19 replies to this topic

[flowsthead]

I accidentally just realized that there are a lot of similarities between Magi and Avatar. They're not a perfect comparison, but the Avatars are like the Magi with having to know everything and being this incredible, but not invincible force. You have the Fire Country and the Kou Empire trying to take over the world. Both of the main guys befriend someone from the enemy country.

 

Maybe these are shallow comparisons since you could probably make the same with other fantasy based stories, but the mood also feels somewhat similar. I don't know. What do other people think?

[Kidalanna]

Hmm... I can see where you're going, but I don't feel there's that much comparison, honestly. For instance, elements are related to individual djinns and not countries. It kiiind of has a similar feel to it, but that's most likely because they're both fantasies aimed mostly at a younger male audience in a setting that includes a mix of cultures, rather than just one.

[flowsthead]

Hmm... I can see where you're going, but I don't feel there's that much comparison, honestly. For instance, elements are related to individual djinns and not countries. It kiiind of has a similar feel to it, but that's most likely because they're both fantasies aimed mostly at a younger male audience in a setting that includes a mix of cultures, rather than just one.

That's a fair point. It feels like its been so long since a dungeon that I forgot about them completely.

[SidL]

I accidentally just realized that there are a lot of similarities between Magi and Avatar. They're not a perfect comparison, but the Avatars are like the Magi with having to know everything and being this incredible, but not invincible force. You have the Fire Country and the Kou Empire trying to take over the world. Both of the main guys befriend someone from the enemy country.

 

Maybe these are shallow comparisons since you could probably make the same with other fantasy based stories, but the mood also feels somewhat similar. I don't know. What do other people think?

Theres not much to compare about Magi and The Last Airbender.

[Toori]

You have way too much free time :N

[Archimedes]

eh, i don't know if i really see it. I think that the comparisons you are making are kinda common tropes that a lot of different stories use.  so yeah, they share them, but they are totally different in a lot more ways hahaha.

[flowsthead]

Everyone makes mistakes! Let's forget about this thread....

[TitanAnteus]

Everyone makes mistakes! Let's forget about this thread....

... hahaha you give up to easy.
Aladdin is very much like Ang.  They both have a no clue about what they're supposed to go and they go on a journey of self realization.  They're both happy go-lucky while being serious and driven.
The world is also very similar.  Cultures are seperate to the point that walking past a country's border is one of the very few ways you can learn about its current events. 
Patriotism and the love for the country are both themes that they focus on.  The Earth benders are patriotic about the Earth King and they're leaders as well as the Firebenders with the firelords.  In Magi, the people also only see the leaders.  The only difference is that Avatar handles that theme much more maturely.  Most characters can't just be given the lavel "villain" because from their perspective they are acting just.  In Magi, there are some clear cut villains.... not so much recently though.

I'm not saying they're the exact same, but I can see how you'd think about avatar from reading this.

[Lswgamer]

Also, Alibaba has about as much luck with the ladies as Sokka.

[FakeHero]

As you said, shallow comparison, grasping at straws here dude/dudette.

[Kurono]

I do feel it is kind of similar:

 

It is about a young chosen one who, even though is not the best user of the world's powers, can call forth a heightened state in which he is much more powerful, but not invincible.

He also has failed in his world of origin, but has awakened in a new era and place in which he will try to achieve peace through the knowledge his special powers convey him.

He encounters and befriends people from different countries and factions, that will prove to be loyal allies against the ultimate evil.

Although he is a natural, he has to train in order to master the world's different kinds of powers. He also has a spirit friend, who guides him in times of need.

And a concept that is very unique to the storytelling: Time is not static nor vague, you can see how the passage of time affects the physical and emotional growth of the characters, and even the world around them.

 

Bonus points:

-The main antagonistic empire has conquered other countries, and even though they don't raze the place or enslave the citizenry, they replace the whole culture with their own and keep the locals at lower or menial posts.

-The ultimate evil needs a certain specific event fulfilled to wield it's true and full power.

-More than physical training and abilities, the main character's power comes from a spiritual journey and mastery.

-One whom they thought their main antagonist for a long time, becomes an ally against the ultimate evil.

-When a war has broken out, it is only by the special powers of the main character that that the situation is defused, without the sacrifice of lives.

-The main character has one of the world's special powers in which he excels in from the start, but learns not to depend entirely on it.

 

I think that about sums all the similarities I can think of right now.
You could apply all of these to both stories and they'd be true, just read through them thinking about The Legend of Aang or Magi, and the situation will come to mind.

Also, anyone feel free to correct me if I made a mistake or technical error about anything. Or adding a new similarity.

 

Fried Potato flowsthead, you were on to something. I also felt they were similar, but never stopped to analyse both stories.

Edited by Kurono, 10 December 2013 - 05:13 AM.

[flowsthead]

Fried Potato, you were on to something. I also felt they were similar, but never stopped to analyse both stories.

 

Haha, Fried Potato is the posting rank for forum, just like how you're a Potato Sprout. The usernames are below the picture.

[Kurono]

I had never noticed that

I usually just comment below the chapter list, so I had no idea of the ranks xD

Thank you for that U.U

Edited by Kurono, 10 December 2013 - 05:11 AM.

[darkspark]

I do feel it is kind of similar:

 

It is about a young chosen one who, even though is not the best user of the world's powers, can call forth a heightened state in which he is much more powerful, but not invincible.

He also has failed in his world of origin, but has awakened in a new era and place in which he will try to achieve peace through the knowledge his special powers convey him.

He encounters and befriends people from different countries and factions, that will prove to be loyal allies against the ultimate evil.

Although he is a natural, he has to train in order to master the world's different kinds of powers. He also has a spirit friend, who guides him in times of need.

And a concept that is very unique to the storytelling: Time is not static nor vague, you can see how the passage of time affects the physical and emotional growth of the characters, and even the world around them.

 

Bonus points:

-The main antagonistic empire has conquered other countries, and even though they don't raze the place or enslave the citizenry, they replace the whole culture with their own and keep the locals at lower or menial posts.

-The ultimate evil needs a certain specific event fulfilled to wield it's true and full power.

-More than physical training and abilities, the main character's power comes from a spiritual journey and mastery.

-One whom they thought their main antagonist for a long time, becomes an ally against the ultimate evil.

-When a war has broken out, it is only by the special powers of the main character that that the situation is defused, without the sacrifice of lives.

-The main character has one of the world's special powers in which he excels in from the start, but learns not to depend entirely on it.

 

I think that about sums all the similarities I can think of right now.
You could apply all of these to both stories and they'd be true, just read through them thinking about The Legend of Aang or Magi, and the situation will come to mind.

Also, anyone feel free to correct me if I made a mistake or technical error about anything. Or adding a new similarity.

 

Fried Potato flowsthead, you were on to something. I also felt they were similar, but never stopped to analyse both stories.

Pretty much all of those comparisons very common in this genre and several are common to stories in general. I think you have over thought this a little to much. If you look hard enough you can find similarities in anything. I sure if you really tried you could find similarities between Tower of God and a potato.

Edited by darkspark, 10 December 2013 - 11:17 PM.

[flowsthead]

Pretty much all of those comparisons very common in this genre and several are common to stories in general. I think you have over thought this a little to much. If you look hard enough you can find similarities in anything. I sure if you really tried you could find similarities between Tower of God and a potato.

 

I don't know what kind of potato you are eating, but most of my potatoes don't involve betrayal and magic.

[Kurono]

Pretty much all of those comparisons very common in this genre and several are common to stories in general. I think you have over thought this a little to much. If you look hard enough you can find similarities in anything. I sure if you really tried you could find similarities between Tower of God and a potato.

 You could be very right about generalising a bit too much, oh wise potato expert.

Just to be sure, tell me of another story that can be described and fits everything from the first paragraphs (Bonus points to you if if they fit the... Bonus points, too U.U).

 

And yes, your potatoes are most interesting. If they can be a good a read as Tower of God, I might want to read them too.

[ggundam8]

Magi has differently been inspired some what by Avatar. I usually don't notice stuff like that. At first I was like I can see a little Avatar, then a little more Avatar in this and then they just stole Zuko(Hakuryuu Ren). Comparisons can definitely be made.

[Racky]

Cartoon you mentioned have one thing in common with manga called Magi. Main characters are humanoids, nothing more, the end, finito.

[TitanAnteus]

Magi has differently been inspired some what by Avatar. I usually don't notice stuff like that. At first I was like I can see a little Avatar, then a little more Avatar in this and then they just stole Zuko(Hakuryuu Ren). Comparisons can definitely be made.

There's been no inspiritation.  Most people from the East don't watch western shows.  They came out independently of each other.

[clamzoopa]

Okay, this is a huge stretch, and doesn't really compare the two series, but when I heard comments (I'm a few chapters behind) about the most recent chapters, I did think of Avatar.  So, ok, wait, first, there will be spoilers so if you haven't finished The Last Airbender, this is your warning.

Ok, so a lot of people were disappointed in the ending, saying energy bending is a deus ex machina.  I do agree in a sense, as the way it was introduced was just completely out of the blue.  So I see a lot of people defending Sinbad saying he may do bad things, but they're for the greater good; the world isn't unicorns and rainbows, yada yada.  Well, everyone was telling Aang he had to kill the Firelord.  There was no question, he had to be stopped.  Did he need to be killed, though?  Aang was the only one who was trying to find an alternative to his death.  They actually really could have stretched the series out, because to solve a problem you need to break it down.  Firelord Ozai was a danger to everyone outside the Fire Nation (and even some in it), and that was enabled by his superior bending (and birthright).  Is killing him the only way to stop his bending?  Why didn't anyone else think of that?  Just about all bending was created from something other than humans, and one woman turned water bending into blood bending.  Still, no one even considered the possibility of sealing a person's bending ability.

So back to Magi.  Is what Sinbad and the leader of the Kou nation doing the only way to resolve the problems their respective countries face?  Do they think 'there's no other way' or 'I give up'?  I would just like to see the author come up with a solution.  I mean, look at Yu Yu Hakusho.  The demon world was about to become a battlefied of the three strongest demons, but Togashi thought of a way around it (even if it was a retread of a tournament arc).  I would just like to see something other than, 'well, that's how the real world is, so this series has to adhere to the limit of human's capacity for compassion and understanding, even if they don't have to adhere to the physical capabilities.'