Weekly Recap: Avatar 01, Special A 05
These have been consolidated from individual posts.
Avatar Episode 01
I can already see the ostracism but I’m going to blog Avatar: The Last Airbender, a US-created anime-influenced series. I’d like to say it’s because so very little of the Spring 2008 anime interests me, which is true, but it’s actually because many of my non-anime watching friends have raved about it. If my non-anime watching friends can get that excited over a domestic cartoon, maybe there’s something worthwhile in it?
My eyes! They burn!
In the past, I’ve balked at watching anime-influenced shows, such as Hi Hi Puffy AmiYumi and Totally Spies. Most of this was due to 2 things: plot clearly aimed for the 6-12 year old demographic or horrible animation style. 1 This generally coincided with what I perceived to be poor plot, perhaps uninteresting slice-of-life. However, I’ve enjoyed some episodes of Batman, Jackie Chan Adventures, and Teen Titans, so it’s not as if anime-influenced shows were completely off the list. Plus, I will definitely be watching Batman: Gotham Knight, which starts to break away from the DC style.
Which brings me back to Avatar: The Last Airbender. My initial expectation had been something along the lines of Teen Titans - clearly anime influenced but still looking rather cheap. I had also expected the backgrounds to either consist of long segments of a stationary character while seizure streaks flashed across my screen or blocky buildings without details. In short, I wasn’t expecting much. However, the first episode was far better than I had expected and despite some jokes and gags clearly designed for its primary 6-12 year old target audience, I really enjoyed it.
Unlike a lot of anime shows, the animation style is fuller, fleshier, and may be Miyazaki influenced.2 Miyazaki’s influence can also be seen in the design of Appa, Aang’s large bison creature that resembles the Catbus from My Neighbor Totoro. The background scenes are quite detailed, reminding me of older Disney movies or just older cartoons in general. But what really impressed me was the attention to detail during the fight sequences. It wasn’t just flashing lights and a large cloud of dust, it reminded me more of an animated Jackie Chan movie.
I realize that for hardcore anime fans, the gag reflex is working overtime by now. There are 2 hurdles to get over: first, the fact that it’s in English with American voice actors and second, that it’s only anime-influenced. But if you can get over these 2 things, you will see the amount of detail, particularly in the action sequences, that has been put into this series.3 I’m already hooked and I hope others won’t dismiss it so easily just because it wasn’t made in Japan.
Special A Episode 05
Rather than do a long write up of impressions, I’ll cut through most of it using the facial expressions of SA characters:
What’s this? A new SA episode? Nothing like visual seppuku to end a long work day.
Hey, I laughed! But it’s still a little painful to watch.
What fresh hell is this….
I knew it was too good to be true.
Just kill Hikari and Kei!
This is so cruel but…
THE CAKE IS A LIE
Current stats are 50% like, 10% meh, and 20% hate for both Hikari and Kei4. I feel very much like a hamster on a wheel - this show’s going no where but the treat has to be coming up soon (even though I seriously doubt it will). I’ll watch 1 more episode but if it doesn’t give the side characters adequate enough time, it’ll be quits for good. I don’t think I can drag myself through another Kei and Hikari sparkly awkward pseudo-love moment.
Although…at this moment, it occurred to me that I could just fast forward and only watch the bits featuring the side characters. The only bits worth watching.
- I consider Ed, Edd, and Eddy to be the poster child of bad cartoon art, if you were wondering what the bottom line is. [↩]
- http://www.musogato.com/avatar/magazine/anime_insider-dec06.jpg [↩]
- Admittedly, I had to skip ahead a few episodes in order to write this with any confidence. [↩]
- Disclaimer: Watched this one without subtitles…it’s probably better this way, particularly if you don’t understand what’s being said. This may be the 1 time I wish I was back in beginners Japanese. [↩]
Avatar: The Last Airbender, Special A
Related Posts
Comments
@issa-sa: Totally Spies is downright creepy. Voice actors, designs, everything. I can see anime influence in the designs but I’d have to say it’s probably older anime than newer anime. Maybe it’s just the stuff I’ve seen though.
Lol, watch this every week as my nephew is way addicted to it. Decent enough, I reckon ^^. And maybe it’s just me, but I prefer Kim Possible to Totally Spies XD.
Avatar is just about the only American cartoon I’ve heard decent things about recently. Too bad I’m not into them.
@IcyStorm: One of my friends liked it too, at least when it first came out. I don’t know about now. I just couldn’t get excited about it enough to make time for it.
@lanie-emon: I’ve seen a couple episodes of Kim Possible and it looks vastly better than Totally Spies. It still strikes me more Disney influenced than Japanese anime though.
@Nagato: I am less into US cartoons than Japanese ones. I think the plotlines in Japanese cartoons are better. Humor can be found in all things so it’s a moot point. But Avatar may become a gateway show for people - some of these same friends of mine are sampling anime now and finding things they like.
Hmmm, I wish I have access to viewing this. It might be interesting to take a quick look at it. Let’s see if I can catch it when I go for my trip to the United states in 2 weeks time.
@blissmo: Yay! Someone else who loves Avatar!
@Impz: I’ve heard season 3 is on hiatus right now with new episodes in July but there may be reruns. I’m not entirely sure. Still, I’m glad you want to give this a try and I hope you do! ^_^
Now I recognise the three chicks in the first image! What was the show called again? Something spy? And Avatar is on “ABC KIDS” LOL! Over here in Australia, that is
Oh yeah, I re-read up there and it was called totally spies haha
I never realy considered Avatar as having anime influences, but I do see where it comes from. Even as a ‘non-anime cartoon’ (to put it crudely), avatar is still a cut above the rest in that it has a sort of plot maturit and progression that’s very unpresent in most western cartoons (and don’t diss Totally Spies, it’s so hilariously bad you can’t help but laugh at it :P)