There's a reason Avatar The Last Airbender is still talked about more than 15 years after it first aired. The series is incredibly groundbreaking in animation and children's media. Not to mention, the series had unique storytelling and incredibly well-developed characters.
However, even one of the greatest shows of the early 2000s has flaws, and there are certain things that some series just do better. The Avatar series will always be one of the greatest animated shows of all time, especially for fans who feel nostalgic for it. But whether it's because of limitations placed on the show because of its target demographic or issues with the story itself, the Avatar series is far from flawless.
10 The Characters Have Layers (Ranking Of Kings)
Ranking of Kings is a newer anime series that is making waves because of how well-written it is. The characters are especially unique and incredibly complex. The characters may feel one-note at first, but fans quickly find out that each person is incredibly layered, with compelling morals and feelings. While Avatar had some great characters and some of the best character development, a lot of the time, the characters could be incredibly one-note. Ranking of Kings avoids that and makes the characters feel like real people.
9 Death Has Meaning (Fullmetal Alchemist Brotherhood)
To many fans of anime, Fullmetal Alchemist Brotherhood is one of the greatest series of all time, and for good reason. It has an incredibly compelling story and a really interesting magic system. As a children's series, Avatar is limited in how much it can push the story. They have to be vague about serious topics like death, but Fullmetal Alchemist doesn't have that issue. It's really good at showing the consequences of war as well as the effect death has on people. Jet's death, for example, confused a lot of fans who couldn't figure out if he was actually dead or not.
8 The Women Are The Best Characters (Jujutsu Kaisen)
Jujutsu Kaisen is another incredible series with a unique power system. However, the best thing about it is how well-written the female characters are. Unlike most shonen anime, the women in this show actually have far more compelling backstories than any of the men, and fans love this series because of it.
While Avatar also has well-developed female characters, its character development is limited compared to Jujutsu Kaisen's. Avatar tends to follow common formulas like the smart guy of the group or the group's mom, while Jujutsu Kaisen does its best to avoid tropes like that.
7 War Is Brutal (Attack On Titan)
Attack on Titan does a really good job at depicting what war can be like despite its more fantastical elements. Not only does the series show how there can be good people on both sides of war, it also shows the effects of indoctrination and generational trauma. Avatar also has these elements, especially in the third season when Team Avatar lived amongst the Fire Nation. However, because it is a children's series, it could only do so much in depicting the effects of war. Attack on Titan is a brutal series, but it kind of needs to be.
6 The Hero And Villian Have A Unique Relationship (Yu Yu Hakusho)
Yu Yu Hakusho is an old favorite among anime fans. It's unique in its storytelling, but the best thing about it is its quick-witted characters. Yusuke's relationships with people are incredibly compelling, especially his relationship with the villain Toguro. Unlike Ozai, he wasn't just a one-note evil character for Yusuke to defeat, and their banter really added to the series' charm. Not many protagonists can get away with flipping their villain the bird, but that's what makes their dynamic so great.
5 The Fights Are Next-Level (Naruto Shippuden)
If there's one thing Naruto does better than any other anime, it's the fight scenes. Just like Avatar, the series mixes a unique power system with martial arts, but unlike Avatar, the anime goes all out with its animation. Not to mention, the characters tend to be incredibly creative when it comes to getting the upper hand on their opponents.
Even Naruto, who tends to be the dumbest ninja, has had a few genius moments when he fights. While the fight between Aang and Ozai is incredibly memorable, the rest of the fights throughout the series are pretty standard. Most fans of Naruto can name at least a dozen different fights that have made an impact, which is why the series is so good.
4 It's Comedy Gold (Sleepy Princess In The Demon Castle)
While there isn't much fighting in this series, something it does share with Avatar is comedy. While Avatar is no stranger to some off-the-wall moments, this series is a master at being ridiculous. The fact that the princess is more terrifying than the demons makes for some hilarious moments. On top of that, the characters are just really charming. Avatar can be a fun and light-hearted series, but Sleepy Princess in the Demon Castle somehow manages to be even funnier.
3 It Breaks Down Hero Society (My Hero Academia)
My Hero Academia seems like a basic anime series on the surface, but it's actually really complex. It isn't just another show about heroes. Instead, it uses hero society to highlight problems and break down what it actually means to be a hero. In Avatar, Aang is basically a Messiah, and although he can have faults, the Avatars are seen as people who can do no wrong. My Hero Academia does a much better job at showing the downsides to being the savior to society.
2 The World Is Vast (One Piece)
One Piece may be long, but a lot of that time is spent building up the world that the characters exist in. Every island the Straw Hats visit is incredibly unique, with interesting people and cultures. Avatar has created an amazing world, but that pales in comparison to the world One Piece has created. Then again, it makes sense for the world to be so vast because the series wouldn't work as well if it wasn't.
1 It Takes The Story To The Next Level (Legend Of Korra)
A lot of fans of the Avatar universe debate over the quality of The Legend of Korra, but the reality is that it handles a lot of its storylines better than Avatar did. The series does have its issues, but it doesn't sugarcoat the plot like Avatar often had to. The death of the Earth Queen never would have happened in the first Avatar series, but Korra wasn't afraid to go there.