Netflix’s “Avatar: The Last Airbender” actively reuses entire tracks from the animated show’s original score by Jeremy Zuckerman. There are the opening and closing themes, which are used in every single episode, but also the theme for the Fire Nation, and even an instrumental version of “Leaves From the Vine,” the beloved tear-jerking song Iroh sings on his dead son’s birthday in an episode.
The problem with this is that these recognizable sounds evoke the feeling that you’re watching not a continuation or companion to the original, but the same show — which it isn’t. Watching the upbeat, fun music from the 20-year-old cartoon followed by a scene of airbenders being brutally burnt to death by firebenders creates a tonal dissonance that is hard to ignore. It becomes nearly impossible not to constantly compare the two shows because the live-action remake constantly reminds you of the original.
And there was a way to avoid this, while still having nods to the original music. Take the “One Piece” live-action, which has an entirely original score that separates the show from the anime and manga. The Netflix show nevertheless uses an instrumental version of “We Are,” the iconic first theme song of the 25-year-old anime during one key scene … and that’s it. It is definitely a piece of fan service, as the scene uses that emotional connection and that decades-old context for a moment of great triumph, then it’s over.
All this being said, there is one blatant reuse of the original music that works precisely because it takes you out of the show — the “Secret Tunnel” song. It is a dumb, silly song that has taken a life of its own since “Avatar” ended, and a love letter to the fans that continues to delight people to this day.