In my opinion, Avatar: The Last Airbender 
was probably the best animated show on Nickelodeon. Since it was such a good show it shouldn’t come as a surprise that Avatar still has a large fan base and that there still are new products being produced. Among the new Avatar items are the Diamond Select Toys action figures. This first wave of figures includes Aang, Kitara, and Zuko.
If you don’t remember what Avatar: The Last Airbender was about it is time for a crash course. On this unnamed world there are people who have the ability to control the elements. They are referred to as Benders. They inhabit the 4 nations or kingdoms: Earth, Water, Air and Fire. Among these people there is one person who can control all 4 elements; this person is known as the Avatar. It is the responsibility of the Avatar to maintain balance in the world but when the Avatar disappeared the Fire Nation took the opportunity to attempt to conquer the world. For 100 years the war raged.
While out in a canoe two members of the Southern Water tribe find a young boy frozen in ice. They soon learn that the boy is the missing Avatar and explain to him that he is the last Airbender and the only one who can defeat the Fire Lord and bring peace to the troubled land. The Avatar, named Aang informs his new friends that he needs to learn the other elements. The group set out to find teachers for Aang all the while being pursued by the son of the Fire Lord, Prince Zuko.
Avatar: The Last Airbender is a great show and appeals to viewers of all ages. I just re-watched all 3 seasons and it was just as good as I recalled. If you haven’t watched the show I suggest you give it a shot. You will not be disappointed.
Well you had your crash course and heard my opinion on the show so now let us look at the Avatar: The Last Airbender action figures from Diamond Select Toys. The first wave of figures includes Aang, Prince Zuko and everyone’s favorite water bender, Katara. These figures look great but I would expect no less from Diamond.
I think it is only appropriate that we start with the Avatar himself, Aang. Standing approximately 6 inches high Aang has multiple points of articulation. These are:
• Head
• Shoulders
• Elbows
• Waist
• Wrists
• Hips
• Thighs
• Knees (double)
• Ankles
• Feet
For accessories Aang comes with a “wind effect,” a stand, extra set of hands and his pet lemur named Momo. Momo is not poseable but he does have a moveable head and tail. The figure is pretty spot on right down to the wide-eyed innocent look on Aang’s face.
Next up is Katara of the Southern Water tribe. Kitara stands approximately 7 inches tall and has multiple points of articulation. These include:
• Neck
• Shoulders
• Biceps
• Elbows
• Waist
• Wrists
• Hips
• Thighs
• Knee (Double)
• Ankle
• Feet
Katara comes with a “water bending effect,” a canteen, an extra set of hands and a stand. As for her appearance the sculptor did an excellent job making Katara look as she did in the cartoon.
;/6+’-
Last up, but certainly not least is Prince Zuko. The Zuko action figure stands approximately 7 inches tall and just like the other figures in this release has multiple points of articulation. These are:
• Neck
• Shoulders
• Elbows
• Waist
• Wrists
• Hips
• Thighs
• Knees(Double)
• Ankles
• Feet
Zuko comes with “Fireball effect” and a stand.
Although I really do like these figures I did have a couple of issues. The Aang figure does have some poseability issues because of his clothes. His left arm and right leg lose some mobility because of the outfit. Sadly I couldn’t pose him in a crossed legged position which is a typical Aang pose.
One of the other issues I have is with the stands. The stands are made for holding the figure and their “bending” effects. I had issues with the stands giving out after a while. The one cool thing about the stands is they can be adjusted by removing sections depending on what you are trying to achieve which is great. I may need to work with them to find the sweet spot.
The last issue I had was with the “bending” effects. I had difficulties with posing both Katara and Aang with their effects. Bottom line for the “bending” effects I was unimpressed. Even with these issues I still really liked these figures.
The Last Airbender figures were designed by Eamon O’Donoghue and sculpted by Richard Force and they look amazing. Because of small parts these figures are for ages 4+ but they look so cool you don’t have to be a child to collect them. The figures from Avatar: The Last Airbender have a SRP of $19.99 and can be purchased from the Diamond Select website.
Pick up a set for yourself, you won’t be disappointed.
