AVATAR KURUK 👀 AVATAR: The Last Airbender “THE NORTH” 1x7 Reaction & Review 

I LOVE Ken Leung's performance as Zhao. He honestly killed this role. He built it up from a sly, conniving nobody to a really awful POS who's easy to hate. He didn't play it the same as the cartoon but he made him such a good, interesting villain! He deserves much more praise :)

Thank you both for enjoying the show. Haters will be haters this show is not a KIDS Cartoon so remember that when comparing. (03/14/24)

Let's face facts. Being the Avatar kinda sucks. You train your entire life, you have to deal with the worst of society as you try to dole out justice while maintaining balance, and you largely walk alone. Most people couldn't handle it for a day let alone a lifetime. No wonder most of the dead Avatars are kinda broken.

Amber Midthunder was a great choice for Yue, and I like the way they handled her character. Just...that wig is terrible.

Thanks for the reactions. Been enjoying your fair criticisms along with the balanced positives as you went along. I'm sure you know by now it's been approved for Seasons 2 & 3, and I'm among the people who are waiting with hope and anticipation that the writers, directors, and producers will do the series justice with the extended time and resources they've been given. Totally agree that the crew making the series needs to settle down and not mess with the characters and the personalities too much. Personally, I gave a lot of leeway in the storyline for season one because I knew there was a "wait and see" stance taken by Netflix, and the writers and producers wanted to show as much of what they could from the overall storyline to stir interest and pull viewers in (old and new) using some of the most emotionally and morally compelling aspects of ATLA. Evidently, Netflix feels the crew did a good job since they're extended for the next two seasons. To me, the biggest challenge, other than keeping faithful to the original animated release, will be dealing with the age of the child actors. They're all well into puberty now, and from the interviews I've seen with "Aang", he's had a growth spurt and his voice seems to be changing as well. I believe it could work and be even better than the animation if written carefully, as time should have passed and it is possible for Aang as a character to mature in knowledge, skills, and stature, but audiences will need to let go of the childish nature of the cartoon Aang and embrace a young man doing all he can to discover, know, and be faithful to who he is (in the words of Gyatso) but also to embrace and take on the responsibility of being the one who keeps balance in the world as the Avatar. I'll be waiting for your finale of season one. Aloha & keep up the solid reactions 🙂🤙

Fans: Ozai is SO hot! Kuruk: Hold my beer...

You can never really take an anime, book,etc and completely do a 1:1 with it. You have to change some stuff to adapt it to the big screen more importantly you need to make it so it appeals to the general normie public. Those people are dumb tbh :/

What some people who are fanatics about the animated version are missing is 1. There are gags and tropes that make for classic cartoon features would not translate into live-action, either logistically or ideologically. 2. Twenty-five years ago, TV seasons were 17- 22 episodes. Today, TV seasons are 6-10 episodes. In making a live-action adaptation of a classic animated story there's a vast lore that has to be told with fewer episodes per season. Those who hate on this version are just blinded by nostalgia. That's why I am so glad I came to be an ATLA fan late. I don't have to be bound by the group-think of the fandom. 😎😎😎

Katara bothered me a lot at first, but it took me time to realize that her personality and arc is different. In the animated series, she is brash and bold and fiery but gains confidence and focus. In the live series, she starts meek and weighed down by guilt and doubt, learns confidence and boldness over time. We see this with the Pakku fight here. It's a bit confusing if you are mainly used to the animated series, but having seen the whole arc, I applaud the change.

I get what you mean about Ang and absolutes. However, his soul purpose is to protect the world. Good and evil, is absolute, power is absolute; maybe thats why Ang see's his purpose as linear, as the Owl said, "Stay on the path.." He's also a 12 yr old, 100 yr old man lol.

Good thing this is my first atla experience. So I can easily avoid these drama. 😅 It’s good, i am loving it.

Avatar Kuruk isn't so "Go with the flow type" in this version, huh?

I love Amber Midthunder's performance as Yueh too. She played it so naturally. The dessert scene was so good. Possibly one of the most natural in the show. It's a shame she got reduced to memes because of the wig looking unnatural. Oh did yall see her in Prey btw? That would be a REALLY fun one to react to!

I’m kind of glad they changed Hahn and Yue’s arranged marriage situation. In the cartoon, it didn’t sit right with me that her father would force her into an arranged marriage with a jerk KNOWING she would essentially die young and turn into the moon spirit. Here she at least had a say in it.

I ended up liking that they left out the Gran Gran & Pakku subplot. I like that in this version, Katara earns the respect of the other students in the Northern Water Tribe first, and then earn's Master Pakku's respect on her own merits, rather than who her Gran Gran is. I brushed it off in the cartoon, but it honestly never quite made sense to me that this stubborn old man throws away ALL his traditions because Katara is the granddaughter of the woman who straight up ditched him, lol. The part I don't love is that it also removed the importance of Katara's necklace. That was a real part of her identity and it was tied to the memory of her mother in the cartoon, so it's sad to see that excluded. They could at least keet the aspect that it was given to her by her mother. Maybe they can still include it next season. Then by the time they have to go into disguise when they reach the Fire Nation, it can still feel like a big deal for her to have to take it off. (Also I can't wait to see them all in their Fire Nation outfits!)

yea its not perfect but I dont get why some people hate it sooo much. its possible to like both! i enjoy both! i like how the live action expands on some things! of course the original will always be my favorite though!

I Absolutely am White, I Absolutely LOVE Lesbians, I Absolutely 💯 support MEESH & DEE’s Channel. 😂

POV: (Zukka moment) Sokka: my first girlfriend turned into the moon... Zuko: thats rough buddy...

They did Amber Midthunder wrong with that wig. She was great as Yue though.

Hakoda, Kuruk, these waterbenders daddies are daddying 👀

What was missing in the fight scene with Paku was the physics of movement. Katara needed to run and slide, make movements while jumping, instead she was just standing and sliding, which looked fake. This is what Disney does so well. And of course the acting could have been better as per usual. This was an okay episode, the last one was way better.

The cinematography is gorgeous in this episode. Definitely agree that Sokka has more chemistry with Yue vs. Suki. There's a lot that can be improved on for seasons 2 and 3 but I'm still loving the show.

This was one of the worse episodes I think, katara was hella weak, I honestly don’t like that the betrothal necklace has no place in this story, making Yue waterbend is weird and how she canceled her engagement with Han is very new world and not how it would have happened in a tribe like this, just I don’t know. I want to like this series and I’m giving it a chance but like you guys have said some of the changes just don’t vibe 😅

This show gets too much hate. I understand it's not going to live up to the origional series and there are definitely critiques that should be considered, but overall I think it's a good show

The fight between Katara and Pakku was about as good as I think it could have been. The effects are good, but unless they get a CGI budget on par with like.. Avengers Endgame, I think the most epic bending fights are going to be hard to live up to the cartoon. For that reason, I was happy they incorporated little moments of hand-to-hand. I'd honestly like to see that hand-to-hand aspect increase as the show goes on and the actors have more time to train! Zuko is already extremely talented!

The only down I have in this ep is they didn't include Katara's betrothal necklace scene.

Hey Avatar Meesh and Avatar Dee "Happy Thursday ". I hope you two day is going well. This was a great episode. Lt Lee warning Zuko that he will be arrested and tried for treason for only Zuko to flee on a boat that was set up by Zhao by trying to kill Zuko. I like the casting of Yue, Master Pakku, Arrnok, and Avatar Kuruk. The Northern Water Tribe. I like that we got the backstory on Avatar Kuruk and how he explains to Aang he spent his life fighting off spirits and losing lover face to Koh. Pretty much telling Aang that being the Avatar is being alone. In which Aang want to part ways with Katara and Sokka out of fear of losing them and not being able to be strong enough to protect them. I like the Sokka and Yue moment as he figures out she was the spirit fox in the spirit world. And how she was sick and with the help of the Moon spirit. She was granted a chance of life. Azula refused to play her father game as she demonstrated her power to use lightning in which led to her father being impressed. Katara realizing that the Northern Tribe refuse to teach women how to fight and expect them to be more healers as she challenge him to fight with Sokka, supporting her in which was amazing in live action. Even tho I wish the build up to the fight was better since the animated series build up to the fight was done so well. I like Katara in this episode in which her strength, determination, and resolve won over people. As well, Katara is telling Aang she isn't going to listen to him or Pakku as she chooses to fight. As she sees him as family as she gets him to write his own story. But anyway I hope you two have a wonderful day. Stay safe, take care and stay amazing

Fun fact: Yagoda's actress is the voice of Disney's Pocahontas!

Great review and reaction y’all! As a day 1 ATLA fan, I completely agree with what y’all said before y’all started the reaction. It’s wild how some fans can’t separate loving the OG series while also appreciating some of the new aspects of this live action, but that’s why I appreciate this channel. Honest dialogue, yet it’s not too biased and it’s not hateful. 🙏 I liked the inclusion of more Kuruk lore because we only see a glimpse of him in the tail end of the OG series. The one thing I could not get over is how they did my girl Yue dirty with that wig. like whhhy could they not find a proper lace front. 😭😭

It's funny how all the elderly in this version look weird except for "Iroh", huh? 🤔😂

Are you guys planning to continue invincible? The 5th episode just dropped.

14:56 this is a good point. He does tend to speak too much in absolutes. Though if I think about it, kids tend to do that more frequently. “This is the worst thing ever…”. Still they could tone it down a bit. 17:58 I’d be curious to know why you think so? Both seem really fast for the amount of “love” they try to portray. Same in the cartoon. 18:53 lol. Yup. Need to keep those in-combat sandwiches coming woman. I liked the episode. I enjoyed the Katara fight. I liked the development of Azula as well. She’ll definitely be more menacing in se2.

Changes are always good. The Anime is as it is... nothing can ruin that. Having a 1to1 copy of it... would be pointless... it wouldn't have a right to exist.

You two are very insightful from picking up that the fox was Yue in the Spirits episode.

22:44 - I remember two of Zuko's soldiers saying "We're freezing our asses off!" in ep.1 of this. It got a chuckle out of me.

Oh while you’re making a sandwich can you make me one too MEESH. LOL! 😂 Just Kidding!

"..The person who'll write the legend of Aang" "She means you, you got that right?" Man, they really need to improve the writing of those scenes.

The Actor who plays Aang his high pitched kid voice and his height he looks more like the girl Avatar who played Aang in the play. “Avatar State Yip Yip”

Han not being a simple derpy a-hole is one of many changes that, IMO, improve on the animated series.

Hans actor actually went to highschool in my city, we even graduated highschool in the same year!

I wish they had Katara say "you cant knock me down!" Its a better line than "is that all you got?"

Animated Master Pakku is better then Live Master Pakku.

The show was great... so far its better than one piece... one piece fighting scene are horrible...😂😂

I am tired of Aang saying "friends" all the time. We get it! It's like Vin Diesel saying "family" all the time in the Fast and the Furious movies.

They (Netflix) "NERF'ed" Ruku" in this version.

Man, I hope no one is giving you guys hate for being positive. Yeah there are some flaws with the live action, but considering the preproduction quagmire it was stuck in, I think they did pretty good! I LOVED 6 and some of the added scenes, anything Iroh/Zuko especially. Those two made me cry more than I care to admit. Now that we've got two more season locked down, I really tend to think it can only improve in the areas where it lacks (coughdialoguecough) but the actors themselves are doing amazing. Been loving you two's reactions since I found your OG watch ❤

I can say it has the same vibes than the cartoon when they arrives to the North Pole. That battle between Katara and Paku was great! ❤

I really enjoy this live action and yalls reaction to it. Please keep doing what youre doing.

Another upload, just in time. Was getting relaxing after a long day. 🖤🙏🏼🙏🏼

I want to see a Blasian play Toph.

just curious if you are twins because you almost have the same face 😅

please upload the next reaction nowww 😂

1 to 1 is hard to do in live action because directors and writers understand that the actor are growing up as they shoot so they need to cover as much ground as possible my meshing together storylines in order to stay as original as possible before the actors/actresses grow out of the roles physically. When this was shot the case was 3 to 4 years younger. Look at the cast today .. they’ve grown substantially So as a writer/director things have to make sense in what is being done in season 1 and combine what they can and cant without going outside the scope just in case season 2 happens and when that does and they start shooting the cast has grown 4 years older and 2 feet taller.

They have to kill it with Toph. Toph is a perfect character. I hope they don't drop it. If they mess up Toph I will not finish the season. Toph is the reason I love Earth bending over any other element

It's interesting that they didn't give anytime to get some lessons in. that coupled with Aang not learning any waterbending is weird in terms of choices made. I like that Pakku didn't change his mind because of the necklace. Instead, others saw her value and she didn't need him to validate her. not a fan of the wig they used on Yue. the Actress is stunning but the wig did her a disservice. Sokka does come across a little f boyish considering how many girls he keeps hitting on. We all know Suki is coming back but it wasn't clear she wasn't a permanent character yet in the show.

Meesh & Dee Awesome Video/Episode Today!!🔥🐐🐐💎

It's been interesting watching various reactions and what triggers different people. I absolutely love the animated series. It's tough to live in the shadow of one of the best and most dearly beloved TV shows of all time. It does take a while to get used to the changes. But once I began to understand what they were after, and why they made them, I really came to like the live series. I think it's true to the spirit of the original. Paraphrasing Toph to Katara: It's at least fun to argue about.

I feel like the live action is best watch one ep at a time. There's a lot to love and observe once you get past the initial reactions. Binging has the effect of carrying both positive and negative momentum which can compound confirmation bias.

I agree with you ladies this is a good but it is not perfect. You can never please everyone.

earlyyyy

literally the reason the netflix show gave aang spirals and designs in his tattoos instead of making his tattoos solid blue was because most fans actually enjoyed that the m night movie adding detail to the designs, literally the only reason aangs tattoos look the way the do here is because of fans actually liking aangs tattoos in the movie lmao

I can't imagine see (that) Mai with Zuko. 😅

Not really hating on it for say it's just that it is severely lacking in certain areas, for example it's book one and he has not learned water bending at all