10 Harsh Realities Of Watching Avatar The Last Airbender

10 Harsh Realities Of Watching Avatar: The Last Airbender

Avatar: The Last Airbender is an excellent animated adventure, but there are some issues for fans to deal with.

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Avatar: The Last Airbender stands as one of the most popular and well-regarded Western animated shows, a fantasy action story set in an exciting world where elemental bending defines the combat system. This is the story of Avatar Aang and his quest to save the world from Fire Lord Ozai and end the Hundred-Year War.

There are many reasons to love Avatar: The Last Airbender, and it has a thriving fandom to this very day despite being 15+ years old. It’s always worth it for new fans to dive into the world of Avatar and begin the adventure, but there are some minor issues and inconveniences to put up with along the way. Even a great show like this one has a few harsh realities for fans to contend with.

10 There’s Debate On Its “Anime” Status

Different people define “anime” differnetly. Some members of the community have a stricter definition and claim that anime can only come from Japanese studios, such as MAPPA and UFOtable. Series such as Naruto, Jujutsu Kaisen, and My Hero Academia definitely fit the bill.

Other fans are more flexible and count Avatar as an anime as well, since the series has an Asian-inspired setting, shonen tropes/storytelling techniques, and Korean producers, among other elements. It can be awkward, though, when fans argue about whether Avatar is true anime or not.

9 Book One: Water Lacks Focus

All three seasons of Avatar have plenty to offer, but Book One: Water is arguably the weakest of the three, and not just because the characters are weaker in combat. Book One: Water is very episodic, and at least half of its content feels like filler. At times, however. it does set up future events, such as the inventors at the Northern Air Temple.

Still, Book One: Water meanders a lot, and has no real plot aside from “Aang must get to the Northern Water Tribe while Zuko chases him.” All the substantial plot developments happen in Books Two and Three, so viewers must wait for the payoffs.

8 The Great Divide Feels Like A Waste Of Time

Avatar fans generally agree that the episode “The Great Divide” is filler at its worst, featuring a conflict that has nothing to do with anything whatsoever. Two tribes with comically simplistic themes are at odds but must cooperate to cross the Great Divide in the heart of the Earth Kingdom.

Nothing substantial is at stake here, and no one in the Gaang learns or grows much at all. This episode is easily skipped, though first-time fans may not know that and have to put up with 22 minutes of nothing while waiting for a payoff that isn’t coming.

7 There Are Only Three Seasons

It’s true that TV shows and anime shows shouldn’t drag on too long just for the sake of cranking out more material, but then again, some beloved shows feel too short, even if the shows have solid conclusions and wrap everything up. This certainly includes Avatar: The Last Airbender.

There might have been a fourth season of this show, but that never happened, and fans must face the reality that a mere three seasons are all they’ll ever get. For better or worse, this isn’t exactly One Piece, Naruto, or Black Clover.

6 The Visuals Aren’t In HD

Avatar: The Last Airbender is really showing its age in some ways, and animation technology has come a long way since the mid-2000s. Unlike most of today’s crisply animated shows, including The Legend of Korra, Avatar has non-HD visuals, and it’s not widescreen, either.

Instead, Avatar has a 4:3 aspect ratio, and it may feel downright claustrophobic at times with those black bars on the side. Also, the visuals are relatively fuzzy and low-def compared to today’s shows such as Demon Slayer, and while graphics aren’t everything, it’s still not a good thing.

5 The Live-Action Movie Was A Wasted Opportunity

M. Night Shyamalan’s The Last Airbender is so fiercely hated, Avatar fans generally like to pretend that it doesn’t actually exist at all, and it’s easy to see why. The live-action movie was widely criticized for almost everything, from its miscast characters to its cheap production values, streamlined plot, and poor acting.

By no means does this movie mean people can’t enjoy Avatar, but it may still be aggravating for fans to know that this movie exists and shares material with their beloved show. The live-action movie almost feels like an insult or a stain that won’t go away, though the upcoming live-action adaptation may help turn things around.

4 The Humor Is Sometimes Juvenile

Some fans may not mind this, but others might, and some of Avatar’s humor can be rather eye-rolling at times for those fans. The show has plenty of genuinely good humor and many memorable quotes, but some of the jokes are definitely aimed at viewers aged 10 and under.

Such jokes feel like an annoying diversion for older fans, and it might even feel vaguely insulting at times to put up with. Sometimes, characters might derail the conversation for a ridiculous gag or comment that feels totally unneeded. It’s definitely Nickelodeon, and not always for the better.

3 It’s Sometimes Difficult To Find This Show At All

This particular issue isn’t so serious now, but it hasn’t always been easy for fantasy fans to get their hands on Avatar: The Last Airbender at all. For a time, it aired on TV as normal, but fans wouldn’t always find it so easily on TV after that.

Since then, for years, fans had a tough time streaming or watching this show, since it was on Netflix, only to vanish from that platform for a time. Only relatively recently did Avatar return to Netflix, and it’s also available on DVD. Finally, fans can watch this show whenever they like.

2 There Are Some Retcons To Contend With

For the most part, Avatar: The Last Airbender melds seamlessly into its sequel, The Legend of Korra, but the transition wasn’t a perfect one. The creators seemingly retconned the story of how humans started bending the elements, and this can make things awkward for fans of either or both shows.

The original Avatar story explained that humans learned bending from original teachers, those being the moon, dragons, badger-moles, and sky bison. Korra depicted a world where humanity borrowed bending from the mighty lion-turtles instead, and this has muddled the lore somewhat.

1 The Show Pulls Its Punches Sometimes

At times, Avatar really does become dark and mature, such as when Katara faced her mother’s killer, Yon Rha. For the most part, though, Avatar pulls its punches, unwilling to show really R-rated material for the sake of younger fans. Rarely do serious problems last for very long, and the solutions are quick and unrealistically convenient.

While Avatar does deal with themes befitting the war setting such as moral ambiguity, depression, and even PTSD, it doesn’t remain focused on them for long. Mentally and physically, Avatar’s characters are rarely scarred or suffer anything serious, with Zuko’s burn scar being an exception. Kid shows like these often fix all the problems by an episode’s end, rather than giving their characters meaningful scars or dealing serious losses to them. Avatar won’t even kill its characters when it can or should.

Link Source : https://www.cbr.com/avatar-the-last-airbender-harsh-realities-issues/

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