Avatar: The Last Airbender is also known as Avatar: The Legend of Aang. It is one of the best animated shows you can watch. What makes the show so special? There is a lot of world-building. Every character has an interesting storyline. If you want other shows like Avatar the Last Airbender, look for shows that have a complex and fantastical realm.
Avatar the Last Airbender is set in a fictional world where “benders” control the four elements. The animated series pays so much attention to details, you will love every part of it. It is a show with intricate mythology woven perfectly into a serialized storyline.
The American animated television series was produced by Nickelodeon Animation Studios. Michael Dante DiMartino, Bryan Konietzko, and Aaron Ehasz created the show which aired on Nickelodeon from February 2005 to July 2008. During its three seasons run, the show gave us so many wonderful characters.
Set in an Asiatic world where people can telekinetically manipulate one of the four classical elements, water, earth, fire, and air, through practices known as bending. It was inspired by Chinese martial arts. The only person who can bend all four elements is the Avatar. He is responsible for maintaining balance among the world’s four nations and serves as bridge between the spiritual world and physical world.
The series is centered around the journey of Aang, the current Avatar and the last survivor of his nation. Avatar received so much critical acclaim, it ranked among the most successful TV shows. The TV show won five Annie Award trophies, a Genesis Award, and even a Primetime Emmy Award.
Yes, some Avatar fans will tell you that you cannot replace the Gaang. But these shows like Avatar the Last Airbender might fill the void.
Kipo and the Age of Wonderbeasts
The Netflix original series is a new one from Dreamworks Animation. The TV show is based on the webcomic by Radford Sechrist.
This Netflix series follows Kipo, a young girl who gets stranded on the surface of a post-apocalyptic Earth after living in safety underground. Her eternal optimism comes in handy when she starts a band of friends. Her band includes two humans, a mutant pig, and an immortal bug who goes through his lifecycle on repeat.
Kipo searcher for her father on a planet populated by scooter-driving skunks, mutant rabbits, and a villain who wants to enslave humanity.
The Legend of Korra
The other name of this show is Avatar: The Legend of Korra. It is why we put it on the list of shows like Avatar: The Last Airbender. The American animated television series was also created by Michael Dante DiMartino and Bryan Konietzko for Nickelodeon.
The Legend of Korra is the sequel to the Last Airbender show. It ran from 2005 to 2008, animated in a style strongly influenced by anime.
Again, the TV show is set in a fictional universe in which certain people can manipulate the four elements. Kora is the successor and reincarnation of Aang from the previous series. She faces political and spiritual unrest in a modernizing world.
Samurai Jack
The American animated television series was created for Cartoon Network. Genndy Tartakovsky conceived the show after finishing his first Cartoon Network original series, Dexter’s Laboratory.
This time, he was inspired by Kung Fu, starring the titular character Jack. He is an unnamed Japanese samurai prince wielding a mystic katana capable of cutting through virtually anything.
Jack sets on a mission to free his kingdom after it was taken over by an evil and shapeshifting devil known as Aku.
The show premiered in 2001, running for four seasons without concluding the overarching story. Twelve years later, the TV show was revived for a darker and more mature fifth season. This season provided the conclusion to Jack’s story.
Adventure Time
The American fantasy animated television series premiered on Cartoon Network. It follows the adventures of the boy named Finn and his best friend and adoptive brother, Jake. Jeremy Shada and John DiMaggio voice the titular characters. Jake is a dog with magical power to change size and shape at will.
These two live in a post-apocalyptic world where they interact with other characters like Princess Bubblegum, the Ice King, and more.
Based on a 2007 short film that aired on Nicktoons, the series was inspired after the short became a viral hit on the internet. Nickelodeon passed on its option before Cartoon Network commissioned a full-length series.
Adventure Time draws inspiration from video games, and even fantasy role-playing games like Dungeons & Dragons.
The Dragon Prince
This fantasy computer-animated television series follows the story of the prince’s half-brothers Callum and Ezran. It is a Netflix original series created by Aaron Ehasz.
Callum, Ezran, and the elf Rayla take care of their infant dragon prince Azymondias. They must end the thousand-year-old conflict between the human kingdom and the magical creatures of the land of Xadia.
Set in the fantasy world on the continent of Xadia, the land is rich in magic derived from six primal sources, Sky, Moon, Stars, Sun, Ocean, and the Earth.
Centuries ago, all creatures lived there in harmony and peace. But the continent was split in two because of magic use, and now they want to bring back peace.
The Dragon Prince earned critical acclaim for the story, animation, humor, and vocal performance. Voice actors include Jack de Sena as Prince Callum, Paula Burrows as Rayla, and Sasha Rojen as Ezran.
Hey Arnold
The American comedy animated series originally aired on Nickelodeon from 1996 to 2004. It centers on Arnold Shortman, a fourth-grade kid who lives with his grandparents in an inner-city tenement in Washington.
It tells the story of his experience navigating through urban life while dealing with the problems he and his friends encounter.
In 2016, the show’s creator came up with an idea for a movie, Hey Arnold The Jungle Movie. It premiered in November 2017 on Nickelodeon, Nicktoons, and TeenNick.
Demon Slayer
This anime series is basically an adaptation of the manga of the same name. it follows Tanjiro, a young boy who sets out to avenge his family after a demon curses his sister and kills his family.
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The show is dark, but you can find many similarities between Gaang and Tanjiro and their friends. He is a lot like Aang in general, a sweet and kind kid who is the only one able to stop the evil force that came into his life.
The show deals with heavy topics as well. For example, it talks about what it means to be human and explores familial duty.
Voltron Legendary Defender
If you are looking for shows like Avatar: The Last Airbender, then this must be on your bucket list. It comes from the producers of Avatar and Korra.
Voltron is a reboot of the original 1980s cartoon, following the same general premise. The premise is rather simple: a group of teenagers become pilots of a fleet of robot space lions that combine to form one big robot.
Think of something like the Power Rangers. But while the show looks casual, it deals with modern topics like LGBTQ representation.
During eight seasons, the show slowly but gradually develops each and every character.
She-Ra and the Princess of Power
Adora finds a magic sword that turns her into the warrior She-Ra. She then leaves behind her life as a member of the tyrannical and evil Horde to join the rebellion.
She tries to take down the evil Horde, fighting against her best friend Catra in the process. The show is an epic fantasy about heroic teens with a comedy style similar to Avatar.
The show also talks about the importance of finding your own family through friends.
Young Justice
Do you enjoy a series where the sidekicks take the lead? This is the basic premise of Young Justice with characters like Robin, Kid Flash, Superboy, and others forming a team of teenage heroes. They go on covert opt missions for Batman and the Justice League.
This show gives you a different look at the DC Universe. But more importantly, the show tells more intimate stories. You can watch the young heroes as they grow and mature.
Star Wars the Clone Wars
The Star Wars Universe is a vast universe. And the Clone Wars made it that much bigger. Nowadays, we see many of the characters in Clone Wars come to the big screen in live-action series. For example, we have the Book of Boba Fett, we will get the Ahsoka Tano series, and we saw many Clone Wars characters appear in The Mandalorian.
The Clone Wars follows the story of Anakin Skywalker, Obi-Wan Kenobi, and Ahsoka as they are trying to bring balance to the galaxy.
After showrunner Dave Filoni left Avatar, he created the fantastic Star Wars prequel. It is set between Star Wars: Attack of the Clones and Star Wars: Revenge of the Sith.
Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles
The third animated iteration of the Ninja Turtles came in 2012. And it is the best version of the group. The story focuses on the four ninja turtle brothers, Michelangelo, Donatello, Raphael, and Leonardo as they fight the evil Foot Clan.
The show is light-hearted and full of humor. It is something we expect from the turtles. But as the show progresses, you get a bit more of the dark version of the comic books.
Attack on Titan
Definitely one of the greatest shows to appear on the TV screen. The war anime follows Eren and the rest of the scout regime as they face against giant titans.
The premise is humans versus monsters. But you will see that as the story unfolds, and the pieces fall in place, you watch something bigger than humans versus monsters.
As you watch the mystery evolve, you enjoy one of the greatest viewing experiences. The world-building is very much on par with Avatar.
