can avatar be considered an anime

by Jeff Olson 5 min read
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Avatar: The Last Airbender might not be an anime, but the Nickelodeon show takes a lot of inspiration from Cowboy Bebop and Studio Ghibli. Avatar is one of the most critically-acclaimed cartoon franchises of all time, and decriers calling it "an anime" will have fans tearing them a new one.Jun 4, 2021

Full Answer

Is Avatar The Last Airbender considered anime?

“Avatar: The Last Airbender” and “The Legend of Korra” were not made in Japan, thus they are not considered to be anime. They were made by USA, thus they are animated series.

Why is Avatar The Last Airbender not an anime?

When the live-action Avatar: The Last Airbender series was first announced, Netflix heavily promoted the involvement of the original series' creators. In 2018, Michael Dante DiMartino and Bryan Konietzko were signed on as showrunners and executive producers.

Is Avatar The Last Airbender anime?

Avatar: The Last Airbender is perhaps Nickelodeon's most beloved property, and it's easy to see why. In an era where most children's entertainment consists of lighthearted, comedic slice-of-life shows like Spongebob Squarepants, Avatar did something daring ...

Is ATLA considered an anime?

Though ATLA may look like an anime, feel like an anime, and have all the right themes for the genre, it just isn’t an anime. If this seems like a technicality, it’s because it is. But that doesn’t make it any less true. A good comparison is how champagne is only champagne because it comes from a certain region in France.

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Does Avatar count as anime?

When watching Avatar The Last Airbender, it becomes very apparent that it took major inspiration from the extremely popular—Japanese Anime. Despite it having similar storytelling elements and art style; Avatar The Last Airbender is not an anime.

Is Avatar and Korra considered anime?

The Legend of Korra, also known as Avatar: The Legend of Korra, is an American anime-influenced animated television series created by Michael Dante DiMartino and Bryan Konietzko for Nickelodeon.

Is SpongeBob an anime?

The SpongeBob SquarePants Anime, simply referred to as SpongeBob SquarePants (Japanese: スポンジ・ボブ Hepburn: Suponji Bobu, pronounced Spongey Bobbu) is an ongoing Japanese anime television series produced by Neptune Studios to produce a quality fan series built around his and Narmak's ideas.

What's considered anime?

Anime refers to a specific style of cartoon produced or inspired by Japanese animation. Think of it this way: all anime shows are cartoons, but not all cartoons are anime. The art style associated with anime is very unique and recognizable.

What is Considered an Anime?

Starting from Wikipedia, Anime is a Japanese term for both hand-drawn and computer-generated animation. Anime is a broad term that encompasses all animated works, regardless of style or country. Outside of Japan and in English, however, the term “anime” is colloquial for Japanese animation and refers solely to Japanese animation.

Why do people think Avatar is Anime?

Naturally, the “is it an anime?” discussion may quickly devolve into a battle among the fanbase. However, fans of The Last Airbender and Korra cannot dispute that many parts of the program resemble those of Western animation. This creates a great deal of misunderstanding and is one of the reasons why many believe Avatar is anime.

Is Avatar: The Last Airbender Anime?

Even though Avatar: The Last Airbender has many characteristics with anime, it is not an anime. It possesses all of the characteristics of a single: action and art, character development, and travel. Anime, on the other hand, is more than an art form; it is an industry.

Is Avatar: The Legend Of Korra Anime?

Since Avatar: The Legend Of Korra was mostly an American production, it is not an anime. It is not drawn conventionally, and it was not produced in Japan to qualify as anime. Although it has elements of anime, the program was created in the Nickolodeon Animation Studios in Burbank, California.

What is the art style of avatar?

The art style of Avatar shows a heavy influence in the drawing and art style and the portrayal of various characters from anime. The way if the eyes of the character are squintier or tapering to the end, it signifies the evil character while good characters tend to have bigger and rounder eyes. Very close to and influenced by anime.

What is anime in Japan?

What is Anime? In Japan, the word ‘anime’ is anything that is animated Japanese or not. So, any media that involves hand drawing or computer animation is considered to be an anime in Japan. So, if you are Japanese, you will refer to this epic piece of art as an anime.

What is the last airbender?

Avatar: The Last Airbender is one of the greatest, most complex, intriguing masterpieces made by the Nickelodeon Animation Studios . This seemingly straight forward story about a superhero not only gives us the childlike excitement of watching a cartoon but also has a number of tricks under its sleeves which it hides impeccably.

What is the meaning of anime?

For the rest of the world, the word ‘anime’ is used as a colloquial term for any Japanese animated media. The grave, serious and often complex themes of the greyness of human kind, morality of war and a lot of other heavy themes depicted in this series are very similar to the ones depicted in a lots of anime.

Does Avatar have a journey?

Avatar on the other hand, does have a journey, a build up to the final battle and needs the commitment to actually be able to understand what is going on in the series as a whole with the introduction of a bunch or side characters and arcs that do come in as references later.

Is the Secret Tunnel an anime?

Though it does retain it’s episodic nature in some episodes like the Secret Tunnel or the Serpent ’s Pass . A lot of similarity to anime but also retains its cartoonic nature.

Is Zuko a villain?

Well, Zuko is a character that starts of as a villain. He starts off as a character who is misguided, who only and only wants to be accepted. He is a character that has the one of best, if not THE best redemption arcs in the entirety of cartoon industry!

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What Is Anime?

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In Japan, the word ‘anime’ is anything that is animated Japaneseor not. So, any media that involves hand drawing or computer animation is considered to be an anime in Japan. So, if you are Japanese, you will refer to this epic piece of art as an anime. For the rest of the world, the word ‘anime’ is used as a colloquial term for a…
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Nature of Series

  • Another factor that needs to be taken in consideration is the serial nature of the series. Most cartoons produces in the West have a much more episodic nature where each episode is an independent arc. Well known series like Jhony Bravo, the Flintstones, Justice League, Teen Titansand most other series, do share this common factor. Avatar on the other hand, does have …
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The Art Style

  • Avatar is presented in a way that to someone who has just dived into the world of anime, it seems very similar. The art style of Avatar shows a heavy influence in the drawing and art style and the portrayal of various characters from anime. The way if the eyes of the character are squintier or tapering to the end, it signifies the evil character wh...
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The Themes

  • When you say the word ‘Cartoons’ automatically light-hearted and goofy characters like Tom, Jerry or Bugs Bunnycome to mind. Cartoons usually keep their entertainment restricted to something fluffy and funny that is easy to consume after a hard day’s work where all you want to do is loll and slopp around. Also, the target audience for most cartoons is generally everyone including ki…
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The Characters

  • Avatar features a vast array of characters that are dynamic, complex and just so hard to dislike! This series has the audacity to feature characters like Zuko and Toph side by side. What’s so different? Well, Zuko is a character that starts of as a villain. He starts off as a character who is misguided, who only and only wants to be accepted. He is a character that has the one of best, i…
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Trope

  • An orphaned young boy sets out on a grand adventure to travel the world to fulfill a goal that he needs to. Reminds you of something? Pokémon? Naruto? Bleach? One Piece? Anyone who has watched even a little of the Shounen genre can resonate with this start of a protagonist. Aangis the perfect Shounen protagonist. He cares about protecting any people that he has come to be f…
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Running Gags

  • These are ongoing gags that take place throughout the entire series just to add a fun twist to it. Running gags are a feature very reminiscent to anime. Naruto has ‘the Sexy Jutsu’ where Naruto transforms himself into a beautiful naked woman just clad in some smoke clouds. Fullmetal Alchemist has the gag that the protagonist’s younger brother is always mistaken for the protago…
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Finally Yes? Or No?

  • If you are a Japanese watcher, for you this will be an anime simply due to the logic that it is an animated series. For the rest of the world, it is a cartoon since it is not made specifically in or by the Japanese animation industry. Therefore, is not Japanese animated media. In the end, you get to pick on your own that which side of this series do you want to be. So, is Avatar: The Last Airbe…
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