http://movies.yahoo.com/feature/movie-t … vatar.html

Dropping "Avatar" in order to avoid confusion with the James Cameron flick is idiotic, especially when it's part of the original title of the show, and perhaps being confused with the James Cameron movie would actually draw attention to it, anyway. Besides, Last Airbender was Avatar before Cameron's Avatar was Avatar...

Using Caucasians for the roles of the characters makes it seem inauthentic, but the trailer showed it as being really true to the animated series; as a matter of fact, it rather looks like a direct adaptation of the animation to live action with SFX...like, a direct word-for-word adaptation.

I'll probably still go see it, though; definitely dig the TV series; should pick it up on DVD boxset sometime...

The animated series is terrific. The movie looks... like it won't be. With Shyamalan, I'm hoping it's at least watchable.

That's extremely lame. I'll admit the cartoon is actually pretty good, it's one of the better things Nickelodeon has done in the past few years.

They need to quit sucking on the teet of movie IP's though: Speed Racer? Really? Iron Man? Seriously? X-Men? There've been better and I actually liked Evolution.

Still, their own IPs suck anymore: they need to kill off the Fairly Oddparents (again!) and Spongebob - the new episodes are that bad. Bring back Danny Phantom or at least put it and some of the better cartoons on DVD already: Ah! Real Monsters, Rocko, Action League Now, etc.

Ticks me off that they made a big deal about Spongebob's 10th Birthday and there isn't 10 seasons of it. They really have no concept of what a "season" is.

Edit:

Guess I should have posted this earlier: RANT AHEAD!

It's hard to tell if the live action film will be good or not, but I'm hoping it will be. Shyamalan is actually a pretty skilled director and if he sticks close to the original story then this film might turn out pretty cool. The acting choices were definitely not what I was expecting, but I'm not too bothered by it. If they do a good job then I couldn't care less about their nationality.

Anyway, I won't go in expecting a 5 star film, but I'll definitely be hoping for 3. It should be a good time.

Two things here - first, it's always bad to assume that bringing back old series will lead to the same level of quality, and it's my understanding fans were unsatisfied with where DP was going anyway. DVD releases of the older stuff would be nice, though.

Secondly, the idea of 'seasons' in television being annual blocks of new episodes isn't universal. There are some British series, for instance, that went on for 10 years with fewer than 50 episodes by the end. At least the 10th anniversary is an authetic milestone, as opposed to a single first-run episode hailed as a primetime event with accompanying Burger King toys.

As far as Avatar goes, I'm not very familiar with the cartoon (I avoid serialized stories until they've ended; nothing's worse than getting hooked on one with bad ratings where you'll never see the resolution), but Shyamalan is a red flag for me, personally. The conclusion of Lady in the Water is one of the most shameless things I've seen in a movie. But if the cartoon's worth looking into, I'll give it a shot.

I highly recommend it. Avatar is one of the best things that's happened to western animation in a long time. The series has finished its run and can easily be found on DVD. It was collected into three DVD sets or "books". The price is a little steep (about $45 per set), but I'd say it's well worth it and if you shop around you should be able to find a better price.

I've started watching the cartoon series for the first time, and I'm having a blast with it.  Maybe it's because the upcoming movie trailers paint a darker, more bleaker tone, but I was taken aback at how genuinely comedic the show really is.  I'm just a couple episodes into Book 1, but there have been more laugh-out-loud moments than I could count.  Aang is such a silly, optimistic kid, and any scene that involves Sokka's blowhard swagger is fodder for chuckles.

I hope to finish up Book 1 before the movie hits.  James Newton Howard's onboard for compositional duties, by the way.  Oh, and that Art of The Animated Series book that Boco gave a heads-up on is now in stock at Amazon.

Oo James Newton Howard on a fantasy project like this.  Should be good!

My sister immediately noticed that same thing and was actually a little put off by it (she liked the light-hearted nature of the TV show). I kind of expected the movie to go that route though. After all, comedy is easy to cut out and action sells well on the big screen. Even so, I'm still pretty excited about the movie. It should be an exciting time and I can always go back to the TV show for the original story. :3

Definitely looking forward James Newton Howard's score. He generally does a great job and this epic, fantasy setting should be a good fit for him. I'm hoping he takes this opportunity to create some great themes and leitmotifs. If all goes well, then he could be looking at scoring a trilogy and that would be fantastic!

Also, glad you're enjoying the series, Angela. I love all of it, but I think it definitely gets better as it goes on. The finale to book one is wonderful and book two rounds out the cast and really develops the story. Looking forward to your thoughts on each book when you finish them.

James Newton Howard - anyone ever heard the "James Newton Howard & Friends" album?  It's not like his soundtrack work so don't get too excited if that's what you're expecting, but it is one of the all-time great instrumental 'band' CD's, featuring 1/3'rd of the band Toto (two keyboard players and drummer) as well as JNH.  It's 3 keyboard players, and drums / percussion (no guitar no acoustic bass).  It was at the time a demo for Yamaha keyboards (circa 1983) as well as a recording technique which allowed full digital (no analog) recording.  Because the players were so good, they recorded the performance 'direct to disc' (i.e. one take, live) and were able to achieve extremely high quality recording for at the time. (I seem to recall many stereo shops using "Sheffield Labs" (the record company that released the album) releases to test and demo stereos).  Do they even have stereo shops anymore?  I guess everyone gets their stereo's at Fry's or Best Buy these days -

Anyway, it was one of my favorite records / cds growing up.  Here are 4 of the 6 tunes.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cEJESVS6nso

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DKyDDvzaIc8

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WCudWjuBb_Y

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0B0umYolJsw

Just finished up Book One, and I thoroughly enjoyed it from start to finish.  Great animation, slick looking fight sequences (I dig how each of the bending techniques are inspired by Chinese martial arts), and smart character development.  But again, it's the show's comedic bend that truly makes it for me; I can only hope that particular aspect doesn't dwindle as the series moves forward and the war continues.

I especially like how nearly every episode introduces a colorful new character to the mix.  June from Episode 15's "Bato of The Water Tribe" and <spoiler!>.....Bumi from Episode 5's "The King of Omashu" are particular highlights; I'm sincerely hoping the latter returns for Books Two and Three, because he is a FREAKEN GOD AMONG MEN.  

I think I'm adequately equipped to head into the upcoming movie, but I hope to make some leeway into the next two seasons before that.  Filmtracks has their review up on Howard's soundtrack, by the way.  The long and short of it appears to be that it's thematically lacking, but masterful in its instrumentation and harmony.  Sounds like a score that may work best in context.

Oh yes, and my copy of The Art of The Animated Series arrived as well.  Got some samples up in the art book thread.

Katara: Take care, Meng.
Meng: [sweetly] Take care!
Meng:...... Floozy.

Don't worry about the comedy. There's plenty to look forward to in books two and three. And there are some wonderful new characters to look forward to as well (including my favorite). Avatar is rare both in its quality and its consistency. I kept waiting for the show to break down (as so many do), but that never happened. It truly is a remarkable show.

I've made a mini-marathon out of watching Book Two since I last posted on Saturday.  The series has become absurdly good, and I'm already up to episode 10.  Allow me to venture a guess as to your favorite character: is it.....  .......Toph?  Because she already destroys every other character introduced up to this point.  The earthbenders truly do rock, both literally and figuratively.

I'm really enjoying Zuko's story arc, too.  They really lay bare his past in Episode 7, proving that he's got the most nuances and complexity of any character so far.  I can't wait to see where his journey leads him.

That's correct! I was never a fan of earth / rock as an element. I was always more of a water / ice kind of guy. Avatar totally changed that though. After book two I was completely sold on earthbenders and the earth element. So awesome!

You probably wouldn't expect a ringing endorsement on this from me, but Zuko's story just kills.

With the movie coming out this week, I took to completing Books 2 and 3 in one glorious session this past weekend.  The show is a fabulous watch, definitely one of the most enjoyable serials I've had the pleasure to experience in a long, long time.

What follows is the long-winded prattling of a newborn fangirl.  I'm not going to bother whiting it all out, so be warned that there are plenty of *BIG SPOILERS* ahead:

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It's a tough pick, but I'm gonna say Sokka is my number one favorite character.  Right from his first scenes in the very first episode, I fell in love with the meat-and-sarcasm-guy's comedic hijinks.  Foo Foo Cudley Poops made me laugh so hard.  Sokka's art drawings rock, and I'm glad he found his true worth in battle through his swordsmanship with Sifu Piandao. 

Toph is a very close second.  I'm so happy the creators opted to make her into the sarcastic, kick-ass 12 year old that she is.  Her self-depreciative blind jokes are always good for a chuckle.  "I AM MELON LORD!!  MWAHAHA!"

Bumi is my favorite secondary character.  I love the idea that there was someone who knew Aang a hundred years ago that can still be around today.  "The King of Omashu" is one of my all-time favorite episodes; it gave a first taste at how intricate these Element battles can be.  The Bumi-isms definitely stuck with me: "First of all, it's pretty fun messing with people."  "Lettuce leaf?"  "Who are you calling old?  Okay, I'm old." 

The voice work is sublime. Jessie Flower really brought that sense of precociousness to Toph, but the likes of Mark Hamill as Lord Ozai and Jason Isaacs as Commander Zhao definitely gave the series a killer edge.  John DiMaggio, Phil Lamarr, Tara Strong, Robin Atkin Downes, Cam Clarke, James Hong, Paul Eiding, and Quinton Flynn were also terrific guest additions.  Grey Delisle ended up being one of my favorite voice actresses, her Azula reminding me of Super SFIV's Juri: gleefully sadistic, pure villainy.  I'll need to re-watch the series to study the differences between the late Mako Iwamatsu and his replacement for Book 3.

On that note, Iroh is another awesome character.  Him playing the surrogate father figure to Zuko was handled well, the long awaited reconciliation scene between the two after the events of Book 2 a wonderful turning point in their relationship.  One wishes he were utilized more in Book 3 (could his lacking presence be because of Mako's recent death?), but his fall from Fire Nation general to rising tea shop entrepreneur made for a great story arc.  The White Dragon / White Jade Bush: delectable tea or deadly poison?

"Appa's Lost Days" was a great way to retell what exactly happened to the lovable beast.  (As a side note, "The Desert" episode had to be one of the most emotionally weighty episodes in the series.  It's one of the few times where Aang is in an uncomfortably perpetual state of angst.)  It's almost heartbreaking to see the big guy fall into such a feral state.  It felt entirely real that any animal that undergoes such abuse by human hands would become as untrusting as he had become.  Having Zuko save him was a great setup for his eventual alliance later on; that even Appa has a say as to whether or not he wants Zuko to join was a nice touch.

Favorite element?  Each episode manages to find inventive, new ways to use them, so it's hard for me to narrow it down to one.  The "hidden" second level of bending was a rad idea.  So, Earth has Metal, Fire has Lightening, Water has Blood..... where does that leave Air?  Does it even have one?

Bloodbending!  Man, was "The Puppetmaster" a creepy episode.  It's great that they've finally shown a dark side to Waterbenders.  Hama was a great villain, and having Katara learn the skill against her will was a delicious way to end the episode.  Sugar Queen no more.

I loved how the gang underwent cosmetic changes as the series progresses.  Sokka and Katara go from their Water Tribe winter clothing to warmer weather-based gear by Book 2.  Zuko and Aang grow their hair out, and Book 3 has all of them going incognito in Fire Nation outfits. (The Fire Nation outfits are far and away the coolest, by the way.)

The Momo Yojimbo/Appa Samurai duel was batshit, out-of-left-field insane.  Loved it.

The storytelling approach in "Tales of Ba Sing Se" was another favorite of mine.  That all the short stories came together toward the overall plot, rather than being just a bunch of lighthearted 'what if' takes, was confidently executed and wholly enjoyable.  Yet another favorite was "The Ember Island Players."  Now THIS is a clip-style show done right.  Woman Aang!  Man Toph!  Jet's ambiguous death, Zuko's blatantly growing hair, the deliberate skipping over of The Great Divide chapter..... I love that the creators weren't afraid to poke fun at the show and rein in truth at several turns.  The reactions from our main characters were truly priceless.

Zuko's story did indeed kill.  Honestly, the way he was carrying on, I never thought in a million years that he'd end up being Aang's new Firebending master.  Though I'm delighted that he turned to the side of good by the end, the initial approach in introducing him into the gang was something of a strange and awkward watch.  Maybe it's because his personality does such a complete 180; at best, one could say that he's just so bad at being good.    I kind of wished they had him join the group earlier on in Book 3, but the few remaining episodes where he's featured alongside Team Avatar made for terrific chemistry.  I just love his straight-man presence in the group, his story gave him shots at redemption with the core members.  (Sokka in The Boiling Rock, and Katara in The Southern Raiders.)  The final Agni Kai with he and Azula was a thrilling confrontation.

I will say that I hated how each episode from Book 2 onward had to have a "Previously on Avatar...." recap at the beginning of each one.  With so much going on story-wise, I knew they were there to get viewers up to speed every week -- but it definitely managed to spoil some of the surprises in store.  For instance, they broadcast the return of Suki with a big, loud bullhorn.  From that point after, I decided to just skip through all the recaps.

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Bring on the movie.  Spoken now as a rabid fan, I hold a far more pessimistic view that Shyamalan can screw this up pretty bad.  We shall see.

YES. Outfit changes were awesome. Just a little something to help keep the show fresh!

On one hand, I found it hilarious, but on the other hand...the creators poking fun at their own show? It kind of made me feel foolish for watching the show...

Kid talking to Zuko, thinking he's just a cosplayer: "Nice Zuko costume! Too bad the scar's on the wrong side!" (Zuko) "The scar is NOT on the wrong side!" How could you possibly make fun of the most serious character in the series? Well, they figured out a way to do it...

...

Other than that, the series finale was EPIC, and rather satisfying! Somehow, though, it reminded me of the last few chapters of Drakengard, between the fiery red skies, the airships, and the batshit insane villains (Ozai and Azula).

...

Only issue I really take with the series, is how the cities all have proper names, but the countries are named after their elements; they couldn't have given them sufficiently Asian-sounding names, when they already gave the cities legitimate names?

And Avatar converts yet another viewer.

After reading your fine post, I wish I had more to contribute. My thoughts and opinions echo most of yours though. One of my favorite aspects of the series is its attention to detail. So many shows start off with a good premise and then the creators just crap out random episodes to cash in. That never felt like the case with Avatar though. The whole thing feels very well planned and executed. With only a few exceptions, all the characters and stories are creatively dealt with and we really get a wonderful, detailed glimpse of the world in which Avatar takes place.

As you mentioned, even the episodes that would normally be filler or throwaway (the recap episode, Tales of Ba Sing Se, the beach episode, one-shot side stories) are given some dignity. Many are tied into the overall story and the rest are creatively and competently executed. It really is rare to find a show this well rounded and sincere. I have high hopes that someday soon we might get a fourth season that explores both characters and aspects of the world that weren't featured in this first trilogy. An obvious possibility would be Zuko's search for his mother, but there are other options as well.

Anyway, glad you enjoyed it! What's so great about this series is that it's easy to recommend. It's a quality animation that appeals to a very wide audience.

As for the new film... I wouldn't give up all hope yet. Some things will definitely be lost in the transition from television series to feature film, but I think the result could still be good. I think it will be a fun time and a new perspective if nothing else. XD

I do have one question for you, Angela: what did you think of the music in the TV series? You haven't really mentioned it yet and I'd be interested in hearing your thoughts. I won't say much at the moment other than I'm very sad that there isn't (and likely won't be) an official soundtrack

Oh yeah, here's another thing, just in case anyone has been tempted, DO NOT bother trying to PS2 Avatar games; at best, they're generic action RPGs, with the Avatar characters as your characters; their plots relate little back to the series; at best, they're episodes that stand on their own from the series.

They're playable, so long as you can accept and work around the poor hit detection, and that the games often have the tendency to freeze, either during battles, or just during loading screens.

All in all, if you can get them cheap (or for free), and don't have anything else better play, satisfy your curiosity if you must, otherwise, don't hurt yourself.

I just bought James Newton Howard's score for "The Last Airbender". I'm listening to it as I type this and will be seeing the film later tonight. It's still too early to have an opinion, but I am liking what I've heard thus far. More thoughts forthcoming! :3

It certainly accompanies the show well enough, but I honestly didn't take much from it out of context.  One of the more memorable, stand-out pieces are undoubtedly the Fire Nation and Zuko themes.  Those were always great mood setters.

It wasn't until the very last sequence of the final episode did I recall the kalimba-instrumented theme being a recurring piece throughout the show.  I guess that one could be considered the Team Avatar "friendship theme", as it can also be heard throughout the final moments of Book 1's "Winter Solstice Part 2: Avatar Roku" and Book 2's "The Blind Bandit."

I'm sure you've already heard The Track Team's samples featured on their Myspace page.  I do enjoy the "Avatar Premiere Main Title" theme, especially its action-fueled arrangement in "Season Three Trailer."  And I really liked how they composed a brand new arrangement of the Main Title specifically for the end credits of the very last episode - that was a great way to send off the series.

I've made a recording of the finale scene and end credits.  The finale includes the "friendship theme" that I had mentioned.

Finale & End Credits:
http://www.mediafire.com/?ljuymayqyk2

^EDIT: Re-upped a higher quality DVD rip of said Finale track.

The movie is being massacred by fans and critics alike.  If nothing else, morbid curiosity is now driving me to see this movie. 

"I wanna tear down M. Night Shyamalan."

After seeing the trailer on TV, I had a hunch this was what to follow.

Best film review I've read in a long time:

http://io9.com/5576076/m-night-shyamala … e-a-comedy

Possibly spoilerish, though I don't know why you'd care.

So the general consensus right now is that the Avatar TV show is actually pretty good? I'll torrent a few episodes tonight, see what all the fuss is about.

I look forward to the movie. Looks like a good popcorn flick (don't really give a damn what the fans and/critics wanna say. Didn't Speed Racer also get ripped to shreds by ratings?).

I watched the entirety of the show through net streams, but just picked up all three Complete Book season sets on DVD.  The show really is awesome enough to own.

For those wondering what the just-released "Complete Book 1 Collector's Edition" looks like, I've took some shots of the packaging.  It's essentially the same as the first Complete Book 1 release, right down to the original packaging, now housed in a slightly larger Lord of the Rings Extended Edition style slipcase.  It also includes a 46 page pamphlet-sized preview of The Art of The Animated Series, and an additional 30 minute making-of bonus DVD.  The Collector's Edition is only two or three bucks more than the first release on Amazon right now; it's definitely worth the small premium if you're a first-time buyer of the series.

-The Complete Book 1 Collector's Edition slipcase, alongside Complete Books 2 and 3
-Side by side comparison of the CE slipcase's spine with Books 2 and 3
-The Complete Book 1 CE contents, out of the slipcase box
-The actual Complete Book 1 set, side by side with Books 2 and 3
-Side by side comparisons of Books 1-3's spines

Came back from seeing Shyamalan's The Last Airbender.  I was prepared for the worse, but in truth, it really wasn't that bad.  Certainly, I don't think it's deserving of all the backlash and hate that it's receiving from the fans and critics.

Don't get me wrong, there's still a laundry list worth of things here that can bug both fans and regular movie-goers alike.  Spoken now as a fan, I will say the comedic aspect of the show has been robbed completely; drama is more or less overstated until it dissolves into really bad melodrama, and any humorous moments in the film are strictly unintentional.  As one of the show's greatest hooks, the comedy was a glaring omission, and also a saddening one.   

I wasn't too hung up on the whole whitewashing/racebending issue, so long as the acting itself was good.  Regrettably, the acting is atrocious.  The direct line-reading of the performances are hammy, stiff, and just outright boring -- the complete antithesis of the show, which was clever, loose, and fun.  You can sense that there are great performances lying dormant in the actors, but Shyamalan's rigid direction never allows them the opportunity to awaken.  With the exception of Shaun Toub's Iroh, the rest of the cast were sadly left to drown in their own monotonous drivel.  Nicola Peltz, in particular, should be deserving of the worst acting award this year.

The new pronunciations of the names, more accurate though they may be, takes some getting used to.  The changes to names like Iroh and Sokka didn't bother me so much as the name Aang; "Aung" isn't something I'll likely get used to anytime soon.  That, and the constant flip-flopping of the word "avatar."  Why is Katara pronouncing it as "Ah-vatar" in one scene, and then later saying it as we all know it?

Despite all this bitching, there are some redeeming merits that doesn't completely sink the film.  It follows the main narrative of Book One reasonably well, and despite the comparatively short 100 minute run time (paired down from the 490 minutes from the show's Book One), the movie does manage to represent the big story beats in a way that doesn't feel entirely condensed.  True, we've had to lose some terrific subplots and characters, such as Bumi, Suki, and Jet, but crucial episodes like The Blue Spirit and The Siege of the North were handled wonderfully.  Again, I'm speaking as a fan; in truth, I'm not so sure the narrative would make nearly as much sense for someone who hasn't watched the show.  The constant use of exposition-heavy voiceovers, I'm certain, will leave many casual viewers scratching their heads in confusion.

I can hang with most of the plot changes.  Having the Fire Nation require a fire source to bend actually seems more apt in light of the rest of the element bending.  For pacing issues, I can see why they had Haru and the imprisoned Earthbenders give Katara the waterbending scroll instead of her taking it from the pirates.  And for cinematic purposes, the way they handled the action-fueled finale at the Northern Water Tribe Kingdom: removing the..... fusing of Aang and The Spirit of The Ocean and changing up Zhao's death were probably wise changes.

It's clear a lot of the budget went toward the effects.  ILM puts in some good work here; the backgrounds and scenery look gorgeous and the effects of the bending ranges from good to great.  The water effects look especially convincing, though when any of the elements are placed into actual fight sequences.... maybe slightly less so.  (The fights themselves, especially the hand to hand stuff, are entertaining.)

And then there's Howard's score for the film.  As I've said surmised before, it's thematically lacking, but masterful in its instrumentation, structure, and harmony.  The orchestrations are striking, and manages to elevate the overall epic feel of the movie.  "The Blue Spirit" is a particularly rousing piece, especially the militaristic war-like second half that kicks in at around 2:04.

Verdict?  Yeah, there's a lot of awfulness, but I don't regret seeing the film. (Not like Alice In Wonderland, at least.)  There's a pretty decent foundation set forth, and I am rooting for a Book 2 adaptation.  There's a lot of potential to be explored, given the richness of the animated show's world.  I suspect a directorial change can do it wonders, because Shyamalan can't direct his actors for shit.  Get some co-writers in to punch up the scripts, too. 

(What would the reaction of the characters from the show be if they saw themselves in this movie?  I suspect it'd be something like this.)

So after the liberal amount of praise given to the series, I started to watch TV show. I knew it was going to be a comedic show going into it, but this particular brand of humor just doesn't do it for me. I do like the allusions to darker tones that sometimes present themselves, however, but I don't know if it'll be enough to carry my interest throughout the entire show. I'm at episode 7 right now, and it's a chore to sit through most of it just because I don't like the style of humor or the light-hearted tone. The darker themed movie is starting to sound real good right about now. *spoiler tag* I also don't like how they're beating me over the head with this implied romantic interest between the two leads, Aang and whatserface. Alright, guys. I get it. They like each other.. So without spoiling anything, does the series ever drop it's light-hearted themes, or at least tone them down a little?

One thing, though. DAT MUSIC. I really love the soundtrack for this series, it's great!

If you didn't even crack a smile at Bumi, then you have no soul.  You emo or somethin', bro??

The comedy is an underlying component throughout the series, yes.  I wouldn't say that it gets toned down -- more like it accompanies the darker turns the show takes later on.  (I'm surprised that one particular episode in Book/Season 3 got approved from Nickelodeon.)  As the war goes on, there's a heightened sense of danger, and nasty new villains are introduced.  Our main characters continue to grow and develop, and they go through periods of pain and suffering, both physical and emotional.

It'd be a shame if you allow the humor alone to prevent you from continuing with the series.  You'd be missing out on an extremely well told story, with dynamic relationships and some really kickass battles.  The show really hits its stride from the end of Book 1 into the entirety of Book 2.

And just because, I'm linking to the trailer for Book 2.  Fan made, but it totally encapsulates the awesomeness of the series thus far:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iKzUDTr6lZc

I can't hear you over the blood and pain coursing through my veins like a river made of pathos, cascading over my wrist as the blade dances across my cursed skin.

In all seriousness, I've followed through with watching more of the show, and I do like it, it's getting better. There are some really good ideas throughout the show that really appeal to me. I'm glad you're able to tell me the main cast matures as it goes on. I'm looking forward to Book 2.

*spoiler tag* I can't get past the notion that this series is a Kung-Fu interpretation of the Captain Planet mythos *end spoiler*

Yeah, except they forgot "Heart" (unless you consider the Heart Chakra) and they're all Asian. Plus, no Wheeler. How the hell do you get a name like Wheeler...?

The forces of nature (Earth, Fire, Water, Wind, etc.) are all part of many different ideologies, Eastern and Western.

In Taoism, it is held that there are 5 elements: Wood, Fire, Earth, Metal, and Water, and they are said to describe the stages of life, with regards to your mind and soul:

Wood can burn, begetting fire; fire leaves behind ashes, thus, earth - metal grows within the earth; and water condenses upon metal.

Wood - You're rigid in your thoughts and beliefs.

Fire - You're learning to become flexible, but you're chaotic about it; if you either give into others, or uncompromising just the wrong way, it can spell disaster for yourself and others around you.

Earth - Sturdy, but not unmovable.

Metal - You can bend without breaking - you're compromising, thereby keeping yourself and others satisfied.

Water - Utmost degree of flexibility; the most sagacious amongst all Zen monks is carefree and able to find good in everything - the paragon of which is the happy Buddha.

...

Me, I'd like to think I'm in the Earth stage of life.

Just finished a marathon viewing of season 1. I had watched a few episodes here and there with my brother, who's been a huge fan of the series since the beginning, so I thought with the movie out it was the right time to watch the show from the start.

First of all, I absolutely love the art style. I'm particularly in love with the Fire Nation vehicle designs. The animation itself is inconsistent, however. Some episodes are simply gorgeous, while others are noticeably less so. JM Animation seems to be the better studio of the two so far, though it seems as if some episodes used a mix of both studios. The Siege of the North seems to switch between the studios from scene to scene. o_O

The music is fantastic as well, especially the ending theme.

Plot-wise, it starts off rather slowly, and I was admittedly bored during some of the filler episodes. It does pick up quite nicely at the end, though, with more focus on the central arc. One small nitpick is that Yue's backstory was introduced way too late. They could've at least done it during the Part I. As it stands, the emotional impact of Yue's sacrifice was lessened for me. Anyway, my brother told me that Book 2 is the best season, so I'm looking forward to starting it soon.

Regarding the awful pronunciations in the movie: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Sh-MN579Kcw

You can add me to the list of people who blew thru the series in its entirely just recently as well.  The comedy I thought was a little juvenile, but I am well past the targeted demo for this show, but as the series went on, I became warmer to it. 

Some things that kind of fell flat to me tho... lots of filler, and then rushing through the parts where it should take longer to learn things.  The ending especially... a bit too deus ex machina.

I kind of want... an Appa plush tho... =p  I really missed the guy in the latter half of Book 2.

I'm looking forward somewhat to the new mini-series, but waiting for the live action movie to show up on Movie Central with trepidation... :\

I picked up the entire Book 3 after work tonight; you can't beat a five disc set for a mere $18. I would have picked up Book one instead, but it was ten more dollars. I'll keep an eye out however.

Still, having seen some more of these, this TV show is probably the last good show to come out of Nick. The stuff they have now I can't even begin to consider Nicktoons.

And a little of topic, I would like to start getting the Bleach boxes as well.

Holy crap, that's cheap! Where'd you pick them up?!