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Thread: Avatar - The Last Airbender

  1. #1
    Senior Member Flawless Flower's Avatar
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    Default Avatar - The Last Airbender

    I'm absolutely obsessed with this cartoon!
    Sure, it's American but it's done with so much respect and love for Asian culture and mythology it's amazing!

    Does anyone here watch it? Who are you favourite characters? And what do you think of the upcoming live action adaptation?

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    Iroh is my favourite character because he's cool, while all the other characters annoyed the crap out of me.
    I like how each nation has a corresponding Chinese Martial Art to their element, but I don't like how water bending is portrayed.

    Racebender looks like it's gonna suck big time.

  3. #3
    Senior Member Flawless Flower's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by Banh Mi View Post
    Racebender looks like it's gonna suck big time.
    I'm glad to hear you hate the movie too!

    I just can't believe they cast all the main characters with white actors!!! I mean, which part of Asian mythology, Asian martial arts, Asian architecture, Asian clothing, Asian writing didn't M. Night Shyamalan understand?!?!?

    And Zuko isn't Indian!!
    I love Zuko, he's my favourite character and I have nothing against Indian people but come on!!!

    $this->handle_bbcode_img_match('http://i39.tinypic.com/2d6tb12.jpg')

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    I love this show!!

    A friend of mine shared the superbowl trailer in facebook. I was intrigued because I'm a sucker for wuxia :P So I searched the whole series and watched them in one week. I can't get enough of it!

    The fight scenes are amazing. I've never seen cartoon with such well choreographed fights. Well, actually, I think it's even better than some so-called wuxia series! Also, some of the familiar movements like flying in midair actually make more sense in Avatar world, since they have bending powers.

    Usually the portrayal of Chinese culture in American media made me cringe. However, Avatar made me go 'wow, how do they know that??' Well, there are a few minor mistakes, like one of my pet peeves, Chinese first and last name. If Toph's surname is Bei Fong (assuming that this surname exist), then it should be Bei Fong Toph instead of Toph Bei Fong. Ok, I'm nitpicking :P

    About the movie, I'm not too critical about it since it was the trailer that introduced me to Avatar. I can't wait to see the bendings in live action! But I do agree seeing a Caucasian monk is a bit awkward. I don't understand why MN Shyamalan would resort to 'racebending'. Him of all people. Such a pity.

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    Senior Member MrIllusion's Avatar
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    I think Bei Fong (北方) was an actual surname, but it's either obsolete or extremely rare now.

    What I really can't figure out is the name of the Earth Kingdom capital, Ba Sing Sei...
    The Truth is out there
    I say we leave it there...

  6. #6
    Senior Member Flawless Flower's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by MrIllusion View Post
    What I really can't figure out is the name of the Earth Kingdom capital, Ba Sing Sei...
    In the episode "The Drill" in season two one of the characters says that "Ba Sing Se" means "Unpenetrable City"... I guess they morphed "Bu Jing Zi" to Ba Sing Se... that's my guess....

    It's great to watch the specials or listen to the audio commentary by the creators of Avatar. The two very American guys are obvious Asia-nerds!
    They love Asian culture and it shows in their TV show - they've integrated Chinese, Japanese, Korean and Thai aspects in it and treat it all with so much reverence and respect it's a joy!
    Which is why I'm so dissappointed in the "whitewashing" of the live action movie!! Not a single East Asian in the principal cast!

    But anyway...I just wish there were more than 3 seasons! And they even left the storyline with Zuko's mother unanswered - I wanna know what happened to her!!

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