10 TV Shows Like Avatar: the Last Airbender That You Should Watch Next.
Avatar: The Last Airbender made a huge impact when it first aired in 2005, seamlessly blending Japanese anime style and Chinese cultural references into an American setting, making it an instant classic—and leading to the creation of M. Night Shyamalan’s arguably forgotten film. The current Netflix series does a far better job of capturing the likes of Aang, Prince Zuko, and the other characters who populate the show’s impressively detailed world. If Avatar and other shows like it teach us anything, it’s that only children can save us.
Chinese American (2023)
Based on Gene Luen Yang’s cult 2006 semi-autobiographical graphic novel, this series introduces Jin Wang (Ben Wang), a shy and rather ordinary son of Taiwanese immigrants. He befriends the confident, loud, and proud exchange student Wei-Chen (Jimmy Liu), who is both confusing and inspiring. It soon becomes clear that Wei-Chen is no ordinary boy, but the son of the legendary Monkey King, and he is on Earth searching for an ordinary teenager he believes can help him stop a rebellion against Heaven. Ke Hui Quan stars as a former child star of a highly stereotypical ’80s sitcom, and Michelle Yeoh appears as the goddess of compassion, Guanyin. Sadly, the series only lasted one season, but it nonetheless tells a fairly comprehensive story. Although set in the modern world, the authentic Chinese cultural and mythological backdrop reflects the Asian-inspired world of Avatar . Watch Chinese American on Disney+ .
Percy Jackson & the Olympians (2023–)
After a couple of rather mediocre films, Rick Riordan’s beloved fantasy series for middle and high school kids gets a funny and faithful interpretation, starring Walker Scobell as the young demigod. After several adventures at a museum, our hero discovers he’s been living a lie: his father is Poseidon, and his mother has spent years trying to protect the family from the divine machinations. Unraveling the mystery, he journeys to Camp Half-Blood, a training ground for other demigods, where he makes new friends (and new enemies) while reluctantly pursuing his destiny. Season three, an adaptation of the third of the original five Percy books, is coming soon, so hopefully the series will last long enough to cover the entire story. Watch Percy Jackson & the Olympians on Disney+ .
YuYu Hakusho (2023)
The anime adaptation of the classic ’90s manga series Yuyu Hakusho crams a lot of plot into its five episodes, and that’s perhaps its only drawback. Otherwise, it’s a successful blend of action and mystery, starring Takumi Kitamura as Yusuke Urameshi, a juvenile delinquent high school student who died in a demon-fueled car accident but not before performing a selfless act by saving another teenager from bullies. He’s given the opportunity to return as a sort of ghost detective, tracking down incursions from the demon world, and is joined by his former rival, Kazuma, who has the ability to see supernatural beings invisible to everyone else. The series is fast-paced and colorful, with some seriously cool demon-fighting scenes.Watch Yuyu Hakusho on Netflix .
His Dark Materials (2019–2022)
This dark fantasy adaptation of Philip Pullman’s classic novel series is set in an alternate world (much like our own) where human souls exist outside of the body as animal companions called daemons. Lyra Belacqua (Dafne Keen) is an orphaned girl living at Jordan College, Oxford, who becomes embroiled in an assassination plot that draws her into the orbit of the powerful Magisterium, the world’s all-encompassing and oppressive religious authority. She is torn between her mother (Ruth Wilson), a powerful figure within the Magisterium, and her heretical extremist father (James McAvoy), neither of whom are good guides for the heroic journey Lyra must undertake. From their steampunk world, Lyra and her daemon, Pan, travel across the multiverse, including our own Earth. Watch His Dark Materials on HBO Max .
Shadow and Bone (2021–2023)
Based on Leigh Bardugo’s fantasy book series of the same name, the series tells the story of Alina Starkova, an orphan and cartographer, who discovers and develops her vaguely magical Grisha abilities, including the ability to summon light, in a dark and war-torn land. It’s a beautiful and rich fantasy world—it can be a little difficult to grasp at first, but only because the series is content to immerse you in it without unnecessary explanation. It’s worth watching, even if the fan campaign to bring the show back for a third season was unsuccessful.Watch Shadow and Bone on Netflix.
Merlin (2008–2012)
Colin Morgan plays the title character, a sorcerer who arrives in Camelot to find magic forbidden. However, a dragon, voiced by John Hurt, doesn’t stop him from explaining that he needs to protect the king’s only son (Bradley James), a boy who will grow up to unite the country. (That nasty boy’s name is Arthur, if that wasn’t already obvious.) Along the way, Merlin must battle monsters, sorcerers, and court intrigue centered around Arthur’s father, Uther Pendragon (the late, great Anthony Head). Watch Merlin on Prime Video .
Lockwood & Co. (2023)
In an alternate modern-day Britain, ghosts are commonplace, which, of course, doesn’t mean they aren’t a nuisance—their touch is deadly. Technological progress has largely stalled, while ghost-hunting agencies thrive, and as adults lose the ability to directly sense ghosts, children and teenagers find themselves on the front lines. Ruby Stokes (from Bridgerton ) plays Lucy Carlyle, an extremely empathetic listener who is suspended from her job when she is wrongly accused of several deaths at her first job. With no other option, she joins Lockwood & Co., an operation run by two orphans working outside the law. It’s a solid, creepy teen drama with a healthy dose of action and a beating heart amidst all the undead. The setting is completely different from Avatar , but both series create engaging fantasy worlds on a streaming service budget—even if Lockwood & Co. didn’t last beyond one season.Watch Lockwood & Co. onNetflix .
The Dragon Prince (2018–2024)
Many of the creators of the original Avatar animated series have moved on to work on this spiritual sequel, which follows two human princes, an elf and a toad, as they attempt to bring peace between warring kingdoms while protecting the Storm Dragon hatchling Azimondias. The series takes place on the continent of Xadia, a place filled with magic emanating from the Moon, Sky, Sun, Earth, Ocean, and Stars (rather than the more elemental magic of Avatar). A sequel is in development.Watch The Dragon Prince on Netflix.
Alchemy of Souls (2022–2023)
This popular two-season South Korean series combines gripping drama and medieval action, while also introducing a witty magical system involving the migration of souls. Set in the fictional city of Daeho, reminiscent of Joseon-era Korea, Lee Jae-wook plays Chang Wook, a nobleman of dubious origins whose natural magical abilities were taken away at birth. Nak-soo (Jung So-min), meanwhile, is an assassin killed by a rival family. Fortunately, she manages to survive (with the help of alchemy) by transferring her soul into the body of a weak, blind woman. When Wook and Nak-soo (in her new body) meet and he discovers her true identity, they strike a deal: she will publicly act as his squire and teach him everything she knows about martial arts and magic, provided he helps her get revenge.Watch Alchemy of Souls on Netflix.
One Piece (2023–)
The One Piece manga has been running for almost 30 years, and the anime series is only a couple of years younger. It’s surprising that a saga with such a rich history has received such a dynamic and entertaining adaptation—even if the agility of protagonist Monkey D. Luffy (Iñaki Godoy) works better in animation than in this occasionally clunky CGI-heavy series. Luffy is the young leader of the Straw Hat Pirates, plundering the seven seas but mostly hunting for the legendary “One Piece” of the title, which will make him king of the pirates. He’s not quite the world-saving Aang, but both series’ adaptations draw on the colorful and quirky worlds created by their source material.Watch One Piece on Netflix.