Legend of Korra

   The Legend of Korra is an American animated television series that aired on the Nickelodeon television network from 2012 to 2014 (Oh, how time flies) and was created by Bryan Konietzko and Michael Dante DiMartino as a sequel to the critically acclaimed Avatar: The Last Airbender (Which aired from 2005 to 2008). Again, much like its predecessor, the show is animated in a style that is strongly influenced by anime, which is not to say it is. The series follows the new Avatar Korra, the reincarnation of Aang from the previous series, as she faces political and spiritual unrest in a modernizing world.

   And much like its predecessor, the show has been a critical success. Drawing favorable comparisons with the HBO series Game of Thrones (Huh) and the work of Hayao Miyazaki. It has been praised by reviewers for addressing sociopolitical issues such as social unrest and terrorism, as well as for going beyond the established boundaries of youth entertainment with respect to issues of race, gender, and sexual identity. While Samurai Champloo was an anime series that stepped out of the traditional if not stereotypical tropes and expectations of anime at the time, both Avatar series were not afraid to show that they were heavily influenced by anime, while still managing to remain their own unique and memorable series.

   Much like Avatar: The Last Airbender, it is evident that a lot of love was put into this considerably darker sequel by its creators... Sure, the show might have had a somewhat rocky start (A little opinionated, I suppose, but I was most definitely one of those that felt a little annoyed if not turned off by the characters when they were first introduced and how they were written over the rest of the season, particularly Korra), but it eventually began picking up by the end of the second season, and most certainly ended with a bang by the forth and final season (Am I allowed to spoil this...? No? Oh well, I'm sure you will all figure out what I mean on your own). 

   One thing that certainly stood out to me about this series, was the character development over all four seasons. Again, I really wasn't a fan of these characters during the first two seasons, but once I actually went back and considered all four seasons as one whole entity... I couldn't help but feel astounded by it all. No one would have expected so much to take place, to change... and it feels like the gentlest reminder on how much can actually change within a short period of time. A person and their beliefs, relationships between various people, situations, absolutely everything... And it is all developed in the most believable way possible (Very much like its predecessor, really, so maybe I shouldn't be so surprised about how well they had pulled this off).

   Again, much like the previous series, The Legend of Korra was most cetainly known for its quality production values. The series was produced mainly as traditional animation, with most frames drawn on paper in South Korea by the animators at Studio Mir and scanned for digital processing. Each episode comprised about 15000 drawings. The series however did make occasional use of computer-generated imagery for complex scenes or objects, most noticeably in the animations of the pro-bending arena or the mecha suits of the later seasons.

   The Legend of Korra most certainly stood out to me in terms of its striking visuals (Which you can certainly see in the gif set below). While The Legend of Aang was also known for its unbelievably gorgeous visuals, I do feel that this series had certainly taken it a step further when it came to its production values. The animation quality is beyond breathtaking as well as the art direction itself. Even one could admire the simpler if not quieter scenes in the shows, and appreciate it for its crisp coloring and lineart. 

   But obviously... that is not what we are here for. Much like the previous Avatar series, The Legend of Korra also stood out for its incredibly detailed fight sequences, with the bending styles featured derived from different styles of Chinese martial arts. Yes, there is the fantasy element there as always (With the controlling of various elements and what not), but there is also the beauty in how realistically these characters move whilst doing so (In which many of the Principles of Animation can be successfully applied to, such as Anticipation, Timing and Solid Drawing). The impact, the struggle, and strain, so much could be felt from each movement they make, be it light or heavy. Korra's way of fighting is also a metaphor in itself as continues to grow as a person whilst being made to deal with all the matters that are so cruelly thrown to her by the city. And while she maybe the all powerful Avatar, the truth is, she is but still a teenager who had so much to learn at the very beginning of the series... and that is also shown from the way she fights throughout the show.

   Both Avatar series have also been an incredibly huge influence to my work not for its anime influences but also due to the fact that it is set in a fantasy world that borrows extensively from East Asian art and mythology. And while it started out as a mere interest like anything else, Mike and Bryan certainly went all out in creating the gorgeous fantasy world that we have all come to adore to this very day, of course, with help from the right people that is, if your heart is really in something, everyone else can most certainly tell once they see it for themselves.