Anime Review #1 Winx Club: World of Winx

New look to the Winx!

 November 2016, on Netflix, by Rainbow, Magical Girl anime, English version, 9/10E & 10/10E

So far I've watched up to episode 6. I initially wasn't going to watch this at all, because from the clips and graphics I'd seen it didn't look my style. It's a different style to the main Winx show, not as cute looking. 

Here are the girls about to transform to Mythix fairies! season 6

 

Closeup of the girls' faces in season 6 (Bloomix power)

However, I saw it on Netflix so figured I'd give it a go. I was hooked! The only issue is the graphics, as the new style makes the girls look really mean a lot of the time, which isn't fun to see. The opening song suggests a lighter show, which it isn't. Yes there is the usual humour (got to love Stella!), and some say this is better than series 5-7 which apparently 'lost' the feel of the original characters. I have to disagree with that completely, the girls always remain themselves, yes sometimes they were slightly different to earlier seasons but they are growing up and experiencing different things, so of course they are going to act differently. 

Stella in WoW with her magical sewing thingy which I've no idea how she explains it works to human. She doesn't look quite like the Stella I'm used to (that's accounting for all the style changes through seasons 1-7)

Plus, and I realise a lot of people can only watch the English version, but I think the French version is better, preserving the original feel of the Italian show. I saw both French and English version of seasons 5-7 (not all the seasons but enough episodes to form this opinion). The English version changes the feel of the girls. Stella doesn't feel like Stella, the words that get used in the English version completely change the feel of the show compared to the French one (there's one I distinctly remember in season 6 where a remark gets made about a mobile with connection to the web, and the English version was less Winx-like than the French version). 

 

Bloom with Kiko (season 6 or 7)

So for me World of Winx is a great show, I can see how it is pitched to an older audience (less cute transformations, no pixies, no cute animal companions, NO KIKO! It is so weird seeing Bloom without Kiko! I mean I know she's travelling, but Kiko adds a lot of humour to the show, and I'm sure he'd have his uses). I realise she is undercover but she never even sees her adoptive parents either, and they live in Gardenia (so why people don't recognise them as fairies is an indication it's an alternate dimension of Winx Club)

New WoW transformation!

Graphics and darker themes aside, as ever Winx shows are pure coolness! The Dreamix transformation gives me shivers as every single Winx transformation does, although compared with the original show I'd really like more flourish with the magic, with different spells named rather than just the magic aimed at creatures. I enjoyed the action the girls get involved with, it's in keeping with where their magical and non-magical training was by season 7 (they are highly athletic) and when they have to hide their magic they come up with fun alternatives, like climbing walls and ceilings with special sucker thingies instead of just flying up and over them. 

I'm glad I read about the series before I watched it, otherwise I'd have been completely clueless about the villains in the show (a crocodile like monster and a mysterious clock). I know this plot will get unravelled, but I'm more intrigued knowing it's to do with a Peter Pan themed tale than being in ignorance. I was a bit unsure about the second talent they find, because the boy involved seems to be erring on the malicious side of his natural gift, but Tecna in particular helps lead him to the right path. 

WoW Leila/Ayesha (she is Leila in most of the French series), Stella, Musa

All in all World of Winx is a hit with me, I won't mind too much about not being able to see it for a while once my Netflix subscription expires at the start of December because I do prefer the original series. I will eventually get it if it comes out on dvd (if it does it'll be the French version, as season 7 doesn't seem to be out in English on dvd yet). I'm looking forward to seeing the French version of it too!) 

Edited after to add: Have watched the entire season, looking forward to season 2. It was clever, especially the twists at the end. Will watch again but not for a while.  

Suggested watch

Check out my review of Winx Season 6!  

Here's the Winx, plus Daphne (far right) who helps the Winx but isn't completely a member.

 

Nayu's News #209 Away with the fairies!

My favourite animated fairies - Winx Club!

Had a much needed dose of ketamine for my chronic pain today, so for a few days I am metaphorically away with the fairies, as well as literally since I'm sure I'll watch some Winx! These days it makes me super tired, so rewatching anime I love helps prevent me sleep and provides entertainment. 

Winx Club season 6 review 10E/10E

Winx rule! Daphne, on the far right is Bloom's elder sister, and while not a Winx she is a powerful fairy and is almost always with them.

It's time to chat about my favourite anime fairies! I've had two days in which I've watched most of the episodes, since I wasn't feeling great so took a break from blogging. Managed to write a lot on Thursday, but yesterday was a solid rest day. I've been catching up on emails this morning, so felt like posting an extra fun post! You can find out everything about Winx online, but here's a Wikipedia link which gives you the lowdown that I can't quite be bothered in doing. It's about friendship, magic, and helping others!

Winx season 5 was fun, but at times the plot was a bit obvious and felt too easy. This didn't ruin it for me because I adore Winx and loved the songs and costume changes for both Harmonix 

Top row: Bloom, Layla, Flora. Bottom row: Musa, Tecna, Stella

and Sirenix. 

 There's both a 2D and a 3D version of Sirenix

However seasons 6 returned to the twists and turns that season 1-4 had in abundance. I had no idea what was coming next! I didn't realise that Daphne would end up married (highlight previous word to see a spoiler). I loved how Bloom's inextinguisable power was able to help the other Winx when they lost their own powers, which resulted in Bloomix! 

Close up of the girls' faces for Bloomix

Here the girls are about to change into Mythix

I loved the travelling they got to do around the world - and that they took the pixies (who help the Winx) with them, who prove to be both a help and a small hindrance. 

Although why they got rid of Digit and Tune switching them for Cara and Cherie is forever a mystery.

Love the flowing sleeves!

The Trix's outfit change was elegant (much better than tentacles which I'm not showing here as they give me the creeps). They are as evil as ever, and train other witches to be like them. They do get what they deserve in the season finale, so don't fret! 

I liked how the girls entered another dimension, the Legendarium, and that's when they go 3D with Mythix, which unlike Sirenix is only 3D.

Here's when the Winx first enter the Legendarium

I go tingly when I hear that and any of the other transformations. I was a bit sad by the finale because I really think so much more could have been explored in the Legendarium, which had the potential for dozens of differen legends - maybe it's something that will be used in the future. 

The girls continued to grow in their characters. Bloom perhaps predicatably ran away when things got too much, but she wasn't left alone for long. 

Techna and Musa fell out, but thanks to needing to get rid of the Pandemonium Sprites they worked together and earned their Bloomix powers.

Musa on the left, then Tecna. BTW it annoys me no end that the English version seems to add a 'i' to her name so it rhymes with the sound of music (mewsik phonetically or however it is sounded out). French version keeps it without the 'mew' part, if any of this makes sense!)

Stella is her usual overconfident self, getting most fashion changes wrong before finding an ideal one, and power goes to her head when she is queen of Solaria for the day, but through her mistakes she learns huge lessons and all is right at the end. 

Stella in one of her own creations with fake wings make a cute touch to the outfit.

Layla/Aisha (Layla in French version, Aisha in English version) is torn between liking Roy and Nex, although I preferred to focus on how awesome she was at almost all sports. 

Layla gets rather annoyed with Stella's style changes that got wrong, like this hat which was too big.

Flora is her usual caring self, although like Stella she gets a little too wrapped up in her love of nature which annoys both her friends and Helia. However her fascination with nature makes her the perfect guardian of Alfea's secret greenhouse (the school they go to/teach at (which is weird cos technically they've graduated but I like to think of them as learning new skills since they are such a special group)

Flora's little sister Miele is little no more (on the left, right is Flora)

Flora and Miele in season 4 - Miele has truly grown up!

I get to meet Tecna's parents who are nothing like I expected - her favourite foods are a lot to be desired, as is the Fairy Godmother Eldora's tea. 

Tecna is much more feminine in outfits than she used to be in the early seasons. I like her softer look!

There is so much to love about Winx that I could go on forever, but I need to finish this post, so that's it for now! 

Note: there are 4 dvds in the season 6. You can buy the 1st on Amazon UK (I think Amazon.com too, although it seems to mostly be all online). The rest aren't available in the UK, but if you get them from Amazon France the English audio version is on the dvds, as well as the French which I have. It is available as a boxset in French (with English audio), but since I chose to have the dvds as they were released I've got the individual ones. It bothers me a smidge that the English dub has different voices for nearly each series, the French ones thankfully remain almost all the same!

vol 1 & 2

vol 3

vol 4

Nayu's News #67 Big News!!!

It feels only right to have Holo from the anime Spice and Wolf smile at this news.

I have major squeesome news! I announced it on Twitter yesterday, but wanted to announce it in today's post as it's the start of the weekend and I'm in the mood for celebrating. (as always all pictures gathered from online, any quotes by Nayu)

Nagisa from the anime AKB0048 is shining brightlly, perfect for any celebration (especially when she becomes the 14th Acchan!)

Every month I check a certain online retailer Am*z*n - the letters are missing to avoid any spambots 

I wouldn't want any spambot appearing, especially not like the evil one in the anime Pop Pixie

What am I checking? Well, I'm looking for a certain favourite series of mine (clue - look in this post's labels and the picture above), to see if it's out in French yet. I confess it's probably more than once a month - perhaps not quite every week - not that I'll admit to! 

"I'm not telling!"

Anyway, I was looking  yesterday and to my delight the 1st volume of the French version Winx Season 5 is out in AUGUST! 

This will be in French!!!!

How awesome is that? I'd half wondered if it would be more than a year away (translations can take ages). I was prepared for that - it is Winx. I do have the English & will continue to collect the English (I can never have too many Winx dvds) because it'll be out sooner. 

Stella definitely makes me laugh a lot in Season 5

I'm so happy. Winx is one of my most favourite shows, always guaranteed to make me smile. Winx in English is good, but it's not the same as the French. The story slants are slightly different, Aisha is called Layla - French Winx is the ultimate Winx for me. 

Ichigo from the anime Yumeiro Patissiere learns how to create the patissierie treats she can eat by the plateful

That's my good news! To celebrate spring aka a little bit of sunshine I treated myself to a patissierie creamy goodness. Yum yum! 

I wish my personal library could be like this!

In other news...I sorted out my review shelf, and now have a Young Adult/Adult fiction section & a Children's section. That way I can pick a book that fits my mood.

Awesome anime about Ichigo who trains to be a patissiere - with fairies!

It's time for me to email a friend and go watch some anime! Talking about patisserie treats has me wanting to watch Yumeiro Patissiere so that's what I'm going to do as my Friday night treat ^o^

Hope you have a fab start to the weekend!

Nayu's News #57 Anime Awesomeness! Slash review of AKB0048 anime

I think this is from the anime Sacred Blacksmith which I haven't seen.

Today it feels right that instead of a review I post about anime. Unless you are a new follower (in which case hi!), it's a given that I love my anime. Take a peek at other Nayu's News posts to see how many anime pics I love using (none are drawn by me). I've conveniently added a Nayu's News tab to the menu at the top of the blog, so you can see them all together! A random cool fact is that one of my Nayu's News posts involving anime has 10999 views! ^o^

Some anime I watch I know I won't watch again. They are good, but not ones I absolutely love. Examples include Shakugan No Shana

Lots of evil demons to fight!

Note: all links take you to a site with a synopsis of the anime

Read Or Die The TV Series

These girls have paper magic!

and Paniponi Dash. 

This is an extremely random & bizarre anime (fun too)

I have watched these a few times over the years I had them, but where I am right now in my life they aren't for me, so I no longer watch them. I have passed them on to people who will enjoy them. 

There are the anime which I know I'll watch a lot, like Negima! 

This is the entire cast - after watching the series a few times you get to know & recognise all of them!

Strawberry Marshmallow 

These friends have lots of fun - and lots of different costumes too!

and, getting a French one in, Loulou de Montmartre.

Loulou has a tough life as she learns to dance and find out who her real family is

 I won't necessarily watch these every day, but they do get cycled in my 'watch' list over time, depending on  how the mood takes me. 

Do I want something that's really funny? Or really upbeat? Decisions....

Then there are the Mega Awesome Animes. These are the ones that rank as high as my all time favourites which are...

Winx Club 

The girls in their season 5 Harmonix transformation outfits

 This cool fairy anime honestly kept me sane in the years while I was trying to get pain relief that worked. It's funny, clever, has lots of magic, is about friendship and fun. The transformation are amazing! I remember when I first got it, and I watched the 1st season over and over until I got the other 3 seasons. It's all I watched, and is my favourite anime. I'm delighted I can see season 5 as it is airing, and the dvd isn't too far behind (the English version. No idea when I'll see the French one, which is the one I have on dvd)

Then along came Shugo Chara! (all 3 seasons) which soon came on a par with Winx.

The main character, Amu, in her Amulet Spade transformation (with her artistic chara Miki)

The transformations are spectular and frequent, there are many plots to ponder on, the costumes are cute and the charas are funny. At the moment I'm hugely into Hoshina Utau's charas, Iru and Eru (yes they are meant to be angelic & demonic). 

Iru loves winding Eru up, Eru loves anything romantic and can be rather forceful in her demands.

There are some sad moments, just like Winx Club, but it's an anime I try to watch every day (I watch either Winx or Shugo Chara, although sometimes I'll watch both in the same day). 

After Shugo Chara along came a magical girl anime about girls who became magical singers to help save fairyland - the girls are based on fairy tale princesses. Which anime is this? I mention it quite a bit on my blog, it's.....

Lilpri!

Lilpri is more light hearted than Shugo Chara, super cute and every episode ends well. I watched that every day until I finished it, and even  now it's added into the Winx Club/Shugo Chara mix. 

Just as I think I've seen all the mega awesome animes which would probably rate a triple E rating on my blog, (instead of 10/10 E -> 10/10 EEE), I find another. 

Awesome anime!

AKB0048 is actually based loosely on a real group in Japan (several groups) who are very much focused on their fans. Confession, because of the way the anime is listed on Crunchyroll I ended up seeing the second season (which is really just the 2nd half of a 24-26 season) first. That would be why I was so confused about what was going on, why some things weren't explained that well because the viewer usually will have watched the first season. I watched 9 episodes, then started season 1. Season 1 had all the explanations I wanted, so I'm happy. I'm now rewatching Season 2 because there are a few new episodes coming (it's a simulcast anime). 

All members of AKB0048

You can find more info on AKB0048 here. I love it because it's a little like Lilpri. The girls want to sing to bring fun and happiness to people. They only fight because they have to. They try not to hurt people. They work so hard at being as good as they can be. They help each other through the tough times (even when certain people are stubborn, like Chieri). They struggle on rest days because they are so used to working that's what they want to do - they get told off about this. That's kind of like me - having a day free of reading/blogging/writing can be a tricky thing for me to do. 

The AKB0048 trainees relaxing

The songs are catchy, and quite a few are inspirational. It's possible they may be intended for romance (I'm not sure) but to me they come across as uplifting. There is some mature content in the series to make it a teen + rating, but nothing completely indecent and it can easily be skipped. 

The kiraras are pretty special, this picture sums it up 

They detect when the girls are shining within themselves, brimming with confidence and love of making people happy, sort of like Nagisa in this picture, 

Note the kirara!

or a group of the trainees in concert here

The girls are singing their hearts out

although definitely in this one taken during a concert. 

Concerts aren't just about singing on stage - the girls get to fly around as they sing on funky moving squares. 

A floating square

The girls are prepared to defend themselves - thus making being a member a tough but rewarding career, bringing smiles to their fans despite many governments opposing entertainment. 

*happy sigh* 

So I now have 4 anime series which I can watch again & again as they are upbeat. I'm not including the anime Aria, which is inspirational, because it is a much quieter anime. 

Life as a traineer gondolier (known as Undine in Aria)

It's funny and relaxing, as the girls continue to train to be gondoliers on a manmade planet in the future. Becoming an undine is constant hard work, just like the girls in AKB0048 (although no fighting on the planet Aqua). There's a lot of self-exploration, heaps of humour and tears from all 3 trainees. 

When I need a mental boost, be it after a long day or just when I'm feeling a bit blue 

I head to one of my Mega Awesome Animes which make me feel top of the world!

So, what show do you watch when you need a boost? Which shows can you just watch again & again? It doesn't have to be anime!

Looking forward to hearing your thoughts!