Avatar: The Last Airbender

[EverBlue]

After Justice League Unlimited and Teen Titans ended, I didn't think there were anymore cartoons out there I'd enjoy anymore. Thankfully, I was wrong. What's ironic is that this show's on Nickelodeon, a channel not exactly known for producing quality shows since Ren & Stimpy's ending, and that Avatar is actually one of the few 'amerime' shows out there along with Teen Titans that's actually good.

I mean, the show's obviously for kids and all with its whole elemental thing and the 'no-punching' rule in full effect. But what makes it so great is its sophistication in execution. The animation is awesome, the character development is superb, and the plot is above average. The fight scenes are just so well choreographed that I don't really care that characters aren't allowed to get as violent as, say, Justice League. Avatar is just one of those rare good shows that come around every few years.

The only complaint I have about it is the character Toph. Blech, just a few episodes and she's turning into too much of a Blackarachnia-styled character for me. The series is still relatively young, though, so hopefully she might grow on me in the future and develop better as a character. After all, with Rurouni Kenshin, I hated Yahiko thoroughly at the beginning, since he was an annoying brat with seemingly no redeemable qualities. By the end of the series though, he became one of the most well-developed characters as well as one of my favorites. Toph still has time to prove herself, so I won't go hard on her completely.

Oh yeah, and the Earthbenders are some of the most overused and needlessly overexposed Benders in the show. I want to see more Airbenders and Firebenders, geez. Earthbenders are just a group of very boring, and unremarkable people. In short, they were okay at first but now they bore me.

I'd have to say my favorite characters are Aang, Katara, Zuka, Uncle Iroh, King Bumi, Azula, and Fire Lord Ozai(perhaps the coolest name on the show).

Is there anyone else here that also likes this show?

[Lethal]

Well, given the fact that the air benders were the victims of a genocidal Fire Nation attack at the start of the 100 year war, and no one's seen one since (except Aang) I don't think we'll be seeing much of them. Earthbenders are plentiful in the series because most of the traveling is done through the Earth Kingdom. It's also where most of the fighting takes place. As for Firebenders, we see soldiers every now and then, and there's Zuko, Iroh, and Azula.

I not very fond of Katara. I don't hate her, I just don't like her very much. She's a little Mary-Sueish in my opinion. Sokka's good for comic relief.

Oh, and to answer your question, yeah, I like the show too.

[EverBlue]

Well, given the fact that the air benders were the victims of a genocidal Fire Nation attack at the start of the 100 year war, and no one's seen one since (except Aang) I don't think we'll be seeing much of them. Earthbenders are plentiful in the serious because most of the traveling is done through the Earth Kingdom. It's also where most of the fighting takes place. As for Firebenders, we see soldiers every now and then, and there's Zuko, Iroh, and Azula.

Fair enough of an argument from a storyline perspective, but it still doesn't excuse the Earthbenders for being a very bland and overused people. They're like the Hufflepuffs of the series. There just isn't anything spectacular or remarkable about them(aside from Bumi).

Heck, even in Captain Planet, that Heart kid was more popular than the Earth guy.

Add in the fact that I always found elemental characters with Earth abilities to be lame and boring compared to guys who could manipulate fire, wind, ice, etc. and you'll see where I'm coming from.