Avatar the Last Airbender - Book 3 Fire, Vol. 3 (2008) Review

Average Reviews:

(More customer reviews)Avatar is exceptionally written, perhaps the best animated series ever to air in America. It's so good that acclaimed Director, M. NIGHT SHYAMALAN,(The Sixth Sense, Unbreakable, Signs, The Village, The Happening) called it, "The coolest mythology I've ever seen," and put his own screenwriting on hold to spend the next six years producing/directing a BIG-SCREEN LIVE-ACTION TRILOGY of this story.
Adults may find the occasional comic relief a bit cheesy, but will love the character development, psychological depth, mythos, realistic martial arts, "special effects", and the excellent insights into Asian philosophy, sociology, and mythology, and even politics. I've been studying Asian culture and philosophy and teaching in Asia for years and I've gained insights from this series because the writers have found ways to introduce and explain Asian thought so simply that even kids can "get it". Ideas like chakras, Daoism, and Chinese philosophy of the balance and properties of the natural Elements are brought to life and illustrated in the characters lives, situations, and cultural settings. I bought this to watch my nephews (though I often watch it when they're not here too) and I think it's awesome because as they grow up in an increasingly Asian world, I think what they were exposed to in this show will make Asian culture (Chinese, Tibetan, Japanese, Indian, Korean) much more accessible and comprehensible to them than it was to me when I studied it.
Don't the the animation fool you, this series is a myth of exceptional crafting, on par with STAR WARS and LORD OF THE RINGS.
Mesmerizingly ENTERTAINING and uniquely EDUCATIONAL! With or without kids, you'll LOVE it!

Click Here to see more reviews about: Avatar the Last Airbender - Book 3 Fire, Vol. 3 (2008)

In this latest release of Avatar: The Last Airbender Book 3, Volume 3 the invasion is in full force and Aang, prepared to face his destiny, frantically searches for the Fire Lord but there are few unexpected twists for Aang and the gang that could ruin their master plan. Join Aang, Katara, Sokka, and Toph as they are forced to rely on old enemies for help.

Get 17% OFF

Click here for more information about Avatar the Last Airbender - Book 3 Fire, Vol. 3 (2008)

Avatar - The Last Airbender: The Complete Book 3 Collection Review

Average Reviews:

(More customer reviews)I have to write something about this wonderful series, but I'm not going to write any spoilers, or tell you what happens. I know many of you have never watched any of the episodes, and don't want to know what happens, and those who have watched it do not care if I leave it out.
What I can say, though, is that this is one amazing show; as an overview for those who have no idea what the storyline is, just picture a messiah-type that has to rescue the world from being enslaved by an evil empire. The messiah (avatar) is what you would view as an underdog against unspeakable odds, but with incredible potential that flashes through occasionally. You may see similarities to such works as The Lord of the Rings, Star Wars, Harry Potter, or the Inheritance Cycle. They all have that common theme of an underdog destined or prophesied to set the captives free and defeat the evil empire. Avatar may be a little more like Star Wars than the others, as it has a definite Eastern mysticism element to it, and martial arts moves are a major portion of the action sequences.
One of my favorite parts of every episode is the comic relief: Sokka. Sure, all of the characters have comical incidents, but Sokka is without a doubt the character intended to bear the burden of comic relief, and he carries it off well. Yet, he is also the main one with the ideas.
With Book 3 and the entire series complete this year, I can say it progressively got better and more intense with each season. The character development is detailed and satisfying. This is one set to buy (after the other two sets, that is). It is sad that this is the last season, but there are intentions for a new Avatar series in the future, possibly with a different incarnation of the Avatar. The creators are said to have intended The Last Airbender as a three season arc, a sort of trilogy.
You may think it is really for kids, being animated and on Nickelodeon, but my wife and I, with two small children, are into it just as much as the kids are. If you have never tried watching it, I suggest you rent it from Netflix or Blockbuster to get a sampling of the quality of the show. It is best to start at the beginning, though, because it is a story extended over three seasons, and makes more sense if you watch in order. The only show on television that gets my attention more than this is Battlestar Galactica, which is also ending soon.
I was most pleased when I found out there will be a live action movie directed by M. Night Shyamalan based on Book 1, simply called The Last Airbender (to avoid confusion with a movie called Avatar by James Cameron coming out in 2009 - not related to the series), which should be out in July 2010. He intends to direct a trilogy based on the three seasons, separated by two years each, spending six years of his life on this storyline. That should say something about the series, as it is the first thing he has worked on that was not something he came up with himself.
EDIT: After viewing the live action movie directed by M. Night Shyamalan, I was most displeased. Apparently, he cannot adequately adapt this story or the characters to film, mangling personalities as well as name pronunciations. Stick with the animated series.

Click Here to see more reviews about: Avatar - The Last Airbender: The Complete Book 3 Collection

AVATAR LAST AIRBENDER BOOK 3 - DVD Movie

Get 35% OFF

Click here for more information about Avatar - The Last Airbender: The Complete Book 3 Collection

Avatar The Last Airbender - The Complete Book 1 Collection (2005) Review

Average Reviews:

(More customer reviews)In a world where the airways seem to be ruled by uninspired and badly dubbed anime, Nickledeon has created something truley amazing. A show that both kids and adults can enjoy, complete with tremendous voice acting, fantastic animation, good music, and awesome execution.
Season One of Avatar begins with a war going on between nations who control different elements through techniques called 'bending'. There's the Fire Nation, which, under Fire Lord Ozai, is attempting to take over the rest of the world. The Avatar, the only one who can control all four elements, is supposed to stop power imbalances between the nations, but the war started 100 years ago and the Avatar hasn't been seen since. And with the airbenders already wiped out and the water tribes being composed of tiny populations, only the great Earth Kingdom remains intact.
What makes this show great is a combination of character and plot. The characters aren't stereotypical. They act in predictable ways sometimes, but then there are episodes that really show their deeper sides (The Storm, The Fortune Teller, and The Blue Spirit are all examples of this.) The story focuses around the main characters Sokka, Katara, and Aang, the Avatar (returning to the world after being incased in an iceberg for 100 years.) There's also the Fire Nation's General Iroh, Price Zuko (a banished prince trying to regain his honor by capturing the Avatar) and Admiral Zhao. However out of these characters only Admiral Zhao seems truley evil. Zuko and Iroh however are in the gray.
There's some fantastic fight scenes in this series. The Blue Spirit, Jet, and Bato of the Water Tribe are all episodes with incredible choreography. Animation is top notch. There was only one episode where it went down a little. And finally the Season Finale is really well done and filled with mythology about the spirit world which the Avatar must learn to communicate, as well as he must learn to master the four elements to defeat the Fire Lord.
As good as Season One is, it's inferior to Season 2. If you thought that the Earth Kingdom was portrayed as the good guys and the Fire Nation are the only ones with bad leadership, Season 2 may change your mind. However as a first season of a show Avatar succeeds incredibly well. Recommended to people of all ages. There's some corneyness in a few episodes, but the series does a great job of catering to all ages.

Click Here to see more reviews about: Avatar The Last Airbender - The Complete Book 1 Collection (2005)

AVATAR LAST AIRBENDER BOOK 1 BOX SET - DVD Movie

Get 45% OFF

Click here for more information about Avatar The Last Airbender - The Complete Book 1 Collection (2005)

Avatar The Last Airbender - The Complete Book 2 Collection (2005) Review

Average Reviews:

(More customer reviews)I am in my late 20s, and I have to say this is one of the best cartoons I have ever seen. I happened to watch it one day while flipping channels and was hooked. I have gotten a TON of my friends hooked on it as well, and the dvds for season one have been changing hands all the time.
Regarding the show itself: The animation is well done, often with beautiful scenes and accompanied by simple and beautiful music. The characters have depth and complexity rarely seen in cartoons.
Regarding Season Two: This season is excellent. A great new character is introduced (though actually many great characters are introduced in Season two). The finale, like that of seasons one's, was exciting, fast paced, and EXTREMELY well done. The creators put a lot into the finales and it shows. The season finales have an epic feel to them, and often feature some sort of homage to Hiyao Miyazake, the creator of some of the best animated movies. On a sad note, the talented Mako, who voiced Uncle Iroh in season 1 and 2, passed away. His character is my favorite on this show, and I hope they find someone for season three that can fill his big shoes.
I love this show and I know myself and many others are eagerly waiting for the premiere of season three. You come to care for these chracters and waiting to find out what happens is difficult. Basically, this show can be enjoyed on a lot of different levels, by a variety of people and ages.

Click Here to see more reviews about: Avatar The Last Airbender - The Complete Book 2 Collection (2005)

Avatar: The Complete Book 2 DVD Collection includes 20 action packed episodes from Book 2: Earth,plus an exclusive never-before-seen bonus disc! This 5 disc set centers around Avatar Aang and his continious quest to master the four elements.Together with Katara, Sokka, Momo and Appa, he journeys across the Earth Kingdom in search of an Earthbending mentor while staying one step ahead of Prince Zuko and fighting off the treachorous, Princess Azula, of the Fire Nation, who will stop at nothing to defeat the Avatar!

Get 46% OFF

Click here for more information about Avatar The Last Airbender - The Complete Book 2 Collection (2005)