Seeing how the original Avatar series became one of my favorite animated shows of all time, The Legend of Korra had a lot to live up to. Fortunately, all the amazing world building, history and cultural depth I've appreciated from before is all present here. And with the introduction to an era filled with automobiles, airships and huge robots, the creators give us a fresh new take on this element bending world, which is a welcome change.
Quick! Make a list of action-packed cartoons for kids that still manage to scratch the spiritual and sociopolitical itches of older viewers caught between perpetual war and Occupy populism.
Now put The Legend of Korra, the stunning sequel to Avatar: The Last Airbender, at the top of that list.
I really enjoyed the 1-hour season premiere, and with the first arc now concluded, I can confirm that the show didn't drop in quality. Set 70 years after the events that took place during The Last Airbender, the story focuses on a young waterbender named Korra, who is the current Avatar that succeeds Aang. She's mastered water, fire and earth, and is sent to Republic City to learn airbending from Aang's son, Tenzin.
But in this huge metropolis lies the villainous Amon, a revolutionary who believes that all benders are evil. His plan: taking away benders' ability to manipulate the elements, including the Avatar, Korra. This begins a war between Korra and her friends, and Amon and his Equalists faction.
DiMartino and Konietzko‘s acclaimed Avatar: The Last Airbender was one of the smartest, sweetest cartoons ever made. And the first season of The Legend of Korra has lived up to its progenitor’s pedigree, taking us on an alternately riveting and hilarious ride packed with fantasy naturalism, steampunk grandeur, kinetic conflicts, sci-fi weaponry and self-aware comedy. The velocity has only increased with each new episode.
source: critiques4geeks.com, wired.com
