A:TLA Annotations

korra-naga:

MD: Asami came a little later in the development process. Once we had the idea for a nonbender revolution, we knew we’d need a character who wasn’t a bender. At first, we had planned for Asami to be an Equalist spy who was using Mako to get close to Korra. But we ended up liking her so much that we thought it was better to keep her on the good guys’ side. The development process was so important for Korra, because it allowed us to play with various story and visual concepts before the full production started.

BK: AS a self-deprecating artist, I am particularly critical of my lack of abilities when it comes to drawing women. But I wanted to challenge myself and handle Asami’s design alone. I wanted her to have sole old Hollywood glamour, while also having some kiler racing outfits in her wardrobe. Asami concepts by Bryan Konietzko. Expressions and cleanup by Il-Kwang Kim and Bryan Konietzko. Color by Bryan Konietzko and Sylvia Filcak-Blackwolf.

A comparison with ‘The Eastern Mata Hari’ Yoshiko Kawashima aka Jin Bihui aka Eastern Jewel.

Reblogged to add:

Could that chi-blocker Korra fights (and loses to) in episode three be Asami? Conservation of character makes this rather likely.

Also: As someone pointed out: Note how Asami’s glasses have a green tint to them. Interesting choice of color…

More details and discussion here: Click me!

atla-annotated:

Asami Sato - A Theory

A comparison with ‘The Eastern Mata Hari’ Yoshiko Kawashima aka Jin Bihui aka Eastern Jewel.

Note: I’d appreciate it if you kept the ship-war out of this. Thanks.

There are several things that struck me as interesting when Asami was first introduced.

Let’s talk about Asami’s name, which is distinctly Japanese. Atla, previously, had very few distinct Japanese names. (Click here for names-list) Asami’s very green eyes and her very distinctly not Earth Kingdom name was the first thing that reminded me of Yoshiko Kawashima, who was Chinese adopted Japanese and also made me wonder if Asami herself might not be adopted herself, since she looks nothing like her dad and Atla is usually very good about family resemblance.

Her entrance, wearing a leather motorbike outfit, reminds a lot of how Yoshiko Kawashima is introduced in the well-known movie ‘The Last Emperor’. (See pictures) As does her gala outfit.

The way she ‘accidentally’ runs over Mako does not come across as accidental at all to me, but rather pretty much on purpose.

“Yoshiko Kawashima undertook undercover mission in Manchuria, often in disguise, and was considered “strikingly attractive, with a dominating personality, almost a film-drama figure …”

Does sound a lot like what we’ve seen of Asami to me.

I am haphazarding  a guess that she will turn out to be an equalist/ working for them.

Yoshiko Kawashima was a spy for Japan, specifically for Major-General Kenji Doihara. Yes, I am aware that LOK does not have any parallel to the Sino-Japanese war, but that does not mean they did not base a character on one of the more interesting female protagonists from that time-period. Atla has played mix-and match with time periods before. What time period is ATLA set in.

Kawashima became a well-known and popular figure in Manchukuo society, making appearances on radio broadcasts, and even issuing a record of her songs.

While I doubt that we will see her record songs, I’d like to point out that Asami a) is a socialite, b) Mako just agreed to sponsorship from her father c) radio shows/broadcasts are an important medium in LOK. I would not be surprised to see Mako cornered/conned into unwittingly doing Equalist propaganda.

All of those things combined are giving me the hunch that she might be (at least partially) based on Yoshiko Kawashima.

If I am correct, then there is a chance that she will play a major role in the coming civil war, both on Amon’s side and as a military leader herself.

Kawashima continued to play various roles and, for a time, was mistress of Major General Hayao Tada, who was chief military advisor for Pu Yi. She formed an independent counter insurgency cavalry force in 1932 made up of 3,000-5,000 former bandits to hunt down anti-Japanese guerilla bands during the Pacification of Manchukuo, and was hailed in the Japanese newspapers as the Joan of Arc of Manchukuo.^[4]

Side note: In a previous post I already explained that the Equalists and the Task Force are paralleling the real world fight between the Communists and the Kuomintang.

Image source: The Last Emperor (movie).

Asami Sato - A Theory

A comparison with ‘The Eastern Mata Hari’ Yoshiko Kawashima aka Jin Bihui aka Eastern Jewel.

Note: I’d appreciate it if you kept the ship-war out of this. Thanks.

There are several things that struck me as interesting when Asami was first introduced.

Let’s talk about Asami’s name, which is distinctly Japanese. Atla, previously, had very few distinct Japanese names. (Click here for names-list) Asami’s very green eyes and her very distinctly not Earth Kingdom name was the first thing that reminded me of Yoshiko Kawashima, who was Chinese adopted Japanese and also made me wonder if Asami herself might not be adopted herself, since she looks nothing like her dad and Atla is usually very good about family resemblance.

Her entrance, wearing a leather motorbike outfit, reminds a lot of how Yoshiko Kawashima is introduced in the well-known movie ’The Last Emperor’. (See pictures) As does her gala outfit.

The way she 'accidentally’ runs over Mako does not come across as accidental at all to me, but rather pretty much on purpose.

“Yoshiko Kawashima undertook undercover mission in Manchuria, often in disguise, and was considered "strikingly attractive, with a dominating personality, almost a film-drama figure …”

Does sound a lot like what we’ve seen of Asami to me.

I am haphazarding  a guess that she will turn out to be an equalist/ working for them.

Yoshiko Kawashima was a spy for Japan, specifically for Major-General Kenji Doihara. Yes, I am aware that LOK does not have any parallel to the Sino-Japanese war, but that does not mean they did not base a character on one of the more interesting female protagonists from that time-period. Atla has played mix-and match with time periods before. What time period is ATLA set in.

Kawashima became a well-known and popular figure in Manchukuo society, making appearances on radio broadcasts, and even issuing a record of her songs.

While I doubt that we will see her record songs, I’d like to point out that Asami a) is a socialite, b) Mako just agreed to sponsorship from her father c) radio shows/broadcasts are an important medium in LOK. I would not be surprised to see Mako cornered/conned into unwittingly doing Equalist propaganda.

All of those things combined are giving me the hunch that she might be (at least partially) based on Yoshiko Kawashima.

If I am correct, then there is a chance that she will play a major role in the coming civil war, both on Amon’s side and as a military leader herself.

Kawashima continued to play various roles and, for a time, was mistress of Major General Hayao Tada, who was chief military advisor for Pu Yi. She formed an independent counter insurgency cavalry force in 1932 made up of 3,000-5,000 former bandits to hunt down anti-Japanese guerilla bands during the Pacification of Manchukuo, and was hailed in the Japanese newspapers as the Joan of Arc of Manchukuo.^[4]

Side note: In a previous post I already explained that the Equalists and the Task Force are paralleling the real world fight between the Communists and the Kuomintang.

Image source: The Last Emperor (movie).