Legend of Korra!

[Alja-Markir]

I was remarking more about how subtle it is. Most American viewers probably don't know the Dalai Lama's name.

~Alja~

[AlexanderDitto]

Though I'd avoid it until you're finished with the series (it will spoil a lot of things) I think you'll find this tumblr to be very enjoyable, Alja.

And the rest of you should go read it right now. (Someone named Jin who is [I believe] Chinese, speaks Chinese, and knows a lot about Chinese culture and history, goes through the series and points out all the stuff you're missing: buildings that are references to real world buildings, details on teapots and clothing that give you insight into characters. There's an amazing level of detail in this show that prove that the creators really know what they're doing and care about the history and mythology of the cultures they're drawing from.

[Alja-Markir]

I'm already picking up a number of things on my own, but I'll check that out after I finish for sure.

Basically whenever I get a hunch about something that seems like it must be drawing on something else, I pause and go look it up to see if it's a reference to something. Typically things like names, but other stuff like the water bending scroll, has led me on minor research jaunts. It's very fun.

~Alja~

[Alja-Markir]

Another thing I'm picking up on is voice actors in the original series.

My biggest thrill was George Takei as the island jail warden, knew it was him right away and just laughed myself silly and geeked out, sounded like he was having fun playing a villain. Another one I got right away was Lao Beifong, Toph's father, who is voiced by Cam Clarke, a.k.a Liquid Snake (and also Doctor Mobius).

There have been some less obvious ones as well, such as André Sogliuzzo and Dee Bradley Baker (both a bit lesser known as they tend to voice secondary or tertiary characters). Really enjoying the voicework as I go. Oh, and I swear, half of Sokka's lines sound ad-libbed and kept in because they're just so damn hilarious.

~Alja~

[Alja-Markir]

And now Kaiden?!? Seriously, as soon as I heard Professoer Zei I knew it was a voice I recognized, had to look it up to confirm Raphael Sbarge, but damn. Who next, Sean Connery?

~Alja~

[AlexanderDitto]

I think it's a safe bet that if there's a weird creature in a Nickelodeon TV series, it's probably Dee Bradley Baker. :B

[Alja-Markir]

So... interesting thing.

Second episode of Book 3 in the first series, there's a ire nation girl named Anji at the school Aang gets placed into, and her tough-guy fire nation boyfriend does the exact same "I'll be watching you" hand gesture that Lin does.

So it is just sort of a universal sort of gesture in the avatar world? Or could it be a fire nation sort of thing, and maybe Lin's as-yet unknown father was fire nation?

~Alja~

[JustAName]

Well, Republic City is in the Fire nation, right? Regardless, it's a melting pot, and on top of that, it does seem like a universal sort of gesture.

[Alja-Markir]

And now, the sword master Piandao turns out to be Robert Patrick, the guy who played the T-1000.



~Alja~

[The Jester]

Wow man, you're really tearing through those episodes. I take it that you're enjoying them?

[Alja-Markir]

I'm laid up at the moment (long story, nothing serious ), so I've nothing much else to do for a bit. But yes, enjoying them quite a lot.

Oh, and Toph is the best.

~Alja~

[Alja-Markir]

So THAT's where the concept for Krogans came from!



~Alja~

[JustAName]

Wow, you're almost done, huh? ...Eheehee, tell us what you think of the Ember Island Players.

[Alja-Markir]

Not sure who you mean, there was the one episode with Zuko and the gals on Ember Island, but I don't know who you mean by "players". Maybe a future episode.

Oh, and the music in this series is so damn good. Two things in particular are haunting me. First, in the Tales of Ba Sing Se episode, Iroh's song "Leaves From The Vine", sung by Mako, was one of the most moving things I've ever seen or heard. Amazing how something so simple, so plain and ordinary, can hit me so damn hard.

And second, the bells that play frequently at the close of episodes when characters are lost in thought or inner turmoil. Beautiful in their own right, they also keep reminding me of this song, which I can't get out of my head and which gives me great inspiration of what the Avatar world might look like another hundred years or so after the time of Korra, in a kinda cyberpunk style.

~Alja~

[JustAName]

Yeah. That's why Tales of Ba Sing Se is one of my favorites. I know Appa's Lost Days is Jillers's.

[Alja-Markir]

God I love The Boulder.



~Alja~

[plummeting_sloth]

Alji... players in the way he's using it refers to actors. He's asking if you've seen the production done by the acting trope that reenacts all the previous series, but through the lens of dramatic tropes and Fire Nation Propaganda. It's a great episode.

Also, Fayii, I believe they said Republic City was build on the land of an Fire Nation colony. Which means that it was on Earth Kingdom land proper, just land that was lost for a hundred years after the start of the war.

[JustAName]

Dude, don't spoil it! Also, since when am I a he?

[plummeting_sloth]

Whoops, sorry about that. I thought it was Alexander Alji was asking that question to.

[Alja-Markir]

"My first girlfriend turned into the moon."
"That's rough, buddy."

*snorts and dies*

~Alja~

[EikoandMog]

"My first girlfriend turned into the moon."
"That's rough, buddy."

*snorts and dies*

~Alja~

Oh god, i remember this bit.

[AlexanderDitto]

"My first girlfriend turned into the moon."
"That's rough, buddy."

*snorts and dies*

~Alja~

Oh god, i remember this bit.

Absolutely without a doubt one of the best lines in the series.

If one of my friends is complaining about something, I'll just say, "My first girlfriend turned into the moon." Never fails to make them laugh.

[Dutch guy]

I remember that line, but I can't for the life of me remember the context and who was answering with "thats rough, buddy". (Ofcourse the first line is Sokka's. That's not beyond doubt)

[Deedles]

Zuko, when they're on the air-balloon, on the way to the prison island. =]

[RedNightmare]

I love how I watched all the episodes in dutch and still know exactly what scenes we're talking about. kudos to the translation team.
@Fayili & @Alja: I love Tales of Ba Sing Se specifically for Iroh's part. In under 10 minutes he went from comic relief side character to "O my god, I totally get where he's coming from now!"