I'm a simple gal, I see a video about Avatar AND fashion? I click.

Just a heads up most of the character designs were made by Korean animators and in fact not just by the two "white dudes" - that's especially why there's a lot of Korean influence in the clothing.

Finally, someone that doesn't just say ''the fire nation is Japan''.

i think the show is very respectful and kinda empowering to lots of asians, i really loved the show as a child

Anyone who thinks Avatar the Last Air Bender (the animated series) is cultural appropriation just because the creators are WHITE are just plain WRONG. An immense amount of research and care was taken into account in designing each nation, their culture, and fighting style and is a celebration of the culture as well as a wonderful bridge show to introduce young children to other cultures and anime.

Katara's batrodhal necklace is acutally based on south asian tradition of giving a necklace(called Mungalasuthra) to a bride on her wedding day to show she's married

There’s a difference between cultural appropriation and appreciation

I loved hearing you talk about non western fashion history. I feel like there’s a bit of an absence of this side of fashion history content here on KZfaq.

Avatar wasnt drawn in America by Americans. Yes the story was created by american men and approved by them but the majority of Avatar was animated & drawn in South Korea by JM Animation.

One thing that I don’t see many people discuss when it comes to Avatar fashion is that the civilians on Kyoshi Island wear clothing that is heavily Ainu-inspired. The Ainu are an indigenous ethnic group in Japan, located in Hokkaido and also stretching to areas that are technically controlled by Russia. Due to the proximity to the Southern Water Tribe, we can see that the climate of Kyoshi Island is fairly cold, although the geographic location is kind of flip flopped.

okay but the way katara looks beautiful in every tribe's clothing, sis can turn a look.

I'm not a costume designer, but I'm an animator, and the most likely reason why the monks aren't wearing maroon is because of Aang's character design and also western color psychology vs. eastern color psychology. In the East, orange and reds are associated with peace, but in the west, reds are associated with passion, anger and authority, it stands to reason that this is why the Fire Nation were predominantly red, as they are the big imperial colonizers in the story. Likewise, the Air Nomads stand for peace and balance, it would be logical to conclude that they would be wearing white if we are going by western color psychology, but I suspect that Aang's character design came before the rest of the Air Nomads, and as he is such a youthful and joyful character, they went with a yellow color scheme, as this the color that represents these things in western color psychology.

Thank you so much for not leaving out all the Southeast Asian influences in the Fire Nation! ❤️❤️❤️

I hope this won't sound weird but I love hearing you talk

I'm indigenous and I can't speak behalf of the other represented ethnicities within the show, but speaking on behalf of my own opinion as an indigenous person from Canada I don't personally see any of the broad representation found through the series to be overtly offensive. I think to have represented indigenous ethnicity to an educational standard would have been impossible within the confines of a made-up world because there are hundreds if not thousands of individual nations with their own unique culture and so that just couldn't have translated and may have actually been more offensive to fantasize very real conflict in more specific detail. I think the important parts to have represented to avoid any toe stepping is something they already did effectively which was to very overtly showcase the clothing and culture as unique to one group of peoples. Having people walking around in traditional clothing for the sake of a fashion statement, having it incorporated into the aesthetic of the show in a willy nilly or purposeless way would have been overtly appropriating and they didn't do that. Both the Northern and Southern water tribes had separate cultures and dress. The clothes were worn by only those originating from those nations, and they accurately represented a conflict that is not very adequately represented in today's society. A lot of people don't know this, but The First Nations in Canada is a group of nations who were first to sign treaties with the Canadian government, they have a disproportionately loud voice in comparison to their contemporaries and would often be more fairly recognized by the Canadian government because they were first to (more eagerly than others) work alongside them. They were still treated unfairly, but significantly better by comparison and were quicker to develop to 'catch up' with Canadian society and so deemed more 'civilized' by the average white citizen. This was actually really nicely showcased in the show despite it being a made-up universe, more in-depth in Korra. I'm not offended by the creators borrowing these themes. I think they did a good job of rewriting real-world themes in a way that can get children excited and intrigued by them. Edit: With all of that said, I know a lot of people are debating what indigenous groups were specifically referenced and whether they were Mongolian, or North American, but the clothing in my opinion isn't specific enough to really tie it to any one region other than broadly northern indigenous. There are PLENTY stylistic choices that were made to point at their clothing being closely modelled off of the Inuit or other northern north American ethnicitie's traditional clothing and culture as well as Mongolian specifically, but like I said, I think it's better they went this route in designing the traditional wear than narrowing it down. Just imho

It does make sense that the fire nation would take a little inspiration from multiple places given they've invaded everyone.

For those who are interested, _Five Thousand Years_ is a KZfaq channel dedicated to Chinese history, and has many great videos on the clothing of different dynasties. Plus, most of it is in English and the videos that aren't have English subtitles. The woman behind it is Chinese (though she lives somewhere else) and truly has a passion for the subjects she covers. There are many interesting tidbits about daily life in ancient China that you would never learn from a history book. I highly recommend it!

I personally view it as cultural appreciation rather than cultural appropriation.

pakistani here, I loved this series as a child, and even though my culture wasn't represented in it, as an asian and a brown skinned girl, I felt represented and empowered

The Water Tribes are also heavily influenced by Inupiat and Yup'ik groups, with many of the parkas in the show looking like Yup'ik "fancy parkas" as much if not a little more than Canadian Inuit regalia. The fur trims are also very similar to what you find on the trational parkas in Nome. I find one of the best ways to find images of Inuit/Inupiaq/Yupik traditional clothing is to search specifically for photos of these people from, say, the 1930s or before. Also really good for finding traditional tattoos, hair styles (like looped braids at the side of the head or two braids merging into one worn at the front of the body), and jewelry.

I think it would be cool to see how the Sandbender outfits draw from Middle Eastern and North African culture as well

Just the information in this video alone shows that so much research was put into ATLA. Mike and Brian definitely made this show out of appreciation of Asian cultures. I know I can’t speak for all Asians, but being Asian, I love seeing the blend of their influences and Asian influences.

I've never heard anyone claim that there was cultural appropriation in Avatar. I love that there is zero western culture within it, and that they did thorough research to be accurate.

Honestly I feel they just showed the beauty of the Asian culture

I'm so tired of everything being called appropriation without anybody knowing what exactly is appropriation...

this may not be your thing but I'd LOVE to see more of your personal style (amazing video btw)

i’m cambodian and when i saw that the fire nation clothes were inspired by traditional cambodian clothes i was so happy

Thank you. Someone who doesn't just say "The Fire Nation is Japan" Also, a lot of people missed Ursa's hairstyle we see in one episode during her wedding that was Korean Influenced. That show really just mashed everything together. Well, I'm not mad at it though.

as a Tibetan i really appreciate that you included information about Tibetans since not much know about our religion

adding onto the souteast asian influence in fire nation costuming - SE Asian styles are typically shown when they're in the fire nation colonies. this reflects that the fire nation emulates the qualities of an empire, where the colonies are poor and the royals have vacation houses there. many SE Asian countries were colonized by imperial powers and further dominated and disempowered through cultural and military influence, so i think they made that distinction in clothing intentionally to show the imperialist character of the fire nation. overall, excellent video as always! big fan

I’m Chinese and my family (especially my Grandma loves this show because of how beautifully it portrays different Asian cultures. What separates this as appreciation rather than appropriation is the care and research put into it, and the positive and respectful portrayal rather than a lazy cheapening.

One thing I like about Avatar is that it was set in a general Asian-centric imagined world that had a strong presence in the west, and it portrayed the characters as powerful and capable.

This is MY NUMBER 1 SHOW. Aang inspired me so much as a kid, the action, the raw emotions omg it was too much

Loved this! I've watched a lot of fashion history videos, and it's almost all centered on europe and the united states. I've seen a liiitle bit about Japanese streetwear, but that's mostly it when it comes to clothing from asian cultures. I appreciate all of the research you did for this, I certainly feel more informed.

Why does everything have to be problematic? Brian and Michael clearly love and respect Asian and indigenous cultures. They made a beautiful show with NOT A SINGLE WHITE PERSON. And did it with respect and great care. I am so damn tired of people getting upset over everything. 😤😤

i would love to see a korra fashion influences vid!! lots of early 20th century USA influences i think

Also in The Search, Zuko’s mom was wearing wedding attire that resembled Korean clothing

I know cultural appropiantion does exist, but I don't think Avatar do it. I understand cultural appropiation as when someone appropiates the intellectual property of a culture without acknowlegde the inspiration. For example, a fashion designer went to Mexico, stoled indigeous designs, call them their own, sold them and made money at expense of a culture she didn't bother to understand. But avatar never said asian culture was their own, a lot of asian people work in the design of the characters and the production, in some way this series educated a lot of people and was pay homage to the culture.

I’m white so I’m not really sure if this is a valid opinion, but how would ATLA be cultural appropriation? The creators were white, but I believe they worked with a lot of South Korean peers in the creation of the show (but I could be remembering wrong?). I understand cultural appropriation when someone dresses or expresses a culture as if it is their own, but it’s not as if the characters in the show actually wearing this influenced clothing and reading Chinese scripture are white. They have typical anime eyes, so it’s not exactly expressed there, but they are heavily implied to be from a blended culture deriving from several different SE/E Asian countries. I feel like the creators didn’t claim a culture as their own, but made a creative and fresh concept from Eastern influence, which was a breath of fresh air compared to the typical Western influence that’s still in pretty much every cartoon today. I guess those are just my thoughts, idk

I just wanted to add, as I recently did some reading on Inuit clothing, they had a set of winter parkas made from caribou, but also a lighter, waterproof parka made of sealskin for use in summer months. The sealskin is waterproof!

It’s so frustrating that if people make films only about European nations, it’s exclusionary and racist, but if they make films about non-European nations, it’s cultural appropriation and racist. We can’t win.

I love this video!! I also noticed sokka’s sword master’s outfit looked like an ao dai

I love this sm! Also Xiqiong Ruqun is pronounced 'She Chee-ong Roo Choon' and I'm so glad the hanfu revival is coming back in China again, I love it so much. Also, I'm super impressed by the creators of the show - they managed to take elements from so many parts of asian culture, it's awesome to see these countries also being represented, even if they're not 'represented' in exactly the same way.

Personally, I think that Zuko's clothes in season 3 looks a lot like the clothing of the yakan tribe of the Philippines.

loved this vid!! the costume design is one of my favorite parts of atla and i loved all the real life examples you showed here as well as the inclusion of the materials used! super informative and interesting :3 also im watching this with a migraine and ur voice is v soothing hahah good job!

I literally just watched ur atonement vid earlier today and found it SO insightful and then u went ahead and dropped this aghhhh thank you loved this!

based on your love for 30s fashion, i think youd enjoy analyzing the fashion of korra since its inspired by the fashion of the 20s and 30s

I've been saying how brilliant and overlooked the costume design for the show was. They really took care to distinguish between nations, not just with color but material /military regalia and were able to represent classes within the nations themselves.

they did a really good job in designing the characters!! i think most asians, including me, feel represented and empowered through this show, instead of being offended by it. i can only speak for myself as a person of chinese heritage, as you can't call something cultural appropriation if you're not part of that culture. and you also did a good job in researching all of these information!! thanks for the video, it was very informative and fun to watch!

I thought they producers worked with Asian people on this show.

I was not expecting to hear Mongolian influences in Avatar,,, Katara's summer outfit was my favorite as a child and it was likely based on my own culture? Wow

5:16 it might be because airbenders wouldn't want to be associated with firebenders

Thank you for also mentioning indigenous cultures in the influence of the Avatar the Last Airbender

the fire nation head piece is also seen in korean culture. thank you for a wonderful video. much love.

You worked so astronomically hard on making sure no one misinterpreted your intentions. You are an absolute delight! You're disclaimers and explanations are so respectable, they were not necessary but they are extremely appreciated!

Honestly so glad I stumbled on this channel,,,, I've honestly been waiting for such in-depth videos about influences in fashion and costume design and these videos have been everything!!! Keep doing what you're doing, loving the content :') also love ur personal style and makeup!!

Not only were they trying to keep the main characters from the fire nation unique, I also think that they didn’t want to overtly vilify any specific culture. Of course some real world cultures influence the Fire nation (esp. Japan) but by making their culture more ambiguous than the others, it avoids the messy implications of painting a culture that way.

Many of the character designs were made by the South Korean animators, so the white creators didn’t appropriate anything.

Also, in the fire nation, there the Agni Kai taken from Indian fire god Agni.

awww i love this level of detail i didn’t want it to end 🥺♥️ your videos are so soothing and informational i can’t wait for your next one 🥰🥰🥰🥰

This video taught me a lot! Thank you for teaching us about the historical origins that inspire the fashion in ATLA. Wonderful work 💕

This is such a cool analysis, excited to check out your other videos next!

thank you for taking the time to explain in detail to those of us who don’t know! i really enjoy learning about different cultures. this is an amazing video.

i personally don’t find the show to be culture appropriation as I feel that a lot of care and research has gone in to the clothing styles for each of the four nations. I am Asian but I do not speak for all Asians as that is just my opinion

Thank you love ! That was beautifully explained ! And as a Buddhist I’d like to thank you specifically for the perfect explanation of the buddhists references and symbolism in the clothes in the show you were on point ✨ kisses 💕

This was so interesting! I love the show and knew that the different nations were based in different cultures etc. so the informative nature of your video with all the pictorial examples was just amazing ☺️💕

Thank you so much for doing the research and explaining these beautiful culture!!! I love the video.

Thank you for getting me through my Workday with your content. I adore fashion analysis videos

Fun fact in the earth kingdom there is a cultural attitude to keep a clear and light complexion similar to the chinese cultural attitude to maintain fair skin

Wow ! Such a cool idea for a video and a channel ! Can't wait to see more stuff like this and your last video !!!

i love listening to your videos while sewing! your voice is so relaxing and your videos so informative!

It's really cool for a kids show fantasy it shows inspiration from different countries and mirge them together while telling a really good story.

Ah! If you ever watch Korra I really hope you give it it a fair shot! There was a lot of shady business from Nick to the Korra team. Like one example is that they were told Korra was only green lit for 1 season. I just love Korra and it holds a special place in my heart. And I think Korra was never given a fair shot but much of the avatar “fandom”. That’s just my 2 cents tho. LOVED the video. Both educational and super fun. Thank you for uploading !!

As a Japanese I never thought the fire nation was aesthetically Japanese. I feel like everything is just a mixture of different cultures and that’s cool because after all it’s a fantasy. It doesn’t have to be culturally accurate.

I can’t imagine the amount of work you put into this! Thanks for your time and dedication 😊

i loveeeee how respectful are you to different cultures

I loooovelovelove fashion history and this video fed my love a lot more !! I think this video is very well done and I can't wait to see more videos you put out :- )

I am just glad they at least they took their time to learn about it.

oh my gosh, I'm so happy that I came across this video! The content of it so well-researched and interesting, and it was so fun to watch. And I just absolutely adore the way you talk and smile too!!! Your demeanor is so calming tbh and I love the viBeS you give off lol. You're also really pretty :) I might sound weird but I just wanted to let you know how happy this video made me feel :) I appreciate all the work that you put into this and hope you're proud of the masterpiece you made! This vid is so cool for all the avatar fans to see! I never payed attention to how much detail there is in the show and you broke it down so perfectly! I hope to see more of these kinds of videos because they're so fun and interesting to watch!

This was so cool. I recently subscribed, im obsessed with your voice. Its mellifluous, elegant and and overall really calming.

finally some agrees with me that the fire nation has no japanese influence or culture (aside from there political structure) at all

I see that the majority of the comments are about cultural appropriation. Of coure that is an important topic to discuss about, but the only thing that I want to say is that I really appreciate this video!! I learnt so much and its all soo interesting!! You explained it so very well!! Thank you for this video!!

this was so well done!! also oh my god your top is stunning

Mina Le I am really glad you talk and explain really well the garments and accessories. While other channels are talking 'Korra is better than...' or 'ATLA is better than...'. Here you actually get to the point of speaking about the pros of the show. Thank you so much! And I love your voice, you sound like an honest and kind person. Take good care! ❤️

I love your makeup, you’re super pretty :) I loved the fact about the monks who recycle plastic for their clothes 💚

i would really like to see you evaluate the fashion in the legend of korra! maybe just the main cast though, since it seems that fashion trends vary wildly in lok.

I loved this video a lot! I love learning about different cultures!

I loved this vid it was so informative and really shows where the different inspirations came from in ATLA and I thoroughly enjoyed it.

Yay avatar!! Zuko is my favvv! Like ur style and channel ☺️

Please please please keep making videos, i like it so much and find them so interesting! And just seeing your aesthetics is so inspiring for me while i want to find and create mine too, love from Russia and thank you😘 Ps how did you know that avatar is my favourite tvshow!😉

You’re so fabulous and lovely and I genuinely LOVE your videos! Thanks for creating and sharing 💖

Where on earth do you get your fabulous clothes???? Your whole bedroom is my dream aesthetic, including your style 🤩

8:31 that's Bolin's outfit in Legend of Korra

I would love to see a part two of yours on legends of korra as there’s more characters introduced! And maybe touch on the fashion of the sub category benders, like the swamp benders, metal benders, etc ❤️❤️ I love your videos

Dear Mina, i hope I can add something: Deel isn't the specific term, it's a Terlig or Yesa robe. The difference is the material (primarily animal hide) and cut (wider lower part for horse riding). The Terlig has a super interesting History actually, that it went along with Djinggis Khaan (Ghenghis Khan)on a journey and inspired multiple places to adapt a similar robe bc of it's practicality. Now China has Tieli + Jisun and Korea has Cheollik, the mughal indian jama. Kataras robe has less similarity with the more modern deel.

The Chinese are somewhat fire nation because when the Dalai Lama was being reincarnated the Chinese were looking for it too and also the Dalai Lama ran away from home when the Chinese attacked. Notice how similar that was to aang’s story?

I really dislike the words "cultural appropriation". It is a positive word with such negative meaning. Seeing how these American white dudes took the time to make their clothes this accurate besides avatar being fantasy is showing how much they respect these asian cultures. If I could I'd ban the misuse of "cultural appropriation" because people use it as a synonym for cultural disrespect even when people are actually researching and respecting cultures. I never heard somebody call Disney disrespectful either though they are extremely inaccurate but ey it seems to be ok for people to be white and not researching about their own culture... Now these white people actually make something accurate and everybody (mainly Tumblr as far as I can tell) suddenly scream cultural appropriation *facepalm* In the end race doesn't say anything about quality and as far as I read in the comment section nobody really ever has an argument besides: because the directors were white, the voice actors were white, there is little English information (as seen in the video it seems to be enough though), someone who doesn't come from a culture has to make mistakes (but were are those?) All of this is empty criticism based on the race of the directors. In fact this is what I call racism. Never have I heard about any heavy mistake they made that would justify this.

I would love to see more English resources on Asian fashion, art, and literature out in the world. This was a great introduction to some historical Asian forms of dress. Thank you!

I thoroughly enjoyed this video. Thanks so much for sharing Mina!

I AM SO GLAD I FOUND THIS CHANNEL