With Avatar The Last Airbender on Netflix, lots of folks are either rewatching it like me or watching it for the first time!
In my opinion it's one of the best television shows there is, animated or otherwise, and I love just about everything about it. And so I'd love to chat about it!
Like the title says, please keep spoilers tagged, since plenty of folks are getting to experience it for the first time, and it would be a shame for them to learn that
Momo is the firelord[s/poiler] before they get there in the show.
People are always doing cute fanart of Team Avatar, but they always forget Suki, and it bums me out
Suki rules!
Suki does rule!
I did a dumb Twitter meme about HEY WHICH AVATAR CHARACTER ARE YOU and everyone went SUKI which caught me completely off guard so I am paying attention to her more this time and she is rad as hell
People are always doing cute fanart of Team Avatar, but they always forget Suki, and it bums me out
Suki rules!
Suki does rule!
I did a dumb Twitter meme about HEY WHICH AVATAR CHARACTER ARE YOU and everyone went SUKI which caught me completely off guard so I am paying attention to her more this time and she is rad as hell
...huh
Yeah, I think they were right on the money there, that tracks
The Boulder asserts that he is underrated as a character!
+9
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Dark Raven XLaugh hard, run fast,be kindRegistered Userregular
I got to the show late, just before Korra started. I liked the first one just fine, but I love Korra. Book 2 was weak in comparison, but the rest of that show is just mmnff, goddamned perfect.
I've been appreciating the sound design on the music more this time around. There's not a lot of unique tracks that are designed to fit perfectly with the scene, but I think a lot of the tracks they've made to regularly reuse are made such that they're just a steady beat comprised of several layers of instruments, so they can add and remove layers or add in little musical stings to change the intensity and punctuate specific moments without it sounding weird. I don't think this is a technique unique to Avatar, but they do a good job with it. Like there's one track they've used for a lot of fight scenes, and it sounds good and matches the action well every time.
Also I forgot how damn cool the fight scene of the gaang breaking into the earth king's palace was.
+1
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Dark Raven XLaugh hard, run fast,be kindRegistered Userregular
Also hey, the show got a comic continuation that is very good! They were drawn by Guruhiru for a long while, and they absolutely nailed the style. They're available in hardback collections of each storyline, and are well worth it IMO. Feels very true to the show.
I'm going to attempt to watch the live action movie this weekend.
God help me
Coran Attack!
0
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Munkus BeaverYou don't have to attend every argument you are invited to.Philosophy: Stoicism. Politics: Democratic SocialistRegistered User, ClubPAregular
3cl1ps3I will build a labyrinth to house the cheeseRegistered Userregular
My wife's enjoying the series so far even though we're still in the weak stuff so I'm looking forward to how into the later stuff she gets, while secretly dreading Tales From Ba Sing Se because it's going to make me flood the house with tears.
I'm going to attempt to watch the live action movie this weekend.
God help me
I think I'm going to make my wife watch that once we're done rewatching season one
Just a real whiplash in terms of quality
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Shortytouching the meatIntergalactic Cool CourtRegistered Userregular
fun avatar facts I recently discovered
the friendly prison guard who looks after Iroh is voiced by serena williams, the tennis player.
the earthbender in the intro isn't the Boulder, or isn't meant to be him originally--it's Toph, who was planned to be male and slightly older and not blind and a big loudmouth, which is why they made Toph an actual giant screaming dude in the ember island play. at some point before they started full production on the second season, someone pitched the idea of Toph as a tiny blind girl and initially Dimartino hated it but came around in time for it to be implemented. and it's a good thing they did because Toph rules.
+33
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Shortytouching the meatIntergalactic Cool CourtRegistered Userregular
the live action movie isn't even bad in ways that are entertaining or interesting, it's just boring and full of bad acting
even if you set aside the whitewashing (you shouldn't), it's not a good movie
Ember Island is the single greatest episode in the series
+3
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Munkus BeaverYou don't have to attend every argument you are invited to.Philosophy: Stoicism. Politics: Democratic SocialistRegistered User, ClubPAregular
I love Toph and Iroh but this is the Zuko show for me each time I watch it
Humor can be dissected as a frog can, but dies in the process.
Okay, we're through the Great Divide and she still wants to watch the show. Phew.
The Great Divide isn't really that bad of an episode, but it's an episode that could have never happened and the world building, character arcs, and plot wouldn't hurt without it.
Munkus BeaverYou don't have to attend every argument you are invited to.Philosophy: Stoicism. Politics: Democratic SocialistRegistered User, ClubPAregular
edited June 2020
Plus June is voiced by Femshep!
Munkus Beaver on
Humor can be dissected as a frog can, but dies in the process.
Munkus BeaverYou don't have to attend every argument you are invited to.Philosophy: Stoicism. Politics: Democratic SocialistRegistered User, ClubPAregular
Other than Aang sounding a bit rough in the first few episodes, they really hit it outta the park WRT the voice actors on this show, huh
Humor can be dissected as a frog can, but dies in the process.
Not that I’m complaining, but is there a reason for ATLA’s sudden resurgence into the zeitgeist?
It hit Netflix
Nice
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StraightziHere we may reign secure, and in my choice,To reign is worth ambition though in HellRegistered Userregular
I just finished the first season, having never seen it before. Overall I like it, but I also don't... entirely see what's so special about it. But I'm assuming it will get there, overall - it's far from the only show of its ilk to have a slow start.
I feel like the argument could be made that Zuko is the true protagonist of TLA
I really like how Zuko is first introduced as this big dangerous villain with all the classic bad-guy motifs like wearing black and red, the scar (ugliness is unfortunately a common "villainous" identifier), the imperious demeanor where he's willing to do anything if it gets him his prize and damn whoever stands in his way.
Then the show starts to explore Zuko, especially his relationship with Iroh, and starts to dismantle his status as a "villain" for the viewer. He's still an antagonist for sure, but he's got reasons for what he does and who he is that aren't just typical bad guy origins.
I just finished the first season, having never seen it before. Overall I like it, but I also don't... entirely see what's so special about it. But I'm assuming it will get there, overall - it's far from the only show of its ilk to have a slow start.
Main Character Power Rankings
Zuko
Iroh
Sokka
Katara
Appa
That irritating monkey bat
Aang
Tbf to Avatar, it also was heavily influential to pretty much every kids and teen oriented action show that came after it in the west, so some of the stuff it does, while it does it well, can feel less impactful after influencing tv shows for 15 years.
Posts
People are always doing cute fanart of Team Avatar, but they always forget Suki, and it bums me out
Suki rules!
I did a dumb Twitter meme about HEY WHICH AVATAR CHARACTER ARE YOU and everyone went SUKI which caught me completely off guard so I am paying attention to her more this time and she is rad as hell
...huh
Yeah, I think they were right on the money there, that tracks
I've been appreciating the sound design on the music more this time around. There's not a lot of unique tracks that are designed to fit perfectly with the scene, but I think a lot of the tracks they've made to regularly reuse are made such that they're just a steady beat comprised of several layers of instruments, so they can add and remove layers or add in little musical stings to change the intensity and punctuate specific moments without it sounding weird. I don't think this is a technique unique to Avatar, but they do a good job with it. Like there's one track they've used for a lot of fight scenes, and it sounds good and matches the action well every time.
For a side character with only a few appearances, I believe The Boulder is rated pretty well.
Also Iroh, but he's more awesome in a philosophical sense.
Oh well of course, that goes without saying
God help me
Coran Attack!
Prayer won’t reach where you’re going
You're going down a path no one can follow.
You're on your own.
I think I'm going to make my wife watch that once we're done rewatching season one
Just a real whiplash in terms of quality
the earthbender in the intro isn't the Boulder, or isn't meant to be him originally--it's Toph, who was planned to be male and slightly older and not blind and a big loudmouth, which is why they made Toph an actual giant screaming dude in the ember island play. at some point before they started full production on the second season, someone pitched the idea of Toph as a tiny blind girl and initially Dimartino hated it but came around in time for it to be implemented. and it's a good thing they did because Toph rules.
even if you set aside the whitewashing (you shouldn't), it's not a good movie
The Great Divide isn't really that bad of an episode, but it's an episode that could have never happened and the world building, character arcs, and plot wouldn't hurt without it.
Coran Attack!
but also
It hit Netflix
Nice
Main Character Power Rankings
It's better than I remembered
Then the show starts to explore Zuko, especially his relationship with Iroh, and starts to dismantle his status as a "villain" for the viewer. He's still an antagonist for sure, but he's got reasons for what he does and who he is that aren't just typical bad guy origins.
Tbf to Avatar, it also was heavily influential to pretty much every kids and teen oriented action show that came after it in the west, so some of the stuff it does, while it does it well, can feel less impactful after influencing tv shows for 15 years.