In a recent debate that emerged on social media, Japanese netizens discussed the reasons why “Avatar: The Last Airbender”the popular animated series created by Michael Dante DiMartino and Bryan Konietzko, did not achieve the same level of popularity in Japan as in the West. Although its visual style is heavily influenced by Japanese anime, the series failed to resonate with Japanese audiences in the same way as it did in the West.

The comment that sparked the discussion wrote: «It's funny how in the West people wonder why 'Avatar' isn't as popular in Japan, even though it has a style that seems inspired by Japanese anime. The truth is, for many of us, it doesn't feel like a real anime series.».

“Avatar: The Last Airbender” first aired in 2005 on Nickelodeon and quickly became a cultural phenomenon in the United States and other countries. The series, set in a fictional world where some people can control all four elements (water, earth, fire, and air), follows the adventures of Aang, the last airbender, who must restore balance to the world by defeating the Fire Lord and ending a centuries-old war.

Over the course of three seasons, “Avatar: The Last Airbender” was acclaimed for its mature storytelling, complex character development and stunning animation, which combined elements of Japanese anime with Western influences. The series spawned a sequel titled “The Legend of Korra” in 2012, which continued to expand the universe and attract a new generation of fans.

Cultural differences in character design

One of the main topics of debate was the difference in perception of character designs between the West and Japan. In Japan, character designs in anime tend to focus on more subtle facial expressions, while in “Avatar,” the facial expressions and features, especially the treatment of the nose, can seem more exaggerated and less appealing to Japanese people. One user commented: «The way 'Avatar' draws the nose is very different from what we are used to in Japanese anime, where the nose is often represented in a more subtle or almost non-existent way.».

Another user added: «The problem with 'Avatar' is that while the visual style seems inspired by anime, the facial expressions and character designs don't look entirely natural to Japanese people. Asymmetrical faces and exaggerated expressions are more commonly used for minor villains in Japanese anime, while in 'Avatar' they are common across all characters.».

In addition to the differences in character designs, some netizens have pointed out that “Avatar’s” narrative focus may also have played a role in its lack of popularity in Japan. Although the series has a well-structured story, many feel that the mix of Western and Eastern cultural influences may have been confusing or unappealing to Japanese audiences, who are already accustomed to a wide variety of high-quality domestic content.

One user commented: «The story of 'Avatar' is good, but perhaps it is too 'Westernized'. We Japanese are used to consuming anime content that has a very different sensibility, and 'Avatar' fails to fully capture that.».

On the other hand, some mentioned that, Like other Western productions influenced by anime, such as “RWBY” or “Castlevania”, the “Avatar” series may have tried to get closer to Japanese animebut something essential is still missing for it to be seen as an authentic anime in Japan.

Source: Hachima Kikou