Last Airbender casting and other musings.

[aviaq]

It's my journal but though I may be stating the obvious here regarding Last Airbender:

I don't think all the people who support the cast are racist.
(not meant to be ranty but I'm looking at some things)

lol blunt image ganked from racebending:

Comments

Re: Animation Vs Live Action

[ms_mercurial]

THISSSS.

Re: Animation Vs Live Action

[aviaq]

AH I agree so much to this.

Live Action Adaptation not always = something higher up from the original animated series.

I think most of us Avatards are still very eager for ANYTHING new that's related to Avatar, we don't even care if it will just go off into a tangent and be casted terribly.

Which is truly sad.

[schellibie]

THIS.

I always thought the characters in Avatar would appear Asian in a more realistic style- it's subtle, but you can see it in their features. (Not even accounting for all of the clothing and world design stuff that is so clearly from various Asian and Inuit cultures.)

[aviaq]

YES.

I think those that complain about OUR complaints come from a background of looking at anime style literally rather than figuratively from it's japanese origins. Plus some anime character designs are limited anyway to begin with.

But what REALLY irritates me is that people assume all asians or native people of color look the same and that we can't be diverse among ourselves without adding caucasians as default.

[ming85]

Oh this. THIS.

I must say your musings are a little chaotic, but I like your examples a lot (nice contrasts, the pictures and captions really speak for themselves :) ) and what you're saying about how an ethnicity is part of a characters, in my opinion especially in the different cultures of the avatar world.

To elaborate on what I wrote about this subject a while ago, the thing I regret most is the missed opportunity to do things differently from the rest of Hollywood. I think the source material was PERFECT to take a dare and shake the predicable, 'safe' casting formulas of hollywood, and give a great example to a younger audience

[aviaq]

hayy

Oh, I'm usually always like this when babbling. No structure whatsoever :333

I agree so hard with what you've said. Iol at your fanart of it too. I remember your DA post about it too, and it sucks when we're bombarded with people who don't really understand the repercussions of such casting decisions.

Or when people state that having the cast "all asian" makes it boring because in their heads, "All ASIANS ROOK ARIKE" D: D: D:

For me, it's not just a matter for equality and diversity, but to show the Paramount actually made the effort to watch the series before being dumb and casting some dude from Twilight and that one chick from "Deck the Halls" as Katara and Sokka T__T;;

[ms_mercurial]

I really agree with the general gist of this whole post.

I think what bothers me most about the casting is summed up in that first picture - that, ok, Paramount capitulated to the calls for more ethnic diversity, but only did so with the villainsWhat kind of fucked-up subliminal message is that

[aviaq]

thank you!

oh here's a hilarious story.

I have some friends from the middle east who loved Avatar too, but when asked about how they feel about the casting of dark skinned/middle easterners actors as the Firenation they responded mostly by saying "I guess it makes sense why Paramount did that lol"

They don't take the cartoon as SRS BUSINESS as I do, but they weren't that surprised OH GOD. :O

yesyes: Granted Disney was put into a tight spot with their movie, and the portrayal of African Americans will undoubtedly get more sensitive treatment (compared to how people don't care as much about asians in live action *RAEG*), but at least they TRIED.

Paramount producer Frank Marshall, when spammed on his Twitter about what the hell he was trying to do with the Avatar cast, got all defensive and said : "WE DID NOT DISCRIMINATE AGAINST ANYONE. I AM DONE TALKING ABOUT THIS"

fffffffffuuuuuu

Also: "Princess and the Frog" was a surprisingly AWESOMELY FUN movie for me. Kind of like a light-hearted jazzfilled gumbo romantic comedy. :33

[alexds1]

Sorry to skirt around the point but Zuko stops being an enemy, right? Maybe he will turn white in the third movie :)

[aviaq]

That's true, I think the racebending image may have been too-
...

...*rereads last part of your post*

OHSNAP SON JLSKDFJDK K LOLOLOL

*highfive*