The original pencil test from the most shocking sibling rivalry from the finale of Avatar: The Last Airbender (Book 3, Sozin's Comet Part 3, Into the Inferno)!
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From ComicBook:
Avatar: The Last Airbender Shares Original Storyboard for Zuko's Best Battle
Avatar: The Last Airbender created one of animation's most beloved universe in three seasons, and fans continue to revisit the world to this day. Thanks to Netflix, the Avatar Universe is bigger than ever as millions have used the site to check out the critical darling. Of course, fans of the show have had plenty of time to pick out their favorite scenes, and Nickelodeon has given netizens Ann inside-look at one of Avatar's most famous fights of all.
Yes, that is right. It is time to get a heaping lesson on all things Agni Kai. The sacred challenge has been part of Fire Nation culture for years, and fans can see how the fight between Zoko and Azula came to light.
You can check out the video below as Nickelodeon shared the Avatar clip on Twitter. The network wanted to show fans the original pencil test for the epic battle. Before the team could even begin final animations, they had to storyboard the Agni Kai, and Avatar fans can see that pencil test in motion now.
The gorgeous clip comes in at under two minutes, but it shows plenty of action during its run time. Zuko and Azula are shown throwing fiery punches at one another in succession, and that is just the start. The show's epic duel was dynamic in every sense of the word. This pencil test shows that dynamism was planned from the very start. Of course, this fight warrants such detail given how much time Avatar spent building it up. Now, fans can see what kind of effort went into drafting the Agni Kai, and Avatar fans can better appreciate the battle animators faced in bringing the duel to life.
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From Gizmodo:
See the Pencil Tests for Avatar: the Last Airbender's Best Fight Scene
You’ve seen it in HD. You’ve seen the fan version. Now see the unfinished version. Which is, honestly, still stunning.
Thanks to Nickelodeon’s Twitter, you can now see a sharply edited sequence of the original pencil tests for one of the climactic moments of Avatar: the Last Airbender, the Agni Kai fight between Zuko and Azula. And, perhaps surprising no one who’s seen the actual animation, it’s stunning. These original pencils are raw, kinetic, and emotive.
Now, the editing here makes the animation move fantastically, granted, but even in stills you can see such power in these drawings. It’s Avatar’s style at its most mature, equal parts shonen and wuxia, and you can see that from this early on in the process. This video has me fantasizing about owning one of these drawings. Even the least detailed ones are incredible.
If you’re on Avatar fan, now is a banner time, honestly. You can watch Avatar and Korra on Netflix now, a new Toph graphic novel is coming, the Netflix series is – actually let’s not discuss the Netflix series. But the rest is good.
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From ScreenRant:
New Avatar: The Last Airbender Video Shows How Zuko & Azula’s Fight Was Animated
A new Avatar: The Last Airbender video shows how Zuko and Azula's Agni Kai was animated with pencil sketches intertwined with the final cut.
A new behind-the-scenes look at Avatar: The Last Airbender shows how Zuko and Azula's fight in the final season was animated. The beloved Nickelodeon animated series originally ran from 2005 to 2008. It quickly became Netflix's top show for a while when Netflix released all three seasons to stream earlier this year. Although the main focus of the story is on Aang, many fans view Zuko's character arc as a masterpiece.
The theme of Zuko's journey was how to restore one's honor. In a masterclass of writing, Zuko goes from Aang's relentless pursuer to one of Aang's greatest allies. Zuko's relationship with his wise Uncle Iroh was what ultimately led Zuko on his eventual path to redemption, in which he vowed to help Aang defeat his father, Ozai the Fire Lord. Ozai had banished Zuko after Zuko refused to fight his father in an Agni Kai, a Firebender's duel for honor. However, Zuko's tumultuous relationship with his sister Azula, who Ozai clearly showed more approval for, nearly hindered his path to redemption. Zuko's last Agni Kai was against Azula, bringing his hero's journey full circle.
Nickelodeon Animation released a cool behind-the-scenes look at the pivotal Zuko vs. Azula face-off. The video seamlessly transitions from parts of the final version fans are familiar with to the original pencil sketches. Check out the video in its entirety [above].
Zuko's battle with Azula is iconic for several reasons and has even inspired a cool live-action fan video of the scene. Viewing the original pencil sketches for the fight is fascinating, especially when the video transitions back to the final version. Story-wise, the fight demonstrated that Zuko had gone full circle from the boy who got burned by his father to a leader who genuinely wanted to make a difference. Ironically, Azula's character arc went in reverse from her brother's, as she evolved from a confident and cruel villain to an almost pitiful mad shell of derangement. What's great about fights like Zuko and Azula's in the Avatar: The Last Airbender universe is the fact that they serve as the culmination of the character's journeys.
While there is an upcoming live-action Netflix adaption of Avatar: The Last Airbender in the works, the original animated series will always remain on top. Zuko's fight with Azula is just one of the many ways Avatar: The Last Airbender demonstrated the power of good storytelling. The road to redemption is never easy, but needless to say, Zuko certainly blazed his own path, earning the title of Fire Lord and bonafide hero.
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From ComicBook:
Avatar: The Last Airbender Shares Behind-the-Scenes Look at How the Agni Kai Was Made
Avatar: The Last Airbender has shared a behind-the-scenes look at how the famous Agni Kai was made. The franchise has been experiencing a major revival in the last year as it has found a whole new audience for the original series and its sequel, The Legend of Korra, while streaming on Netflix. Fans have been taking this opportunity to revisit some of their favorite moments in the series overall, and one that ends up high on many fans' list is the Agni Kai. This fight between Zuko and Azula for the throne helped bring the series to an end overall.
As the series went out, it made sure to make one final stamp with some of the most impressive fights and visuals of the entire series overall. This was especially true for the Agni Kai that pitted a stronger Zuko and Azula against one another. Katara was thrown into the center of it all as well, and it was just the best.
Now Nickelodeon has given fans a whole new way to enjoy the Agni Kai fight as the official Twitter account for Nickelodeon Animation shared a look at the original pencil test for the Agni Kai. It shows many of the building blocks that eventually led to the great final result. Check it out:
With Netflix bringing the franchise to life soon (without the original creators in tow, unfortunately), many of these classic scenes have a new chance at life through the live-action cast. It might be quite a while before we actually see what a live-action take on the Agni Kai will bring, but that's most likely low on fans' lists for the new series considering many fear that it won't get off to a good enough start to even lead into the number of episodes necessary to show off a new kind of Agni Kai. At least the fans already made it happen with gusto!
Where does the Agni Kai rank among your favorite fights in Avatar: The Last Airbender? Where does it stack up to your favorite moments in the series overall? Looking forward to seeing Netflix's live-action series take on this scene? Let us know your thoughts in the comments [...]!
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From Game Rant:
The Last Airbender's Zuko and Azula Kick Major Butt in Pencil Form
The amount of effort that went into making Avatar one of the most beautiful animated series ever is obvious even in this early pencil test.
The Nickelodeon Animation Twitter account has granted fans a little taste of the creative process behind Avatar: The Last Airbender, as a treat. The account, which provides updates and behind-the-scenes looks at Nickelodeon's animated shows, recently tweeted a video of the original pencil animation test of the climactic duel between Zuko and Azula.
Punctuated with clips from the finished scene, the video showcases a portion of the duel which served as the final crescendo of Zuko and Azula's sibling tension. Known as "Agni Kai" (a traditional firebender duel in the world of The Last Airbender), the battle features some of the most impressive and highly praised animation in the entire show, and the pencil test doesn't slack off in that department.
The explosions, the clash of orange and blue, and the intricate character animations are all there even in this early draft of the scene. While it's obviously rough compared to the painstakingly polished final product, the talent and skill of the animators involved are still apparent with each detail. The contrast between Azula's wild ferocity and Zuko's focused determination comes through clearly as well.
Brought to life by an impressive group of artists and animators, The Last Airbender stands above many of its contemporaries thanks to the sheer effort put in. From animation to writing to voice acting, it all holds up to this day, and it's easy to see why when even the framework shown in the brief video just radiates with so much care and attention to detail. It's no wonder that artists like Dave Filoni (Star Wars: The Clone Wars and The Mandalorian) have moved on from this show to do great things.
The Last Airbender has been no stranger to the headlines in the years since the show's conclusion, from 2010's less than favorably reviewed live-action film adaptation to the upcoming Netflix remake series (also live-action). The 2010 movie is almost infamous for its sub-sub-lukewarm reception, earning its place on many a "Worst Movies of All Time" list. Netflix, who apparently believes any publicity is good publicity, saw how that went and still decided to make their own version. After recently losing the original show's creators due to creative differences, it looks as though the series will certainly be remembered for one reason or another.
But enough about the dark times. The original show was great and The Legend of Korra was a worthy follow-up, so focus on that. The video from Nickelodeon Animation is a fascinating window into not only the inner workings, but also a different time, when people were younger and animation was different. (Hey, enjoyment is subjective. No need to bash the present to glorify the past.)
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More Nick: Toph Beifong to Feature in Her Own Standalone 'Avatar: The Last Airbender' Graphic Novel!
Originally published: Saturday, September 05, 2020.
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