I know what you're thinking... maybe...
If it's anything remotely along the lines of what I'm thinking of it's, “Oh my God, they're going to destroy another one of my wonderful childhood memories.”
Remember Street Fighter? How about Dragonball Z? What about Death Note, ring a bell? Yes I know, live action movies based off of anime series don't really have a very good... uh, well, even decent reputation. However I'm hoping and hanging on to the idea that since Avatar is a western animation and really not Japanese, that watching it will be a good memory to recall... and not something that makes me want to cry myself to sleep.
If it's anything remotely along the lines of what I'm thinking of it's, “Oh my God, they're going to destroy another one of my wonderful childhood memories.”
Remember Street Fighter? How about Dragonball Z? What about Death Note, ring a bell? Yes I know, live action movies based off of anime series don't really have a very good... uh, well, even decent reputation. However I'm hoping and hanging on to the idea that since Avatar is a western animation and really not Japanese, that watching it will be a good memory to recall... and not something that makes me want to cry myself to sleep.
While reading about this movie, due to come out in 2010, one thing did strike me as rather odd. This is that some of the characters, so obviously NOT Caucasian are portrayed by white actors and actresses. Now don't get me wrong, I'm not a 'Since it's anime everyone must be Asian.' Nazi, however I do feel that skin tone and environment should play it's part, or that obvious racial traits, traits that point to a character not being white, should be taken into account. Once again I feel the need to bring up Dragon Ball Z.
C'mon he's totally Asian. Give me a freakin break.
So what do you think, care to compare and contrast? Is this just a modest attempt at getting good actors... or is it an avoidance of an interracial cast? I'll post some character comparisons and you can be the judge.
So what do you think, care to compare and contrast? Is this just a modest attempt at getting good actors... or is it an avoidance of an interracial cast? I'll post some character comparisons and you can be the judge.
Starting with Katara and Soka, both siblings from a tribe in the north, the habitat could be easily compared to an arctic tundra and tools, clothing styles, and physical traits could be compared to the Inuits. 
(Sokka pic taken from daemonsmovies.com) 
I don't know, it just confuses me, why did the director pick white kids to play the part of obviously Not white people? It's like Fat Albert being played by a Mexican.... it just doesn't work.
Lets move on to the fire benders, with their pale skin, clothing, hair styles, and dark black eyes, it's only natural to assume that these characters are Asian. Guess what? They're actually portrayed by (I'm pretty sure they're the only race in this movie other than Caucasian) people from Indian descent. Check out the main character Zuko.
(… wow, surprisingly, that works pretty well...)
Last but not least there's Aang, whose culture (as a monk) can be related to the Tibetans or the Chinese, but whose looks are actually pretty Caucasian, guess what? He's played by a white boy (or maybe it is an Asian kid...) and it works! 
Okay so maybe it would have worked better if he was making a facial expression, it looks like the fire nation actually caught him and decided to take mugshots... but whatever, I just hope that I'm not going to be let down by this movie, even just plot-line wise, like many others before it. 
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