Avatar: The Final Airbender is a tricky act to observe, however fortunately, when you’re watching the collection for the primary time, sequel present The Legend of Korra is ready for you proper after. For those who’ve already completed each of these, nonetheless, you would possibly nonetheless be itching for a character-focused, plot-heavy, fantasy-action animated collection to fill the void in your coronary heart. What comes subsequent?
Many individuals would level to anime because the pure subsequent step, however when you’re not fairly able to dip into the anime pool but and also you’re hungering for serialized all-ages animation that isn’t afraid to push the boundaries of the medium and deal with deeper themes, then listed here are 10 reveals you must take a look at.
Samurai Jack
The place to look at: Max
Samurai Jack pushed the boundaries of what all-ages motion may seem like. (There’s a purpose he principally fought robots within the first 4 seasons — no blood!) Genndy Tartakovsky’s sci-fi motion collection follows a samurai who, after being displaced into the distant future, should defeat an evil demon in an effort to return residence. The struggle sequences are stellar and the animation is wonderful. The present returned in 2017 to wrap up for one closing (darker and adult-tailored) season.
Teen Titans
The place to look at: Max
Teen Titans did simply as a lot as ATLA in bringing anime sensibilities to younger American audiences, particularly when it got here to its distinct visible type. Based mostly (loosely) on the DC superhero squad of the identical identify, Teen Titans follows a bunch of 5 teen superheroes who battle superpowered villains to guard their residence. It begins out gentle, with episodic shenanigans and lots of jokes, however finally builds to some extremely epic fights and highly effective character moments.
Younger Justice
The place to look at: Max
One of the vital compelling components of Younger Justice is the way it digs into the implications of a world filled with superheroes. Every season builds upon the foundations of its universe. What begins out as a easy crew of younger heroes taking up covert missions turns right into a sprawling interrogation of masked vigilantes’ place on this planet. It is so much, however like ATLA and Korra, it doesn’t shrink back from the more durable themes.
Voltron: Legendary Defender
The place to look at: Netflix
From the animation studio behind The Legend of Korra, Voltron: Legendary Defender was the primary indication that serialized animation had discovered a groove on streaming providers. It is perhaps reboot of a toyetic franchise, but it surely’s worthy sci-fi epic, one which “takes the time to make you care concerning the characters and the travesties taking place round them,” as our season 2 overview mentioned.
The Dragon Prince
The place to look at: Netflix
With ATLA author Aaron Ehasz on the head, The Dragon Prince is essentially the most pure successor to Avatar. It’s a extra conventional European medieval fantasy world than that of Avatar, however there’s lots of element within the world-building that helps make it distinctive, particularly on the subject of the magic system. There are some foolish moments, but it surely nonetheless manages to deal with heavy themes of warfare and prejudice because the younger human heroes enterprise right into a magical world.
She-Ra and the Princesses of Energy
The place to look at: Netflix
ND Stevenson’s tackle She-Ra turns the heroine from a easy He-Man spinoff into one thing extra advanced. She-Ra and the Princesses of Energy breaks down the chosen one narrative and provides compelling and fleshed-out relationships to all of the characters (significantly Catra and Adora). It deftly balances heavier moments with lighter moments of character interplay. It’s the unbelievable queer magical woman present of our desires.
Kipo and the Age of Wonderbeasts
The place to look at: Netflix
In case your very particular favourite a part of ATLA was the funky hybrid animals, then you definitely’re in for a deal with with Kipo and the Age of Wonderbeasts. It takes place in a world the place humanity is pressured underground after a bunch of animal hybrids acquire sentience. It’s a brightly coloured, boldly visible post-apocalyptic world, with some very wacky set-pieces and characters. And like Aang, Kipo is decided to search out peaceable options in a world that consistently pushes her to do in any other case.
Maya and the Three
The place to look at: Netflix
Cultural specificity meets kick-ass motion in Maya and the Three. Creators and husband-wife crew Jorge Gutiérrez and Sandra Equihua weave an epic story on this restricted miniseries, which follows a warrior princess in a Mesoamerican-inspired fantasy world who recruits three warriors to assist her defeat the gods. It has some actually cool struggle sequences, some stellar world-building, and a narrative that appears like a intestine punch in one of the best ways.
The Owl Home
The place to look at: Disney Plus
Disney Channel hardly ever does serialized animation, however when it does it effectively, it does it effectively. The Owl Home begins off a bit episodic, when a plucky teenager named Luz finds herself transported right into a world of witches and demons. However it builds as much as a extra overarching plot, one which’s tremendous character-driven and entails lots of rivals turning into allies. There’s a purpose one character will get known as the “Gen Z Zuko!” There’s additionally a extremely cool magic system and only a typically pleasant world to discover. Disney might’ve shafted The Owl Home with an abridged season 3 order, but it surely nonetheless shines.
Arcane
The place to look at: Netflix
I used to be on the fence about Arcane since technically it’s not an all-ages present. However whereas it does go a little bit grittier on the violence, it by no means will get explicitly grownup. It’s a little bit of an ensemble present, the place a complete internet of characters — from road youngsters to scientists to political ambassadors — find yourself entangled within the escalating tensions between lessons. Sure, it’s a League of Legends present, however you don’t must know something about League to get swept up within the steampunk motion and the tragedy of two sisters torn aside.
Honorable point out: Fullmetal Alchemist: Brotherhood
The place to look at: Crunchyroll, Hulu
OK, I do know I mentioned no anime on this checklist, however the ATLA-to-FMAB pipeline is a really actual phenomenon and I’d be remiss to not embody the masterpiece that’s Fullmetal Alchemist: Brotherhood. For those who’re an enormous Avatar fan who has but to make the leap into anime, then Fullmetal Alchemist is the excellent soar.
It follows a younger, gifted alchemist named Edward Elric who searches for the thinker’s stone in an effort to return his youthful brother, Alphonse, to his physique, which he misplaced years in the past in an try to resurrect their mom. However alongside the way in which, Edward and Alphonse uncover a darkish corruption of their nation that they have to cease. It has every part nice about ATLA — cool powers, nice struggle sequences, compelling characters, fascinating world-building — but in addition interrogates the concept that generally, after you’ve executed some horrible issues, it’s a must to make it proper.