#me on this korra rewatch: and another thing!

[lazyspeedy]

who is the bigger ass kisser?

bryke loyalists? or the new post-rep era swifties on twt?

[violent138]

Hey I’m rewatching atla what kind of benders do you think the batfam characterss would be?

Oh man it's been such a fun night for asks ♡♡

Bruce -> Water bender. The power to heal, the power to fuck you up, and the most adaptable and curiously overpowered of the elements.

Dick -> Fire (or air really). Hello I'm biased because cool Shaolin style and he's my favourite. But for me it's the moments with Iroh and Jeong Jeong that show another side of the firebending philosophy that he slots into. But he'd fit well into air.

Jay -> Air bender or water... I do lean more to air. Wait what no. He's a Kyoshi type. Ugh. I still see him as air a wee bit. For the principles.

Tim -> Fire bender (cop out but a) the industrial thing and fuck around and find out attitude is very real)

Steph -> Water bender, for lots of reasons, chiefly that she's underestimated, unexpectedly all or nothing (mercurial as water is). Also I think she'd really enjoy splashing people. And healing, that's another reason.

Cass -> Earth bender. The Toph sensing thing is an obvious one but also there's something about the "bluntness". She could also be air.

Dami -> Air bender, so much of Legends of Korra's handling of air can fit neatly into what I think about his development

Duke -> I was gonna say fire but that seems so obvious... Probably earth (it's determination for me, the fact that it held out for centuries, the building something aspect mayhaps). Maybe he's divergent.

[iamafanofcartoons]

RWBY Fans talk about what makes RWBY enjoyable for the FNDM.

I want to take a moment to thank the RWBY Fandom for coming together on post

www.tumblr.com/iamafanofcartoons/714857308133441536/lets-talk-about-what-makes-rwby-good-or-enjoyable

and discussing why RWBY was an enjoyable show for each of them.

Everyone here had a fantastic reason, and I am grateful to each of you!

@hmvw2015 : For me, RWBY filled the void left behind by Avatar: The Last Airbender and The Legend of Korra.

It’s one of the few shows I’ve seen (aside from Adventure Time) that grows up with its audience.

The fight scenes are so incredible! They’re lightening fast I would have to rewatch the same episode at least twice or thrice! Easily rivaling those done by Studios Gainax or TRIGGER, or Titmouse.

Since every character, place, and object have connections to fairy tales, mythologies, folklore, and classic novels, it did a great job portraying them to their root inspirations. Plus, I’m always digging deep into their designs and backstories.

The music is almost top tier to the music from the Disney Renaissance Era. Maybe even better than that. The songs add another layer of foreshadowing for the characters, and they’re fun to listen to~!

It tackles issues like self-worth, abuse, and death.

The series basically screams “Women’s Rights” and “Gay Rights” and proud of it. :D

www.tumblr.com/hmvw2015/715987868852666368/lets-talk-about-what-makes-rwby-good-or-enjoyable

@ammy246 :

I've always enjoyed the characters, and I like how there are 4 badass female protagonists who are each enjoyable to watch. I also like how the villains are actually threatening, so the heroes have to put effort into earning victories unlike many works of fiction. The animation always excites me, because you never know what you're going to get. And, don't even get me started on the amazing soundtrack.

@cinnamonrollfuckhead :

it tickles all the right things about me. i got in trouble for reading in classes when i finished my work early at school, it was nearly always history or mythology. i was an ancient Egypt kid. i read outside my age group. if Snapple wanted to employ me to write factoids for their caps i would take it. i was hooked on RWBY immediately despite being older than any of the main characters. i found an unlikely character to relate to in Jaune. i loved how it balanced serious and goofy themes.

@satoshi-mochida :

Some stuff I like about the show is that it's pretty fun and entertaining to watch, has constantly improving writing and animation(the CRWBY recognizing ACTUAL criticism, and working on those), with smarter and deeper than some may think moments, well-done characters, great music and songs, and probably more. I even cosplayed as Jaune(and the 'HuntsMan' with a Wonder-Zwei plush)with my then-girlfriend before COVID hit and other stuff happened, and enjoyed doing that.

@haunted-meatsack :

I'm waaaaay behind but I started watching for the fight choreography, music, and battle skirts. Plus I'm a sucker for small girls who kick ass with GIANT weapons. Then the story and characters kept me coming. I need to catch up.

www.tumblr.com/haunted-meatsack/715895495101497344/lets-talk-about-what-makes-rwby-good-or-enjoyable

@bumblebyfan :

I like RWBY due to a lot of reasons, for starters, the relationships between the main characters, and how they constantly help each other, I also really like the whole fantasy setting and how funny it is at times, I also really liked how they handled Ruby’s arc during season 9, as someone who has had... intrusive thoughts

www.tumblr.com/bumblebyfan/715730749688561664/lets-talk-about-what-makes-rwby-good-or-enjoyable

@xlbingo10 :

one thing that i particularly like about rwby is that the characters aren't dumbasses. i feel like so often in shows i watch there's an episode conflict where the characters make an obviously terrible plan that will clearly backfire horribly just for the sake of the episode plot and it's always painful to watch, so it's really nice to watch a show where that doesn't happen.

www.tumblr.com/xlbingo10/715707865708527616/lets-talk-about-what-makes-rwby-good-or-enjoyable.

@sir-somewhat :

I love the cast.

I honestly can't say there is a character I am not fond of in some way and that includes the villians.

I love the idea of semblances and the faunus.

Also I want more faunus lore. Given the existence of the Ever After I have to wonder if the Faunus came from another world created by the Brothers.

www.tumblr.com/sir-somewhat/715323283721076736/lets-talk-about-what-makes-rwby-good-or-enjoyable

@ghost-of-sparda :

Rwby was a show I found in college that I wasn’t sure I was going to enjoy, but as I watched it- I found myself completely enthralled in the world created by Monty Oum and his friends. It’s story has me on the edge of my seat every episode, and it’s anime vibes make it a treat to watch. It’s not perfect, I will admit that- and there have been times where I didn’t agree with a direction of story telling at first. However there hasn’t been a show that gets me as excited as RWBY does since I was a kid.

If you grew up watching anime, or grew up watching anime- I’d give RWBY a go. If you are still not over the Owl House/ She-Ra/ ATLA/ LOK/ Naruto/ or any other amazing series with crazy fights and an amazing story: I recommend Rwby as your next obsession.

And if you want to give anime a try, but are still dipping your toes into the medium- Rwby is a good half way point for newcomers.

www.tumblr.com/ghost-of-sparda/715237926532956160/lets-talk-about-what-makes-rwby-good-or-enjoyable

@aspiringwarriorlibrarian :

I really like the characters and their arcs, tragic villains, the triumph of hope and healing, and the fantasy elements.

www.tumblr.com/aspiringwarriorlibrarian/715056039519830016/lets-talk-about-what-makes-rwby-good-or-enjoyable

@miki-13 : I love how they use fairy tales and myths as inspiration but execute them in really interesting ways, as well as how human and grounded everyone feels while inside such a fantastic setting.

www.tumblr.com/miki-13/715136165044469760/lets-talk-about-what-makes-rwby-good-or-enjoyable

@thatringboy :

For the same reasons above, I’m also in love with the complex motivations behind the antagonists. Mercury hated the world and needed an enabler, Emerald needed security, Cinder snapped after a lifetime of abuse (just like Mercury), Hazel wanted revenge, Lionhart wanted to save himself, Raven wanted to save herself, Tyrian is just insane (based), Watts wanted petty revenge, Neo wanted revenge but doesn’t know what to do afterwards, CC wants to fulfill their cruel purpose, and Salem just wants to finally die. Torchwick was a comical villain who posed a dangerous threat, the Malachite sisters were doing their jobs, Ironwood was a victim of his own paranoia, Cardin was just racist, Cordovin worships her superiors, the Fennec brothers too, Adam wanted total control over everything and everyone in his life and would stop at nothing to get it, Ilia believed in a cause, Tock was following orders, it’s all so varied and exciting!!

www.tumblr.com/thatringboy/715138435689676800/lets-talk-about-what-makes-rwby-good-or-enjoyable

@pyrokinetic-murder-hobo :

I honestly fell in love with this project immediately back when the red trailer was first introduced to me.

Though the animation for RWBY was simple and understandably a lot of people regard it as not the best. Even V1 and the original 4 trailers had a living soul to me and there was a certain charm to the characters and the animation.

What kept me coming back is I find myself being unable to predict where the show will go and it honestly keeps me drawn in that my thoughts and predictions are completely circumvented. The show doesn’t follow the trajectory of really any other media and Monty navigated it masterfully.

There’s so many relatable characters and the situations they are put in are approached not perfectly but in a human way as to be a human (even if you have copious amounts of power) means you’ll definitely trip up.

But simply put I’ve loved this project since the beginning with the 4 trailers and could write a dissertation on why I love this show and include a long list of different things I love ranging from OST to characters to design animation. But maybe a talk for another day

And it made me some awesome friends on tumblr of course too which is a major plus (you better know who you are lol)

www.tumblr.com/pyrokinetic-murder-hobo/715072709057478656/lets-talk-about-what-makes-rwby-good-or-enjoyable

iamafanofcartoons:

For me, RWBY is a change of pace.

It allows for women to be shown as independent characters, just as smart and strong as male ones.

It doesn’t use fanservice , you don’t have internal monologuing during fight scenes, you don’t have people screaming random attack names, and the music and designs are great.

I appreciate the humor, its not toilet humor or degrading humor like a lot of anime.

It also tackles difficult themes like abuse, leadership, morality, and debate.

It also takes the white male savior trope so common in the fanfics that people use to promote their OCs, and takes a giant dump on that garbage. If anything, when people say “the fanfics are better than the show” you’ll see them promoting a white male savior trope above all else.

Finally? Its a pro-LGBT show on many aspects, which amusingly infuriates a lot of straight shippers who defend their straight white male character who they put on a pedestal.

www.tumblr.com/iamafanofcartoons/715040015347040256/lets-talk-about-what-makes-rwby-good-or-enjoyable

@grimmgrinningghouls :

for me RWBY is a comfort

It has been for 10 years

I literally would not be who I am today without this show

I'd probably still be a closeted lesbian living in a conservative household with an abusive father

and a mother who hated me

hell I may not even be here

But instead I'm living across the world from them and I'm okay

As okay as I can be

Its helped me through so much and its introduced me to people I have become life long friends with

These funky little lesbians are part of my life and they will be till the day I die

www.tumblr.com/grimmgrinningghouls/715064091163721728/lets-talk-about-what-makes-rwby-good-or-enjoyable

@snowqueenofmyheart :

Agreed to the above, as well as being able to enjoy a story that centers women in a way that doesn’t reduce them to simplistic tropes or fanservice. I’ve been looking for more female-centered material over the last several years, and stumbling upon RWBY turned out to be a real joy in that regard. Across the board, you have so many compelling female characters, heroes and villains alike. Not to mention two main characters being explicitly in a queer romance is a delight and a relief.

www.tumblr.com/snowqueenofmyheart/715058819349233664/lets-talk-about-what-makes-rwby-good-or-enjoyable

@youraveragecatastrophe :

well first i love fantasy so we're off to a good start between the monsters heroes and magic

the characters are a very strong point of this show. they're well fleshed out

(even many secondary characters including villains and despite the big cast!)

and they get the opportunity to develop and evolve

i love the themes! love and hope and caring about each other and all that

the fights are really fun to watch especially with the unique weapons and everyone's different fighting style

the story is really compelling and well written too!

also gayness. can't forget the queerness

really this show has everything

www.tumblr.com/youraveragecatastrophe/715058708953071616/lets-talk-about-what-makes-rwby-good-or-enjoyable

@foulfirerebel :

The music was what first made me get interested in RWBY. The hard hitting rock that also carried quite a bit of meaning into it if you truly took a moment to listen to the lyrics.

So, from there I watched V1 at a friend's house and felt it was good. It did a good job with the action scenes, and setting things up for the characters.

Volume 2, however, is where I truly fell in love with the show. The appearance of Cinder, of Ironwood, the food fight, the investigation into Torchwick and the White Fang, the dance and hacking sequence! Everything pointed to something more going on. Something hidden waiting to spring forth!

V1 was a great entry point, V2 convinced me to stay and hooked me, and when I finally marathoned V3 I was EAGER to watch V4 and onward. Any and all quibbles I may have had melted away when the Fall of Beacon happened.

So, long story short, I love the story. I love how things are built up and come back further down the line (Jaune's issues, Ruby's issues, etc.). I love how the characters do go through a lot and need help getting back up. I love how sincere and earnest everything is without a hint of irony.

I love the slow burn relationships, and that the show doesn't end with those relationships just being established. I love that, despite everything, this one little indie show has continued going past everything that's happened in a decade since it started. I love that the story is engaging, the characters are deep, the writing is great, and that I'm even feeling bad for the villains which I don't normally do.

RWBY may not be the most perfect thing ever, but frankly I love that the writers do see and incorporate feedback into their work. I love that, unlike how Halo or Star Wars do things, you don't necessarily need to have read all the side content to understand things too.

Most of all is I love how this show has improved on every level: animation, writing, voice acting, etc. It's just so refreshing. It's the Little Engine that Could continuing onward and getting better as it goes.

And hey, being a Bumbleby shipper since V3 and being vindicated in V9? Cherry on the sundae. It's been a wild ride, and I'd love it to continue.

www.tumblr.com/foulfirerebel/714989613562904576/lets-talk-about-what-makes-rwby-good-or-enjoyable

@maor-koren :

RWBY is one of my favorite shows, it take a unique concept and make it very enjoyable to watch.

The main and side characters are all unique in their own way and very enjoyable.

The story is really good.

The animation, fight scenes and the design of the characters and places are all very pleasing to the eye.

And the music is phenomenal.

Don’t let other people make your opinion! look at the show and see for yourself if you like it or not!

www.tumblr.com/maor-koren/714954350873788416/lets-talk-about-what-makes-rwby-good-or-enjoyable

@but-a-humble-goon :

Rwby is, in a word, earnest. Its characters are unashamedly sincere, affectionate and vulnerable and the show understands not only that these things are not a weakness but that there can be no greater measure of strength. It’s a story overflowing with heart that categorically rejects stoicism and nihilism and never once apologises for itself. Nothing has ever hit me harder and I do mean that.

www.tumblr.com/but-a-humble-goon/714953671346176000/lets-talk-about-what-makes-rwby-good-or-enjoyable

@mikey-polo420 :

I watched RWBY Because i was drawn in by the trailers when Monty was alive and i liked the idea of cute girls fighting monsters with giant weapons, then i wanted to see their journey through beacon and now i've become invested with the Messages of hope the show presents, i love each of my precious children and want to see them achieve their happiness , i want to support RWBY to it's conclusion because that's what Monty wanted, it's what his friends wanted and they deserve to complete his Brain child.

www.tumblr.com/mikey-polo420/714951464721743872/lets-talk-about-what-makes-rwby-good-or-enjoyable

@mooninoir :

i started watching when vol. 1 was still going, with a fansub (!) working hell and back to translate each episode as they came out. i remember waiting every week to see a new episode, and when the last episodes came, i was entirely invested in this sci-fi fantasy series with fairytale elements and wanted to know what would happen next.

and, for me, it's an endearing series that i enjoy watching, even with its flaws. it's fun, but it also has a heart. i like how it didn't shy away from telling a broader story. vol. 3's gut-wrenching finale was for me what made me realize i was not there just for the amazing fights and cool soundtrack, but for the characters and how they live in this crazy world. it was amazing to watch its worldbuilding evolve to such great lengths and see the characters i like to grow and learn and evolve along with it. they are done well and don't feel misplaced in the narrative. it just flows nicely and i guess the latest volume proved that to me (the themes, the motifs, the characters' choices, and the visuals) everything comes together, y'know?

and i just... like it. i like rwby. i really do.

www.tumblr.com/mooninoir/714949733681102848/lets-talk-about-what-makes-rwby-good-or-enjoyable

Tumblingxelian:

Why do you watch this show?

I watch RWBY for the cool characters, interesting setting and engaging overarching story and arcs, plus some gorgeous animation, sets and awesome music.

What makes it appeal to you?

Women, including queer women, are center stage and given tons of dynamic personality, agency and exploration in ways I rarely see done in other series.

www.tumblr.com/tumblingxelian/714943623381303296/lets-talk-about-what-makes-rwby-good-or-enjoyable

@feifiefofum :

look, the ad on the tin was cute girls doing violent things and looking great while doing it. that was the impetus for me to follow the show, i was there when it started with the famous red trailer to yellow trailer.

the writing then wasn't bad, a bit condensed because, y'know, shoestring budget so everything was very tight time wise. but y'know, you didn't watch the four trailers and get sold on the story- which was good by the by, but it wasn't exceptional. it was by the numbers, hitting what they need to hit, but good. you didn't think it was spectacular.

but then volume 3 hits you out of nowhere, and you realize, oh, the writing is phenomenal actually.

rwby has deceptively good writing that on the surface is good par for the course that lulls you into complacency, and then manages to sideswipe you with incredible twists that you don't see, but on looking back, the seeds for the twist were planted from book 1 on. the world is slowly and meticulously rolled out to the viewer, the characters shine, and the action, while still spectacular, become secondary to the characters and the world.

i started watching rwby, expecting cute girls doing violent things. and they deliver on that, and if you come watch rwby just for that, it delivers that. i didn't come in for hearty world building, intrigue, and lore so deep you can get lost in it. the writers write on a razor's edge, giving enough lore for a backdrop and setting the stage, but if you decide to dig at any trail, you can get lost in it. the concept of dust, the name of the world itself- frankly i think it's a masterclass in giving enough to keep the story going but having enough in the back that every new twist that they lay out can be found to have grown from a seed that was planted in an earlier volume.

i dunno who traded their soul away to keep track of all that world building and lore, but that excel sheet must be something to behold. rwby throws u-turns that you don't expect at you, lulls you with a sense of 'okay, i see your tricks now' and somehow manages to turn you around again, and have it make sense.

frankly, it's a little frustrating, i've been bamboozled and led by the nose.

and i love it for that. i'm delighted by the ride i'm on, and i hope the show keeps going.

www.tumblr.com/feifiefofum/714920887601790976/lets-talk-about-what-makes-rwby-good-or-enjoyable

@aspennntree :

I watch rwby for several reasons- mostly for the characters, i find some of them really relatable

also i just genuinely enjoy the story and the visuals and find the show very comforting

i also like the people i’ve met in this community that are kind and i like having people to share my interests with

i’ve made many new friends being in this community and it’s something i’m very passionate about, i just really enjoy it genuinely

www.tumblr.com/aspennntree/714906439613906944/lets-talk-about-what-makes-rwby-good-or-enjoyable

@tokufan400 :

Even with everything, I can't bring myself to stop watching RWBY. I got back into it after talking with some friends in highschool, and I've been doing my best to keep up with it since. I have love for the characters (Weiss is the best), and I do feel a sence of amazement that a western project like this ha s grown so much. Not to mention the amount of art, comics, manga, and fanfics that have spawned from the show.

Do I have problems with RWBY? Yes. I will probably never stop ranting about something the show does to tick me off. But I do the same for Star Vs and Kamen Rider Zero One, both shows I still hold a love for. Hell, I might do the same for Amphibia and Owl House down the line if I do a re watch.

So yeah, still love RWBY and I want to be around to see how this story ends.

www.tumblr.com/tokufan400/714910475313446912/lets-talk-about-what-makes-rwby-good-or-enjoyable

@howlingday :

So, I was in high school and I was watching Red VS Blue. Then I started watching Rage Quit. Then Achievement Hunter. Play Pals.

Then my sister and my high school crush were like, hey, try out RWBY. I mocked them by saying "It should be Ar-Dubyoo-Bee-Why". Then I got into it and, well, I liked it the more I got into it until I was caught up to Volume 2. Then Death Battle had the Yang VS Tifa fight (PLEASE, NO REMATCH), and I was rooting for Yang. Then I saw Volume 3, and I was shocked, dismayed, and devastated at the sudden heel turn. I've been hooked ever since.

So, to answer your questions.

I watch RWBY because it's fun, and I want to know where the story goes. I loved the fun had at Beacon, and I want to know what happens next.

The appeal comes from the desire to see these group of friends fight to save the world from the Grimm. I want to see them thrive against a world where everything is stacked against them! And I want to see them flying kick someone in the face to the sound of the most amazing butt-rock since Crush 40 Sonic (No offense MGR)!

So, yeah, I love watching RWBY because it's a story to be told. And I'm going to openly sob when the story finally comes to an end.

www.tumblr.com/howlingday/714865441082851328/lets-talk-about-what-makes-rwby-good-or-enjoyable

@gorillageek27 :

i watch because, okay i was kinda turned off by it at first, just "what is this anime shit?", but i watched it and it's the most out there animated thing i can think like. Rwby is a show that somehow got me appreicating animated projects and you can tell the writers and animators have fun with it.

www.tumblr.com/gorillageek27/714864574777671680/lets-talk-about-what-makes-rwby-good-or-enjoyable

@lithominium :

Its endearing, the lack of amazing animation in vol 1-3 is made up for in how much love was put into it. The characters are fun and loveable and the writing is goofy but unlike some other media ive watched its very good at knowing when to keep the tone consistent. Its very gay and i love gay and its got one of the greatest slow burns ive ever seen with great payoffs which always happen when they should. I like the setting and the lore and the weapons and the semblances. Its such a good show

www.tumblr.com/lithominium/714869719134535680/lets-talk-about-what-makes-rwby-good-or-enjoyable

@everafterfrisk :

I love RWBY for a ton of reasons but to keep it short:

• The Facial Expressions of the characters match really well with the tones of each scene

• Amazing character designs that can just tell you so much about them before you get to know them

•The animation: RWBY imo is best 3D animated series, most of the time 3D animes tend to be stiff and lifeless

But RWBY gives its fights alot of finesse and creativity to go along with

Like here's a few examples:

(V9)

Weiss and Blake using gambol shroud's blade to propel Yang while simultaneously having Yang use Arma Gigas's Sword

www.youtube.com/watch?v=q9RQnk7Oueo

(V3)

Yang closing Flynt's Trumpet making his quartet backfire on him

www.youtube.com/watch?v=bLu3_LKG_A8

(V4 Short)

Ruby using the recoil of her weapon to bounce out of the way from a Grimm and trip him up using her Scythe catching him into a Hurricane formed by her semblance (13:54)

www.youtube.com/watch?v=ivns4_clQ_c

There's even a full in depth analysis on the fight choreography from the earlier volumes to check out

www.youtube.com/watch?v=LMQfm0RsY6o

• Themes of Unity,Self identity,Acceptance,Loving oneself, Finding hope in the most dreadful scenarios and the list goes on

• The Protagonist Ruby Rose is a breath of fresh air similar to say Deku from BNHA where both know the world isn't exactly kind but still try to help the best they can; even if it results in them destroying themselves to get there as their series's goes on

•The Villains are all pretty realistic in their motivations being not afraid to fall victim to arrogance while simultaneously being victims of either the world's actions or their own

°The show doesn't swindle you into thinking that just cuz they have sympathetic backgrounds that they're immediately good

They have to work for it and atone for misdeeds such as Ilia,Emerald and Hazel or doesn't believe their actions are unwarranted like Salem and Cinder or has a lack of empathy for the world around them like Mercury or Tyrian or Wants to do the right thing but lets the ends justify their means(Ironwood) or Living only on the fear of your actions(Lionheart) or The world has dealt so much injustice to you that you felt giving it by ten thousand fold would remedy it ( Ilia and Adam)

▪︎ The Music is just PEAK for me

The Sound design,everything just speaks volumes of the scene

www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLS4HvQ5BP-1gKp4Ou4PRkqdEDvnNqdTGS

www.tumblr.com/everafterfrisk/714883876389044224/lets-talk-about-what-makes-rwby-good-or-enjoyable

@blakistan :

I think RWBY was first suggested to be me on the grounds of “lots of really cool fights” which, while not ultimately the point of the show is still a big plus! Monty was an absolute wizard when it came to fight choreography and CRWBY has done a fantastic job keeping up that legacy. Ofc that was only the thing that got me to look at the show in the first place - what made me stay was the incredibly well done character-driven story. Following along and exploring the arcs of all the different characters in the show helped me through tough times and shaped a lot of who I am as a person today - Blake and Weiss’ stories in particular did so much in helping me find hope that I could grow as a person because that what the show is: hope. So uh yeah, if you like deep, interwoven character narratives that don’t shy away from growth, change, or the ugliness that sometimes crops up along the way with those things, definitely give RWBY a watch

www.tumblr.com/blakistan/714867196992585728/lets-talk-about-what-makes-rwby-good-or-enjoyable

@proximio-5 :

Tbh, I don't know, there's something about it that I can't explain, I started watching it in 2018, but somehow it's one of my top 3 Favorite animated shows, it can be because of the story or maybe the background, like the people behind it and everything they've done and how far they've come

For example, Monty; first he made the Haloid animation, then he became director of animation in Red vs Blue, and then he created this masterpiece that will be a big part of me

The animation itself is one of the best things about the show, I mean looking back at the style of background in V1 and more recent volumes, saying it has improved would be an understatement, I mean just look at it, you can see how much effort the've done for it

Another reason is the development or the characters, they've changed and matured in many ways. (Speaking of, I really hope Ruby comes back different but keeping at least some of her previous self)

So yeah, this show is far of being perfect, but then again...

What isn't?

www.tumblr.com/proximio-5/714866831427567616/lets-talk-about-what-makes-rwby-good-or-enjoyable

@kereeachan :

I’m generally a fan of animation, and it’s been neat seeing how it’s improved since volume 3 (when I got into it). The story intrigues me, and I love the wide cast of characters and their development. The alternate universe is a neat one, Grimm are fascinating as a take on Evil Creatures to me, and the designs have always been cool, bar a few that never flew with me (Blake’s 1-3 outfit just kind of always looked a lil too sexy for my tastes on a “huntress” and I initially thought Nora’s 4-6 look was a downgrade before it grew on me)

I really enjoyed Ironwood’s slide from well-intentioned, if incorrect, hero to villain. Honestly his foreshadowing in volumes 2, 3, and 4 was some of the best I’ve ever seen. Maswartz above has commented on how they fool you by having him take facistic actions against people we hate more to hide how far he’s falling fast until we actually GET to Atlas and Mantle and realize it’s gone full Police State (if it wasn’t before). Genius.

I also adored Penny, she was my baby, she was amazing as a character and I’m so happy we got her back for a few more volumes before losing her for good (as much as anyone is ever truly gone, of course, she still looms large over vol 9). As one of the “weird girls” of the world who took a long time to come into my comfort with being a girl due to teasing and bullying (autism, baby. they always know) Penny just always SPOKE to me. I’m glad she not only proved her Real Girl bonafides as a Maiden but even got to live outside a metal body for a few episodes before her death, finally feeling the warmth of a hug.

www.tumblr.com/kereeachan/714863784387297280/lets-talk-about-what-makes-rwby-good-or-enjoyable

@sevenofreds :

It's a genuinely fun and enjoyable show that can mix multiple genres together without it being jarring. There's action and comedy, there's horror, there's mystery and drama, and it all makes sense for what's happening. It has a layered and complex plot where things almost always turn out to be more nuanced than they first seem, and almost every twist/big event is subtly foreshadowed in some way. The shorter length of episodes compared to other shows also makes it really fun to binge watch.

www.tumblr.com/sevenofreds/714860874339352576/lets-talk-about-what-makes-rwby-good-or-enjoyable

@crowwrites2140 :

Of course it has its flaws like every other piece of media, but I genuinely find RWBY both entertaining and just a good show in general. I love the "AHA!" moments when you something is revealed that has been hinted at for volumes. I love the music and could listen to it for hours. I love the characters; their designs, their motivations, their relationships with each other and their character arcs that span the show. In regards to the protagonists, I also enjoy how they all seem so human. The writers allow them to make mistakes and fail. They aren't always the perfect heroes. And in regards to the villains, they are believable too. Nearly every one of them has some kind of motivation that drives them to want revenge in destruction. I love the plot, despite its flaws. It's complex and ties in with countless allusions. And lastly, I love the fanbase. Not the toxic side, honestly it makes me sad that a show like RWBY needs positivity posts because its hate fanbase is just so large. But there are so many in the community who are incredibly creative and create hilarious memes, beautiful art, and amazing stories, and I'm grateful to be a part of that.

www.tumblr.com/crowwrites2140/714860089114312704/lets-talk-about-what-makes-rwby-good-or-enjoyable

@the-god-of-nihon :

RWBY is a special show to me. I’ve been with the series since it premiered at the end of RvB Season 10, and ten years is not an inconsiderable amount of time to be a fan of something. And unlike the “critics” or RWDE, I don’t stick around to hate-watch because of the sunken cost fallacy, or “to learn what not to do.” Or just for a reason to complain, more accurately. I simply enjoy the series. I have since it began, and I still do, and I’ll continue to do so.

While I don’t like everything about the show, or agree with all the creative choices; I don’t automatically assume that something I don’t like is wrong or bad. I happily take RWBY for what it is, and not what I think it should be. I, by no means am blind to the flaws and missteps, but none of them hinder my enjoyment to the degree that I feel like the show overall is a negative experience, even at its lowest points.

I watch the show because I like it. It has been a consistent source of enjoyment for me, and even now. I’ve enjoyed growing alongside it from an indie web-series into what it is today and seeing how it’s changed and improved with every volume.

I enjoy and am invested in many of the characters. I like the world and the bits of world-build and lore we get throughout the main show and supplementary material. And of course I can’t not touch on the fights and character designs. Its vibrant and narrative-relevant use of color, and how that’s effected the shows aesthetic development. And Monty Oum’s classic high-speed, frenetic and intricate choreo, that’s yet to be replicated. And how while different the post-Monty fights are still interesting and engaging for the most part.

I love the depictions of friendship and platonic/familial connection in the show, most prominently for me personally, Ruby & Jaune’s bond. As it’s so rare for a male-female friendship to be purely platonic and still be so genuinely well-written and integral to both characters. Although, I think RWBY is largely hit or miss with the way it handles romance, I think its friendships & familial bonds are where it excels.

Ruby, Yang, and Jaune are my top three favorites characters in RWBY, and how their characters and arcs have been so endearing and intriguing to watch. Especially as since V7, and what is being done with them current.

www.tumblr.com/the-god-of-nihon/714867324298182656/lets-talk-about-what-makes-rwby-good-or-enjoyable

@lostdemifiend :

The biggest thing for why I love RWBY so much it is "oh that makes sense!" when something unexpected happens BECAUSE everything was set up previously that would result in this eventually, and none of it feels forced.

At the same time, its gleeful deconstruction of common shonen anime tropes adds to that sense of surprise. Subconsciously, one goes in expecting certain things to happen, but it defies that expectation in a way that feels like a natural consequence.

There's so much more, but I can't even start to unpack just exactly why I love this series so much.

www.tumblr.com/lostdemifiend/714857897499164672/lets-talk-about-what-makes-rwby-good-or-enjoyable

Thank you all of you for showing everyone what makes RWBY fantastic to all!

If you want some youtube channels that discuss RWBY in analytical or philosophic detail? Or if you want comic dubs?

Xel Writer on Youtube aka @tumblingxelian for analysis videos

@marylizabetha on Youtube for philosophy videos

and @markzschiegnerii or Mark Zschiegner on youtube for comic dubs!

I love you, RWBY Fandom, you've made my life rich with joy.

[cy-cyborg]

Hot take (maybe) but Korra should have stayed in a wheelchair in season 4.

Now that I'm done with the original Avatar, I'm rewatching Korra too and this was my biggest gripe with season 3 and 4. I'm not up to that point in the show yet but it always bugged me.

I don't usually like the whole "I'm in a wheelchair now, oh I'm so sad" thing but I could have excused it had she actually stayed in the chair because grief is real, especially for people who's identities centre on their body and what they can do like Korra, but the fact they got her out of the chair just makes it another "woe is me" story until she "gets better". The last episode of season 3 drills it in so hard too, "who will protect the world while the avatar is in a wheelchair?" As if the last show didn't have a 12 year old non-bender in a wheelchair activly involved in the fight with the fire nation and an even younger blind girl taking down airships with (mostly) just her bare hands who went on to found your whole police system. You're telling me none of the people of this world could fathom how the most powerful bender in the world could do her job just because she has to sit now?

It makes sense that Korra herself might not make that connection right away, and be unsure of her ability to do it, especially when facing off against a villain like Kuvera, but I do honestly think the whole plot of her mentally recovering from what Zaheer did to her would have been more impactful if it had left her disabled permanently. The origonal show had its issues with oversimplifying/supercripping disabled characters but at least it was creative with its depictions and went against the disability tropes of its time. TLoK had a few opertunities to show some genuinly nuanced and depictions of disability, but every time it just went for the safe old stereotypes.

Don't get me wrong, I really like TLoK, I'd go as far as to say I enjoy it as much as the origonal show, but it really dropped the ball on the disability front. Probably going to write some longer posts about korra too eventually lol

[miloscat]

[Review] The Legend of Korra (PS3)

A budget Avatar game done right.

Platinum Games are well known as specialists in "character action" games, flashy brawlers with tight controls. Around this time in the studio's life (2014-2016) they cranked out a few smaller licensed games like Transformers Devastation, a Ninja Turtles game, and this. These are normally seen as lesser compared to their flagship titles but they still have a solid gameplay core, and compared to some other Avatar games I've played recently this one really shines.

I've been rewatching Korra for the first time since its broadcast and absolutely loving it. The ideal for a tie-in game like this is a new story, so I was pleased to see new events in this poorly-titled game taking place between Books 2 and 3... now, the actual gap between seasons of the show is small, but they managed to squeeze a little week-long adventure in there. The settings and array of baddies to beat up are very much rehashed from Books 1 and 2, but a new antagonist with a wacky reveal gives it some spice.

After Korra is ambushed in the streets of Republic City, she finds her bending once again blocked. A creepy old wizard man has nefarious plans for her, and she travels through the new Spirit Wilds districts, to Air Temple Island, to the South Pole, and eventually into the Spirit World to stop him. He can summon dark spirits but has also coerced Equalists, paid off Triads, and acquired mecha tanks to stop her. It's a small, self-contained story but comes with some nice cutscenes animated well in the style of the show by American studio Titmouse.

The voice acting is also authentic with the show's actors returning... although, the budget scope is indicated here again. Jinora shows up in spirit form to give exposition, and there are minor appearances by Tenzin, Mako, Bolin, and Shiro Shinobi the pro bending commentator with a few lines each, but most of the time Korra is just talking to herself. The creative staff on the show also were involved, with the show's writing and art leads contributing the story, writing, and character design.

As for the gameplay, it works very well. Korra has her four bending styles that are unlocked gradually, each one giving you different options: for example, waterbending allows for ranged attacks, earthbending is slow and powerful, fire is fast, and airbending comes last and has totally OP area effect attacks. Each style has its own experience bar that unlocks new moves, and you can customise further with some powerful modifiers bought from Iroh's shop (get the health regen comb asap!). Aside from the four fighting styles, guard countering is very important, as well as knowing when to dodge and the occasional mini-QTE against bender characters. Another central mechanic is chi charging, where you can hold an attack button to charge up and fill your chi bar, which then powers up all your attacks before it drains. It's a little risk-reward thing but managing your bar becomes essential and makes for an interesting balance during combat sequences.

Between all the knocking heads, there's some light exploration and platforming. The structure of levels reminded me of Platinum's recent World of Demons: pretty straightforward with some short side paths for goodies, only more developed and three-dimensional. There's occasional pro bending segments, that use a stripped-down control scheme, as well as a side mode where you play out a series of bouts. There's also Naga sequences presented as three-lane 3D autorunners, which are a decent change of pace (although I did spend a torturous hour or two doing the triple-mecha tank Naga-back boss fight in Extreme mode). They're a million times better than the animal-riding bits in Quest for Balance, at least.

Although Platinum are known for their demanding action games, there are plenty of concessions here that make Korra accessible, from difficulty select to the shop's talismans that can give you a leg up. You still get ranked on each battle but I didn't have much trouble doing well, especially after unlocking the better combos and items. Most of the time I didn't find it harsh unless I'd chosen the specific tradeoffs that made it rougher, and dying is only penalised by starting the current fight over again.

This is pretty much one of the best Avatar games out there; a strong gameplay foundation, authenticity in presentation, a little sprinkling of fanservice here and there, doesn't overstay its welcome... too bad it was delisted a mere three years after release! It was on PC as well as both the PS3 and PS4 generation consoles, although I didn't have a PS4 in 2014 when I bought it so I dusted off my PS3 for this. It performed very well despite being "last-gen" at the time, and barely feels dated technologically even now. There must be a way to pirate it, hopefully, and I recommend it for Korra fans. Otherwise, there's a 37-minute video that stitches the cutscenes together with short bridging gameplay snippets that I'd recommend. Either way, don't miss it!

[jade-of-mourning]

just rewatched the first three episodes of lok and i'm obsessed again. korra is SO CUTE she's buff she's passionate she's self assured she's sassy as fuck she's the whole world to me omg.

welcome to republic city & the revelation do SUCH a good job of establishing the character of the city and really, introducing the new world!!! the revelation has been one of my favorite episodes of lok for a long minute because of its noir aesthetic, the art in the cityscaping, the insane cinematography and composition of the korra/mako & chi-blocker fight! the way that mako's revelation of his and bolin's backstory is a direct parallel to the fradulent backstory of amon!!!! (and the potential behind the firebenders-killed-my-parents stereotype as inflicted on a firebending kid,,,)

AND THE WAY KORRA IS IMMEDIATELY SMITTEN WITH MAKO IS SO FUNNY. the way that it just does not occur to mako at all to romantically like korra at all — he sees that bolin is not in their attic and automatically assumes that he's flirting with korra and is just entire amused at the concept like okay,,, then korra offers to help him find bolin and he goes "nah i got it" and i'm like dude,, if i were in your position i would literally be hanging off of her bc she's so cute wdym Nah I Got It you do not got it you are a hot trauma mess let the pretty girl help you. actually he's aro what.

also i'm yelling about how bolin was written as, y'know, an actual human being with feelings and nuance in characterization in these first few episodes. the show could never make me hate you bolin. and the way mako looks so tired all the time especially in his initial introduction just looking at his side profile, and how he word for word goes "i think i'm gonna turn in; you kids have fun" at korra and bolin STOP. mako physically picking up an equalist and hauling them off the stage like a ragdoll bc they were going to harm bolin is the truest shit of all time. sorry i still think mako should've been a girl but in that moment where he asks if bolin is alright and bolin goes "YES MAKO I LOVE YOU" i agreed bc i love him for who he is in canon too

THE SETUP FROM A LEAF IN THE WIND guys the way the airbending philosophy translates over into an entire theme of the season,, how tenzin and korra's relationship already evolves so much over the course of one episode and how they recognize their own faults and acknowledge each other's perspectives; they were always meant to help build one another into better more empathetic people. i just love watching their dynamic so much um kind of the most important part of the show. also the way that korra sees what mako does in the ring and connects it to what tenzin told her about airbending and how it finally clicked for her,,, sorry i'm once again thinking about the sheer potential that makorra could've been until it got absolutely trashed in about one episode from now LOL. (i'm joking it took about another season before that happened but still.)

talk to me please i need to yell about season 1 again and esp the first three episodes because they had so much potential for so many good things and just never got the time to explore it in its entirety,,,, AAAAAAA never getting over the visuals the personality in the animation the background paintings the music just hgnajdsgbhkbsjdgajs SEASON ONE KORRA I LOVE YOU. also my chest hurts sm what

[hotgirlkorra]

You mentioned how the love triangle in LOK was never a big deal to you and honestly same. I thought I was the only one.

The only time it bothered me was during B2 and I understand why. But everyone seems to hate the love triangle in B1 too.

The love triangle was at worse cringey but like. Come on they were teenagers. I just hated how everyone kept whining and bitching about shipping when it aired and that really wasn't what I cared about. When I rewatched B1 a couple years ago I honestly thought it was funny and charming because like. Again they were teenagers.

Also Mako & Korra had already broken up when Asami jumped on him so I can't say it was a love triangle. I think the fandom was worried that there might be another one when in reality. There was none. But it did contribute to the toxicity of the fandom when B2 aired.

Honestly, that fandom complained and hated on the dumbest things.

[sweetorangepoptart]

People you’d like to get to know better

@korrasamibottles tagged me

Last Song: Nachde Ne Saare by Harshdeep Kaur, Jasleen Royal, and Siddharth Mahadevan

Favorite color: GUESS. Guess. guess

(It's orange)

Last Movie/Show: Legend of Korra!!! I'm rewatching season three for... Reasons. (Fanfic reasons 🤭)

Sweet/Savory/Spicy: Sweet always sweet

Last thing I looked up: 'easy black bean enchiladas recipe'

Current Obsession: LoK, Wuko. But I've been obsessed with that forever. I've been kind of obsessed with trying to understand time dilation (I don't understand it I've read and watched so much and every person I talk to can't explain it to me in a way that doesn't sound fake. I know it's real I just don't know WHY. HOW. WTF. I THINK TIME IS FAKE)

Last Book: Pete the Kitty and the Case of the Hiccups

Last Fic: omg The Space Between Heartbeats by @korrasamibottles !!!

Looking forward to: oooooh The Suffering Game TAZ graphic novel it's my favorite arc from TAZ balance. Also another Avatar Legends book is coming out!

tagging @lokfeedsthegays @kingbadgermole @buckybarnesss @tallanastyflorida @starshinemaiden

[whattheflameo-linbeifong]

been rewatching Korra recently and like... all other things aside can I just say I find it a bit unfair that they treat the Earth Queen not wanting any animals around her as another miserable aspect of her personality. The woman is shown to have an allergy to them and that's obviously the reason she doesn't want them around her. I think it's a little unreasonable to treat something she can't control about herself, which statistically also affects many of the show's viewers (like me), like it's a behavioral choice she made

[calx77]

OKAY, I make my return to tumblr and if you cannot tell by my reblogs I have recently rewatched Atla, watched Lok, and read the Kyoshi novels. And I. Am. Insane. I love this franchise so much and there is a frick ton of stuff I will ramble about tomorrow or something but TONIGHT. 

Korra. (Spoilers Ahead ) 

Easily one of my favorite Avatars, I like her more than Aang and as much as Kyoshi. Don’t get me wrong ! Aang is an amazing Avatar and super cool character, but Korra is just so GOOD.

I know a lot of people dislike her because of her attitude in the early season and because of her losing connection to her past selves. And I totally get it she annoyed the fuck out of me in the first two seasons because she was brash and loud and maybe a little too invested in dating Mako. But at the same time I couldn’t help but adore her, she was so very human. She made mistakes, she acted like a hot headed 17 year old (which she was !) and that made her so appealing to me. Its also what made her character arc so amazing.

Her arc is super similar to Zuko’s (minus the redemption) she goes from a loud, rambunctious, kind of irritating teenager to someone who was very wise. She learnt from her mistakes and grew past her trauma, and in doing so she became an amazing Avatar. With her newfound and very impressive spiritual connection and trying to choose peace over fighting Kuvira ( which isn’t something her younger self would have done ), season four just really shows how much growth she has had as a person.  Which would not have been so incredible if she hadn’t been so childish and dislikable at first. ( not too dislikable though she always had her charm )

On another note, her restarting the Avatar cycle is a terrible thing. Not her fault of course, she couldn’t do anything to prepare for a powerful spirit like Vaatu. But it makes me sad that she will never be able to connect and talk with her past selves. She is completely and utterly alone. As terrible and sad as this is though, I think it helps her grow as an Avatar, she is forced to do things on her own, unable to seek advice from Aang, Roku, Kyoshi, anyone. She is forced to carve her own path as the Avatar with no guidance. But she does it ! She becomes amazing and she brings the Air nomads back. The physical and spirit worlds are joined together again for the first time in a thousand years. She started a new era without the counsel of her past selves and I think it has turned out amazing. Now I wish there was some way for her to reconnect, for her sake and because I want Aang to see that his people are back. But sadly I don’t think that can ever happen. Even if it can’t, I like to believe that the past incarnations of the Avatar are still watching over her somehow.

My thoughts are super frazzled now and I hope thats all legible but my main point is Korra is super cool and doesn’t deserve all the hate she gets just because she isn’t Aang or Kyoshi or Yangchen 

[shinygoku]

CutCat’s ATLA Takes

Here I am, jotting them down before doing a series rewatch. This is gonna be a bit disorganised, so beware!

---

First I guess I oughta put a quick disclaimer in that Zuko is one’a my biggest Blorbos, comparible with Son Goku!  ...so like, you may notice me focusing more on him than other characters or topics or whatever lol

Also I am Not interested in the Comics or Korra series...s. The former for writing that is plain ass bad, and the latter for changing so much of the setting (not for better) and uhm, also less than good writing. If I want bad takes on Communism and Anarchy I can just go look at Twitter or some rubbish. Also I know Kyoshi novels exist. I’m just talking about the OG show, even if select pinpoints of the subsidiary installments have good moments.

This got PRETTY LONG and ain’t particularly coherent, so I’ll put a Cut in here ;3

Overall Show:

Not gonna lie, some’a the Book 1 eps get pretty throughly memoryholed, even what happens in the first two! They ain’t bad, but it does take The Storm for the series to really hit its stride with the delish Backstories.

Following that solid W of an ep is The Blue Spirit, and this is actually one of the best in the entire show. Seems they initially wrote it like it was a season finale to get more eps approved, and it worked! lol

I dig that all the characters get some character focus and growth even early on

...I’m mixed on my stance on Aang’s crush on Katara. If it was a one sided thing that started off quite strong and then de-intensified over the series, I’d find it very cute and endearing. But that sure ain’t the course they took lol, but I guess I’ll sum my thoughts on shipping in its own section later.

The real highlights of S1 are in The Storm, The Blue Spirit, The Northern Water Tribe and the Siege of the North 2-parter. All these have a lot of Zuko, fancy that XD

Also I like how early it’s set up how Built Different he is, especially them last three eps. Dude gets blown up, swim through long underwater tunnels in freezing water, barely wins a fight, treks out into the arctic, gets 1-shot in a fight, and THEN starts another fight, this time with Zhao. His only true weakness really is his mental state and lack of planning, innit!

Book 2 overall kinda bothers me. Objectively it has some of the strongest points, but so much of it feels like it’s dark and dingy or really damn slow to get moving.

Strongest points are of course Toph’s entire existence, the zigzags of Zuko’s arc, and Azula’s anatagonistic omnipresence

The rest of it, myeah... while it’s more focused on a through line plot, it feels a bit monotone until The Library and eventually The Guru and Crossroads

Zuko Alone might be the GOAT episode. It’s not my favourite but DAMN it is firing on all cylinders!!!

I also like Bitter Work a lot. Gotta eat up more Parallels Episodes, babes!

The “Brainwashing” / Sleeper Agents thing feels OP. I get ya need an antagonistic force different to the Fire Nation but myeahhh... not convincing me

But yeah, then there’s Zuko’s continued character thread with the Angst Coma and the dreams and then the REALLY WEIRD turn of him being all smiley and optimistic. It always felt really fake and non-Zuko-esque to me, but I can ‘get’ that given he’s trying hard to shift gears from the status quo of before, overcompensating in the process. What’s odder still is that Iroh doesn’t seem to question it...

Like, sure, he wants to settle down and Tea Shop it up, but even if he could get Zuko to stop pining for the position in the Royal Family, does he honestly believe a day of fever dreams will have had such a profound effect last longer than a few days of re-settling? Zuko’s actions feel like someone having decided to turn their entire life around starting tomorrow and then swiftly burning out as change is a slow and gradual process in reality, and shouldn’t be forced.

So what I think is going on is Iroh himself having become blinded by what he wants, rather than a more realistic outcome. And that could be fab gear writing! A reminder that Iroh too is not immune to bias and oversights, and is indeed a human who sometimes Dun Goofs. If it is what’s intended rather than lazier writing lol

Also yeah, Zuko’s almost- side switching, I’ll save that for later ;3

Book 3 is both a high point but again there’s some episodes that are pretty lame or have less to offer, but I feel more forgiving of this one as sooo much juicy Plot stuff actually unfolds~

Again it takes the Main Plot stepping up for the quality to rise with the Day of Black Sun, and then the episodes after all feature the long-awaited Redeemed Zuko, and those times ae Gooooooood

The stupidest moment I have to complain about though, in the DoBS, is when Azula “proves” she’s an expert liar by... saying she’s a giant purple bear thing? That’s not lying, it’s absurdism, and it’s incredibly easy to say dumb shit like that without any “lying tells” that polygraphs or Toph look for (keep in mind that irl Polygraphs actually suck, they’re a Stress detector but lying doesn’t always stress liars out... LIKE AZULA, but even the biggest ball of anxiety could say “Yeah I’m Barney the Dinosaur” without triggering anything. GRAAAAAGH)

Back on track, my only complaint with Zuko joining so late is that I want mooooore, all the eps with the ‘field trips’ are such fun AND such Character Building

Ember Island Players was a great ep, though I don’t need to see the closing scene used to draw comparisons to the live action movie any more. It’s been like 500 times.

I DON’T THINK AANG SHOULD HAVE KILLED OZAI

That would be proving Ozai’s point that Might makes Right, which of course is WRONG

The show has been leading up to non-lethal ethos

Taking Ozai’s bending is a good out.

BUT. Holy shit they fumbled the ball bad

Energybending has ZERO build up or allusions even when there were chances to sneak it in, like The Library or The Guru

Commenting on a picture of a Lion Turtle and having Lion Turtle background sculptures DOESN’T CUT IT

Because that is ALL we get!!

At least have the Lion Turtle picture say “They’re so ancient they’re rumoured to pre-date Bending” or something to hook interest in

And the Guru coulda been a great way to drop the 5th Element lore in

But they waste all chances they had to set it up despite claiming they knew from the beginning that there would be a peaceful out

The Rock unblocking Aang’s chakra is also pretty bad, but I’m more inclined to forgive a moment of luck if the Energybending wasn’t so bogus

But it could be improved if Aang like, deliberately earthbent the Rock and then used it as acupressure

Both the Energybending and Convenient Rock make Aang’s victory feel less earned, which is a huge shame as we’ve seen him actually try soooo much. But alas, that last hurdle and they resort to lazy ass writing

The lst Agni Kai rules though. It’s beautiful and tragic, showing how much Zuko has grown and Azula fell. And Katara’s finishing the fight so effectively is bodacious and actually feels really smart~

WHERE IS IROH AT THE CORONATION??!?!

The end is a cute scene that is then strangled by the Red String lol, but damn, what a cool ass show

 Characters:

Aang: He’s a cute protagonist, I’ve always liked the Cheerful and Highly Powerful archetype (cough cough Son Goku), though Aang is also heavily defined by his childishness, both a strength and a flaw. As much as I enjoy him, unfortunately I think he got a bit of the short end of the stick writing-wise, he can feel a bit Flat and, worse, like Bryke’s Pet. They lean too hard on letting him get what he wants, and we miss out of the development that coulda followed if the story didn’t twist itself to give him outs. Not unlocking his Chakras properly for selfish reasons should be punished. Finding an alternative to Murder should have had him Proactive. Not getting the Girl would have been a lot more realistic...! See the Shipping section for the latter...

Zuko: Holy rigatoni, man. Zuko is the bar by which Enemies to Friends, Redemption Arcs, Anti-Villains AND Anti-Heroes are all measured. His character has so much incredible nuance!! And yeah, maybe I too am weak to the dark and handsome and yet dorky type’a fella ;3c - I’m in the kinda situation right now where I find it hard to actually phrase everything I dig about him, but that’s from having too many thoughts and they all get crammed in the doorway between my brain and ability to type lmaooo

Katara: This girl is another high water mark (pun unintended) for how to Female Character. She’s the designated Mom of the team, but she ain’t defined by it, also being one’a the most capable fighters, having a hot temper and even a mean streak. It would really suck if she had just been written primarily to Love Interest (as the early drafts seem to imply...), but in the show, she has her own agency and goals that compliment the main quest, and she manages to be both a stable grounding force while having plenty of growth of her own.

Sokka: Again, I really wonder how it woulda turned out if the original plan had been followed; in Sokka’s case he was s’pposed to be the serious, stiffer contrast to Zany Playful Aang and Wide-Eyed Idealist Katara. But his VA is very naturally Funny, and so Sokka as we know him is a bodacious blend of Wacky yet also Level Headed. It’s an odd blend and many have tried and failed to replicate this delicate balance, but Sokka does indeed feel like a real person who seamlessly switches between being the group’s eccentric and also the one making all the plans.

Toph: ANOTHER amazing W for Girl Characters, Toph is such a delight and welcome shaking-up of the existing dynamics. She’s pretty consistently one of the most amusing and Real of the crew, while hilariously OP without it feeling cheap. It’s so weird to think she wasn’t in Book 1 at all, cause once she joins you sure as hell can’t imagine her being absent.

Iroh: Everybody loves this dude, and they’re right! What can I say about him that ain’t already been covered?? Maybe just that I do like that, as wise and benevolent as he is, there are still times where he’s allowed to be wrong or short sighted (see: my previous ramblings about Zuko’s very-un-Zuko behaviour), cause it allows him to feel more Real, and Human. That he’s speaking from experience and not from reading the script. That’s dope, man.

Azula: This is hard... I feel Azula is a massively polarising character, many people enjoy her but there’s too many people who either want to pretend she didn’t do horrible things, too many people who forget she’s also a victim, AND too many people who are just blindly like ‘woo, yeah! What a #Girlboss! Azula’s so cool and automatically wins at whatever”. Like, she’s one of the more nuanced characters but the surface level is indeed of hyper competence, it’s what’s below that veneer which is interesting. I kinda feel like more people oughta talk about the moment where she looks pleased, almost triumphant at Zuko being maimed...

And the rest: Oh god, I can’t talk about every semi-developed character as there’s a lot. Sorry Suki. You’re cool too! But most characters who appear in more that one episode see to be written pretty good, again, like People, rather than just plot devices in human skin. I like that.

...

Shipping:

lol. I think the BEST route would have been to not ‘canonise’ any ships of the ragtag group of kids and teenagers. Alas, we don’t live in that timeline and have dumb ass wars over it. Anyway, here’s my hot take:

Kaatang, while foreshadowed early on from Aang’s side, is a really lame route as Katara seems to have to loose her actual personality for it to work. Also, it jars with Aang’s role as both Avatar (while they’re allowed to Get Freaky, he was s’posed to be able to detach from Earthly attachments to gain the Avatar Powers), and as a totally-not-Buddist Monk, who are NOT allowed to get bizzay. So Aang too loses insteresting notions of Duty and being able to Mature cause he just gets what he wants without having to try. Lame.

Katara doesn’t have many moments where she even looks at Aang as something other than a Friend / Little Brother / Son?? type figure, there’s only brief moments where there is potential moments from her side, and they are far between and seldom deeper than her chemistry with the likes of Jet and Haru. The most I can speak for is the Day of Black Sun, where she’s taken aback by Aang planting one on her, but when he directly and Un-Classy-ly brings it back up in the Ember Island Players, she is quite rightly reserved and when he kisses her again without warning she’s angry! And that’s never resolved!! They just Mandatory Ship them together in the end because Bryke are biased and soooo intent of having their ship even though the writing hasn’t sufficiently built up to it. I don’t dig this, baby!

Maiko is also badly written and the comics make Mai unlikable. [slow sarcastic clapping]

So the ships I do like are:

Zutura - THEMATIC PERFECTION and not because of the red and blue, fire and water juxtaposition, but because Katara and Zuko are fundamentally so similar but coming from opposite sides and thus approaches. Both so kind at their cores but quick to anger or do something stupid on impulse, both so affected by the loss of their mothers and family-motivated. The fake out in Crossroads introduces a fascinating extra crease to their interactions that lasts, and the finale?? HELLO?!?! That’s legit one’a the most compelling Ship Fuel moments ever, baybeee! Other serieses would knaw off their own leg for material that rich!

Also yes, the red/blue, sun/moon, fire/water, and that they are pretty together lol. But still, there’s more in how they are a fantastic combo when on the same side, and also the meta reality that several writers and their own Voice Actors ship it. And they’re right to!

Zukka - The new darling of the fandom and while it doesn’t have as much going for it, I can see it. At it’s worst it feels like people desperately trying to rationalise the red/blue guys from Failtron Legendary Idiot Space Show, but when people who actually care about the characters here in ATLA and draw on their parallels and interactions I find myself enjoying it. Zuko goes well with the Water siblings I guess haha

Sukka - I don’t have much to say, I just like it lol

Also in the past I liked Zukaang but now I wanna redefine it as them being allowed to be Buddies and close friends and teammates, like what the Blue Spirit ep teased at but then didn’t really follow up on outside The Firebending Masters. I want more!! MOOOOORE!!!

...

But man this post is obnoxious and long enough already lol, thanks if ya endured it all~

[doyouevenshipbr0]

on s4 of my legend of korra rewatch and im still not rockin with asami im sorry

imo she is SO boring and somehow is a perfect combination of wasted potential mixed with being borderline completely unnecessary

and also in regards to her relationship with korra i think it is so flat. and it doesnt even have to be!!! they could have been SO interesting! but no they are so bleh to me

btw i havent read the comics and ive heard really great things about her and korra’s relationship so i’ll just take everyones word for it and i understand a lot of her and korra’s lack of chemistry in the show has to be chalked up to the writers not being able to do much bc its nickelodeon and i get that!

i just feel like 90% of the time when shes a point of focus (which is hardly ever btw. circling back to that “unnecessary” part) i just wanna YAWN. in s4 she has an interesting arc w her father but up until that point she just felt like such a filler person that i did not give a fuck about this suddenly interesting storyline! the show did not make me care ab asami so no im not gonna all of a sudden care after 3 seasons of blah!

i know im being a hating ass bitch but i just feel really strongly ab this.

i will say, in general i think the legend of korra struggles with keeping up w their characters and giving them relevant storylines while also keeping their relationships in tact so it would make sense that they all are still friends. like idk there were lots of times where i was like “ok mako and bolin being here/doing this is a stretch”. and i just feel this way the strongest w asami.

i think if atla didnt do this SO perfectly then it wouldnt seem as bad in tlok. but in atla i cannot think of a single time where any characters’ storylines or interactions w one another felt forced. it all felt so natural.

not even gonna tag the legend of korra bc i feel like ppl rly love asami and i dont wanna necessarily go out of my way to piss ppl off lol

[meitantei-lavi]

hi hello i'm still not drinking bc i'm at work again but i have another minute to rant about lok since i just finished the series again and have some More Thoughts

so okay. i've pinpointed a couple things that irk me about lok. i still love the show as a whole, but some stuff just. whew. rewatching korra and avatar at the same time is jarring.

The Marvel Effect

what is the marvel effect, you may ask? well, in actual discussions of film, it's the effect marvel has on other film franchises making cinematic universes. how i'm using the term "marvel effect" has to do with writing and character development. i feel in the last 15 years or so there's been an uptick of this marvel-esque kind writing, where you have skilled characters' personalities based pretty much only on their quippy one-liners, or when you have serious scenes or situations that are undercut with a joke. you get a lot of that in marvel movies (the one that stands out the most in my mind is guardians of the galaxy), and that style of writing really permeated in popular culture.

now i'm not saying this is necessarily a bad way to write, i just think it's kind of boring and overdone, especially after rewatching korra. most of the characters are kind of guilty of the marvel effect, some more than others, and it kinda clashes with the more serious characters (and not in a "ooh, tension building" kind of way, more of a "those shoes with that skirt?" kind of way). most notably are scenes with kuvira and bolin/varrick in book 4. like, you have these over the top, quippy characters interacting with a serious and kind of fucked up villain. it undermines the villain's villain-ness when you have characters deflating the tension of a serious scene.

it also interferes with meaningful character growth. again, i'll cite bolin's character as compared to sokka's. while sokka gets to grow and learn and become a more well-rounded character while still being a goofy guy, bolin stays pretty much one note throughout the entirety of korra. which is a bummer! any flashes of vulnerability or maturity are thrown out the window with a non-sequitur joke or quip. it's just so boring!

2. Pacing/Plot Issues

one of the other things i've noticed while rewatching avatar and korra at the same time is plot and pacing. in avatar, there's a very clear end goal for the gaang: stop ozai before the comet gets here, you've got like a year, good luck! then the story progresses in a way that builds towards the end goal as well as throwing in new challenges. E.g., the gaang has to get to ba sing se to get the earth king's military support, but oh shit! appa got fucking stolen! they get the boy back and get the earth king's support, but oh shit again! azula infiltrated the earth kingdom and fucking killed aang!

there's progress and setbacks in the story of avatar that make the story more exciting and makes you want your heroes to succeed! the length of the 3 books also helps. twenty 20-ish minute episodes is pretty perfect, and it all culminates in the last four episodes, which are arguably some of the best 80 minutes of television ever.

now, i think they tried to do something similar but different with korra. i do like the fact that they didn't just do a rerun of avatar's storyline, and korra's challenges being the avatar were different from aang's. aang had to deal with a world without an avatar and forge his own path; korra had to deal with a world that revered avatar aang and had to deal with being compared to him.

the issue i think is the length of each book and the fact that each book has a different villain. each book only has 12-14 episodes, so it doesn't feel like there's enough time to just like. breathe. it feels kind of rushed and the filler/side adventures don't feel like they belong. you also don't get enough time to really get to know the villains. like, ozai remains a threat for the entirety of avatar. he's built up as this horrible person and it's satisfying when aang kicks his sorry ass. in korra, there just isn't time to build up the villains as much. in fact, a lot of the villains are almost likable/sympathetic. which isn't a bad thing, but i don't think it was executed very well, again probably because there just weren't enough episodes to make you really like or really hate the villain.

not sure if this is nickelodeon's fault, but i'm gonna take a guess and say it's nickelodeon's fault.

3. So Many Characters! (And how to deal with them)

the last issue i have with korra is how the characters are dealt with (aside from the Marvel Effect), and simply how many characters there are. in avatar, while there are plenty of side characters, most of the time we're with the gaang, the Chaotic Fire Nation Crew, or zuko/iroh. the A, B, and C stories of each episode feel pretty focused and don't detract from the main story (maybe the exception is the ember island players, but they made that filler fun while still doing some character stuff).

in korra, hoo boy. there's a lot going on. i'd say the first season of korra is the most concise: the story really only focuses on team avatar, the air nomads, and the equalists. nice and short and sweet. once you get to book 2 onward, however, things kind of start going off the rails. now you've got team avatar (but now they're all split up! korra's doing avatar shit, mako is a cop i guess, bolin is doing who knows what, and asami is. there), the air nomads (further broken down by tenzin's kids and the trainees), [insert bad guy here], tenzin's siblings, varrick, the beifong family, prince wu (ugh), korra's immediate family and extended family, and so on.

when you have a limited set of episodes, having so so many characters and side stories feels really chaotic and unorganized. it also is a factor in the lack of character development. even though the end goal in avatar was aang confronting ozai and ending the war, there was still time to allow characters to change, even the villains!

in korra, the character development is all over the place, or for some characters, just non-existent. like, it's good that korra developed as a character seeing as she's the main character, but what about asami, korra's actual literal girlfriend? asami is cool and smart and badass, but she doesn't get a whole lot to do after book 1. she's just kinda. there.

also, how korra dealt with the original gaang was. a choice. it's really shitty that they made aang a terrible father to his two non-airbender kids; like, i think it's fine and interesting to have aang be super busy with avatar shit, but a shitty dad? cmon now. it's really shitty that they declawed katara; i know for a fact that katara would have been hella involved in politics and rebuilding the southern water tribe, not just being a stay at home mom with 3 children. like i said in the first post, it's really shitty that toph became a cop. like, really? i get that people change as they grow up, but going from a person who hated rules and the bourgeoise lifestyle to the literal chief of police is baffling to me. it is interesting how toph's style of parenting influenced her kids differently, but i digress.

BONUS 4. On the Topic of Death

okay last point then i'll get off my soapbox. this is also more of an interesting thing i noticed rather than something that detracts from korra.

i recently finished book 2 of avatar, and as you all may know, there are some deaths and talks of murder. jet dies, aang dies (temporarily), there's a whole episode dedicated to kyoshi murdering a dude, etc. and they talk about it. they say "kill" and "murder" and "die."

they don't shy away from death in korra, either. amon and tarlok's boat explodes at the end of book 1. zaheer's girlfriend straight up gets her head blown up (though the editing was weird on that one). zaheer kills the earth queen ON SCREEN. asami's father gets crushed to death ON SCREEN. however, while occasionally they'll talk about almost getting killed or people dying, noticeably, no one says out loud that the earth queen was murdered. they kind of skirt around saying it plainly. like oh, the earth queen was taken out, or dethroned, or whatever. no!! she was murdered! on screen! just SAY IT!!!

i think that's a nickelodeon censor, but why they would censor saying that the earth queen was murdered/killed but NOT censor the horrific way that she dies is just bizarre.

anyway! i still love korra and i have the comics (which are wonderfully gay), but there is quite a bit that takes me out of the show. it should also be worth noting that obviously these are shows for children. it's not that deep. however, as avatar demonstrated, even if it's by and large a show aimed at kids, you can still have adult themes, complex characters, and interesting storylines. i think more could have been done to elevate korra as a show, but what can ya do.

hi hello i'm not drinking bc i'm at work but i have a minute to rant about lok under the cut since it's my semi-annual rewatch and i have Thoughts

SO OKAY first thing right outta the way outta the bat. maybe this isn't a popular opinion on tumblr.com, but i still really like the legend of korra. and i think that the show got/gets a lot of undeserved hate and criticism. like ppl complaining that korra is immature or makes bad decisions or whatever is laughable. she's a teenager for most of the series!! of course she does dumb things, that's what teenagers do. i can't say i was much better at 17 lol.

there are some justifiable criticisms that i totally get behind, tho, especially on rewatches. like i'll agree to the end of my days that season 2 is reaaaaally rough. it's not very fun to watch until like the last couple episodes, mostly exacerbated by the korra/mako romance.

how the characters are treated is also kind of weird and a little disappointing. like, the most obvious comparison i can think of is sokka and bolin. both are the comic relief type characters, but i feel like sokka was treated a lot better and had more character growth. he starts as a bumbling, arrogant idiot, but as the series goes along, he gets to grow into a more mature, well rounded character. does he still make mistakes and act goofy? of course! but compare that to bolin's character, who is (and maybe i need to finish my rewatch to be sure) kind of one note throughout the whole series. he starts as a goofy, bumbling sidekick who has flashes of maturity, but then just kinda. stays that way. also toph being a cop? lol. lmao even.

i also feel like the series as a whole could've been executed better, but i'm not sure how/what's missing. i'm sure there are plenty of ppl smarter than me who have thought about this lmao. i guess in fairness, it's difficult to follow up one of the most iconic and memorable series of all time, especially since i think i remember reading/hearing that there were all kinds of issues b/w the writers and nickelodeon. that probably didn't help things much.

but it's great that lok tried new things, like a more modern setting and a very different lead character than atla, and lok touched on some interesting and dark themes. not that atla didn't touch on dark themes, of course, but i think continuing to not shy away from death, imperialism, etc. was a good thing. not to mention it was one of the few primetime cartoons at the time that featured two explicitly queer characters, even before same sex marriage was legalized in the US! that in and of itself is important!

so idk! maybe i'll follow up to this post when i actually finish my rewatch.

[redfurrycat]

❤️📺Ten (ish) TV-shows I love❤️📺

Tagged by the lovely @renai-chan to do the 'Ten Movies I love' Tag Game.

I already did that, so allow me to redirect you to this post listing my ten movies, and this other one (a much much much much longer version, if you feel up to it).

However, after reflecting about which 10 movies I like the best –what a dilemma it was– I also thought about which 10 TV-shows are my comfort rewatches. I came up easily (surprisingly so) with the selection, so let me share that with you instead! 😊 ❤️

Xena: Warrior Princess

The most badass warrior I have ever seen on TV. What a sight is Lucy Lawless, I fell in love with those gorgeous blue eyes since the moment my child eyes saw them… This tv-show is everything to me. Xena & Gabrielle, the purest soulmates. There were also lots of amazing characters and actors (Karl Urban and Kevin Smith, among others). Produced in New Zealand too… Which is so awesome! <3 (Strong opening theme!)

Stargate SG1/Atlantis

MY FUCKING SCI-FY babies!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! I can’t even tell you why I love these two TV-shows, because I got so overwhelmed about it! I. JUST. LOVE. THEM. SO. MUCH! (I actually watched several Stargate Atlantis episodes just before typing this list.) If you like the genre, GO.WATCH.THESE! (Amazing opening themes as well! <3)

Sabrina, the Teenage Witch (the 20-min-episode tv-show)

I’ve watched every rerun on TV since it has been broadcasted. It is tied to my childhood, so I’m rather attached to it! I prefer this version over the more recent one, which is a bit too dark compared to the comedic one. Salem is so funny! He’s I-C-O-N-I-C! :P

Dr Quinn, Medicine Woman/// House MD

My absolute two favourite tv-shows involving doctors… though they are very different from one another. Western drama vs. medical drama. It’s really not your typical medical show however.

A female physician from a 19th-wealthy family moving in the wild west to establish a practice. She feels very deeply and has a strong moral compass. The themes mentioned are quite serious (which I like) as you have, for instance, a close-minded-white-men little village, a woman working a man job, Cheyenne tribes being mistreated so are the black people and any other non-White people. Of course, it is still a tv-show, so I don’t how historically-accurate it is. But so not as sappy as Grey’s Anatomy if you know what I mean. 😊

AND the Sherlock doctor. Hugh Laurie is magnificent in this out-of-the-ordinary, junkie, snarky genius of a doctor!  

Avatar: the Last Airbender

Do I really need to spell it? MASTER OF THE ELEMENTS. AIRBENDING. WATERBENDING. FIREBENDING. EARTHBENDING. THIS IS SO FREAKING COOL!!!!!! The Legend of Korra is good too!

White Collar

The adventures of an FBI agent and his con artist/thief consultant. YUP. It is as cool as it sounds. All the characters are lovely as well!

Downton Abbey

THIS IS MY FAVOURITE BRITISH PERIOD DRAMA EVER. It is about the aristocratic Crawley family and their servants’ life during the earliest 20th century. The cast is realllllllllllllly good! A lot of good characters, strong episodes (very emotional sometimes)! Dame Maggie Smith is killing it as the Dowager Countess of Grantham, the sass in this character’s lines and faces!!!!! XD (Again, the opening theme is SO GOOD!)

Once Upon a Time

A very nice tv-show where fairytales characters are transported into the real world because of a curse. The cast is INSANE! :O Nice revisit of famously known fairytales!!!! I have a thing for the accents…Well, there are a lot of different accents to listen to!

Lucifer

It’s probably one of the last (new-ish) TV-show I’ve watched from the beginning to the end. The British (again with the accent) Devil’s adventures with the Detective (yeah… it’s her official name! XD). Very good chemistry between Tom Ellis and Lauren German! And the other characters are equally as good!!!!!!!!!

Prison Break

Season 1 was the best. Truly. The idea was so original when the tv-show came out! Wentworth Miller’s acting is pure *chef’s kiss*. (That’s why I love Captain Cold so much btw, especially because Dominic Purcell is also his Rogues buddy in The Flash). Also, I’ve never loved the crookiest of the crook characters so much than how I love T-Bag. He’s the worst, but OMG his lines and mimicking (Robert Knepper did a fine job!)

As I already did the tagging before, I won’t do it again, but I let this open. Anyone feeling like talking about their comfort TV-shows are more than welcomed to do this “other version” of the tag game! 😉

[shysquidd]

ok so i was able to log in thru my laptop so as promised here are my in depth thoughts on korra 

so we all know lok came out like years ago so what im gonna say probably has already been said like thousands of times over and over, i think when the show first came out i saw a few eps of it and then lost interest. but i was like 15 or something at the time so whatever. 

i have noticed that some people who liked lok better have said that people who dont like lok as much just dont like change, and idk maybe thats the case for some, but my main criticisms for it come from the writing inconsistency. to be clear i thought it was a fun watch! did i like it? yes!!!! did i love it?? not so much 

i think what bothered me the most was the pacing of the seasons. now i hate to draw comparisons to atla, but they are part of the same franchise so I Will. one the things that made atla sooo good was the overall mission stretched over 3 seasons, with secondary villains providing obstacles along the way (zhao,zuko,azula). this provided characters with enough time to develop along the way before facing the big bad (and building suspense to ozai), but still keep viewers entertained through out the seasons 

i didnt really feel the same suspense when watching korra. each season had its own conflict and big bad, and none of them really seemed to come back up a lot after they were already defeated (except for korras uncle i forget his name tbh) 

i think any of the conflicts they had would have worked if they chose to stretch it out over the course of the show. the anti-bending movement and the water tribe civil war would have worked best in my opinion. they anti-bending movement drew valid criticisms from non-benders, and its really weird to see all of that vanish after amon was defeated. as for the civil war, unalaq (i googled his name lol) fell flat for me, he was just kinda evil for the sake of being evil. at first his motivations were intriguing and made a good foundation for the conflict aka wanting to combine the tribes again by bringing spirituality to the swt by force, bt when they brought in raava and vaatu it just kinda fell apart. this plotline definitely would have worked over several seasons, but i kinda wished the origins of the first avatar would have remained a mystery. i am a firm believer of not everything has to be answered

because the show was so fast paced, characters really didnt get the spotlight they deserved, esp team avatar. the gaang in the first series really all had their moments to shine, and you could rewatch the og season over and over again and notice something new every time! im not sure how well this would work with lok since the rest of team avatar didnt really get their own fleshed out story lines 

korra: had the most development ofc. i think she was a great protagonist. it makes sense that aang would want his successor to get proper training before getting thrown into avatar duties  considering he was like 12 when he had to fight the firelord. korra, whos been training her whole life, is caught in the middle of conflict in republic city, and its clear to me that her training took a priority on bending the elements, rather than being a mediator, which is the duty of the avatar. she’s like a fish out of water, and as the series progresses and we see her fight the antagonists, this takes a toll on her and she goes into a slump. it was a very fitting arc for her character 

mako: he was just kinda there for me. bit of a jerk at first and i really did not like the whole korra/mako/asami love triangle. it was all very forced imo considering korra and mako only knew each other for like a few days before they were confessing feelings for each other 

bolin: obvs the comedic relief character. the show doesnt do much for him either which is sad bc i did like his character, hes funny and has a cute design. ill draw another comparison to atla and say that while sokka was the comedic relief, his character was deeply complex and multilayered

asami: my angel my daughter my cinnamon apple. im glad asami was able to reconnect with her father before the show murked him. korrasami was cute and they compliment each other: korra, whos more emotionally reserved vs asami who is empathetic and patient but also is true to her beliefs and holds her ground

anyways this post got super long and if u read this i love u. feel free to comment if u wanna start a discussion. much more to say but my fingers are tired bye 

[gtgrandom]

“Why I ship Zutara - since so many are inclined to believe it’s a Zuko fetish”

Is Zuko my favorite animated character of all time? Why yes, yes he is. Do I identify with Katara as a barrier-breaking feminist and woman of color? Yes, yes I do. Is that why I ship them together? No.

Look, when I first watched ATLA, I was 7 years old. I don’t remember shipping anyone, but I didn’t hate that Aang and Katara ended up together. They were cute! It’s whatever.

When I rewatched the show at 13, I still thought Kataang was cute, but I ended the series shipping Zutara, and as the years went by, they rose higher and higher on my list. Now they’re my #1 OTP.

So why do I ship them?

1) They’re two sides of the same coin. Both of them grew up too fast with the loss of their mothers. Both grew up under an elder’s influence. Both of them constantly fought to prove their worth to their peers, and both held resentment toward their fathers. Both spent the entire series improving their bending and incorporating each other’s bending styles into their own.

They have so much in common, and so many shared experiences and important bonding moments (defeating Azula together, Zuko saving her life, confronting Yon Rha together, the cave scene / turning point, their battle at the North Pole...)

2) They’re opposites. Fire and Ice. Sun and Moon. Passionate male energy and the soothing, healing touch of a woman (and her chilling bite). Realism and hopeful idealism. The Blue Spirit and the Painted Lady.

Zuko grew up without a healthy sibling or father relationship. Katara eventually obtained both of these. Zuko lived in an elite world surrounded by people and bending teachers, yet he felt alone. Katara grew up on an ice cube with no bending masters, but she loved her home and family.

The parallels go on and on.

3) Symbolism. They could have embodied the Cave of Two Lovers perfectly: benders separated by cultural divide, a cave to meet in secrecy where outside conflicts are put on hold, allowing them to grow closer, to love one another.

Plus, what better way to bridge two nations with seemingly irreparable tensions than a marriage between lovers? These two went from enemies to partners in crime to friends. Imagine if they’d fallen in love. Imagine a water bender as Fire Lady, and what influence she could have on the Fire Nation’s perceptions of the Water Tribe. Imagine the prejudices she could shed herself, living in this new culture, serving its people.

4) They’re good for each other. Zuko needs someone who can help him shift his nation’s perceptions of the world. He needs someone who can take on responsibilities of her own, rally a crowd, bring hope to his world, and not only become a mother to his children, but his people. He needs a woman who, like his mother, can encourage him to be the best version of himself.

Katara needs to feel useful. She needs to feel like she’s helping people and making a difference. She needs to be more than a wife or a mother. More than a traveling companion. She‘s a caretaker, but she’s also a leader, and she needs a mature man in her life who she can leave alone, unattended for a while. Someone she can speak to about harsh realities. Someone who will not judge her for feeling negative. Someone who will understand her sarcasm, and who will vent with her when she needs it.

5) I have always shipped them for their potential, not necessarily what we were fed in the show. So I understand how others don’t see it. But as a writer, I recognize that this pairing could have been an extremely valuable storytelling tool. Aaron saw that, the actors saw that, but Bryke wanted Kataang, so we got the typical “hero gets the girl” scenario. I get it. I just wish they would have gone the extra mile.

6) I don’t ship Kataang anymore

Aang is 12 years old. He���s a child (and a monk). That’s what makes the series work, why his victory is so powerful. His youthful innocence is a reoccurring theme throughout the series. And yes, he learns to accept many hard truths of the world, but in the end, he chooses mercy and idealism. As an adult, I can’t see him as anything but a child. And I don’t ship children. I definitely don’t want to see them make out with anyone 😷

Katara acts like his mother for most of the series. She’s his caretaker first and foremost. And it’s clear she loves him, but she’s not even sure how she feels about him several episodes from the finale of the series. I’m not about to act like their relationship wasn’t romantically coded, but it felt forced at the end. It felt like they set Katara up to be his mother more than his partner. It’s regressive to her feminist arc (and don’t get me started on Korra’s depiction of her!)

And yeah. I did not find 12 year olds attractive when I was looking forward to my first year of high school. If I had the choice between Aang and Zuko at her age, you bet your ass I’m swooning over the prince of the Fire Nation. 🤷🏻‍♀️

7) I really don’t ship Maiko. I love Mai as a character (gray characters are always fun). But her relationship with Zuko formed off-screen (never a good choice for a romance arc) and she was only ever regressive to Zuko’s character. She was never going to help him grow, to be a selfless leader, to consider the importance of other nations or the lower class (she jokes about ordering servants around for fun, big yikes). She couldn’t be a positive influence on Zuko until she had an enlightened journey of her own, which she didn’t get - her only arc revolved around Azula and her love for her boyfriend. She was a source of constant negativity and pessimim. That’s the last thing a leader of a war-torn nation needs.

So yeah. I’m not trying to convince anyone to ship my ship. I’m simply explaining why I love these two so much (since so many of you think it’s a bad boy fetish), and why I reject the pairings the show left us with.

I think Zutara would have created a stronger narrative for a near-perfect show, a better romance, and a more relatable protagonist, and no one will ever change my mind about that.