What Non-Japanese Manga Artists Can Learn From Avatar
Direct Answers
How does Avatar use the shonen formula?
Avatar uses the classic shonen formula by centering on a youthful protagonist with a massive dream. Aang is a young man driven by the ultimate goal of mastering all four elements and defeating the Fire Lord.
The formula dictates that this protagonist faces great adversity in the pursuit of their goal. Aang constantly faces intense challenges throughout his long journey across the nations.
However, he ultimately succeeds by relying on the support of his friends. He overcomes these obstacles with the help of Team Avatar, which includes Katara, Sokka, Toph, Zuko, and their animal companions Appa and Momo.
How are the worldbuilding and power systems linked in Avatar?
The worldbuilding and power system in Avatar are woven together by linking each region to a specific bending style and distinct culture. Earthbenders are bold and strong, while airbenders are lighthearted and peaceful.
Firebenders are fierce and intense, and waterbenders are dynamic like shifting waves. The power system excels through its simplicity, which allows for advanced techniques like metalbending, lightning redirection, and bloodbending.
Furthermore, power levels are directly tied to the natural world. Waterbenders gain strength under a full moon, and firebenders are boosted by a comet but weakened by an eclipse.
How should non-Japanese manga artists approach worldbuilding?
Non-Japanese manga artists should build a world that feels authentic to their own life and perspective. Unless you have a solid understanding of Japanese culture, you should avoid setting your story in modern or ancient Japan.
Doing so will often feel like a bad knockoff. The nations in Avatar were based on Inuit, Monk, and Chinese cultures, but the creators got around the cheap imitation problem by making it a fantasy world.
Building an authentic world creates a real connection with the audience rather than delivering a shallow imitation that reeks of ignorance.
Why is character-focused writing important for manga?
Character-focused writing is crucial because the life of the characters must drive the plot forward. The lives of your characters are more important than the power system or the world of your manga.
Great storytelling requires giving your characters clear motivations, deep internal conflicts, and meaningful relationships. Avatar demonstrates this through its brilliant cast, such as Zuko's perfect redemption arc from a disgraced prince to a great ally.
It also features incredibly written female characters like Katara, who remains strong without falling into the damsel in distress trope.
Harnessing Classic Storytelling Formulas
When we look at successful storytelling, the one series you cannot ignore is Avatar the Last Airbender. It shows how you do not need to imitate Japanese culture directly to make something with a classic anime look and feel.
By focusing on universal themes and frameworks like the shonen formula and the hero's journey, Avatar proves you can harness the best parts of anime without falling into the trap of weak imitation. As a manga artist outside of Japan, you can apply those lessons to your own work.
Following the Shonen Formula
Avatar uses the classic shonen formula. This involves a youthful protagonist who has a massive dream or goal, faces adversity in the pursuit of that goal, and ultimately succeeds with the help of friends.
Aang is a young man driven by the goal of mastering all four elements and defeating the Fire Lord. He constantly faces challenges, but he overcomes them with the support of Team Avatar.
This includes Katara, Sokka, Toph, Zuko, and their animal companions Appa and Momo.
Taking the Best of Anime
Avatar has the exact look and feel that we love about anime while avoiding many negative tropes. It ignores gross fan service and the boring trope of an overpowered protagonist from the start.
We get to see Aang struggle to find bending teachers and learn all four elements. Best of all, it does not suffer from bad pacing or a disappointing ending.
Intertwining Worldbuilding and Power Systems
The worldbuilding and power system in Avatar are woven together closely. Each region is linked to the bending style found there, and each bending style comes with its own distinct culture and traditions.
Earthbenders are bold and strong, while airbenders are lighthearted and peaceful. Firebenders are fierce and intense, and waterbenders are dynamic, shifting between calm and powerful like a wave.
What the power system of Avatar does exceptionally well is its simplicity. There is not a complex set of rules in bending, yet it allows for advanced techniques like metalbending, lightning redirection, and bloodbending.
The powerups are directly tied to the world itself. Waterbenders gain strength under a full moon, while firebenders are boosted by a comet but weakened during an eclipse.
This is a brilliant way to combine the realistic parts of your world with your power system.
Writing Strong Character Arcs
Avatar the Last Airbender is a character focused series. Zuko's character arc is the perfect example of a redemption arc, showcasing his transformation from disgraced prince to one of Aang's greatest allies.
Katara is a brilliantly written female character who is strong yet retains her femininity. She does this all while avoiding the trap of being a damsel in distress for the male lead.
Anime usually features a male character as the group's powerhouse. Avatar flips this on its head by having a small blind girl fill that role as an earthbending teacher.
Applying These Lessons to Your Manga
Even though Avatar is an American animated series, you can easily apply its strategies to creating your own manga. First, you must be authentic.
Unless you have a solid understanding of Japanese culture, do not copy your favorite manga by setting your story in modern or ancient Japan. The nations in Avatar were based on Inuit, Monk, and Chinese cultures, but they avoided the cheap imitation problem by making it a fantasy world.
Build a world that feels authentic to your own life and perspective. This creates a real connection with the audience rather than creating a shallow imitation.
Next, use tried and true frameworks. The shonen formula and the hero's journey are universal storytelling structures that resonate with audiences worldwide.
Western creators can leverage these solid frameworks and blend them with unique cultural influences.
Finally, make your manga character focused. The life of the characters is more important than the power system or world of your manga.
Give characters clear motivations, deep internal conflicts, and meaningful relationships to drive the plot forward.