Feb 18 2007
Water. Earth. Fire. Air. Only the Avatar was the master of all four elements. Only he could stop the ruthless Fire Nation from conquering the world. But when the world needed him most, he disappeared. Until now... On the South Pole, a lone Water Tribe village struggles to survive. It's here that a young Waterbender named Katara and her warrior brother Sokka rescue a strange boy named Aang from a cavernous iceberg. Not only is Aang an Airbender--a race of people no one has seen in a century--but they soon discover that Aang is also the long lost Avatar. Now it's up to Katara and Sokka to make sure Aang faces his destiny to save the tribe--and himself. Did we mention he's only 12?This is the story of Aang, the last airbender and only twelve years-old to boot. Aang has the potential to save the world - he's the long lost Avatar of the past, but he's going to need help from Katara and Sokka if he wants to master all the elements.
Avatar is a compelling series with rich animation and a draw-you-in kind of storyline. But the really cool thing about Avatar is that its not from Japan. Not by a long shot. In fact, Avatar was produced in the States, created by Michael Dante DiMartino (King of the Hill, Family Guy) and Bryan Konietzko (Family Guy, King of the Hill).
So why have I included Avatar on the anime site?
While Avatar may not be authentic anime, it clearly sports a deep anime influence, inspired by shows such as Cowboy Bebop, Samurai Champloo and FLCL. Both creators confirmed their anime-inspiration and cited Hayao Miyazaki films - Spirited Away and Princess Mononoke - as all-time favorites.
No, this influence doesn't technically make Avatar "anime" but it does bring American animation very close to the edge. Its also a wonderful story with spectacular animation and of course, it has that "anime" feel.
Seasons 1 and 2 are available on DVD and can also be downloaded from iTunes. You can catch episodes from both books on Nickelodeon who, rumor has it, enjoyed so much success with the first two seasons, they've picked up a third to be aired sometime this year.
For more Avatar, check out the official website at Nick.com.
