5 Best Shows to Watch After "Avatar: The Last Airbender

5 Best Shows to Watch After "Avatar: The Last Airbender

When the live-action adaptation of "Avatar: The Last Wings" was announced, fans were understandably nervous. Especially since the acclaimed animated series was famously adapted once before for live-action with disastrous results.

The reception of the new series has been quite mixed, but most agree that it captures much of the heart and charm that made the original series so beloved. Despite some criticism regarding pacing and characterization, the series still topped Netflix's weekly viewership rankings.

Here are a few bingeable shows like "Avatar: The Last Airbender.

This visually stunning animated series is based on the "League of Legends" video game franchise, but you don't have to be a gamer to appreciate the series, which focuses on the tension between the inhabitants of the elegant, breathtakingly progressive city of Piltvar and the oppressed, underground city of Zaun No worries, as the self-contained story focuses on the tension between the In this steampunk-infused world, magic and technology collide in a violent conflict that threatens to tear everything apart. [Viewers follow siblings Violet and Powder, who find themselves on opposite sides of this simmering conflict. These sisters must grapple with how they see each other and themselves in a world with few happy endings. The series explores themes of family, loyalty, betrayal, and war, and was almost universally praised when the first season was released in 2021. Fans have waited a long time, but the story is set to continue in 2024 when season two will be released.

"Arcane" has a decidedly darker tone than "Avatar: The Last Airbender," but is similar in its focus on strong character arcs and relationships. It also features a unique art style, seamlessly blending fantasy and science fiction worlds where magic and technological innovation coexist.

Watch on Netflix

Another Netflix animated series that shares DNA with Avatar: The Last Airbender is The Dragon Prince. Co-created by Aaron Ehash, writer and co-executive producer of the original animated series, the series follows brother and sister Callum and Ezran, the last survivors of the Katris royal family. With war with the neighboring magical kingdom of Zadia threatening their kingdom, the siblings flee their homeland and form an uneasy alliance with the elf Leila to protect their dragon chicks.

This long-running series deals with heavy themes of war and genocide, but like "Avatar: The Last Airbender," it is often presented in a matter-of-fact manner so that viewers are not overwhelmed. The series also features very complex characters and forces the viewer to consider what really makes a person good or bad.

"The Dragon Prince" is currently available on Netflix for five complete seasons, with a sixth season to be released in 2024. Additionally, a final seventh season has been announced, with a release date likely to be announced later this year.

Watch on Netflix

In live action, fans of "Avatar: The Last Airbender" may enjoy "Merlin," a King Arthur retelling. In this world, magic is outlawed and Merlin must be trained in secret. Unfortunately, this becomes increasingly difficult as Merlin's tumultuous relationship with the young Prince Arthur, the arrogant and impulsive heir to the throne who is unaware of his abilities, also develops.

While Merlin defends Arthur and confronts fate to ensure he becomes a just and wise king, he also faces a variety of threats to Camelot, including monsters, rival sorcerers, and political intrigue. Exploring themes of friendship, loyalty, destiny, and the struggle between good and evil, the film will appeal to those who enjoyed the epic scale of Avatar: The Last Airbender.

There are five seasons of the series in total, each containing 13 episodes.

Watch it on Peacock

It is Netflix's most successful live-action anime adaptation to date. One Piece seamlessly captures the goofy, heartwarming tone of the anime of the same name and helps introduce a new generation of fans to Monkey D. Luffy, a young man with the power to stretch like rubber. Luffy and his band of straw men embark on a wild and adventurous journey across the sea in search of the legendary treasure known as One Piece.

The series features epic battles and larger-than-life villains, but it is also about friendship, loyalty, and the power of dreams. Just as the world of Avatar: The Last Airbender was full of expansion and possibility, One Piece expresses the same sense of wonder and adventure. Each member of the straw crew brings unique personalities and quirks to the table, creating a found family that viewers will love to sail through the blue sky with.

While only one season is currently available for streaming, the live-action "One Piece" has been officially renewed and is expected to return for more fun in 2025.

Watch on Netflix

If you were moved by the poignant exploration of war and loss in "Avatar: The Last Airbender," the BBC and HBO co-production delves deeper into these complex themes in "His Dark Materials," will explore them further.

Based on the trilogy by Philip Pullman, this fantasy series transports viewers to an alternate universe where all humans are daemons (physical manifestations of the soul). Lila Belacqua, a seemingly ordinary 12-year-old orphan, stumbles upon a dangerous secret involving a mysterious substance called dust and must embark on a perilous journey to uncover the truth not only about dust, but also about herself, the power of religion, and the nature of reality itself, as she becomes embroiled in a transcosmic struggle between the forces of good and evil. There is no way out.

This complete series has three seasons, each following the events of one of Pullman's books, making it perfect for a long weekend binge-watch.

Watch it on Max

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