Is Avatar the Last Airbender an anime? Explained

One of the most popular animated shows of all time is none other than the American Avatar the Last Airbender animated series, created by Michael Dante DiMartino and Bryan Konietzko.

Produced by Nickelodeon Animation Studio and originally airing on the Nickelodeon channel from February 2005 to July 2008, the series is considered a legendary work of fiction worldwide.

Part of the global appeal of Avatar the Last Airbender stems from the inspiration it found in various Asian cultures around the world in its aesthetic, plot, power system and much more. These inspirations also translated to the still successful but not quite as beloved sequel series The Legend of Korra.

The Avatar the Last Airbender series has also recently come into the limelight, thanks to Netflix’s live action adaptation of the series, which is unfortunately being met with negative response.

Unsurprisingly, this response has started yet another dialogue on unsuccessful live action adaptations of popular anime series. However, fans are also wondering if it's truly accurate to call the original series an anime.

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Avatar the Last Airbender certainly draws inspiration from anime, but is it truly a member of the medium?

As mentioned above, the Avatar the Last Airbender animated series is an American show created by Michael Dante DiMartino and Bryan Konietzko and is produced by Nickelodeon Animation Studio.

While the series’ setting is an Asian and Arctic-inspired world and the cultures within pull from various Asian cultures, the series itself is not an anime despite the common misconception.

One of the biggest reasons why the series isn’t considered an anime stems from its aforementioned origins as a series created by American television personalities. The series was also animated by an American studio.

Generally speaking, these are the two biggest signs that a series is simply an animated series rather than an anime. The series was also written, produced and created by a team of Americans.

The Avatar the Last Airbender animated series is also the original entry in the larger franchise. In other words, there's no source material which the animated series adapted; the animated series is instead considered the source material itself.

While there are original television and film anime, most anime series are typically adapted from a previously established source material given the main raison d’etre of the anime industry (to advertise said source material).

Nevertheless, the series clearly shares some similarities to and even draws inspiration from anime as a medium.

The similarities largely come from the aforementioned Asian cultures which the series drew from for its setting and overall aesthetic. The inspiration from anime can largely be seen in the series’ narrative structure and its varying fight scenes throughout the three seasons and 61 episodes.

While Avatar the Last Airbender is primarily an episodic series, there are larger sagas that encompass these episodic adventures. There also exist smaller arcs within these sagas, which further group the episodes together, similar to how Japanese anime and manga are narratively structured.

The series’ fight scenes also speak for themselves, clearly drawing inspiration from anime in their pacing, presentation and the general motions they go through.

To surmise, the beloved American animated series is not an anime, primarily thanks to its origins. While it’s possible that a true anime adaptation of the series could be produced, the original series itself is not considered an anime.

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