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152-546: Avatar: The Last Airbender , also known as Avatar: The Legend of Aang in some regions, is an American animated fantasy action television series created by Michael Dante DiMartino and Bryan Konietzko and produced by Nickelodeon Animation Studio . Avatar is set in a largely Asian-inspired world in which some people can telekinetically manipulate one of the four elements —water, earth, fire or air—through practices known as "bending", inspired by Chinese martial arts . The only individual who can bend all four elements,

304-469: A Kids' Choice Award , and a Peabody Award . The show is regarded by many critics as one of the greatest animated television series of all time. Avatar aired on Nickelodeon for three seasons, from February 2005 to July 2008. The extended Avatar franchise includes an ongoing comics series , a prequel novel series , an animated sequel series , and a live-action film , as well as a live-action remake series produced for Netflix . The complete series

456-407: A Nick.com online game based on "Sozin's Comet", had almost 815,000 game plays in three days. Avatar: The Last Airbender received universal acclaim. As of July 2020, the show has a critics score of 100% on Rotten Tomatoes based on 23 reviews. Max Nicholson of IGN called it a "must-watch" and described it as "one of the greatest animated series of all time". Nick Hartel of DVD Talk called

608-447: A cult classic and had a large impact in the 2010s on how networks viewed animated programs; subsequent children's shows would often blur the lines between youth and adult programming, featuring more adult themes. Multiple media publications have hailed Avatar as one of the best (animated) television series of all time. In 2013, TV Guide included Avatar among the 60 greatest cartoon of all-time list. In 2018, Vanity Fair ranked

760-420: A "reimagined" live-action remake of Avatar was to start production in 2019. The series' original creators, DiMartino and Konietzko, were to be the executive producers and showrunners . On August 12, 2020, Michael Dante DiMartino and Bryan Konietzko both revealed on their social media that they had departed the show due to creative differences. In February 2021, Albert Kim was reported to have been brought on as

912-399: A bipedal polar bear-dog hybrid. Konietzko cited Cowboy Bebop as the sketch's primary influence, describing the sketch as a "half-baked" attempt at a similar science fiction adventure concept. Recalling Coleman's advice against middle-aged main characters, Konietzko redrew the human character as a boy, but retained his baldness and transferred the robot's staff and arrows to him. After adding

1064-644: A boxed set in November 2021 under the name Team Avatar Treasury . This was followed by 2023's Azula in the Spirit Temple , and 2024's The Bounty Hunter and the Tea Brewer , which focuses on Iroh and June the Bounty Hunter. A video-game trilogy based on the series has been released. The Avatar: The Last Airbender video game was released on October 10, 2006, and Avatar: The Last Airbender – The Burning Earth

1216-666: A certain type of weapon. Forms are meant to be both practical, usable, and applicable as well as to promote fluid motion, meditation, flexibility, balance, and coordination. Students are encouraged to visualize an attacker while training the form. There are two general types of taolu in Chinese martial arts. Most common are solo forms performed by a single student. There are also sparring forms — choreographed fighting sets performed by two or more people. Sparring forms were designed both to acquaint beginning fighters with basic measures and concepts of combat and to serve as performance pieces for

1368-518: A child-friendly show, shifted its target group to ages 12 and up, resulting in a darker and more mature storyline. Animated film theatrical series include all early animated series: Animated Weekly (1913), The Newlyweds (1913 — 1915), Travelaughs (1913, 1915 — 1918, 1921 — 1923), Doc Yak (1913 — 1915), Colonel Heeza Liar (1913 — 1917, 1922 — 1924), Kapten Grogg  [ sv ] (1916 — 1922), Les Aventures des Pieds Nickelés (1917 — 1918),

1520-497: A compound term it usually translates as "boxing" or "fighting technique." The name of the Japanese martial art kempō is represented by the same hanzi characters. The genesis of Chinese martial arts has been attributed to the need for self-defense , hunting techniques and military training in ancient China . Hand-to-hand combat and weapons practice were important in training ancient Chinese soldiers . Detailed knowledge about

1672-518: A condition known as the "Avatar State", in which they temporarily gain the skills and knowledge of all their past incarnations. Although this is when they are at their most powerful, if the Avatar was ever killed while in the Avatar State, the reincarnation cycle would be broken and the Avatar would cease to exist. A century ago, young Avatar Aang , afraid of his new responsibilities, fled from his home and

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1824-405: A continuous set of movements. Forms were originally intended to preserve the lineage of a particular style branch, and were often taught to advanced students selected for that purpose. Forms contained both literal, representative and exercise-oriented forms of applicable techniques that students could extract, test, and train in through sparring sessions. Today, many consider taolu to be one of

1976-600: A documentary on the Imperial Trans-Antarctic Expedition , and he pitched Konietzko the idea of a group of people similarly trapped in the South Pole. Two weeks after their meeting with Coleman, Konietzko was suddenly inspired by DiMartino's idea and formulated a concept of a group of kids in the South Pole who were terrorized by "fire people" and rescued by the young nomad from his earlier drawing. Konietzko and DiMartino reconvened that evening and began creating

2128-414: A fourth season would be, and he later discussed these ideas with both Konietzko and DiMartino. Ehasz believed that a fourth season would be created but this plan was interrupted when Konietzko and DiMartino became occupied with assisting M. Night Shyamalan on the film The Last Airbender . Ehasz says that Shyamalan insisted they create a fourth season instead, but Konietzko and DiMartino wanted to focus on

2280-568: A graphic-novel series by Gene Yang that continues Aang's story after the Hundred Years' War. Avatar: The Last Airbender – The Promise , published in three volumes in 2012, explores the fate of the Fire Nation colonies that become The Legend of Korra ' s United Republic. This series was translated into Hebrew in 2016–2017. A second set of three comic books, Avatar: The Last Airbender – The Search , focuses on Zuko and Azula, and

2432-493: A group of Chinese martial artists demonstrated their art to an international audience for the first time. The term kuoshu (or guoshu , 國術 meaning "national art"), rather than the colloquial term gongfu was introduced by the Kuomintang in an effort to more closely associate Chinese martial arts with national pride rather than individual accomplishment. Chinese martial arts experienced rapid international dissemination with

2584-593: A local station of a television network broadcasts an animated series as a part of its own programming, the time-slot will vary by region. All early animated television series, the first being Crusader Rabbit (1950 — 1959), are comic cartoon series. However, later series include sports ( Speed Racer , Captain Tsubasa , Slam Dunk ), action ( Hajime no Ippo , G.I. Joe ), science fiction ( Mobile Suit Gundam , Tenchi Muyo ), drama ( Neon Genesis Evangelion ), adventure ( Dragon Ball ), martial arts ( Baki

2736-406: A measurable form of energy as discussed in traditional Chinese medicine has no basis in the scientific understanding of physics, medicine, biology or human physiology. There are many ideas regarding the control of one's qi energy to such an extent that it can be used for healing oneself or others. Some styles believe in focusing qi into a single point when attacking and aim at specific areas of

2888-531: A national Wushu system that included standard forms, teaching curriculum, and instructor grading was established. Wushu was introduced at both the high school and university level. The suppression of traditional teaching was relaxed during the Era of Reconstruction (1976–1989) , as Communist ideology became more accommodating to alternative viewpoints. In 1979, the State Commission for Physical Culture and Sports created

3040-609: A precursor to modern Chinese wrestling . The earliest references to Chinese martial arts are found in the Spring and Autumn Annals (5th century BC), where a hand-to-hand combat theory, one that integrates notions of "hard" and "soft" techniques, is mentioned. A combat wrestling system called juélì or jiǎolì ( 角力 ) is mentioned in the Classic of Rites . This combat system included techniques such as strikes , throws , joint manipulation , and pressure point attacks. Jiao Di became

3192-424: A prescribed range of combat and technique to drill on. These drills are often semi-compliant, meaning one student does not offer active resistance to a technique, in order to allow its demonstrative, clean execution. In more resisting drills, fewer rules apply, and students practice how to react and respond. 'Sparring' refers to a more advanced format, which simulates a combat situation while including rules that reduce

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3344-427: A sense of community and loyalty within martial arts schools and lineages. Chinese martial arts also often incorporate cultural elements such as music, costumes, and rituals, further deepening the connection to Chinese heritage and traditions. Overall, Chinese martial arts encompass not just physical techniques but a comprehensive system that encompasses philosophy, ethics, medical knowledge, and cultural appreciation. It

3496-455: A set time period in "segments", including several such shorts. When advertising is taken into account, the cartoon itself may be only 15 — 20 minutes of the half hour, although Netflix and many other streaming companies do not show commercials. There are also series with a very short episodes lasting approximately five minutes; they have recently become more common in Japanese animation . If

3648-631: A special task force to reevaluate the teaching and practice of Wushu. In 1986, the Chinese National Research Institute of Wushu was established as the central authority for the research and administration of Wushu activities in the People's Republic of China. Changing government policies and attitudes towards sports, in general, led to the closing of the State Sports Commission (the central sports authority) in 1998. This closure

3800-547: A sport during the Qin dynasty (221–207 BC). The Han History Bibliographies record that, by the Former Han (206 BC – 8 AD), there was a distinction between no-holds-barred weaponless fighting, which it calls shǒubó ( 手搏 ), for which training manuals had already been written, and sportive wrestling, then known as juélì ( 角力 ). Wrestling is also documented in the Shǐ Jì, Records of

3952-515: A spot within Netflix's top ten series for a record-setting 60 days, the most of any show since the company debuted its list of top series in February 2020. The series would become the most-streamed children's series on the platform for the year. Both fans and co-creators Michael Dante DiMartino and Bryan Konietzko attributed Avatar ' s renewed popularity to its relevance to contemporary events, including

4104-517: A state of deep focus. This kind of concentration helps them to stay present in their movements and techniques , enhancing their responsiveness and physical coordination. Meditation also cultivates the ability for introspection, enabling practitioners to become more keenly aware of their bodily sensations, energy flow, and inner state. Meditation is also closely related to qigong . Through the concentration and adjustments achieved through meditation, martial arts practitioners can better perceive and direct

4256-441: A two-hour television movie broadcast on July 19, 2008. Each season of the series is known as a "book", in which each episode is referred to as a "chapter". Each book takes its name from one of the elements Aang must master: Water, Earth, and Fire. The show's first two seasons each consists of twenty episodes and the third season has twenty-one. The entire series has been released on DVD in regions 1, 2, and 4. As of May 2020,

4408-408: A unique fighting style as a result of her blindness. Asian cinema influenced the presentation of these martial-art bending moves. The series addresses many topics rarely touched on in youth entertainment, including issues relating to war, genocide , imperialism , colonialism and totalitarianism , gender discrimination and female empowerment, marginalization and oppression, spirituality, as well as

4560-543: Is a popular genre that emerged in the early 20th century and peaked in popularity during the 1960s to 1980s. Wuxia films were produced from the 1920s. The Kuomintang suppressed wuxia, accusing it of promoting superstition and violent anarchy. Because of this, wuxia came to flourish in British Hong Kong , and the genre of kung fu movie in Hong Kong action cinema became wildly popular, coming to international attention from

4712-515: Is also pursued by Zhao, a Fire Nation admiral aspiring to win Ozai's favor. When his navy attacks the Northern Water Tribe, Zhao kills the moon spirit; Yue, the princess of the tribe, sacrifices her life to revive it, and Aang drives off the enemy fleet. In the second season, Aang learns earthbending from Toph Beifong , a blind twelve-year-old earthbending prodigy. Zuko and Iroh, now fugitives from

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4864-399: Is also true when it comes to the show's female characters. For example, female protagonist Katara faces systemic sexism when she reaches the Northern Water Tribe to learn waterbending. In another instance, her brother Sokka is initially dismissive of the all-female Kyoshi Warriors, but learns to respect and appreciate their skills. According to Kirk Hamilton of Kotaku , these themes represent

5016-498: Is an international arbiter whose duty is to maintain harmony among the four nations, and act as a mediator between humans and spirits. When the Avatar dies, their spirit is reincarnated in a new body, who will be born to parents in the next nation in a set order known as the Avatar cycle: Fire, Air, Water, and Earth. By tradition, the new Avatar will travel the world to learn all four bending arts, after which they will begin in earnest their role as global peacekeeper. The Avatar can enter

5168-594: Is another popular classification method. Kung fu and wushu are loanwords from Cantonese and Mandarin respectively that, in English, are used to refer to Chinese martial arts. However, the Chinese terms kung fu and wushu ( listen (Mandarin) ; Cantonese Yale : móuh seuht ) have distinct meanings. The Chinese equivalent of the term "Chinese martial arts" would be Zhongguo wushu (Chinese: 中國武術 ; pinyin: zhōngguó wǔshù ) ( Mandarin ). In Chinese,

5320-642: Is considered one of the earliest organized Chinese martial arts. The oldest documented evidence of Shaolin's involvement in combat dates back to a stele from 728 AD, which records two significant events: the defense of the Shaolin Monastery against bandits around 610 AD and their subsequent contribution to the defeat of Wang Shichong at the Battle of Hulao in 621 AD. However, between the 8th and 15th centuries, there are no surviving records that provide concrete proof of Shaolin's involvement in combat activities. Between

5472-460: Is encountered in a number of Chinese martial arts. Qi is variously defined as an inner energy or "life force" that is said to animate living beings; as a term for proper skeletal alignment and efficient use of musculature (sometimes also known as fa jin or jin ); or as a shorthand for concepts that the martial arts student might not yet be ready to understand in full. These meanings are not necessarily mutually exclusive. The existence of qi as

5624-498: Is impossible for a student to progress in the Chinese martial arts. A common saying concerning basic training in Chinese martial arts is as follows: 内外相合，外重手眼身法步，内修心神意氣力。 Which translates as: Train both Internal and External. External training includes the hands, the eyes, the body and stances. Internal training includes the heart, the spirit, the mind, breathing and strength. Stances (steps or 步法) are structural postures employed in Chinese martial arts training. They represent

5776-724: Is this holistic approach that distinguishes Chinese martial arts as not just a means of self-defense but as a way of life, promoting personal growth, cultural understanding, and the pursuit of harmony and excellence. The Basics ( 基本功 ) are a vital part of any martial training, as a student cannot progress to the more advanced stages without them. Basics are usually made up of rudimentary techniques, conditioning exercises , including stances . Basic training may involve simple movements that are performed repeatedly; other examples of basic training are stretching, meditation, striking , throwing , or jumping. Without strong and flexible muscles, management of qi or breath, and proper body mechanics, it

5928-483: Is to consider the weapon as an extension of the body. It has the same requirements for footwork and body coordination as the basics. The process of weapon training proceeds with forms, forms with partners and then applications. Most systems have training methods for each of the Eighteen Arms of Wushu ( 十八般兵器 ; shíbābānbīngqì ) in addition to specialized instruments specific to the system. Application refers to

6080-476: Is viewed as an attempt to partially de-politicize organized sports and move Chinese sport policies towards a more market-driven approach. As a result of these changing sociological factors within China, both traditional styles and modern Wushu approaches are being promoted by the Chinese government. Chinese martial arts are an integral element of 20th-century Chinese popular culture. Wuxia or "martial arts fiction"

6232-1010: The Tom and Jerry cartoon short films released in movie theatres from 1940 to 1967, and many others. Direct-to-video animated series include most Japanese original video animations (OVAs). The first OVA series (and also the first overall OVA) was Dallos (1983 — 1985). Almost all hentai (pornographic) anime series are released as OVAs. Animated web series are designed and produced for streaming services . Examples include Happy Tree Friends (1999 — 2023) and Eddsworld (2003 — present). They can also be released on YouTube , such as Asdfmovie , which debuted in 2008. Chinese martial arts Chinese martial arts , commonly referred to with umbrella terms kung fu ( / ˈ k ʌ ŋ ˈ f uː / ; Chinese : 功夫 ; pinyin : gōngfu ; Cantonese Yale : gūng fū ), kuoshu ( 國術 ; guóshù ) or wushu ( 武術 ; wǔshù ), are multiple fighting styles that have developed over

Avatar: The Last Airbender - Misplaced Pages Continue

6384-578: The 31st Golden Raspberry Awards , including Worst Picture , and some critics described it as one of the worst films ever made . Although the film originally shared the title of the television series, the title The Last Airbender was used because producers feared it would be confused with James Cameron 's film Avatar . The Last Airbender stars Noah Ringer as Aang, Nicola Peltz as Katara, Jackson Rathbone as Sokka, Dev Patel as Zuko, and Shaun Toub as Iroh. Netflix announced in September 2018 that

6536-462: The COVID-19 pandemic and racial unrest in the U.S. , with DiMartino remarking: "The major issues in the stories—genocide, totalitarianism, systemic injustice, abuse—sadly, these have been pervasive issues throughout history and continue to be. The show is a reflection of our world. But now, we happen to be living through a time in which all these problems have been exacerbated." The series' first season

6688-557: The Han Shu (history of the Former Han dynasty ) written by Ban Gu . Also, the noted physician, Hua Tuo , composed the "Five Animals Play"—tiger, deer, monkey, bear, and bird, around 208 AD. Taoist philosophy and their approach to health and exercise have influenced the Chinese martial arts to a certain extent. Direct reference to Taoist concepts can be found in such styles as the " Eight Immortals ," which uses fighting techniques attributed to

6840-628: The Ming period 's Yijin Jing or "Muscle Change Classic", a text written in 1624 attributed to Bodhidharma. References of martial arts practice in Shaolin appear in various literary genres of the late Ming: the epitaphs of Shaolin warrior monks, martial-arts manuals, military encyclopedias, historical writings, travelogues, fiction, and poetry. However, these sources do not point out any specific style that originated in Shaolin. These sources, in contrast to those from

6992-412: The bow stance are examples of stances found in many styles of Chinese martial arts. In many Chinese martial arts, meditation is considered to be an important component of basic training. Meditation can be used to develop focus, mental clarity and can act as a basis for qigong training. Through meditation , martial arts practitioners learn to regulate their breath, relax their bodies, and enter

7144-494: The iTunes Store . In 2020, the pilot was shown on Twitch . The series is notable for borrowing extensively from East Asian art and mythology for its universe, especially Chinese culture . Its creators employed cultural consultant Edwin Zane and Chinese calligrapher Siu-Leung Lee to help determine its art direction and settings. The creators have cited Chinese art and history , Hinduism , Taoism and Buddhism , and yoga as

7296-473: The practical use of combative techniques. Chinese martial arts techniques are ideally based on efficiency and effectiveness. Application includes non-compliant drills, such as Pushing Hands in many internal martial arts, and sparring , which occurs within a variety of contact levels and rule sets. When and how applications are taught varies from style to style. Today, many styles begin to teach new students by focusing on exercises in which each student knows

7448-506: The "Avatar", is responsible for maintaining harmony among the world's four nations, and serves as the link between the physical world and the spirit world. The series follows the journey of twelve-year-old Aang , the current Avatar and last survivor of his nation, the Air Nomads, along with his friends Katara , Sokka , and Toph , as they strive to end the Fire Nation's war against the other nations and defeat Fire Lord Ozai before he conquers

7600-399: The 16th and 17th centuries, at least forty sources exist to provide evidence both that monks of Shaolin practiced martial arts, and that martial practice became an integral element of Shaolin monastic life. The earliest appearance of the frequently cited legend concerning Bodhidharma's supposed foundation of Shaolin kung fu dates to this period. The origin of this legend has been traced to

7752-406: The 1970s. The genre underwent a drastic decline in the late 1990s as the Hong Kong film industry was crushed by economic depression. In the wake of Ang Lee 's Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon (2000), there has been somewhat of a revival of Chinese-produced wuxia films aimed at an international audience, including Zhang Yimou 's Hero (2002), House of Flying Daggers (2004) and Curse of

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7904-474: The 1990s, more mature content than those of traditional cartoon series began to appear more widely, extending beyond a primary audience of children. These cartoon series included The Simpsons , South Park , Family Guy , Futurama , The Ren & Stimpy Show , Rocko's Modern Life , Beavis and Butt-Head , King of the Hill , and Duckman . Canadian computer-animated series ReBoot , which began as

8056-469: The Avatar world to that of The Lord of the Rings , and the fight choreography as "wonderful in its most minor details". D. F. Smith enjoyed the series' painstaking backgrounds. "Cricket" Te praised each episode's color palette and the choreography's combination of martial arts and magic. Nick Hartel criticized the animation, although he found it an improvement over previous Nickelodeon shows. Chris Mitchell called

8208-466: The Earth Kingdom, the Fire Nation, and the Air Nomads. In each nation, certain people, known as "benders" (waterbenders, earthbenders, firebenders, and airbenders), have the ability to telekinetically manipulate and control the element corresponding to their nation, using gestures based on Chinese martial arts . The "Avatar" is the only individual with the ability to bend all four elements. The Avatar

8360-515: The Fire Lord, become refugees in the Earth Kingdom, eventually settling in its capital Ba Sing Se. Both groups are pursued by Azula , Zuko's younger sister and a firebending prodigy. Aang's group travels to Ba Sing Se to seek the Earth King's support for an attack on the Fire Nation timed to an upcoming solar eclipse , during which firebenders will be powerless. Azula instigates a coup d'état , bringing

8512-570: The Fire Nation , consisting of the episodes "The Serpent's Pass" and "The Drill", aired on September 15, 2006, and attracted 4.1 million viewers. According to the Nielsen ratings , the special was the fifth highest-rated cable television program that week. In 2007, Avatar: The Last Airbender was syndicated to more than 105 countries and was one of Nickelodeon's top-rated programs. The series ranked first on Nickelodeon in Germany, Indonesia, Malaysia,

8664-419: The Fire Nation is presented as the instigator of violence, the show also depicts the systemic inequality experienced by residents in the Earth Kingdom city of Ba Sing Se as well as the nefarious activities of the city's secret police. These situations show the corrupting nature of power and the nuances of good and evil. The show introduces viewers to genocide early on when protagonist Aang visits his former home in

8816-705: The Golden Flower (2006), as well as Su Chao-pin and John Woo 's Reign of Assassins (2010). China boasts a rich history of martial arts traditions encompassing numerous styles, totaling in the hundreds. Over the course of the past two millennia , a multitude of distinct styles have been developed, each with its own unique techniques and philosophies. These styles are often categorized into "families" (家; jiā), "schools" (派; pai), or "sects" (門; men). While each style possesses its own characteristics, there are also common themes that thread through different styles. Some styles draw inspiration from animal movements, replicating

8968-549: The Grand Historian , written by Sima Qian (ca. 100 BC). In the Tang dynasty , descriptions of sword dances were immortalized in poems by Li Bai . In the Song and Yuan dynasties , xiangpu(相扑) contests were sponsored by the imperial courts. The modern concepts of wushu were fully developed by the Ming and Qing dynasties. The ideas associated with Chinese martial arts changed with

9120-454: The Grappler ), and other genres. The first animated sitcom was The Flintstones (1960 — 1966), produced by Hanna-Barbera . It was followed by other sitcoms of this studio: Top Cat (1961 — 1962), Jonny Quest (1964 — 1965), The Jetsons (1962 — 1963, 1985, 1987) and Wait Till Your Father Gets Home (1972 — 1974), an adult-oriented animated series in

9272-642: The National Government in 1928 and the Jing Wu Athletic Association (精武體育會) founded by Huo Yuanjia in 1910 are examples of organizations that promoted a systematic approach for training in Chinese martial arts. A series of provincial and national competitions were organized by the Republican government starting in 1932 to promote Chinese martial arts. In 1936, at the 11th Olympic Games in Berlin,

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9424-515: The Netherlands, Belgium, and Colombia. The four-part series finale, " Sozin's Comet ", had the highest ratings of the series. Its first airing averaged 5.6 million viewers, 95 percent more than Nickelodeon had in mid-July 2007. During the week of July 14, it was the most-viewed program by the under-14 demographic. The finale's popularity was reflected in online media; Rise of the Phoenix King ,

9576-472: The Southern Air Temple. He arrives to discover his people have been massacred and displays a range of emotions, from rage to sadness. The character Zuko and his relationship with his father and Uncle Iroh is the main redemption arc of the series, and represents the show's message that destiny and fate are not binding or set by other people but can be changed. In season two, Zuko struggles to conform to

9728-464: The Southern Water Tribe, accidentally discover Aang and revive him. In the first season, Aang travels with Katara and Sokka to the Northern Water Tribe so he can learn waterbending and be prepared to defeat the Fire Nation. Prince Zuko , the banished son of the current Fire Lord Ozai, pursues them, accompanied by his uncle Iroh , hoping to capture the Avatar in order to restore his honor. Aang

9880-466: The Tang period, refer to Shaolin methods of armed combat. These include a skill for which Shaolin monks became famous: the staff ( gùn , Cantonese gwan ). The Ming general Qi Jiguang included a description of Shaolin kung fu and staff techniques in his book, Jixiao Xinshu , which can translate as New Book Recording Effective Techniques . When this book spread across East Asia, it had a great influence on

10032-457: The [6th century BC] by Sun Tzu ( simplified Chinese : 孙子 ; traditional Chinese : 孫子 ; pinyin : Sūnzǐ ), deals directly with military warfare but contains ideas that are used in the Chinese martial arts. Taoist practitioners have been practicing daoyin (physical exercises similar to qigong that was one of the progenitors to tai chi ) from as early as 500 BC. In 39–92 AD, "Six Chapters of Hand Fighting", were included in

10184-702: The absence of either one would render the practitioner's skills unbalanced or deficient, as yin and yang alone are each only half of a whole. If such differences did once exist, they have since been blurred. Chinese martial arts training consists of the following components: basics, forms, applications and weapons; different styles place varying emphasis on each component. In addition, philosophy, ethics and even medical practice are highly regarded by most Chinese martial arts. A complete training system should also provide insight into Chinese attitudes and culture. Moreover, many Chinese martial arts styles integrate traditional medical practices into their training. This includes

10336-654: The agility and power of creatures such as tigers, snakes, or monkeys. Others derive their inspiration from Chinese philosophies, myths, and legends, incorporating their principles and symbolism into their techniques. Certain styles place significant emphasis on harnessing and manipulating qi , while others prioritize competitive aspects, focusing on sparring and tournaments. Chinese martial arts can be split into various categories to differentiate them: For example, "external" ( 外家拳 ) and " internal " ( 內家拳 ). Chinese martial arts can also be categorized by location, as in "northern" and "southern" as well, referring to what part of China

10488-475: The animation fluid. "Cricket" Te agreed, noting its manga influence. According to Brittany Lovely, non-bender characters in battle are "overshadowed" by their bender counterparts. Joe Corey called the animation's action and environments a "great achievement", and Rob Keyes praised the series' fight choreography. According to Kirk Hamilton, the action sequences in the series are amazing while being child-appropriate and exciting. Avatar: The Last Airbender has become

10640-444: The announcement of the formation of Avatar Studios , it was reported that the studio's first project would be an animated theatrical film that would begin production later in 2021. In June 2022, it was announced that Lauren Montgomery , a former storyboard artist on Avatar and a supervising producer for Korra , would serve as director. In April 2024, Paramount revealed the film's tentative title, Aang: The Last Airbender , along with

10792-488: The capital under Fire Nation control, and Zuko sides with his sister. Aang is fatally wounded by Azula, but he is revived by Katara. In the third season, Aang and his allies invade the Fire Nation capital during the solar eclipse, but are forced to retreat. Zuko abandons the Fire Nation to join Aang and teach him firebending. Aang, raised by monks to respect all life, wrestles with the possibility that he will have to kill Ozai to end

10944-519: The casting of Eric Nam as Aang, Dionne Quan as Toph, Jessica Matten as Katara, Román Zaragoza as Sokka, and Dave Bautista as an antagonist. The film is set to be released theatrically on January 30, 2026 by Paramount Pictures . Several books based on the show have been published. Dark Horse Comics published an art book titled Avatar: The Last Airbender – The Art of the Animated Series on June 2, 2010, with 184 pages of original art from

11096-509: The center for the conflict in the first season of the sequel, The Legend of Korra . Unlike the previous five books it was written by Faith Erin Hicks. In 2020, Dark Horse began publishing standalone comics, the first of which was Katara and the Pirate's Silver which was written by Faith Erin Hicks and Tim Hedrick and follows Katara aligning herself with a group of pirates after she gets separated from

11248-735: The centuries in Greater China . These fighting styles are often classified according to common traits, identified as "families" of martial arts. Examples of such traits include Shaolinquan ( 少林拳 ) physical exercises involving All Other Animals ( 五形 ) mimicry or training methods inspired by Old Chinese philosophies , religions and legends. Styles that focus on qi manipulation are called internal ( 内家拳 ; nèijiāquán ), while others that concentrate on improving muscle and cardiovascular fitness are called external ( 外家拳 ; wàijiāquán ). Geographical associations, as in northern ( 北拳 ; běiquán ) and southern ( 南拳 ; nánquán ),

11400-457: The chance of serious injury. Competitive sparring disciplines include Chinese kickboxing Sǎnshǒu ( 散手 ) and Chinese folk wrestling Shuāijiāo ( 摔跤 ), which were traditionally contested on a raised platform arena, or Lèitái ( 擂台 ). Lèitái were used in public challenge matches first appeared in the Song dynasty . The objective for those contests was to knock the opponent from a raised platform by any means necessary. San Shou represents

11552-466: The characteristics of each immortal. In 495 AD, the first Shaolin temple was constructed on Song Mountain in Henan province. The initial Buddhist monk who propagated Buddhism there was an Indian monk named Buddhabhadra, known as Batuo in Chinese. Historical records suggest that Batuo's first Chinese disciples, Huiguang and Sengchou, possessed exceptional martial skills. For instance, Sengchou's proficiency with

11704-482: The classic texts of Confucianism , Zhou Li ( 周禮 ), Archery and charioteering were part of the "six arts" (simplified Chinese: 六艺 ; traditional Chinese: 六藝 ; pinyin: Liù yì , including rites , music , calligraphy and mathematics ) of the Zhou dynasty (1122–256 BC). The Art of War ( simplified Chinese : 孙子兵法 ; traditional Chinese : 孫子兵法 ; pinyin : Sūnzǐ bīngfǎ ), written during

11856-588: The complete series became available on Paramount+ (at the time CBS All Access) and later on Amazon Prime Video in January 2021. The co-creators and producers of Avatar: The Last Airbender , Michael Dante DiMartino and Bryan Konietzko , met at a Halloween party in 1995 during their time as students in the Rhode Island School of Design , and began their professional partnership later that year when Konietzko assisted DiMartino in painting backgrounds and cels for

12008-564: The complete series is available on Netflix in the United States. It became the most popular show on U.S. Netflix within the first week of its release there, despite not being featured on the main page. The show broke the record for longest consecutive appearance on Netflix's daily top ten list, with 60 straight days on the list, one of only two shows in the top ten record holders that was not a Netflix original series as of July 2020. Later in June 2020,

12160-523: The creators employed Sifu Kisu of the Harmonious Fist Chinese Athletic Association as a consultant. Each fighting style is unique to the "benders" who use them or characters who are aligned to a certain element. For example, practitioners of "waterbending" use movements influenced by tai chi and focused on alignment, body structure, breath, and visualization. Hung Gar was the inspiration for practitioners of "earthbending", and

12312-407: The desired action, adventure, and magic aspects, and a description of the series' characters, setting and full story arc. The series was introduced to the public in a teaser reel at Comic-Con 2004, and premiered on February 21, 2005. According to head writer Aaron Ehasz , Konietzko and DiMartino originally envisioned the series being three seasons long but Nickelodeon asked Ehasz what his ideas for

12464-410: The destiny and path determined by his father, but Iroh prods him, asking, "who are you, what do you want?" The show also represents a diverse cast of characters in order to tackle the issue of marginalization. For example, in introducing a blind character like Toph and a paraplegic boy like Teo, the show depicted characters with vulnerabilities overcoming their physical and societal limitations. This

12616-473: The development of martial arts in regions such as Okinawa and Korea. Most fighting styles that are being practiced as traditional Chinese martial arts today reached their popularity within the 20th century. Some of these include Baguazhang , Drunken Boxing , Eagle Claw , Five Animals , Xingyi , Hung Gar , Monkey , Bak Mei Pai , Northern Praying Mantis , Southern Praying Mantis , Fujian White Crane , Jow Ga , Wing Chun and tai chi . The increase in

12768-577: The end of the Chinese Civil War and the founding of the People's Republic of China on October 1, 1949. Many well known martial artists chose to escape from the PRC's rule and migrate to Taiwan , Hong Kong , and other parts of the world. Those masters started to teach within the overseas Chinese communities but eventually they expanded their teachings to include people from other ethnic groups. Within China,

12920-536: The events of the entire show. Avatar: The Last Airbender characters and locations are also featured in several Nickelodeon crossover games, including Nickelodeon Kart Racers 2: Grand Prix and 3: Slime Speedway , and the Nickelodeon All-Star Brawl series. In October 2023, Nickelodeon and GEA Live announced Avatar: The Last Airbender in Concert , an ongoing concert tour featuring Zuckerman's score for

13072-474: The evolution of Chinese society and over time acquired some philosophical bases: Passages in the Zhuangzi ( 莊子 ), a Taoist text, pertain to the psychology and practice of martial arts. Zhuangzi , its eponymous author, is believed to have lived in the [4th century BC]. The Tao Te Ching , often credited to Laozi , is another Taoist text that contains principles applicable to martial arts. According to one of

13224-412: The expressive animation that complements the writing. According to Amaya, the elements were influenced by Hayao Miyazaki . Todd Douglass, Jr. called the character development interesting, while Nicole Clark wrote that the show "managed to do what so few shows even today have: assemble a cast of characters that depicts the world as it is, with a range of identities and experiences." Jenifer Rosenburg praised

13376-409: The fate of their mother Ursa. The second set was translated into Hebrew in 2018–2019. The third set, Avatar: The Last Airbender – The Rift , shifts the focus to Aang, the creation of Republic City, and Toph's relationship with her family. The Rift was followed by Avatar: The Last Airbender – Smoke and Shadow about a resistance force in the Fire Nation against Firelord Zuko, who at the end of

13528-710: The fictitious locations used in the series are based on real locations in Asia. Sites such as the Forbidden City and the Great Wall of China in Beijing were inspirations for the Earth Kingdom city of Ba Sing Se, and Water Tribe locations were based on Inuit and Sireniki cultures. According to writer Aaron Ehasz, early Fire Nation designs were based on Japanese culture. To avoid accidentally making broad statements, they redesigned many settings and peoples to be more "broadly inspired". For

13680-513: The final design, the creators went with a more Chinese style for the Fire Nation's clothing and architecture. For instance, the Fire Temple was based on the Yellow Crane Tower , as its flame-like architectural elements were a perfect motif for the Fire Nation architecture according to the creators. The gestures used by the "bender" characters are derived from Chinese martial arts , for which

13832-668: The foreign powers. The failure of the rebellion led ten years later to the fall of the Qing dynasty and the creation of the Chinese Republic . The present view of Chinese martial arts is strongly influenced by the events of the Republican period (1912–1949). In the transition period between the fall of the Qing dynasty as well as the turmoil of the Japanese invasion and the Chinese Civil War, Chinese martial arts became more accessible to

13984-471: The foundation and the form of a fighter's base. Each style has different names and variations for each stance. Stances may be differentiated by foot position, weight distribution, body alignment, etc. Stance training can be practiced statically, the goal of which is to maintain the structure of the stance through a set time period, or dynamically, in which case a series of movements is performed repeatedly. The Horse stance ( 騎馬步/馬步 ; qí mǎ bù / mǎ bù ) and

14136-548: The general public as many martial artists were encouraged to openly teach their art. At that time, some considered martial arts as a means to promote national pride and build a strong nation. As a result, many training manuals (拳譜) were published, a training academy was created, two national examinations were organized and demonstration teams traveled overseas. Numerous martial arts associations were formed throughout China and in various overseas Chinese communities. The Central Guoshu Academy (Zhongyang Guoshuguan, 中央國術館) established by

14288-461: The human body. Such techniques are known as dim mak and have principles that are similar to acupressure . Most Chinese styles also make use of training in the broad arsenal of Chinese weapons for conditioning the body as well as coordination and strategy drills. Weapons training ( 器械 ; qìxiè ) is generally carried out after the student becomes proficient with the basic forms and applications training. The basic theory for weapons training

14440-402: The idea of pitching a coming-to-age series based on their childhoods, but were too busy with their respective jobs to solidify the concept. When Invader Zim was abruptly canceled in January 2002, Konietzko declared to DiMartino his resolution to get their idea made at all cost. By this time, Konietzko had established a good relationship with Nickelodeon head of development Eric Coleman , who

14592-517: The internal energy (known as " qi " in qigong ). They learn to manipulate the flow of qi through deep breathing and visualization exercises to promote bodily balance, harmony , and health. Therefore, meditation, as a part of foundational training, offers Chinese martial arts practitioners a comprehensive approach to cultivating both the internal and external aspects. It assists them in developing various aspects of their body, energy, and mind, thereby enhancing their technical skills. The concept of qi

14744-426: The latter's student film. DiMartino and Konietzko moved to Los Angeles in 1996 and 1998 respectively to pursue careers in the animation industry. In between jobs, DiMartino animated a short titled Atomic Love that he pitched as a TV series, but was unsuccessful due to the amount of robot-based animated series already in development. During Konietzko's stint as art director on Invader Zim , he and DiMartino formulated

14896-476: The live-action film as they were executive producers on the project. However, Konietzko and DiMartino have denied this, and claim that a fourth season was never considered by themselves nor by Nickelodeon. A pilot episode for the series was made in 2003. It was animated by Tin House, Inc., written by Michael Dante DiMartino and Bryan Konietzko, and directed by Dave Filoni . Mitchel Musso voiced Aang in this pilot but

15048-417: The meeting with the promise of a pitch along those directives within a month. DiMartino and Konietzko indiscriminately laid out their conceptual sketches in their effort to establish a new idea. Among them was a sketch that Konietzko created during his time on Invader Zim , which featured a robot cyclops monkey with an arrow on his head and holding a staff, a balding middle-aged man in a futuristic outfit, and

15200-552: The modern development of Lei Tai contests, but with rules in place to reduce the chance of serious injury. Many Chinese martial art schools teach or work within the rule sets of Sanshou, working to incorporate the movements, characteristics, and theory of their style. Chinese martial artists also compete in non-Chinese or mixed Combat sport , including boxing, kickboxing and Mixed martial arts . Forms or taolu (Chinese: 套路 ; pinyin: tàolù ) in Chinese are series of predetermined movements combined so they can be practiced as

15352-486: The most engaging animated shows produced". Dennis Amith of J!ENT called the series "one of the best animated TV series shown in the US by American creators". Amith praised its sophisticated storylines, edginess, humor, and action. Franco "Cricket" Te of Nerd Society described Avatar: The Last Airbender as "one of the best cartoon[s]" he had ever seen, recommending the series for its characters and plot. Scott Thill of Wired called

15504-457: The most important practices in Chinese martial arts. Traditionally, they played a smaller role in training for combat application and took a back seat to sparring, drilling, and conditioning. Forms gradually build up a practitioner's flexibility, internal and external strength, speed and stamina, and they teach balance and coordination. Many styles contain forms that use weapons of various lengths and types, using one or two hands. Some styles focus on

15656-446: The name for the modern sport of wushu , an exhibition and full-contact sport of bare-handed and weapon forms ( 套路 ), adapted and judged to a set of aesthetic criteria for points developed since 1949 in the People's Republic of China . Quánfǎ ( 拳法 ) is another Chinese term for Chinese martial arts. It means "fist method" or "the law of the fist" ( quán means "boxing" or "fist", and fǎ means "law", "way" or "method"), although as

15808-474: The network was following the success of the Lord of the Rings and Harry Potter film series and was thus searching for non-violent action and adventure concepts with an emphasis on legends and lore. Lastly, he established that the show would require the point-of-view of either a kid hero or a non-human character, emphasizing that middle-aged human main characters would be off-brand for Nickelodeon. Konietzko concluded

15960-417: The new drawing to the collection of sketches, Konietzko began drawing other fanciful animal hybrids, which culminated in a drawing of a good-natured and nomadic " Huck Finnesque " boy herding a group of flying bison-manatee hybrids. The sketch was influenced by the works of Hayao Miyazaki , of whom Konietzko and DiMartino were fans. DiMartino drew inspiration for what would become the Southern Water Tribe from

16112-406: The northern styles include changquan and xingyiquan . Examples of the southern styles include Bak Mei , Wuzuquan , Choy Li Fut , and Wing Chun . Chinese martial arts can also be divided according to religion, imitative-styles ( 象形拳 ), and family styles such as Hung Gar ( 洪家 ). There are distinctive differences in the training between different groups of the Chinese martial arts regardless of

16264-539: The original series assumed the throne. The fifth graphic novel was Avatar: The Last Airbender – North and South , which follows the events of Smoke and Shadow and is about Katara and Sokka returning to the Water Tribe to see various changes to their homeland. The next graphic novel is titled Imbalance and was released in October 2018. The series explores the emerging conflict between the benders and non-benders that becomes

16416-449: The original series. The show was initially titled Avatar: Legend of Korra , then The Last Airbender: Legend of Korra ; its events occur seventy years after the end of Avatar: The Last Airbender . The series' protagonist is Korra , a 17-year-old girl from the Southern Water Tribe who is the incarnation of the Avatar after Aang's death. The series ran for 4 seasons, ending after 52 episodes on December 19, 2014. In February 2021, along with

16568-429: The philosophical questions surrounding fate, destiny, and free will. The show is set during a period in which the world is engulfed in an imperialistic war initiated by the Fire Nation. While war is a constant backdrop, the show depicts these effects through the eyes of common people—the oppressed Earth Kingdom citizens as well as indoctrinated Fire Nation schoolchildren—to show how war makes victims of everyone. And while

16720-421: The plot "fantastic". D. F. Smith compared the series' plot to Japanese action cartoons, calling its tone and dialogue "very American" and praising the humor leavening an epic, dramatic theme suitable for all ages. Rob Keyes also praised the series' humor and affecting plot: "[It] will capture your hearts". According to Mike Noyes, the series amalgamates elements of "classic fantasy epics". Todd Douglass, Jr. called

16872-471: The plot engaging, well-thought-out, and meaningful. The series' concept is "well-realized", with a consistent story. Douglass wrote that the characters "[have] a real sense of progression", and praised the writers for their humor, drama, and emotion. Joshua Miller called the series surprisingly dark despite its "silly" theme; the plot is livelier than that of Lost and, similar to the latter show, emphasizes character development. According to Miller, its writing

17024-587: The popularity of those styles is a result of the dramatic changes occurring within the Chinese society. In 1900–01, the Righteous and Harmonious Fists rose against foreign occupiers and Christian missionaries in China. This uprising is known in the West as the Boxer Rebellion due to the martial arts and calisthenics practiced by the rebels. Empress Dowager Cixi gained control of the rebellion and tried to use it against

17176-546: The practice of traditional martial arts was discouraged during the turbulent years of the Chinese Cultural Revolution (1969–1976). Like many other aspects of traditional Chinese life, martial arts were subjected to a radical transformation by the People's Republic of China to align them with Maoist revolutionary doctrine. The PRC promoted the committee-regulated sport of Wushu as a replacement for independent schools of martial arts. This new competition sport

17328-545: The previously released individual volumes. As the PAL box set lacks extras, the episode was not made available on DVD in PAL regions. The episode was released with audio commentary from the creators which, unlike commentary on other episodes in the season, is not possible to disable on the DVD set. On June 14, 2010, the unaired pilot was made available with and without commentary for the first time via

17480-430: The rest of Team Avatar. The comic was released on October 13, 2020. It was followed by Toph Beifong's Metalbending Academy on February 17, 2021, which follows Toph in between the events The Rift and Smoke and Shadow . This was followed by Suki, Alone , released on June 27, 2021, and follows Suki when she was imprisoned after the events of the episode " Appa's Lost Days ". These three standalone comics were released in

17632-471: The school. Weapons-based sparring forms are especially useful for teaching students the extension, range, and technique required to manage a weapon. The term taolu (套路) is a shortened version of Tao Lu Yun Dong (套路運動) , an expression introduced only recently with the popularity of modern wushu. This expression refers to "exercise sets" and used in the context of athletics or sport. In contrast, in traditional Chinese martial arts alternative terminologies for

17784-481: The semi-mythical Xia dynasty over 4,000 years ago. It is said that the Yellow Emperor (Huangdi), who ascended to power in 2698 BC, introduced the earliest fighting systems to China. The Emperor is renowned as a great general who, prior to becoming China's leader, authored extensive treatises on medicine, astrology, and the martial arts. One of his primary adversaries was Chi You, credited as the progenitor of jiao di,

17936-414: The series "one of the finest animated shows ever". According to Todd Douglass, Jr., of DVD Talk, adults will enjoy the series as much as children do. Joshua Miller of CHUD.com called it "phenomenal" and "one of the most well animated programs (children's or adult) American TV has ever had"; according to Miller, the series is heavily influenced by anime. Tim Janson of Cinefantastique described it as "one of

18088-440: The series a remarkable, "child friendly show" whose legacy "should endure for years to come". Erik Amaya of Bleeding Cool described the series as "impressive in its sophistication" and "fantastic". Henry Glasheen of SLUG Magazine called the series "adventurous and exciting", a "classic" and occasionally moving. According to Brittany Lovely of Hypable , it tells "complex and beautiful" stories. Joe Corey of Inside Pulse described

18240-471: The series as an anime-action hybrid. Chris Mitchell of Popzara called it one of the best shows to air on Nickelodeon, praising the series' background music and voice acting. D. F. Smith of IGN recommended it to viewers who enjoy action-adventure cartoons. Rob Keyes of Screen Rant called the series "one of the greatest cartoons ever made". Mike Noyes of Inside Pulse recommended it to viewers who enjoy "great" adventure. Gord Lacey of TVShowsOnDVD.com called

18392-442: The series as the 11th-best animated TV show. IndieWire ranked Avatar at number 36 on its 2018 list of the "50 Best Animated Series Of All Time". The series experienced a resurgence in popularity following its addition to Netflix on May 15, 2020; it reached the number-one position on the platform's top series in the U.S. four days after release, and was the most-popular film or show for the week of May 14–21. The series maintained

18544-551: The series engaging and its setting, influenced by the Eastern world, "fantastic". Kirk Hamilton of Kotaku said the series should be part of the Golden Age of Television , and recommended "the sophisticated kids show" to others. The show's writing and themes have been widely lauded by critics. Michael S. Mammano of Den of Geek called the plot "smartly-written" and praised the animation. Nicole Clark, writing for Vice News , stated that

18696-403: The series' portrayal of females as "strong, responsible, [and] intelligent". According to Joshua Miller, the bender characters' use of bending for everyday activities brings "depth and believability" to the Avatar world. Miller called the series' designs "rich and immersive", with each nation having its own, detailed look. He praised the action scenes as "well rendered", comparing the development of

18848-643: The series' score and compositions for the concert. The concert is produced by Nickelodeon, GEA Live, and Senbla. Animated series Animated television series are presented daily or on certain days of the week during a prescribed time slot , including for example saturday-morning cartoons , prime time cartoons , late night anime , and weekday cartoons ; series broadcast only on weekends. The duration of an episode also varies. Traditionally, they are produced as complete half-hour or nearly half-hour programs; however, many are presented as animated shorts of 10 — 11 minutes, which can be combined for filling

19000-488: The series' setting over the next two weeks. Although DiMartino and Konietzko were themselves fans of the two successful British fantasy series that Nickelodeon sought to emulate, the pair chose to differentiate their own series by inserting influences from Asian cultures and philosophies, traditional martial arts, yoga, anime, and Hong Kong cinema. The co-creators successfully pitched the concept to Coleman with early sketches of Aang, Katara, and Sokka, three color images depicting

19152-455: The series. A second edition of the book was released on November 25, 2020, featuring a new cover and eight new pages. Chronicles of the Avatar is a series of novels that tell the stories of the Avatars before Aang . The series began with the young adult novel duology focusing on Avatar Kyoshi , which was written by F. C. Yee. The first book, Avatar: The Last Airbender – The Rise of Kyoshi ,

19304-502: The series. The tour was initially announced for four dates and locations in the UK, US, and France, and premiered in London, England on January 21, 2024. The concert runs for over two hours and the music is performed by an orchestral ensemble, while several moments from the series are displayed on a large screen. Zuckerman, in assistance with DiMartino, Konietzko, and original editor Jeff Adams expanded

19456-522: The show's message that it is more important to be oneself than to hew to societal expectations. Avatar: The Last Airbender was the highest-rated animated television series in its demographic at its premiere; an average of 1.1 million viewers watched each new episode. It had 5.6 million viewers for its highest-rated episode and was a highly rated part of the Nicktoons lineup beyond its 6-to-11-year-old target demographic. A one-hour special, The Secret of

19608-634: The show's narrative depth was "its greatest asset", and praised the story's "emotional authenticity" and how it "expose[d] very young viewers to darker subject matter, like genocide and authoritarianism, while giving them a framework for understanding these issues." Jenifer Rosenberg of ComicMix liked the program's emphasis on family, friends, community, and education. According to Nick Hartel, the series touches on themes of "genocide and self-doubt" without frightening younger children; rogue characters are redeemable, sending an important message that people can change and are not bonded to "destiny". Chris Mitchell called

19760-408: The showrunner. The first season was released on Netflix on February 22, 2024, and received mixed reviews. On March 6, 2024, Netflix renewed the show for a second and third season. The Legend of Korra , a sequel series to Avatar: The Last Airbender , premiered on Nickelodeon on April 14, 2012. It was written and produced by Michael Dante DiMartino and Bryan Konietzko , the creators and producers of

19912-640: The state and development of Chinese martial arts became available from the Nanjing decade (1928–1937), as the Central Guoshu Institute established by the Kuomintang regime made an effort to compile an encyclopedic survey of martial arts schools. Since the 1950s, the People's Republic of China has organized Chinese martial arts as an exhibition and full-contact sport under the heading of "wushu" . According to legend, Chinese martial arts originated before

20064-487: The strongest influences on the series. Jeremy Zuckerman and Benjamin Wynn created the series' music and sound design together in the early developmental stages and then went on to divide the tasks, Zuckerman taking on the musical responsibility and Wynn the sound design. They experimented with a wide range of instruments, including the guzheng , pipa , and duduk , to match the show's Asia-influenced setting. The art style of

20216-1038: The style of All in the Family . The Alvin Show from Ross Bagdasarian Sr. and Beany and Cecil from Bob Clampett are also sitcoms. The 1980s and 1990s were a renaissance of the animated children and adult television series. Various broadcast networks and media companies began creating television channels and formats designed specifically for airing cartoon and anime series. Companies that already had these types of formats in place began to revamp their existing models during this time. Most of this animations were American-based or Japanese anime. Listed below are examples of television networks and channels that include animated programs. American British Japanese Canadian Australian Examples of animation-focused networks and channels are listed below; but some of them aired live-action programs occasionally. American South Korean Canadian Japanese During

20368-520: The styles originated from, separated by the Yangtze River ; Chinese martial arts may even be classified according to their province or city. The main perceived difference between northern and southern styles is that the northern styles tend to emphasize fast and powerful kicks, high jumps and generally fluid and rapid movement, while the southern styles focus more on strong arm and hand techniques, and stable, immovable stances and fast footwork. Examples of

20520-539: The term kung fu refers to any skill that is acquired through learning or practice. It is a compound word composed of the words 功 (gōng) meaning "work", "achievement", or "merit", and 夫 (fū) which is a particle or nominal suffix with diverse meanings. Wushu literally means " martial art ". It is formed from the two Chinese characters 武術 : 武 ( wǔ ), meaning " martial " or " military " and 術 or 术 ( shù ), which translates into " art ", " discipline ", " skill " or " method ". The term wushu has also become

20672-520: The tin staff is documented in the Chinese Buddhist canon. Following Buddhabhadra , another Indian monk named Bodhidharma, also known as Damo in Chinese, arrived at Shaolin in 527 AD. His Chinese disciple, Huike, was likewise a highly skilled martial artist. There are indications that these first three Chinese Shaolin monks—Huiguang, Sengchou, and Huike—may have had a military background prior to embracing monastic life . The Shaolin style of kung fu

20824-467: The type of classification. However, few experienced martial artists make a clear distinction between internal and external styles, or subscribe to the idea of northern systems being predominantly kick-based and southern systems relying more heavily on upper-body techniques. Most styles contain both hard and soft elements, regardless of their internal nomenclature. Analyzing the difference in accordance with yin and yang principles, philosophers would assert that

20976-496: The understanding of meridians, pressure points, and herbal remedies , as well as exercises that promote health, vitality , and longevity. The holistic approach to training seeks to cultivate both internal and external strength, promoting overall well-being and balance. Furthermore, Chinese martial arts serve as a vessel for preserving and transmitting cultural values and attitudes. Respect for teachers, dedication, discipline, and perseverance are instilled in practitioners, fostering

21128-450: The war. When Sozin's comet returns, Aang confronts Ozai and uses his Avatar powers to strip Ozai of his firebending ability; meanwhile, Aang's friends liberate Ba Sing Se, destroy the Fire Nation airship fleet, and capture Azula. Zuko is crowned the new Fire Lord and the war comes to an end. The series consists of sixty-one episodes. The first episode—an-hour-long premiere—aired on February 21, 2005, on Nickelodeon . The series concluded with

21280-503: The world. The series also follows Zuko —the exiled prince of the Fire Nation, seeking to restore his lost honor by capturing Aang, accompanied by his uncle Iroh —and later, his sister Azula . Avatar is presented in a style that combines anime with American cartoons and relies on the imagery of primarily Chinese culture , with various other influences from different East Asian , Southeast Asian , South Asian , North Asian , and Native American cultures. Avatar: The Last Airbender

21432-473: Was THQ 's bestselling Nickelodeon game in 2006 and was one of Sony CEA's Greatest Hits. Aang and Zuko appear as skins for Merlin and Susano, respectively, in Smite . A turn-based role-playing game by Navigation Games, titled Avatar Generations , was released in early 2023 for iOS and Android . In September 2023, GameMill Entertainment released Avatar: The Last Airbender - Quest for Balance , which loosely adapts

21584-540: Was "true adult levels of storytelling". Tim Janson described the series as more than fantasy- and superhero-themed, seeing the characters as central and relatable. "Cricket" Te praised the series' use of Buddhist philosophies and the diverse presentation of its themes of courage and life. Kirk Hamilton praises the series for encouraging its audience to be themselves and for its quiet progressivism. Critics also praised Avatar: The Last Airbender ' s character development, art, animation, and choreography; Eric Amaya enjoyed

21736-406: Was a ratings success and received acclaim from critics for its characters, cultural references, art direction, voice acting, soundtrack, humor, and themes. The series' themes include concepts rarely touched on in youth entertainment, including war , genocide , imperialism , totalitarianism , indoctrination and free choice . It won five Annie Awards , a Genesis Award , a Primetime Emmy Award ,

21888-421: Was chosen for its firmly rooted stances and powerful strikes as a representation of the solidity of earth. Northern Shaolin , which uses strong arm and leg movements, was chosen to represent "firebending". Bagua , which uses dynamic circular movements and quick directional changes, was used for "airbending". The Chu Gar Southern Praying Mantis style can be seen practiced by the earthbender, Toph , who develops

22040-492: Was disassociated from what was seen as the potentially subversive self-defense aspects and family lineages of Chinese martial arts. In 1958, the government established the All-China Wushu Association as an umbrella organization to regulate martial arts training. The Chinese State Commission for Physical Culture and Sports took the lead in creating standardized forms for most of the major arts. During this period,

22192-510: Was forced into the ocean by a storm. He encased himself and his sky bison Appa in suspended animation in an iceberg near the South Pole. Shortly afterward, Fire Lord Sozin, the ruler of the Fire Nation, launched a world war to expand his nation's empire. Knowing that the Avatar must be an Air Nomad, he carried out a genocide against the Air Nomads, which he timed with the arrival of a comet that gives firebenders tremendous power. A hundred years later, siblings Katara and Sokka , teenagers of

22344-457: Was interested in the prospect of Konietzko creating and pitching his own show. Upon the end of his job on Invader Zim , Konietzko met with Coleman, introduced him to DiMartino and discussed their intent to create a series that held heart and integrity while meeting the network's commercial requirements. Although their meeting went well, Coleman revealed that the network was not looking for coming-of-age stories based on human characters. He added that

22496-507: Was later replaced by Zach Tyler Eisen when the show began production. In the episode, Sokka and his sister Kya (renamed to Katara by the time the series aired) must travel the world to find masters for Aang, who is the Avatar; however, they must evade a critical foe, Prince Zuko of the Fire Nation, who wants to capture Aang. This episode was first publicly released as one of the extras in the NTSC season 1 DVD box set , which were not available with

22648-856: Was published in July 2019 by Abrams Children's Books. The second part in the series, titled The Shadow of Kyoshi , was released on July 21, 2020. The duology was followed by the third novel The Dawn of Yangchen , also written by Yee and released on July 19, 2022. Yee's fourth novel in the series, The Legacy of Yangchen , was released on July 18, 2023. The fifth book of the series, titled The Reckoning of Roku , focuses on Avatar Roku and will be written by Randy Ribay and released on July 23, 2024. Several comic-book short stories were published in Nickelodeon Magazine , and Dark Horse published Avatar: The Last Airbender – The Lost Adventures —a collection of these and new comics—on June 15, 2011. Dark Horse published

22800-516: Was released on Blu-ray in June 2018 in honor of the tenth anniversary of its finale and was made available to stream on Netflix in the United States and Canada in May 2020, on Paramount+ in June 2020, and on Amazon Prime Video in January 2021. Avatar: The Last Airbender is set in a world where human civilization consists of four nations, named after the four classical elements : the Water Tribes,

22952-503: Was released on October 16, 2007. Avatar: The Last Airbender – Into the Inferno was released on October 13, 2008. Avatar: Legends of the Arena , a massively multiplayer online role-playing game (MMORPG) for Microsoft Windows , was released on September 15, 2008, by Nickelodeon . Players can create their own character and interact with other players around the world. Avatar: The Last Airbender

23104-428: Was the basis of the 2010 live-action film The Last Airbender , which was written and directed by M. Night Shyamalan . It was intended as the first of a trilogy of films, each of which would be based upon one of the three television seasons. The film was universally panned for its writing, acting, whitewashed cast, and Shyamalan's direction; it earned a 5% approval rating on Rotten Tomatoes as well as five Razzies at

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