Poll of the Day > Avatar the Last Air Bender(cartoon) is pretty overrated

(+) Yeah! (+)

I got the whole series and I'm on the last few episodes. It's been pretty good, but people make it out to be like Bojack Horseman good. What do people see in this above average show?
---

Haven't seen Bojack, but ATLA is incredible. Given that they're different genres, not sure why you'd really compare them in the first place. Would be better off comparing Bojack to something like Rick & Morty (although I'm guessing it'd fall short)
---

But Avatar is amazing. Definitely worthy of any praise it gets. And this is coming from someone who never even watched it until years after it ended (shortly before Korra premiered, appropriately enough).
---

The show would've been way better if the main character was Iroh(?).
---

solid 8/10
---

lihlih posted...

The show would've been way better if the main character was Iroh(?).

Given that he's strictly a supporting character no, not really. Most of the show's events wouldn't appear from his POV and, on top of that, he kinda starts the show on the same level -- if not stronger -- than the actual fire lord. He was certainly stronger and more capable during the war, although he's likely weakened since then. Granted, given that the fire lord was basically beaten in a fight by his somewhat untrained son, he was likely pretty weak all along
---

I dunno, I saw it recently and thought it was pretty incredible. Characters were all likeable and well written (Zuko, of course, being one of the shining examples of this) and I was surprised by how interesting I found the villains to be. The show made me want to see even more of the world and the characters interacting with it and each other which is a nice praise for me.
As for criticisms, I didn't like the filler episodes. Some were good and had character development but I felt that some were just uninteresting and completely inconsequential (although some were actually called back on later seasons so that was pretty neat).

Its just popular. Nobody said its the best thing ever we all just like it
---

Masterdan55 posted...

Characters were all likeable and well written (Zuko, of course, being one of the shining examples of this) and I was surprised by how interesting I found the villains to be.

idk, my problem with Zuko is that he always seemed like an angsty kid who was going to heel-face turn and have character growth. I found Azula more interesting as we learned more about her history, temperament, etc. Ozai was a little flat, though.
---

The dialog could have been better tbh.

It's kind of 'blocky' sometimes, like the kids are too mature.
---

Yellow posted...

The dialog could have been better tbh.

It's kind of 'blocky' sometimes, like the kids are too mature.

They come across to me as kids who are forced by circumstances to act mature but there's plenty of times where they act like kids, Aang in season 1 especially, but they all have their moments.
---

Bait thread.

Way better than James Cameron's Avatar at least : P
---

I haven't seen Bojack but I can tell you that they're entirely different genre's and, thusly, are a bad idea to compare. Comparing The Simpsons and CSI is a terrible idea since they're meant for entirely different audiences after all.

That said...

The main reason people gush over it so much is because it manages to strike a balance, most of the time, between so many delicate aspects of story-telling. The group can act like kids at time yet also are put in situations where they have to not only act mature but grow up. The action and fighting is very solid and good and not 'power-level' based (made especially clear in Korra) making it more like something from a martial arts movie as opposed to cheesy animated fighting. The world itself is very defined and feels both organic and alive (I especially liked the pun where Aang tells them about the Earth King's bear and they keep trying to figure out what mix of two animals it is only for Aang to tell them 'it's just a bear' to their surprise.) There are plenty of more reasons.

Let me cut right to the heart of the issue though. Fans ruin everything. I remember back when people were campaigning so hard for Shantae on the Smash Bros. boards that I ended up refusing to play her games. I was ticked at her because of how her fanbase acted. Eventually I, begrudgingly, played her games and, while they weren't anywhere near as good as the gushers made them out to be, they were very fun and nice and I'm now a fan. Fans will often gladly make something out to seem unreasonably perfect and it's irritating as heck especially since the product can almost never live up to the hype simply because of how much the hype is. Imagine having never seen Star Wars except for the Rei one's and then having someone tell you about how much better the originals were and how these are trash by comparison. Even if they were right wouldn't you eventually come to resent the opinion simply because of the fan gush and, when you watched the OT, do you think it could possibly live up to the pedestal they placed it on?
---

Both are a mix of serious drama with comedy. Yeah, Avatar has the martial arts, but other than that, they're kinda similar in what they're trying to achieve.(make you laugh and feel stuff in the same episode, especially the later Bojack episodes)
---

I don't watch American toons.
---

Avatar was very good. Not quite a masterpiece but it's very good and I'd gladly watch it with a friend or family. There are unneccessary episodes, but they are nice for character development.
---

lihlih posted...

It's been pretty good, but people make it out to be like Bojack Horseman good

It is Bojack Horseman good.

Bojack Horseman is only alright
---

The only thing holding back Avatar was that it was a kid's show on Nickelodeon and it constantly dealt with budget issues and Nickelodeon telling them to rewrite episodes.

the finale is awesome. I never saw beyond the first season for Korra. but in the original, I love the final battle. it's the coolest fight I ever saw in an american cartoon