So, a new show debuted on Nickelodeon Feb 22. Avatar looks really promising, Miyazki-esque animation and well-scripted fight scenes. Will it end up like Invader Zim? Only time will tell. Nickelodeon will be re-playing the pilot episode all this week, before Avatar settles in it's "permanent" spot Fridays at 8pm. The pilot should re-play before then.

This show is actually pretty good! Does this show have a theme song?

Or is it just that introduction?

After seeing some early concept designs, my interest level was already high, but I still came away very surprised. The character animation was fantastic. I'm talking "straight-to-video" quality animation here; lush, detailed backgrounds, amusing character moments and imaginative fight sequences (re: Zuko v. Ang). The voices were also good; especially, the little kids who sounded like, well, little kids (re: "I gotta pee!"). I didn't come away feeling like the show's anime-influence was heavy-handed enough to be a distraction, and I think that will work in its favor. The show's creators seem intent to carve out a niche of their own and I think their well on their way to doing that.

What about the bad? Well, it's early, and I'm trying not to be blinded by the pretty animation. But I hope the writers expand on the reasons why Ang "disappeared" and why his powers "flare up" the way they do.

In case anyone's interested about the staff behind AVATAR, here's a recent article posted to AWN:

Link

This show is really good. I love the idea of there being people who control air, water, fire and earth and that our hero can control all four. I love powers. I even love the giant flying bison.

I saw two episodes this weekend. The one with the girl warriors with the fans and the one where the village of airbenders is forbidden to use their powers by the fire people. Both were really good. I set my Tifaux to record all the episodes. I hope the Avatar makes it to the North Pole.

The animation is awesome I agree, it's wayy better than some you see nowadays..


They don't advertise it enough.

Caught a mini-marathon of it today. I'm pretty sure this is the closest American animation will ever get to Anime and I likes it!

I'm amazed at how surprisingly good this show is. The funny moments actually make me laugh out loud, the monster and character designs are actually really cool looking, and the characters actually behave realistically and interact in consistent ways. On Nickelodeon of all places. Who would have thought...

This show is so pretty. I can't believe I'm dvr'ing something on Nick. I want this show on dvd as soon as possible.

I've caught this show a few times by mere chance. And loved it. Even though I tend to think the writers merely twerked the Naruto backstory, it still totally works. And it's on Nick! Nick!
and

So true.

Oh good, other people are watching Avatar.

This show is completely out of left field. It's the second one I've seen to sucessfully blend Eastern and Western animation for children's television (the other being Teen Titans). And surprise, surprise, Nickelodeon has it. Though epic quests and hand-to-hand combat have long been a staple of such shows, it's the first time I've seen it on Nick. It's a nice change.

Does anyone know where I can find a character list? I'm having a lot of trouble keeping the names straight, particularly the girl Water Bender and the Prince Fire Bender straight. (Prince Zuko? Prince Suko?)

Speaking of the Prince - it's a lot of fun to watch him fight. This is the first time I've seen someone directing elemental powers through their feet.

"Shouldn't we be running away from the large explosions?" - Saka

This show gets better every week but I'm really ready for the Avatar to learn some new elements. His growth is really slow. Hopefully his meeting with the former Avatar will light a fire under his little behind.

A truly wonderful show. Wasn't expecting much, as I'm not an anime fan, but my 6-year-old and I are stone-cold hooked. Particularly like the off-beat characterizations, and some astonishingly inventive design and fight sequences.

My personal favorite episode was with the crazy earth-bending king. Gotta love the quicksand move he did with his feet, and taking the prisoners to the "refurbished room that used to be the bad room"

Don't ever want to see Uncle Airo in the bath anymore, though.

BTW, from below, Abba looks like a big flying caterpillar. Yip-yip!

My sister called last night talking about this show. My adorable little niece just LOVES it. (And my sister admits that she watches it when there are no kids in the room). I haven't watched it yet, but it sounds like a good show.

My niece’s birthday is coming up and my sister was hoping to get some Avatar merchandise for her. (Dolls, tapes, books, anything). I have looked around, but can’t find anything. Do any of you have any ideas or sources? Is someone taping who would be willing to "tape swap" with me? Please?

ETA: After all my research, I am starting to get desperate. And, something happened with *both* episodes I tried to tape last night. If anyone has a tape of the shows/marathon they would be willing to share, I would really appreciate it. I will pay for the tape, s+h and your trouble. Thanks!! If it helps you understand, my I talked to my niece on the phone last night. She is almost 3. She kept saying that "my aunt jade is getting me an avatar doll." Her mom tried to explain that it might not happen. But, she is 3. Anyway, if there is a tape, that would help. Thanks again.

Also, tvtome has a pretty good description and character guide for the show. It includes news items, a broadcast schedule and a links to either watch or listen to the opening theme.

I realize I was the last post, but I have edited my last one about 3 times now. (A telling view into my level of desperation).

I tried to tape the episode on Sunday and the power went off *again*. So, it was a bust for me for all 3 episodes that aired this weekend.

I really need help. If you have the episodes on tape, could you let me know if you would be willing to share? If you don't want to make a copy, I would be willing to do that for you. I could even edit out the commercials, etc. and send you that copy as well as the original back. I am willing to pay for the tapes, all S+H and your time.

So it doesn't just seem like I am begging for help and not contributing anything:

A link to a great Avatar Website

I had a tape of the marathons..then I recorded over them. 0_0

I don't think there are any Avatar merchandise..

I caught this show today and absolutely loved it. Big fat word about the surprisingly great animation quality. It's gaining some popularity, so Avatar merchandise might be a possibility in the near future.

I always wondered how Katara and her brother found out he was the avatar. Also, the frog thing was funny. They were saying how good they were and then they jumped out of their mouth.

I just saw this for the first time, ran across it randomly. It's so neat. I like the little world they've built and the character designs. It's clearly kiddie oriented but I still found it amusing, and the animation and action scenes are of unusually high quality.

New episodes of Avatar will supposedly air on Sept. 23. Just thought I'd mention it for those of you who would like to know.

Thanks for the heads up. I didn't even know the show was in reruns. This is a great series, but I find myself forgetting to watch it (or record it) on fridays nights. I'm strugg-a-ling to keep up. This show needs to be on another day, but I read that its making a killing---ratings-wise---in its timeslot.

Although I think that a show of such high quality and such broad appeal is wasted on the now-tween-obssessed Nick, I still gush waterfalls of praise on it. After so many trial-and-error-anime-wannabe shows (Totally Spies, Martin Mystery, Super-Monkey-Robot-what-the-hell-ever, but not Teen Titans, I like that one), it's nice to see someone finally get it right and perfectly blend the east and west cartoons. Avatar is the epitome of western animation with an eastern influence. Now let's just cross our fingers and hope that Nick doesn't cancel it because it didn't reel in the teenagers.

Hey, Bossu, Avatar re-runs also show on Saturdays and Sundays. I'm not sure about the exact times, though. And this past Monday, Nickelodeon aired a couple of episodes in the early afternoon.

I am a bit miffed that I have yet to see the first two episodes. And also that the schedules Nickelodeon sends my Tivo bear only a vague, tangential relationship to reality. More than once, I've set it to record what was listed as those episodes, only to find, say, Catscratch, or Fairly Oddparents, in its place.

Ah, well. Hopefully I'll stumble across them sooner or later. Or, failing that, keep on trying until they decide to release a DVD many years from now.

I went on Amazon.com and discovered some good news. An Avatar: The Last Airbender DVD is in the works.

There's an article in the NYTimes, it sounds like Nick is quite pleased with the show...They're talking about doing a card game and a video game. No word on action figures.

Kung Fu Fightin' Anime Stars, Born in the USA

I would totally buy an Avatar video game. That would be hot. I'm happy to hear about the dvd too. It's so rare that Nick puts on something cool that I can't stop geeking out about this show.

But I'm ready for the Avatar to start training with fire and earth and water more.

New episodes on the 23rd? Great. I guess the second "book" will look at Ang's efforts to learn the other powers before that comet comes back. I also expect Prince Zuko to realize that his efforts to win back his father's love just aren't going to work, especially if that comet is supposed to make the Fire Nation Emperor almost invincible. Once that happens, this show will get a whole lot more interesting.

Woo-hoo, new episodes! Glad to hear that.


I'm waiting for Zuko to yell, "@%#! this!" and go join the happy little Avatar group. (With his uncle trailing after and reprimanding, "Watch your language!") After all, where else is Ang going to pick up Firebending skills?

That would be cool. I defiantely think it's a possiblility



Word. But as previousely stated, I just hope they don't cancel it before it's finished. That would ultimately suck.

Hot, actually. Sorry, couldn't resist. :)

So, I can guess where the Firebending comes in, but I'm wondering about Earth. So far the group has only interacted with two Earthbenders (Ang's old friend (literally), and the kid in episode where the Fire Nation was enslaving Earthbenders.) In fact, Earth is the only major element without a regular representative in the show, which I find odd. Anyone else curious about this?

Also, anyone know which Book is coming next?

Don't forget the episode where they had to cross the canyon with the two warring tribes. The tourguide dude was an earth bender.

I wonder if the Air Benders could make a resurgeness. I know that the intial line of the Air Benders was wiped, but maybe there are members of the fire and earthbending nations that don't posses their nations gifts are untapped Air benders, or more simply some of the Air Benders had unknown descendents.

I think that Ang's old friend the earth bending king and the Prince will teach Ang Earth and Fire bending.

Ah, that's right, I haven't seen the entirety of that episode.

So far, we've only seen Ang do Bending outside of his element. I don't know if anyone else is able to do that.

Actually, I'm not so sure they were. The temples were destroyed, true, as were all the trained Airbenders. However, I don't think those two places represented all of Air. Since monks, as a rule, don't have children, the Airbending apprentices probably came from an outside population.
I'm sure the Fire forces attacked the rest of the Air Nation, but I doubt they got everyone. Tribes of Air refugees may still be wandering the world. If they are, they'd be hiding their talents and identity, less they draw unwanted attention. If that's the case, the Airbenders could rise again. After all, it's only the knowledge that's disappeared, not the ability.

I thought that Ang was the only one who could bend outside his elment, because the avatar is the only one who can bend all of the elments.

He is. I'm just wondering if someone, say in the fire nation, can't bend their tribes element, maybe they are meant to bend another element.



And that is probably the correct theory. Lets hope that the show comes across some hidden air benders.

The Avatar is "The master of all four elements," but the show hasn't stated whether or not elemental powers are exclusive. For example, Katara may be able to learn some Air abilities, maybe not. We haven't seen her (or anyone else) try.

I think that would be pretty rare, if not impossible. The elements seem to run through bloodlines. An exception may be if you married outside of your tribe. Let's say a Water Bender married an Earth Bender, and they had a child. What skills would she have? Water? Earth? Or maybe an entirely new one - like Mud Bending! (Okay, maybe not. Heh.)

I look forward to that episode, because it would make Ang so very happy.

EDIT - Was just looking at Nickelodeon's "Avatar" website, and it calls Anng's people the "Air Nomads." That makes it even more likely there are still scattered Air clans, since hostile forces wouldn't have been able to wipe them all out in one place.

The episode of Avatar that will supposedly air on Sept. 23 is titled "The Fortune Teller".

Here are some spoilers for the upcoming season:

-"The Fortune Teller" episode will focus on the relationship between Katara/Aang.

-We meet Zuko's younger sister, Azula.

-Expect scenes for Zuko/Katara, Sokka/Suki, Katara/Aang, and even reappearances of past characters such as Jet, Suki, Haru, ect. in upcoming episodes.

-Sokka and Katara find out some new facts about their father.

-Zuko meets a female bounty hunter by the name of Jun. Here's a picture of her, in case you're interested in what she looks like: http://www.asmzine.com/features/convention...ges/foto12.html

Well, that's all for now.

I hope so. Because the presumtive alternative story is that the Fire Nation is actively genocidal, and for a Nick cartoon that might be a little too much for the kids to handle.

Kalina Ann, thanks for the info!

It's a goth bounty hunter! Awesome! Is that a skull in her hair?


Yeah, that's a bit heavy. I'm thinking that there's some underground Fire Nation members involved in hiding Airbenders, and that the old guy traveling with the Fire prince (his uncle?) is in contact with them some how. He's so kindly and goofy, he's got to have a hidden agenda. But I only remember to watch the show sporadically, so I'm probably missing out on some info.

Revelations about Sokka and Katara's father? Probably a member of the Fire Nation, maybe even Zuko's father.

Damn this show is purdy. I agree with the person who said it looks like something out of a Hayao Miyazaki film (especially the bison). And here I was thinking the days of truly inovative and ground breaking action/adventure cartoons ended with Samurai Jack. But this looks like it could be up ther with Gargoyles as my #1 favorite.

I can't wait to see more. I hope the DVD's come out soon so I don't have to keep taping it on VHS. I'm running out of room for those things.



How are those shows errors? They're popular cartoons that have been on for years and have all successfuly recreated japanamation look...except for Teen Titans.

New episodes start tonight at 8:00, in case anyone needs reminding. Yaaaaaay!

Holy cow - could the two host of "Slime Time" or whatever it's called be anymore annoying? If I have to put up with the two of them every Friday, it's going to wear down every nerve I have. Plus, I hate when Nick has these "shows" around programs and messes up the timing. "Avatar" started at 7:50 practically. I'm glad I had it on in the background or I would have missed the first 1/3 of the program.

The episode tonight was interesting. I kind of picked up on Aang needing Katara's approval, but I didn't know he was seriously crushing on her. I hope that doesn't affect the storyline too much. I suppose in a "real world" sense, it could happen, but it would just seem too weird to me.

Due to the idiocy which is Slime Time, I did miss the first part of the episode. Nickelodeon is just lucky the animation is pretty enough to placate me. Summaries, anybody? Thanks.

The part I did see, I liked, especially Aang crushing on Kitara. Makes sense - she is the first girl he's really spent any great amount of time with.

When Sokka made the comment about what a powerful Bender Aang is, there was an interesting reaction from Kitara. I wonder what that was all about?

The fortune teller told Katara that her future mate would be a "powerful bender", hence....the look.

Damn their so called Slime-Time to hell. If you ask me, Nick no longer deserves the right to show slime on the air. They are about as far away from their former "slime network" status as possible. I recorded the episode, and haven't seen it yet. SORRY!

Yay!!!

Avatar on DVD January 24, 2006

That's so awesome! I love this show. Yes, I'm over 30, and I don't care. Aang is adorable, and the story is great.

The first part of the episode was basically a setup of how Aang is crushing on Kitara (he makes her a necklace), and a setup of how Our Heroes get to the fortune teller's village (they save a guy being attacked by a platypus bear, who tells them about the fortune teller).

I like how "falling for a powerful bender" for Katara is nice and ambiguous. So many ways that could be taken!

I like how the twins prophecy turns out to be true. I wonder how the crops prophecy ties in to the episodes' events.

Please, please get Suki back so Sokka can grow up a little more.

FORTUNE TELLER: You will be the key to a great Battle! A monumental struggle between the forces of good and the forces of evil! A battle which shall determine the fate of the entire worl-!
AANG: Yeah, yeah, I already knew that. Did it say anything about a girl?

Keep in mind, she said a powerful bender. Anybody wanna bet it'll be... ZUKO!?!