An Alternative To A Roast

An Alternative to a Roast

So I watched Netflix's live-action Avatar and, frankly, I didn't like it. I was considering writing an in-depth review tearing it apart. However, after taking in reactions that ranged from one-line Twitter hot takes to in-depth video essays to paid industry reviews from big name media brands, I realized there wasn't much I could add to the discourse that someone couldn't articulate better.

All that really needs to be said is that it was inferior to its source material in every aspect and incapable of standing on its own merits.

With that out of the way, I'd like to bring attention to a show that more people should watch: Kusuriya no Hitorigoto, known as The Apothecary Diaries in English. To be honest, aside from being strongly inspired by Chinese culture, it's not very similar to ATLA. It's about a commoner girl named Maomao who solves mysteries within the emperor's palace with her knowledge of poisons and medicines. It's a beautifully animated and deeply empathetic series that explores the struggles of living within a rigidly hierarchical society, with special attention paid to the social complexities of being a women. If you like traditional Chinese fashion, murder mysteries, holistic medicine, well-developed characters, or class consciousness in your stories, give this series a shot!