Cool - I stumbled across the Racebending site a while ago, which led me to go watch my through The Last Airbender. Part of the way through the second series now. :)
Doesn't really matter either way, as it's a good show. Decent plot, interesting characters, and even some nice historical references (definite Three Kingdoms vibe throughout). Looks like they've done their homework in terms of cultural setting too, although obviously I'm not qualified to judge.
I've been particularly impressed with some of the episodes I've watched recently. I LOVE being able to over-analyse something, so that immediately guarantees my attention. :D
For example, S02E14 has what looks to be a decidedly grown-up criticism of Chinese government secrecy. S02E15 includes an understanding of haiku poetry, and not just the usual 5/7/5 structure, but the seasonal references too. Then there's S03E02, which appears to be a take on the nationalism of Meiji-era Japan.
As a student of languages, I think you'd also enjoy the attention they've paid to calligraphy in Avatar. I can't read anything not in the Latin alphabet, but there's at least one person with a PhD who pops up in the credits as a consultant, so I'm assuming the calligraphy is accurate. Would be interesting to hear what you thought, though.
On top of that, good story with interesting characters, which are of course the essential ingredients that mean you can enjoy all the other stuff. ;)
@slideyfoot Good story and interesting characters aren't quite what it takes to get my sister to watch a show. Avatar might be a little too lighthearted for her.
I, however, have watched the whole series and the movie, and would agree that it is an excellent series. The characters are all slight modifications of the original Chinese characters. Some of them might even be older versions of said characters. And I did find it interesting how all the "good" countries are Inuit, China, and India based, while the "bad" country is definitely Japanese...
Yeah, that is interesting, which reminds me a bit of various martial arts flicks where it's often "oppressive Japanese occupiers have no honour! Let's send Bruce Lee/Jet Li/Donnie Yen to beat up twenty black belts at the same time then get shot."
Then again, the people behind it are American as far as I'm aware, though I guess it is possible they had those kind of models in mind. Or just history, especially WWII.
Although without wanting to spoil the plot (especially as I haven't finished them all myself yet ;p), at least one of the Chinese-esque cities gets cast in a definitely negative light, along with episodes like that one where the Earth soldiers are basically a bunch of total douchebags. Or the sexist Water tribe.
A few positive Fire Nation characters too, main one being Uncle Iroh: I always really like it when a fantasy series isn't completely black and white about the 'good' and 'bad' sides.
Is the film worth watching, or am I just going to get pissed off that they've cast a bunch of people from a completely different ethnicity to the original series?
Well, one could argue that it doesn't matter what the characters look like, as long as the story and spirit of the original work are maintained. One could also argue that maybe M. Night was trying to remind people that the word "Asian" has more meanings than just East Asian. Or maybe there just aren't enough East Asian actors with enough English skill to prevent the movie from being seen as just another martial arts flick. I'm not making any of these arguments, but...you could if you wanted to.
My problem with the movie was that, while the series was light-hearted, and balanced the serious with the silly, the film version is pure seriousness. Aang isn't even remotely cheerful. Sokka's horrible sense of humor is gone. But...Katara is still as melodramatic as ever. Yeah...that's it. Imagine everyone started acting like Katara. That captures it pretty well. And Uncle Iroh...man, Mako MADE that character. Yinsen from Iron Man is a good guy, but...he's no Iroh.
Psst, link? He's one of my Hokies!
ReplyDeleteHow did you end up interviewing him?
ReplyDeleteYukiko and I called that crush from half a world away.
ReplyDelete@Jamal...quiet...wait...how'd she know??
ReplyDelete@Slidey...I'm writing an journal article on Chinese in America...took a shot and contacted his PR manager.
lol@Leslie...I totally had to Google what a Hokie was...
Cool - I stumbled across the Racebending site a while ago, which led me to go watch my through The Last Airbender. Part of the way through the second series now. :)
ReplyDeleteDoesn't really matter either way, as it's a good show. Decent plot, interesting characters, and even some nice historical references (definite Three Kingdoms vibe throughout). Looks like they've done their homework in terms of cultural setting too, although obviously I'm not qualified to judge.
ReplyDeleteAh, I first read that as you had finished reading an interview. Is this going to be published? Can we read it when it's done?
ReplyDeleteGo Hokies! (I'm from Virginia :) )
ReplyDeleteHe's a cutie...
She's quick! Ha!
ReplyDeleteIt's going to be hard copy only, but I can put it up/shoot it over.
ReplyDelete@Slidey...I've never checked it out...that Racebending site is interesting though.
I've been particularly impressed with some of the episodes I've watched recently. I LOVE being able to over-analyse something, so that immediately guarantees my attention. :D
ReplyDeleteFor example, S02E14 has what looks to be a decidedly grown-up criticism of Chinese government secrecy. S02E15 includes an understanding of haiku poetry, and not just the usual 5/7/5 structure, but the seasonal references too. Then there's S03E02, which appears to be a take on the nationalism of Meiji-era Japan.
As a student of languages, I think you'd also enjoy the attention they've paid to calligraphy in Avatar. I can't read anything not in the Latin alphabet, but there's at least one person with a PhD who pops up in the credits as a consultant, so I'm assuming the calligraphy is accurate. Would be interesting to hear what you thought, though.
On top of that, good story with interesting characters, which are of course the essential ingredients that mean you can enjoy all the other stuff. ;)
@slideyfoot Good story and interesting characters aren't quite what it takes to get my sister to watch a show. Avatar might be a little too lighthearted for her.
ReplyDeleteI, however, have watched the whole series and the movie, and would agree that it is an excellent series. The characters are all slight modifications of the original Chinese characters. Some of them might even be older versions of said characters. And I did find it interesting how all the "good" countries are Inuit, China, and India based, while the "bad" country is definitely Japanese...
As for Racebending... Yeah... Speaks for itself.
Yeah, that is interesting, which reminds me a bit of various martial arts flicks where it's often "oppressive Japanese occupiers have no honour! Let's send Bruce Lee/Jet Li/Donnie Yen to beat up twenty black belts at the same time then get shot."
ReplyDeleteThen again, the people behind it are American as far as I'm aware, though I guess it is possible they had those kind of models in mind. Or just history, especially WWII.
Although without wanting to spoil the plot (especially as I haven't finished them all myself yet ;p), at least one of the Chinese-esque cities gets cast in a definitely negative light, along with episodes like that one where the Earth soldiers are basically a bunch of total douchebags. Or the sexist Water tribe.
A few positive Fire Nation characters too, main one being Uncle Iroh: I always really like it when a fantasy series isn't completely black and white about the 'good' and 'bad' sides.
Is the film worth watching, or am I just going to get pissed off that they've cast a bunch of people from a completely different ethnicity to the original series?
Well, one could argue that it doesn't matter what the characters look like, as long as the story and spirit of the original work are maintained. One could also argue that maybe M. Night was trying to remind people that the word "Asian" has more meanings than just East Asian. Or maybe there just aren't enough East Asian actors with enough English skill to prevent the movie from being seen as just another martial arts flick. I'm not making any of these arguments, but...you could if you wanted to.
ReplyDeleteMy problem with the movie was that, while the series was light-hearted, and balanced the serious with the silly, the film version is pure seriousness. Aang isn't even remotely cheerful. Sokka's horrible sense of humor is gone. But...Katara is still as melodramatic as ever. Yeah...that's it. Imagine everyone started acting like Katara. That captures it pretty well. And Uncle Iroh...man, Mako MADE that character. Yinsen from Iron Man is a good guy, but...he's no Iroh.
No comedy? Yeah, that does completely miss the point of the series. Think I'll be giving the film a miss, in that case. :)
ReplyDeleteMako does seem to be pretty much irreplaceable. Awesome as the wizard guy in Conan too, which is the main character I associate with him.