The Legend of Korra "Welcome to Republic City" / "A Leaf in the Wind" Talkback [Online 3/24/12] [TV 4/14/12]

[The Huntsman]

You've been waiting for this for what seems like years. You've gone through the ordeal of a less than ideal movie. You've gone through leaks that probably tested every ounce of your moral fiber. But now it's finally here. Online, at least.

#101 - "Welcome to Republic City"

Premieres: Saturday, April 14 at 11:00am ET/PT on Nickelodeon, but online now!
Encores: Click here for updates

Korra leaves the safety of her home and travels to bustling Republic City to begin her airbending training.

#102 - "A Leaf in the Wind"

Premieres: Saturday, April 14 at 11:30am ET/PT on Nickelodeon, but online now!
Encores: Click here for updates

Korra is living with her airbending teacher Tenzin on Air Temple Island. Frustrated with her inability to master airbending, she turns her attentions to Republic City's famous Pro-bending Arena. There she befriends two brothers, Mako and Bolin, who compete in professional bending matches. Korra is immediately drawn to Pro-bending's dynamic fighting style.

[army128]

I was completely overwhelmed of how they deliver the first two episodes. The animation is very top notch, it's a mix of the best cgi & hand-drawn and it somehow works to its advantage. Look at Tenzin while he's interacting with Korra, he's bigger in person, I always get the feeling he'll break her arms off eventually.

The first episode kinda felt a bit too fast-paced for me, but considering they want to establish the main setting asap, I'll let it slide. About Korra, there’s something about her VA that doesn’t sound natural to me, like she sounds more like she’s reading from a script. I wouldn’t care if it was a background character except she’s the main character, so she’s always gonna be talking.

The second episode was a little better than the first, we get to see pro-bending & Tenzin teaching Korra. It was quite amusing actually, and it had more funny parts. The pro-bending battles were intense, even though it looks pretty easy considering how one shot could send you flying back. That was lucky how Korra managed to get her act together & learn how to swiftly dodge at such ease.

I don’t know what you guys are talking about a love “triangle”, I don’t think Bolin shows any affection towards Korra, I see it more as a best friend relationship. About Mako & Korra.... I don’t know, they just looked at each other’s location from a far distance, that’s not enough to immediately assume they’re in love

How many weeks we going to have to wait for the 3^rd episode?

Okay, I just watched the first two episodes, and I'm a bit confused as to how this pro-sport works.
The team is called the Fire Ferrets, yet they're shooting water?

I’ll assume they name their team after Bolin’s Fire Ferret.

[Juu-kuchi]

Reposting from the New and Discussion thread:

Enjoyed the first two episodes greatly. Really knew how to set up the world and the characters (I'm calling the new Gaang the "Korralition" until it either sticks or something more preferable is thought of them), and really showed how much love they're still putting into this universe.

Only thing I'm skeptical about is not so much this potential love triangle, but whether or not they'll pigeonhole the Equalizers as one-dimensional villains. There at the very least ought to be some legitimate grievance for them that they're pushing to the extreme. And the only flaw I see in these episodes is the fact that I have to wait a bit longer for the third.

[gohstphantomhive]

" what happened to zukos mom?"
me
: yes!!!!

* enter distration*
me: NOOOOOOO!
other than that. I loved the animation, and was completely drooling over that Toph statue. I absolutely fell in love with Tenzin, his character is hilarious!

[Gold Starz]

Reposting from the New and Discussion thread:

Enjoyed the first two episodes greatly. Really knew how to set up the world and the characters (I'm calling the new Gaang the "Korralition" until it either sticks or something more preferable is thought of them), and really showed how much love they're still putting into this universe.

Only thing I'm skeptical about is not so much this potential love triangle, but whether or not they'll pigeonhole the Equalizers as one-dimensional villains. There at the very least ought to be some legitimate grievance for them that they're pushing to the extreme. And the only flaw I see in these episodes is the fact that I have to wait a bit longer for the third.

I heard someone suggest that name on TV Tropes (along with Krew, which kinda misses the point)

As for the whole one-dimensional villain thing, considering their probably based off of the KKK, since I believe that was around the time of their rise in power, I really don't care whether or not their one-dimensional.

As for the voice acting, I honestly think Janet Varney did a great job with the voice acting, but I think I can see where the complaints are coming from.

So far, my favorite character is probably Lin Bei Fong because you just feel how awesome she is just by her short conversation with Korra.

[magicdog]

Mike & Bryan have done it again! I loved what I saw and can't wait to see more. Hopefully we'll see Korra make her way through that airbending test. I can definiteky see Aang using such a device back when he was mastering airbending.

The boys, Maako & Bolin were nice to see; I get a Sokka - like vibe from him while Maako seems very Zuko - like. Thankfully Maako doesn't appear to be nearly as emo as the former prince was, but you can definitely see some deep running scars that aren't as visible. Bolin is very happy go lucky and I like that!

As for the whole one-dimensional villain thing, considering their probably based off of the KKK, since I believe that was around the time of their rise in power, I really don't care whether or not their one-dimensional.

I would think the Equalists are more akin to the Nazis or Leninists/Stalinists. They were all about being, "equal".

Since being an Avatar is about spirituality, Korra's got a lot to learn and in the process it may bring spirituality back to [non benders] as well. It seems from what I've watched so far, the people of RC have great technological advances, but have gotten away from the spiritual side of life. Enter anti-benders who are [jealous] and feel threatened by benders.

I also had a tought - early in the second episode, Korra and Tenzin are having a meal and they are surrounded by people dressed as airbenders. Does that mean other airbenders have been born but don't know how to master their powers yet and are also there to study under Tenzin??

[Katsumara]

I wanted to do a big, in depth sort of review, but.. it was just so good, I don't know if I'd be able to concentrate long enough to get it all out. D: The animation was gorgeous, the music was superb, I'm already liking Mako and Bolin.. and I don't care at all about shipping, Haha.

The action was just so great though! And Tenzin.. Tenzin and his wife and kids are going to be fun watches for sure.. especially Meelo. HOLY CRAP ADORABLE CUTENESS.

I can't wait for the next episode.. stinks it'll be like.. a full month

[lemonhead75]

I was a bit worried I would be disappointed, but that definitely wasn't the case. The animation was beautiful as always, the voice work was superb, and the story is working out so well. Lin Bei Fong is probably my favorite character based off that short conversation. I hope they don't make her too unlikeable, just a person with a different set of values. Her responsibility is to keep the city safe.

[Djm912]

Enjoyed the second episode. Some new established characters are coming along, which is good. Bolin doesn't seem all that annoying like he could be made out to be, and his brother hopefully won't be as broody as he could be.

I got a real laugh from Tenzin's son and his "terrible teacher" thing. It was something that invoked Hank Hill: That boy ain't right. :anime:

Also, Tenzin is THE MAN.

[Hail-the-Whale]

I never saw the original series, The Last Airbender, and I have to say that the first episode was pretty confusing to me. It seemed like you had to be familiar with TLA to get a lot of the jokes or make sense of what was going on.
I preferred the second episode. Am I the only person that immediately recognised the probending ref as Tom Kenny?
The music is great, but the voice acting seems kind of stale. The whole time, I was aware that somebody was sat in a studio reading from a script. As such, I never fully believed that the characters were real, if you know what I mean. I'm wondering if, because it's a very precise and story-driven series, the actors aren't allowed to mess with the script and play off each other as they do in Nick's comedy series' and that's why they sound so unnatural.
Couple of visual things I particularly liked:
- the spinning gates
- the golden glow of the arena

[Triant]

" what happened to zukos mom?"
me
: yes!!!!

* enter distration*
me: NOOOOOOO!

That was the only thing about these episodes that really bugged me. When creators troll their audience like that, I think it's very unprofessional of them. If they're not going to tell the story, they shouldn't even have mentioned it.

[Riddler]

I thought it was AMAZING.....everything about it was just incredible! The animation was gorgeous. The voice acting is spot on. The MUSIC blew my mind... I hope more music will be given away from Korra Nation.

I thought it was funny when Katara was cut off as she was about to say what happened to Zuko's mom...haha!

I can't wait to see more episodes!!

[zoombie]

It liked what I saw in the first two episode. Judging from what I saw, Book One is Air, I think Book Two is going to about some form of non bending.

I thought Korra and Tenzen were hillarous playing off each other. I want to see a flashback of Aang and Tenzen, I bet Tenzen would be the more adult of the two. Like Goku and Gohan. Anyway I wonder if Tenzen will ask his mother for advice, unless Zuko and Toph are alive, she is the only one that has experience teaching the Avatar.

As for Mako and Bolan, Zuko and Sokka as brothers, I love it already.

As for what happened to Zuko's mom, if Katara actully answered the question she might have told them "she went onto become your great step grandmother."

As for the love triangle with Korra and the brothers I don't see it. If so, it will get resolved quickly like the Kaname / Yoko / Simon love triangle on Gurren Lagann, that was resolved quickly. And trying to not spoil it, but let's just say the loser of that love triangle found another love interest very quickly.

There is always Asami, I think she will have a crush on Mako and be one sided thing, and slowly develop something with Bolan.

[Neo Ultra Mike]

Well I did enjoy the two episodes and here are my reviews of them. Note I saw episode two a week after I saw episode one and that they're pretty long reviews but hey if Katsumara can't be that person, I certainly can.

EPISODE ONE REVIEW:

Though Legend Of Korra isn't technically just a spinoff of Avatar The Last Airbender, I would consider it as one. Or at the very least, the sequal story. And thinking about this is really the third "sequal story" series Nicktoon we've had. First was All Grown Up (and I guess Pre School Daze though I don't know if you'd call that a series) and then there was the recent failure of Planet Sheen. And now we have Korra succeed where those two shows for the most part failed. And I'm not just saying that because A:TLA was better then Rugrats and Jimmy Neutron so a spinoff of that is better then a spinoff of those other shows, but because there's always a feeling of weird disconnect yet at the same time familarity that dosen't make the series work. Probably because the spinoffs usually are written by different crews of writer and directors so they don't feel like the same tone of the original even if they do sometimes ride on it's coat tails (like another recent spinoff the Cleveland Show). So there's a feeling of offness that from the original series. However with this being written and created by the original team of Mike and Brian and their original staff the same feeling is kept. And unlike other spinoffs which just seem like an excuse to tell the same sort of adventures with different characters or different take on characters, Korra feels original in it's own right and in truth actually gets off on a better footing then the original Avatar series did.


Actually thinking about it though the first season of Avatar had it's moments, it's inital beginning episodes weren't the greatest. Trying to rush things (though not as much as the movie) in introducing the characters and set up and not really having time to connect the emotions and the fight scenes well... not really flowing as well as we'd see later on in the series. Not to mention there were a lot of prinicpal characters they were trying to set up in the first episode and try to get you to know their stories: Not just Aang but also Katara, Sokka, Zuko, Iroh and even some of the state of the world. Thankfully Korra's first epsiode focuses us on Korra and getting to know here and just setting up roles for the rest of the cast to expand on later on. And though there are a couple of problems with pacing and delievery (Tenzin coming just to say he wouldn't be able to train Korra and his speech at the end allowing her to stay in Republic City) and some overdone bits of exposition here and there, I couldn't spot any real problems with the series. In fact I probably would of liked this episode a lot more if I didn't see clips of it throughout the last few weeks showing Korra first becoming Avatar, entering Reuplic City and running from the police etc. But that's not the fault of the series: that's my fault for watching ahead of time when I know that ruins the expierence for me.


And like I said there's a lot to like from this outing. First off though Korra isn't as rough or outgoing as I thought I still liked her spirit in wanting to learn to train in airbending to learn the spirtual side of bending, and wanting to stay seeing some of the rotten parts of Reubplic City. And yeah nice to see an Avatar who is more open to some fighting then Aang was since really it's still an action series so you do sort of want a hero who is fine with action. Plus I like the little set ups we did get with the character: getting to see how stiff and annoyed Tenzin was at certain things, the dynamic with his kids, Katara encouraging Korra to go off (ala how her own Grandmother encouraged Korra to go off in the original series), the pettition of the equalists, Lin having issues with Korra (guess she takes after her grandparents in wanting order) and even the set up of Amon at the end. Yeah it was a line but hey if you get it spoken by Steven Blum that usually at least makes it cool. Plus besides the fight there were some funny bits: Jinora asking what happened to Zuko's mom and us getting denied the story (heh what are you saving that for down the line guys? Cause if you are let us know since we do want to see that), Korra failing to insult the Equalists pettitoner properly, Korra and Jin having a stand off, "Don't bring my mother into this!" and the little press meeting at the end. So yeah a lot of good things to start off this series and hope for even better things as it continues on. Since if like it's predecssor the weakest part of Korra is it's beginning then it may even surprass it's original series in being an excellent Nicktoon.

EPISODE TWO REVIEW:

Obviously this is still the beginning of the show and we do have to go through with some exposition and set up. But not only was this one not nearly as much as the last episode, it wasn't spoiled as much as well. Thus though I knew a good deal that would happen (this would introduce Mako and Bolin and Korra would join their pro bending team) there were still some surprises (just like how she would play out in a pro bending team or that right out the gate we'd have some Mako/Korra shipping) that I enjoyed playing out. Plus though there was a lesson in this episode it was one of those interesting "having to learn more about your frustrating element" episode, which is good to see us have one with air.


I really enjoyed "The Waterbending Scroll" because it showed how frustrated Katara was at not being as great as Waterbending as she beleived and her annoyance at Aang and herself at not picking up her element quickly. And in "Bitter Work" seeing how Aang couldn't see how to do things like an earthbender due to it not being in his nature. And then "The Firebending Masters" with Aang's fear of firebending and Zuko's having to change due to him having to change. And here we are given a good reason why Korra can't really airbending: the spirtual side isn't really in her nature and moving as fluidily isn't how she operates. Even from what we've seen so far she seems more like someone who dives into something directly and impvosies through strength, not dexterity or agility which are keys to bending. And yeah it's also nice to see this is Tenzin's fault as well. Who tries to have things both ways too much: giving her far too many restrictions yet tryng to show that airbending is about freedom and soul and not showing much really of either. Also nice how that translates into the bending match at the end with Korra weaving through the opponents and giving Mako and Bolin a chance to get out of the hold they were in to fire back. And yeah speaking of the bending matches they do actually work. Since this is suppose to be a non deadly sport with rules it makes sense they have various zones and each team has various focuses on what to do and even seeing how some teams try different strategies as well. So it will be more interesting seeing how more of these matches play out in the future.


So what about the newly introduced characters? Well since we've only seen a bit of Mako and Bolin we get their basic character descriptions with only the hintings of more depth. So they play out like expected: Bolin's the more hyperactive, energetic and charmer of the group, channeling sort of a Sokka esque character but so far not just being portrayed as the joke of the group. As hey seems even Korra's failings can be shown for comedy as well (more on that later). And then there's Mako who seems like the more serious, and brooding Zuko esque character. Though at least it took him more then a season to show more of his compassionate and understanding side which is nice. Though since this was more on Korra and the pro bending side of their struggle not much else on them but we'll learn in time. I do like how in their focus we don't get any bits of Amon and his Equalists which would of felt out of place here. I'm glad they're not having them put in every episode just because they're the villians yet and can have a show without villians yet still have a good structure too it.


Plus like the last episode there were good bits of comedy in this one: Korra banging around through the doors not understanding how to weave and spin, Korra listening into the radio match and trying to technically point out to Tenzin she wasn't watching it, Bolin and Korra having to deny they're more then friends (kind of more subtle humor which I like), Mako calling Korra one of Bolin's raving fangirls, another pretty subtle joke of Korra seeming offended at Bolin assuming she's just a waterbender, Meelo acting like he hated Tenzin after Korra stormed off "promise me you won't be like that when you become teenagers" "I make no promises" and Korra pointing out she joined Mako and Bolin's team permantley very quickly.


Any real negatives of this one? Well parts were predictable and I guess a bit more time could of been given to showcase some more depths of Bolin and Mako. But those are really the only problems I have. Otherwise I liked this more then the first episode which I really enjoyed and hope that this show gets even better in the coming weeks.

[Jacob T. Paschal]

That was the only thing about these episodes that really bugged me. When creators troll their audience like that, I think it's very unprofessional of them. If they're not going to tell the story, they shouldn't even have mentioned it.

It's a gag, fans shouldn't be getting upset over it. That said, I'm pretty sure that's a story they plan to tell as it is, so joking about it is even less of an issue.

[Rud]

Was very underwhelmed by the pro-bending, everything else was great though.

[Meson]

Good see Avatar back.

The first episode did feel rushed, but that's to be expected.

The second episode was a lot better paced.

I caonly see potential for the new series so far.

The probending matches seemd rush though, even though I realise why. I have seen that rules video they made publicand I wanted to see the game in action. Maybe in later episodes.



We should call the new Avatar team the Fire Ferrets as that's what they call themselves in the show. The KFF (Korra's FIre Ferrets) for short.

[Daxdiv]

Saw both episodes and enjoyed every minute of it. Really like how they set up the world they're in now. I'm also really liking how Mako and Bolin are being handled right now. Kind of glad that Mako isn't as agnsty as I thought he would be and Bolin is just the right amount of positivity.

[Sailor V]

Saw both episodes and enjoyed every minute of it. Really like how they set up the world they're in now. I'm also really liking how Mako and Bolin are being handled right now. Kind of glad that Mako isn't as agnsty as I thought he would be and Bolin is just the right amount of positivity.

I agree with that statement. I can't wait for this series to premiere on April 14th and I hope it does get good ratings.

[HEATXZ]

Legend of Korra is awesome :anime:
the action and animation is amazing