Avatar: The Last Airbender (2024)

It's been a while since I've seen such a remarkable children's animation. It reminds me of the joyous times spent watching cartoons in childhood. Unlike Japanese anime, American animations often have a quicker pace, which can be a drawback as it sometimes rushes through pivotal moments without sufficient emotional buildup.

This series is truly excellent, with a solid plot and meticulous attention to detail. Unlike some shows that randomly chuck Chinese characters together as if it made sense, every Chinese segment used here are grammatically correct.

This show seems to have a hard time telling a complex story, especially since most characters are kids, which is a big challenge for live-action adaptations. Still, the show is holding up pretty well, actually better than the movie version, in my view. The characters are more fleshed out, probably because the show has more time to develop them. Plus, the important scenes are done quite nicely, and I'm looking forward to seeing more. I'd give it a solid B+.

I was kinda disappointed. The special effects are solid, and the casting is okay, but the dramatic scenes just drag on forever. The pacing is too slow, with tons of unnecessary long dialogues. I think it would've been better if they condensed the whole show into just 4 episodes. The plot feels uninspired like it's just following the current trends. It's 2024, and this show has me wondering if the whole film and TV industry is moving backward. The movie version of this series was more impressive compared to this show.

The situation of this work is similar to the live-action version of "One Piece." I wouldn't call myself a hardcore fan of the original, but I appreciate how well-thought-out the production is, especially the awesome design of key scenes and epic battles. And they really did a great job of capturing the unique customs and skills of the four countries. The storyline is presented clearly and directly, though some of the humor found in the animated version is missing, giving the story a more serious and composed tone.

As the story progressed, I found myself more and more satisfied. Each episode in the second half of the season topped the previous one. Overall, it's a solid remake of a classic favorite. The special effects were top-notch, the fight scenes were gripping, and the plot stayed true to the original animation. Despite minor storytelling differences, everything flowed smoothly without missing a beat. They also kept some of the funny moments in, striking a good balance and keeping the pace just right. The live-action version added more emotional depth to key scenes, thanks to the actors' nuanced expressions that filled in the emotional nuances missing from the 2D characters. The actors' performances aligned even better with the original animation than expected. And Zuko, the most complex character of the season, was portrayed almost flawlessly. Now, I can't wait to see Toph in the upcoming second season!

Looking at it now, this cultural mash-up naturally raises suspicions of cultural appropriation. However, twenty years ago, having a series filled with Eastern influences was quite rare. Of course, being a children's show makes it difficult to depict complex stories, which is a major limitation of adapting it into a live-action version. As it stands, the finished product is passable, at least much better than the live-action movie adaptation, with significantly better character development.