“Avatar: The Last Airbender” wasn’t made with me in mind. The American animated series premiered in 2005 on Nickelodeon, a network entirely devoted to children’s programming. Ostensibly, there was no reason for a childless adult like me to watch it — unless said adult also happened to be a lifelong anime fan. Which I am!
Shortly after Aang, the Avatar, emerged from the ice that hid him for a century, it was plain to see that this show was its own wonderful, all-ages treat. Co-creators Michael Dante DiMartino and Bryan Konietzko weren’t trying to emulate anything on Adult Swim’s anime lineup at that time, even if their affinity for Japanese animation and manga shone through each frame of their work. What stood out most was and is their profound appreciation for a grander inspirational source: the world of Studio Ghibli, brought to life by Hayao Miyazaki.
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