The Legend of Korra - Book One: Air

Discussion in 'Science Fiction & Fantasy' started by Agent Richard07, Mar 23, 2012.

  1. Christopher

    Christopher Writer Admiral

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    To be honest, not so much. It's basically just "Yeah, we thought it would be neat if this happened." I guess there's some stuff about their inspirations, like how mixed martial arts inspired pro-bending and so on, but nothing that you can't also get from the Avatar Wiki and online articles. So it could be informative if you've read nothing about the show online, I guess.
     
  2. Mr. Adventure

    Mr. Adventure Fleet Admiral Admiral

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  3. Christopher

    Christopher Writer Admiral

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    Wow. Her complexion's a few shades too light, but otherwise it's a very impressive likeness, right down to the, err, physique. Although I assume the vivid blue eyes were either contacts or image retouching.
     
  4. Agent Richard07

    Agent Richard07 Admiral Admiral

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    ^ I thought the eyes were too blue as well. Couldn't tell if they were contacts or if they were retouched. Something was done though. Good stuff though. I've seen a lot of Korra coslpay and this set is pretty good.
     
  5. Redfern

    Redfern Rear Admiral Rear Admiral

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  6. Agent Richard07

    Agent Richard07 Admiral Admiral

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    ^ She's even got the body language down, more or less...

    [​IMG]

    I also like that there's a couple of water bending pics in the set like this one. I wasn't sure if it was a real spash at first but now I see that it isn't.
     
  7. Christopher

    Christopher Writer Admiral

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  8. JD

    JD Fleet Admiral Admiral

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  9. Christopher

    Christopher Writer Admiral

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  10. JD

    JD Fleet Admiral Admiral

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    Yeah, that's my one issue with that person's stuff.
     
  11. Christopher

    Christopher Writer Admiral

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    The more I re-watch TLoK, the more I want to know who Korra's key animator is. Her look, body language, and "acting" are so consistent that I think it must be the work of one artist, like the way Glen Keane was the key animator for Pocahontas and Rapunzel and others. Whoever has that job for Korra is simply brilliant. She's so well-animated, with a consistent way of moving and posing and showing expression that just conveys her character so well.

    Also... I have to say this carefully to avoid it sounding prurient... but I'm really impressed by the way they animate Korra's breasts. I mean, yeah, she's a relatively ample-chested character, but not in the exaggerated, caricatured, sexualized way of a lot of women in anime or comics or video games. And conversely, her bust isn't downplayed the way it might be in animation aimed at a younger audience. So it strikes a good balance between... well, between two extremes of immaturity, you could say. Or two extremes of dishonesty; they're neither censoring the fact that breasts are mobile things nor exaggerating it to pander to male fantasies. There is a lot of care put into rendering the way her breasts move when she's in action, or the way gravity affects them when she lies/falls down (particularly in the last few minutes of "The Aftermath"), but it's not the absurd, unnatural "breast physics" of video games or anime, just a realistic depiction of the motions of natural, unaugmented (and apparently unsupported) breasts. So it is sexy to watch for those of us who enjoy such things, but in a way that isn't objectifying to the character or alienating to women, and in a way that doesn't insult the audience by assuming we're all a bunch of juvenile fanboys. And in a way that's simply worth admiring as an aspect of the animator's skill and attention to realistic detail, and as an approach that's all too uncommon in the depiction of female characters in animation and comics.
     
  12. Reverend

    Reverend Admiral Admiral

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    ^I rather suspect from the way she moves that they referenced her body language, movement etc. after a specific person, hence the consistency. Probably someone they hired specifically for that purpose. If her physique is anything to go by, I'd say she was a pro or semi-pro fighter of some description. I'm going to go with either kickboxing or taekwondo.
     
  13. Christopher

    Christopher Writer Admiral

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    I've read that the producers based Korra's look and personality on a particular athlete, a mixed martial-arts fighter or something, but I'm not sure if it's the same person they might be using as a reference model.

    Anyway, the animation is definitely not rotoscoped. The animators are no doubt using live models as reference, but aren't directly tracing them or anything. So the artists' skill and attention to detail is still very much a factor.
     
  14. Agent Richard07

    Agent Richard07 Admiral Admiral

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    I hadn't noticed all that detail. It's fascinating.

    Gina Carano
     
  15. Reverend

    Reverend Admiral Admiral

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    ^Ah, MMA. Well I wasn't far off. ;)

    I never said it was rotoscoped. Indeed, it's pretty obvious that it isn't. You're probably right though in that they're using the same artist for all of Korra's key animation. Or failing that they have one main guy/girl and anyone else who does it have to stick *very* close to that standard. She is after all the main character, so it shouldn't be surprising that she receives such close attention to detail.

    On a totally different topic, I just stated to re-watch the show and only just now have I noticed in the credits that Tenzin is voiced my J.K. Simmons! Maybe it's because he doesn't spend the whole time shouting, but I never would have called that just listening to him.
     
  16. Christopher

    Christopher Writer Admiral

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    Ahh, I can see the resemblance in the build and body language.
     
  17. Agent Richard07

    Agent Richard07 Admiral Admiral

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    Book One is coming out on DVD and Blu-ray on July 16th. More news here. Looks like the Blu-ray will have different extras.
     
  18. Mr Light

    Mr Light Admiral Admiral

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    Hopefully that means Season Two will start around then...
     
  19. Mr. Adventure

    Mr. Adventure Fleet Admiral Admiral

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    Personality wise she seems more Ronda Rousey to me.