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running commentary
So (hating on) some movie called The Last Airbender has been quite popular this last week, and since I spent an extended weekend in a forest with nothing else to do, I finally watched the first season of Avatar: the Last Airbender.
- four elements? not five?
- foreordained heroes (/leaders)
+ based on existing mythos and people!!!
- ...which makes me queasy in real life as well
+ cultural detail
+ zuko's speech impediment
+ "call me grangran"
+ SOKKA WHY ARE YOU SO EXCELLENT I usually dislike your character type
+ iroh oh my god
+ appa the... cat bus
- so far no sympathetic randoms in fire nation's tally
+ holy fucking gorgeous fight choreography
+ agni kai
- re:sokka - once again, the flailing butt monkey who at the end of the day manages to be competent or at least survive is male male male and the way all the females react to him make it absolutely certain that it would be impossible for that role to ever be filled by a girl
oh you silly boys
+ fantasy animals in fantasy land!!
+ a-architectural d-d-d-d-detail
+ warriors of kyoshi why so gorgeous
+ he doesn't mind wearing a girl's costume after a moment
+ "I'm a warrior but I'm also a girl"
+ "hey you young man, you have a good back. help your old man out will you"
+ this is the worst kind of silly humour
I like it
- haru (assuming that's the spelling, the pronunciation is kind of special) your voice work is not the strongest in the series
+ katara's waterbending woes. she actually tries! she's making an effort! she improves with her own hard work!
+ spirit monster hei bai!! ...o-oh, I get it
+ ...oh, and unagi
+ zuko and iroh, just. awwww they care about each other so much
+ iroh you are the bestest
+ katara: WHY ARE YOU SO INSUFFERABLY GOOD
aang: *looks like he's going to cry*
like the only reaction that can make an all-powerful character (correction: all-powerful character who is also the MAIN character) likable
aww baby
- ...but sometimes there are instances that make the writing seem a bit immature. scene cuts that suffer from ADD and dialogue that is subtle like a sledgehammer (less GOOD IS GOOD AND EVIL EVIL, more LET ME REITERATE MY FEELINGS ONCE MORE IF YOU MISSED THEM THE FIRST TIME, thankfully). but then again, it's a children's show
+ uwah, random soldiers from fire nation, caught in the middle of their meal
- all the characters are somehow mortifyingly assured in their gendered positions and that shows in their reactions to various events and other people. at least it's not overly sexist, just. overly gendered
+ well jet brings some complexity into the situation re: the horrible and irredeemable fire nation
+ sokka has the most delicious character-growing moments
- show why must you pair katara with every available boy
- jet's character type makes me very uncomfortable
+ snobby tribe has the prettiest clothes
+ aang's guardian monk: like koumyou in a way
(+ but aang is goku rather than sanzo)
- the occasional sadly hurried and immature scene transition
+ frozen frogs
+ half-frozen frogs
+ THE FROG IS FREE
+ the blue spirit = ooooooooohhhhhhh. oh man it would be great if they went into this persona in greater detail
+ "great, instead of saving the world you can go into jewellery-making business"
"I don't see why I can't do both!"
+ bishie sparkles, crying
+ aang's crush on katara is so cute
+ "world-shaking battle between good and evil, yeah yeah, but did it say anything about a girl?"
-/+ okay katara asking the fortuneteller about her love life first was sad but then she turned out to be just curious and aww
(- well aang asked about love too, but he had a specific person in mind whereas katara was interested in romance in general so)
+ what what is this conversation about superstition vs science lol dying
+ it's lovely that there is a boy-boy-girl trio that doesn't take the two boys as opposites and the girl as their balancing point. not that I know if that's a common thing, but it's so sad when it does show up (final fantasy iv, naruto)
+ pointy-haired girl you will get your big-eared love in time :´((
+ cloudbending so cool
+ hi randomly identical twins that are individuals
"I'm an earthbender!"
"I'm not!"
but that really is interesting. so bending skills just... happen
- I hope the subtext of this episode wasn't that while everyone else is bound by fate, the avatar alone is free to shape it into their liking-- oh boy that's totally what it was wasn't it
- non-pre-rendered background too noticeable
+ aang's (and I'm guessing the airbenders'/air temple residents') aversion to dead animals: A++++
- aang, hiding that map is not cool D:
- animal torture nooooo just because it's ugly doesn't mean it's evil, what are you teaching children, show
- IROH, SEXUALLY HARASSING THE BOUNTY HUNTER IS FUCKING CREEPY
+aang/katara/zuko would be kind of cute uh
+ appa that bush is a bit too small for you
+ HAND-PUPPET PROPAGANDA why did I laugh so hard
+ "well yeah we let the avatar escape... but on the other hand, the festival went off without a hitch! not even a single fight!"
+ firebending master jeong jeong = mifune toshirou, is that you
- is aang... regressing in maturity as the show goes on? (or maybe his maturity level fluctuates as the plot demands)
+/- I... I want to see the movie just to see aasif mandvi's performance as zhao. it could be so beautiful
- it's kind of sad the show has to jump from story to story so fast so it feels like all the training (aang's) and stuff is just the Curiosity of the Week rather than something long-lasting
+ oh man the flying boy really had bad legs
+ spiritual succession of the air people oh oh
+ lol sokka bonding with the inventor
+ fuck damn the fire nation's vehicles are impressive (and gorgeous)
+ sokka r smrt
+ and the war takes to the skies DUN DUN DUNNNNN
+ I love how this show can make conflict without sacrificing the likability of the minor characters
- infatuation based on the other's looks will never be endearing, goddamnit sokka
+ aang and katara are both so excited about the waterbending awww
+ yue you are hilarious
+ "for the last time, I'm not playing the horn"
+ zuko's martial ability is pretty damn impressive
+ RATHER BELATEDLY
THE WAY HE KEPT HIS COOL AND NEVER USED HIS FIREBENDING AS THE BLUE SPIRIT
REALLY FUCKING IMPRESSIVE
- iiiii really don't like the waterbending teacher's attitude, the way he points katara in the direction of women's healing art classes with such superiority. in a culture where men fight & women heal, I don't think women's place would be seen with contempt, rather it would be their "natural place", not reeeeally better or worse than the men's, just different and as important (the sexism is really more complex than just "they don't allow womens in the battlefields because they're inferior"). even if the underlying reason for not allowing women to battle is in the inherent belief that men are better, I don't think such cultures and men in such cultures really are aware of that on a conscious level. it seems like it was done in black and white just so that katara and aang could experience Righteous Feminist Rage
or am I overanalyzing this
+ "or just stay in your room and sit in the dark. whatever makes you happy" everyone over fifty should just turn into Iroh, the world would be a better place
+ noooooo sokka's terribly carven fish.... ornamentttt
+ and katara gets back on her feet when she gets to learn waterbending anyway! her enthusiasm is always so uplifting
- master POOPHEAD what crawled up YOUR ass and died
+ FUCK YOU MASTER
LET'S TAKE THIS OUTSIDE
+ I'll never get enough of the fire nation's ruling house's family drama
+ iroh's bluffing isn't he isn't he
- hello plot trinket you remind me of my loooooove
+ HE ISSSS
- well if that wasn't the fastest infatuation I've ever seen (yue and sokka)
- so katara doesn't get to convince the master with her own power. not to say that it didn't play its part but uh. plot trinket. (actually I've been kind of impressed with how that necklace has been handled so far but)
- sokka where's your cool battle paint D:
- oh man I hope yue's fiance doesn't turn out to be an asshole just because he's at odds with a main character
- sokka tries to infiltrate the fire navy, aang tries his best at keeping them at bay, zuko furthers his own agenda by infiltrating the water fortress, katara.... is there for aang, yue........ is there............ show, making strong female characters doesn't mean just making them capable fighters. it means giving them ACTUAL STUFF TO DO
+ zuko and iroh ;______;
- wait wait wait. I was willing to dismiss the southern water tribe's BARE EARS IN I DON'T EVEN KNOW HOW COLD, but iroh actually warns zuko about keeping his ears warm? what the!
- and while on subject of ears in arctic conditions, the seal-like animals in the first episode really stood out. by their enormous ears. animals in arctic conditions generally try to MINIMIZE the loss of body heat, and it is through ears that massive amounts of heat escape (well okay there are flying bisons but still)
+ oh lol apparently the seal-turtles in the north pole have smaller ears. south pole is warmer???
- physical brawl for the princess's luuurve bah
+ lol what "katara was only able to win because of the moon". then zuko was only able to win because of the sun! (celestial bodies figuring into bending skills = neat)
- the battle scenes used to be more impressive, in the first episodes :(
+ WOAH SPIRIT WORLD
+ "she was born lucky. I was lucky to be born"
- "why did he, or--" she, she?? "--I try to do that?" D:
+ fffff koh's voice actor is peerless
- wait what what it's the koi and not the girl, the moon spirit?
+ oh that's why she has white hair
+ OH THAT'S WHY SHE'S YUE
- FUCK IROH DON'T DIE
(+ I was kind of hoping that iroh would say something stupid sushi-related when he took the moon out of the pond :´()
- aang could you project some other cool past life besides roku at times? female, perhaps? hearing a powerful and authoritative female echo in your voice would be kind of nice! yeah I know I know roku was your previous incarnation but fuck
well at least he serves as a reminder that the fire nation used to be one of the neutral guys
+ ghibli's influence kind of noticeable. forest god from princess mononoke is that you
- ...I'm kind of getting very very VERY uncomfortable biblical flashbacks from this whole save the kneeling kill the disrespectful way of restoring balance/saving the water tribe/taking revenge for yang-koi
+ zuko vs zhao = infinitely more interesting than seeing the all-powerful hero use his powers
+ very neat this monochrome setting (if they had shown yue in muted colours longer, it would have been better though. leave something to the audience to figure out and all)
- why didn't her hair go back dark again :(
- oh I guess I should be feeling some primal awe at this wonderful spiritual manifestation of the nature's balance or... something...
+ but the yang = female, yin = male mixup was kind of nice. even if went to the stereotype of healing maiden and destructive male warrior
- wait what purpose did the whole engagement thing serve in the end
+ WHAT WAS THAT ZUKO-ZHAO MOMENT THERE, niiiice
+ katara-aang-momo(-sokka) bonding awww
- ...is it just me or did the last three episodes take a third of this whole thing
Overall: definitely watching the second season, contemplating on buying the DVDs, very sad about Aang having to be the Avatar. I really like Aang as a character, and yeah yeah, Dalai Lama and all, but I hate it when central protagonists have the most power. One of my biggest turnoffs, and one of the most inevitable tropes used in children's fantasy. Curses.
- four elements? not five?
- foreordained heroes (/leaders)
+ based on existing mythos and people!!!
- ...which makes me queasy in real life as well
+ cultural detail
+ zuko's speech impediment
+ "call me grangran"
+ SOKKA WHY ARE YOU SO EXCELLENT I usually dislike your character type
+ iroh oh my god
+ appa the... cat bus
- so far no sympathetic randoms in fire nation's tally
+ holy fucking gorgeous fight choreography
+ agni kai
- re:sokka - once again, the flailing butt monkey who at the end of the day manages to be competent or at least survive is male male male and the way all the females react to him make it absolutely certain that it would be impossible for that role to ever be filled by a girl
oh you silly boys
+ fantasy animals in fantasy land!!
+ a-architectural d-d-d-d-detail
+ warriors of kyoshi why so gorgeous
+ he doesn't mind wearing a girl's costume after a moment
+ "I'm a warrior but I'm also a girl"
+ "hey you young man, you have a good back. help your old man out will you"
+ this is the worst kind of silly humour
I like it
- haru (assuming that's the spelling, the pronunciation is kind of special) your voice work is not the strongest in the series
+ katara's waterbending woes. she actually tries! she's making an effort! she improves with her own hard work!
+ spirit monster hei bai!! ...o-oh, I get it
+ ...oh, and unagi
+ zuko and iroh, just. awwww they care about each other so much
+ iroh you are the bestest
+ katara: WHY ARE YOU SO INSUFFERABLY GOOD
aang: *looks like he's going to cry*
like the only reaction that can make an all-powerful character (correction: all-powerful character who is also the MAIN character) likable
aww baby
- ...but sometimes there are instances that make the writing seem a bit immature. scene cuts that suffer from ADD and dialogue that is subtle like a sledgehammer (less GOOD IS GOOD AND EVIL EVIL, more LET ME REITERATE MY FEELINGS ONCE MORE IF YOU MISSED THEM THE FIRST TIME, thankfully). but then again, it's a children's show
+ uwah, random soldiers from fire nation, caught in the middle of their meal
- all the characters are somehow mortifyingly assured in their gendered positions and that shows in their reactions to various events and other people. at least it's not overly sexist, just. overly gendered
+ well jet brings some complexity into the situation re: the horrible and irredeemable fire nation
+ sokka has the most delicious character-growing moments
- show why must you pair katara with every available boy
- jet's character type makes me very uncomfortable
+ snobby tribe has the prettiest clothes
+ aang's guardian monk: like koumyou in a way
(+ but aang is goku rather than sanzo)
- the occasional sadly hurried and immature scene transition
+ frozen frogs
+ half-frozen frogs
+ THE FROG IS FREE
+ the blue spirit = ooooooooohhhhhhh. oh man it would be great if they went into this persona in greater detail
+ "great, instead of saving the world you can go into jewellery-making business"
"I don't see why I can't do both!"
+ bishie sparkles, crying
+ aang's crush on katara is so cute
+ "world-shaking battle between good and evil, yeah yeah, but did it say anything about a girl?"
-/+ okay katara asking the fortuneteller about her love life first was sad but then she turned out to be just curious and aww
(- well aang asked about love too, but he had a specific person in mind whereas katara was interested in romance in general so)
+ what what is this conversation about superstition vs science lol dying
+ it's lovely that there is a boy-boy-girl trio that doesn't take the two boys as opposites and the girl as their balancing point. not that I know if that's a common thing, but it's so sad when it does show up (final fantasy iv, naruto)
+ pointy-haired girl you will get your big-eared love in time :´((
+ cloudbending so cool
+ hi randomly identical twins that are individuals
"I'm an earthbender!"
"I'm not!"
but that really is interesting. so bending skills just... happen
- I hope the subtext of this episode wasn't that while everyone else is bound by fate, the avatar alone is free to shape it into their liking-- oh boy that's totally what it was wasn't it
- non-pre-rendered background too noticeable
+ aang's (and I'm guessing the airbenders'/air temple residents') aversion to dead animals: A++++
- aang, hiding that map is not cool D:
- animal torture nooooo just because it's ugly doesn't mean it's evil, what are you teaching children, show
- IROH, SEXUALLY HARASSING THE BOUNTY HUNTER IS FUCKING CREEPY
+
+ appa that bush is a bit too small for you
+ HAND-PUPPET PROPAGANDA why did I laugh so hard
+ "well yeah we let the avatar escape... but on the other hand, the festival went off without a hitch! not even a single fight!"
+ firebending master jeong jeong = mifune toshirou, is that you
- is aang... regressing in maturity as the show goes on? (or maybe his maturity level fluctuates as the plot demands)
+/- I... I want to see the movie just to see aasif mandvi's performance as zhao. it could be so beautiful
- it's kind of sad the show has to jump from story to story so fast so it feels like all the training (aang's) and stuff is just the Curiosity of the Week rather than something long-lasting
+ oh man the flying boy really had bad legs
+ spiritual succession of the air people oh oh
+ lol sokka bonding with the inventor
+ fuck damn the fire nation's vehicles are impressive (and gorgeous)
+ sokka r smrt
+ and the war takes to the skies DUN DUN DUNNNNN
+ I love how this show can make conflict without sacrificing the likability of the minor characters
- infatuation based on the other's looks will never be endearing, goddamnit sokka
+ aang and katara are both so excited about the waterbending awww
+ yue you are hilarious
+ "for the last time, I'm not playing the horn"
+ zuko's martial ability is pretty damn impressive
+ RATHER BELATEDLY
THE WAY HE KEPT HIS COOL AND NEVER USED HIS FIREBENDING AS THE BLUE SPIRIT
REALLY FUCKING IMPRESSIVE
- iiiii really don't like the waterbending teacher's attitude, the way he points katara in the direction of women's healing art classes with such superiority. in a culture where men fight & women heal, I don't think women's place would be seen with contempt, rather it would be their "natural place", not reeeeally better or worse than the men's, just different and as important (the sexism is really more complex than just "they don't allow womens in the battlefields because they're inferior"). even if the underlying reason for not allowing women to battle is in the inherent belief that men are better, I don't think such cultures and men in such cultures really are aware of that on a conscious level. it seems like it was done in black and white just so that katara and aang could experience Righteous Feminist Rage
or am I overanalyzing this
+ "or just stay in your room and sit in the dark. whatever makes you happy" everyone over fifty should just turn into Iroh, the world would be a better place
+ noooooo sokka's terribly carven fish.... ornamentttt
+ and katara gets back on her feet when she gets to learn waterbending anyway! her enthusiasm is always so uplifting
- master POOPHEAD what crawled up YOUR ass and died
+ FUCK YOU MASTER
LET'S TAKE THIS OUTSIDE
+ I'll never get enough of the fire nation's ruling house's family drama
+ iroh's bluffing isn't he isn't he
- hello plot trinket you remind me of my loooooove
+ HE ISSSS
- well if that wasn't the fastest infatuation I've ever seen (yue and sokka)
- so katara doesn't get to convince the master with her own power. not to say that it didn't play its part but uh. plot trinket. (actually I've been kind of impressed with how that necklace has been handled so far but)
- sokka where's your cool battle paint D:
- oh man I hope yue's fiance doesn't turn out to be an asshole just because he's at odds with a main character
- sokka tries to infiltrate the fire navy, aang tries his best at keeping them at bay, zuko furthers his own agenda by infiltrating the water fortress, katara.... is there for aang, yue........ is there............ show, making strong female characters doesn't mean just making them capable fighters. it means giving them ACTUAL STUFF TO DO
+ zuko and iroh ;______;
- wait wait wait. I was willing to dismiss the southern water tribe's BARE EARS IN I DON'T EVEN KNOW HOW COLD, but iroh actually warns zuko about keeping his ears warm? what the!
- and while on subject of ears in arctic conditions, the seal-like animals in the first episode really stood out. by their enormous ears. animals in arctic conditions generally try to MINIMIZE the loss of body heat, and it is through ears that massive amounts of heat escape (well okay there are flying bisons but still)
+ oh lol apparently the seal-turtles in the north pole have smaller ears. south pole is warmer???
- physical brawl for the princess's luuurve bah
+ lol what "katara was only able to win because of the moon". then zuko was only able to win because of the sun! (celestial bodies figuring into bending skills = neat)
- the battle scenes used to be more impressive, in the first episodes :(
+ WOAH SPIRIT WORLD
+ "she was born lucky. I was lucky to be born"
- "why did he, or--" she, she?? "--I try to do that?" D:
+ fffff koh's voice actor is peerless
- wait what what it's the koi and not the girl, the moon spirit?
+ oh that's why she has white hair
+ OH THAT'S WHY SHE'S YUE
- FUCK IROH DON'T DIE
(+ I was kind of hoping that iroh would say something stupid sushi-related when he took the moon out of the pond :´()
- aang could you project some other cool past life besides roku at times? female, perhaps? hearing a powerful and authoritative female echo in your voice would be kind of nice! yeah I know I know roku was your previous incarnation but fuck
well at least he serves as a reminder that the fire nation used to be one of the neutral guys
+ ghibli's influence kind of noticeable. forest god from princess mononoke is that you
- ...I'm kind of getting very very VERY uncomfortable biblical flashbacks from this whole save the kneeling kill the disrespectful way of restoring balance/saving the water tribe/taking revenge for yang-koi
+ zuko vs zhao = infinitely more interesting than seeing the all-powerful hero use his powers
+ very neat this monochrome setting (if they had shown yue in muted colours longer, it would have been better though. leave something to the audience to figure out and all)
- why didn't her hair go back dark again :(
- oh I guess I should be feeling some primal awe at this wonderful spiritual manifestation of the nature's balance or... something...
+ but the yang = female, yin = male mixup was kind of nice. even if went to the stereotype of healing maiden and destructive male warrior
- wait what purpose did the whole engagement thing serve in the end
+ WHAT WAS THAT ZUKO-ZHAO MOMENT THERE, niiiice
+ katara-aang-momo(-sokka) bonding awww
- ...is it just me or did the last three episodes take a third of this whole thing
Overall: definitely watching the second season, contemplating on buying the DVDs, very sad about Aang having to be the Avatar. I really like Aang as a character, and yeah yeah, Dalai Lama and all, but I hate it when central protagonists have the most power. One of my biggest turnoffs, and one of the most inevitable tropes used in children's fantasy. Curses.
no subject
Some of the issues you brought up are fixed in the next two seasons. At the same time though, some new issues crop up also. The pacing issues are arguably inevitable due to the format/status as a kids' show, but I will say that the second season feels much smoother than the first in general.
That said, you are going to love Azula & henchladies. (except maybe with how she's handled in the last season. I'm still torn on that.)
no subject
(What I saw of Azula in S02E01 was already very promising. And all the buildings and backgrounds are so gorgeous. Gah.)