Avatar: The Last Airbender

20240308:
I watched the first episode today, and I felt the episode generally lacked the spirit of the animated series. The only moment that seemed to capture some of the emotion for me was near the end when Aang calms down from his Avatar state and hugs Katara. However, I felt a good scream of anger prior to triggering the Avatar state would have been more of a signal of the pain. So in a way, even that scene lacked a punch to me.


Overall, I think when one makes the decision take a piece of work in one medium (e.g., writing, music) and convey it using another medium (e.g., movie), I think it is worth asking what can the new medium bring to the table and also what will be lost from removing the work out of the source medium.
20240530:
I'm not a fan of Zoku's appearance. Sometimes I think Aang looks funny. I think the shows strives for too much imitation of the anime. Perhaps instead of how it was done, I think they would have been better to capture the idea of a character and figure out how to implement those ideas to live action in a believable way.

S1E01:
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S1E02:
1a: oh it took a different angle. actor for Zhao is from LOST
1b: not a bad little romance between the warrior and Sokka
1b: hehe he uses the fan to block
1b: interesting Kyoshi image is able to fight. or at least I mean the choice of imagery to use Kyoshi
1b: smile. they get to kiss
1b: that was such a desperate "dont tell anyone!"
1b: oh Daniel Dae Kim was also on LOST
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S1E03:
what? was Azula a little girl in the anime. seems out of place
Uncle Iroh is such a great character. I particularly like the look and mannerisms of this live action General Iroh
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S1E04:
hehe interesting twist (the king is Bumi, from Aang's flashback)
wow. Zuko giving Iroh the medal... that was emotionally heavy and well delivered
Zuko and Aangs fight in the previous episode was better than tbis fight with Bumi
hehe my cabbages
thus scene with Zuko's eye covered makes me wish Zuko's scar had looked more like a burn scar. which I alluded to
the uncommented comment is that Zuko made the honorable choice to save his uncle instead of pursuing Aang when given the choice.
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S1E05:
wow. Katara's getting good (ice discs)
hmm... was this self-deprecation laid on so thick in the cartoon series? it seems kind of annoying to hear Aang complain so much
ooo. Burn. The king corrects Azula
hahaha. takes the money and says no.
huh. he gives them some information. [I had to rewatch the scene again a couple of times to get it. what the bartender says the first time is a literal answer to seeing the Waterbenders himself]
hehe. "I'll let it pass cause your dad's kind of cute"
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S1E06:
the difference in appearance between past (pre-scar) and future (post-scar) Zuko is great (great make-up); partially the lighting, but also the facial expression (smile vs frown)
huh. an Admiral can give orders which outrank those of the Prince?
hmm. it isn't quite explained why Roku took the totem [technically he did tell Aang that it is something that Koh needs and cannot forget]
smile. "because you're so cute" (the way she says that is great)
Agni Kai.
For whatever reason. Iroh is my favorite repeat character in this series so far. Perhaps followed by Katara. Iroh for his wisdom and Katara for her development as a Waterbender
I remember practically nothing about the anime, so in particular, I don't remember who this masked person is. I would guess it's Zuko but at the same time Zuko has never displayed necessarily this ability to steathily infilitrate and take out several guards
Hmm. I would have considered calling the person's bluff. Cause why would the person kill Aang if he came to rescue Aang
Aang initiates conversation with Zuko
Goat hair.
"Compassion is a sign of weakness." (does he not know that Aang saved him)
Jeez. That's just outright abuse
That's such mixed signals. saying Zuko is weak for holding back and yet originally punished for not holding back and speaking up in the first place
Ah. It is revealed that Zuko technically saved the 41st division; they were made his crew
smile "they must have missed you at music night"
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