Legend of Korra 1- 3
We watched the first three episodes of the Legend of Korra. It's a gripping sequel to Avatar: The Last Airbender set in a believable world with the creation team's trademark attention to detail.
(I'll assume a familiarity with The Last Airbender in discussing this series. If you haven't seen it, what are you waiting for? It's the best animated series ever.)
70 years have passed since the last series, and we've gone from a feudal world experiencing it's first world war and the first stirrings of industrialization to a full-fledged early Modern metropolis. While the first series had a world-spanning setting, this series has a cramped, 1920s ambiance with influences ranging from Metropolis to Batman to 1984.
Our young avatar is the hot-headed Korra, a virtuoso of all forms of bending save air-bending who also lacks the spiritual sensitivity expected of the one who must balance the needs of the material world and the needs of the spirit world. She bullies her way into the home of spiritual and airbending master Tenzin in Republic City for intensive training, but only gains a feel for the art by participating in pro bending matches. Tenzin, for all of his dignity is written as a stereotypical "clueless sitcom Dad", and it looks like he and Korra will follow a stereotypical path from misunderstanding to enlightenment. Or will they?
Meanwhile many benders have taken up crime, which in turn has spurred an anti-bending movement led by the mysterious Ammon and his chi-blocking henchmen. Ammon claims the spirit world is out of balance and that he has been given the power to purge bender of their gifts permanently. He gives a scary (to benders) demonstration, but I'll point out we didn't get an opportunity to examine any of his victims up close afterwards.
It's clear the benders are used to fighting duels instead of death matches, and Ammon exploits this weakness thoroughly. If his chi blockers were attacked with death blows they'd have a harder time at it.
According to the rules of fair play mystery we should have already met Ammon's secret identity. I made nobody happy (including myself) when I pointed out that logically the most likely suspect (high government connections, bender, general build, general voice timber and diction, interest in spirituality, and reticence to harm Korra) was Tenzin.
Or maybe a spirit monster possessing Tenzin.
However it plays out,we're eager to see the next episode.
(And OMG Bo Lin has the cutest boy-face in cartoons. That is all.)
(I'll assume a familiarity with The Last Airbender in discussing this series. If you haven't seen it, what are you waiting for? It's the best animated series ever.)
70 years have passed since the last series, and we've gone from a feudal world experiencing it's first world war and the first stirrings of industrialization to a full-fledged early Modern metropolis. While the first series had a world-spanning setting, this series has a cramped, 1920s ambiance with influences ranging from Metropolis to Batman to 1984.
Our young avatar is the hot-headed Korra, a virtuoso of all forms of bending save air-bending who also lacks the spiritual sensitivity expected of the one who must balance the needs of the material world and the needs of the spirit world. She bullies her way into the home of spiritual and airbending master Tenzin in Republic City for intensive training, but only gains a feel for the art by participating in pro bending matches. Tenzin, for all of his dignity is written as a stereotypical "clueless sitcom Dad", and it looks like he and Korra will follow a stereotypical path from misunderstanding to enlightenment. Or will they?
Meanwhile many benders have taken up crime, which in turn has spurred an anti-bending movement led by the mysterious Ammon and his chi-blocking henchmen. Ammon claims the spirit world is out of balance and that he has been given the power to purge bender of their gifts permanently. He gives a scary (to benders) demonstration, but I'll point out we didn't get an opportunity to examine any of his victims up close afterwards.
It's clear the benders are used to fighting duels instead of death matches, and Ammon exploits this weakness thoroughly. If his chi blockers were attacked with death blows they'd have a harder time at it.
According to the rules of fair play mystery we should have already met Ammon's secret identity. I made nobody happy (including myself) when I pointed out that logically the most likely suspect (high government connections, bender, general build, general voice timber and diction, interest in spirituality, and reticence to harm Korra) was Tenzin.
Or maybe a spirit monster possessing Tenzin.
However it plays out,we're eager to see the next episode.
(And OMG Bo Lin has the cutest boy-face in cartoons. That is all.)