W.I.T.C.H

Question

W.I.T.C.H

Creators get screwed over and they leave before the first arc finishes

Series stumbles for a while as a result before finding its groove

Quality goes down eventually with retcons, missing supporting cast members, arcs kind of just stop happening, etc

Books flopped in America, couldn't even finish the second arc

Show lasts only two seasons

In 2017, Yen Press announces they were releasing the full series in English

They just stop in 2023 for no reason given

Reboot happens....reception is mixed at best

I'm kind of fascinated by the rough history W.I.T.C.H. has
I know it has its fans but it kind of reminds me of the tragedy that was Heroes.

It just isn't that good. Barbucci and Canepa's talents are better used elsewhere, like Sky Doll.

It had some decent novels but yeah, it isn't the best.

I thought Italians were supposed to be better than us

I always preferred W.I.T.C.H.'s artstyle but did Winx Club fare any better?
At least from the start
I heard the quality decline was even worse

Winx Club simply
1) Got too greedy
2) Always seemed exceptionally afraid of doing even fairly simple character arcs. They usually just introduce new characters rather than giving existing ones development.
Winx isn't some deep hard hitting brain expanding cinematic masterpiece but it's significantly more flavorful
Also they were either greedy, trying to dip into the jersey shore hype or afraid of yuri shippers because each girl has a male love interest that's essentially a genderbent clone of hers that keeps following her around.
They're not bad but it contributes to cast bloat and since it's magical girl show they're not very helpful.

I think Winx Club fared better in that people believed in it enough to bring it back, no once (2010 Nickelodeon revival) not twice (2018 live-action Netflix) but thrice (2025 animated Netflix reboot).

I remember W.I.T.C.H being a cultural jugganaut in early-mid 2000s Europe. You had the comics, you had magazines, you had novels being written, the tv show.

In 2001, W.I.T.C.H. sold more than 6 million copies in the first year of its publication, making it the most successful tween magazine launch ever.

Prime stuff for a female fanbase. And it seemed like Disney just sort of gave up on it.
Yen Press stopped releasing the English reprints, a half-assed reboot which isn't really liked happens and Disney hasn't even put W.I.T.C.H on Disney+ yet.

tween magazine launch ever.

What were the magazines like aside from having comics?

but it's significantly more flavorful

Yeah I'll say that
I largely think W.I.T.C.H. has the better artstyle (but I'm a guy so what the fuck should I know) but Winx having more unique outfits for its cast helps it have more appeal (and marketability)
You think Loisel's depiction of Tinker Bell influenced them? Ever since the storytime I keep thinking about if it ever influenced designs I've already been aware of like with Ly or Betilla (particularly her redesign) from Rayman
I'm mostly talking about the stockings in the W.I.T.C.H. girls case

The show failed in the US cause it was all over the place. It was at various times on ABC, Disney Channel, ABC Family, and Disney Channel. It suffered from Jetix not being big like in Europe.

for no reason given

License expired

typical tween stuff. You had the comics, usually some astrology stuff, quizzes, fashion. in-character interviews, etc.

UK?
When did they stop releasing it in English

And it seemed like Disney just sort of gave up on it.

Kid magazines were on the decline period
Hell, magazines period were on the decline
At least that was the case in Burgerland, not sure about the Euros
Maybe they thought about trying a different approach?
I'll probably look into reactions at the time if there were any

W.I.T.C.H ended in 2012 so they rebranded into 'Disney Girl' and I think that it's still released in France

This seems good as well. I've only read the first one but I liked it.

W.I.T.C.H ended in 2012

I meant the comic specifically for the UK since apparently the later comics were never officially translated in English
So I just assumed the magazine just stopped being published in that area while the rest of Europe continued

yeah, but even the tv series they gave up on. Look at Winx Club.

2010 Nickelodeon revival

2018 live-action Netflix

2025 animated Netflix reboot

Yet Disney doesn't even put the W.I.T.C.H cartoon on D+

In the early stages of the first season, the series was a major hit and a TV breakout in the US

In Europe, W.I.T.C.H. was the most popular Jetix original series for third-party sales as of fiscal year 2007, when the second season was delivered. All of the major Jetix Europe originals, including W.I.T.C.H., ranked "as one of the top two shows in their timeslots in all of the markets in which they aired

Why not try a reboot, a new adaption of something to try and capture the female audience?
I think Petrana Radulovic had an interesting comment regarding W.I.T.C.H and Winx Club

"Winx Club’s popularity set it up for a recent revival: Netflix just turned it into a gritty live-action series. But the streaming service may’ve picked the wrong show to tap into that energy. Both shows starred magical girl teams bond by friendship, but W.I.T.C.H. was much darker, and would better fit the tone of Netflix’s Fate: The Winx Saga."

Ragorlang was the last saga translated into English. So around 2007

Thanks

Huh weird
I know Kim Possible got a new season because of Germany so I guess W.I.T.C.H. not succeeding in America mattered more but then again Buzz on Maggie flopped because Europeans didn't like it

Yes rest of Europe continued on. W.I.T.C.H was particular popular in Scandinavia

Danish authors Lene Kaaberbøl, Josefine Ottesen, Lene Møller Jørgensen and Cecilie Eken releasing 15 W.I.T.C.H novels.

Swedish author Maud Mangold releasing 2 W.I.T.C.H novels.

Norwegian author Ruben Eliassen releasing 1 W.I.T.C.H novel

is it just slice of life?

Wait what the fuck, they're STILL fan translating stuff?

Yes, but with some slight fantasy elements like prophetic dreams and a world that doesn't quite seem to match any real modern era.

sounds good. Might put it on my future purchase list

Also featured tutorials for drawing the main 5 cast.

Winx found its footing earlier but they're about the same quality wise at their peaks but that could vary from person to person.
W.I.T.C.H. loses its footing faster but Winx falls much MUCH worse

thanks for unlocking my memory of these types of magazines

This show could've been as popular as Winx Club here but Disney fucked up the show and made unnecessary changes. The comics were WAY better.

Winx was good for the first 3 seasons and fell off hard.

WITCH cartoon was good from start to finish. The comics vary from mid at worst to good.

It is a great series and had tons of potential at the start just kept getting fucked by disney. So many writer and team changes throughout it's run. It also really is kind of one of those things that walked so many others could run.
Winx is like the baby sister of w.i.t.c.h, it got all the attention and accolades, but sadly this kept it from having any struggles/depth. I love both but think winx is better about staying somewhat consistent in terms of support and being easy to keep up with. While w.i.t.c.h was better at attempting deeper arcs and character moments, like cedrics redemption and introducing some of the better side characters and the girls feeling realer to me.

But really in the end of the day they both were enjoyable but I too heard winx fell off at some point but I stopped keeping up.

Truly a memory of youth. I remember me buying my Donald Duck & Co magazine (same concept but Duck related stories) monthly while my sister would get the W.I.T.C.H magazine.

Not that experienced with Winx Club, but I theorize that W.I.T.C.H characters realer because it dove heavily into the teen slice-of-life drama, perhaps more heavily than Winx Club did.

following on from otheranon, it's a pleasant, light slice of life/coming of age; book 4 covers their mostly absent divorced father. picrel example of one of Sarah's dreams;

I really need to pick this back up again

looks good

I'm sad we never got Orube or the Astral drop rebellion in the show

Orube deserved better

Will a cute

I'm more of an Irma guy.