When was the last time you watched an animated how this intense and intricate? Avatar: The Last Airbender is arguably the greatest animated show ever made.
It Only Gets Better With Each Episode
Avatar: The Last Airbender is a show that aged like fine wine. Every time a new episode aired, it only made things better. No fan could point out a single episode and say it was profusely bad. Sure there were ups and downs but the show generally had a positive note and direction. Even the episodes that are considered fillers are watch-worthy.
The Power System Is Very Unique
In the world of Avatar, the Benders can manipulate one of four elements. Wind, water, earth, and fire form the basis of elemental bending. But if you look at the very philosophies of Avatar, you will see the intricate details the writers weaved into the show. While franchises like Harry Potter showed how magic looks like from a western point of view, Avatar blends Eastern philosophies into a western setting. The result is a unique era of world-building never seen before in animated entertainment.
Avatar Never Abandons Its Characters & Their Development Arcs
Not one, not even a single character in Avatar is beyond character development in the show. Every character is so fleshed out and layered we are astounded at the details. be it Zuko’s redemption arc or Iroh’s arc, every character in Avatar gets the spotlight. The show, in more ways than one, was a hit not because of its story but because it paid close attention to the very characters. The character arcs were the show’s foundation.
Complicated Villains That Are Written Well Into The Script
Fire Lord Ozai may very well be the greatest villain of the show. But there are other secondary antagonists that also deserve a special mention. Azula was a force to be reckoned with and she had her own convictions to do what she did. Her eventual insanity aside, she is a very well-rounded villain. The same goes for Zuko, who ended up joining Team Avatar later on.
There’s No Good Or Bad Side – It’s All Grey
Many shows that have come before and after Avatar with such a war-like setting try to romanticize violence. These shows make us think war is cool and battles are the stuff of legends we all dream of. But Avatar shows that no one is right or wrong in a war. Unlike what pop culture tells us, everyone in a war thinks they are doing the right thing – no matter what side they are on. The Earth Kingdom soldiers abuse their power. Jet and his goons almost killed an entire village to stop the Fire Nation. The Fire Nation may be the big bad wolf but it too has good people living in it. No show gives off such a strong Anti-War message like Avatar does.
Strong Female Characters
Avatar is one of the only animated shows that never tries to sexualize it’s female characters. Katara is a water bending prodigy who earns the respect she was due. Toph is a girl with disabilities but ends up developing metal-bending on her own. The Kyoshi Warriors use a very ‘feminine’ fighting style which proves effective against bigger male opponents. Avatar embraces feminism and makes it look cool.
