Legend of Korra Quickie Review -- I WANT MORE!!
Anyone that knows me knows I love....LOVE....the animation series Avatar: The Last Airbender. Alas, don't talk about the lame live action movie. Anyways, Nick released the first two episodes online since the show hit a fan number mark on Facebook. So you can watch the first two episodes free and it's legit at http://www.korranation.com/. It is also premieres on Nick on April 14th.
I just finished watching the first two episodes, and to my surprise I really really loved it!! The animation is even more breathtaking than Avatar: The Last Airbender. There is so much specific, rich detail on the early modern Asian.culture in the show. Plus the music is even more of a character in this series. It's beautifully well done musically with signature comedic stops at the right moment lol.
Avatar Korra - I wasn't quite sure if I would enjoy the main character Korra, but after watching the first two episodes she's awesome. Korra gives me good Buffy Summers vibes lol. Korra is rash, implusive, but she is very talented physically at fire, water, and earth bending. However, she can't master airbending that much either. I'm glad they talked about why Korra is having problems with airbending. In the previous series we never saw how Aang mastered airbending because he was a natural at it. It's what he was originally born with. He's basically a monk who understood the spiritual side to the world. Korra never knew or learned of that. So Tenzi, one of Aang's children, has to teach Korra not only airbending but to understand the spiritual world around her. We finally get to see an Avatar try to master the spirifual and airbending world. Whereas with Aang it was basically natural and matter of fact. So I find it very cool that we get to see two sides to the same coin with both tv shows. Korra is a really likeable character who even apologizes for her mistakes. It's hard to replace Appa and Momo, but I'm totally loving Korra's polar bear dog Naga!! Hey, you can't go wrong with a dog as your best mate. So it looks like Korra's goal to master airbending and spiritual side will be the key into solving Republic City's problems and anti-bending movement.
Airbending Master Tenzin - Tenzin is already a favorite of mine. Katara (YES!! SHE'S ALIVE!!) said Tenzin was the most serious of her three children. So it is neat to see the two opposites Tenzin and Korra interact, and also learn from one another. Since Tenzin can be so serious when he delivers these deadpan, comedic lines they are priceless. I won't say what the lines are because as I always say it is better to hear the comedic lines rather than being told about it. I also love the fact we get to see a lot of Tenzin's familiy. Tenzin is a father of three, and his wife is currently pregnant with their fourth. At first I wasn't quite sure about Tenzin's children, but overtime I really started to enjoy them. Tenzin's oldest daughter has some great moments, and his son Meelo is just too funny and will give you S1 Aang vibes lol. Another reason why I really love Tenzin's character he is still quite a young man with a young family. He isn't all wise and experienced like Zuko's Uncle Iroh. Tenzin is learning how not to only teach an Avatar for the first time, but also learn how to teach a teenage girl.
Pro-Bending Matches & The Main Couple Mako/Korra - I remember seeing the Pro Bending Matches on a trailer, and I wasn't quite sure to make of it. To no surprise the creative team excels in the pro bending matches. I really love the introduction of it. It not only enables Korra to use and understand Tenzin's airbending techniques, but also begins the show's love triangle. Korra becomes a part of a team with two brothers named Mako (firebender) and Bolin (earthbender). While Bolin gives me great Sokka loveable vibes I'm totally shipping Korra with Mako lol. Mako isn't has emo and angstful as Zuko, but wow he will give you some great Zuko vibes. Which makes me wonder if Mako and Bolin are Zuko's grandchildren. Anyways, it is obivious Korra and Mako are the main ship, so it makes me wonder if the creators are kinda fulfulling the fans who really wanted to see Katara and Zuko hooking up.
Anti-Bending Movement & Villain Amon - Ever since I read about the anti-bending movement I was curious about it. I always love these type of storylines because it flips the tables of what we already know. We only see a little bit of the anti-bending movement, and a little bit of the season (series?) villain Amon. They are hiding Amon's face in the series, so I'm thinking Amon is a decendant or someone we know from the previous series. Either Amon can bend, but still blames the benders for his life. If he can bend, then can he spiritually take away Korra or anybody's bending just like Aang did in the Last Airbender's series finale. Or Amon is related to someone from the previous series from Jet to Azula. Heck, he could be Jet since they never confirmed if he died or not. Who knows, but color me curious. 'Cause Korra is obiviously part of Amon's plan for his anti-bending movement.
I think there is a valid resentment from non-benders. You have the 100 years war that brought tragedy to not only benders but also non-benders too. Remember what happened to Jet and his family, or the farm family Zuko was briefly friends with in the season two episode "Zuko Alone". Back then a lot of resources were done by benders either from transportation to protection. It looked like thanks to Sokka and his engineers buddies they were able to create things for non-benders. Sokka and Suki were the only non-benders in the group, so I can these two being big on pushing the technological advances in Republic City when it was first built. When go into Republic City you can see non-benders able to do things they normally wouldn't do before when Aang and Co. were young. I'm sure we will get more information on where this anti-bender movement comes from, but even then there were inklings of this movement even in Aang and Co.'s time. Heck, we even see in the pilot episode "Welcome to Republic City" benders abusing their powers to perform criminal activities.
Continuity - I loved how much continuity is in the series. We get to see Toph's daughter who happens to be the head of Republic City's police force. Btw, you will see Toph....sorta of lol. The police force can metal bend, and we all know where they technique was learned from....TOPH!! My assumption is Toph helped create Republic City's police force which happens doesn't get along with Korra. You see the police thinks they are doing a great job, but you see the moment Korra enters into the city that is far from the case. So it is interesting to see what the Avatar's role will be in a world that feels they don't need her, but they do especially the spiritual side of an Avatar. She is more of a celeb than a prophecy fulfilled. I'm thinking Aang knew of the anti-bending movement which is why he wanted the White Lotus to keep Korra sheltered from the world. In many ways Korra is even more sheltered than Aang was. You will see a ton of connections to the past from the animals to the technology. You see can influence Sokka's fine engineering help co-create. You will also hear some hints about Zuko's past. I won't say anything it because it's a major spoiler and great comedic timing by the creators lol. I wonder if we will meet Tenzin's siblings. I love that Aang named one of his children after his childhood friend King Bumi.
Overall, after watching the first two episodes I'm totally sold on this series!! It's really a continution of the previous series. We get to see what became of everyone, and how different it will be for Korra. Man, I can't wait for this series to start next month. So next month we have the ending of Young Justice S1, premiere of Avengers: Earth's Mightiest Heroes S2, and the series premiere of Legend of Korra *fansqueels*.