on one of the most complete journeys any main character has ever gone on, starting as a young boy who cannot cope with the enormous responsibilities placed on him, to a hero who willingly embraces his role in the world. All of the other characters are good but the biggest impression by far was the anti-hero Zuko. He is by far one of the most complex and well put-together characters I?ve ever seen in animation. He is the character who gets the most development by far, a character torn by his nation, his family and his own sense of right and wrong. You will never get a more nuanced character in animation, I guarantee. Zuko is not alone in his journey though .He travels mainly with his kindly uncle Iroh (voiced by the late great Mako), who offers advice to friend and foe alike.
Overall, this is a brilliant series and a perfect example of how you can make good animated series for children. The characters were complex, the story was epic, the animation was impressive and any problems you may have with it are so superficial that they are easily forgotten.
I can say, without a shadow of doubt that this is one of the greatest pieces of animation that has ever been created. If you see a DVD of it, BUY IT! If you see it on TV, WATCH IT! Seriously, I cannot recommend this series enough.
Good job Nick. Very good job.
