I just finished writing up this news over at LatinoReview about the possibility of Fathom Studios taking legal action against James Cameron for perceived similarities between their respective films, Delgo and Avatar.
As you can see from my post, I find the idea laughable. The truth is, I can come up with some other films and properties that share more in common with Avatar than Delgo seems to at this point. Don’t believe me? You’re about to.
Final Fantasy X
This CGI-heavy videogame came out for the PS2 back in 2001, though early concept art preceded that for a year or so. And considering that production on Avatar didn’t officially begin until 2006, it’s worth noting that the bioluminescent forest scene that wowed audiences on Avatar Day, looks uncannily like the famous lake-kissing scene from this game. Behold, a screencap from the Avatar trailer:
And now the scene from Final Fantasy X. (You might want to turn down your speakers if folksy Japanese singing bothers you.)
As if that’s not enough there’s also this fellow:
Kimahri: a member of the Ronso tribe.
He’s big, blue, (arguably) Native-American-inspired, and catlike — though a heck of a lot more badass than the Na’vi look at this point. At any rate, he’s far more similar to the Na’vi than Delgo can hope to be.
Delgo: He's only badass if iguanas scare you.
Castle in the Sky
Laputa: If you can speak Spanish then this name is hilarious.
For our purposes, it’s a big, giant, floating rock. Castle in the Sky, a Studio Ghibli film, came out in Japan back in 1986 so obviously Cameron is a big fat copycat, right? After all, his film has these:
But in truth the rock-castle you see in the first pic is a depiction of Laputa, and its legend goes as far back as Gulliver’s Travels, which was published in the 1700s. So Cameron, Fathom Studios, and Studio Ghibli are all copycats by this logic then.
Every Fantasy Book/Movie/Game Ever Made
What helps to distinguish fantasy from other genres — and I’m sorry but Avatar looks far more like a fantasy film than a sci-fi movie, Mr. Cameron — are the various visual cues, races, and themes that pop up. Dragons, forests, fanged monsters, floating cities, and saving the world because it’s more important than you and your spirit calls to it — or it to you — is something you’re bound to see over and again.
In short, Avatar is not Delgo but it is Final Fantasy X.*
*I’m kidding. Sort of.
