Racebending.com

Every Monday, we’ll be spotlighting media that celebrates the contribution of diverse faces, traditions, or talents to the American cultural landscape.

In the future we’ll be letting you know about films, shows, and music that resonates with the mission of Racebending.com, with a focus on Asian American and Native American culture.

For our very first media spotlight, we look to Avatar: The Last Airbender – the animated series.

Our love of the original series is an extension of our respect and admiration for the care and dedication shown by co-creators Mike DiMartino and Bryan Konietzko. In their own words:

Nickelodeon wanted to make a ‘legends & lore’ type of show with a kid hero. That’s a genre we are very interested in, but we wanted to create a mythology that was based on Eastern culture, rather than Western culture.

Although Avatar isn’t based on a specific Asian myth, we were inspired by Asian mythology, as well as Kung Fu, Yoga, and Eastern Philosophy. We were also inspired by Anime in general. We wanted to create a story that inspired people’s imaginations and that had elements of comedy, drama, and action.”

Their talent resulted in one of the most beloved children’s shows in recent memory. The cast and setting were virtually unique in American media as a celebration of people and culture of Asian/Inuit descent.

For American children, it was an opportunity to witness heroes and heroines of color – an opportunity that enriched all of us, regardless of ethnicity.

You can purchase the entire series on DVD at Amazon.com.