May 13th 2008 04:38 am
Sharing the Love - “Avatar, the Last Airbender”
Although a friend recommended me this cartoon almost a month ago, it was only last week that I actually got the opportunity to watch it. I went through entire 50+ episodes in about week’s time and I’m seriously considering watching the series all over again. It’s been awhile that I was as entertained so much by a cartoon.
Story takes place in the fantasy world inspired by old China and divided into four nations based on the classic Greek elements – earth, water, air and fire. In each of them, many people have an inherited ability to “bend” or manipulate one of the elements. All of this monitors the Avatar – Dalai Lama-eque figure that reincarnates each generation and has an ability to manipulate all four of the elements. But things got rough century ago when Fire Nation started conquering it’s neighbours left and right while the new Avatar – 12 year old Airbender named Aangh - disappeared without trace.
Hundred years later, siblings Kattara and Sokku of the Water Tribe stumble upon frozen Avatar while ice fishing in the Southern polar regions. Releasing him from the iceberg, they embark on a perilous journey filled with Fire Nation storm troopers, bounty hunters, spirits and crazy mad martial arts/element bending goodness.
Produced by Nickelodeon, “Avatar” is children cartoon for sure: violence and angst are kept below the level seen in Japanese anime, and groan-inducing “lessons of the day” pop up here and there. But even so, once it gets rolling, “Avatar” is helluva fun to watch.
For me, the single biggest joy with this cartoon is it’s relatively seamless storyline that leaves impression how writers knew, from episode one, exactly what story they want to tell. This shows not just in the story and character development but in the beautiful attention to small details like the way characters change clothes and hair styles over time, accumulate small trinkets like bags or umbrellas or totally irrelevant side characters who appear again and again, showing us that the writers didn’t forget them.
Other thing I greatly enjoy in “Avatar’s” is it’s fluid animation of martial arts, and, although the Season 1 (or “Book One” as it’s called) is somewhat lacking in this regard, by Season 2 animation of characters’ movements visibly improves. For that you only need to see this scene from one of the later episodes when characters try to escape prison.
Finally, I love the warm and humorous approach of the writers towards their characters - not just the good guys but villains, too. Main “villains” of the Season 1 – exiled Prince Zuko and his uncle Iroh (voiced by recently departed Mako) – are great examples of characters that, although techinally opposed to the heroes, have far more in common with them then they’re willing to admit.
And then there is Topha blind 12-year old girl that kicks asses out of much older and bigger opponents. Or Princess Azula – magnificent bastard extraordinaire. Or such fun recurring characters as Cabbage Man and Mouth-Frothing Guy.
In a word: delight. 
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