Avatar The Last Airbender is a new cartoon on Nickelodeon that Alex and I thoroughly enjoy. This is the description of the show from Nick.com:

Water. Earth. Fire. Air. Only the Avatar was the master of all four elements. Only he could stop the ruthless Fire Nation from conquering the world. But when the world needed him most, he disappeared. Until now... On the South Pole, a lone Water Tribe village struggles to survive. It's here that a young Waterbender named Katara and her warrior brother Sokka rescue a strange boy named Aang from a cavernous iceberg. Not only is Aang an Airbender--a race of people no one has seen in a century--but they soon discover that Aang is also the long lost Avatar. Now it's up to Katara and Sokka to make sure Aang faces his destiny to save the tribe--and himself. Did we mention he's only 12?

In general, an Avatar is a divine incarnation that is definitely flesh. An Avatar is on the Earth when he or she is needed most, usually in times of trouble, and inspires the realization of god. I'd say this cartoon, which is animated in Japanese style but is American made, is after the full meaning of Avatar. This is a showdown of good and evil, but so far it is very nuanced. All the characters, even the evil ones, have depth, and there is hope that they may turn out to be good.

The show is set in a different world with different races and mystical powers over the four elements, Earth, Air, Water and Fire. But easily recognizable are ideas from eastern cultures and religions, typically Indian and Tibetan cultures and the Buddhist religion.

Only four episodes of the show have run so far, so if you haven't seen it yet, you can pick up on the story line and action easily. Nickelodeon also rebroadcasts the show often, as they do all their shows, so you should be able to see the ones you've missed. I think that even 4 or 5 year-olds would like the show. The animation is good and there is enough action to keep small ones interested. There is also a depth to the show that makes in interesting for older kids (and me).

Watch it and Let me know if you like it!