| Avatar: The Last Airbender | |
|---|---|
| Also known as | Avatar: The Legend of Aang Avatar: The Bender of the Four Elements (Bulgarian title) |
| Genre | Action/Adventure Fantasy Comedy-drama |
| Format | Cartoon series |
| Created by | Michael Dante DiMartino Bryan Konietzko |
| Written by | Michael Dante DiMartino Bryan Konietzko Aaron Ehasz Tim Hedrick Nick Malis |
| Directed by | Lauren MacMullan Dave Filoni Giancarlo Volpe Ethan Spaulding Joaquim Dos Santos |
| Voices of | Zach Tyler Eisen Mae Whitman Jack DeSena Jessie Flower (Seasons 2 & 3) Dee Bradley Baker Dante Basco Grey DeLisle (Seasons 2 & 3) Mark Hamill Mako (Seasons 1 & 2) Greg Baldwin (Season 3) Jason Isaacs |
| Composer(s) | Jeremy Zuckerman |
| Country of origin | United States |
| Language(s) | English |
| No. of seasons | 3 |
| No. of episodes | 61 (List of episodes) |
| Production | |
| Executive producer(s) | Michael Dante DiMartino Bryan Konietzko Aaron Ehasz |
| Running time | 23 minutes |
| Production company(s) | Nickelodeon Animation Studios |
| Broadcast | |
| Original channel | Nickelodeon |
| Picture format | NTSC 4:3 (480i) |
| Original run | February 21, 2005 – July 19, 2008 |
| Chronology | |
| Followed by | The Last Airbender: Legend of Korra |
Avatar: The Last Airbender is an American animated television series that aired for three seasons on Nickelodeon from 2005 to 2008. The series was created and produced by Michael Dante DiMartino and Bryan Konietzko, who served as executive producers along with Aaron Ehasz. Avatar is set in an Asian-influenced world[1] wherein some are able to manipulate the classical elements by use of psychokinetic variants of Chinese martial arts known as "bending." The show combined the styles of anime and American cartoons, and relied for imagery upon various East-Asian, Inuit, and South-American societies, with a brief reference to the Indic.[2]
The series follows the adventures of protagonist Aang and his friends, who must save the world from the evil Fire Lord by ending his war against the neighbor nations.[3] The pilot episode first aired on February 21, 2005[4] and the series concluded with a widely praised two-hour episode on July 19, 2008.[5] The show is obtainable from various sources, including DVD, the iTunes Store, the Zune Marketplace, the Xbox Live Marketplace, the PlayStation Store, Netflix Instant Play, and the Nicktoons Network.[6]
Avatar: The Last Airbender was popular with both audiences and critics,[7] garnering 5.6 million viewers on its best-rated showing and receiving high ratings in the Nicktoons lineup, even outside its 6–11-year-old demographic.[3][8] Avatar: The Last Airbender has been nominated for and won awards from the Annual Annie Awards, the Genesis Awards, the primetime Emmy awards and a Peabody Award among others. The first season's success prompted Nickelodeon to order second[9] and third[10] seasons. In other media, the series has spawned a live-action film, titled The Last Airbender, directed by M. Night Shyamalan, scaled action figures,[11] a trading card game,[12][13] three video games based on the first,[14] second,[15][16] and third seasons, stuffed animals distributed by Paramount Parks, and two LEGO sets.[17] An art book was also released in mid-2010.[18] Furthermore, the president of Nickelodeon announced on July 21, 2010 that a sequel called The Last Airbender: Legend of Korra will premiere in 2012.[19]
Avatar: The Last Airbender was the last nicktoon to have the original Nickelodeon logo in the form of something seen often in the show (as shown in Avatar: The Last Airbender's title card, the logo is in the form of an orange line that reads "NICKELODEON"). Future nicktoons would have the Nickelodeon logo that is seen next to their title cards in the form of a splat design, rather than something seen often in the show (due to Nickelodeon making the decision to use the splat as their primary design in 2003, with the splat taking effect on their nicktoons beginning with Catscratch).
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Avatar: The Last Airbender takes place in a world home to humans, fantastic animals, and spirits. Human civilization is divided into four nations: the Water Tribe, the Earth Kingdom, the Fire Nation, and the Air Nomads. Each nation has a distinct society, wherein people known as Benders have the ability to manipulate the eponymous element of their nation using the physical motions of martial arts. The show's creators based each Bending style on an existing martial art, leading to visual differences in the techniques used by waterbenders (T'ai chi ch'uan), Earthbenders (Hung Ga kung fu, for the most part), Firebenders (Northern Shaolin kung fu) and Airbenders (Baguazhang).[20]
At any given time, there is only one person alive in the story's world capable of 'bending' all four elements: the show's eponymous Avatar, the spirit of the planet in human form. When an Avatar dies, this spirit is reincarnated into the next nation in the Avatar Cycle, in the order of the seasons, and must master each bending art in seasonal order, starting with the native element. Additionally, the Avatar possesses an ability called the Avatar State, which briefly endows it with the knowledge and abilities of all past Avatars as a self-triggering defense mechanism, which can be made subject to the will of the user by extensive trial and training.[21] If an Avatar is killed in the Avatar State, the reincarnation cycle is broken, and the Avatar status will cease to exist.[22] Through the ages, the succeeding Avatars have served to keep the four nations in harmony, and maintain world order.[20] The Avatar serves as the bridge between the physical world and the Spirit World, allowing each to solve problems that normal benders cannot.[23]
The events one hundred years before the beginning of the show are revealed gradually and out of order throughout the series.
One hundred years before the start of the series, a twelve-year-old Airbender named Aang learns he is the new Avatar. Fearful of the heavy responsibilities of the position, and of separation from his mentor Monk Gyatso, Aang flees from home on his flying bison Appa; but both are forced by a storm into the ocean, whereupon Aang's protective Avatar State encases the pair in an iceberg, in suspended animation. Fire Lord Sozin, who killed the previous Avatar to stop the latter's aversion of his war plans, begins a genocide of the Air Nomads to whom Aang belongs; but fails to kill Aang.
One hundred years after Sozin's time, Katara, a fourteen-year-old Waterbender girl, and her brother the fifteen-year-old Sokka, find Aang and Appa in the iceberg. After Aang is revealed to be the Avatar, the three travel to the Northern Water Tribe from whom Aang and Katara can learn Waterbending. En route Aang and friends visit the Southern Air Temple, where Aang discovers that the Fire Nation wiped out the Air Nomads and encounters his predecessor Avatar Roku. Throughout their journey, the trio are pursued by Prince Zuko, the exiled son of Fire Lord Ozai, who seeks to reclaim his honor by capturing the Avatar. Zuko travels with his uncle Iroh, a legendary Fire Nation general and the older brother of Ozai. Competing with Zuko for the Avatar is Admiral Zhao, who leads an attack on the Northern Water Tribe. The attack is repelled by Aang and his friends; but the Fire Lord orders his daughter Azula to capture Zuko and Iroh, who are now considered traitors to the Fire Nation.
After leaving the Northern Water Tribe, Aang masters Waterbending under Katara's tutelage. Searching for an Earthbending teacher, the group meets Toph, a blind Earthbending prodigy, and recruit her as such. Zuko and Iroh, now fugitives from the Fire Nation, attempt to lead new lives in the Earth Kingdom, where Zuko, with the help of his uncle, tries to embrace his troubled past and his obsession with capturing the Avatar. Aang and his friends discover that an upcoming solar eclipse will deprive Firebenders of their eponymous ability, leaving them open to invasion and giving Aang his chance to defeat the Fire Lord; but in learning this Aang's Sky Bison is lost to a group of Sandbenders. Azula and her two friends Mai and Ty Lee pursue the protagonists, who struggle to reach Ba Sing Se, the Earth Kingdom's capital, and tell the Earth King of the eclipse. Disguised as the Kyoshi Island Warriors (disciples of a previous Avatar), Azula persuades an elite group of Earthbenders called the Dai Li to instigate a revolution, allowing the Fire Nation to capture Ba Sing Se. In a final confrontation, Zuko sides with his sister, who promises to restore his honor. In doing so he betrays his uncle. Iroh helps Aang and Katara escape, and is imprisoned by the Dai Li. Aang attempts to activate the Avatar State; but is hit by Azula's lightning and dies. He is later revived by Katara.
Aang recovers to find his allies disguised as Fire Nation soldiers on a Fire Nation ship, while Zuko has been restored to the position of crown prince and Iroh is imprisoned as a traitor. Sokka has planned a small-scale invasion of the Fire Nation to defeat Fire Lord Ozai, taking advantage of the solar eclipse, staged by various allies encountered in previous episodes. After initial success, the invasion ultimately fails, and only Aang, Sokka, Katara, and Toph escape. Zuko, in a change of heart, defies his father and offers to teach Aang Firebending. Zuko goes to Aang and asks to join his group but is denied at first. He later proves himself worthy of change, and is accepted. Zuko earns the trust of Aang but, he must still prove himself to Katara and Sokka. Zuko works at gaining Sokka and Katara's trust and prepares Aang for the final battle.
In the four-part series finale, Aang and his friends confront Fire Lord Ozai, who plans to use the power of Sozin's Comet to destroy the other nations and rule the world as the Phoenix King. Iroh, after breaking himself out of prison, leads the Order of the White Lotus (an international society of martial-arts masters, including himself and Aang's allies King Bumi, Master Pakku, Master Piando, and Jeong Jeong) to liberate Ba Sing Se. Sokka, Toph, and Kyoshi Warrior Suki disable the Fire Nation's airships, preventing them from burning down the Earth Kingdom, while Zuko challenges Azula. Initially, Zuko gains the advantage; but when Azula fires a lightning bolt at Katara, Zuko intercepts the bolt to save her, injuring himself in the process. Katara then restrains Azula and heals Zuko. Aang, contending with Ozai, is reluctant to kill him; but eventually overcomes him by depriving him of the ability to manipulate fire. Zuko is crowned the new Fire Lord and, with the help of the Avatar and his friends, begins rebuilding the four nations. After Zuko is crowned he goes to confront his father in prison and demands the location of his banished mother, while the other protagonists enjoy their victory at Ba Sing Se.
Avatar: The Last Airbender was co-created and produced by Michael Dante DiMartino and Bryan Konietzko at Nickelodeon Animation Studios in Burbank, California. Animation work was mostly done by three animation studios in South Korea: JM Animation, DR Movie, and Moi Animation. According to Bryan Konietzko, the program was conceived in the spring of 2001 when he took an old sketch of a balding, middle-aged man and re-imagined the character as a child.[1] Konietzko drew the character herding bison in the sky, and showed the sketch to Mike DiMartino. At the time, DiMartino was studying a documentary about explorers trapped in the South Pole. Konietzko described their early development of the concept:
| “ | We thought, "There's an air guy along with these water people trapped in a snowy wasteland... and maybe some fire people are pressing down on them..." | ” |
The co-creators successfully pitched the idea to Nickelodeon vice president and executive producer Eric Coleman just two weeks later.[32]
The series was first revealed to the public in a teaser reel at Comic-Con 2004,[33] and aired February 21, 2005. In the United States, first two episodes of the series were shown together in a one-hour premiere event. A second twenty-episode season ran from March 17, 2006 through December 1.[9] A third and final season, beginning September 21, 2007, featured twenty-one episodes rather than the usual twenty.[10] The final four episodes were packaged as a two-hour movie.
Avatar is notable for borrowing extensively from East Asian art and mythology to create its universe. The series' character designs are heavily influenced by anime as well as Chinese art and history, Hinduism, Taoism, Buddhism,[34] and Yoga.[2] Traditional East Asian calligraphy styles represent nearly all the writing in the series. For each instance of calligraphy, an appropriate style is used, ranging from seal script (more archaic) to clerical script.[35] The show employed a cultural consultant, Edwin Zane, and calligrapher Siu-Leung Lee as consultants for the series' cultural influences.[2][36] The choreographed martial art bending moves were affected by Asian cinema.[1] In an interview, Bryan revealed that, "Mike and I were really interested in other epic 'Legends & Lore' properties, like Harry Potter and Lord of the Rings, but we knew that we wanted to take a different approach to that type of genre. Our love for Japanese anime, Hong Kong action and kung fu cinema, yoga, and Eastern philosophies led us to the initial inspiration for Avatar."[37] The show's character designs are influenced by anime; but the show is not considered an example of such.
All music and sound used in the series was done by Jeremy Zuckerman and Benjamin Wynn, who formed The Track Team. They experimented with use of a wide range of different instruments, such as the guzheng, pipa, and duduk, to compose background music.[38]
The term "Avatar" comes from Sanskrit (अवतार), wherein means "descent"; its roots are ava, "down," and tri, "to pass". In the Hindu scriptures, avatar signifies the mortal incarnation of a god (usually Vishnu). The Chinese characters apparent at the top of the show's title card mean "the divine medium who has descended upon the mortal world".[35] According to the plot, Aang unknowingly revealed he was the Avatar when by choosing four toys out of thousands, each of which were the childhood toys of previous Avatars. In Tibetan Buddhism, there is a similar test for reincarnations of a Tulku Lama. In Magic and Mystery in Tibet, Alexandra David-Neel writes that "a number of objects such as rosaries, ritualistic implements, books, tea-cups, etc., are placed together, and the child must pick out those which belonged to the late tulku, thus showing that he recognizes the things which were theirs in their previous life"[39]. Each successor is expected to show signs of continuity with the previous Avatar, such as being born within a week of the death.
Avatar: The Last Airbender draws on the four classical elements for its bending arts: Water, Earth, Fire, and Air. Although each has its own variation, most ancient philosophies incorporate these four elements: examples include the classical Hindu, Buddhist, and Greek elemental traditions. In the show’s opening, each element is accompanied by two Chinese characters: an ancient Chinese seal script character on the left representing the element being shown and a modern Chinese character on the right describing some feature of the element. The character 水 (pinyin: shuǐ), which stands for water, is shown with 善 (pinyin: shàn), which means benevolence and adaptivity. The character 土 (pinyin: tǔ), which stands for earth, is shown with 強 (pinyin: qiáng), which means strength and stability. The character 火 (pinyin: huǒ), which stands for fire, is shown with 烈 (pinyin: liè), which means intensity and passion. Finally, the character 气 (pinyin: qì), which stands for air, is shown with 和 (pinyin: hé), which means peace and harmony.[40]
In addition to the use of four classical elements in the series, the fighting styles associated with each element are derived from different styles of Chinese martial arts, for which the film-makers employed Sifu Kisu of the Harmonious Fist Chinese Athletic Association as a consultant.[41] Each fighting style was chosen to represent the element it projected. T'ai chi was used for "Waterbending" in the series, which focuses on alignment, body structure, breath, and visualization. Hung Gar was used for "Earthbending" in the series, and was chosen for its firmly rooted stances and powerful strikes to present the solid nature of earth. Northern Shaolin, which uses strong arm and leg movements was used to represent "Firebending". Ba Gua, which uses dynamic circular movements and quick directional changes, was used for "Airbending".[20][42][43] The only exception to these styles is Toph, who can be seen practicing a Chu Gar Southern Praying Mantis style.[44]
Duality, especially between good and evil, plays a large role in the series. Zuko's facial scar is more prominently featured when Zuko is angry or tempted by evil, whereas the undamaged half of his face is more prominently shown when he shows compassion. This is further developed when it is revealed that his two great-grandfathers are Fire Lord Sozin (responsible for starting the war) and Avatar Roku (who tried to stop the war), representing the conflict between good and evil in Zuko. This theme is often symbolized by the colors blue and orange (or occasionally blue and red).
Many of the characters in the show have a “destiny” to which they are born, or which they themselves believe incorrectly. Aang, as the Avatar, must end the war by defeating the Fire Lord; Zuko believes it his destiny to regain his honor by capturing the Avatar and bringing him to his father; Iroh believed it to be his destiny to conquer Ba Sing Se.
Throughout the show, it is revealed that Aang initially rejected his Avatar status; but learns to embrace his destiny, whereas Zuko is eventually able to disregard the search for Aang and act in accordance to his own need. As a young man, Iroh led a siege on Ba Sing Se for 600 days, breaking through the outer wall but abandoning the field when his son was killed in battle; whereas later Iroh lives cheerfully in Ba Sing Se among the people of the Earth Kingdom, and conquers it only against the side he had formerly led.
One of the recurring themes in the series is that everything in the world is connected. Separation of elements and nations is merely illusion that one can overcome. There is something common in the source of everything, that people used to believe is different. As stated by Guru Pathik, all elements are one: four parts of the same whole. Even in the source of bending techniques there is something, that can be referred to as spiritbending or energybending, which is revealed to be the ultimate and ancient form of bending, that one can use to bend another's spirit and strip them of bending powers.
Aang is a morally committed vegetarian throughout the series. The tension over this issues is played out between Aang and Sokka, as a vocally committed carnivore. The first time Aang's Vegetarianism is hinted at is in season one episode three with the introduction of the character Momo: Sokka, hungry after being deprived of his stock of dried seal blubber by Aang's ignorance that such a thing could be food, tries to kill Momo for food. Aang saves Momo from Sokka's violent hungers. In season two episode nine, after getting stuck in a hole in the ground while trying to kill a cub saber-tooth moose-lion, Sokka faces the problem of Vegetarianism in several stages: first he reasons that meat-eating is part of "the natural order: big things eat smaller things." Persuaded by the adorability of his perspective meal, and the inconvenience of his predicament in the hole, Sokka announces that if he is freed, he will renounce meat-eating for a "karmically correct vegetarian life." Even though, "meat is so tasty." Finally, having spent the day stuck in this hole, Sokka appeals for the intervention of a Karmic supernatural agent, saying "Ok Karma person or thing, whoever is in charge of this stuff; if I can just get out of this situation alive, I'll give up meat and sarcasm." Immediately after this pledge Aang discovers Sokka: foreseeing his immanent emancipation, his first question to Aang is "do you have any meat?" Sokka does not live up to his promise made under duress. In season three episode two Aang is challenged by Sokka to make an exception because they're in the Fire Nation: "come on Aang! Everyone here eats meat. Even the meat" (cutting away to a carnivorous looking cow eating raw meat). Instead of acceding, Aang remarks that he'll "just get some lettuce out of the garbage." In the final episode of the series, while on a spirit quest on top of a giant lion-turtle, Aang frames his moral thinking on vegetarianism, citing his consistent vegetarianism as evidence of his commitment to the principles of nonviolence he was taught as a young monk.
Many of the characters depicted as morally ambiguous (examples include the vigilante Jet and the Earth King's bodyguard Long Feng), in that while their actions are often immoral, their intentions are justifiable. In the third season, it is shown that the Fire Nation encourages intense nationalism, by way of explaining its characters.
Throughout the series, many survivors and refugees whose lives have been upset by the Fire Nation are found trying to rebuild their lives.
When the series debuted, it was rated the best animated television series in its demographic;[45] new episodes averaged 3.1 million viewers each.[45] A one-hour special showing of "The Secret of the Fire Nation" which aired on September 15, 2006, consisting of "The Serpent's Pass" and "The Drill", gathered an audience of 5.1 million viewers. According to the Nielsen Media Research, the special was the best performing cable television show airing in that week.[46] In 2007, Avatar was syndicated to more than 105 countries worldwide, and was one of Nickelodeon's top rated programs. The series was ranked first on Nickelodeon in Germany, Indonesia, Malaysia, Belgium, and Colombia.[47]
The series finale, Sozin's Comet: The Final Battle, received the highest ratings of the series. Its premiere averaged 5.6 million viewers, 95% more viewers than Nickelodeon had received in mid-July 2007.[48] During the week of July 14, it ranked as the most-viewed program for the under-14 demographic.[49][50] Sozin's Comet also appeared on iTunes' top ten list of best-selling television episodes during that same week.[51] Sozin's Comet's popularity affected online media as well; "Rise of the Phoenix King", a Nick.com online game based on Sozin's Comet, generated almost 815,000 game plays within three days.[52] IGN listed the complete series as 35th in its list of Top 100 Animated TV Shows.[53]
| Awards | Outcome | |
|---|---|---|
| 2005 Pulcinella Awards:[54] | ||
| Best Action/Adventure TV Series | Won | |
| Best TV Series | Won | |
| 33rd Annie Awards:[55] | ||
| Best Animated Television Production | Nominated | |
| Storyboarding in an Animated Television Production (The Deserter) | Won | |
| Writing for an Animated Television Production (The Fortuneteller) | Nominated | |
| 34th Annie Awards:[56] | ||
| Character Animation in a Television Production (The Blind Bandit) | Won | |
| Directing in an Animated Television Production (The Drill) | Won | |
| 36th Annie Awards:[57] | ||
| Best Animated Television Production for Children | Won | |
| Directing in an Animated Television Production (Joaquim Dos Santos for Into the Inferno) | Won | |
| 2007 Genesis Awards: | ||
| Outstanding Children's Programming (Appa's Lost Days) | Won | |
| Primetime Emmy Awards: | ||
| Outstanding Animated Program (City of Walls and Secrets) | Nominated | |
| Individual Achievement Award (Sang-Jin Kim for Lake Laogai) | Won | |
| Nickelodeon Kid's Choice Awards 2008: | ||
| Favorite Cartoon[58] | Won | |
| Annecy 2008: | ||
| TV series (Joaquim Dos Santos for The Day of Black Sun Part 2: The Eclipse)[59] | Nominated | |
| 56th Golden Reel Awards: | ||
| Best Sound Editing in a Television Animation (Avatar Aang)[60] | Nominated | |
| 2008 Peabody Awards: | ||
| "Unusually complex characters and healthy respect for the consequences of warfare"[61] | Won | |
Dark Horse Comics released an art book titled Avatar: The Last Airbender — The Art of the Animated Series, on June 2, 2010 which contains 184 pages of the original art and creation behind the Avatar animated series.[62] Several comic book short stories were published in Nickelodeon Magazine, and on June 15, 2011 Dark Horse Comics released a collection of these and new comics in a single volume called Avatar: The Last Airbender — The Lost Adventures.[63] Dark Horse Comics has an "ongoing partnership" with Nickelodeon to publish books related to the world of Avatar: The Last Airbender.[63]
Avatar's success has led to some promotional advertising with third-party companies, such as Burger King and Upper Deck Entertainment. Avatar-themed roller coasters at Nickelodeon Universe in the Mall of America and one formerly at Kings Island also appeared. During the show's runtime, Nickelodeon published two special issues of Nick Mag Presents dedicated entirely to the show. Various members of the Avatar staff and cast appeared at the 2006 San Diego Comic-Con International convention, while Michael Dante DiMartino and Bryan Konietzko appeared with Martial Arts Consultant Sifu Kisu at the Pacific Media Expo on October 28, 2006. Avatar also has its own line of t-shirts, LEGO playsets, toys, a trading card game,[64] a cine-manga, and three video games, as well as an MMO.[65]
The Fisher-Price-produced action figure toy line generated some controversy with its exclusion of any female characters.[66] Mattel came to release information stating that they have taken account of Katara's increased role within the program, and that she would be included in the figure assortment for a mid 2007 release.[67] The figure ultimately went unreleased, however, as the entire line was canceled before she could be produced.
Nickelodeon executives have since released optimistic plans for upcoming marketing strategies in regards to Avatar. Nickelodeon President Cyma Zarghami openly stated her belief that the franchise "could become their Harry Potter".[68] They expect consumers to spend about $121 million in 2007, rising to $254 million by 2009.[68] The marketing plans are to be coincided with the release of the first live-action film based on the series in 2010, which will be the first film in a trilogy.[68]
A video game trilogy about Avatar: The Last Airbender has been created. Avatar: The Last Airbender, the video game, was released on October 10, 2006. Avatar: The Last Airbender – The Burning Earth was released on October 16, 2007. Avatar: The Last Airbender – Into the Inferno was released on October 13, 2008. The three games were loosely based on seasons one, two and three, respectively. Players can select characters and complete quests to gain experience and advance the storyline. Despite lackluster critical reviews, the games did extremely well commercially; for example, Avatar: The Last Airbender was THQ's top selling Nickelodeon game in 2006 and even reached Sony CEA's "Greatest Hits" status.[69]
Avatar: Legends of the Arena, a massive multiplayer online roleplaying game (MMORPG) for Microsoft Windows, was launched on September 25, 2008 by Nickelodeon.[70] Each user is able to create their own character, choose a nation, and to interact with others across the globe.[70][71][72]
The first season of the show became the basis for the 2010 live-action film The Last Airbender, written and directed by M. Night Shyamalan. It is claimed to be the first movie of a planned trilogy from each of the television 3 seasons. Critical reception was overwhelmingly negative from both critics and fans alike, earning the film a 6% rating on Rotten Tomatoes and five Razzies in 2010. The film originally shared the title of the television series, but it was changed to The Last Airbender because the producers were worried it would be confused with the James Cameron film Avatar. The film version stars Noah Ringer as Aang, Dev Patel as Zuko, Jackson Rathbone as Sokka, and Nicola Peltz as Katara. Iroh is played by Shaun Toub and Fire Lord Ozai by Cliff Curtis.
It was announced at the annual Comic-Con in San Diego on July 22, 2010 that a series based on Avatar: The Last Airbender is currently in development at Nickelodeon and due for release sometime in 2012.[73][74] It will involve Michael Dante DiMartino and Bryan Konietzko, the creators and producers of the original series.[75] Tentatively titled The Last Airbender: Legend of Korra (originally titled Avatar: Legend of Korra), it will be a twenty-six episodes[76] mini series that takes place in the same fictional universe as the original show,[74] except seventy years later.[77] It has also been confirmed that the first twelve episodes will be in the first season and the other fourteen in the second season.
The series will focus on Korra, a teenage female protagonist from the Southern Water Tribe and the current reincarnation of the Avatar.[74] The character was partly inspired by Avatar Kyoshi of the original series, whom the creators say was very popular among fans. In order to avoid repetition of Aang's adventures, the creators wanted to root the show in one place, called Republic City. A concept drawing of the city, released with the announcement of the series, shows the city's design as inspired by Shanghai in the 1920s and 1930s, Hong Kong, Manhattan, and Vancouver. In the show, Korra will have to learn Airbending from master Tenzin, son of Aang and Katara, and contend with an anti-bender revolution taking place in the city.[78]
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