horacethegrey
First Post
stevelabny said:
:\ Is it really that good? I've heard numerous good things about Avatar, but I'm skeptical whether it's really as good a show as everyone claims it to be. Still, I'll watch it if given the chance.
-
NOW LIVE! Into the Woods--new character species, eerie monsters, and haunting villains to populate the woodlands of your D&D games.
Current Favorites (again)
- Thread starter horacethegrey
- Start date
:\ Is it really that good? I've heard numerous good things about Avatar, but I'm skeptical whether it's really as good a show as everyone claims it to be. Still, I'll watch it if given the chance.
Dog Moon
Adventurer
Filby, IMO, Fate/Stay Night is worth watching, no matter what it's based off of [and though there are points where it's bloody, there's like no nudity whatsoever; well actually, maybe a little bit of behind, but nothing else].
Can I get more information on Avatar: the Last Airbender? I've never heard of it before now...
Can I get more information on Avatar: the Last Airbender? I've never heard of it before now...
stevelabny
Explorer
Avatar the Last Airbender [thread hijack]
Airs on Nickelodeon, usually Fridays at 8pmish (ish because its part of their kids-block and sometimes starts a few minutes early or late) . It was heavily pimped here on ENWorld before last Thanksgiving when a Season One marathon aired.
Three 4-episode DVDs are out from season one, but we assume all 20 will get released in a box set at some point. Half of season two has aired. I thnk they're also available for IPods.
Here's the opening narration from the pilot episode:
"Water. Earth. Fire. Air.
My grandmother used to tell me stories about the old days, a time of peace; when the Avatar kept balance between Water Tribes, Earth Kingdom, Fire Nation, and Air Nomads.
But that all changed when the Fire Nation attacked.
Only the Avatar mastered all four elements.
Only he could stop the ruthless Firebenders, but when the world needed him most, he vanished.
A hundred years have passed, and the Fire Nation is nearing victory in the war.
Two years ago, my father and the men of my tribe journeyed to the Earth Kingdom to help fight against the Fire Nation, leaving me and my brother to look after our tribe.
Some people believe that the Avatar was never reborn into the Air Nomads and that the cycle is broken.
But I haven't lost hope.
I still believe that somehow, the Avatar will return to save the world."
This is narrated by Katara. She goes ice-fishing with her brother Sokka and they come across Aang, the last Airbender and his flying bison, Appa. Aang was in training to become the next Avatar, but he's been trapped in ice for 100 years. Now that he's been released, he has to learn to bend the other three elements and save the world. The three start their world tour searching for masters to teach Aang.
Aang can airbend and is the eager adventurous one, Katara can waterbend and is the cautious thinking one, and Sokka is... well, Sokka. He's the guy with the boomerang and the sarcasm. He's the Zeppo. And Appa is a big flying bison. How can you not love this group?
Meanwhile, Prince Zuko has been exiled from the Fire Nation. He is travelling with his Uncle Iroh, searching for the Avatar to regain his rightful place at his father's side. Zuko is all rage and fury, and Iroh is wise and calm and seeking to
The animation is gorgeous, from the landscapes to the battle sequences. Appa, like every other animal in the world, is an odd mix of two-or-more real world animals thats dripping with cuteness. Each airbending technique is based on a real world martial art, and there is actually a martial artist on staff instructing the animators in the moves.
The show has action, comedy and cuteness without overdoing it and is really an all-ages show. And while it still holds up as a kids show, the world is at war, there has been death around these characters, and sometimes it shows. Recent episodes have threatened to turn the dial up a notch, and the show might actually wind up Harry Potteresque in that it ages with its characters / audience.
There's also a handful of jokes that will go over kids heads, including one of my favorites, a Nikolai Volkoff (80s wrestler) homage. The guys writing this show are having fun and not pandering. I'm hooked. And now I have to wait 6 weeks for a new episode.
[/thread hijack]
So did I do a good sales job?
Airs on Nickelodeon, usually Fridays at 8pmish (ish because its part of their kids-block and sometimes starts a few minutes early or late) . It was heavily pimped here on ENWorld before last Thanksgiving when a Season One marathon aired.
Three 4-episode DVDs are out from season one, but we assume all 20 will get released in a box set at some point. Half of season two has aired. I thnk they're also available for IPods.
Here's the opening narration from the pilot episode:
"Water. Earth. Fire. Air.
My grandmother used to tell me stories about the old days, a time of peace; when the Avatar kept balance between Water Tribes, Earth Kingdom, Fire Nation, and Air Nomads.
But that all changed when the Fire Nation attacked.
Only the Avatar mastered all four elements.
Only he could stop the ruthless Firebenders, but when the world needed him most, he vanished.
A hundred years have passed, and the Fire Nation is nearing victory in the war.
Two years ago, my father and the men of my tribe journeyed to the Earth Kingdom to help fight against the Fire Nation, leaving me and my brother to look after our tribe.
Some people believe that the Avatar was never reborn into the Air Nomads and that the cycle is broken.
But I haven't lost hope.
I still believe that somehow, the Avatar will return to save the world."
This is narrated by Katara. She goes ice-fishing with her brother Sokka and they come across Aang, the last Airbender and his flying bison, Appa. Aang was in training to become the next Avatar, but he's been trapped in ice for 100 years. Now that he's been released, he has to learn to bend the other three elements and save the world. The three start their world tour searching for masters to teach Aang.
Aang can airbend and is the eager adventurous one, Katara can waterbend and is the cautious thinking one, and Sokka is... well, Sokka. He's the guy with the boomerang and the sarcasm. He's the Zeppo. And Appa is a big flying bison. How can you not love this group?
Meanwhile, Prince Zuko has been exiled from the Fire Nation. He is travelling with his Uncle Iroh, searching for the Avatar to regain his rightful place at his father's side. Zuko is all rage and fury, and Iroh is wise and calm and seeking to
The animation is gorgeous, from the landscapes to the battle sequences. Appa, like every other animal in the world, is an odd mix of two-or-more real world animals thats dripping with cuteness. Each airbending technique is based on a real world martial art, and there is actually a martial artist on staff instructing the animators in the moves.
The show has action, comedy and cuteness without overdoing it and is really an all-ages show. And while it still holds up as a kids show, the world is at war, there has been death around these characters, and sometimes it shows. Recent episodes have threatened to turn the dial up a notch, and the show might actually wind up Harry Potteresque in that it ages with its characters / audience.
There's also a handful of jokes that will go over kids heads, including one of my favorites, a Nikolai Volkoff (80s wrestler) homage. The guys writing this show are having fun and not pandering. I'm hooked. And now I have to wait 6 weeks for a new episode.
[/thread hijack]
So did I do a good sales job?
ThirdWizard
First Post
horacethegrey said:
It is that good.
The story line is epic with its own very interesting mythology, serial in nature, and has a good mixture of action, comedy, love, and sadness. The characters are all well done and the story flows smoothly with direction and forethought. They even use real martial arts in the fight scenes, choreographed by people who know how what they're doing.
Nightfall
Sage of the Scarred Lands
My only gripe with Avatar is that it could move into the realm of Samurai Jack terriority IF they made it a tad more adult. That being said, Avatar is a very good series and I honestly look forward to watching it when I can. The characters themselves draw me in and the fights are indeed quite good. (Samurai Champloo had better but then that's a fine line to cross into the violence aspect for a show that's on Nic)
Steve,
I'm not forgetting Anime until they really piss me off.
In semi-unrelated news, Witchblade the Anime got picked up by Funi for licencing AND Funi is in talks with getting it to Adult Swim. Dunno about you folks, but that's good news for me.
Better news would be Ergo Proxy coming to Adult Swim.
Steve,
I'm not forgetting Anime until they really piss me off.
In semi-unrelated news, Witchblade the Anime got picked up by Funi for licencing AND Funi is in talks with getting it to Adult Swim. Dunno about you folks, but that's good news for me.
Better news would be Ergo Proxy coming to Adult Swim.
Dog Moon
Adventurer
I think it would be cool if subbed shows were shown on Adult Swim. I don't know about anyone else, but I like the Japanese voices SOOO much better than the English ones. I assume it's because Anime is popular enough in Japan that there is a lot greater selection of voice actors than in America.
Only big time Animes [like those few movies that are shown in theatres] and adult cartoons get decent voice actors. Like Naruto. OMG! HORRIBLE dubbers. I cannot stand to listen to that show in English. Pity, cause I'd rather like to watch it and other animes in English.
Anyone agree?
Okay, that's off topic, so... next Black Lagoon came out yesterday, though I haven't gotten around to watching it yet. I wonder though, is Rock [the newcome to the group] gonna do anything cool, ya think, or is he going to be kinda the lame person for the entire show with the exception of the few random, cool ideas like
?
Only big time Animes [like those few movies that are shown in theatres] and adult cartoons get decent voice actors. Like Naruto. OMG! HORRIBLE dubbers. I cannot stand to listen to that show in English. Pity, cause I'd rather like to watch it and other animes in English.
Anyone agree?
Okay, that's off topic, so... next Black Lagoon came out yesterday, though I haven't gotten around to watching it yet. I wonder though, is Rock [the newcome to the group] gonna do anything cool, ya think, or is he going to be kinda the lame person for the entire show with the exception of the few random, cool ideas like
jumping the boat off the sunken boat and hitting the helicoptor with a torpedo
Nightfall
Sage of the Scarred Lands
Huh?
Funny every Naruto fan I've talked with LIKES the dub. I admit to not 100% going with the VAs for Samurai Champloo. (No not Mugen. Jin and Fuu. They just didn't QUITE come off right). But they grew on me. That or I just kept enjoying the show. I will agree that a horrible dub can ruin a lot of enjoyment, but Naruto wasn't the one I would say has a horrible dub.
Funny every Naruto fan I've talked with LIKES the dub. I admit to not 100% going with the VAs for Samurai Champloo. (No not Mugen. Jin and Fuu. They just didn't QUITE come off right). But they grew on me. That or I just kept enjoying the show. I will agree that a horrible dub can ruin a lot of enjoyment, but Naruto wasn't the one I would say has a horrible dub.
Nightfall
Sage of the Scarred Lands
Dog,
I guess we got different fans then. To my mind, I've know people that have watched up to the Sasuke retrival arc, and found that they enjoyed most of the voices.
But then you talk to the Inuyasha fans (the non-rabid fan girls anyway...), they say (until recently but not all), Richard Cox was "destroying Inuyasha!" *shrugs* To each their own...
I guess we got different fans then. To my mind, I've know people that have watched up to the Sasuke retrival arc, and found that they enjoyed most of the voices.
But then you talk to the Inuyasha fans (the non-rabid fan girls anyway...), they say (until recently but not all), Richard Cox was "destroying Inuyasha!" *shrugs* To each their own...
horacethegrey
First Post
Speaking as someone who's been an anime fan for the better part of ten or more years, I'd say that I'll take subtitles over dubs any day of the week.
However, I'm not against the idea of English dubbing, so long as it's done well. WELL being the keyword here, since as Nightfall pointed out, horrible dubbing can truly ruin one's enjoyment of a show. With Japanese voice acting, you can always be sure that a standard is maintained, but English voice acting oftens varies in quality. Still, there are dubs of anime out there that I've enjoyed. I personally though the Mediaworks dub of Berserk was awesome, not just because the voices meshed well with the characters, but that the dialogue was well written. Full Metal Alchemist's dubbing also impressed me, and in some ways it improved the original dialogue, which I often found to be a bit heavy handed. The Disney dubs of the Studio Ghibli films are also highlights, despite the fact that these are name actors they picked (except for Laputa. Who's bonehead idea was it to cast James Van Der Beek in the role of Pazu?
).
However, I'm not against the idea of English dubbing, so long as it's done well. WELL being the keyword here, since as Nightfall pointed out, horrible dubbing can truly ruin one's enjoyment of a show. With Japanese voice acting, you can always be sure that a standard is maintained, but English voice acting oftens varies in quality. Still, there are dubs of anime out there that I've enjoyed. I personally though the Mediaworks dub of Berserk was awesome, not just because the voices meshed well with the characters, but that the dialogue was well written. Full Metal Alchemist's dubbing also impressed me, and in some ways it improved the original dialogue, which I often found to be a bit heavy handed. The Disney dubs of the Studio Ghibli films are also highlights, despite the fact that these are name actors they picked (except for Laputa. Who's bonehead idea was it to cast James Van Der Beek in the role of Pazu?
).Similar Threads
