10 animated exhibits to look at after Avatar: The Final Airbender

Avatar: The Final Airbender is a tricky act to comply with, however fortunately, in case you’re watching the collection for the primary time, sequel present The Legend of Korra is ready for you proper after. Should you’ve already completed each of these, nonetheless, you would possibly nonetheless be itching for a character-focused, plot-heavy, fantasy-action animated collection to fill the void in your coronary heart. What comes subsequent?

Many individuals would level to anime because the pure subsequent step, however in case you’re not fairly able to dip into the anime pool but and also you’re hungering for serialized all-ages animation that isn’t afraid to push the boundaries of the medium and deal with deeper themes, then listed here are 10 exhibits it is best to take a look at.

Samurai Jack

Picture: Cartoon Community

The place to look at: Max

Samurai Jack pushed the boundaries of what all-ages motion may appear like. (There’s a purpose he largely fought robots within the first 4 seasons — no blood!) Genndy Tartakovsky’s sci-fi motion collection follows a samurai who, after being displaced into the distant future, should defeat an evil demon with the intention to return house. The combat sequences are stellar and the animation is wonderful. The present returned in 2017 to wrap up for one remaining (darker and adult-tailored) season.

Teen Titans

Picture: Warner Media

The place to look at: Max

Teen Titans did simply as a lot as ATLA in bringing anime sensibilities to younger American audiences, particularly when it got here to its distinct visible fashion. Primarily based (loosely) on the DC superhero squad of the identical title, Teen Titans follows a bunch of 5 teen superheroes who battle superpowered villains to guard their house. It begins out mild, with episodic shenanigans and a whole lot of jokes, however ultimately builds to some extremely epic fights and highly effective character moments.

Younger Justice

Picture: DC Leisure

The place to look at: Max

One of the compelling components of Younger Justice is the way it digs into the implications of a world stuffed with superheroes. Every season builds upon the foundations of its universe. What begins out as a easy workforce of younger heroes taking over covert missions turns right into a sprawling interrogation of masked vigilantes’ place on the planet. It is so much, however like ATLA and Korra, it doesn’t draw back from the tougher themes.

Voltron: Legendary Defender

Picture: Netflix

The place to look at: Netflix

From the animation studio behind The Legend of Korra, Voltron: Legendary Defender was the primary indication that serialized animation had discovered a groove on streaming companies. It is perhaps reboot of a toyetic franchise, but it surely’s worthy sci-fi epic, one which “takes the time to make you care in regards to the characters and the travesties occurring round them,” as our season 2 evaluate mentioned.

The Dragon Prince

Picture: Netflix

The place to look at: Netflix

With ATLA author Aaron Ehasz on the head, The Dragon Prince is essentially the most pure successor to Avatar. It’s a extra conventional European medieval fantasy world than that of Avatar, however there’s a whole lot of element within the world-building that helps make it distinctive, particularly relating to the magic system. There are some foolish moments, but it surely nonetheless manages to deal with heavy themes of struggle and prejudice because the younger human heroes enterprise right into a magical world.

She-Ra and the Princesses of Energy

Picture: DreamWorks Animation/Netflix

The place to look at: Netflix

ND Stevenson’s tackle She-Ra turns the heroine from a easy He-Man spinoff into one thing extra complicated. She-Ra and the Princesses of Energy breaks down the chosen one narrative and offers compelling and fleshed-out relationships to all of the characters (notably Catra and Adora). It deftly balances heavier moments with lighter moments of character interplay. It’s the improbable queer magical lady present of our desires.

Kipo and the Age of Wonderbeasts

Picture: DreamWorks Animation/Netflix

The place to look at: Netflix

In case your very particular favourite a part of ATLA was the funky hybrid animals, then you definitely’re in for a deal with with Kipo and the Age of Wonderbeasts. It takes place in a world the place humanity is compelled underground after a bunch of animal hybrids acquire sentience. It’s a brightly coloured, boldly visible post-apocalyptic world, with some very wacky set-pieces and characters. And like Aang, Kipo is set to search out peaceable options in a world that always pushes her to do in any other case.

Maya and the Three

Picture: Netflix

The place to look at: Netflix

Cultural specificity meets kick-ass motion in Maya and the Three. Creators and husband-wife workforce Jorge Gutiérrez and Sandra Equihua weave an epic story on this restricted miniseries, which follows a warrior princess in a Mesoamerican-inspired fantasy world who recruits three warriors to assist her defeat the gods. It has some actually cool combat sequences, some stellar world-building, and a narrative that appears like a intestine punch in one of the simplest ways.

The Owl Home

Picture: Disney

The place to look at: Disney Plus

Disney Channel not often does serialized animation, however when it does it properly, it does it properly. The Owl Home begins off a bit episodic, when a plucky teenager named Luz finds herself transported right into a world of witches and demons. But it surely builds as much as a extra overarching plot, one which’s tremendous character-driven and includes a whole lot of rivals turning into allies. There’s a purpose one character will get referred to as the “Gen Z Zuko!” There’s additionally a very cool magic system and only a typically pleasant world to discover. Disney could’ve shafted The Owl Home with an abridged season 3 order, but it surely nonetheless shines.

Arcane

Picture: Netflix

The place to look at: Netflix

I used to be on the fence about Arcane since technically it’s not an all-ages present. However whereas it does go slightly grittier on the violence, it by no means will get explicitly grownup. It’s a little bit of an ensemble present, the place a complete internet of characters — from avenue youngsters to scientists to political ambassadors — find yourself entangled within the escalating tensions between lessons. Sure, it’s a League of Legends present, however you don’t have to know something about League to get swept up within the steampunk motion and the tragedy of two sisters torn aside.

Honorable point out: Fullmetal Alchemist: Brotherhood

Picture: Bones/Crunchyroll

The place to look at: Crunchyroll, Hulu

OK, I do know I mentioned no anime on this listing, however the ATLA-to-FMAB pipeline is a really actual phenomenon and I might be remiss to not embrace the masterpiece that’s Fullmetal Alchemist: Brotherhood. Should you’re a giant Avatar fan who has but to make the leap into anime, then Fullmetal Alchemist is the excellent soar.

It follows a younger, gifted alchemist named Edward Elric who searches for the thinker’s stone with the intention to return his youthful brother, Alphonse, to his physique, which he misplaced years in the past in an try to resurrect their mom. However alongside the way in which, Edward and Alphonse uncover a darkish corruption of their nation that they have to cease. It has every part nice about ATLA — cool powers, nice combat sequences, compelling characters, fascinating world-building — but additionally interrogates the concept that generally, after you’ve achieved some horrible issues, you must make it proper.