::07:25:08::

::: Avatar The Last Airbender :::

By ~ Apollo

I must say that for the most part I have grown out of the cartoons that come on Nickelodeon. Gone are the days when Rugrats, Rocket Power, Catdog etc. could entertain me for hours on end with the various marathons and whatever that have going. This series however, delivers an experience that can be thoroughly entertained by almost any age group. The series delivers on all fronts. The action is top notch, there is a surprising amount of good comedy, and there is a lot of substance to be found. It's not an anime that is directed toward the hardcore adult audiences of shows like gungrave, but it definitely has something for everybody.

The story takes place in a world where there are four separate nations. The fire nation, the water tribe, the earth kingdom, and the four temples of the Airbenders. The kingdoms are named after the element that their respective warriors are able to control. Some water tribe warriors can control water, some earth benders can control the ground, sand etc., fire benders control fire and lightning, and air benders can control air in all its forms. 100 years before our story begins, the fire nation goes berserk and wages war on all of the other nations. That is where the Avatar comes in. The Avatar is the one warrior who is supposed to bring balance to the world. He controls all four elements and has the potential to be the strongest warrior in the world. When the time comes however, the Avatar is nowhere to be found. The fire nation wages a war that spans a hundred years and is almost complete. The story has a lot of parts to it, but it all makes sense and isn't too complex. The story does not take itself too seriously either. There are tons of humorous moments in almost every episode. Even the two hour long finale had its light moments. One of the best compliments that I can offer this series is that it is multidimensional. It plays on a wide range of emotions that all fully come through to its audience.

This shows visuals and sound are superb. You can tell that it was very expensive to make even one episode. I have heard rumors on that each episode cost 1 million dollars to produce. I have no idea about the validity of these claims, but I'll tell you that it would not surprise me. Some of the moments where this series really shines are found in the battles of course. The way the four elements are controlled by various benders is very creative, imaginative, and freakin awesome to watch.

Avatar is a sweet show that spans four seasons long. It is for anime into fighting and adventure. There is tons of character development as the show spans four seasons. It's a solid show with not many downsides to it. Ya it has its filler moments just like every other show, but I would say that they are few and far between. Check it out.

Grade: B+