Product Description

The Avatar returns to the world searching for excitement, adventure and a good time! New friends, celebrity status, and the ruthless Fire Nation on his tail...can Aang face his destiny to save the world?

Product Details

• Amazon Sales Rank: #12727 in DVD
• Brand: PARAMOUNT HOME VIDEO
• Published on: 2006
• Released on: 2006-01-31
• Rating: Unrated
• Aspect ratio: 1.33:1
• Formats: Animated, Color, DVD, Full Screen, NTSC
• Original language: English
• Number of discs: 1
• Dimensions: .25 pounds
• Running time: 30 minutes

Amazon.com
Mysterious, visually beautiful at times, and surprisingly funny, Avatar: Book 1, Volume 1 is the exciting story of Aang, a 12-year-old reincarnation of the ancient Avatar, whose purpose (in an imagined world that seems both ancient and futuristic) is to restore peace and order between warring armies of the four elements: fire, earth, water, and air. At one time or another, over thousands of years, the Avatar has been embodied in masters of each of the elements. Aang (who is freed from a century-long sleep inside an iceberg) happens to be an "airbender," capable of using air and wind as powerful forces for moving objects and defeating hostile armies of firebenders. The feature-length Avatar follows Aang and a couple of friends as he becomes reacquainted with the world he knew before his 100-year hibernation--a world now lost to history. The story also concerns internal dramas within the unforgiving world of firebenders, who are intent on destruction and conquest. This engaging story, very pleasant to look at in its rich tones of blue and orange, is for all ages. --Tom Keogh

Customer Reviews

anime-style show ... anime-style release schedule
Yes, I'm going to join the chorus praising the series. It's stylish, the art and character designs are high-quality, and each episode holds up well for multiple viewings. There's drama, suspense, more action than you can throw a stick at, and plenty of humor to ease the way. The core characters are well-rounded, and they grow as the first season progresses. We get backstory slowly, woven into the story. We keep learning about the characters.

While I, too, would have preferred a series set over single-disk releases, I can't pretend to be surprised. I buy a lot of anime, and Japanese series are released one disk at a time. Maybe a complete set comes out sometime after the regular releases are done, with a nice box. Anime fans pay a premium for their fix - $20-$30 for 3-5 episodes, $80-$200 for a series/season box set. While this is Nickelodeon, not a US-license of a Japanese series, let's face it: Avatar isn't Spongebob. This show isn't like anything else on Nick. The production values are much higher, and the production costs increase proportionally. A $40 season set isn't likely any time soon.

There is a rumor that a box set with unknown bonus features will be released AFTER the single disks are all out. Again, this is typical practice for anime releases, not a nefarious Nickelodeon plot. Those who are disappointed or peeved should contact Nickelodeon to ask about a set. Let them know they've failed to meet your expectations. If you refuse to buy the series piecemeal - tell them why. If they don't get feedback, they're not going to reconsider their release strategy.

This series is well worth owning on DVD. The question is whether you want to treat yourself to a disk every couple-three months, or wait and see what is offered in a year or so. There's no wrong answer here... but buy it sooner or later. It is that good.

>>> JUNE 2006 UPDATE: a season 1 box set has been announced for September. No pricing information yet.

Love the show, don't love the Nick squeezing....
Let me say first of all that I love this show. There are very few shows that my whole family will sit down and watch at the same time, and Avatar: The Last Airbender is one of them. The story of Aang and his friends trying to reach the North Pole so he can begin his quest for mastery of the four elements by learning Water Bending (to go with his Air Bending mastery), is not only very well done, its cool for both kids and adults. Based loosely on Chinese/Japanese mythology and martial arts, the character/creature designs are interesting, the action is always great, but not at the expense of the smaller moments, and the funny moments as well.

What I don't like in Nickelodeon only including the first 4 episodes on the first release. Why not release the whole first season? I understand this way is probably more price friendly for parents who's kiddos love the show, but it seems like they are trying to squeeze us for everything they can. But other than that, I'm planning on buying all the discs and can give this release my highest recommendation.

One of the best in a long time
Avatar is without a doubt one of the best all around shows to come down the pipe in a very long time.

I don't have cable so I haven't seen much of it on TV. I first found out about it when I was at a friends doing some work and it was on as background noise for the kids. It was somewhere in the middle of the season so I didn't know the story but I was really impressed. I though, wow, the Japanese have done it again. But having watched a lot of anime in my younger days some stuff didn't add up. The style was different, the sight gags and most importantly the body language of the characters was different.

I was really surprised when I found it was an American production! I wanted to see more. I was wondering if it was worth buying, my kid only being 2 ? so I figured what the heck, its not that expensive for one disk.

I ordered it and it was an instant hit at the house. My son loved it goes running around with a stick saying he's going to save the world. My wife loved it and I loved it. The show is written to a good middle ground between kids and adults. The kids will follow the story without issue and the adults will see deeper into the world. Its not too deep mind you but deep enough to feel there is more going on than whats immediately on screen.

I was really impressed by the creativity of the series and just how well done it was. The producers pulled together a lot of elements from Asian culture and tradition and blended them together into a credible setting in a way I've not really seen done very well outside of Asian works.

They've got a lot of gags and elements that are not exactly original. Strong liberated female figure in male dominated culture, chauvinist/clueless/useless guy, obligatory cute pet/sidekick, reluctant hero, ruthless villain etc. But they are well done and not overdone.

Many of the sight gags revolve around bad things that happen to the hapless/clueless guy. But they were well done enough to be funny without being tired. I was particularly glad they didn't give too much screen time to the cute pet/sidekick which some kids shows seem to devote about 1/3 of each episode to the antics of that creature. He (A flying lemur like creature) pops in and pops out for some good comic relief but never eclipses those involved in the story.

We also begin to see some depth in Character development and hints that some may not be exactly as they seem. Particularly with the apparent villains of the series. They actually have motivation and character beyond just wanting to give the hero's a bad day or ruling the world.