*Spoiler Warning*
In my opinion, Avatar: The Last Airbender (ATLA) is the best childhood show out there. I would even go so far as to say it is a perfect show. It was my favorite as a child, and there are many reasons why it continues to be my favorite show now as an adult.
- complex characters
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Each character in ATLA is entirely unique. They all have their own fleshed-out backstories, and they all have their own specific character arcs that end up affecting the overarching plot of the show. Even the side characters are significant and have their own backstories that influence the main storyline, yet the complexity never overwhelms the viewer. Additionally, every character in the show has a lot of depth. Many characters are morally grey, just like people in real life. Zuko, one of the main antagonists, is the show’s most complex character. He has had to deal with neglect, parental loss, and he struggled with his mental health and self-hatred. Despite all of this, he becomes vital to the protagonists’ victory and becomes a noble character in the show that all the fans grew to love. Also, Toph, one of the main characters introduced in Season 2, is much more complex than many people recognise. Even though she was born blind, she was the most powerful earthbender in the show. Due to her blindness, her parents and teachers looked down on her. However, she also grew up in a wealthy family and was spoiled with everything she could have ever wanted. She had to navigate her anger, egocentrism, and overall mortality, and I think it was a critical moment to watch as a child. The amazing thing about the show is that each character has a backstory like this, and they all have a shift in maturity as the show progresses.
- cultural accuracy
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Cultural accuracy can always be a struggle with many shows, but not for ATLA. The show is based on many East Asian cultures, and the small details in the creation of the show should not go unnoticed. Two interesting examples are the accurate writings in the show and the bending styles. Chinese calligraphy can be seen on the title screens of each episode and any book or written word in the show. The show’s directors hired a professional Chinese calligrapher, Siu-Leung Lee, to ensure that all animation writings were accurate. The most interesting example is that each element’s bending type is based on a different martial art. Water bending is based on Taichi, Earth bending is based on Hun Gar style of Kung Fu, Fire bending is based on Northern Shaolin Kung Fu, and Air bending is based on Baguazhang. The creators of the show did research on what the style of each east asian martial art is, and matched them to their element. For example, Baguazhang is a martial art with constant spinning and circular movement, which makes sense for air-nomadic bending styles. Earthbending, however, is based on Hun Gar style of Kung Fu, which involves strength and strong stepping.
- Avatar deals with dark real-life issues in a digestible and non-stressful way
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ATLA’s overarching plot is that the Fire Nation is a Fascist country trying to take over each nation by force, and only the Avatar can save the world. The themes of war, death, and trauma are very present in the show. However, it only goes just enough in depth to show the importance, but not so extensively that it takes away the lightheartedness and childish characteristics from the show. Child loss is also touched on a few times in the show, touching the hearts of many older viewers. Zuko’s uncle, Iroh, is known for being wise and very kind, and helps guide Zuko to be a better person. However, he wasn’t always like that. Iroh was a war general who conquered cities and didn’t have empathy for the civilians. However, his son Liuten died in the war, causing him to undergo character development and become a better person.
- battle against sexist ideals
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As a children’s show, ATLA was interested in showing how women can be powerful and how to battle sexism. At the show’s beginning, one of the main characters, Sokka, was very misogynistic. He expected his younger sister to stay home, wash his dirty clothes, and be a “traditional woman”. He eventually learned to recognize where he went wrong in the past, and became a very lovable and feminist character. The show also recognizes systemic sexism by highlighting that in one of the Water Tribes, water-bending women weren’t allowed to use their powers to fight and could only stay back and practice their healing powers. The main female protagonist, Katarra, pushed back against these ideals and eventually became the most powerful water bender in the world at only 14 years old. Similarly, one of the female antagonists, Azula (Zuko’s sister), took over a city and commanded their secret service called the Dai Li at 14 years old. Even though she wasn’t a good person, there is often a man in these commanding positions, so she was a great example of a powerful woman in charge.
- quality
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Something admirable about Avatar: The Last Airbender is that the show’s quality increased over the few years it was made. Having only three seasons, each one progressively got better than the last regarding both production quality and plot. There is also no “bad episode” in the show. Yes, occasional filler episodes exist, but this show has no skips. The humor in this show is also amazing. No matter your style of humor: traditional jokes, slapstick, sarcasm, irony, or dark humor, this show has it all. Lastly, the music is amazing and even worth listening to on its own.
Despite the show being created 20 years ago, nothing about it has aged poorly. It will forever be my favorite piece of my childhood, and if you haven’t watched Avatar: The Last Airbender yet, you definitely should.