The first live-action trailer for Avatar: The Last Airbender is finally here, providing us a glimpse of Aang, Suki, Omashu, and more. But it was Appa, Avatar's beloved air bison, who stole the show and the hearts of many fans on social media.
Coming at the very end of trailer, we get to see Team Avatar riding together on Appa, looking just as they do in Nickelodeon's famous animated series. The first look at Appa has proven popular with fans desperate for a faithful adaptation after all these years.
Always remember who you are. Avatar: The Last Airbender, premieres February 22, 2024. #GeekedWeek pic.twitter.com/Bql52Kdhql
— Netflix (@netflix) November 9, 2023
"APPA IS SO BIG AND FLUFFY LIKE HE SHOULD BE THANK GOD," one user exclaimed in a popular post on X/Twitter.
Other fans seemed to agree, responding with animated gifs praising his both Appa and Avatar's other mascot, Momo.
APPA IS SO BIG AND FLUFFY LIKE HE SHOULD BE THANK GOD #AvatarTheLastAirbender pic.twitter.com/wSvYtV2yzb
— Lia (@griffxnblake) November 9, 2023
"I've seen THE LAST AIRBENDER & KORRA at about 4 times. You need to understand I'm precious about this franchise & in general cynical. But this... When Appa appears I fell apart... I'm very hopeful. Visuals, sound, conveying bending as terrifying... Wow," another user wrote.
Of course, dedicated Avatar fans know that Appa doesn't always have the easiest time in the show, with one fan observing, "Appa's Lost Days in 4K is gonna kill me."
The sentiment on Reddit and elsewhere was similar, with fans praising the bending, the return of the classic music, and the environments.
One highly-upvoted user wrote, "I’m blown away at how the world design and bending looks. That’s hard to pull off in live action. This makes me very hopeful that this will be a huge hit!"
Indeed, fans have reason to be optimistic following the success of One Piece, which proved to be a faithful adaptation of the beloved anime. It's a big turnaround from Cowboy Bebop, which was canceled after just one season after being panned by fans and critics alike.
Avatar fans have their own trauma around live-action adaptations, having been previously burned by M. Night Shyamalan's infamous Avatar: The Last Airbender movie. Shyamalan, for his part, defended his take on the series, arguing that the show was ultimately for kids.
One way or another, the Netflix adaptation seems to be a much more faithful take on the classic action series. And after the first trailer, it seems like fans are ready to say "Appa yip yip" when it arrives on February 22, 2024.
Kat Bailey is IGN's News Director as well as co-host of Nintendo Voice Chat. Have a tip? Send her a DM at @the_katbot.
