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The Two-Hour Series Finale Of AVATAR: THE LAST AIRBENDER Hit Nickelodeon Saturday!!

"best cartoon on TV" by fiester	Jul 19th, 2008 03:37:08 PM
Um...have you seen The Venture Brothers?
I tried watching the first season up to by SilentP	Jul 19th, 2008 04:00:30 PM
episode 5 or 6 or something, and it's really not doing much for me. It's not bad, it's just nothing special. Now, I'm not saying this just to complain, I'm just honestly wondering... does the show get better? Or if I don't like it from the beginning, am I probably not going to like it at all?
I have not seen Venture Bros. by I am the most horrible	Jul 19th, 2008 04:07:47 PM
Will it make me laugh, cry, dream and wonder like Avatar? Does it make you want to live in the world its created before your eyes? Will it make me feel that bittersweet emptiness when it's over, like when I closed the covers on Return of the King or Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows? Is it something I'll thoroughly dig as an adult but can also watch with my 4 1/2 yr old kid? (who is now a waterbending master it seems) Will its simple perfection make you both hope for and dread a live action adaptation by M. Night Schmellyllamatongue? Does it have a 6 legged flying bison? Hell, even if it doesn't, I'll check it out. I've heard enough good stuff about Venture Bros. lately on AICN I am compelled to watch. Do yourself a favor and watch Avatar.
Sometimes I wonder... by PresidentBauer	Jul 19th, 2008 04:11:13 PM
...how people like that get laid. Sheesh.
they don't. by ian216a	Jul 19th, 2008 04:34:14 PM

Wow. by I am the most horrible	Jul 19th, 2008 04:37:23 PM
Will watching Venture Bros get me laid? Hot damn! Lemme hose myself down in Axe Body Spray and program my DVR!
presidentbauer by Kazzer	Jul 19th, 2008 04:53:17 PM
yeah, i'm sure posting on AICN messageboards makes all the ladies want you to shoot a load in 'em.
Maybe I'll try downloading this. by Kurutteru Yatsu	Jul 19th, 2008 05:02:59 PM
I have to finish Oban Star Racers first though.
Sometimes I wonder... by TheKappa	Jul 19th, 2008 05:10:01 PM
...why PresidentBauer is such a douche bagel. Like right now, for instance. Most Horrible hit the nail on the head with Avatar. It's an amazing show. For the last three years, it's been the show that makes the time between seasons of Lost seem shorter. (I found out just last week that Damon Lindelof actually wrote an episode of Avatar in season 2, "The Drill"- cool stuff!) Anyone who hasn't checked this show out should do so. Its only 61 22 minute episodes- you can finish off a season in a day if you make a good run at it. It's got amazing fighting sequences, an amazingly detailed world, some decent eastern philosophy, strange Miyazaki-inspired creatures, laugh out loud humor and more heart than anything else on TV in recent memory. I'm going to be sad to see Avatar go. It was an amazing show.
I've Seen Both Avatar and Venture Bros. by KewlKR	Jul 19th, 2008 05:18:48 PM
And Avatar is the clear winner in my book. Can't wait for tonight.
also by Kazzer	Jul 19th, 2008 05:23:13 PM
also, family guy is easily the best show on tv right now! the animation is fantastic, the jokes are timely and beautiful, and most of all,it has heart, and the writers care about their characters, they'd never put them through undue suffering for a cheap laugh! OH WAIT
Best show on TV arguments by Mandamas	Jul 19th, 2008 05:55:30 PM
So, you guys only watch the "best" of any genre on TV? I have watched Venture Bros. Its good. But there is something special about Avatar. In answer to SIlentP, the first couple episodes have glimmers of what is to come. While there is an occasional off note, most of the episodes are just spot on in how the are composed, animated, and directed. The characters are fleshed out and the storytelling is tight. The music and the artwork is just stunningly beautiful at times. This is an example of what good can happen when artists are allowed to spend time and care in creating their craft. Is Avatar the best show on TV? who knows? but it is a excellent example of how good storytelling works in any medium. If you miss this series (or dont appreciate it) I feel sorry for you considering all the enjoyment it is has given me.
"Will it make me laugh, cry, dream and wonder like Avatar?" by smackfu	Jul 19th, 2008 06:06:17 PM
No, but you see...the thing is...every anime nut out there feels this way about his anime series. Avatar really isn't particularly good or remarkable in any way, beyond the same way General Hospital is to a housewife. It's nice that you found an obsession but...best cartoon on tv? What about Happy Maniac Go Train Engineer or Super Super Fun Monkey Robot Gaia?
Venture Brothers is OK but Avatar is much better by Ye Not Guilty	Jul 19th, 2008 06:55:59 PM
There isn't really any contest - Avatar blows VB away.
I love it by cleftasunder	Jul 19th, 2008 07:00:25 PM
Yup. I don't really give a care what other people think of it. Can't wait for the finale!
Greatest animated action series of all time. by MaxTheSilent	Jul 19th, 2008 07:25:09 PM
To argue the point is to reveal yourself for the fool you are.
Avatar by LeftAssFoot	Jul 19th, 2008 07:25:26 PM
I've never seen Venture Brothers. Don't know if Avatar is the best tv show. I mean it is a cartoon. It's not like it's The Wire or Arrested Development, but it's good. At times this show achieves greatness. Some of my favorite episodes... The final episodes to the first season where the kids make it to the northern water temple and face off against the fire nation armada. The Zuku Alone episode. The episode from the second season where it told small individual stories for each character (simply for the Iroh story). What I like about the series in general... The blend of different cultures. The way that the bending works off of martial arts. The development of the characters (the growth of Zuko and of Aang in particular). The female characters and the way they are treated with such respect. I bought copies of seasons 1 and 2 for my three neices and they are all in love with the show. Yes, it's a kids cartoon but it's well crafted and well thought out. If I could compare it to anything, I would compare it to the novel, The Game of Thrones by George R.R. Martin in that it takes a medium is often cliched and bad and treats it with heart and honesty and creates something wonderful.
the best action cartoon for kids since Batman: The Animated Seri by Centipede Damascus	Jul 19th, 2008 08:02:22 PM
That's more how I would put it. It is really, really good.
Centipede by PirateEmery	Jul 19th, 2008 08:39:16 PM
Nicely put. Series is very much on par with the quality of Batman: TAS. Venture Brothers is a "shitty animation" animated show directed towards us. It meets the comedic goals it sets out to accomplish. There is nothing shitty about Avatar. It's grandiose in its scope and I feel sorry for anyone that has written it off as a show for only children.
Watched most of the two hour special by LeftAssFoot	Jul 19th, 2008 09:03:37 PM
And I was very happy with the way the story lines were tied together and the way the characters stayed true to themselves. Was that really the last episode ever? I would like to see one more season. Don't the Air Nation Temples need to be restored? Doesn't bringing the world to balance involve the return of air benders?
Oh my God... by Lobanhaki	Jul 19th, 2008 09:04:06 PM
...That was incredible! Storytelling like this is incredible because the writers put together the feeling, the motivation and the grace under pressure that defines the best action. People might say it's for kids, and it is. But it's also for anybody who appreciates martial arts, fantasy, and depth in storytelling. It's got characters with arcs of change, it's got imperfect heroes who are put to the test, and it has the strong underlying structure of mythology that defines the most intense heroic and epic storytelling The creators of this show have gone out with a bang, and the only question I have now is how soon until I can get the box set for this season.
Very well done show by terry1978	Jul 19th, 2008 09:12:30 PM
It still shocks me to this day that one of the creators writes for Family Guy...shows that you can do artistic stuff if you have the resources available. Now if we had more cartoons like this on the air, I'd be more apt to watch Nickelodeon like back in the day. The Miyazaki influence alone is worth a watch.
Avatar is remarkably well done. by veritasses	Jul 19th, 2008 09:13:14 PM
Truly, too good to be on Nickelodeon. Story, dialog, direction, design, animation, voice acting etc are all high quality. It's very accessible but intelligent, epic and deep (for a cartoon). Blends humor, drama and action as good as any series. It does have small amounts of kid oriented "silliness" but it doesn't really get in the way all that much.
M Night's adaptation by mowgli77	Jul 19th, 2008 09:28:17 PM
Will be sure to bring back another movie, if not another season of Avatar. The characters are so young -- there is plenty of time to introduce another menace to the world in their future.
Avatar is a great cartoon that hits its marks well by rock-me Amodeo	Jul 19th, 2008 10:05:34 PM
I didn't start watching it until this year, with my nine-year-old. After about 3 or 4 episodes, I realized that this isn't a cartoon with the same characters with a different Monster of the Week. There's a plot. Things happen in sequence. There is a history and a mythology and things change. We (as a father and daughter) promptly went back and caught up on the whole thing, and have been watching Season 3 as it unfolded. Is it the best anything? I'm not a manga OR anime fan, so I'm not qualified to judge. But it's kept both of us engaged, I've had some GENUINE laugh out loud moments. It may not be everyone's cup of lotus-flower tea, but it's very well done. I'm sad the run is finished, and only hope the M. Night Shamalama doesn't make it all "edgy" because, despite the direness of potentially lethal combat, there is a sweet quality to it that I really enjoy.
Brock Sampson would go take 'em all down. by fiester	Jul 19th, 2008 10:08:30 PM
Hell, even The Monarch would probably take out your airbenders. Perhaps Dr. Dugong would make a good villain for this kiddie show.
amazing ending by v1cious	Jul 19th, 2008 10:34:50 PM
nick will never make another show this good.
centipede by stickmangrit	Jul 19th, 2008 10:42:07 PM
have only watched bits and pieces of Avatar when i worked at an a martial arts after school program, and it seemed like it could have been good, but do to lack of cable at several points i never had a chance to watch it. as such, i can't really comment on it's merits, but you damn sure don't bring up a discussion of "greatest animated show for children" without giving B:TAS it's due, because without it serious drama in a "kid's show" would be unheard of.
Where is Ursa? by PirateEmery	Jul 20th, 2008 12:11:36 AM
A very good question from the new Fire Lord. Still, I would have liked to have seen Zuko's quest to find his long lost mother.
EPIC by shogunshin	Jul 20th, 2008 12:41:13 AM
holy cow, the show was EPIC. how many animators do you know, realize they have a BILLION dollar budget? the finale could not have been done in live action, well it could have been, but not as great. im DREDDING the upcoming live action adaption, no way can they condense this into a trilogy. a few gripes. i WISH one of the main characters had died, then it would have really showed us this was a WAR they were fighting. also, as EPIC as the action was, there was not as much kung fu as i would have liked, but that is a MILD gripe, considering they were laying waste to MOUNTAINS! but so many times during the series i realized this was a WAR EPIC. and the fact aang figured out a way to win thru a PEACEFUL finale was brilliantly jedi. fucking amazing. i assume there will be a sequel of some sort. how they do it in animation is they need to CHANGE the name, so it becomes 'two' series. (like batman, then batman/superman adventures.) this way they can sell the show TWICE to syndication or dvd. but the fact zuko mentioned his mother, means they planted the seeds for at least an animated movie sequel. how cool was it, when aang mentions 'it has been one long year.' these guys worked so hard, had such an adventure, and then in the end, you realize, they are still just kids. i HOPE Night casts KIDS in the role, and not some 90210 douchebags like they did with DRAGONBALL. and i hope Night casts ASIAN kids, considering all the writing on the show was in chinese. animation, action, characters, production design, AND THE MUSIC, were all top notch. again, FUCKIN AMAZIN' one of the best shows i ever watched.
I wish i was a smokebender... by I am the most horrible	Jul 20th, 2008 12:43:15 AM
...I could use a cigarette after that finale. SPOILERS: I loved that show. It did a remarkable job of tying everything up and giving a nod to so many characters, stories and events. Though I doubt it will, it seems to be able to continue and perhaps address the missing Ursa, return of the Air Nomads (which might have to wait until a little Aang 2 or Katara Jr. comes along)and my longshot prediction that Momo is Monk Gyatso reincarnated (the evidence is there dammit!!!)Maybe the above poster will be right about the movie inspiring another season. Book 4: Air. I'm glad it ended the way it did. And talk about laugh out loud moments: "There's a very special birthday in the bombing bay!" That whole thing made us bust a gut. It's a great example of the pure, simple, all ages, comedy stylings of Sokka, the jokebender. He'll be in the Order of the White Lotus someday for sure. I missed the cabbage vendor though. Did I blink? I can't believe they didn't get him in there, though I appreciated the reference to him in the episode with the Ember Island Players. Glad to hear from all the other Avatar lovers out there. Knew I wasn't alone. Maybe I'll get laid after all. "Avatar State! Yip! Yip!"
holy SHIT! by frankenfickle	Jul 20th, 2008 01:03:20 AM
who cares?
Venture Bros has been WEAK this season.. by malificus	Jul 20th, 2008 01:16:42 AM
..and I fear for it's future. I have carried the banner high for this show, turned on many a friend and relative, but this season has been utterly devoid of the old Venture magic. There, I said it. I blame Matthew Peters, everything he touches turns to crap and he's just riding on Bill Presing's coat tails anyway. HACK!
OH! But Avatar.. by malificus	Jul 20th, 2008 01:19:03 AM
..IS awesome, apples and oranges comparing it to the Venture Bros tho. Maybe if the producers weren't spending their time with bad ideas like their T Shirt Club the Venture Bros would actually be funny...like it used to be.....before Matthew Peters.
Stop whining over whats better by Gearfree	Jul 20th, 2008 01:23:48 AM
We can all agree that both Avatar and Venture trump family guy in overall story quality. Yes, its a sad fact that we have to say goodbye to they characters, but there will be more shows like this. Just look back, this came a decade after gargoyles AND batman.
casting the actors by LeftAssFoot	Jul 20th, 2008 02:38:25 AM
I don't think that all of the characters are asian. in a similar way to how the animals are often crosses between two real animals (such as the platypus/bear) some of the characters blend traits from many races. that being said, in my opinion... aang - indian/chinese zuko - japanese sokka and katara - native american/inuit mai - chinese/korean toph - chinese there are many cultures represented though including aztec, caucasian/american, eastern european and more. strange now that I think about it (not many influences from african culture). Maybe they can touch on that with their next show, "Fire Lord: Redemption." The world of this universe is too interesting to be discontinued.
Why do people keep calling this anime? by Kurutteru Yatsu	Jul 20th, 2008 02:48:46 AM
I think I've seen that three times so far in this talkback. Big eyes do not an anime make. Anyway, I watched part of the finale and thought it was pretty good. Maybe when I head out to pick up SPACED on Tuesday I'll see how much the first season is.
God damn, M. Night! by Jiggah	Jul 20th, 2008 02:59:25 AM
I hate that M. Night is such a hit-and-miss director. When he directs good movies, they are fantastic (Sixth Sense, Signs, Unbreakable), but when he stinks, he really stinks (The Happening, Lady in the Water, The Village). BTW, he better get a great fight choreographer for the movie either Woo Ping Yuen or someone who knows the business like Brad Allan. That was definitely one of the most satisfying ending to a show I've seen.
Naruto (minus the fillers) is way better than Avatar! by TheGhostWhoLurks	Jul 20th, 2008 03:02:33 AM
Actually, it seems like Avatar ripped it off in many ways. That said, I saw the 2-hour finale tonight and was impressed by the good animation, design art and imaginative use of powers. But Avatar and his buddies wimped out at the end didn't finish off the evil Fire Lord and other villains. If you mess with Naruto and his gang, you end up DEAD, along with half the Leaf Village. Nothing ever feels sacred on that show, which makes it better!
Best Cartoon = Samurai Jack by maelgrim	Jul 20th, 2008 03:19:27 AM
Jack is No1
Let's hope for an Avatar announcement... by TheKappa	Jul 20th, 2008 04:07:32 AM
...next weekend at Comicon! We have to AT LEAST get a Zuko movie, right?
Ghost Who Lurks by Lobanhaki	Jul 20th, 2008 07:22:38 AM
I've watched just about every episode of both and they're different, rather than one being superior to the other. Aang is more akin to Vash the Stampede from Trigun than Naruto. Besides, the two series are different, and Naruto's recent revelation of a elemental based system is more recent than Avatar's first and second seasons.
Avatar is not even worth mentioning. by DerLanghaarige	Jul 20th, 2008 07:43:26 AM
I watched the first season and there was NOTHING special about it. The animation is bad, so is the writing. I can understand that kids like it, but they also like Pokemon. Yeah, I know, anime is trendy, so it must be great.
If Avatar is just a kids' show... by Billy Goat	Jul 20th, 2008 09:18:04 AM
...then Gulliver's Travels is a kids' book. And THE DARK KNIGHT is just a comic book movie, and they should include Batman and Joker toys in Happy Meals. Oh, wait, they do. But seriously, the writers of Avatar put a lot more thought into the story and characters than one would expect from a kid's show. That's what impressed me. The bad guys aren't Evil(TM), the good guys aren't perfect, and the mythic heroes are human beings with quirks, foibles, and... um... quirbles. It's a throwback to the days when there was no such thing as "children's entertainment" designed for a specific age group. The days when you would introduce your child to a movie or book because it's a good story, and if the language and concepts were a bit complex or outside their vocabulary, it meant they'd LEARN something. Nowadays everything has to be either "for kids" or "for adults", and if it looks like the former, the latter shrug it off, regardless of content. Well, screw that. Screw, I say!!!
Avatar is brilliant by BeatsMe	Jul 20th, 2008 10:34:11 AM
It's rich and epic, and actually has something on its mind: How do you stop great evil as a pacifist? The humor gets a bit corny, and some of the filler episodes can grate, but if Hollywood had half the sense of arc-building that this show had, summer "tentpoles" might actually be worth seeing again.
How is this show any different from any other anime? by fiester	Jul 20th, 2008 10:40:19 AM
I watched the show last night. It looks like every other generic anime series out there. It's not close ot the level of such ones as Ghost In The Shell: SAC or Black Lagoon or Cowboy Bebop. Looks more like Pokemon. You guys are far too easily impressed. Sheesh.
M. Night's AVATAR ... by Spymunk	Jul 20th, 2008 11:39:43 AM
... won't happen. The outright failure of THE HAPPENING will doom the budget, and in turn M. Night will walk when he can't make it the $200m epic he's dreaming will save his death-spiral-career. Further, even if it were to happen the kids he'd cast would NOT be Asian (are you kidding? are you seriously kidding to think Hollywood will EVER AGAIN make a kid's movie with anyone but the latest white 'hottie' the tweens are pining for?). More likely will be that Ang will be played by Nick Jonas from The Jonas Bros. or - more likely by far - the cast would be made up of the folks from GOSSIP GIRL - near-30s playing twelve-year-olds. Mark my words if this even comes out, that's what you'll see. Guys like in JUMPER or TWILIGHT. And we all know how the first one of those did, and how the 2nd will do.
By the way ... by Spymunk	Jul 20th, 2008 11:41:47 AM
I'd like to mention that I think AVATAR: THE LAST AIRBENDER is a fantastic show, despite its emphasis on mysticism.
fiester by BeatsMe	Jul 20th, 2008 12:47:23 PM
Those examples you mentioned are in many ways more complex and ambitious. But they're not at all for kids. You really have to watch Avatar with different expectations--it's much more of a simple (yet epic) fairytale, but as such, it's really beautifully done.. Also, you do have to watch at least a season of it to really get hooked.
oh by BeatsMe	Jul 20th, 2008 12:48:52 PM
and count me as someone who'd be thrilled if m night gets this yanked away from his pretentious ass ang lee could rock it, though
Avatar is superb!!! by pixel41	Jul 20th, 2008 01:38:29 PM
This series has been an absolute masterpiece since day one. The Saturday finale was spectacular, the fight scenes are well thought through and drawn to perfection!! I sure hope they don't "really" stop the cartoon.
I'm sorry but I have to bring this up... by spectrebeeyatch	Jul 20th, 2008 01:39:32 PM
Someone claimed M. Night would be dropped because The Happening bombed... Sorry to break your heart but the movie didn't bomb. That term is tossed around a lot and it kind of doesn't make sense. Just because a movie doesn't make over 100 million domestically doesn't mean it bombed. Happening had a very low production cost and it made 63 million here and 72 million over seas so it actually grossed over 140 million in total. So after dvd sales that movie should actually be considered a huge hit. Sorry i don't mean to take so long on this point I just hate when people say movies bomb when it doesn't make any sense. I do agree with the fact the casting will probably be stupid for Avatar. They need kids Harry Potter style. They won't all be Asian simply because the studio won't have the balls but they should all be kids!
feister: First of all, it's not anime. by Billy Goat	Jul 20th, 2008 01:45:17 PM
Second: Yeah, as I watched it last night, I was thinking, "If this episode is someone's first exposure to the show, it will look like a Dragonball Z clone." The show isn't normally one continuous fight scene; many episodes have no fighting at all. Last night's "movie" came after three years of world-building and character development, and THAT's what got people hooked.
ang lee by LeftAssFoot	Jul 20th, 2008 01:48:38 PM
would rock this show into a great movie. what I really love about the show is how the kids learn and grow over the course of the season. All of the characters have grown over the past three years. They've all dealt with and overcome their fears, they've all grown past misconceptions and prejudices that they had at the start of the first season. At times they've been jealous, possesive, angry, hurt, selfish, deceptive, dishonest, etc. with their friends and with themselves. They've also each grown more confident, especially in the sense of being confident enough in their beliefs to fight and sacrifice for them and to do the things that need to be done even when they don't want to do those things. Aang, the main character, is buddhist dali lama type figure who has been told that he will save the world. Despite having this overtone it's not a story that pushes religion or one way of thought. Aang may be a buddhist but the other characters are not. The show does not make any statements that one way is better than another way. Rather it shows that all ways may be right at different times. Each of the four nations (fire, water, air, earth) has their own traits. The air nation is very transendant and ethereal like buddhist. The fire nation is very aggresive and quick to act. The water nation is very connected to nature and nomadic. The earth nation is very stubborn with a strong sense of who they are that is grounded in their history. Aang, of course, is the avatar - the bridge between all four nations. He runs from this responsibility and the world goes to shit with the fire nation starting a world war and on the verge of total dominance of the rest of the three nations. Now Aang is trying to make up for earlier mistake when he ran away from his responsibility, but he's still very unsure of himself and confused. For all of his power, he is not confident at all. Also, he's a kid but he's alone. All of the parental figures in his life, all of the adults in his life, are gone. He has his friends and he has himself and that's it. His friends are in similar situations where do the massive war that rages across the world, they are also missing parental figures. Their parents are either fighting in the war, dead because of the war, or weak and borderline worthless due to their fear of the war. They are all very angry and scared. They also feel powerless to do anything about their situation. They are too young to fight in the war and at times feel left behind and forgotten. Zuko (the bad guy in the show) on the other hand is a royal member of the Fire Nation, the country that is the cause of the war. His father is the emporer. He is one of the few main characters who has a relationship with a parent and it's an awful relationship. His father views Zuko as a disgrace. Zuko's father goes so far as hurting his child (scarring him across the face badly) and banishing him from the kingdom. Zuko's quest is to capture the avatar in an effort to win his father's love. He is accompanied by his wise uncle. Zuko is filled with deep rage and hurt. The one person he has in his life is a man that he sees as old and weak. Zuko is rash. Zuko is arrogant and Zuko is very alone. This is where the characters are at the start of the first season. But this is not where these characters ended up at the end of this past season. Over the course of the of their adventures they all suffer many defeats, humilitaions and failures. There are many times where the end of a story arc finds a character having just barely survived. They don't win their fights all of the time. More often they lose and then use their resourcefullness and friendship to move on to the next plan. Other times, they do "win" but find that the victory was hollow. The "victories" come with a lot of sacrifice. Besides "victories" don't always resolve their problems as they had hoped. Despite this being a story of growth, the characters story lines are not linear movements of growth and discovery where each story moves them forward. There are many relapses where the characters find themselves falling back to ingrained behavior even after they have had opportunities to see the error of their ways. Sometimes characters are just too afraid and lacking in confidence to make the right decision. At the end despite how much you may hate a character you also feel pity for those who don't grow past their emotional problems. Also, even though the two main characters (Aang and Zuko) are boys, the female characters are also very well developed and executed with equal amounts of depth and story lines of growth. Even the girl bad guys are very well established with backstories and problems of their own. Great show. Well thought out. Well executed. Well crafted. Highly recommended for children between 8 and 12 (boys and girls) who like cartoons, martial arts, fantasy and/or good stories.
Also by LeftAssFoot	Jul 20th, 2008 02:00:07 PM
For any adults who appreciate this show, I recommend picking up the novel "The Game of Thrones."
Right on LeftAss by I am the most horrible	Jul 20th, 2008 03:02:13 PM

Iroh by I am the most horrible	Jul 20th, 2008 03:09:29 PM
One of the best arcs in the saga is that of Iroh. He was the rightful Firelord apparent and was once the most feared firebending General around, The Dragon of the West. Yet he is arguably the most noble, honorable and plain old good character. He is like the little white dot of yin in that big black swirly of yang...or vice versa, I dunno. I love that he finally conquered Ba Sing Se, and he did it his way, the right way, on his own path. Just like Aang did with Ozai. I would have liked to see him pay another visit to Lu Ten under the old tree on the hill there, like he did in Tales of Ba Sing Se. I am not complaining though. I don't have many complaints.
Anime. Bleh. by ZeroCorpse	Jul 20th, 2008 03:11:06 PM
Call me when the characters actually move and look different from one another.
Best. Series Finael. Ever by Raphman	Jul 20th, 2008 03:32:28 PM
nuff said
They don't all have to be asian, but... by terry1978	Jul 20th, 2008 04:59:00 PM
...they can't all look euro-centric either. I would suggest getting a bunch of actors that are on the biracial side, at least so it's semi-accurate.
I didn't think much of the show too... by Lobanhaki	Jul 20th, 2008 05:49:52 PM
...until I saw Appa (the six-legged sky bison) just totally cover this one character with snot with a sneeze. The reaction of the character was just priceless. I caught on, over time, that the show had a good handle on storytelling, not to mention some of the best choregraphy I've seen in any show or movie, whether live action or animated. And I'm including the Anime that I watch regularly . There are plenty of good episodes to get the sense of this, but The Drill and The Earth King are a couple of season two highlights where You can see what I mean about the action. So check it out.
For the last time, it's not anime! by CZ	Jul 20th, 2008 08:32:56 PM
Gah. They use full frame animation, and the writing sensibility and humor are completely Western. This is NOT ANIME. Not that there's anything wrong with anime, but "Avatar" has never been one. I was one of the doubters who'd only seen a few episodes out of the first season, and didn't think much of the show. Seasons 2 and 3 are much stronger, when characters start showing shades of gray and the villains start coming out of the woodwork. This really is probably the best action cartoon of the last decade, and it deserves a bigger audience. How can you not love that the show's badass is a trash-talking thirteen-year-old blind girl?
Great finale to a great series. by BeeDub	Jul 20th, 2008 09:41:25 PM
The final Aang vs. Ozai battle kicked all sorts of ass. I hope the creators follow through on their promise to bring us more stories set in this world (with different characters).
CZ by MichaelCorleone	Jul 20th, 2008 09:59:07 PM
Actually it is anime. Anime is only used as a term to distinguish Japanese animation from western animation by the US and other western countries. All anime means is animation.
Yo BeeDub by I am the most horrible	Jul 20th, 2008 10:21:00 PM
Where did you hear that about a promise to tell more tales? That sounds good.
It's Funny How It's Repeatedly Called Anime... by Goldfingah	Jul 21st, 2008 12:32:35 AM
...but you gotta admit it's got "homage to Miyazaki" written all over it. I love this series and the values it teaches; though the creators are American there's a lot of genuinely Asian sensibility and I like to think Shyamalan will appreciate and strive to preserve it, being of Asian descent himself. I gotta say, though that more than a live-action flick (though that could well be awesome depending on the cast, writers costume and production designers, effects crew and fight choreographer) I'd like to see an "Avatar: the Movie" along the lines of "Macross: Do You Remember Love?" Anyone here remember how fantastic the animation of that feature was as opposed to the thoroughly pedestrian work on the series? That'd be great to watch, especially since there's supposedly room for more story threads. Maybe they could get Miyazaki himself to lend a hand. That would be FANTASTIC!
Michael Corleone by CZ	Jul 21st, 2008 02:29:45 AM
That's the Japanese usage of the word. The American usage means Japanese animation, which Avatar still ain't.
Yeah, not Anime by veritasses	Jul 21st, 2008 10:22:24 AM
American production, Korean animation studio. They do use some "anime style" techniques though... which is probably why there's some confusion.
GREAT FINALE by bythehairofsanjaya	Jul 21st, 2008 11:39:49 AM
I'm 53 and my wife and I love this show and I was reading Sci-Fi and fantasy before many of you guys were born. As many have expressed, this series had an increadible story arc, interesting characters who grew and evolved and as many have also pointed out, many laugh out loud moments. I don't laugh out loud at most sit-coms on TV, so yes Avatar was a very specicial series. The finale was super and tied it all in together. I got a lump in my throat when Zuko reconciled with his uncle. It was very touching, because you cared about these people. If it's not your cup of tea OK. Everyone is not going to like the same things. But to simply dismiss it tells me you haven't seen enough of it to have an informed opionion. My two cents.
CAPTBOULDER by bythehairofsanjaya	Jul 21st, 2008 04:05:37 PM
I have a great life thank you and love my wife as well as great Sci-Fi of which Avatar certainly is. Keep young at heart and never let the wonder go out of life. Try it.
CAPTBOULDER by bythehairofsanjaya	Jul 21st, 2008 04:06:46 PM
Plus, when you're my age (which by the way is the new 40) and have a job you can afford expensive toys.

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