Reviews WesternAnimation / The Legend Of Korra

Please stop doing these absolutely terrible reviews, filled with tons and tons of personal nitpicks and very little actual reviewing.

Also, Season 1 was great.

higherbrainpattern:

"Please stop doing these absolutely terrible reviews, filled with tons and tons of personal nitpicks and very little actual reviewing."

-Want to know what the difference with you and other people who find problems with my reviews? They actually point out what exactly I am doing wrong and how I can improve it. Sorry if you find them to be terrible but I will keep doing this (What did you expect me to say? Some absolutely bullshit response of "Don't like, don't read?").

And I already pointed out that the "personal nitpicks" do VERY little do bring down my thoughts on the show. Numerous times if you've read the clear warning on the cons list. So there's your reading lesson for today.

"Also, Season 1 was great."

-Now I see your real reason for coming here. Look I respect your opinion but I and so many other people already made it clear that Season 1 had a lot of wasted potential. I never said it was awful (at least I don't think I did), I just think that it has a lot of wasted potential that keeps it from being as good as people say it is.

Oh and btw, listing the Pros and Cons of a work is a way for me to express how I feel about a show, book, game, etc. So, in the words of Korra:

Deal with it.

Oh and before you mention that I didn't list the warning on this Cons list, I meant that I posted it on the previous reviews.

I simply assumed that I wouldn't need the warning on this list since it was annoying to type and I thought people got the point. Guess I was wrong....

You're the only one who keeps repeatedly going on about Book 1's wasted potential. Professional reviewers like the AV Club, Variety, etc, had nothing but good things to say about Book 1. Also, you keep clogging up the review section of LOK with your nitpicky, mostly negative reviews and then finish it up with, "but yeah, it's good, watch it", almost as if you know you're trying to rile up people who really enjoy LOK by listing every possible negative critique you can think (even if it's not justified). That's pretty much why your reviews are terrible.

You're basically saying that a reviewer is wrong when they go against majority opinion. That's just... really strange.

In a slight way, I agree; these reviews of yours are mostly nitpicky, and the ways suggested to improve them are based on your preferences, not necessarily just on a purely professional scale. Or that's how I see it.

But anyway, my main comment is on the Opal bit; as we've seen, she's seeing Kuvira's conquest thing as a highly bad thing, duh. However, seeing her boyfriend a willing part of this, even thinking he's doing good, could be seen as a betrayal. It's not exactly shallow, because it's essentially an issue of compromise and different views/values, which is only bound to get deeper.

Sigh....

1. Book 1 didn't explore the benders vs nonbenders conflict to the extent that it had to be....

2. The Mako-Korra-Asami love triangle was poorly handled in my opinion

3. The Deus-Ex-Machina ending in Book 1 (Korra can airbend after losing all of her bending then at the end of the episode she gets it back)

4. Bolin at that time didn't evolve beyond comic relief. He was literally just there for that.

But it has its high points:

1. Amon is a great villain.

2. Korra is a great foil to Aang

3. Fight scenes are beautiful.

4. The extent that they did explore the benders vs nonbenders conflict was surprisingly well-done

So I am going to repeat myself here. I DON'T THINK IT'S TERRIBLE! I just feel that it has wasted potential. That is all.

Oh and here are some examples of people who said Book 1 has wasted potential. TO prove that I am not the only one who thinks this way.

http://www.giantbomb.com/profile/tylea002/blog/cartoons-legends-and-wasted-potential/99140/

http://www.nerdsociety.com/legend-korra-season-1-review/

http://bitchmagazine.org/post/avatar-legend-of-korra-is-getting-ridiculous (this one is about Season 2)

http://conmakorra.tumblr.com/ (This guy hates it a bit too much if you ask me...)

And that's only a few of them....maybe they aren't professional reviewers but they are people with an opinion. So saying that I am the only one who keeps going on about Book 1's wasted potential is absolute blasphemy.

But look, I admit most of my reviews are kinda nitpicky and yes I am working on that. I really am. But I'm not trying to "rile up people who really enjoy LOK", I'm just trying to point out legitimate flaws with the series and I feel that I do at least get that right.

"That's pretty much why your reviews are terrible."

- If that's how you feel then fine. But I'm not going to stop just because you have an opinion on how I feel about the series. I'll try to do better but I'm not going to stop just because you don't like how I do things.

Damn it! I hate when people comment while I'm typing!

omegafire17: "In a slight way, I agree; these reviews of yours are mostly nitpicky, and the ways suggested to improve them are based on your preferences, not necessarily just on a purely professional scale. Or that's how I see it.

But anyway, my main comment is on the Opal bit; as we've seen, she's seeing Kuvira's conquest thing as a highly bad thing, duh. However, seeing her boyfriend a willing part of this, even thinking he's doing good, could be seen as a betrayal. It's not exactly shallow, because it's essentially an issue of compromise and different views/values, which is only bound to get deeper."

- 1. Read my previous comment.

2. I understand. I just don't agree with her. That's why its listed as VERY MINOR. Cause just cause I don't agree with another character's views doesn't mean that they are a bad character.

Actually, after giving it some thought I realize that if I kept on doing things this way, it really would clog up the review section (even though there is an option to review single episodes).

So just a question to whoever is still following: Should I do a liveblog then post the review for the entire season here?

Sounds like a great idea.

Thanks! I'll put the link here when after I watch episode 2.

I haven't watched the first episode yet (getting to it). Ryochi Mayeabara, I just wanted to pop in and say: don't back down. Don't feel sorry for nitpicking. Critics are a necessary and valuable part of the artistic process. Purveying a great deal of artworks (in our case, animated shows) seems to give critics a greater insight to the negative aspects of a work than the positive, but this is to the advantage of the writers and producers of said work as they can use such constructive criticism to improve upon future works as Bryke seems to be doing now. If we had "nothing but good things to say" about Lo K (people with "nothing but good things to say" about something are not "professional" reviewers), then Bryke wouldn't have bothered upping his game and we wouldn't have seen the more decent aspects of season 3. He would've dragged on with the Love Triangle and god knows what else; it would've been a disaster. Bottom line:Nitpicking can be salutary to the growth of an artistic work as long as you have the right attitude.

You shouldn't have to apologize for offering insights into the quality of a work as long as you back up your arguments with sound reasoning and thorough analysis, which you have done. If some of your critiques are based on personal opinion, that can be insightful as well. It's your reaction, as a consumer, to a finished product that is made to try and appeal to everyone. From what I've seen in your reviews, you definitely don't deserve to simply be branded a nostalgia blinded troll reviewer as a few of your critics have done.

From what I've experienced, I think that perhaps some part of their anger spawns from wounded pride. When something draws you to a work and makes you like it, you begin to invest a lot of emotions into it. When someone criticizes that work, the person might feel as though his/her emotional investments are under attack and that he/she is tangentially being insulted, thus sometimes inciting an inflammatory rebuke. I understand what this feels like, having felt it many times when researching reviews for things that I loved. But even if a review doesn't have "nothing but good things to say" about something, it doesn't justify badmouthing the reviewer of the work if that reviewer has made as much effort to write a fair and balanced critique that acknowledges the work's positive and negative aspects as Ryochi Mayeabara has done.

@Ryochi Mayeabara, I'd like to add too, that whilst I may have disagreed with your opinions on most of your Korra reviews, I still appreciate your reviews existing and like that you take the time to make them. I'd honestly quite enjoy episodic reviews for all of season 4, and I don't think it would 'clog' everything up too much, although I think it might draw some ire from other people and I'd respect your decision if you didn't want to put up with the hassle.

If I had one criticism to make now, it would probably be that the formatting can be quite hard to read. Have you tried not having line spaces for each bullet point and actually using bullets points (which is the star * symbol here)

For example, the timeskip could be a really good idea. It establishes that what happened to Korra is serious, even three years later it's still affecting her life and it allows them to tell the story of her recovery without going off the rails. In the same way, with the Earth Kingdom it makes that situation serious too, and we can see that it's led to a real shakeup that's still being felt three years after. But if they do that, it'll be happening in the episodes that come after the opening one.

I did like seeing Asami, Mako and Bolin changed and the ways the air nomads have changed as well. I think I'm a fan of the timskip, as long as they do it properly. If nothing else it made for quite a funny way for them to deal with the vine problem. Republic City is soooo capitalist =D We have a bunch of vines which are destroying our property and forcing us out of our homes, how do we deal with this? I know, tourism!

I also think it's pretty fair for Opal to be having problems with Bolin. It's not like they aren't trying to make it work, but it's very long distance and she finds it hard to believe in what Bolin is doing and that it's actually helping people. But on the other hand, she can't really tell that to Bolin because this is the first time he's had independence in his life and a feeling of achievement. That's going to put pressure on their relationship

Williamson K:

• laughs* back down? Yeah no.

I'm branded as a nostalgia blinded troll? Wtf? For pointing out glaring issues?

"Critics are a necessary and valuable part of the artistic process. Purveying a great deal of artworks (in our case, animated shows) seems to give critics a greater insight to the negative aspects of a work than the positive, but this is to the advantage of the writers and producers of said work as they can use such constructive criticism to improve upon future works as Bryke seems to be doing now. If we had "nothing but good things to say" about Lo K (people with "nothing but good things to say" about something are not "professional" reviewers), then Bryke wouldn't have bothered upping his game and we wouldn't have seen the more decent aspects of season 3."

- Thank you for pointing this out. Imagine if he continued with those GOD DAMN DEUS EX MACHINAS AND THE BAD LOVE TRIANGLE!!! It would have been a shameful display.

"(people with "nothing but good things to say" about something are not "professional" reviewers)"

- Exactly why I am very Very VERY careful about which reviewer's opinions to take note of. I also take note of which ones give unfair complaints. (IGN: Frame rate issues? Seriously?)

"From what I've experienced, I think that perhaps some part of their anger spawns from wounded pride. When something draws you to a work and makes you like it, you begin to invest a lot of emotions into it. When someone criticizes that work, the person might feel as though his/her emotional investments are under attack and that he/she is tangentially being insulted, thus sometimes inciting an inflammatory rebuke. I understand what this feels like, having felt it many times when researching reviews for things that I loved. But even if a review doesn't have "nothing but good things to say" about something, it doesn't justify badmouthing the reviewer of the work if that reviewer has made as much effort to write a fair and balanced critique that acknowledges the work's positive and negative aspects as Ryochi Mayeabara has done."

- Yeah that kinda stings for me too. You have no idea how many complaints I read about FMA 2003 after people watched FMA Brotherhood (One guy called the 2003 version a "gentle breeze"). So I understand where he is coming from.

Anyways, thanks for your insights but I honestly feel that I have been kinda nitpicky and I really do think that if I review every episode in the series, it would clog up the review section. Thanks, but he's right about that. I'll do a liveblog instead and post the overall review here once the second episode of Season 4 comes out.

Tom With No Numbers:

"I'd like to add too, that whilst I may have disagreed with your opinions on most of your Korra reviews, I still appreciate your reviews existing and like that you take the time to make them. I'd honestly quite enjoy episodic reviews for all of season 4, and I don't think it would 'clog' everything up too much, although I think it might draw some ire from other people and I'd respect your decision if you didn't want to put up with the hassle. If I had one criticism to make now, it would probably be that the formatting can be quite hard to read. Have you tried not having line spaces for each bullet point and actually using bullets points (which is the star * symbol here)"

- Thanks but I personally don't want to be the guy who takes up most of the space of this review section. I'll just do a liveblog and post an overall review here.

Thanks for the formatting tip. Helps a lot!

"For example, the timeskip could be a really good idea. It establishes that what happened to Korra is serious, even three years later it's still affecting her life and it allows them to tell the story of her recovery without going off the rails. In the same way, with the Earth Kingdom it makes that situation serious too, and we can see that it's led to a real shakeup that's still being felt three years after. But if they do that, it'll be happening in the episodes that come after the opening one."

- I agree. They did a really good job of showing just how these events really affected these characters in the course of a single episode. I just hope they don't waste their potential.

"I did like seeing Asami, Mako and Bolin changed and the ways the air nomads have changed as well. I think I'm a fan of the timskip, as long as they do it properly. If nothing else it made for quite a funny way for them to deal with the vine problem. Republic City is soooo capitalist =D We have a bunch of vines which are destroying our property and forcing us out of our homes, how do we deal with this? I know, tourism!"

- I really did like seeing the way they changed but I really hope they do it properly.

XD Wow Republic City.

"I also think it's pretty fair for Opal to be having problems with Bolin. It's not like they aren't trying to make it work, but it's very long distance and she finds it hard to believe in what Bolin is doing and that it's actually helping people. But on the other hand, she can't really tell that to Bolin because this is the first time he's had independence in his life and a feeling of achievement. That's going to put pressure on their relationship"

- I personally don't agree with her mindset but that doesn't mean that she is a bad character. I just simply don't agree with her.

"I'm branded a nostalgia blinded troll? Wtf? For pointing out glaring issues"

'Nostalgia blinded trolls' isn't a quote from anywhere, it just seems like that from the way some people react to criticism of Lo K. I've been called this on one or two occasions.

First thoughts on the first episode:

It may be to early to say at this point, but Kuvira seems a little bland. Her motivations have been done a few times before in various places (Judge Dredd, I think, to name one) and the way they introduce her prowess seems a little forced. Although I did really like the way she recruited the bandits into her fold, it showed how ruthless and menacing she can be, though the feeling doesn't really stick. I agree that the politics are handled alright, though it takes up a hefty bit of time.

And I know that this is an establishing episode, but just as a hypothetical scenario: We could have been introduced to her striding Darth Vader style through a ruined village which she and her soldiers had a part in destroying as they were apprehending renegades. The Governor would have railed against the heavy collateral generated just for the capture of a few bandits, but then Kuvira would lean into him saying that he wouldn't have lived to complain if her soldiers hadn't stopped the felons. She'd also remind him that other villages that failed to see things her way have suffered similar fates (walking away without any further words, letting the implications of her statement sink in). She would've then proceeded to strap her prisoners to a nearby monorail and grill them in the fashion demonstrated by the show. Later on we would see her soldiers helping to rebuild the destroyed town and supply them with food. This would establish her prowess, ruthlessness, ideology and motives all in one scene whereas before it took up more of the episode. It might've also done better to explain Opal's rash behavior towards Bolin. Just a thought.

The Prince Guy: I just want to say, I'm annoyed at how obvious it is the writers are intentionally making him annoying...if that makes any sense. Basically I'm saying it's obvious that they're making him a piece of hate fodder for the audience like they did with Queen Hu Ting. I wouldn't be surprised at all if he died later.

Opal's brother: Adding yet more complexity and drama to a family tree that didn't need it.

Korra: This is what should have happened at the end of the first season, and I'm happy it finally arrived. The last season had her feeling more like a canon sue. I'd say better late than never, but it just seems like it came to little too late for me to get fully invested in this character before the show ends. She also seems to have taken a lesson in the Kent Clark school of civilian disguises, but no big deal. All else aside, her arc seems promising.

Overall, I'd say the dialogue is still pretty casual and dry, emphasized by the sheer amount of it. It seemed to tell more than it showed, leaving some pretty tame action scenes to make up for it. The villain seems pretty lackluster so far (BTW aren't her motivations really similar as Lord Ozai's, instilling her version of order and prosperity on the world?), but time will tell how all these things pan out. Other than that I would agree that the show has improved a great deal with this episode, though it still seems lacking in some areas, making it all the more tragic that these improvements are coming too late and too quietly to bolster the show's quality overall. The end of season 1 and the entirety of season 2 happened, there's no undoing it. I know, I'm depressing (or aggravating) you, I'll leave now.

As far as 'better late than never', I don't think it's like that William. If there's something that's common among the confident types, it's the ability to stay confident for awhile, as long as the source of your confidence isn't torn down.

In Season 1, Amon tore it down, but only in one area; her confidence in her abilities. When she recovered, she was still generally confident, but that area remained weak/torn down. Now, Unalaq and Zaheer repeated the process of tearing down her confidence, this time in her choices, and her purpose, respectively. Korra got back up from Unalaq's tear-down because she still had some confidence that hadn't been shaken... but after the Red Lotus, no longer.

Or at least, that's how I saw it.

Plus actually, as far as Kuvira, she seems more like a female Chin the Conquerer (who briefly faced Kyoshi)... and her overall situation is similar to the rise of Hitler (who himself was an 'artist' before he rose up - Kuvira was a dancer, by comparison).

Omegafire: I'm not sure I saw as much character progression as you did. After season one (when she got her powers handed back to her) She still seemed a little cocky and just as hotheaded. To me she still seemed to take things for granted, for instance Tenzin and her father, whom she dismissed as myopic, over-controlling elders and ran off with Unaloq. The stakes of the season were high but by the third she seemed to have recovered any lost self-confidence with a few pep-talks from Tenzin, and then proceeded to be a generally downplayed character by the end of the season. It seems to me that she's only started getting some healthy character building experience that was long overdue from the first season, something that challenges her mentally, emotionally and spiritually like what she's facing now.

Maybe she did experience some character growth like you said, maybe I just didn't notice it because it was overshadowed (in season 2, because it was, you know, SEASON 2!), or downplayed (kind of in season 3, the focus seemed to be more on other characters like Bolin and her relationship with Asami didn't seem that genuine to me). Maybe she has come along way as a character but it's just so hard to see without all the other heaps of things in the show, good and bad, that obfuscate her potential as a character and thus allow me only to see that potential used properly now. Either way, I'm happy that it is being used and hopefully this season will end on a high note.

Oh, and on Kuvira: I still contend that she is bland, whatever resemblances she may bear to real life villains (which aren't all that hard to draw for shows that take themselves seriously). I liken her to Shan Yu from Mulan; they're both formidable, just not all that memorable. In that department, I'd say Amon is the best this show has had to offer (and his likeness to the rise of the Third Reich was much stronger). But again, it may be too early to tell. And she may be handsome, though I'm not sure how well she'd do as a dancer...XD

https://tvtropes.org/pmwiki/lb_i.php?lb_id=14129834130B26745300

Link to the liveblog.

Williamson K:

I completely agree that Amon is just more memorable but I feel that Zaheer is just better developed than he is. Like come on seriously, making him a bender ruined the entire nonbenders vs benders subplot.

"Opal's brother: Adding yet more complexity and drama to a family tree that didn't need it."

- They probably didn't need it but lets see where this goes.

So much more to reply to....ugh.......*takes a deep breath*

"The Prince Guy: I just want to say, I'm annoyed at how obvious it is the writers are intentionally making him annoying...if that makes any sense. Basically I'm saying it's obvious that they're making him a piece of hate fodder for the audience like they did with Queen Hu Ting. I wouldn't be surprised at all if he died later."

-Me neither. I don't know why they want to go in this direction with him. Or even include him in the first place..

"And I know that this is an establishing episode, but just as a hypothetical scenario: We could have been introduced to her striding Darth Vader style through a ruined village which she and her soldiers had a part in destroying as they were apprehending renegades. The Governor would have railed against the heavy collateral generated just for the capture of a few bandits, but then Kuvira would lean into him saying that he wouldn't have lived to complain if her soldiers hadn't stopped the felons. She'd also remind him that other villages that failed to see things her way have suffered similar fates (walking away without any further words, letting the implications of her statement sink in). She would've then proceeded to strap her prisoners to a nearby monorail and grill them in the fashion demonstrated by the show. Later on we would see her soldiers helping to rebuild the destroyed town and supply them with food. This would establish her prowess, ruthlessness, ideology and motives all in one scene whereas before it took up more of the episode. It might've also done better to explain Opal's rash behavior towards Bolin. Just a thought."

-Mhmm that would have been much better acutally.

"Overall, I'd say the dialogue is still pretty casual and dry, emphasized by the sheer amount of it. It seemed to tell more than it showed, leaving some pretty tame action scenes to make up for it. The villain seems pretty lackluster so far (BTW aren't her motivations really similar as Lord Ozai's, instilling her version of order and prosperity on the world?), but time will tell how all these things pan out. Other than that I would agree that the show has improved a great deal with this episode, though it still seems lacking in some areas, making it all the more tragic that these improvements are coming too late and too quietly to bolster the show's quality overall. The end of season 1 and the entirety of season 2 happened, there's no undoing it. I know, I'm depressing (or aggravating) you, I'll leave now."

- I know right? A complete tragedy. And just when they started getting their footing. Sigh. We'll just have to deal with it.

Omegafire:

"As far as 'better late than never', I don't think it's like that William. If there's something that's common among the confident types, it's the ability to stay confident for awhile, as long as the source of your confidence isn't torn down. In Season 1, Amon tore it down, but only in one area; her confidence in her abilities. When she recovered, she was still generally confident, but that area remained weak/torn down. Now, Unalaq and Zaheer repeated the process of tearing down her confidence, this time in her choices, and her purpose, respectively. Korra got back up from Unalaq's tear-down because she still had some confidence that hadn't been shaken... but after the Red Lotus, no longer.

Or at least, that's how I saw it."

- I would completely agree if not for the DeusExMachinas in both the first and the second season. I'm sorry but this is a clear example of why NOT to make a character turn into a huge spirit or randomly get their powers back through some unexplainable reason. Doing this could possibly ruin the character arc or (in the case of Soul Eater (haven't finished it yet)) ruin the entire point of the series.

Maybe that was what they were going for.....they just executed it wrong.

Actually Ryochi, the Deus Ex Machinas seemed to be part of the development itself, not tearing it down; Korra had just lost her confidence, was completely depressed each time as a result, then things got fixed. And with her confidence back, acted exactly like herself, just slight different in each case (very subtly showing she was affected in the first place, such as her unusual-for-her restraint in the face of the civil war in Season 2).

At the end of Book 3, with no instant fix, there's no easy comeback from that loss of confidence, and thus she stays broken.

I don't know, I just find it perfectly reasonable - having no issues with Deus ex Machina either probably helps.

Omegafire17:

Sorry but I don't consider plot devices that come out of nowhere as part of development. But it is a nice thing to consider though.

Oh and CHECK OUT MY LIVEBLOG!!!

Where is it? :P

Link is above...

https://tvtropes.org/pmwiki/lb_i.php?lb_id=14129834130B26745300

Here I posted it again for those who dont see it.