Rating summary

Movie		4.5
Video		3.0
Audio		3.5
Extras		4.5
Overall		4.0

Avatar - The Last Airbender: The Complete Series Blu-ray Movie Review

Reviewed by Martin Liebman March 15, 2020

Paramount has released a handsome nine-disc SteelBook collection for the hit Nickelodeon animated TV series 'Avatar: The Last Airbender.' The on-disc content is identical to the set the studio released in 2018. See the 'Special Features and Extras' portion of this review for coverage of the new packaging option.

For a full series review, please click here.

Avatar - The Last Airbender: The Complete Series Blu-ray Movie, Video Quality 

For a full series video review, please click here.

Avatar - The Last Airbender: The Complete Series Blu-ray Movie, Audio Quality 

For a full series audio review, please click here.

Avatar - The Last Airbender: The Complete Series Blu-ray Movie, Special Features and Extras 

Avatar's three-SteelBook set ships in a rugged cardboard slip box, black with ornate debossing accents and titles in silver coloring. The box measures approximately 6.75" high, 5.75" wide, and 2.30" deep. It's a fairly standard box in terms of size. The front features the text "Avatar The Last Airbender" at the top, with size emphasis on "Avatar." It's accompanied by "Nickelodeon" text above. At the bottom appears the text "The Complete Series" above a Blu-ray logo, the only silver front side component that is not debossed. In the middle is a cutout, maybe slightly bigger than the size of a typical trading card, allowing viewers to see the center art on the front, or the rear, of any of the three included SteelBooks. The slip box's rear side features a similar layout but is absent the debossing work. Ornate decorations populate the permitter, and inside a box, below the show's title as it appears on the front, is a plot synopsis and a special features listing. In fine print below that are some Blu-ray technical specifications. The spine again features the show's title, with "Nickelodeon" text, at the top. The show's title in Chinese writing appears center. "The Complete Series" text may be seen below, with side-by-side Paramount and Blu-ray logos holding down the bottom area.

The three SteelBooks do not sit loosely inside. Instead, each is separated into its own compartment by silvery, reflective, crudely mirror-like dividers. The SteelBooks share some essential design cues but are each distinctively unique. Book 1: Water's blue-gray color scheme is the lightest toned of the three. Without jumping into too much detail on this, or any, of the SteelBooks, the essentials boil down to a depiction of Aang performing a waterbend. He's nearly encircled by water with lightly visible scenery and clouds appearing above and behind him. The rear panel depicts Katara, center, bending water. Streaks of swirling water envelop the panel's perimeter. Chinese text runs down the top left and bottom right areas. The spine is a simple silver color with the show's title top, Book 1: Water center, and Blu-ray and Paramount logos bottom. Book 2: Earth's background is bit more beige in color. Aang stands center in a fighting position, facing forward, with green emerald-like crystals and a tall mountain peak behind him. The sun appears behind the mountaintop and a few clouds float through the sky. The rear panel depicts Toph Beifong, center, with a large rock beneath the depiction and a circular stone behind. Squared and straight lines and centralized Chinese text wrap around the perimeter while a triangle structure appears top and a creature at the bottom. The spine is identical to Book 1's with changes only to color and central text. On the front of Book 3: Fire, Aang appears midair, kicking, with fire extending from his foot. Flames and smoke envelop much of the outer permitter. An active volcano, a mountain range, and a manmade structure appear in the distant background. The rear panel again depicts Aang, eyes and arrow-like symbol white, bending fire which swirls around him. Fire breathing dragons and smoke outline the edges and Chinese text runs down top right and bottom left areas. The SteelBook's color is a little darker than the others, a hint of red within the metallic, reflective surface. The spine is similar to the others, again with only the central title change. It's worth noting that while smooth, these SteelBook do not readily display fingerprints with any visible density.

Each SteelBook interior offers a similar layout. A single Blu-ray disc appears on its own hub on the left while the right-hand side holds discs two and three in the familiar staggered-stacked formation. Each interior two-panel image is subdued and muted, hard to see unless in very good light. Each references their book titles, with water, earth, and fire scenes. While tonally minimalist, the artwork is complex and attractive, each depicting a different element bending character on the right with general elemental details seen across the remainder of the paneling. Lastly, an excerpt from the book The Rise of Kyoshi written by F.C. Yee has been included. Color front and rear panels and glossy text pages comprise the sample section, which has been stapled together.

For full coverage of the on-disc supplemental content, please click here.

Avatar - The Last Airbender: The Complete Series Blu-ray Movie, Overall Score and Recommendation 

This is an incredibly handsome set. It looks fantastic and much work has gone into making the presentation as perfect as possible. There's nothing new here in terms of on-disc content, though, so fans might want to think twice before re-buying or choosing this set over that which comes in standard packaging, which at time of writing costs about 2.5x less. But it's undeniably beautiful and sure to be a centerpiece of any serious Avatar: The Last Airbender fan's collection.