The Last Airbender to Watch Next

In the world of animated television, there is not a more celebrated example than that of Nickelodeon’s Avatar: The Last Airbender. Those who grew up watching Aang, Sokka, Katara, Toph, and Appa fondly remember their exploits as much more than just a childhood distraction. The show managed to be mature enough to appeal to grown-ups while still maintaining a watchability and simplicity that kept children entertained. Suffice it to say; there is no shortage of reasons for the show to have retained such popularity for such a long time, what with a live-action Netflix series on the way.

The issue, however, is that those supplementary materials aren’t here yet. For many, there is an Avatar: The Last Airbender-shaped hole in their viewing patterns that they haven’t been able to fill. While the live-action version of Avatar: The Last Airbender is set to air on Netflix soon, some viewers might want to get ready by watching something animated. While nothing will ever replace the feeling of watching Avatar: The Last Airbender for the first time, there are certainly alternatives that can tide you over (and possibly become a new favorite) until more content in the Avatar universe arrives. So, here are nine shows like Avatar: The Last Airbender to watch next.

Update February 6, 2024: While fans eagerly await the live-action Avatar: The Last Airbender series coming to Netflix, this article has been updated with more series to tide you over while you wait and where to stream each title.

The Legend of Korra (2012 – 2014)

The obvious recommendation to make to fans of Avatar: The Last Airbender is the sequel series made after that show had ended. Legend of Korra is just as good (and for some, better) than the show it shares a mythology with. The main character of Korra takes the groundwork laid by Avatar‘s cavalcade of strong female characters and hits the ground running, creating one of the most nuanced and well-formed characters in all of American animation. Even more impressive is the show’s upscaled action set pieces. The action was always a highlight of Avatar, but Legend of Korra takes it all a notch up and boasts some of the most impressive animated fight choreography imaginable. Above all else, however, it maintains a lot of the tonal consistency and maturity of its sister show while carving out a path very much on its own. Fans of Avatar will have undoubtedly seen Korra already, but on the off chance they haven’t, it’s worth including here to make sure they do.

Related: Avatar: The Last Airbender: 15 Quintessential Episodes to Watch, Ranked

The Natural Continuation

The Legend of Korra is set around 100 years after the events of Avatar and, much like the original show, follows Korra as she masters the four elements and establishes herself as the Avatar. Although the core concept remains the same, so much about the world has changed. Toph’s discovery of metal bending and Zuko’s perfection of lightning bending ushered in an industrial revolution, and the four nations now resemble something akin to Victorian London. Across its four seasons, Korra must contend with adversaries who not only challenge her physically but cause her to question her morality, spirituality, and her beliefs. Stream on Netflix and Paramount+.

Young Justice (2010 – 2022)

An underappreciated show in its own time, Young Justice is a special example of what happens when the showrunners innately understand what makes their show so darn good. Across its entire run, Young Justice managed to not only stand up to the other superhero cartoons of its time, but stand tall with the best of the best, like Batman: The Animated Series or Justice League. Fans of Avatar: The Last Airbender will love this show for its ragtag group of heroes, maturity, and occasional goofiness — all the things that made Avatar such a pleasure to watch. Young Justice is far above the dearth of superhero cartoons it was released around and well worth the time spent watching it.

A Peak Ensemble

As Avatar: The Last Airbender progressed, Aang’s team of friends and allies grew considerably. Young Justice is another amazing show with a constantly growing and changing ensemble of heroes and villains. Over four seasons, the Young Justice team sees members come and go as they outgrow the youthful team and develop into adults, switch sides in shocking betrayals, and come to question the entire morality of superheroes. Stream Max.

The story of two brothers searching for a mythical stone, Fullmetal Alchemist: Brotherhood will delight fans of Avatar: The Last Airbender with how it handles its more serious topics. Brothers Edward and Alphonse are trying to restore their bodies after a failed attempt at alchemy. Edward lost function of his limbs during said alchemy incident and joined the local military to save Alphonse, whose soul is now trapped in an unwieldy suit of armor. The two boys aren’t the only ones in search of the Stone, however, as they’ll soon come to find out.

Companionship and Brotherhood

The friendship between Aang, Katara, Sokka, and Toph is at the heart of Avatar, and Fullmetal Alchemist: Brotherhood is perfect for those craving adventures with a tightly-knit group. As they search for the Stone, Edward and Alphonse’s brotherhood is continuously strained and challenged, but they never loose sight of their bond. Stream on Hulu and Crunchy Roll.

Attack on Titan (2013 – 2023)

Attack On Titan

Release Date

September 28, 2013

Cast

Marina Inoue , Hiro Shimono , Takehito Koyasu

Seasons

4

Often considered one of the greatest animes of all time, as well as one of the best TV shows ever made, Attack on Titan really doesn’t need much of a recommendation. It’s one of those properties that has been hard to avoid in the years since it first premiered and for good reason. The show is a fascinating mix of violent action, found family narratives, huge-scale warfare, and big ideas. Fans of Avatar: The Last Airbender will find a lot to sink their teeth in with Attack on Titan, especially as the show has just concluded.

Complex Morality

If there’s one phrase to define Attack on Titan it’s moral ambiguity. At certain points in Avatar, Aang is forced to question his own moral rules, especially his attitude towards killing. Attack on Titan takes this small moment and stretches it into an entire series. Across multiple seasons and special movies, every decision the characters make in their fight for ‘survival’ is scrupulously questioned and challenged in a never-ending philosophical debate (that just so happens to feature giant flesh-eating monsters). Stream on Hulu and Crunchy Roll.

Demon Slayer (2019 – Present)

Demon Slayer

Release Date

January 20, 2021

Cast

Natsuki Hanae , Zach Aguilar , Abby Trott , Yoshitsugu Matsuoka , Aleks Le

Seasons

3

One of the most popular currently-running anime series, Demon Slayer is a hotbed of discussion and fandom discourse at the moment. The show follows Tanjiro and his sister Nezuko, after their family is attacked by demons, and they are the only two to survive. Nezuko is slowly turning into a demon, so Tanjiro sets out to become a demon slayer in order to avenge his family and cure his sister in the process. The show captures the same kind of emotional catharsis and maturity as something like Avatar while keeping its own vibe and tone in the same breath. The thing that really brings its recommendation to prominence is the cavalcade of characters that come in to help Tanjiro and Nezuko along their journey, which will be a familiar and welcome addition to Avatar fans.

Overwhelming Positivity

Despite the fate of the world resting on Aang’s shoulders, he never truly loses his optimistic mindset, always looking for the most peaceful outcome. Similar to Aang, Demon Slayer‘s Tanjiro is the epitome of ‘kill them with kindness’ as he frequently sympathizes with the demons he is tasked with killing, aiming to give them a peaceful send-off and remind them of the human they once were in their final moments. Stream on Netflix.

Samurai Jack (2001 – 2017)

One of the many shows on Cartoon Network/Adult Swim that was created and conceived of by animation master Genndy Tartakovsky (who also did the first three Hotel Transylvania films), Samurai Jack is notable for what it accomplished at the time of its creation. It was an animated show on Cartoon Network that toed the line between children’s shows and hardcore anime, rarely shying away from getting dark or approaching touchy subjects. For many, it was their first exposure to more emotional or complex storytelling, and for that reason, it deserves to be mentioned alongside all these other shows. Samurai Jack is often cited as one of the best-animated shows of the 2000s, and it absolutely deserves that recognition.

Related: Every Avatar in the Animated Franchise We’ve Been Introduced to (So Far), Explained

A Bizarre Adventure

On the surface, it might seem like Avatar and Samurai Jack have little in-common, however, the term ‘cactus juice’ will remind any fan of how bizarre Avatar can be at times. Samurai Jack takes this peculiarity and dials it to the max. With a stunning art style, over-the-top characters and incredible action, Samurai Jack is the unlikely pairing with Avatar you didn’t know you needed. Stream on Max.

Teen Titans (2003 – 2006)

While there is a newer version of the Teen Titans currently on air on Cartoon Network, known as Teen Titans Go!, that is not the show that is being recommended here. The original cartoon version of the Teen Titans story is one for the ages: a legendary three-season arc that keeps it firmly in the pantheon of the greatest shows Cartoon Network ever produced. Fans of Avatar: The Last Airbender will, like many of the other shows here, gravitate toward the ragtag group of heroes at the center and its more mature, emotional tone. That and it has some incredible action choreography and vocal performances.

A Youthful Journey

Even with the fate of the world on their shoulders, Avatar: The Last Airbender reminds you that its protagonists are just children fighting against grown warriors and armies to help people. That premise sounds suspiciously like the set-up for a kid’s superhero show. Teen Titans are the youthful alternative to the aforementioned Young Justice, but it is still as exciting and, surprisingly, emotional. The growth of the team in Teen Titans and their dynamic with one another is very similar to that of Team Avatar and makes for a great companion piece, particularly appropriate since the two shows were airing around the same time just on competing networks. Stream on Max and Prime Video.

Cowboy Bebop (1998)

Akin to Attack on Titan in terms of its almost universal acclaim, the original Cowboy Bebop anime is a legendary piece of animation. While the Netflix live-action adaptation failed to excite audiences, the OG show will always have a life of its own due to how absolutely astounding it is as a work of animation. There are similarities to be drawn between Avatar and this show, but its recommendation here is much simpler than that. Cowboy Bebop is one of the best television shows ever created, so not watching it is doing yourself a disservice, fan of Avatar or not.

A Musical Masterpiece

If Uncle Iroh’s ‘Leaves from the Vine’ brought you to tears (as it rightfully should have), prepare for 24 episodes of emotion through music, as Cowboy Bebop overlays its exciting, hilarious, and emotionally poignant adventures with a bittersweet soundtrack comprised of beautiful saxaphones and bass notes. Oh, and its opening track is perhaps the greatest intro song in television history. Stream on Hulu and Crunch Roll.

Star Wars: Rebels (2014 – 2018)

Star Wars: Rebels creator Dave Filoni got his start on Avatar: The Last Airbender. While most people would naturally go to Star Wars: The Clone Wars, Star Wars: Rebels has more in common with Avatar: The Last Airbender. Like the air benders, the Jedi are on the verge of extinction and facing off against a powerful evil Empire that overthrew the previous establishment government. Star Wars: Rebels, much like Avatar: The Last Airbender, has a great mix of episodic adventure episodes with a grand overarching story, all centered on a young man and his friends who are looking to help bring down a great evil.

Star Wars and Avatar Go Hand in Hand

Star Wars drew from the work of Joseph Campbell, whose hero journey outlines and book The Hero with a Thousand Faces, has defined much of Western media since it hit screens in 1977, and one thing that many fans gravitated to for Avatar: The Last Airbender was its similarities to Star Wars. It is only fitting that fans of one franchise would enjoy the other, and Star Wars: Rebels is the perfect complementary show for Avatar: The Last Airbender fans. Both series also have live-action extensions, as fans will soon see the story of Avatar: The Last Airbender told in a Netflix remake, with Star Wars: Rebels storyline continuing on in the hit series Ahsoka. Stream on Disney+.

The Dragon Prince (2018 – Present)

Netflix’s flagship animated series The Dragon Prince is now entering its fourth season, and it might finally be time for animated TV fans and Avatar fans alike to jump aboard. In this show, the world’s magic comes from six sources: the sun, stars, sky, ocean, moon, and earth, much like the four elements that power the world of Avatar. The Dragon Prince is written by Aaron Ehasz, one of the writers behind Avatar: The Last Airbender, and you can tell. The DNA of Avatar is all over The Dragon Prince: from its world building techniques to the ways that characters talk to one another, it is very distinctly in line with the show that came before it.

Entertaining for All Ages

One of the best things about Avatar is that it was a kids show that was so well-written and produced that it became adored beyond its intended audience demographic. The Dragon Prince is exactly the same. Despite being aimed towards a younger audience, The Dragon Prince has found a universal audience as the show’s impressive writing and relatable character arcs have resonated with audiences of all ages. Stream on Netflix.