Compare and Contrast Summary

Hello Everyone! It's Alyssa Fowler.

Today, I will talk about what I learned from my Compare and Contrast assignment for my Introduction to Electronic Media class.

I had to explain the advantages and disadvantages of showing ideas or articles in different forms or from different sources of media. The two pieces of media I decided to compare and contrast were the animated television series "Avatar: The Last Airbender" and the live-action movie "The Last Airbender".

 Both adaptations were based on the world created by two animation directors; Michael Dante DiMartino and Bryan Konietzko, and were distributed by the popular children's television network; Nickelodeon. They created architectural designs, clothing, weapons, and spiritual concepts that were inspired by those in the various Asian and Indigenous cultures. The world of "Avatar" also included the concept of "Bending"; a magical, martial arts-based ability to manipulate the four elements, and creatures that are hybrids of real-life animals to make it unique from other fictional worlds.

The art and animation style of "Avatar: The Last Airbender" were influenced by various Japanese anime; included the films by Hayao Miyazaki. This led to colorful and detailed environments that provided atmosphere to each location in the Four Nations of "Avatar". Also, the facial expressions and body language of the characters were animated clearly to give them depth, personality, and unique designs.

The live action film; "The Last Airbender", was produced, directed, and written by well-known director M. Night Shyamalan. Even though it was based on first season of the animated show, important concepts and character were either removed or changed. This included the "white-washing" of the main cast and the actors' lack of emotions and personalities of their animated counterparts. Also, the 3-D visual effects were the least bit lackluster. Much like the live-action movies of "Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles" and "Transformers", it was successful in the box office even though it received so much backlash from fans and film critics alike.

The success of the "Avatar" franchise led to a large merchandising market that appealed to their young demographic. This includes t-shirts, toys, video games, and various comic books. It also inspired Bryan Konietzko and Michael Dante DiMartino to create another animated television series that served as a sequel to "Avatar: The Last Airbender". It was known as "Legend of Korra" and it included topics such as sociopolitical issues and sexual orientation. This was done to appeal to older viewers and to keep at pace with the changing boundaries of what can been shown on television today.

Based on all of this information, I've concluded that I would always prefer the animated version of "Avatar" over the live-action version because it had been a part of my childhood and one of my sources of inspiration for my own artistic talents. Ever since I was a child, I had watched many anime series; including "Tenchi Muyo", "Pokemon", and "Sailor Moon". Also, my favorite movies, video games, and television shows are included in the Fantasy genre. This included "Final Fantasy", "Monster Rancher", and "Harry Potter". 

In my personal opinion, animation allows us to create worlds that are based on our own imaginations and are not bound by the laws of reality or physics. Unlike what has happened with "The Last Airbender", companies like Disney and Marvel have been successful with bringing animated and written works into the real world. However, the concepts from the original work would have to be used correctly and with care.

I'll chat with you guys later!

Media Review 3

Picture of Japanese Theatrical Release Poster is from "Wolf Children" article on Wikipedia.com

Hello Everyone! It’s Alyssa Fowler.

For my third and final media review, I am talking about “Wolf Children,” a Japanese-animated, fantasy movie.

“Wolf Children” was theatrically released in Japan on July 21^st, 2012 and an English-dubbed version became available on DVD and Blu-Ray in North America on November 23^rd, 2013. Mamoru Hosoda; who directed multiple anime movies such as “The Girl Who Leapt Through Time”, “Summer Wars”, and “The Boy and the Beast”, was the director and co-writer of this film.

“Wolf Children” focuses on Hana, a college students who falls in love with a young man who reveals himself to be werewolf. Nevertheless, they stayed together and had two children, a girl named Yuki and a boy named Ame. Shortly after, the werewolf dies after drowning in a river while hunting food for the children.

This leaves Hana as a single mother to two wolf children who aren’t able to control their transforming powers yet. To keep Ame and Yuki from being discovered, Hana moves her family to the countryside. There, she raises the children as they repair their dilapidated house and grow their own crops.

Soon, Yuki starts to go to school with other human children while Ame learns survival lessons from an old fox in a nearby forest. This makes both siblings think about which path in life they decide to follow.

In the end of the movie, Yuki leaves home to move into a dorm at junior high school and Ame becomes the protector of the forest. Hana, now alone, reflects on the time she spent raising her two wolf children and is proud that they will live happy lives.

“Wolf Children” had won multiple awards, including the 2013 Japan Academy Prize for “Animation of the Year,” the 2012 Mainichi Film Award for “Best Animation Film,” the 2013 Tokyo International Anime Fair Award for “Animation of the Year,” and the “Audience Award” at 2013’s New York International Children’s Film Festival. This was due to the movie’s accurate presentation of the struggles of a single parent who raises her two children and help them grow up and find their own path in life. It also provides the story a realistic atmosphere with a bit of fantasy elements. According to a review on AnimeNewsNetwork.com, another great factor of this film is that the environments that the characters interact with are full of life, beautifully detailed, and strikingly spacious so that they can “speak or convey meaning to the audience”.

“Wolf Children” truly is a fairytale that takes place in a modern setting. Both adults and children are able to enjoy this film as it expresses the importance of family, no matter how wild and unpredictable life can be.