An animated series set in the same narrative world of the excellent Avatar: The Last Airbender (and a sequel to it, although knowledge of the previous story is recommended but not imperative), The Legend of Korra is an action/fantasy/adventure influenced by both Wuxia and steampunk.
At its best, Korra feels like a cocktail between Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon, Princess Mononoke and the X-Men. It's a neat series with several flaws: moments of juvenile humor which feel jarring next to the mature themes the show tries to juggle (terrorism, fascism, anarchy); a few tired narrative choices, like the awful "fight between good giant being and evil giant being" climax of the second season (by far the weakest); the unwillingness to go for unapologetic darkness when the narrative called for it.
(Spoiler-y example: at the end of the first season, heroine Korra suffers a major power loss, an interesting twist for a likable but brash protagonist who revels in her abilities. However, after five minutes, her powers are restored and boosted. That's not an effective way to structure the hero's journey; blame it on the troubled production history).
Still, lore is rich, world-building detailed. The appealing visuals recall the works of the great Hayao Miyazaki; in its finer moments, as the protagonists roam the streets of Republic City - a sort of Asian New York set in a steampunk version of the roaring Twenties - Korra almost feels like Hugo Pratt taking a shot at the superhero genre.
7,5/10
At its best, Korra feels like a cocktail between Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon, Princess Mononoke and the X-Men. It's a neat series with several flaws: moments of juvenile humor which feel jarring next to the mature themes the show tries to juggle (terrorism, fascism, anarchy); a few tired narrative choices, like the awful "fight between good giant being and evil giant being" climax of the second season (by far the weakest); the unwillingness to go for unapologetic darkness when the narrative called for it.
(Spoiler-y example: at the end of the first season, heroine Korra suffers a major power loss, an interesting twist for a likable but brash protagonist who revels in her abilities. However, after five minutes, her powers are restored and boosted. That's not an effective way to structure the hero's journey; blame it on the troubled production history).
Still, lore is rich, world-building detailed. The appealing visuals recall the works of the great Hayao Miyazaki; in its finer moments, as the protagonists roam the streets of Republic City - a sort of Asian New York set in a steampunk version of the roaring Twenties - Korra almost feels like Hugo Pratt taking a shot at the superhero genre.
7,5/10