5 TV Shows To Watch If You Like Avatar: Seven Havens

Only four years passed between the end of “Avatar: The Last Airbender” and the beginning of “The Legend of Korra.” The gap to the third series in the franchise, “Avatar: Seven Havens,” has been three times as long, but the wait is finally over. In that 12-year interim, the realm of American animation has exploded, and many of the most popular shows of the last decade-plus have pulled from the last two “Avatar” series, either directly or indirectly.

“Seven Havens,” in turn, draws inspiration from the shows that its predecessors inspired. And if you’ve already binged the first few episodes, or you’re reading this after the full first season has come out, you may well be looking for something similar to tide you over. Don’t worry; we’ve got you covered.

Whether it’s a classic wasteland anime series or modern fantasy series you just never found time for, these shows are great picks if you love the tone and fantastical genre blur of “Avatar: Seven Havens.”

She-Ra and the Princesses of Power

If you’ve watched ND Stevenson’s “She-Ra and the Princesses of Power,” it likely came to mind as soon as you turned on “Avatar: Seven Havens.” “She-Ra” took clear inspiration from “Avatar: The Last Airbender” and “The Legend of Korra” in its boundary-pushing cartoon storylines and love of high genre, but it carved its own space by embracing science fiction as much as fantasy. “Seven Havens” follows a similar scheme, blending cyberpunk, solarpunk, and Infofuturist aesthetics with the same spiritual fantasy premise that drove the last two shows.

Where “She-Ra” is a science fiction epic masquerading as fantasy, “Seven Havens” is a futuristic fantasy saga with sci-fi trappings. The middle point of the Venn diagram between the shows is marked by stark, abstract architecture, bright colors, and stylized character designs. Tonally, there’s also a lot of common ground here, with both shows splitting the difference between traditional adventure storytelling for their younger viewers, and larger, more dramatic worldbuilding. And, like “She-Ra,” “Seven Havens” is quite queer (let’s go).

Unfortunately, there isn’t currently an official way to watch “She-Ra” in its entirety, as the licensing deal between distributor Netflix and production studio DreamWorks expired earlier this year. Only the first few seasons were ever made available through DVD or VOD releases, making the end of “She-Ra” impossible to watch at the moment. Hopefully, DreamWorks will eventually release the full series again, as they did with Netflix’s “Voltron” series after it met the same fate.

Scavengers Reign

The world of “Avatar: Seven Havens” is very different from the one seen in “Avatar: The Last Airbender” and “The Legend of Korra.” A sort of spiritual armageddon has turned most of the world into hazardous “harshlands,” with the small stretch of terrain we’ve seen so far marked by desert wastes and deadly superstorms. The result is a treacherous alien landscape, which seems to be the primary “foe” of the show, at least at the start. If you’re really loving that vibe, “Scavengers Reign” is easy to recommend.

To be honest, it’s easy to recommend regardless. If you love high genre at all — fantasy or sci-fi — or great animation, you should probably watch “Scavengers Reign.” Set on an alien world teeming with bizarre flora and fauna, the HBO Max series follows a group of survivors marooned after an issue with their starship. One by one, these characters navigate different parts of their new environment in the hope of finding a way home.

There’s a clear love for certain 1970s sci-fi aesthetics in “Scavengers Reign,” and that same influence can be felt in “Seven Havens.” Just know that while the Avatar shows are great for both kids and adults, “Scavengers Reign” is very much an adult animated series, with some pretty trippy and at times disturbing visuals and storylines. It’s fantastic, but not necessarily appropriate for full-family viewing.

The Owl House

If you’re looking for an animated fantasy series for a similar age group as “Avatar: Seven Havens,” give “The Owl House” a shot. The Disney Channel series, created by “Gravity Falls” alum Dana Terrace, follows 14-year-old Luz Noceda after she falls through a magical portal into a realm of witches and ancient magic. While Luz is a bit older than Pavi (Saheli Khan) and Nisha (Aishu Devan) are in “Seven Havens,” the shows strike a similar balance of kid-friendly adventure and high-stakes fantasy drama. There’s also plenty for adults to enjoy in “The Owl House,” so if you want something to watch with your kids, this is an excellent pick.

Where “Seven Havens” draws from post-apocalyptic fiction and solarpunk, “The Owl House” embraces the tried-and-true magic school for a good amount of its material. That said, it’s always building the larger story in the background, with the third and final season ending “The Owl House” in cinematic style. The format for much of the show is more episodic, like a traditional cartoon, but don’t let that deter you, even if you’re an older viewer.

Trigun

It would be straight-up wrong to feature a recommended watch list for an Avatar show and not include at least one proper anime series. Given the desert wasteland setting and futuristic trappings of “Avatar: Seven Havens,” we’re going with a ’90s classic: “Trigun.”

Originally a manga, “Trigun” follows famed gunman Vash the Stampede as he fights off various villains and bounty hunters on a desolate planet called No Man’s Land. The original 26-episode anime aired in 1998, and while there have been subsequent series and adaptations since (including a fairly well-regarded computer-animated series in 2023), we’re picking the original for that iconic late ’90s anime style. Given that other similar shows of the era like “Cowboy Bebop” were major inspirations for “Avatar: The Last Airbender,” it seems appropriate.

If you love a wasteland sci-fi saga, “Trigun” is for you. And if the massive episode counts of some other popular Shonen series has kept you off of digging too deep into anime in the past, the relatively breezy length of “Trigun” makes it a great pick for less experienced viewers as well. Coincidentally, when both 13-episode seasons are out, “Avatar: Seven Havens” will be the exact same length. “Trigun” is action-packed and oozing with style, making it another great option for older fans of “Seven Havens.”

The Legend of Korra

Yes, it should be obvious. And ideally, you’ve already seen it. But here’s the problem: lots of “Avatar: The Last Airbender” fans still haven’t watched “The Legend of Korra,” or they never finished it. It’s always been a much more divisive show than the original, and that may have put people off. Alternatively, some Paramount+ subscribers may stumble on “Avatar: Seven Havens” without having seen either of the previous shows. So we’re taking this opportunity to say what needs to be said clearly and loudly: “The Legend of Korra” is fantastic, and you should watch it. If you tried, and you didn’t feel like it was for you, but you love “Avatar,” you should try again.

Yes, it’s different. That’s kind of the point. “Korra” is a show about change — about how the idea that we can make the world one way and keep it like that is a lie. It is more ambitious than “Avatar,” and as a result, it’s more uneven. But the high points — the best episodes of “The Legend of Korra” — are incredible, and the animation is absolutely stunning.

While the story might not have the beautiful, clean arc of “Avatar,” “The Legend of Korra” makes up for it with a massive ensemble of richly crafted characters, intergenerational relationships, and fantastic action. Yes, some of the political storylines are underbaked. Yes, the love triangle gets tiresome, and then they ditch it. Yes, this show will make you cry. Heaven forbid art ever makes us uncomfortable. The point is, don’t listen to the haters on this one. “The Legend of Korra” is great, and it’s more essential than ever now that “Avatar: Seven Havens” is here.