Avatar: The Last Airbender season 1
First season of the animated series Avatar: The Last Airbender.
Avatar: The Last Airbender season 1, also known as Book One: Water, is the first season of the American animated television series created by Michael Dante DiMartino and Bryan Konietzko. Produced by Nickelodeon Animation Studio, the season aired on Nickelodeon from February 21 to December 2, 2005, consisting of 20 episodes. The season follows protagonist Aang and his friends Katara and Sokka on a journey to the North Pole to find a Waterbending master, while the Fire Nation wages an imperialist war against the Earth Kingdom and the Water Tribes following the genocide of the Air Nomads one hundred years earlier.
Quick Facts
- Season Number
- 1 / Book One: Water
- Showrunner
- Michael Dante DiMartino / Bryan Konietzko
- Starring
- Zach Tyler Eisen / Mae Whitman / Jack DeSena / Dante Basco / Dee Bradley Baker / Mako / Jason Isaacs
- Num Episodes
- 20
- Network
- Nickelodeon
- First Aired
- 2005-02-21
- Last Aired
- 2005-12-02
- Next Season
- Book Two: Earth
Facts from the source article.
Lore & Background
The season revolves around Aang, the current Avatar, who must master the four elements—Air, Water, Earth, and Fire—to end the war. Along the way, Aang and his friends are pursued by the banished Fire Nation Prince Zuko, his uncle and former general Iroh, and Admiral Zhao of the Fire Navy. The show was produced by Nickelodeon Animation Studio, owned by Viacom, with executive producers DiMartino and Konietzko working alongside head writer and co-producer Aaron Ehasz. Eight episodes were directed by Dave Filoni, while animation directors Lauren MacMullan and Giancarlo Volpe directed five episodes each, and Anthony Lioi directed two. Episodes were written or co-written by a team including Nick Malis, John O'Bryan, Matthew Hubbard, James Eagan, Ian Wilcox, Tim Hedrick, and Elizabeth Welch. All music was composed by The Track Team, consisting of Jeremy Zuckerman and Benjamin Wynn. Two Korean studios, DR Movie and JM Animation Co., provided animation production support.
Reader's Guide
The first season of Avatar: The Last Airbender attracted over a million viewers per episode on its initial airing and received critical acclaim. On Rotten Tomatoes, the season holds a 100% approval rating based on 11 reviews, with the critical consensus calling it 'a brilliant blend of magic, humor, and adventure' and 'an instant classic.' Reviewers praised the crisp animation, layered storytelling, and masterful combination of elements from Chinese kung fu, Tibetan philosophy, Japanese martial arts, and Hindu spiritual beliefs. The season won several awards, including the Pulcinella Awards for Best Action/Adventure TV Series and Best TV Series, and an Annie Award for Storyboarding in an Animated Television Production for the episode 'The Deserter.' Home media releases began in Region 1 on January 31, 2006, with single-disc sets, followed by a Complete Book 1 Collection on September 12, 2006. Region 2 PAL versions were released from February 19, 2007, to January 26, 2009, though lacking commentary tracks and extras. The season was adapted into a live-action film, The Last Airbender (2010), directed by M. Night Shyamalan, which was universally panned, and later into an unrelated live-action series released on Netflix on February 22, 2024, which received mixed reviews.
Did You Know?
- Each episode of the season attracted more than a million viewers on its first airing.
- The season was adapted into a live-action film released on July 1, 2010, directed by M. Night Shyamalan.
Elsewhere in Avatar The Last Airbender
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