:O

[jhameia]

Zuko's VA is an actual Asian-American! Most of the other characters are voiced by white folks (I can't tell from English names, and I wouldn't know an African-American name even if you slapped me in the face with it unless it came with a picture). And he also voiced Jake Long! JAKE LONG! HAHAHAHA! .... Do you guys know Jake Long? Like American Dragon: Jake Long? (Hey, Mandarin speakers, is it really pronounced "long"? In Cantonese, the "O" sound has a bit of a "U" in it...) ....

JAKE LONG. Or Jake Dragon, I guess. Anyway, he has mad transformation skillz... don't ask me why he's in America. Same reason why all 2nd-gen folks are there, I imagine. His sister can transform too. It used to play on Disney. On Cartoon Network, there used to be The Life and Times of Juniper Lee, also an Asian-American supernatural-power-wielding kid.

And Iroh's VA is (was...) ALSO an Asian-American (a pretty impressive resume, actually) who voiced AKU!.... You know? In Samurai Jack? He was totally a caricature, most likely a stereotype in the American context, but delightfully theatrical. My brother and I thought he was totally awesome. But I guess, that's because we're in a much different racial context.

Comments

[the-afterlight.livejournal.com]

YES. ZUKO. <3

Did you ever see Hook? It's a live-action Peter Pan 'sequel' starring... uh. ... Um. Robin Williams? As a grown up Peter Pan who has to go back and rescue Neverland. Or something. (With his KIDS.)

Zuko's VA plays Rufio.

RU-FI-O. RU-FI-O. RU-FI-O. RU-FI-O.

[yeloson.livejournal.com]

Iroh was also voiced by an asian american Mako:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mako_(actor)

[sparklemagpie.livejournal.com]

Haha! Yeah, Zuko's VA is pretty awesome shizz. And Iroh's VA - Mako - has a wicked impressive resume, yes. I am still very very sad that he's passed on and yet impressed as well with what an excellent job was done in finding an actor to fill his shoes for the final season. <3

George Takei did a voice for a minor character somewhere in there too.