10/19/2025

  Post 8 Azula Alternative:
       This week, I decided to explore an alternative move set for Azula to make her portion of the fight scene feel more dynamic and visually engaging. I kept most of her original flip animation intact since I was happy with how it flowed, but I changed her landing from the ground to a stalactite formation. This new setup makes the animation feel more vertical and cinematic, adding variety to the spatial composition of the fight. From the stalactite, Azula lunges directly toward Toph, which not only highlights her aggressive, acrobatic fighting style but also builds stronger tension leading up to the climax of the scene. I plan to have the animation cut right before Azula makes contact with Toph to leave the ending on a dramatic cliffhanger. This approach feels more fitting for a short sequence because it creates a sense of anticipation and energy rather than fully resolving the action.
     However, I’m still encountering an ongoing issue with Azula’s left leg. Despite reworking the animation several times and cleaning up the keyframes, the leg continues to move unpredictably during certain frames, especially around the landing and transition to the lunge. I brought this problem to my peers for feedback, but unfortunately, no one has been able to pinpoint the cause either. It’s a frustrating issue since it only appears intermittently and doesn’t show up in the graph editor the way I would expect. My plan is to bring it up again during critiques this week, in hopes that my instructor or classmates with more rigging experience can help me troubleshoot what’s causing it.

After I receive critiques, I plan to continue developing this revised move set further. I want to add a short transitional scene right before Azula launches from the stalactite—showing Toph throwing a large rock and Azula cutting it cleanly in half using her fire daggers. This quick moment will visually emphasize the difference in their fighting styles: Toph’s brute strength versus Azula’s precision and speed. Additionally, I want to include a brief barrel roll while Azula is mid-air to give the sequence more fluid motion and intensity before she dives in for her final attack. Overall, I’m happy with the new direction of the animation, and once the technical leg issue is resolved, I think this version will deliver a much stronger and more cinematic finish to the fight.