Penguin_Factory said:
I could not possibly be more excited for this. The new setting is exactly what I wanted out of sequel.
Honestly, Avatar is no different from an incredibly genric anime show.
I hate most shounen shows but I love Avatar. A few reasons:
- It's not structured around battles. Apart from Aang's eventual goal of defeating Lord Ozai, combat between characters is treated realistically, ie they see each other, briefly try to kill each other and then get on with other things. You don't have this massive drawn out spectacle where Protagonist A vs Antogonist K is the focal point of an entire plot arc.
Agreed :lol:
- The conflict feels like a real conflict. You get the impression that the war between the Fire nation and the rest is an actual war involving thousands of people on each side. In shounen anime conflicts, everything inevitably boils down to a handful of super-powered demigods butting heads. In Avatar that only happens at the finale.
The politics are well portrayed in general. The characters encounter refugees, bureacracy, and a coup de'tat. All in a few episodes span!
- The fights are real fights. By which I mean the characters have no special attacks, so the elemental bending is treated like a martial art, with combatents stringing together a relatively small number of basic moves at the right time to win, rather than simply charging up a succession of increasingly more ludicrous insta-win techniques. It involves much more strategy and creativity.
The battles are also incredibly detailed; most of them choreographed by an actual Kung-Fu Master named Sifu Kisu. It's mostly "Elemental Magic" but it's based on real moves, and requires more than a little practice to get right. Every element is based on a specific Kung-Fu style. Best of all? The characters barely speak when they are enganged in combat. If you want to know what specific moves are called, you have to listen to the commentaries! :wink:
Now, don't get me wrong. Is Avatar any "deeper" or more mature than your typical shounen brawl-fest? Hell no. Almost any big shounen title is darker and more complex. I just think it has them beaten in terms of characterisation and writing.
Oh, I beg to differ. Avatar is as deep and complex as the best of the shonen shows, especially in the realm of its characters and its world. The two things that really make Avatar stand out, IMnsHO, are its characters, especially its female characters, and its attention to detail.
First, detail: This is a show in which almost every detail is planned out and executed nearly perfectly. I've already mentioned the fighting (as did Penguin_Factory), but the calligraphy is based off ancient Chinese, the backrounds and locations were meticulously researched, the clothes and hair change and grow (literally in case of hair) as the characters move around. You won't see a character wounded in one episode and healed in the next without a resonable explanation. The music is unique and incredibly produced with instruments from all over the world.
The subjects of world war, occupation, genocide, the morality of killing in self-defense and/or revenge, injury, death, and in the personal realm, parental abuse and abandonment, are treated with respect and gravity. It is true that the TV-Y7 rating prevents the show from going into graphic detail, but nothing is glossed over, either.
Secondly, characters: Every main and many minor characters have a character arc. All are flawed, many take a few steps forward and a few steps back in their development. You can see all the characters, especially the protagonist, grow and mature through all three seasons as they deal with their personal struggles and general conflicts as well as combat training.
The majority of main and reoccurring characters are
female (now that makes it stand out from shonen anime!). The question of the morality of boys fighting girls? Comes up in 2 episodes in the first season with reguards to training, and in the heat of battle who has time to ask?
Of the 6 female leads/major characters, 3 (Katara, Toph, and Azula) are the best "benders" of their respective elements in their world, and the other 3 are very strong fighters who lack "bending" ability. All the females are treated with respect and have character arcs of their own. {Azula is possibly the best villainess ever animated, but that's a personal opinion!
}
I'm in my mid-20s, and I started watching Avatar last summer. I still rewatch episodes with a smile. I can quote my favorite lines with the characters!
I consider it to be one of the
best animated fantasy series made in the last decade
from any country.
The only shonen anime that I would rate on par with Avatar is Full Metal Alchemist (pick your fave version, I'm digging Brotherhood right now), which has simular themes, respect for female characters, and incredibly choreographed battle sequences.
Legend of Korra has a lot of potential. I love the "melting pot" city setting, which, according to the creators, has been inspired by Shang-Hai, Hong Kong, Manhattan and Vancouver ( :?: ). Most melting pot cities don't truly melt, especially right away, so ghettos, crime, gang violence and discrimination are common. Nothing irrealistic about that. As long as the lead isn't a total b***y tsundere....Whatever, I'd trust Bryke to make it a great show in any setting and with any characters, but, y'know, I'm biased.
