Curate, connect, and discover
Not enough praise is given to the actual animation during the seige of the north. The way once aang merges with the water spirit the only colour we see is the RED/ black water of the oasis (like the blood from Tui has stilled tainted it) and the water aang/La is pooling through the city.
The way all light just vanishes once Tui is killed. But also how fire bending forces light back into the world for just those few moments. It really brings in the theme of equality and fluidity in the boundaries of elements cuss both the moon/water tribe and the sun/fire nation in that moment are shown as bringers of light. Idk I think it’s just a really neat trick.
Another part is how only yues eyes are coloured in. Eyes are the windows into the soul/spirit blah blah blah she’s the moon spirit blah blah blah it’s a really cute detail.
Idk sometimes I feel like because it’s animation it’s very easy for some people to just…overlook the story telling aspects of it. Because it’s less detailed then a live action piece but I mean that’s just incorrect. The animation and the way they almost continuously use motion and fluidity in scenes (eg. People’s hair blowing in the wind, fire of water moving in the background, random side characters having lives outside the main narative) This then means that when still shots are used it’s all the more impactful. They rarely just do a still image with the screen ‘moving’ across like a lot of anime’s do UNLESS its a landscape/building their showing off. even then theres often something moving.
I tend to give a lot of (joking) criticism to season 1 for its weaker animation compared to the other seasons (I assume due to budget plus the animators becoming more accustomed to the style later on). But there are some moments that are just…breath taking. The care put into this series at all levels is something I don’t think I appreciate enough which sucks.