Animation and rarities (was 'other hobbies')

[cmoon]

Don't know whether to tell you to watch it or not, but here's the trailer for season 3 of Avatar...holy crap!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Qv7FXnIWwjc

[strobe_z]

cmoon, I'd be interested to hear what you thought were nods to Miyazaki and Empire Strikes Back. It's been a while since I watched the first 2 seasons.

One of the "small" things I really appreciate about Avatar is that they are not slaves to their character design sheets. One thing you don't often see in T.V. animation is a change of clothes (or a new hairstyle). I'm no animation expert, but I'd expect that there's an extra cost (hidden or otherwise) associated with changing the character designs - because most shows never have their main characters change their clothes.

In Avatar though, it really adds a depth to the show that is very subtle but very powerful. Kitara gets a new hairdo... Ang has a change of clothes, even Appa gets an outfit~

Not to take this recent revival of this thread "off-topic", but people often overlook the importance of building a "real world" underneath of the story in order to provide a grounding in reality. That's why Tolkein's books are so astonishing, you know it's just the very tip of the iceberg - but the weight below the water adds an astonishing amount of realism. That's one of the genius things about Peter Jackson's movie trilogy as well (love 'em or hate 'em), the little details that don't even show up on camera create the tapestry for the story.

[cmoon]

RE: Avatar

I think most the miyazaki nods are obvious and you're just toying with me

Obviously Appa is a variation of the Catbus with a bit of a totoro style face. There are a few other miyazaki-ish character designs, but by the end of season 1 there are some heavy Mononoke nods. In fact, it is funny how the culmination of season 1 very much has a Mononoke bent, while the culmination of season 2 seems to borrow the feel of Empire Strikes Back.

All that said, before I go further, let me say that SPOILERS ABOUND in the following paragraphs.

Yes, I said SPOILERS. SPOILERS, SPOILERS, SPOILERS! Do I need to say it again, I hope not.

So, yes--in season 1 the whole 'killing a god/spirit' thing felt very Mononoke to me, and the design of the giant monster koi that Ang turns into seems to be inspired by the Spirit of the Forest from Mononoke:



These may feel similar in motion than in their actual appearance. I definitely don't mean to imply one is a copy of the other, but there was definitely a feel of Mononoke that I was really enjoying. Mind you, it still felt VERY original.

The whole connection I am making with season 2 and Empire Strikes Back is occasionally very direct, but often only perceived--and certainly dependent on the way you read Empire Strikes Back. To begin with, I don't really care too much for Star Wars, but I love ESB for dealing with some pretty heavy and universal themes. The 'scoundrel' seeking redemption, the hero who must choose between his own 'spirit quest' and saving his friends. Even the nearly impossible struggle against an all-powerful 'empire'. All these themes are present in 2nd season of Avatar, but of course Avatar has its own twist on the matter; yet the emotional connection to Luke's betrayal and near destruction at the end of ESB definitely seems to be the sort of stuff that this season is made out of. And there are so many betrayals!

Obviously the most direct nod is when Aang choses to step away from his training to save Kitara--and this is done with the knowledge that it might make it impossible for Aang to win the war, and may even cost him his own life. Does Aang promise to return? I don't remember.

Of course, once you are thinking ESB, you can find more connections. You might see some parallel between the conspiracy of the Ba Sing Se and those of Cloud City, but I think that's a stretch. I do however feel the parallel between how the characters in ESB split up, and when they do so, they become weak and the empire starts picking them off. That too happens in Avatar.

All that said however, Avatar does so much more than ESP. These are just nods after all. Familiar and ready motifs to be used for their emotional effectiveness. There's nothing in ESP that gets at all close to moments like when Uncle Sokka leaves a small offering for his dead son, or when Appa returns to the deserted earth temple alone, lost and afraid. That and whatever this series is doing with Suko...wow, that's one of the most redeeming things in the show.

Oh, and lastly, to turn this into a MEGA-POST, I totally agree with you about how they feel free to change up the characters' wardrobes. Very often this seems significant, telling us of some change in the character. They use it effectively!

Anwyay, what a fantastic series. I'll have to be patient for the whole thing to come out!

[Potato]

I miss Avatar. And Sokka still doesn't know who lit Toph on fire. xD

Cmoon those images are giving me a horizontal scroll bar.

[cmoon]

Uh, massive spoilers on this one, but here's a trailer for the conclusion of Avatar (please don't click on it if you are worried about spoilers since it definitely gives away a few things I suspected would happen):

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PcJIRGCY ... /index.php

[Potato]

O_e for some reason Youtube hates me. Eh I'll just ask my friend Firesong77 what happens. lol

[cmoon]

Avatar season 3, disc 3 comes out today. Woot!

[Potato]

Where? WHERE? lol

[cmoon]

USA! USA! USA! USA!

Now all you folks enjoying things like MADMAN DVD releases without a region free dvd player are going to have to get machines that play region 1!

[Potato]

Darn you cmoon. You get to watch Avatar while I sit here & suffer. lol
But seriously.

j00 need to mek a debate section. Nao

lol

[cmoon]

Just rewatched The Last Unicorn after a long hiatus. Still a weird, partly broken movie, but where it isn't broken, it is brilliant. Moments are emotionally shattering, and other parts show off some truly great artistic efforts (beautiful backgrounds, incredible design.) Of course, the budget limits the animation itself, but not everything can (or must) be Disney.

Ultimately this film is really surprising. Not really for kids; as its themes dwell so much along the lines of melancholy and concerns of mortality. The part where the middle-aged woman sees the unicorn and curses her for never once showing up in her youth is enough to make even the most cynical viewer's eyes grow moist.

Of course, the soundtrack by America is really throw away, and some points in the film just don't work--but WHAT ELSE has done what this film has? Nothing!

This is the second time I've purchased the film (movers stole my first copy along with most of my other animated films and video games), and I don't regret the repurchase. They will never make films like this again, and a crippled film with great vision is worth a million competent yet mediocre films.

[Jeffbert]