Avatar: The Last Airbender is one of those series that is probably never going to get old. In other words, it is a cult classic. The series, created by Michael Dante DiMartino and Bryan Konietzko and produced by Nickelodeon Animation Studio, aired for three seasons between 2005 and 2008.
It is no secret that Asian countries such as Japan are far better at the anime/animation genre. However, it has to be noted that despite being an American series, Avatar did really well with both U.S. and international viewers. Even so, the creators did not hesitate to admit that Western animation is inferior to Japanese anime.
Avatar: The Last Airbender is One of the Most Beloved Animated Shows
Avatar: The Last Airbender is a fantasy action series set in a world that is divided into four nations, named based on the four nature elements- Fire, Water, Air, and Earth. In each of these four nations, certain people can telekinetically control the element corresponding to their nation. However, a twelve-year-old Avatar named Aang, ends up being responsible for global peace after he is born with the ability to control all four of these elements.
The series premiered on Nickelodeon in February 2005 and was praised by critics and fans alike. Following this success, two more seasons of the show were released, which were just as well-received. As a matter of fact, it has a perfect 100% critics score and 99% audience score on Rotten Tomatoes.
Creators Admitted Japanese Anime is Better
In an interview with IGN ahead of the release of the third season, show creator Bryan Konietzko revealed that his and DiMartino’s passion for Japanese anime, Hong Kong action & Kung Fu cinema, yoga, and Eastern philosophies inspired the show.
When asked if they felt that American animation gets the same kind of respect as anime, Bryan Konietzko said:
“I’ll just say that America – us included – has a long way to go to catch up with the animated work being done in a handful of countries, namely Japan.”
Seeing as a lot of the inspiration for this series has been drawn from Japanese anime, which is considered one of the best countries in the world for making anime, Konietzko was probably right to say that American animation still has a long way to go.
Creators Hoped that Anime Fans Would Like Avatar: The Last Airbender
Although Avatar: The Last Airbender is laden with Eastern influences, the fate of the show was murky because the creators were not sure how the viewers would react. Despite this, they believed that anime fans would love it.
In the aforementioned interview with IGN, creator Michael Dante DiMartino said:
“Since a lot of Avatar’s inspiration comes from anime and Asian culture, we hoped that anime fans would like it. But, when you’re creating something, you never know what the response will be.”
He further mentioned that the show was created as something they would like to watch and they were thankful that so many others were interested.
Avatar: The Last Airbender is available for streaming on Netflix.