W.I.T.C.H. Was Weird | Billiam

[@ninavinterova9875]

Y'all don't realise how massive W.I.T.C.H. was in Europe. It's ICONIC, I literally learned how to read at like 4 or 5 because I loved it so much. We had the magazines at school too and I would make my mom buy me every single issue of it, I also made her buy me the books. I bet I still have some under my bed

[@vuivraalbastra]

Yeah, exactly. It bugs me when people say W.I.T.C.H. failed when it left a big impact here. Sometimes shows gets cancelled for various reasons and it sucks but their legacy remains and that's important. I think in some places W.I.T.C.H. is more widely loved than Winx because back in middle school I never heard people talk about Winx but my classmates were having W.I.T.C.H. merchandise for sure.

[@lauraireson6358]

I remember watching it on BBC when I got some from school. I would say it was my first fandom I was obsessed with.

[@GummyDinosaursify]

@@vuivraalbastra WITCH didn't really have an impact in the US, though. While I remember it, it's really hard to find anyone who watched it. It's kind of like Miraculous Ladybug, in which it does great overseas but in the US, it kind of flounders around. There's a fanbase, no doubt, but not one as big as other shows of it's time.

[@vuivraalbastra]

@@GummyDinosaursify Okay? The comment was about the impact of W.I.T.C.H. in Europe though and something doesn't have to be succesful in the US specifically to be very significant or have a huge fanbase.

[@DaDualityofMan]

@@GummyDinosaursify It was probably overshadowed by Winx

[@Nocturne22]

I always felt like they should have started with JUST Hay Lin, so we had her grandmother giving us the exposition for world building. Then she has to find the other 4 Guardians, and the payoff would be finding Will who finally grants them their Guardian powers. The perspective can then shift to Will, as she is the new girl and must get to know the other girls in the same way the audience has to.

[@zleo7054]

This is actually a great idea

[@StoneOfMoon]

The comics were 100x times better than the show. But if the show started with what you commented, I would’ve been way more invested in the show

[@pinkfreak120]

Fuck, that's genius.

[@MaestroAlvis]

Shifting perspective characters? What do you think this is, ground breaking writing?

[@TheAtreyustar]

sound similar to the sailor moon plot jji

[@monkeyscientist9913]

"There is apparently tension between Disney and the original creators..." When is there NOT tension between Disney and the original creators?

[@otaking3582]

I don't think there was any tension between Disney and Hans Christian Anderson when making Little Mermaid or Frozen

[@harrylane4]

Stan Lee? *Oh wait he wasn't the creator of Spider-Man and stole the credit from Steve ditko*

[@monkeyscientist9913]

@@otaking3582 Pretty sure that was because had he been dead for 100 years BEFORE they made those movies, so they entered the public domain. XD

[@otaking3582]

@@monkeyscientist9913 That's the joke

[@otaking3582]

@@harrylane4 Stan Lee didn't steal Spider-Man from Ditko, the two were co-creators

[@yiklongtay6029]

As a male who appreciated the action genre, I can say for certain I enjoyed Witch more than Winx. Winx fairies' main weapons in their arsenal is ambiguous light beams. Witch guardians had a lot more strategies and unique applications for their abilities. This made me more willing to watch/read it as a kid even when there is still a subtle cultural taboo for guys to watch girl media.

[@JaelinBezel]

Like the time they tried to combine Irma’s, Taranee’s, and Hay Lin’s powers to create lightning.

[@blythetaylor4063]

I agree! It was more strategic and there seemed to be more lore, and the world reminded me of older fantasy genres (like a more colorful, dram ridden lord of the rings). It was easier to play as the characters with my friends on the playground because we could spend time brain storming about the different powers and making up cool fight scenes. There was no other “girl show” quite like it and I’m actually really grateful I had it- I spent most of my childhood looking up to boys and this was a show that made me feel happy to be a girl without also feeling like I had to push myself to be someone I’m not.

[@-PVL93-]

same, WITCH was fucking tight. Despite being a cartoon for girls it rocked all the same, loved watching during the school years

[@Pulstar232]

fuck that cultural taboo man, i watched the shit out of the barbie movies as a kid.

[@TheEnigmaticBM39]

Idk where you got this notion that boys couldn't watch media that's targeted towards girls, but I grew up on shows like sailor moon and Powerpuff girls. If a show has something that both girls and boys could enjoy, then that would be that.

[@brockmckelvey7327]

Hearing the name Jetix took me back 15 years

[@soul6733]

Don't tell me. I still remember when I was a kid and one dy I saw it announcing Jetix shutting down. I was so disappointed.

[@satanbrony9235]

Nastalgia...

[@Alena-cq1ze]

Now I feel old

[@slevinchannel7589]

VRV is, like many Plattforms, not enough about Quality instead of Quantity. They air things that shouldnt even exist, let alone be aired. Oh, and not to mention, VRV isnt even available all over the World. Wow.

[@Lopholillie]

@@soul6733 I mean Jetix is technically Disney XD-

[@chairific6794]

WITCH was an effing masterpiece.

[@Nick-ij3sf]

I opened a petition for W.I.T.C.H season 3! Please vote and share so it can get to Walt Disney: chng.it/fjMv7vNQjP

[@chairific6794]

There is already petition for season 3 from years ago.

[@Nick-ij3sf]

SailorSparkle i know😐

[@Dana-pd2th]

true

[@theonlybilge]

@@Nick-ij3sf Walt Disney died decades ago.

[@duolipo4787]

I shipped Caleb & Cornelia before I knew what shipping was.

[@HenshinHeroesMedia]

At least the show had a happy ending for them.

[@mayrar9164]

Same 🙌😂

[@iss7437]

@@HenshinHeroesMedia I'm mad at the comics. Really.

[@brnne]

Omg yees

[@Irma_records]

Reminds me of how I shipped Sonic and Amy solely based on a nintendo game before I even knew there was a thing called shipping

[@hiendral9533]

This show was so good I miss it so bad. Cornelia was my fav char, I love how despite being confused about her powers she came to be the best at controling them.

[@hiendral9533]

@Hans Hanzo ikr, I kinda liked hay lin too but Cornelia was the most interesting while also being relatable to some extent

[@prinzcharls8454]

She was my favorit too! Best Part of the second season was cornelia controlling all powers in on episode 😄

[@willvandom4648]

Hiendral same

[@anxiousstrawberry6759]

We deserve a 3rd season

[@c1oudsky]

She was almost always so salty

[@BugsyFoga]

Who's else here is old enough to remember when Disney Xd was Toon Disney/Jetix

[@xPandamon]

I remember preferring Jetix until it got worse and worse. Good old Jake Long and Kim Possible, I loved it :)

[@breezy1209]

I remember watching a show I think called “Gargoyles”.

[@arcanask]

I remember when it was still Fox Kids.

[@andrejg4136]

Toon Disney was how I really remembered a lot of the 80s and 90s Disney cartoons.

[@electricbluetiramisu3713]

arcanask and it had that weird af Donkey Kong cgi cartoon

[@Jeetaruey]

The reason the first season of WITCH was like that was because they were trying to appeal to a male audience as well as a female audience by putting more emphasis on the action, than character development like many superhero cartoons do and making Caleb appear earlier in the story and have way more screen time than his comic book version. When the show starts, our main character doesn't even appear until several minutes into the show. The very first face you see is Caleb. They also added Blunk to appeal to boys and more comic relief. Fans of the comic book series were upset by the cartoon version since it was so vastly different. That's why season 2 was a bit closer to the comic books and finally brought elements to the series that were in the comic book to the show such as Will's machinery power, the elders of Kandrakar, Irma's ability to change the designs of her clothes, Cornelia's power to clean with her mind, etc. But the show ultimately got canceled because it kept trying to be something it wasn't. I hope one day the series is remade and follows the comic closer. Especially if it gets better art. The cartoon had such murky colors while the comic was beautiful.

[@catqueen2031]

I’ve always wondered why the show adaptation of it was pretty dark, because the comics were always very girly and more “ethereal” I guess u could say

[@womaninblack197]

I always wondered why the show wasn’t as deep as the comics

[@Arcania9516]

They also ruin shonen series trying to please the female audience like with Black Butler and Naruto. It's works both ways. Also a lot of girls also enjoyed the action scenes. Not all girls are just interested in romance and cute art.

[@Arcania9516]

Series do better when they aim at both genders not just girls.

[@Jeetaruey]

@@Arcania9516 The problem is that there are shows with a female audience in mind such as W.I.T.C.H. and Cardcaptor Sakura and when try to appeal to the male audience, they take away rather than add most of the time. The CCS dub got rid of most of the episodes because "they were too slow" and rearranged episodes to make the main male character look like the main character and the actual female main character have a lesser role. W.I.T.C.H. comic had beautiful art and plenty of fantasy stuff, but they took away the colors and the character development to "appeal to boys". This is more of cartoon companies saying "boys can't relate to female characters" than "girls don't like action". There was plenty of action in the comics.

[@bixby232]

"All while dealing with middle school struggles except they have friends" Holy shit, that hit me like anxiety of having to find a partner for a project.

[@Quarataia]

666 likes for you, you're welcome.

[@leila_tala]

“hold on a second, i didn’t mention blunk? this is blunk” I DIED

[@auryylmao]

I'm Italian and when I was a kid there used to be WITCH chips, they were paprika-flavoured spyral thingies and they were DELICIOUS. Every packet came with a branded surprise item and I still use my WITCH pencil case I found when I was like 8 to store my last-year Fine Arts Academy supplies lmaoo

[@erinchappel1359]

That sounds so awesome😎

[@FiveOClockTea]

I'm German, but my family went to Italy at least once a year and I actually got one pack of those chips :-D I still have that necklace 😅

[@fermintenava5911]

@@FiveOClockTea The envy 😉

[@kelseyv.e7044]

auryylmao - video per persone bizzarre oh my god i totally forgot about those chips! Im Dutch and they had them in a store near me, ahhh the memories.

[@DeathToTyrants24]

*puts fingers together* Bippidy-bopady-boopidy.

[@zzenith9846]

I disagree with some things, like Elyon, for example. In the comic book, they immediately make it clear she's unusual and creepy and has some powers. We don't even see her interacting with the WITCH girls, except for the very beginning (and they are actually kind of mean to her). Then, all of a sudden, we're supposed to believe they were best friends and Elyon was betrayed. In the TV series, Elyon is friends with the girls for several episodes before sh*t goes down. You don't immediately notice her, but she's there, interacting with WITCH, hanging out with them. That's what makes it more satisfying to learn she is Phobos's sister. She was under our noses for a while, hidden in plain sight. It's a much more subtle way of unravelling the mystery than just immediately explaining everything. Whoever first watches the show probably thinks Will is Phobos's sister. And then, plot twist: it's Elyon! So it's not true that the series doesn't show how Elyon feels betrayed. There is an entire episode when Elyon finally learns the truth and freaks out when she realises her friends have known about it for months and hidden it from her. I'd feel betrayed in TV-Elyon's place too.

[@liaviolet2173]

I remember being young an reading about the Elyon comic and was so sad to read. You really felt her pain ...

[@user-sk8dr6zt2q]

I never thought that Will was Phobos's sister on TV...............

[@JaelinBezel]

Yeah I see what you’re saying but… how do you tell someone something like that? “Ugh! Can you believe Melissa is breaking up with Brad? What is she thinking!? Oh by the way, you’re actually the lost princess of a magical world ruled by your evil brother and we’re pretty sure he’s looking for you so he can steal your power.” Elyon: “…(hysterical laughter)”

[@zzenith9846]

@@JaelinBezel what are you even replying to? This is not what I wrote about in my original comment.

[@tishaprnucedteasha]

@@zzenith9846 he's replying to end part about elyon feeling betrayed as they never told her, he's saying how do u tell someone that then made a joke

[@NegativeLegend]

More people should really read the WITCH comics. Or really anything Alessandro Barbucci and Barbera Canepa make.

[@sandradermark8463]

It was Elisabetta Gnone who designed the characters and premise of WITCH. She also has written and illustrated the Fairy Oak saga on twin sisters with the powers of light and darkness. The setting is cozy rural Victorian/Regency, crossing premise between magical girl and magical realism. So: Basically Cornelia and Elyon if they were twin sisters born, raised, and living in a rural village (and Caleb is Grisham, their kid next door since forever).

[@telka6479]

@Spacedpanini Spacedpanini I saw some Skydoll comics on a book market thing that was happening and I regret not getting them, idk about the story but the art was really beautiful and expressive but I was with my mom and she saw some of the illustrations and she was like...wtf? I got Senda comics instead which are really great so far.

[@calvinokamagenda6284]

Got here from your vid, nice seeing you here too

[@houston_co7769]

I regret selling all my Comics when i had the 'being a girl is bad' Phase. I had them all T-T

[@hajimesenpai7996]

I've started collecting the Witch comics you can get them off Amazon for a good price :)

[@kerrygligorovic9758]

It's the shame there's no third Season of W.I.T.C.H. because back in Season 2 in "U is for Undivided" we learn why Hay Lin and Cornelia were chosen to be guardian of Air and Earth by the oracle but never explained by Will, Irma and Taranee why their choesn to be guardians exccept for a hint for the next Season which never happened.

[@Erika-xm2mi]

Here are my guesses based on what I know from the comics as well: Irma - To keep the group together first of all. I recall times where Irma pep talked the other girls and she seemed to really be the glue who kept them all together, not to mention the way she was the one who welcomed Will into their group the quickest. Also, she seemed most capable with her powers. Out of all the girls, Irma was the first one to learn to use her powers and to master them as well. Out of all the girls, she was the most skilled and most in touch with her powers to where she almost seemed like a prodigy. Also, maybe it had to do with her carefree attitude? She could have been chosen to also be taught a lesson and namely that you can't always deal with everything like it's a joke. Taranee - She has a calm personality and often showed patience, something that contrasts well with her power. Also, being the smartest of the group and somewhat of a strategist, she would have the potential to help the group by noticing things that others don't notice due to her intelligence, attention to detail and outside-the-box thinking. Honestly, I could see why Taranee would be chosen mostly for her smarts. Will - So this is based on the comics and I am kind of upset they never brought this up in the cartoon. In the comics, it is eventually revealed that Will was born under the star of Cassidy. I don't know how to explain it and my memory is a bit fuzzy but I do recall the comics making a point about how Cassidy and Will were linked. I think it was also Kadma who revealed to Will that she and Halinor, while still alive, kept tabs on her ever since she was born because they knew she was meant to do great things. If anything, it appeared that Will was meant to continue Cassidy's legacy and to prove that one could carry the burden of keeping the Heart of Kandrakar without being corrupted by its power like Nerissa was. It felt like she was meant to right all the wrongs done by Nerissa. If anything, it seems like while the other girls were chosen by the Oracle for the mission, Will was chosen by destiny.

[@nostalgiaworks5999]

I've read all 11 arcs of the comics

[@NotaBizarreJoJo]

*W.I.T.C.H and Winx Club were my childhood.*

[@chriskorol4244]

WHY!?

[@NotaBizarreJoJo]

@@chriskorol4244 winx club was good in the beginning, but the later seasons are really bad.

[@NotaBizarreJoJo]

@Thomas' Reaction’s For the series as a whole, I would recommend W.I.T.C.H over Winx.

[@KeikoKeepSmiling]

_We are the winx_ 🎶

[@hiendral9533]

@@NotaBizarreJoJo same

[@Dtoons]

If this ever ends up on Disney+, they better have the European opening, and not the American one!

[@ichsagnix4127]

there are multiple openings? where is the difference? edit: holy shit the us opening is fricking bad.

[@jikookietings2507]

@@ichsagnix4127 No, it's better than the European one.

[@GuremaManaba]

Original is the only way, at the future we need WITCH have a live action to competite once again, I wish WITCH will have an MCU-like theme

[@nerd0Chija]

@@GuremaManaba Well I saw many animated series that tried the route to go from animation to live-action and I don't remember any who ended well on this deal (ok MCU is the only one, but still only one). To this day Code Lyoko: Evolution left a really sour-bitter taste about this idea.

[@vuivraalbastra]

I just rewatched WITCH and in this version the show had the US opening. I kept thinking, especially in season 2, "Was the opening always this... meh?". I didn't even realize I saw a different opening during my childhood until I read this comment so no nostalgia blinding me. I don't mind the different music, both versions have their own charm in this regard and they both have catchy songs, but the visuals in the European versions are superior imo. They are more cohesive and clean, not having every frame overloaded with complicated backgrounds, clearer usage of powers for every girl (I couldn't have guessed Cornelia's and Will's powers from their parts of the intro alone in the US version), showing more characters in the opening (especially in season 2), better use of angles and poses and how the animation is syncing with the song in a more significant way. I do really like having the girls' names on the screen in the US version, even though I think having their initials alone appear in the 2nd powers showcase is overdoing it, so I wish that was in the other version as well instead of just having their initials on their shirts which is kinda silly. Overall I love the European season 2 opening and I think it's the best out of all of them.

[@somethingsfishy1997]

In the W.I.T.C.H. comics, the girls doesn’t fly, (well, except for Hay Lin) but in the show they fly which was weird. While reading the comics, I was always screaming “YOU HAVE WINGS WHATS THE POINT IF YOU HAVE WINGS WHEN YOU CANT FLY!!”

[@hazelcrisp]

If I remember correctly the poked fun at that and lampshaded it in the comic

[@ma-arly]

Tell that to penguins and ostriches 😂

[@somethingsfishy1997]

Vanessa Smith yeah ur right on that. Lol I was just pointing out the obvious:p

[@lauratude5132]

Have you ever heard of penguins and chickens?

[@c1oudsky]

yeah, for some reason neither of them could use wings, and Hay Lin was probably just controlling herself with the air their wings gained full functionality though after some 2.0 transformation (which was a bit weird on one hand but kind of not bad on another) if I remember correctly

[@LilyShimizu]

Now that I’m seeing these old clips I really wish Taranee’s hair didn’t change in guardian mode. It’s sooooo much cuter when she’s in civilian mode and should have stayed that way. :\

[@petrauhrakova]

I’ve always thought that too.

[@zleo7054]

I'm wondering where the extra hair came from seeing as though she only had the little side piece

[@proboffensive]

zleo i’ve noticed that it’s almost a rule of genre to give heroines longer hair when they transform into whatever they are, as if hair length makes them even more powerful and physically attractive (which is not the case)

[@bruh-mb1rd]

@@proboffensive this is also a thing in shows targeted for boys, the hair becomes bigger and they get more powerful too. So I guess hair=power? Also hair moves around beautifully in those transformations, but it doesn't make a lot of sense for fighting

[@NagisaFurukawa01]

Actually it's commented on the comics that they change quite a bit when transforming, not only their hair changes but they also look older. They mention that when they transform they transform into a form of themselves they're more confident in.

[@frauleinfunf]

When I was a kid I was super into WITCH to the point where I went to every McDonald's in my area to hunt down all the Happy Meal keychain toys, which I then proudly displayed on my Inu Yasha messenger bag I used for school. I was such a cool kid.

[@barrybend7189]

An inuyasha bag. And I was the only kid in my school who watched 90's sci-fi shows.

[@carcinoSinner]

I was lucky enough to get the Will keychain and I still have her! Though I wish my parents would have helped me get the rest ahhh

[@frauleinfunf]

@@carcinoSinner The trick is to have parents working as EMTs bc then they come home too tired to cook and get you McDonald's anyway 😎(tho they were also very supportive in my weird nerd shit i don't wanna take that away)

[@aunpaidintern7035]

frauleinfunf *ahem* ~Wwwweeeeeeaaaaaabbbbbbbbb~~♭♪♪

[@carcinoSinner]

@@frauleinfunf My parents were firefighters and first responders but super health conscious so it was hella rare to get McDonald's lol At least they helped me get the old w.i.t.c.h books when we could find them

[@greedfox7842]

fun fact: there are a series of commands to use with google to make it search in particular ways, for example; using the quotation marks around a term will force the specific text, like here you can force "w.i.t.c.h."

[@orangeslash1667]

It's like kids next door where the title is an acronym for the main leads.

[@bocodamondo]

i will always stand by the fact that if the animation looked as good as the comic art style, it wouldve lasted quite longer..

[@HimenoVantei]

bocodamondo i agree

[@c1oudsky]

the comics style is just

[@womaninblack197]

If the story was as deep and dark as the comics it would’ve been more successful. But as a teen cartoon. Bc the problem is the comics would be too deep and dark for a kids show. The show was already too dark for some people 🤣

[@MeganAllen1738]

It wasn't bad though....

[@womaninblack197]

@@MeganAllen1738 no it wasn’t. I just prefer the comics but it’s my personal preference:)

[@mothersbasement]

holy shit I never thought I'd see another youtuber mention mon colle knights.

[@regulusarcturus]

I personally think the show was rather good one in its genre (magical girl power) and had lots of potential. The comics were great.

[@aranara_song]

Honestly I wish it was redone because I absolutely loved it

[@albrtw]

@@aranara_song reanimate one at one with original show or get season 2.

[@FireGriffon]

I used to be a geek as a kid (still am tbh) and I've read so many comics and mangas and watched so many shows and anime, but nothing stayed with me like W.I.T.C.H. did. I've started reading the comic books when I was 8 and I believe the show came out when I was 10 years old, so I had no trouble getting into the show since I was already a huge fan and knew much of the lore. Sadly, they've only published it up to the 50th issue where I'm from, but luckily when I was in high school I found all of the issues scanned and translated into English posted online (than you soooo much MoonCloud!!). W.I.T.C.H. was HUGE in Europe! I remember having school supplies, wrapping paper, stamps, towels, perfume, makeup, underwear... (and I used to live in a very small rural town in the Balkans and still got my hands on all of that + the stuff I couldn't buy bc I was a kid and kids don't have money :')

[@liaviolet2173]

SAME!!

[@AlexTenThousand]

The funny thing is that the W.I.T.C.H. comic book back here in Italy caused a sort of tidal wave of clone comic books that were all about teenage witches or fairies and stuff like that with similar themes and stories.

[@sandradermark8463]

It all began actually with Takeuchi in 1992...

[@fabiofuoco]

Sandra Dermark yeah I think sailor moon birthed all of these

[@AlexTenThousand]

@@fabiofuoco That's pretty obvious, but what I'm referring to is that Italy suddenly had a lot of comic books that followed the same identical structure of W.I.T.C.H. to a fault, from the type of publication to the way they were published each month.

[@fabiofuoco]

AlexTenThousand io sono italiano in realtà and my parents had an edicola during that time but I honestly don’t remember what you’re referring to. And I was an avid Witch reader. Boh but maybe you’re right I’m just oblivious to it

[@AlexTenThousand]

@@fabiofuoco Tre Fate per amiche o come si chiamava, Isa & Bea, tutta roba uscita attorno al boom iniziale di W.I.T.C.H.

[@saviorbob]

"They find out their friend life is in danger then the next episode they're at a F@cking bowling alley" Ah yes the yakuza way

[@beautyandtheoffbeats]

LOL

[@kradeiz]

Season 2 was a massive improvement. Probably helped that the new guy heading the show was the same guy who co-headed Gargoyles and Young Justice.

[@coreylineberry8557]

Whoa! Really? Might just watch Season 2.

[@smart.but.stupid]

It's really objective. The storytelling in season 2 was too weird and spontaneous, some things weren't explained at all or were rather rushed - and Nerissa was annoying like hell tbh, a kind of an evil Mary-sue. It's clear they aimed for something big but haven't gotten a lot of time or smth.

[@mario123m]

Season's 2 plot was all over the place. Season 1 was a cohesive story with one clear villain whereas in S02 there were just too many things going on. I still loved it but it was too much for one season to include.

[@popgirlhan]

season 2 >>> season 1

[@c1oudsky]

season two actually had some clever changes in comparison to the comic which seemed good and interesting to me, but yeah, the adaptation has its own problems

[@animeproblem1070]

So WITCH was Disney’s version of a 1 to 2 season light novel anime that will never get another season

[@FireGriffon]

omg, so accurate lol

[@gurdimeikenskjaldi5060]

It actually got so much success, and endeared so much with its manga-like style, that a actual mangaka (specialized in shoujo) made a one-shot homage story for it. And given the times W.I.T.C.H. was made, I honestly can imagine the people of the staff shooting fireworks and dancing in the office for being recognized by a real mangaka xD edit: seems there wasn't just a one-shot homage, but there seems to be a whole W.I.T.C.H. manga out there. Oh, wow :O

[@Arcania9516]

Yep

[@pumpkinpatch7841]

@@gurdimeikenskjaldi5060 The TV series was based on the manga

[@gurdimeikenskjaldi5060]

@@pumpkinpatch7841 I made a mistake, the manga (by Haruko Iida) wasn't a oneshot but a two-volume adaption of the original comic series (which was never published in Japan). The manga differs from the original only in some details. But the tv series is based on a free adaption of the original

[@Sebastian-tm6hk]

I remember back in middle school, everyone was OBSESSED with this show, myself included. A friend of mine brought a comic to class one day and my eyes were glued to the paper. I think it was the one where Will has that nightmare of the elders being swallowed by a black mass and when she wakes up, her powers affect a squirrel. Shit was great, man.

[@austinbartlett3280]

While we are on anime/cartoon shows. CODE LYOKO. I'm gonna say it again. CODE LYOKO. Pllleeeaassseee :)

[@Iceteague1]

Greg Wiseman was the showrunner for the second season and it shows because he did Gargoyles, Young Justice, and Spectacular Spider Man.

[@yabar1028]

Iceteague1 And he also made all of the MTG fandom hate him with the War of the Spark books

[@GamerSlyRatchet1]

Though a lot of that wasn’t his fault. Editorial changed a lot of his manuscript, including how a relationship was handled.

[@cwopre]

Billiam do Gargoyles!!!

[@AlejandroRodolfoMendez]

god blesse him, those were awesome shows

[@kinght676]

@@yabar1028 MTG?

[@donellehatcher7463]

This needs to be on Disney+

[@IMEEntertainment]

Disney pretends the Jetix originals they own never existed for some reason.

[@DemonicRemption]

@@IMEEntertainment Seriously, so no Super Robot Monkey Team Hyper Force Go? :(

[@x.sapphireanimelover.x]

Yasss!!

[@youtubesfavoriteidot7714]

@@DemonicRemption well that's coming soon in july

[@vesti1604]

@@youtubesfavoriteidot7714 really?

[@thanosgallagher4433]

The comic is SO much better, at least untill the Regorland arc. It kinda started falling apart afterwards. It got some momentum again with the new powers saga and I would absofuckinlutely love to see the older version of the girls with the new outfits on screen. But overall plots started becoming a bit messy after the 6th-7th arcs

[@fermintenava5911]

Agreed - compared to the other stories, the Ragorlang arc was too episodic and shallow for my taste. The New Powers Saga was the point where they jumped the shark for me.

[@thanosgallagher4433]

@@fermintenava5911 I think they jumped the shark with the zodiac thing when they were dealing with both the Runics and the zodiac circle.I really liked the New Power saga.

[@DragonKingX78]

I actually like the new power arc, but I agree, the Ragorlang arc is lacking.

[@epsilon3569]

That's a thing with all long running comics, tbh.

[@DragonKingX78]

@Erwin Lii actually it became a slice of life series with no real stories and the girls rarely used their powers or transformed.

[@projectnaiad4534]

Italian guy here, I was around middle school when I got into WITCH because of a friend. And to this day it's still a major favorite, I still own some old ass magazine issues. Too bad they ruined it in the end.

[@riss337]

The comics and novel were huge when I was 10-12. All of my friends would share and trade the copies we bought. I've always preferred the comics because the artwork was so beautiful and the story is so much better. When the show finally came out it was so disappointing and it wasn't for my age group anymore. I wish Disney handled it better because they had such good material to go off of and still ruined it.

[@akiraaoi18]

Me and my friends where also into the comics but we where so disappointed about the TV-adaptation!

[@definitelynotashark1799]

Same! Don’t get me started on all the cute boys I couldn’t decide between in the comics. I think Phobos may have been my first bad guy crush. The animated show left me down lol.

[@19Rena96]

I loved the comics when i was younger, but i will always hate he fact, that Caleb and Cornelia didn't end up together :((

[@fluffymonster1306]

My friends and I even had Witch Fan Club and got together to discuss each monthly issue, our thoughts about all the characters and to compare who had the most merch Hahahaha As someone who read the comics and novels, the tv show was shittttt

[@phantomthunderclap975]

@@fluffymonster1306 RWBY says hi. That after Season 3 is shite.

[@hiendral9533]

I miss this so much is was basically a more mature version of winx club

[@LonesomeToast]

I hate myself for liking this show as a kid and rewatching as a young adult im now questioning my very existence. 9/10 Show

[@KovCapyWizz]

yea. always felt guilty for something as a kid. but I still get flashes of memories from time to time so that means it's a pretty good show right... Cedrick whatever his name is, snake man, still looks awesome.

[@DragonKingX78]

I still love this show to this day.

[@vynonyoutube1418]

@@KovCapyWizz Cedric.

[@returnedtomonkey8886]

Everyone has his/her guilty pleasure. I stumbled upon this awhile ago i was like holy shit this is surprisingly badass. What the hell?

[@kaylemathewcomendador6964]

I just watched this show as a adult and I still liked it, so I can’t relate…I feel like that towards another show from my childhood…

[@JaelinBezel]

Taranee and Hay Lin were my favorites. Though I never understood why Taranee’s hair changes (for the worse) when she transforms.

[@aliceangel7644]

This show was so underappreciated and my shit growing up!

[@DragonKingX78]

I agree.

[@aliceangel7644]

@@DragonKingX78 yeah!

[@hannahmetzger4880]

I agree, people are hating on the show just 'cause they think the comics are "better", or whatever sort of _bullshit_ that is. 😑. I _hate_ people who _hate_ on the show!!!!

[@Kruukk]

Second season is amazing and where the tv series truly shines. All thanks to George Weisman who's a genius writer and director. Let's not pretend however that comic books were better. I loved them as a kid but they were a lot more inconsistent and chaotic. Elyon is kidnapped in the very first issue before we get to know her and the next time the girls meet her is in Meridian where she's 100% on the dark side. She doesn't hesitatet to hurt her "friends", trick them or even torture them(Taranee). Then turns out she simply has bipolar disorder because in another issue she has this sudden strike of doubt and wonders if she wasn't too harsh on her former friends. In TV series it's at the very least explained with enchantment. The main mistake writers did was not emphasize this enough but in one episode before Elyon is taken to Meridian they gather 3 objects that are supposed to weaken her will and make her more vulnerable to their tricks, more or less.

[@albrtw]

True!!!!!

[@robbiebrewer6153]

W.I.T.C.H. is Disney's first Magical Girl show before Star Vs The Forces Of Evil

[@buster3041]

Yeah. Total downgrade.

[@breezy1209]

buster I love Star 😂

[@breezy1209]

David L. I think I only watched the beginning. I think I stopped watching it because I didn’t have time to, and I forgot about it

[@buster3041]

@@breezy1209 I hate the whole show.

[@DragonKingX78]

@Brandon Booth I agree, the ending was a complete dumpster fire. They should have kept Tofee as the villain.

[@Angryoyster]

Blunk and the grandma are iconic

[@starry5hark]

I remember buying the comic magazines with my sister when i was little! If im not wrong they often included stuff like bracelets, necklaces or charms, we really liked it even tho we never actually watched the show lmao

[@fermintenava5911]

I bought them, too (even though I'm a guy), but only bought it for the comics.

[@mrslacrimosa]

I bought them in Russia and they were AN EXPERIENCE! loved them so much, and the charms and bracelets 💕 i miss that joy of experiencing something a lot lol

[@Erika-xm2mi]

I think it depended on the country. I remember little trinkets as a "bonus" coming in my country quite late and they seemed to actually do that as a means to motivate the higher price the comic had at some point and to attract the audience it had previously lost due to lowering popularity and loss of interest. I remember vividly that the reason I dropped the series at some point was because not only did the cost of the issues double in price, but they began being released bimonthly instead of just monthly so as to catch up with the issue number that had already been released in other countries.

[@sadlobster1]

This might've been a weird show for many. But I have no shame in admitting that I loved it and still love it today. My favorite episodes are Framed, Parent's Night, Rebel Rescue and Final Battle

[@ARF_average]

Billiam was weird

[@oneish7454]

Was?

[@dahliasdarkside1695]

The eventual retrospective on his channel 20 years from now.

[@estudiopegasus7951]

@@oneish7454 may he rest in peace

[@psychronic8327]

@@estudiopegasus7951 that's a cursed comment right there

[@feraligtrwave5715]

Billiam should do a Billiam was weird vid for a 500k special

[@nedaraid3372]

Finally, someone to talk about this show. Also, the one thing I actually remember was the mad shoulder pads on the Villians.

[@thanatoast]

It's interesting that W.I.T.C.H. beat RWBY to the whole "Naming your show as an acronym for the main characters"

[@WickedKnightAlbel]

RWBY rips off a lot of stuff

[@hadrian8712]

@@WickedKnightAlbel do they now Please give me some examples

[@christianboustani8284]

@@hadrian8712 #triggered

[@Speederzzz]

@@christianboustani8284 someone: Asks a normal question. You: #triggered OMG HAHA

[@christianboustani8284]

@@Speederzzz Incorrect, I only said #triggered. I did not say "OMG HAHA"

[@axisboise]

Omg! Nostalgia overload! My friends fight over WiTCH WINX and there I was enjoying both!

[@samuraifighterchick1456]

Nobody: Me the second I hear “we are, we are WITCH-“: *WATER FIRE EARTH AND AIR GUARDIANS UNITE*

[@averylazydevil]

All I can thing when someone puts those together is Captain Planet

[@azaleawinchester]

Aang is that you?

[@DragonKingX78]

I can't stand Captain Planet, love W.i.t.c.h. though.

[@averylazydevil]

​@@DragonKingX78 I mean still Captain Planet is a giant meme

[@valentinabianchi3601]

The W.I.T.C.H. comic was my jaaaaam! That and “Monster Allergy”. Super popular in Italy when I was a child

[@bucketslash11]

Oban Star Racers next? please, it's one of the best shows jetix ever had and deserves a lot more attention (also you can do MEGAS XLR, because that was weird)

[@renaxakai3]

I'm still hoping that someone finds the actual full opening to Oban. There's also interest in a Bluray release and a possible sequel, but I can't remember if there's been any info in a few years. Either way, that's one Bluray that I'd buy and never be able to watch because no player.

[@frauleinfunf]

Literally no one I talk to has even heard of Oban Star Racers and that show was one of my first baby steps into online fandom in 2006.

[@renaxakai3]

@@frauleinfunf It may have been because of cable. A lot of people had it, sure, but how many were watching Jetix? I just stumbled across it one day and stayed until it was removed.

[@barrybend7189]

Oban Star Racers: now this is podracing. Megas XLR: Jersey city but with robots. Not much of a change.

[@frauleinfunf]

@@renaxakai3 I mainly knew about Jetix because I watched Toon Disney a lot and sometimes watched ABC Family on Saturday mornings, so there were a lot of shows on that block I watched

[@SesamUbe]

This show was my childhood and I think it still holds up really well to this day. I can solidly say this is one of my favorite cartoons. Nostalgia might make me a little biased but this show was awesome

[@davidemariafurlan7895]

You may not have heard much about it, but in Italy back in the first 2000’s W.IT.C.H. was everywhere! ...obviously second to Winx, that was the absolute ubiquitous kids brand, right next to “Gormiti” for boys! Also, check out “Huntik: Seekers and secrets” it was produced by the same guy who came up with Winx and the brand had some nice ideas and some very cool toys!

[@thefinnishchamp]

All of those were very popular in Finland as well. On the same level as TMNT and Transformers Armada/Energon

[@zainiikhwan9405]

Huntik is like SMT for kids. Love it so much. You Italian are blessed with this awesome series!

[@Maria-ub3qu]

I never compared Huntik to SMT but now I can't unsee this. Thanks

[@davidemariafurlan7895]

zaini ikhwan Sorry for my ignorance, but... what is SMT?

[@senatorwilsonphilipsova2718]

What is SMT? My weeb ass autocorrect me to thinking that it means Shin Megami Tensei

[@soramakizushi]

3:47 I heard "whitest audience possible." 😅

[@samd8872]

Same

[@MoiraMcGill]

Would be down for a W.I.T.C.H. reboot ~ although hopefully they'd keep more to the graphic novels I don't think I ever got into the show however I did enjoyed the comics

[@MoiraMcGill]

@bryan diaz varela Oof x.x you have a point there...well, as few, haha. For every She-Ra, there are five TeenTitan Go!s v.v

[@xLadyRaine]

Honestly, the way disney screwed over the creator, I don't want it to come back

[@pwpqwq7648]

I loved this so much more than Winx Club. The graphics were actually phenomenal and so was the animation

[@BigEOT3]

I just want to see a W.I.T.C.H. Vs Winx Club civil war type event.

[@menschgebliebenergossenpar9213]

What would the motivation for a conflict between them?

[@fordelicieux]

Im more of a Winx stan but the W.I.T.C.H. will overpower the former. Winx be throwing glitters while the WITCH with their powerful elements

[@Erika-xm2mi]

@@fordelicieux Then again, the Winx have Bloom whose powers are basically, well, god.

[@hannahmetzger4880]

​@@Erika-xm2miBloom is a Mary Sue, fuck her. I hate her. And I kind've hate Winx for being more popular than W.I.T.C.H.

[@dbzking02]

I never really watched this show as a kid, but can we all agree that it has one of the best kid's show theme songs ever?!

[@zl2240]

It’s so good, I always got so hyped when it came on.

[@erisunflower]

This sure takes me back to my childhood when my older cousin introduced me to the W.I.T.C.H. comics. I still have some of the novels too, and I will always treasure them along with the memories....

[@Alpha.Phenix]

1:25 ''I didn't really watch Jetix much, in general.'' So you have chosen...death.

[@fermintenava5911]

So far, this is the best review of that show I've seen: properly researched and analytic at the same time. I would have loved more about Season 2 because that season had its own problems, but otherwise good work :) Only a clarification for around 14:40: The fall-out between Disney and the original creators happened not over the years, but during the run of the Meridian arc (roughly a year into production). The original creators would have not intended for Elyon to be a victim of manipulation and the whole story would have had a different direction.

[@sawffsferreira3060]

I liked the show a lot when I was a kid my sister had all the comics when I was young so when I got older I read the whole series and the tone is so damn different, it’s much more mature and serious, I remember there was this really cool comic talking about how cornelias and calebs relationship advanced after the ending of the series, it was split in half, with one half of the comic showing what would happen if Cornelia went to calends world and the other showing what would happen if Caleb went to cornelias world, in the end it talked about they both loved each other but how it would be incredibly difficult for them to be together, I re read that comic so many damn times

[@pamelaleal3695]

I loved this show with my soul!! I was always amazed, the cartoony/anime style gave me the nostalgic feels. I’m 20 and kinda want to watch and Lowkey, want a new season

[@StudioInkblot]

Season two's showrunner was Greg Weisman, creator of Gargoyles, Young Justice and The Spectacular Spider-Man

[@meaghan1996]

I thought this show was a dream, whenever I look it up you cant find it, it's like they wanted to hide it but I loved it

[@destinysletters9607]

I’m so glad this show is getting more attention because WITCH deserves to get a season 3. Disney needs to suck it up and listen to the original creators so we can get a new damn season!!

[@supersquare]

Actually, they're pronounced Elisabetta Gnone, Alessandro Barbucci, and Barbara Canepa.

[@billiam]

Oh dang! Thanks!

[@ellevehaler1758]

haylin's grandma just randomly invited them over and was like ''sup you have powers'' lmao i still can't get over how cheesy it was

[@A23ness]

I loved this series growing up, watching the cartoon and reading the novels/comics. I must admit, I preferred the cartoon slightly over the comics. I kind of liked some of the changes done, but tbh the comics expanded so much on the world and had brilliant art. It'd be great if the cartoon has some kind of continuation. When I rewatched W.I.T.C.H. a while ago, you can tell that the writers had set up for another season in the final episode in season 2, but I guess it would be awkward to try bring it back at this stage, especially with the creators and disney being at odds. Still, it's great to see people still remember and enjoy it!

[@Teodora4537x]

Omg this took me back! I used to love these comics, probably the only ones I read at that age. Based on how my personality developed, I used to play pretend being different characters, what a time. Seeing the comic art made me feel like a kid again. I have no recollection of the tv series though somehow

[@MediaKBA]

“WITCH is an acronym for each of the character’s names” So RWBY before RWBY? Neat

[@ohmmy6729]

@Jared Burke Honkai Impact is Asian Counterpart for RWBY and they have similar plot but animation of HI3 become more smooth while RWBY is reverse one.Herrsher of Void is Best Character

[@phantomthunderclap975]

Think of RWBY but actually worth your time.

[@ah_here_we_go_again5310]

WITCH could’ve been Disney’s ATLA if they had invested in genuine characterisation and character development as well as slowed down and built up to their exciting moments. It would’ve made moments feel earned and made their audience deeply invested.

[@thewave-qz9lt]

i kind of miss when cartoon were trying to be like anime now all we get on tv is like stuff for babys.

[@robbiebrewer6153]

Blame Teen Titans Go

[@hiendral9533]

ikr the current cartoons are like actual fcking poop

[@hiendral9533]

@bryan diaz varela ikr, when I see what stuff like Winx has become I'm like shiiit

[@schuylergeery-zink1923]

I thought it was very unique how the friend Elyon betrayed her friends after feeling abandoned and being manipulated. It’s a huge deal for Cornelia bc they were besties and her grieving her friend is central to the story juxtaposed with her adoration for Caleb and also being separated from him due to the veil. The redemption of Elyon in the coronation arc is phenomenal. Also the graphic novels are not afraid of certain characters DYING and how that impacts everyone. Like damn. Rip my heart out.

[@blinkyiris9148]

You should look at the old anime that seems to be an anomaly to most people but it was on Jetix. It's called Shinzo. The Japanese name was Mushrambo. It's so weird.

[@LeeroyPorkins]

Imagine a crossover with Winx, Huntik: Seekers and Secrets, W.I.T.C.H., Totally Spies, and Kim Possible.

[@Arcania9516]

I should write one.

[@LeeroyPorkins]

@@Arcania9516 Would Xialin Showdown work?

[@Arcania9516]

@@LeeroyPorkins It would!!

[@LeeroyPorkins]

@@Arcania9516 Jackie Chan Adventures 😉

[@Arcania9516]

@@LeeroyPorkins I already did one for that show when I was in elementary school. LoL

[@pisacenere]

Italian here look up "Monster Allergy" and "Gormiti"

[@thirdplanet4471]

Monetary allergy was awesome

[@epsilon3569]

I remember Gormiti ads here in Texas for a short while. They looked weird, so I ignored them. So did everybody I knew.

[@AlejandroRodolfoMendez]

as argentinean i saw those, excellent shows. 10 of 10

[@kostajovanovic3711]

Uh, gormiti...

[@Speederzzz]

Monster allergy was one of my fave series when I was a kid. I often wanted to roleplay it on the primary school playground

[@MrTwentington]

I remember watching the show as a kid and loving it but I do know I started like halfway through season 1- so the story was already set up and then season 2 was so strong. Then I tried to go back and watch it all on KZbin and I could deal with a couple of things... I could handle the fact that character names don’t sound like any young person living I’ve ever met. I could handle the fact that these characters didn’t have any reason to be friends based on personality. But it was just so clunky in the beginning and those cheesy lines you ignore as a kid were a lot harder to as an adult (and tbf this show was not made for 20 something me to watch it was made for pre teen me to love)

[@BlueDavrial]

Finally! Been waiting for this one. I still remember how one of them turned a dude invisible by accident and he was declared a missing person. And that one scene (in the books) where they were discussing their transformation and one of them just talked about how big her boobs got

[@saraharroyo3333]

I bought the magazine as much as I could as a child, it was available here in Costa Rican supermarkets, I looooved it.

[@noutsakh.2135]

I just recently finished rewatching the series. It had been more than 10 years since I had last watched it as a kid and let me tell you it's so much better than what I remembered. Back in middle school me and the other girls in my class used to roleplay it (I always got to be Irma). After rewatching it I'm just as obsessed now. Many of the jokes flew past me as a kid but watching it as an adult it's just plain hilarious. I started reading the comics as well and I love it so much. (Matt is a bae)

[@flaviaps9]

I am from Romania and WITCH was the shit when I grew up!!! I asked my grandma to buy the comics each time they appeared and my parents bought me the dolls and I had so much witch merch and it was a solid obsession of mine. I was obsessed with Will and made my bedroom green and full of frog toys :))))) It really made my childhood better. So happy for that era. Truly golden.

[@LibertarianTerriermon]

W.I.T.C.H Was one of my Favorites when I was a kid liked a lot of shows on JETIX but W.I.T.C.H Was an odd favorite not quite sure why I liked it when I was a kid but I did have a soft spot for it and I'm rewatching it lately.

[@cwac5229]

I remember playing some kind of ARG thing when the block was called jetix. It was a card game you could paly against other people and you got cards by answering question on what was going on during the show that was currently airing.

[@MagnakayViolet]

Who's ready for Billiam to talk about Trollz?

[@ewok7977]

When i was younger me and my friends legit believed we were the W.I.T.C.H characters. I was Will because my name is Wilma. My friends were Cornelia and Taranee. We would listen to trees and water and pretend they were warning us about the portals and monsters. We believed this for 3 years...

[@karmen4444]

in a small voice: ''... i thought w.i.t.c.h was good. better than winx club. winx club was bad.''' *runs*

[@Warriorette12]

Well then I’m running with you cuz Winx was shit

[@Erika-xm2mi]

You have to keep in mind that, while similar in concept, they had different target audiences. W.i.t.c.h. was targeted at both a female *and* male audience and a pre-teen/teen demographic whereas Winx Club was targeted towards an exclusively female audience that was supposed to be dominated by older children and pre-teens. While this is not official, I think Winx Club had a recommended age of 7-10+ whereas W.i.t.c.h.'s was more 12-13+. It doesn't seem like a big gap between them but it actually makes all the difference in regards to how much violence can be shown and how mature and complex the dialogue can be.

[@chayden153]

Winx club sucked so hard.

[@thelilartzy]

The one thing I really liked it there personalities were different. Winx while having slight differences didn’t really seem to have much different between the characters. While WITCH did, Will especially being a tomboy and STICKING to being a tomboy.

[@smgofdvld]

Billiam reviewing your childhood one video at a time 👀

[@chayden153]

i absolutely loved W.I.T.C.H. it had an absolute banger of a theme song, the graphic novels were really helpful for me to get into the series and Will & Cornelia were my sexual awakening as a young lady. seriously hope this gets added to Disney+

[@СерегаС-ъ8ч]

Mmmmm 😍Will and Cornelia its my favorites waify ❤

[@geoleo965]

Hey, at least it wasn't... *ahem*... Winx Club. 9:14 Also, *_"E! True Hollywood Story"_*_ there._

[@DistinctlyMeFilms]

Man I loved this show. I started reading the graphic novels at first and when I found out they would have a tv show I just remember waking up early every Saturday to watch it. Then when the episoded ended getting on the phone with my best friend at the time to discuss what happened.

[@MeleeTiger]

"They're so unimpressed by it!" ... Well, that sounds like teenage girls in a nutshell.

[@Mr0011011]

I loved WITCH. Would have been great if it was extended to a few more seasons.

[@Smoothïllustrated]

Screw the show, Read the Comic ! Them ‘unimpressed’ with their powers in the comic it was funny how the girls were neutral’ about it because they had their powers over time before the reveal of them being chosen. some of the girls assumed first it was normal’ with puberty’ but later assumed they were just gifted and wasn’t gonna question it :)

[@kevinjimenez5382]

Prefer the comics

[@Smoothïllustrated]

kevin jimenez Heck ya, you better!

[@thepooroldsoul8179]

Meh.

[@thepooroldsoul8179]

I'm not a book type of person, so I'll just watch the show.

[@Smoothïllustrated]

@@thepooroldsoul8179 Really? There are better art in the comic’

[@joaoonda]

My younger sister used to watch this show, she had all the books and accessories... I found the heart of "Krar... something" on the attic the other day while I was cleaning it. I only remember the Character Cornelia because she had a very "complex" romantic story that honestly was tooo dramatical (even for a teenager).

[@MartinIrma]

In the early 2000's the European comic readers provided tons of information to an excited American audience. I am one of those European comic readers.

[@negirno]

I remember picking up the first issue of W.I.T.C.H as early as January 2002. Disney was pushing this very hard. I've picked it up because anime was a rare sight here back then. Our version was a "magazine for magicians" with the comic taking up most of the 32(?) pages, and and the rest was magic-related articles and games. It was aimed at girls, and seemed to not only use the popularity of _Sailor Moon_, but _Harry Potter_ too.