Title: Avatar: The Last Airbender
Format: TV (Nickelodeon)
2005-2008
Summary/Review: Once upon a time, the world was split into four nations of people who all lived together in balance. The air, fire, water and earth people embraced their own cultural identities, but also traded with, worked with, and made friends with people from the other nations. Then, seemingly out of nowhere, the fire nation made a deadly attack on the rest of the world. Ever since--for over 100 years--the world has been at war. Legend says that the Avatar will return with his mastery of all four elements, and will bring peace with him.
This show is not quite anime, but it's definitely anime-inspired. The excellent visuals combine with interesting plot, good writing, humor and character-development to form a truly amazing show. Viewers watch Aang as he comes into his own as the Avatar. He and his friends have to learn teamwork, as well as hone their individual talents. They're very defined characters, through their actions and through their dialogue (the writing is incredibly strong for a cartoon). The show also tackles moral and social issues without getting bogged down by conscience. I'd recommend Avatar: The Last Airbender to anyone ages 8 and up. It could definitely be enjoyed by kids, but there's plenty of stuff to chew on for older viewers. Avatar's an excellent choice for fans of anime, and people who want to get into anime but aren't quite sure where to start.
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