The Avatar: The Last Airbender franchise takes place in a fantasy world inspired primarily by East Asian cultures. This world is made up of four nations based on the four classical elements: the Air Nomads, the Earth Kingdom, the Fire Nation, and the Water Tribes. A fifth nation, the United Republic of Nations, is introduced in The Legend of Korra .
Series creators Michael Dante DiMartino and Bryan Konietzko drew from historical Asian cultures to develop a tone and style for the franchise's world. China is the predominant influence of the fantasy world, though various East Asian, South Asian, Southeast Asian and North American cultures were also incorporated. [1] Many characters in the world of Avatar have the ability to "bend", or to psychokinetically manipulate the element associated with their nationality. One individual, the Avatar, is able to bend all four elements. [2] Avatar: The Last Airbender takes place 100 years after the Fire Nation carried out a genocide against the Air Nomads. [1]
The Air Nomads were a culture that is influenced by the monastic society of Shaolin monks and Tibetan Buddhism, and the Air Nomads' conception of the Avatar is reminiscent of how Buddhists perceive the Bodhisattva. Aspects of Hinduism are also incorporated into the beliefs of the Air Nomads, including chakras and mudras. [1]
The Earth Kingdom is an expansive nation that incorporates several real-world cultures, most notably Ming dynasty and Qing dynasty of China. Ba Sing Se, the capital city of the Earth Kingdom, is based on Beijing and the Forbidden City. Kyoshi Island of the Earth Kingdom resembles feudal Japan, with the resident Kyoshi Warriors donning uniforms based on those used in kabuki theater. [1]
In the later Netflix adaptation, the city of Omashu in the Earth Kingdom resembles the medieval India.[ citation needed ]
The Fire Nation is an archipelago island country influenced by the military of Imperial Japan and the clothes and architecture of China. [1]
The Water Tribes are communities located in the polar regions, based on circumpolar peoples such as the Inuit. [1] The Southern Water Tribe is made up primarily of small villages, whereas the Northern Water Tribe contains vast cities of ice and snow.[ citation needed ]
The United Republic of Nations was founded by Avatar Aang after the end of the 100 Year War. It is a civilization described as "if Manhattan had happened in Asia," inspired by the 1920s and incorporates influences from American and European architecture from that time period. Elements of film noir and steampunk also played a significant influence. The design for the metalbending police force is based on 1920s New York City police uniforms, crossed with samurai armor.[ citation needed ]
The world-building of Avatar: The Last Airbender has been positively received. Nicole Clark of Vice Media favorably compared the world of Avatar to that of Harry Potter and to J. R. R. Tolkien's Middle-earth. [3] Christopher Mahon of Clarkesworld Magazine praised the world's evolution between Avatar: The Last Airbender and The Legend of Korra. [4]
Avatar: The Last Airbender, also known as Avatar: The Legend of Aang in some regions, is an American animated fantasy action television series created by Michael Dante DiMartino and Bryan Konietzko and produced by Nickelodeon Animation Studio.
PrinceZuko, also known as the Blue Spirit, is a fictional character in Nickelodeon's animated television series Avatar: The Last Airbender. Created by Eric Coleman and designed by series creators Michael Dante DiMartino and Bryan Konietzko, the character is voiced by Dante Basco in Avatar: The Last Airbender and Bruce Davison in The Legend of Korra, and portrayed by Dev Patel in M. Night Shyamalan's 2010 film The Last Airbender and Dallas Liu in the 2024 Netflix live-action remake series.
Katara is a fictional character in the Nickelodeon animated television series Avatar: The Last Airbender and its sequel series The Legend of Korra. The character, created by Michael Dante DiMartino and Bryan Konietzko, is voiced by Mae Whitman in the original series and Eva Marie Saint in the sequel series, The Legend of Korra. She is Chief Hakoda and Kya's daughter and Sokka's younger sister. In the 2010 live action film adaptation, she was played by Nicola Peltz, while in the live-action television series adaptation, she is portrayed by Kiawentiio.
General Iroh, credited as Uncle is a fictional character in Nickelodeon's animated television series Avatar: The Last Airbender. Created by Michael Dante DiMartino and Bryan Konietzko, the character was voiced by Mako in the first two seasons and, due to Mako's death, by Greg Baldwin in the third season and the sequel series The Legend of Korra.
Avatar Aang, or simply Aang, is the titular protagonist of Nickelodeon's animated television series Avatar: The Last Airbender, voiced by Zach Tyler Eisen. Aang was the last surviving Airbender, a monk of the Air Nomads' Southern Air Temple, and the youngest ever airbending master.
Toph Beifong is a fictional character in Nickelodeon's animated television series Avatar: The Last Airbender and The Legend of Korra, voiced by Michaela Jill Murphy in the original series and Kate Higgins as an adult and Philece Sampler as an elder in the sequel series.
The Last Airbender is a 2010 American action adventure fantasy film written, co-produced, and directed by M. Night Shyamalan. Based on the first season of the Nickelodeon animated television series Avatar: The Last Airbender (2005–08), the film stars Noah Ringer, Dev Patel, Nicola Peltz, Jackson Rathbone, Shaun Toub, Aasif Mandvi, and Cliff Curtis. The plot follows Aang, a young Avatar who must master all four elements of air, water, fire, and earth and restore balance to the world while stopping the Fire Nation from conquering the Water Tribes and the Earth Kingdom.
Lego Avatar: The Last Airbender was a Lego theme based on the Nickelodeon television show Avatar: The Last Airbender created by Michael Dante DiMartino and Bryan Konietzko. It is licensed from Nickelodeon. The theme was first introduced in June 2006. It was eventually discontinued by the end of 2007.
The Legend of Korra, also known as Avatar: The Legend of Korra, or more rarely simply as Korra, is an American adult animated fantasy action television series created by Michael Dante DiMartino and Bryan Konietzko for Nickelodeon. As a stand-alone sequel to their previous series, Avatar: The Last Airbender, which ran for three seasons from February 21, 2005, to July 19, 2008, Legend of Korra ran for 52 episodes ("chapters"), separated into four seasons ("books"), from April 14, 2012, to December 19, 2014. It has been continued as a comic book series.
Avatar Korra, commonly simply known as Korra, is the title lead character in Nickelodeon's animated television series The Legend of Korra, in which she is depicted as the current incarnation of Raava's Avatar—the spiritual embodiment of balance and change—responsible for maintaining peace and harmony in the world. She is the immediate reincarnation of Avatar Aang. The character was created by Michael Dante DiMartino and Bryan Konietzko and was voiced by Janet Varney, and by Cora Baker as a child.
Sokka is a fictional character in Nickelodeon's animated television series Avatar: The Last Airbender and its sequel series The Legend of Korra. The character, created by Michael Dante DiMartino and Bryan Konietzko, is voiced by Jack DeSena in the original series and by Chris Hardwick in the sequel series. He is a warrior of the Water Tribe and the son of Chief Hakoda and Kya. In the live-action film adaptation, he is portrayed by Jackson Rathbone, while in the live-action television series adaptation, he is portrayed by Ian Ousley.
Avatar: The Last Airbender – The Promise is a graphic novel in three parts written by Gene Yang and illustrated by Studio Gurihiru, the first in a series of graphic novel trilogies serving as both a continuation of the Avatar: The Last Airbender and a prequel to The Legend of Korra, both animated television series created by Michael Dante DiMartino and Bryan Konietzko. Part 1 was released on January 25, 2012, Part 2 was released on May 30, 2012 and Part 3 was released on September 26, 2012.
Tenzin is a major character in Nickelodeon's animated television series The Legend of Korra, which aired from 2012 to 2014. The character and the series, a sequel to Avatar: The Last Airbender, were created by Michael Dante DiMartino and Bryan Konietzko. He is voiced by J. K. Simmons. Tenzin's father, Aang, was the Avatar who preceded Korra and kept world peace by preventing the Fire Nation from taking over the world during the Hundred Year War, which occurred about seventy years before the beginning of The Legend of Korra. Tenzin's mother, Katara, greatly assisted Aang in his efforts to save the Earth Kingdom from destruction. Tenzin is the youngest of the three children of Aang and Katara.
The Avatar: The Last Airbender comics are an official continuation of the original Nickelodeon animated television series, Avatar: The Last Airbender, created by Michael Dante DiMartino and Bryan Konietzko. The series includes The Lost Adventures, published from 2005 to 2011 and set between episodes of the original series, and the graphic novel trilogies, published since 2012 and set a few years after the original series. A related comic continuation, taking place seven decades later, The Legend of Korra, began publication in 2017.
Zaheer is a recurring character in Nickelodeon's animated television series The Legend of Korra. He serves as the main antagonist of Book Three: Change, and his actions have lingering effects on Avatar Korra and the series' plot in the following book. The character was created by Michael Dante DiMartino and Bryan Konietzko and is voiced by Henry Rollins. The character was well received by critics as a complex and intimidating villain.
Avatar: The Last Airbender is an American multimedia franchise created by Michael Dante DiMartino and Bryan Konietzko. The franchise began with the Avatar: The Last Airbender, which aired on Nickelodeon from 2005 to 2008. The series is set in an Asian-inspired fantasy world in which some people can telekinetically manipulate one of the four classical elements: air, water, earth, or fire. Only the titular "Avatar" can bend all four elements and is responsible for maintaining balance in the world.
Avatar: The Last Airbender – The Rise of Kyoshi is an American fantasy novel and the first young adult novel written by American authors F.C. Yee and Avatar co-creator Michael Dante DiMartino in the Chronicles of the Avatar novel series, published in July 2019. It is based on the character Kyoshi and the Avatar franchise created by Michael Dante DiMartino and Bryan Konietzko. It is a New York Times bestseller.
Avatar: The Last Airbender is an American adventure fantasy television series developed by Albert Kim for Netflix. It is a live-action adaptation of the animated television series created by Michael Dante DiMartino and Bryan Konietzko for Nickelodeon. The series stars an ensemble cast including Gordon Cormier, Kiawentiio, Ian Ousley, Dallas Liu, Paul Sun-Hyung Lee, Ken Leung, and Daniel Dae Kim.
Avatar Legends: The Roleplaying Game is a fantasy tabletop role-playing game produced by Magpie Games. It is set in the world of the animated television series Avatar: The Last Airbender and The Legend of Korra, and takes place in five different time periods. It sees players take the roles of martial artists, technological experts, or benders – people who can manipulate one of the four classical elements – who fight for balance in the world while also working towards their own goals and struggling with inner balance, represented by opposing ideals held by a character.