For the most part, anime has a bad reputation in the United States, mostly because most people are only aware of things like Pokemon and Sailor Moon, which are aimed at children. I have mostly bought into this idea, and getting me to watch anime is like pulling teeth. I had to be convinced for years that I'd enjoy Cowboy Bebop before I actually gave it a chance (and loved it). Avatar: The Last Airbender wasn't made in Japan and imported to the U.S., but it was drawn in the style of anime. That was its first strike against it. The second was that it was on Nickelodeon. And third, it was a "kids show." So with three strikes against it, how did I ever get to watching it? Surprisingly, it took the release of a (reportedly) terrible movie, The Last Airbender. The film adaptation of the series was universally panned by critics, who all said the same things: the lighting and effects were terrible, the acting was bad, and it was a sorry adaptation of a great series. I soon learned that a few of my friends love the show, so I decided to give it a chance. I'm so happy I did.
Like me, many people are skeptical of the show. I tell them that Avatar* is like the Harry Potter of television. Like the book series, Avatar is marketed towards kids, but has many adult elements. It deals with the harshness of war, including the loss of loved ones that results, the demonization of the enemy, genocide, and the weight of responsibility. The characters are very well developed, and keep their personality traits from episode to episode, rather than changing to fit the plot. I was genuinely surprised with the depth and maturity of the events and characters.
The three seasons tell one grand narrative, with a planned beginning, middle, and end. Also, each season tells a smaller story, detailing a part of Aang's, the lead character, journey to become the Avatar, the spirit of the planet manifested in human form. Much like the Harry Potter series, in which each book told a complete story that fit into a grander narrative, the three seasons of the series tell complete but interdependent stories (they also have a "Star Wars original trilogy" vibe to them). And, also like the Potter stories, the characters grow naturally as the show progresses. People develop their fighting abilities, grow as individuals (one character began the show as a sexist who bought into traditional gender stereotypes, but lost these views as he became more exposed to the world), and reassess their worldviews in light of the journeys they take to places outside their homelands.
Up next: A world out of balance...
*For the sake of brevity, I will refer to the show as Avatar instead of typing out its full title each time. Please do not get confused and think I am talking about that fucking smurf movie; you will not find any praise for that film here.
No comments:
Post a Comment