One of the better and more unbiased reviews I\'ve seen on this show. Kudos to you, mate.
@uncannybeetle: For the most part, I agree with your review, but I have a few minor quibbles:
- You made a typo in your first paragraph (you wrote "Lost" Airbender).
I'll disagree about the action being "not as good as Bleach," because the fights in Bleach were drawn out and mostly dull to watch, due to all the monologuing, flashbacks, explaining their powers to the enemy of all people, etc.
By contrast, Avatar's fight scenes are succinct, to the point, and far better choreographed (since they're motion captured). Which makes them more realistic and engaging.
And I disagree about the humor not being as "good" as the Simpson's, a show which I personally find to be crude and obnoxious. I'll take Avatar's brand of humor any day.
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Balance is the name of the game
Typically, shows, especially cartoons and anime, have one or several things that they do exceptionally well and are lacking in other areas. Basically, they stand out for very specific reasons. Avatar: The Lost Airbender is not like that. Everything Avatar does it does extremely well.
The plot may not be as good as Death Note's, the action not as good as Bleach, the humor not as good as The Simpsons, ect. But while it may not be #1 in any specific category, being #2 or 3 is still very good, and being #2 or 3 in practically every category is an incredible achievement.
While there are things to nitpick over the 61 episodes, Avatar is a show with only strengths and no weaknesses. The plot is epic, the characters are great, the humor works. It all comes together to create one of the most balanced works ever put to any screen, which is fitting for a show about restoring balance to the world.
Having this balance makes Avatar be more than the some of its parts and makes it deserve to be mentioned alongside the great cartoons and animes of all time. Even the great epic/mythical works like Star Wars and Lord of the Rings did not achieve the near-perfect balance of Avatar: The Last Airbender.
It is a true classic and one of the best works to ever follow Joseph Campbell's 'hero's journey.'