In celebration of SeptBender’s YA Day, best-selling author Marie Lu (the Legend trilogy) discusses the elements that make The Legend of Korra so special.
Why I Love The Legend of Korra…
And You Should Too
by Marie Lu
Where do I even begin with singing the praises of The Legend of Korra? Yes, it’s a spinoff series of Avatar: The Last Airbender, one of the greatest shows to grace television, but that doesn’t mean you have to watch A:TLA to understand Korra. Legend of Korra is a self-contained world of goodies. Shall I list some of these goodies?
The World: [Season 1 of] The Legend of Korra is set in a fantasy world that resembles a steampunk 1920s Shanghai. Not only is this setting fantastically original in the world of entertainment, it is portrayed with love and care. The details are impeccable, the influences of turn-of-the-20-century East meets West coupled with a breathtaking world of elemental magic and martial arts.
The Art: The art of The Legend of Korra is top-notch, a level of production quality you just don’t see very often in TV animation. The woodcut style of the sweeping backdrops are gloriously detailed and lovingly rendered; the characters’ signature movements graceful, powerful, and picture-perfect; the characters’ facial expressions varied and precise.
The Story: The pacing is fast, but never so fast that you forget the depth of what’s happening in this world. Good and evil are nuanced here, and the politics are complex and thought-provoking. How would a city full of benders (workers of elemental magic) and non-benders interact? How would they clash? Is there any clear divide between right and wrong? It is within this tumultuous setup that Korra, the headstrong new Avatar who can wield all four elements, must find a way to grow into the leader she’s expected to be. Which leads me to the best reason to watch The Legend of Korra…
…and that is the Characters. Korra is dynamic, strong, arrogant, flawed, unforgettable. Her friends and foes are carefully drawn, people who can be both kind and mean, selfish and selfless, serious and funny, lighthearted and dark, dark, dark. Additionally, Korra is a person of color, a truly distinguishing factor in an entertainment industry that whitewashes left and right. In fact, every character in this show is a person of color, and yet they are not defined by that color. They are whole, three-dimensional people, facing insurmountable odds and inner demons independent of their race. That’s truly something worth celebrating.
All these goodies still not enough to convince you? Then let me say this: The Legend of Korra is fun to watch. Absolute, sheer fun. And at the end of the day, that’s what we strive for as entertainers.
About Marie Lu
Marie Lu is the author of the best-selling dystopian trilogy Legend. The sequel Prodigy was released earlier this year and the final installment, Champion, will arrive on Nov. 5. Set in an militarized Los Angeles Legend tells the story of June, the Republic’s finest up-and-coming soldier, a revolutionary young man named Day, and the catastrophic events that put them on a course for collision – and possible greatness.
Marie Lu is a former art director in the video game industry, who would love to be a fighter pilot. She enjoys cupcakes and Christmas lights, and she lives in California. Find out more about Marie on her website, MarieLu.org check out her Tumblr, and connect with her on Twitter as @Marie_Lu.