#tloa posting

[allgremlinyaps]

streets are saying Zuko is into ripped airbenders #knewthat

[allgremlinyaps]

Avatar Movie Leak Analysis: Animation and Art

Forward: I always regret not posting my thoughts and analysis on these kinds of things. I never see it as worth the time but then I get sad when I don't have any way of discussing my point of view. So this is getting ahead of it! Also, mostly because it's fun and relaxing. So, this isn't going to be super serious, just me taking a look at things and noting my observations, in a measured and non-reactive way.

Spoilers, obviously, if you haven't seen the leaks, or don't want to.

+ Background and Prop Design.

Let's start with this background painting, the first thing we see in the clips. Terrible screengrab quality, I know, here's where you can see all these clips better. But genuinely!!! Fucking stunning stuff!!! Avatar background paintings never miss, they only got better in Korra, and I'm so thrilled they're keeping the streak going.

The background of the second scene is also vibrant and gorgeous, I love this kind of look for part of the spirit world. It's a continuation of all the art in Korra and it's awesome to finally see the original characters in this kind of setting, I wont lie. Mystical Key Thing is gorgeously designed and animated. Fun stuff.

+ Character Designs.

We've already seen most of the designs for these characters in previous leaks, and I'm still happy with them. I will say, I'm loving Aang's design even more in motion, but I do just love adult Aang designs in general, it's cool to see him, especially, aged up. As for Mysterious New Character, I must say, his design looks MUCH better in motion compared to his Target t-shirt leak.

Can I pinpoint why exactly this is? Not really. But I feel it's true. Probably because animation adds his personality and mannerisms to the art, making it feel more natural and complete. I will say, he definitely feels like a character designed 20 years after the other characters in the scene. You could see this as a detriment, but it doesn't bother me for now, especially considering he's definitely... isekaid. (We'll get into theories later.) So it makes thematic sense. Frankly, he looks like he'd fit in a lot better stylistically with Korra characters, which obviously I'm not mad at.

Let's talk Taika Waititi Spirit Pig.

On the one hand, he takes me right back to the designs of Korra Book 2, and I'm thrilled. I love the vibrancy, (which doesn't translate well in these screengrabs,) the colors, and the shading they use on him. On the other hand, he's strangely cutesy, in a way that I don't know translates his (assumed) desired /feel/ quite so well, but this is something I wont be able to comment on until I've seen more of the film.

+ Stylistic Choices.

Cartoony baby Tophs, big yelling Katara heads, weird Sokka faces. It might feel out of place to some, but in my opinion this is actually the team deliberately referencing the nostalgia wank those same people were asking for. It's very reminiscent of the cartoony, pseudo-anime, exaggerated moments in atla. Korra had some stuff like this too, but it was MUCH less frequent. Also very reminiscent of the silliness of the chibi shorts. I think it could work, in this flick.

I would say the art style of this movie, in terms of faces and face animation in general, leans more towards atla and more recent Studio MIR projects, instead of towards Korra. Korra had a style that, at least in general, was much more sharp and even realistic at times. They didn't skimp on the facial detail in that show. There's still something in Mystery Character that is stylistically very Korra, though, so I think maybe the style DOES skew Korra (or, at least, classic Studio MIR,) just without the extra detail work on up-close shots.

+ Animation.

Before we can address anything else about the animation, we must address..............

THE BOUNCE

What is The Bounce?

The Bounce is what I have decided to call a very specific animation style that has become VERY popular and INESCAPABLE in western 2d animation in the 2020s (though its inception and inspiration started earlier.) It's hard to describe - but it's a stylistic choice, a choice to flex, for the animators to show off exactly how many frames they can draw, if you follow me. A choice to over-exaggerate character movements and facial expressions in a decidedly bouncy and un-grounded way. The Bounce is usually accompanied by a certain kind of... pacing. That is FAST! and Bouncy. Now, Avatar has never gone full Bounce. Avatar, and especially Korra, has always had a very grounded animation style, by nature of the way they animate the fight scenes and martial arts (painstakingly referencing footage of real martial artists acting out their choreographies.) I never thought they would go Bounce. Now, they've gone Skip, which is a more rigid and (from a technical perspective,) lazier version of The Bounce, for stylistic flair. But never full Bounce. Until Now. I hate The Bounce. I will never shut up about how much I hate The Bounce. However, I am aware this is simply a deeply held personal preference, and The Bounce's existence doesn't mean that the animation is necessarily dogshit. In fact, it usually means a higher budget, more time for the animators to add pizzazz, etc etc. So. I will tolerate The Bounce. But I wont celebrate it.

MOVING ON.

Are there 3d elements? I can't tell. OH and it's driving me crazy!! I SWEAR there are!! I just can't figure out where!

Well, definitely during the spirit world sequence. But I still cant tell if they're using any for the character models. Personally, I think it's cool when they mix 2d and 3d. Wow, what a brave stance. No one has thought that before. We'll have to wait for more production and animation details...

As for the martial arts, which, YES, is one of THE MOST IMPORTANT THINGS to get right when it comes to Avatar, because it is a MARTIAL ARTS FRANCHISE just as much or more as it is fantasy and I will FIGHT ANYONE WHO DISAGREES... well, too early to say. We didn't see any bending in those clips! And I don't want to actually look for the full movie, if the full thing was in fact leaked. That's no fun. And no fair to the artists who worked on this.

I've already seen people say the animation is bad. They're probably experiencing symptoms of Bad Bounce Translation, so, they honestly might be on to SOMETHING, but I still think A) it's too early to say and B) no matter what, you can tell this aint no low budget scrappy ass no effort animation effort. I'm excited to see a trailer. As it stands, the animation in this movie could either be the answer to all my dreams, or fall off a cliff straight into hell. I just don't know yet.

I might add more to this post later, or never again. You never know with me. I'm writing this at 1am EST. Goodnight.

[allgremlinyaps]

hey everybody saying bi/gay zuko could be canon now, you're not gonna pull a Voltron fandom and crash out and harass the creators when that doesn't happen, right...?

[allgremlinyaps]

because im curious.... I think I'll be able to sleep and stop posting about it after this....

What is your personal plan of action for the Aang movie leak?

I never planned to watch it in the first place

I'm avoiding all spoilers possible until the trailer and movie drop officially

I'm ok with looking at a few clips and images, but I wont watch the movie yet

I'm doing everything in my power to find the full leaked movie online

I'm looking at clips and images, but I probably wont ever watch it in full

Voting ended onApr 22

[allgremlinyaps]

"why isnt Dante Basco voicing Zuko" Dante Basco came back to voice his jacked military industrial complex dues ex machina grandson, so if Dante Basco isnt voicing Zuko its probably cus he just didnt feel like it. let him podcast with Janet

[allgremlinyaps]

I feel like people are missing the point of why the leak was bad, also.

I would have no issue if people pirated it AFTER it released normally. This probably sounds weird, but I think we need some production-lore clarification for me to explain fully.

Paramount sucks. They're pro-israel, under strange leadership, and me and my Star Trek moots have already been well aware of their show-running and production fuckery for some time now.

Brian and Mike signed with Paramount before October 7th, 2023, the onset of Israel's most recent escalation to genocide, and before Paramount made its leadership changes.

Pre-production for this movie had begun as early as 2022. Eric Nam and Steven Yuen were announced to have been cast on April 11th, 2024, but obviously we dont know when the casting process for everyone officially started. Eric Nam is pro-israel. Steven Yuen is pro-Palestine.

Are you starting to get the full confusing picture of the nature of this film's production?

Who do you give financial support to? Do you disavow the film altogether? Frankly at this point I think it's impossible to take a black and white stance on supporting this film, BESIDES the fact that: Paramount doesn't deserve your money.

Paramount doesn't deserve your money. Ok. That's a given. That's established. They've done their damndest to make sure this movie doesn't make a cent anyway, so if the money isn't the issue, what is?

In my opinion, all that's left to care about is respect for the artists and actors that worked on the film that are deserving of respect. I think it's reductive to act like there were no good people who worked on this film, or that there were no good hopes and aspirations put into its creation. (To be fair, though, the only place I've seen people arguing against that has been on twitter. And, like, its twitter. So.)

To reiterate: it's not about the money. It's about the artist's agency. They've already been fucked by their corporate overlords. There's no need for us to fuck them too - at least not publicly.

It's no cardinal sin, I just find it a little disrespectful.

There's also something to be said about the audience experience being fundamentally changed by seeing it through leaks, but, if that doesn't matter to you then it's not really important, lol. Again, it's just more respectful in this regard to Keep! Quiet! About! Spoilers!

[allgremlinyaps]

take my hand. let me be refuge for you from stupid fucking avatar movie and korra takes. let me be refuge for you from drama. Nobody care. its okay. You're safe.

[allgremlinyaps]

anyway. In other news I popped on to twt just for a peek at my mutuals and accidentally saw huge spoilers for the leaked movie. So. kind of at a crossroads (of destiny? Haha. Like zuko. wow! #tvepisode) right now.

Its just so funny how my relationship w these leaks went from "omg hehe new info about the movie? Im so excited-" completely spoiled within a few days.

This could just be cus im not used to being in ACTIVE fandoms but I truly dont think Ive had anything like this happen to me before 🤔 I wasnt online enough as a tween to have seen the korra book 4 leaks...

As it stands, if I dont watch the movie now im just gonna be stewing in bitterness/confusion/anticipation for the next several months. But I rly am not ready lol...