Avatar: the Last Airbender: The Complete Book 1 – Collector’s Edition (a J!-ENT DVD Review)

June 9, 2010 by Dennis Amith 

“Avatar the Last Airbender” rocks! After watching one episode, your instantly pulled in!  Fun, humorous, addicting and action-packed!  “Avatar the Last Airbender” is one of the best animated TV series created by Americans in the last 25-years.  Highly recommended!

Images courtesy of © 2010 Viacom International Inc. All Rights Reserved.

DVD TITLE: Avatar: the Last Airbender – The Complete Book 1: Collector’s Edition

DURATION: 20 Episodes (489 Minutes)

DVD INFORMATION: Color, Full Screen, Dolby Digital – English, French and Spanish Stereo

COMPANY: Nickelodeon/Paramount

RATED: NOT RATED

RELEASE DATE: June 22, 2010

Created by Michael Dante DiMartino and Bryan Konietzko

Directed by Dave Filoni, Lauren MacMullan, Anthony Lipo, Ethan Spaulding

Written by Michael Dante DiMartino, Bryan Konietzko, Aaron Ehasz, John O’Bryan, Elizabeth Welch Ehasz, Tim Hedrick, Jameas Eagan, Pete Goldfinger, Josh Stolberg

Executive Producers: Michael Dante DiMartino, Aaron Ehasz

Co-Executive Producer: Aaron Ehasz

Line Producer: Miken Wong

Music by Jeremy Zuckerman, Benjamin Wynn

Edited by Jeff Adams

Casting by Andrea Romano, Leah Buono, Sarah Noonan, Maryanne Dacey

Art Direction: Bryan Konietzko

Featuring the voices of:

Zach Tyler as Aang

Mae Whitman as Katara

Jack De Sena as Sokka

Dee Bradley Baker as Appa & Momo

Dante Basco as Prince Zuko

Jessie Flower as Toph

Mako as Uncle Iroh

Andre Sogliuzzo as Hakoda

Jennie Kwan as Suki

Mark Hamill as Fire Lord Ozai

Jason Isaacs as Admiral Zhao

Relive from the beginning the epic saga of Avatar: The Last Airbender, the animated series that quickly became a phenomenon, creating a huge fan base that spans the globe! This newly designed limited edition 7-disc collector’s edition includes the entire Book 1: Water compilation, packed with special features, an exclusive behind-the scenes documentary and a beautifully illustrated paperback book that provides a unique, insider’s view of the amazing designs, storyboards, paintings and animation.

After watching one episode, your instantly pulled in!  Fun, humorous, addicting and action-packed!  “Avatar the Last Airbender” is one of the best animated TV series created by Americans in the last 25-years.  Highly recommended!

In 2002, Michael Dante DiMartino and Bryan Konietzko would create their animated TV series “Avatar: The Last Airbender”, a series that would premiere on Nickelodeon in 2005 and receive critical acclaim and also pulled in millions of viewers to Nickelodeon as part of their Nicktoons lineup.

The series would bring in a large fandom not only in the US but also in other countries as it would become a top rated and multi-award winning series and would end its run after the conclusion of the storyline in 2008 with a total of  61-episodes created.

With the upcoming release of “The Last Airbender” film (in US theaters on July 2nd) directed by M. Night Shyamalan, Nickelodeon is re-releasing the “Avatar: The Last Airbender” season box sets via a Collector’s Edition.

“Avatar: The Last Airbender: The Complete Book 1 – Collector’s Edition” comes in a book like slipcase.  Along with the first 20 episodes of the series and plenty of special features on six DVD’s, this version also includes an exclusive preview edition of “Avatar: The Last Airbender – The Art of the Animated Series” (50-pages) which showcases information on characters and locations but also concept design and artwork from the series.

Also, included is an exclusive bonus disc featuring a 32-minute documentary  titled “Avatar Spirits” on how two friends Michael Dante DiMartino and Bryan Konietzko would create their animated TV series “Avatar: The Last Airbender”, pitching it to Nickelodeon, working in Korea to get the animation and design for the series, visiting the fans at the conventions, the creators and staff looking back at all the hardwork into making the series a reality and more.

“Avatar: The Last Airbender” revolves around an Asia-inspired world where people who has mastered the elements such as water, earth, fire and air.  Those who can control an element are known as “benders” and the world was once peaceful until the Fire Nation wanted more power and thus began conquering other nations.

But there was supposed to be an Avatar who would control all four elements and prevent the Fire Nation from causing destruction.  But it never happened.  The Avatar was nowhere around.

Fast forward 100-years-later and the Fire Nation has caused fear and destruction around the world but for a waterbender named Katara (voiced by Nicola Peltz), she has felt that the Avatar would return.

While she and her warrior brother Sokka (voiced by Jackson Rathbone) were hunting in the frigid arctic, Katara who doesn’t have full control over her powers, gets into an accident with her brother and ends up opening this big glass ice in which a human can be seen.  As Katara breaks open the ice, she frees a air bender named Aang (voiced by Noah Ringer) and his huge flying pet named Appa.

When the two bring Aang back home to their tribe, it is learned from the tribe leader that Aang is the last airbender and that Aang is the Avatar.  Unbeknownst to Aang, Katara and Sokka (and the tribe), Prince Zuko (voiced by Dev Patel), a 16-year-old Fire Nation prince has been on exile from his father and works hard to prove to his father than he can capture the Avatar (who has not been seen for almost a century and thus his father approves of it, because it would literally be a wild goose chase).

But by luck, Prince Zuko and a few of the Fire Nation soldiers are near Katara’s village.  When Aang and Katara start messing around inside a Fire Nation vehicle, they accidentally emits a light, the tribe begins to worry that the Fire Nation soldiers are nearby and sure enough, they are.  While Aang was about to leave the village with his pet, Prince Zuko and his men threaten to hurt the village if the Avatar is not given to them.

From this point on, Ang learns that he is a wanted man and learns how the world has suffered from the Fire Nation.  But in order to be an Avatar, he will need to master the other elements to take on the Fire Lord of the Fire Nation and thus, along with his new friends Katara and Sokko, the three go on a journey to help Ang become the Avatar.

“Avatar: the Last Airbender: The Complete Book 1 – Collector’s Edition” focuses on Ang and his friends as they travel from place to place with their goal to make it to the Northern Air Temple in which Ang can master waterbending.

But chasing after them are Prince Zuko and his men but also Admiral Zhao and his armada from the Fire Nation.

VIDEO & AUDIO:

I have to admit that when “Avatar: The Last Airbender” began airing on Nickelodeon, I was wondering if this was an anime series that was just licensed.  Because it’s look, its style…it was something I have never seen in an American series, let alone an animated series on Nickelodeon.

The series is presented with four episodes on each DVD and in fullscreen.  The animators did a wonderful job in the animation for this series as there is plenty of shading and emotional reactions in the character’s faces.  Also, the background scenery is well painted and features plenty of detail for a children’s animated TV series.

It is important to note that the series does have its share of edge enhancement, some interlacing, compression and haloing at the edges but this is common on DVD. So, I’m not going to be as picky with this as I am with animation on Blu-ray releases.  The quality is good on DVD.

As for audio, the series is presented in Dolby Digital stereo (English, French and Spanish).  For an animated TV series, there is good use of sound effects and for those with a modern receiver may want to set their receiver at Stereo on All channels for a more immersive soundscape.

Subtitles are closed captions only.

SPECIAL FEATURES:

“Avatar: the Last Airbender: The Complete Book 1 – Collector’s Edition” features the following special features:

DISC 1:

• Behind-the-Scenes Kung Fu Featurette – A featurette on the Water Bending, Earth Bending, Fire Bending and Air Bending.  Each featurette is explained by Sifu Kisu, Avatar Martial Arts Expert .
  

DISC 2:

• The Making of Avatar – From Real Life to Animation – (3:59) Featuring Michael Dante DiMartino and Bryan Konietzko acting out scenes from the show.
  

DISC 3:

• Behind-the-Scenes-The Voices of Avatar – (4:34) Featuring interviews with voice talent Zach Tyler (Ang), Jack De Sena (Sokka), Dante Basco (Prince Zuko) and Dee Bradley Baker (Appa and Momo).

DISC 4:

• “Ask the Creators” Featurette – (3:04) Featuring series creators Michael Dante DiMartino and Bryan Konietzko answering questions by fans.
• Original Animatic: Chapter 15 – Uncut – (24:24) You will see the handdrawn scenes and in picture-in-picture style, you willl see the animated final product.
  

DISC 5:

• Audio Commentary for Episode 17: The Northern Air Temple – Featuring sound/music by Benjamin Wynn (1/2 of the team) and Dee Baker (voice talent of Appa and Momo).  Both talk about their experiences on working on the series.
  
• Audio Commentary for Episode 18: The Waterbending Master – Featuring series creators Michael Dante DiMartino and Bryan Konietzko with writer Aaron Ehasz discussing the creation of the episode.
• Audio Commentary for Episode 19: The Siege of the North – Part 1 - Featuring series creators Michael Dante DiMartino and Bryan Konietzko with writer Aaron Ehasz discussing the creation of the episode.
• Audio Commentary for Episode 20: The Siege of the North – Part 2 - Featuring series creators Michael Dante DiMartino and Bryan Konietzko with writer Aaron Ehasz discussing the creation of the episode.

DISC 6:

• Behind-the-Scenes with the Avatar Cast & Crew – (3:15) A Short featurette featuring the creators and the voice talent talking about the series and their characters.
  
• The Making of Avatar – Inside the Sound Studios – (6:11) Benjamin Wynn talks about how the sounds are created for the series. Jeff Kettle (Foley Engineer) talks about the foley and showing examples of how sounds are created by Foley Artist Sanaa Cannella and then utilizing those sounds on the show.
  
• Avatar Pilot Episode with Audio commentary – (15:00) Featuring series creators Michael Dante DiMartino and Bryan Konietzko talking about the original animated scenes of the pilot used to pitch the series.  NOTE:  The audio commentary is not optional, so you can’t watch the pilot without the commentary.
• The Making of Avatar – Inside the Korean Animation Studios - (25:44) Bryan Konietzko in Seoul, Korea introducing us to the folks at JM Animation who worked on the animation for the series.

EXCLUSIVE BONUS DISC:

• AVATAR SPIRITS – (32:00) A documentary on how two friends Michael Dante DiMartino and Bryan Konietzko would create their animated TV series “Avatar: The Last Airbender”, pitching it to Nickelodeon, working in Korea to get the animation and design for the series, visiting the fans at the conventions, the creators and staff looking back at all the hardwork into making the series a reality and more.

EXTRAS:

“Avatar: the Last Airbender: The Complete Book 1 – Collector’s Edition” comes with cool looking slipcase that looks like a leather hardbound book (it’s cardboard).  Included is “The Art of the Animated Series” 50-page booklet by Michael Dante DiMartino and Bryan Konietzko with cool conceptual designs, character designs, character information and more.

When I first watched “Avatar: the Last Airbender” on television, I have to admit that I thought it was an Japanese animation series that Nickelodeon licensed but to find out that it was an American production (animated in Korea), I was impressed.

But I only watched an episode and it was in 2006 when our J!-ENT press team were covering an event and the creators Michael Dante DiMartino and Bryan Konietzko were having a panel on their popular animated series that I discovered how huge the fandom for “Avatar: The Last Airbender” was.

Their panel was a success and the place was packed.  There were lines of people, many in costume (cosplay) just to see these two guys.  We interviewed many of the cosplayers who have never done anything like it before and its because they were inspired by the series and were so passionate for it.

Bare in mind, these are not just children but teenagers, young adults to people of different ages.  I was surprised.  All these people have come out and each people that we interviewed, they were just in love with the series.  Knew the details of the characters and it’s almost something that I usually have seen when covering a sci-fi or mecha anime related event.  The fans were incredible and I admit, I was impressed that I wanted to see the series.

But also surprised because even during my young adult years, when I think about Nickelodeon in the ’90s (outside of the live teen shows) and what animated series that we had back then, sure… we had “Ren & Stimpy” on Nickelodeon which attracted many young and older viewers and other animated series since then, but “Avatar: The Last Airbender” was something I have never seen on the network.

Sure, I have seen Japanese animated TV series but from an American creators, you saw superhero animated TV series capturing the attention of young and old but getting away from the superhero element, “Avatar: The Last Airbender” was quite unique and I think that’s why I thought it was a Japanese production because you just don’t see those type of animated series created in America.  Although featured on Nickelodeon, there was no sense of hokeyness or dumbing down the storyline or compromises for toy merchandise releases.  So, it was great to see the creative freedom that both Michael Dante DiMartino and Bryan Konietzko were given and it definitely paid off.  This is one season that I couldn’t stop watching because it was that good!

The series was edgy, humorous, action-packed and just very enjoyable and I had to learn it for myself of why so many people were passionate about this series and now I can understand.  From episode 1 through episode 20, there was not one bad episode.  Simply put, “Avatar: the Last Airbender” rocks!

I reviewed this series and watched it along with my seven-year-old son and we were both hooked.  In fact, this series helped give him the drive to pursue learning martial arts (which he is now in his second week of learning) and also he’s been begging me to take him to see the upcoming live-action film.   And if anything, this series really has made me excited about it.

Although just the first book, the characters and the various villages that they visit, it’s a pure adventure that is well-written, well-animated and for the most part, it’s just a fantastic series that will definitely entertain the young and the old.

It’s important to note that there was a DVD release of “Avatar: the Last Airbender: The Complete Book 1″ in 2007.  I don’t own the original 2007 DVD to make a comparison but I am aware that this collection has everything from the first release in terms of episodes and special features but also the 50-page booklet and the very cool documentary.

If anything, it’s a perfect release for those who want to get reacquainted or see the series for the first time before the live-action film.

Overall, both myself and my son were impressed by this series and we are hooked!  If you haven’t seen “Avatar: the Last Airbender”, I truly believe that it’s one of the best animated TV series shown in the US by American creators in the last 25 years.  “Avatar: the Last Airbender: The Complete Book 1 – Collector’s Edition” is highly recommended!

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