Asian Culture, History, Folklore and Influences in Avatar the Last Airbender

In this class we will explore the real life influences behind the Nickelodeon animated series: Avatar the Last Airbender. This children's show has been a cult classic since it first aired in 2005 among fans. Including myself, I rewatch it every single year!
While this show is very popular for it's deep characterization and immersive universe, it actually pulls a lot of its references from various Asian cultures. We will discuss the cultural influences we seen depicted in the show. We will look at clothing, food and weapons from China, Japan, Korea, India and more! 
Students are encouraged to ask questions and participate in discussion.
This class is perfect for students who love learning about other cultures or fans of the series. 

NOTICE: This show is stated by creators to be a 'loosely inspired fantasy.' There are several real life inspirations from Japanese, Chinese, Korean, Indian, Tibetan and various other cultures. This is NOT to claim that Asian countries are under a single monolith and interchangeable with each other.