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Once in a while, it's nice to revisit shows and movies you watched as a young child, if nothing else to see what easily entertained you back then. For me, one of these movies from my early childhood was Scamper the Penguin, a 1988 animated film released in North America under the Feature Films For Families banner.
Until recently, I didn't realize it was actually animated partially in Japan (Enoki Films, to be exact). Part of it was also animated in Russia, courtesy of Souyzmult Film. Watching it again, despite many years of animation expertise under my belt, it was actually very difficult to tell which sections came from which countries. It was pretty homogeneous, which I guess is a good thing for consistency's sake, but it also means the visual tropes of both countries don't really come through and it looks and moves rather generically as a result. One could even look at this movie and not realize it was animated in Japan and Russia without looking at the credits.
That doesn't mean the animation quality is bad (as it's quite fluid in places), but it does have a certain conservative nature to it. You won't find the rubbery squash and stretch of Disney, and the attention to detail seen in many anime, especially theatrical works, is pretty slim as well, outside of the water effects. The penguins are adorable, though, and to that end, the animators and character designer succeeded.
The movie stars a young blue penguin named Lolo (renamed "Scamper" for the U.S. release- more on that release below) who is optimistic and curious. That curiosity frequently gets him into trouble, especially when he tries to prove how brave he is to shy girl penguin Pepe (renamed "Snowflake"), who has a crush on him. The movie is basically a series of sketches where Lolo wanders away from the pack, is scolded by his parents when he returns, and proceeds to forget about the lesson he just learned and gets lost again. In that sense, the movie has a rather disjointed and somewhat repetitive in quality, though things do get better once Lolo and Pepe find themselves adrift at sea and are picked up by a poacher's boat, unsure of how to get back home.
As I mentioned above, the movie was edited a bit for U.S. release. The orchestral music by Masahito Maruyama (also known for Superbook) was replaced by an electronic score by Mark Mercury, under his performing name "Bullets". The original soundtrack wasn't anything amazing, but one glaring downside to the English music is the array of corny songs sung by background voices and peppered into various scenes. I found myself fast-forwarding until they were over, which I shouldn't have to do if the songs were entertaining like in, for example, Aladdin. Oh, and the female narrator is too cheery, like she's reading a book to little kids. The narrator in the original Russian version was male and a bit more "nature documentary"-ish, which makes the movie more accessible if you're an adult.
The movie was edited as well. Some scenes of violence too much for the kiddies were removed, and supposedly, Lolo's father is actually killed in the original movie. But you wouldn't know it, because that's gone in the U.S. version. It's funny; knowing his fate beforehand, it's amusing to note that after a certain point in the movie, we never see Lolo's father again. I guess he just decided to step aside and give Lolo the spotlight for the rest of the film, eh? Sorry, no. But don't tell the kids that; they might have to face the unthinkable concept of death.
Which leads me to my point. It would be interesting to see a U.S. DVD of the original, uncut version, as released in the U.K. They could even put both versions of the film on the same disc so one could compare the two, similar to the 2006 re-release of Street Fighter 2: The Animated Movie. It would at least allow the creators' original visions to be made available. It would also give parents an option of which they'd prefer to show their kids. And if they really wanted to go the extra mile, the original Russian audio track could be included, allowing one to compare the music and voices with the English version. The subtitles would make for a great reading tool for the kids, too.
So, how does Scamper the Penguin hold up? Well, despite my criticisms of it, I can't truly hate the film. Yes, part of that is likely due to nostalgia, but the rest is due to the film nailing other aspects. Namely, the day-to-day dangers that real penguins face. There's a scene early in the movie where we see sea birds wait for opportunities to snatch unhatched penguin eggs, and we see the consequences of leaving the nest unguarded, even for a second. These types of scenes almost have a March of the Penguins documentary feel to them, in that the sea birds aren't characterized as evil; they're just hard-wired to steal eggs. The movie presents this (and other moments) matter-of-factly, despite playing up the drama of the situation.
It's a little thing, but I also like how the film didn't portray all humans as evil or cruel to animals. Sure, the poachers in the later half of the movie fit that bill, but there's also an Antarctic scientist who is kind to Lolo and whose dog, Cowboy, makes sure he and Pepe make it back to the flock safely. Such a broad stroke can be quite annoying, so it was nice to see humans, both good and bad, represented.
Also, for those weary of sarcasm and pop culture references, Scamper is void of either. Normally, I like my entertainment to have a bit of an edge to it, but at the same time, it's refreshing to very occasionally watch an innocent, wholesome film, sort of taking me back to a time when I wasn't so jaded and saw films with a fresh viewpoint. Scamper the Penguin fits that category. It's harmless entertainment for the really young set.
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The Anime Expo 2010 adventure continued on Friday. I started the day at the Geneon Universal industry panel which I recapped in another story. Geneon is now back under the banner of Universal International Pictures. Attendees received a fancy bag that also featured a Japanese anime preview magazine. Now, if only I knew Japanese.
ANIME PREVIEW - BLACK LAGOON 3: ROBERTA'S BLOOD TRAIL
The first of the new OVA's for the popular Black Lagoon series premiered at Anime Expo this year. This was the original Japanese version with English subtitles. Roberta's Blood Trail starts with a "quick and dirty" refresher of the events thus far in the story. The story then flashes back to Vietnam in the late 1960's before jumping ahead to the mid-1990's. The catalyst of Roberta's Blood Trail is the assassination by an American NSA team of a South American politician. This incites the politician's blood-thirsty assassin, Roberta, to go on a killing spree for those responsible. The politician's young son hires the Lagoon mercenary team of Rock, Revy, Benny, and Dutch to stop Roberta. The OVA included a sequence where Rock and Revy go to a local watering hole to get information from a contact. A young maid and protege of Roberta, Fabiola, visits the bar while Revy and Rock exchange information with local drug cartel members. The cartel gangsters take Fabiola captive but not for long. Fabiola commits one of the nastiest violent acts imaginable, and soon all hell breaks loose in an action packed shootout. Meanwhile, Roberta starts tracking down the assassins who killed her master and dispatches them in brutal fashion, which could possibly cause an international incident and a world war.
The action sequences and violence in this show are fantastic. The main characters are rather amoral and the story operates in a very grey area, but this one of the show's more appealing facets. None of the characters are one-note or cookie cutter. However, the notable female characters are insanely sadistic, violent, and aggressive -- almost to a stereotypical degree. But in a way it's refreshing to see such ruthless, vengeful, and cunning female characters. The women of Black Lagoon are not typical demure, blushing anime heroines. While Black Lagoon is loads of fun, at times the exposition and talking scenes are rather clunky, confusing, and contrived. This could be due to the English subtitle translation and my lack of understanding Japanese. But by the end of the first OVA episode, when the Lagoon mercenaries are hired for a job, you have no idea what they were hired to do. The scene is meant to be pivotal to move the story along, but it came off poorly. As with many Studio Madhouse shows, the animation production is a bit of a mixed bag. The character designs, locations, and settings are very well done. The action sequences look great and have an amazing sense of kinetic movement. At other times, the production values and animation look a little sloppy with some cut corners, which is sometimes the case with Madhouse shows. Still Black Lagoon 3 looks like it will be a must see if you enjoy hard boiled action stories.
ANIME PREVIEW - EDEN OF THE EAST
Following the screening of Black Lagoon 3, Funimation screened the first four episodes of the English dub of Eden of The East, a series produced by Production I.G., from anime director Kenji Kamiyama (Ghost In The Shell: Stand Alone Complex; Blood: The Last Vampire). The story focuses on a Japanese college student, Saki Morimi (Leah Clark), who travels to Washington D.C. and runs into a naked Japanese man carrying a gun and a strange cellphone, Akira Tokizawa (Jason Liebrecht). Akira has absolutely no memory of who he is and gets dragged into a case of suspense and intrigue with Saki. Eden of The East is a heady, dramatic mystery-thriller anime that looks and feels completely unique. Kamiyama continues to improve exponentially as a storyteller, and quite possibly is the best director in the industry today. The story has a melancholy, almost somber tone, but there are still some wacky bits of humor and levity. Saki and Akira are both likable characters. Akira is far from the typical anime protagonist in that he's very confident and sure of himself despite being an amnesiac. Saki appears to be an average Japanese girl, but the story hints a personal background that could turn out to be a Freudian nightmare. The English dub directed by Mike McFarland is extremely high quality. The English voice cast also features non-Texas talent such as Stephanie Sheh who plays Saki's friend, Mikuru, and Michael Sinterniklaas as Saki's friend, Satoshi, who McFarland brought in for the show. The production design for the series is amazing. It looks like the animation team used photo realistic locations of actual cities like Washington D.C. and Tokyo and washed over the paint of the backgrounds. This technique gives the backgrounds the resemblance of a water-color look. The series also includes some rather complex imagery, such as the creation of an imitated picture of 9/11 Ground Zero by Saki and Akira. Eden of The East will be released in a complete series DVD boxset on September 28.
FUNIMATION INDUSTRY PANEL
FUNimation's marketing manager, Adam Sheehan, moderated the panel in front of a jam-packed Petree Hall (seats 1,500 people) and introduced FUNimation's release slate, new titles, and acquisition for the rest of 2010 and the coming year. Later this year, FUNimation will continue its anime simulcasts with Black Butler II, Sekirei 2, Shiki, Legend of Legendary Heroes, and also the live action movie version of Moyashimon. FUNimation also announced some rescued licensing DVD rights from Geneon including: Serial Experiments Lain; Texhnolyze; Hellsing TV; Armitage 3; Aoi Yori Aoshi; Habane Renmei; and the entirety of Tenchi in animation. New pickups for Funimation include: Toaru Majutsu no Index and Index's spinoff series Toaru Kagaku no Railgun; Hellsing Ultimate OVA V - VII (AN: FINALLY!); Hetalia: Axis Powers; Master of Martial Arts; Darker Than Black Season 2; and Black Lagoon 3: Roberta's Trail of Blood. In addition, FUNimation officially announced the US acquisition of Shakugan no Shana Season 2, the Shana movie, and OVA -- all set for a 2011 release. New trailers were shown for Master of Martial Arts, which basically looks like another Ikki Tousen anime with girls who fight and rip off each other's clothes. Hetalia: Axis Powers looks like an outrageous comedy series about riffing the countries involved in World War II. Sheehan stated that all FUNimation acquisitions will continue to be released with an English dub.
At one point, a fan dressed as Vash The Stampede delivered a DVD to show to the audience. You probably guessed right. FUNimation announced the acquisition of Trigun: Badlands Rumble. During the panel, FUNimation played a new trailer and announced a special screening of the movie with English subtitles for day three of the Anime Expo. This was a good panel, because FUNimation was very enthusiastic in the presentation. Despite the struggles the anime industry still currently faces, as a company, FUNimation conveys a tone filled with optimism and progress. At the biggest anime convention, that is quite significant. FUNimation encouraged fans to take its online survey to help expand the FUNimation Channel. Sheehan concluded the panel with a Q&A session with attendees, and presented a list of topics that FUNimation could not answer at the time. Sheehan revealed that a limited US theatrical release is planned for the Trigun movie. Sheehan and FUNimation brand manager, Lance Heiskell, confirmed that the Production I.G. anime series, Sengoku Basara, will be released on DVD and Blu-ray on September 21. FUNimation acquired the US DVD release rights for Sengoku Basara in 2009.
I concluded the day by attending the Aniplex Inc. industry panel. Representatives of Aniplex announced the companies plans to start releasing and distributing anime titles in the US including Durara!! which will be released here in the US in 2011 with an English dub as well. According to Aniplex, there are unfortunately no current plans to re-release the Gurren Lagann movies with the Gurren Lagann anime series' English voice cast. Aniplex has also set up an English US website for their expansion and titles that are released in the US.
Earlier in the day I also managed to visit Nabeshin's autograph signing. I bought one of his manga format autobiography books which he personally signed for me. Afro senshi!
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ANIME EXPO 2010
The largest anime convention of the year, Anime Expo, hit the Los Angeles Convention Center for the July Fourth weekend. I was live in attendance, so here is what went down on Thursday, day one of the convention. The day stated off well with a trivia contest at the Gundam 31st Anniversary panel. I won this Tallgeese III model by correctly answering a question about the real name of Zechs in Gundam Wing (in case you're wondering, it's Milliardo Peacecraft).
SHINICHI "NABESHIN" WATANABE PANEL
Shinichi Watanabe, better known as Nabeshin, is the afro-wearing anime director behind such fantastic shows as Excel Saga, Nerima Daikon Bros. , and Tenchi Muyo: GXP. Nabeshin has also provided voice work for the aforementioned anime, usually as an anime-counterpart also named Nabeshin. Nabeshin was impressed with the number of people in attendance at the panel -- especially all the cute girls. Nabeshin invited all the cute girls in the auditorium to come visit him at his hotel room later. Next, Nabeshin answered questions from the fans and provided some fantastic hilarious answers. A cosplaying fan in the audience had a giant, genuine afro which impressed Nabeshin. According to Nabeshin, one day God granted Nabeshin the power of the "Afro;" but since God is sometimes a little mean, Nabeshin still must give his hair a perm. Another topic concerned getting through airport security and customs with all the weapons in Nabeshin's afro. A female fan asked when the series, The Wallflower, directed by Nabeshin, would be released on DVD in the US. The audience responded that the show was already released here. Then Nabeshin asked the girl in English, "Do you know DVD?" Nabeshin physically described what a DVD is and he explained how it works. You had to be there. Nabeshin also handed out tickets for his autograph signing and invited fans to come. Nabeshin's interpreter informed attendees that Nabeshin would be selling his autobiography, told in manga format, at his autograph booth.
BANDAI INDUSTRY PANEL
Representatives of Bandai Entertainment discussed their upcoming release slate. To be honest, the Bandai panel was somewhat dull and negative. I can definitely understand that the industry is struggling right now, but the anime industry is not the only one experiencing hardship. The representatives of Bandai were not at all enthusiastic, and came off like they wanted to be anywhere but at the panel and creating a dialogue with fans. They plugged the DVD release of The Melancholy of Haruhi Suzimiya Season 2, which will be released in the US on August 10. Voice actress Christina Vee, came out in costume as Haruhi to sing the opening theme song for the second season in English. Bandai also announced that it would release the comedy omake supplement series to Haruhi,Haruhi-Chan; they then previewed some humorous clips of the English dub. Also announced was the US release for the feature movie, The Disappearance of Haruhi Suzumiya. Bang Zoom is producing the English dub for the movie, and the English voice cast for the series will all return to reprise their roles. According to Bandai, the US DVD release for the movie is still pending. For new releases, Bandai officially announced the US licensing for the anime series, K-On, and played the series opening. This was followed by another appearance of Christina Vee, this time cos-playing as K-On's Mio to sing the opening theme song in English. Voice actress Stephanie Sheh briefly joined the panel to talk about working on the English dub for Gundam Unicorn, which was promoted and previewed at the convention. Bandai did a Q&A session before concluding the panel.
ROBOTECH 25TH ANNIVERSARY PANEL
Harmony Gold creative director Tommy Yune and much of the cast and crew behind the original Robotech, including Richard Epcar and Rebecca Forstadt, attended the Robotech panel. The mood was bittersweet due to the recent untimely passing of the father and story editor of Robotech, Carl Macek. The panel reflected on the memories of working with Macek on the original series, when many were first starting to work on animation and voice-over for the first time in their careers. Tommy Yune also announced a new Robotech animated project that will hopefully finally continue the story from the end of Robotech: The Shadow Chronicles. Some still were shown depicting Sarah, a character from the Robotech: New Generation series that was not in Shadow Chronicles. Special prizes were given out to fans who asked questions during the Q&A session.
ANIME EXPO CONVENTION COMINGS AND GOINGS
Over the last few years, the Anime Expo exhibit hall has attracted fewer companies to represent their products at the booths. Staff are more disorganized and confused than ever, especially when it comes to autograph signings. I'm not sure what is so difficult about putting up a sign with times and labels to indicate who is expected to sign and when. San Diego Comic Con is able to do this. Interestingly enough the streaming anime website Crunchyroll, who had the largest booth at the convention last year, was nowhere to be seen. FUNimation slimmed down their booth a little bit and decided to forego the interactive attraction such as the "host club" in 2008 and the "classroom" in 2009. Instead, FUNimation provided attendees with a viral scavenger hunt across the entire exhibit hall in order to promote the new anime series, Eden of The East. Aniplex and Bandai shared their own booth together close by. Viral marketing and anime is a ginchy combination. Dealers were there in full force. As a newly minted gigantic fan of Kamen Rider, I noticed these awesome Twist Action Form figures for Kamen Rider I brought from an excellent dealer:
DEN-O! And let's not forget Ryuki and Knight!
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To mark the release of M. Night Shyamalan's The Last Airbender live-action movie, the staff of Toonzone News came together to name their picks for a "Best. Episode. Ever!" dedicated to the original Avatar: The Last Airbender animated series.
The rest of this article assumes you're already seen the show, and contains spoilers. Loads of 'em. We're talking spoilers for the episodes, spoilers for the seasons, spoilers for the whole honking show to date. We ain't kidding. If you haven't seen Avatar yet, bookmark this page, go start now, and come back when you're done.
Click any video clip to play a brief segment from the episode. Video clips require Apple QuickTime or Adobe Flash to play.
Neo Yi's Choice: "The Waterbending Master" (Episode 118)
Written by: Michael Dante DiMartino
Directed by: Giancarlo Volpe
Plot Synopsis:
Aang, Katara, and Sokka finally reach the North Pole to a hero's welcome. However, the Waterbending master Pakku refuses to teach Katara, exiling her to the healer's huts. Elsewhere, Sokka is smitten by the teenaged Princess Yue.
Why I Love It:
I’m going to make a confession. I hate the episode "The Warriors of Kyoshi". Avatar passes the Bechdel Test with flying colors, so the fact that this episode exists is one of Avatar's rare moments of intolerance. It’s yet another mandated life lesson on why girls must prove their worth to stubborn boys—an unfortunate cliché in children’s cartoons. I always found this to be a poor approach on handling feminism because it promotes the idea that females must actively seek out the respect of men in order to change their minds. And yet, I love “The Waterbending Master,” which may look like it employs a similar structure, but there are several key differences to explain why I hate the first and love the second.
Sokka was raised to believe all men were the hunters, gatherers, and warriors, while women sewed, cooked, and raised family. Suki had to prove herself by outsmarting him with her techniques and getting him to undergo her training. It's ambiguous how different the gender restrictions of the Southern Water Tribe are from the North, but it must mean something that Katara and Sokka’s grandmother Kana journeyed to the South to escape the North. A flashback in Season 3's “The Southern Raiders” showed female Waterbenders of the Southern Water Tribe in battle alongside men, pulling off combat techniques that the North would have refused to teach. And her father, Chief Hakoda is clearly very pleased of Katara’s growth and progress. He does not seem to mind at all that she learned to Waterbend, including fighting techniques as well as healing ones.
In contrast, Master Pakku did not accept this no matter what the circumstances, since he was committed to the customs and rules of the Northern Water Tribe. Sokka’s sexism can be seen as the standards of an immature, still-developing one-note teenager who sees men with weapons and immediately assumes that’s what men do. Pakku’s sexism seems rooted in his belief in tradition and a different—possibly older—standard of living. Simply put, he was the product of his generation as much as Katara is of hers. It was through Katara’s convenient necklace that he finally changes his mind. After sixty years, he realized that the very necklace he carved for his then-betrothed was a chain that finalized her decision to escape the torments of her straitjacketed gender role. As a result, Katara ultimately completes the change in him that her grandmother started. She didn’t have to prove anything for him; he gladly accepted her when he realized he was about to make the same mistakes twice.
Sokka openly mocked the concept of women warriors. Pakku merely stuck to the laws and culture of the tribe he lived in. Sokka had to be convinced; Pakku realized the errors of his ways. He wasn’t terrible for believing in what he was raised to consider a social norm, and he can’t be blamed for wishing to stick with the ideals that he grew up and had grown used to. As a result, "The Waterbending Master" takes a marvelous, different approach to gender issues by subverting its expectations: Pakku isn’t the evil Katara paints him out to be and she didn’t dramatically change the world with her beliefs. They both found a way to compromise to create the best of both worlds, with both walking away with dignity.
Dens Maris' Choice: "Zuko Alone" (Episode 207)
Written by: Elizabeth Welch Ehasz
Directed by: Lauren MacMullan
Plot Synopsis:
Alone and adrift in the Earth Kingdom, Prince Zuko stumbles on a town run with an iron fist by a gang of Earth Kingdom soldiers. He befriends a young boy and his family while remembering events of his childhood past.
Why I Love It:
I kept thinking after seeing it that "Zuko Alone" was one of those episodes that would floor me on a first viewing and then bore on a rewatch. However, stylistically and structurally, the episode is the best of Season 2 and thus probably the best of the series. Ironically, the title character does not once appear in the episode.
For once, Zuko doesn't have the benefit of Iroh to provide a sensitive viewpoint on his character, and he certainly doesn't talk about himself much, so it's left to the impressions of total strangers and his own memories to understand his mental state. I think my favorite bit in the entire episode is at the beginning, where he considers robbing a traveler at swordpoint for his dinner, but relents when he sees the traveler's pregnant wife. It's one of many ways that implication and suggestion are especially powerful throughout this episode. Another is Zuko's recollection of his mother's farewell and his father's total silence and lack of acknowledgment when he asked what had happened. It is one of the most haunting sequences I've seen in animation, and clearly still haunts Zuko as a character.
I also have to praise the writers' skill with handling Azula at a younger age in a way that does not try to sand off her edges. Her expression of mild surprise when they receive word of Lu Ten's death; her bullying reaction to Ty Lee doing a somersault better than her; the way she snorts and casts away Iroh's gift from the front—all of them imply a steadily burgeoning rip from compunctions that we know will vanish completely once their mother Ursa vanishes. Perhaps those compunctions disappear because Ursa vanishes.
Finally, "Zuko Alone" also shows how difficult it is for a regular human combatant, even one as skilled in swordplay as Zuko, to fight a bender. The good guys beat down non-benders left and right, so it's nice to see it from the opposite perspective here, and the way it's done adds a very artful kind of tension in a genre known for action-heavy fights. Here, Zuko is trying to avoid the fireworks for a change. But as has always been the case for him, life won't let him hide who he is, and it still won't let him feel any appreciation for his effort and noble intentions. The last shot is horribly cliché, but the shot before it of his face as he rides off is good enough for me to pardon it: eyes straight ahead, unsurprised—and undaunted—to be left on his own once again.
Ed Liu's Choice: "Tales of Ba Sing Se" (Episode 215)
Written by: Joann Estoesta & Lisa Wahlander (Toph/Katara), Andrew Huebner (Iroh), Gary Scheppke (Aang), Lauren MacMullan (Sokka), Katie Matilla (Zuko), and Justin Ridge & Giancarlo Volpe (Momo)
Directed by: Ethan Spaulding
Plot Synopsis:
A day in the life in the sprawling Earth Kingdom capital city of Ba Sing Se, as seen through the eyes of seven of the Avatar cast members.
Why I Love It:
This quiet anthology episode was one of Avatar's greatest successes, demonstrating that the characters on the show had grown and developed to a point where an episode could do nothing but follow them around just to see what happens. It also serves as a temporary oasis of calm between the hectic events of the previous 5 episodes and the buildup of the final 5 to this season's big conclusion.
Of the stories that compose this episode, the tales of Toph & Katara and Aang are probably the least substantial. The Toph/Katara episode is redeemed largely for a wonderful acting job near the end, when Jesse Flower lets Toph's tough façade crack just a tiny bit, revealing her statements to be more rationalization than truth. Aang's tale is notable for the soundtrack contributions of the Track Team, which transforms a relatively trivial event into a moment of tremendous import. His tale also gives a nice demonstration of his growing confidence as an Earthbender. Sokka's tale, where he attempts to impress a gaggle of girls in an improvisational haiku competition, pulls off quite an impressive trick by managing to make him look smart while still staying true to his buffoonish persona. Besides, you have to love how all but three lines of the dialogue are in haiku.
Momo's episode is the one that most obviously ties in to the larger Season 2 plot, but it's a wonderful sequence that doesn't rely on a stitch of dialogue. It is also the one that changes tone the most often, managing comedy, action, and even a palpable sense of affection in its short duration. As a bonus, it also features the return of "Momo-cam," last seen in Season 1's "The Blue Spirit." Zuko's story beautifully expresses his growing internal conflict through the vehicle of a date with a girl. This story couldn't have happened before this point in the season; earlier than this and he'd have spurned the date entirely, but later than this and his conflict might have been resolved too soon. It highlights his fundamental decency, as he uses his Firebending skills for something non-destructive (possibly for the first time in the entire series) and he is clearly trying not to hurt the feelings of his date Jin, even though he ultimately fails. Compare this to his selfish actions earlier this season in "The Cave of Two Lovers."
However, the real gem of this episode is Uncle Iroh's story. I've always felt that Uncle Iroh was the role of a lifetime for the late Mako, and this short story is an exhibition why in microcosm. Mako turns in a marvelously sensitive and beautiful performance as Iroh goes shopping to commemorate a very special day properly, and while his actions don't look like anything more than a show his compassion for others, they all add up for a powerful emotional wallop by the end. I am always especially impressed at the way that his song to cheer up a crying Earth Kingdom boy echoes at the end to mean something completely different, and the emotional impact of the moment has not lessened even after repeated viewings.
Lelouch's Choice: "The Crossroads of Destiny" (Episode 220)
Written by: Aaron Ehasz
Directed by: Michael Dante DiMartino
Plot Synopsis:
Aang, Zuko, and Azula's plot threads finally collide in the Season 2 finale, as Princess Azula's plan to overthrow the Earth Kingdom city of Ba Sing Se is set into motion, catching Aang, Katara, Sokka, and Toph in the middle and leaving their only potential allies to be Uncle Iroh and Prince Zuko.
Why I Love It:
There are many reasons why "The Crossroads of Destiny" is my favorite episode from Avatar, but perhaps the biggest is the sheer amount of shock, excitement and emotion the last few minutes bring the viewer. For its duration, "The Crossroads of Destiny" does a fantastic job building up suspense and keeping every viewer on the edge of their seats. Much of this comes from the surprising connection that develops between Zuko and Katara, both captured by Azula's forces carrying out their coup d'etat of the Earth Kingdom. During these moments, there is a glimmer of hope for Zuko’s character and it actually looks as though he may finally join the right side, but that hope is soon tested when Azula appears.
Azula has quite a few moments in the series where she shines for being both ruthless and cunning at the same time. That moment in "The Crossroads of Destiny" comes when she skillfully tells the truth to Zuko, admitting she cannot defeat Aang and Katara alone and manipulating him into joining her to take down the Avatar. The fighting that ensues is nothing short of pure awesome, with both sides evenly matched.
Like Zuko, Aang also has to make a difficult choice between mastery of the powerful Avatar State or the people he loves. Earlier, he opted for those he loved, but that choice is forced on him again in the heat of the moment when Zuko and Azula bring him and Katara to the cusp of defeat. This is where the episode truly takes hold of the viewer. When Aang finally makes his choice and achieves the Avatar State, things immediately start to look better for our heroes, but those hopes are dashed in an instant with a bolt of lightning from Azula, defeating Aang and causing our heroes to flee. The Earth King delivers a perfect line that truly captures the emotion of the scene, stating “The Earth Kingdom...has fallen.”
Avatar used cliffhangers a few times, but this episode provided easily the biggest jaw-dropper yet. Perhaps the shock came in part because it was the end of the season, meaning a longer than normal wait for the next episode, but perhaps it was also partially because all hope really looked lost for Aang and company for the first time in the series. The way the excitement, drama and action throughout "The Crossroads of Destiny" builds up to such a powerful final moment makes it my best episode ever.
The Huntsman's Choice: Sokka's Master (Episode 304)
Written by: Tim Hedrick
Directed by: Giancarlo Volpe
Plot Synopsis:
Dejected at being the only non-bender in the group, Sokka begins studying with the Fire Nation master swordsman Piandao.
Why I Love It:
As interesting as the benders were in the series, I always found myself drawn more to the non-benders such as Sokka. Despite being outclassed by most opponents and being the least helpful in a fight, he demonstrated immense strength throughout the series in his perseverance to save the world. Unfortunately, he was little more than the butt of jokes in many episodes, but several episodes in the series allowed him to reach his full potential. "Sokka’s Master" was one of them.
In this episode, we got to see a different side of Sokka. Finally realizing that he just doesn’t cut the mustard on a team full of benders, he seeks out a master swordsman in order to become a more productive member of the team. I appreciated how he managed to incorporate Master Piandao’s lessons while still remaining true to himself, and while it seems unlikely that he could have become so much better after a mere two days, I felt that his transformation made the series better. Besides, it seems to me that Sokka always had what it took to be a great warrior; Piandao merely had to help him gain enough discipline to be true to himself and make full use of his talents. His final test was particularly beautiful, in both the choreography of the fight and the reasons for it.
Yet what I like most about this episode are the few scenes involving Iroh, now a shadow of his former self, slowly losing his sanity in a Fire Nation dungeon. Or at least seeming to. I was always fond of Iroh, but seeing him easily deceive the guards while undergoing a workout regimen that would make Schwarzenegger blush was one of the best things that I have ever seen in the series and it made me excited for what was to come.
This episode was easily my favorite episode in the entire series. It provided some substantial development for a character who crucially needed it and managed to be both comedic and dramatic at the perfect times. The only real complaint that I have is that it took until Season 3 for an episode like this to happen.
GWOtaku's Choice: Day of Black Sun (Episodes 310-311)
Written by: Michael Dante DiMartino (Episode 310) and Aaron Ehasz (Episode 311)
Directed by: Giancarlo Volpe (Episode 310) and Joaquim Dos Santos (Episode 311)
Plot Synopsis:
On the day of a solar eclipse, which robs Firebenders of their powers, Aang seeks out Firelord Ozai to end the war while his friends spearhead a ragtag invasion force battling their way through the Fire Nation capital city. Zuko comes to a fateful decision. And why is Azula still so confident?
Why I Love It:
In my judgment, "Day of Black Sun" from Book 3 belongs in any conversation about the best that Avatar has to offer. The solar eclipse that drives this episode has been coming since Book 2, and the battle is appropriately momentous as many characters from the past two seasons show up to do their part. While Katara takes a back seat, the children are still the stars here though. Toph is her usual competent self and Aang is in the thick of the action, resolved to not fail this time around. When Sokka is forced to step up and lead in his father's place, he fills the role with with cool determination. Unfortunately, attentive fans knew going in that surprise was not on our heroes' side, for Azula learned of the whole plan beforehand, thanks to what transpired in Ba Sing Se during Book 2.
Aang, Toph and Sokka go after the Firelord only to encounter Azula instead, and the ensuing fight is perhaps the best example of what a formidable adversary she truly is. With only her wits, agility and a pair of earthbending bodyguards, Azula occupies the trio—a group that, remember, includes the Avatar—for the duration of the eclipse without any special powers at all. Naturally she also steps into the manipulative role that she plays so well, managing to provoke Sokka into wasting some more of the group's precious time by taunting him about Suki's capture. Azula's firebending is a mighty tool, but we see here again that her greatest asset was always her cunning mind. When she fights, she does so on her own terms. That's why she is dangerous, that's why she was a step up from the threat of Zuko when she arrived in book 2, and that's why she is perhaps one of the most formidable animated villains in recent memory.
Perhaps most critically, "Day of Black Sun" is the ultimate watershed moment for Zuko. After nearly two and a half seasons of of angst and bad decisions mixed in with no shortage of humanizing character development, everything finally pays off when Zuko comes to terms with himself and with the revelations of "The Avatar and the Firelord." He finally finds the conviction to seize his own destiny and directly confront his own father. One almost wants to applaud when Zuko draws his swords and proceeds to declare how wrong his banishment was, and describes the contempt the rest of the world holds for his supposedly ideal nation under Ozai's rule. He even withstands a direct attack from Ozai! This was the moment Zuko fully realized that his honor and loyalty were in conflict; the moment that he finally heeded his conscience and seized his independence. In short, it was the moment he became a man. After "Day of Black Sun," Avatar would never be quite the same show again. Its events were momentous enough for a series finale. Instead, it was the beginning of the end and it set the stage for a future finale that was even grander in scale.
purplehairedwonder's Choice: The Boiling Rock (Episodes 314-315)
Written by: May Chan (Episode 314) and Joshua Hamilton (Episode 315)
Directed by: Joaquim Dos Santos (Episode 314) and Ethan Spaulding (Episode 315)
Plot Synopsis:
Sokka and new ally Zuko travel to the Fire Nation's infamous Boiling Rock prison to find and free Sokka's father Hakoda. They fail to find Hakoda, but do discover Kyoshi Warrior Suki imprisoned there, and the three are left trying to improvise an escape from a prison sitting in the center of an active volcano.
Why I Love It:
“The Boiling Rock” stands out among Season 3 episodes especially because it showcases an understated relationship that develops in the final episodes of the series: the brotherly bond between Zuko and Sokka. For Aang, Katara, and Sokka, obvious baggage from the previous two seasons leads to difficulties in admitting the exiled prince into their circle, but at the same time, it is that previous experience that makes Zuko’s eventual acceptance all the more satisfying.
In the two-parter, “The Boiling Rock,” it is Sokka’s turn to go on a life-changing field trip with Zuko. And in their trials and travels together, these two unlikely and polar opposite characters find something surprisingly worthwhile in one another: respect and friendship. With neither boy having male friends their own age growing up, it shouldn’t come as a surprise that male companionship would be inviting to either boy despite a colorful history. What does come as a surprise, and a rather pleasant one at that, is how such a transformation takes place. As Zuko joins Sokka on his mission to the Boiling Rock, the audience is treated to deep meditations on family and girls—as one might expect from teenage boys. Sokka’s insecurities over his failed plans, most notably the failed invasion on the Day of Black Sun, spill over into this mission. Amazingly enough, it is Zuko who helps him overcome these issues. To his credit, Sokka's issues aren’t played for laughs as they might once have been. No, Sokka is a full-blown warrior at this point and his insecurities and troubles are as worthy of exploration as Aang’s or Zuko’s.
But Sokka is not the only member of the partnership to be tested in this episode: a heartbroken Mai confronts Zuko about the letter he wrote right before leaving, challenging his reasons, manhood, and so forth. But, in a testament to the evolution of Zuko’s character, the prince refuses to back down no matter how much he cares for Mai. And as if the antics of teenage boys aren’t enough fun on their own, Zuko/Mai shippers are treated to one of their shining moments as well, as Mai turns on Azula to “rescue the jerk who dumped [her].”
Mai’s defining moment during the climax of the episode also contributes to the lasting impression “The Boiling Rock” leaves. Her apathy shaded her nearly as drab as her wardrobe, leaving little for the audience to connect with—until now. Mai defies Azula, which is exceptionally brave (or crazy) on its own, but she does it for Zuko’s sake. By telling Azula, “I love Zuko more than I fear you,” Mai single-handedly sows the seed for Azula’s immediate spiral into insanity, even without Ty Lee’s defection. Mai’s character develops for miles in mere moments as the heroes merely watch from the gondola that is sailing into the distance.
Even outside the character development that pervades the two-parter, the climactic fight atop the moving gondola stands among the more engaging fight sequences in the series. Two fights are going on at once: Zuko and Sokka versus Azula, and Suki versus Ty Lee. If Sokka’s chance to go head-to-head with Azula herself doesn’t lend credence to his much-improved character, nothing can. Meanwhile, the fight also marks Zuko’s first confrontation with his sister after his defection to Team Avatar. There’s something especially satisfying in seeing Zuko finally able to challenge his sister and hold his own. On the other side of the gondola, Suki gets her chance against Ty Lee in an aerobatic spectacle in which both female fighters flitting from roof to gondola and back again. For the more action-oriented fans, this episode does not disappoint.
“The Boiling Rock” serves as a good set-up for the fast approaching finale. The stage is set with Azula now alone after the betrayal of her cohorts, Zuko's bona fides established with Aang and (almost all) his friends, and Hakoda and Suki extracted from the hands of the Fire Nation. Sokka’s returned confidence, Mai’s stand, Zuko’s resolve, and Azula’s fast-spiraling sanity all combine to leave the audience completely satisfied with the finished product in the episode and yet hungry for more as Sozin’s Comet approaches.
And there you have it! Toonzone's staff picks for the Best Episode Ever of Avatar: The Last Airbender. We made up our minds, so now it's your turn. Think we missed one? Think we got something wrong? What's your "Best. Episode. Ever!"?
Posted by Ed Liu at
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