Avatar: The Last Airbender is one of the most successful shows of all time! But what makes it so good? We’ve put together 15 fun facts about Ang, his friends and the making of the show that prove it deserves its reputation! Find out the inspiration behind the show, how hard the actors had to train for the Netflix live-action version, and the surprising celeb guest voices that have featured! And if you liked this, how about finding out which element you are? Or maybe you think you’re ready for a hard Airbender quiz? How about some Last Airbender Lols? And there’s 100s more TV show quizzes right here!

1. It Premiered in 2005

That’s right, the show will celebrate it’s 20th year in 2025! The Last Airbender first aired on Nickelodeon, and was a departure from the sillier and more light hearted cartoons they usually showed. The animated series ran for only three seasons, but has found new life in sequels, comic books and a brand new live-action version on Netflix!

2. Ang’s Arrows are Symbolic

Ever wondered exactly why Ang has that giant blue arrow on his head? Well, apparently the arrow is a tattoo given to Airbenders when they reach master status! It’s symbolic of his power and skill. It’s also a way for his ‘chi’ or ‘energy’ to flow through him.

3. The Show is a Record Setter

After the animated show was added to the Netflix roster in 2020, it was so popular it managed to break several records, including remaining in the top ten for a recording breaking 61 days and becoming the most streamed children’s series of the year! Well done! The new live-action series also earned itself a Guinness World Record for having the biggest virtual production stage!

4. The Show Deals With Some Heavy Themes

Unlike some other Nickelodeon shows, The Last Airbender isn’t afraid to confront some series topics, such as politics, war, imperialism and more. The creators are adamant that children are intelligent enough to understand the complexity of the themes, and judging by the show’s popularity, they aren’t wrong!

5. A Famous Japanese Film Company Inspired the Show

If you’re wondering why elements of the Last Airbender look familiar, it’s probably because the creators were partially inspired by a very famous film company – Japan’s Studio Ghibli. According to co-creator Bryan Konietzko, the team loved the craft and care that went into Studio Ghibli films, and wanted to replicate that care in their own work. That’s why the show looks so great!

6. The Cabbage Merchant Was Never Meant to be a Permanent Character

One of the show’s favourite running gags is the appearance of ‘cabbage man’, a vegetable salesman whose life is continually ruined by encounters with the main characters, who usually end up accidentally ruining his cabbages, causing him to cry ‘My cabbages!’. Fans and show creators alike both had a real soft spot for him, and so he ended up in loads of episodes! How many can you count?

7. Real Martial Arts Inspired ‘Bending’

Four, in fact! The show consulted a martial arts expert, Sifu Kisu, who helped them form each element around a real life martial art – Tai Chi for water, Bagua for air, Hung Gar for earth and Northern Shaolin for wind, with each martial art being chosen because it fitted the element in question.

8. The Name of the Film Had to Be Changed

Due to the release of James Cameron’s Avatar in 2008, the 2010 film ‘Avatar: The Last Airbender’ became simply ‘The Last Airbender’ to avoid any confusion between the two. Although since it seems that James Cameron is going for elemental themes in the sequels, maybe they’re not so different after all!

9. It’s Considered One of the Best Series of All Time

Why is Avatar: The Last Airbender so popular? It’s easy to see when you watch it! A lot of time, care and effort went into every aspect of the show – from the characters to the world building and the animation style, it’s a truly awesome show that proves that things made for kids don’t need to be worse than things made for adults!

10. It Features Some Very Famous Voices

The show has a lot of famous voices behind it, including Jason Isaacs, Mae Whitman, Mark Hamill and special guest appearances from celebs like George Takei, Aubrey Plaza, Rami Malek and J.K. Simmons!

11. The Netflix Auditions Were Top Secret

For the live action reboot, every effort was made to keep the script as TOP SECRET as possible! This meant that the actors didn’t even know what they were auditioning for! They were given ‘dummy scripts’ which had nothing to do with the show!

12. And the Actors Had to Train at a Six Week Bootcamp

All the actors involved in the live-action series were required to go on a gruelling six-week ‘bootcamp’ to get into shape to play martial arts experts. They all had to learn the different styles of ‘bending’. As you can tell from the series – it definitely paid off!

13. Chinese Culture Inspires a Lot of the Show

Although several different South and South East Asian countries and cultures inspired the show, Chinese elements are heavily present throughout. The Fire Nation’s architecture and government structure is inspired by ancient China, as well as Chinese religion inspiring the monk like Earth Nation characters. How many other Chinese elements can you spot?

14. Serena Williams Once Guest Starred on the Show

Did you know that tennis legend Serena Williams is a huge fan of the show? In fact, she loves it so much that she jumped at the chance when she was asked to do a cameo voice over in the animated series! She’s voiced two characters – Ming, and later a female sage!

15. There Won’t Be a Season 4

Although fans would love a fourth season of the animated show, it’s unlikely to ever happen. The creators always planned to do the show within 3 seasons, and feel like they wrapped up the story. Plus, The Legend of Korra and the comic book versions of the show also helped to expand the universe. And of course, there’s the brand new live-action series too! So although you might be starved of more Avatar: The Last Airbender animation, there’s plenty of other stuff to fill the gap!