Anjali Desai
A&E Editor
Avatar the last Airbender… Its just the cartoon that plays for hours at a time on ToonNick, and rambles on in its kitschy cuteness. Most of you ignore it, but ever since my eight-year-old cousin got me hooked on it, I haven’t been able to stop or watch any episode too many times. Its sour in its sweetness, yet profound in its underlying meaning, which incorporates the diverse philosophies of the east. Plus, there is crazy cool, animated kung fu!
In the world of Avatar, there are four nations. Each nation has certain citizens who are able to control and manipulate the elements of their country. The vicious and insensitive Fire Nation is warring upon the Earth and Water Kingdoms. It wasn’t this way 100 years ago. Everyone was at peace with each other, and the Avatar, the reincarnated master of all of the four elements, was the ambassador of harmony in the world. And then, the avatar disappeared, and the Fire Nation launched their quest for world domination.
Sokka and Katara, two siblings from the Southern Water tribe, discover a twelve-year-old boy named Aang and his sky bison Appa in a block of ice. This find embarks them upon a journey that will take them from one end of the earth to the other. This young boy is the new avatar, an air bender, and the last of his kind. After the destruction of the entire Air nation population by the Fire Nation, the only hope for airbending and the world is Aang and his team of benders and friends.
This show is irresistibly heartwarming, and quirky in so many ways. There are parts of me that dont want to like this show because its so, well, childish. Aang is a just a young kid with an incredible amount of pressure on top of his shoulders. Still, he manages to always have a sunny, cooky attitude towards everyone and everything. He also has an immense ability to care, and is devastated that his accidental disappearance caused the world so much pain in his absence. He is perfectly complimented by his rag-tag team of companions. Sokka, who has no bending capabilities, is our main source of comedic relief. Katara, a waterbending master, is very caring as well and nurtures the group. Toph, the blind and tough earth-bending master, is the epitome of girl power without in anyway bring to mind the powderpuff girls.
Philadelphia Native M. Night Shyamalan is currently directing a live action picture, entitled The Last Airbender, which recreates the entire journey of Aang and his friends. This film, due out in the summer of 2010, stars SlumDog Millionaire’s Dev Patel and Twilight’s Jackson Rathbone. Avatar: The Last Airbender, although it is forever to be remembered in reruns, is a fantastic series that anyone and everyone should enjoy.