In hindsight, a young boy teaming up with two siblings in a world where people can bend the elements to overcome the domination of a warlord doesn't seem that great, but the creators DiMartino and Konietzko have created a masterpiece.

Most shows take time to settle with the audience but Avatar kicks off with humour, character development, amazing scenery and action straight off from the beginning. The animation works perfectly along with the show, displaying the characters and the action scenes seamlessly. The music amplifies the mood and tone and the voice work is spot on.

The episodes themselves meld very well, every episode has something in it for the viewer whether it be a significant contribution to the main storyline or not. There is no filler here.

The characters are amazingly portrayed in the cartoon. Their stories alone are amazing. The story of Zuko is the deepest and is one that the production crew can take a bow for. The characters change but their traits remain the same, they adapt to each other seamlessly and their struggles and success contribute to the cartoon as a whole.

The research the creators did for the show is evident through the detail in 'fighting styles' and the different people in the four nations. The artwork in the temples are breathtaking, the scenes exude grandeur while the climatic portions receive the exclusivity and suspense they deserve.

DiMartino and Konietzko knew what they were doing and they knew the show would span over 3 seasons. This planning paces the show perfectly, unveiling the story piece by piece more with suspense than cryptics. The result is a smooth storyline where the viewers aren't tired out by the length or left thirsty for more.

Avatar isn't just another horrible attempt at anime by American producers, it's a masterpiece, one that should be soaked in from the top to bottom. I've watched it all at least 5 times by now and still end up feeling the emotion of watching Zuko's story, the humour with Sokka and Aang and the epic encounters throughout to the end.