W.I.T.C.H. Manga Cancelled!

[ShadowBrat]

If they didn't change that much, then why did they honestly rewrite the series at all?

Despite the lack of changes the Manga is quite different from the original, it's it's own animal, so to speak. A different and much darker mood is created to apeal more to Japanese sencibilities. Also the Japanese like the consistancy of Having the same artist work throughout the whole book, whereas Witch is drawn by a different artist evry issue.

They could have just released it in GN format like what Disney is going to do for America so it has 2 or 3 chapters per volumes.

Well Yes, I suppose they Could Have, but you have to keep in mind What works in America isn't nessecerily what's gonna Work In Japan, or the rest of the world for that matter. It's all about the Target audience.
Why do you think the GN's are coming out so late after the series was introduced to Americans? Simply Because the Target Audience (Young Female pre-teens) simply do not read comics, the series would have been a collosal Flop! The Answer? Release it in a format that they do read, namely the chapter books. The reason the GN's are coming out now is because they now have the support of the Animated series on TV to help Generate interest to branch out into comics.

Now in Japan, the target Audience reads these Weekly (or Monthly) telephone book sized magazines with their manga serialized in them, and if they like a series, they will go buy the compiled editions when they are released. The problem with releasing them as straight GN's in Japan is how would they even know they are available if it's not in those books? How would they know they'd like it or not if they havent read it in the manner in wich they are accostomed to. Why should I buy this foreign comic when there's plenty of Domestic manga I know I like?

I also heard they prefer their comics to not be in color, though, since it's tradition.

Not exactly, it's not that they prefer B&W, it's that color isn't cost efective. Most of these Magazines are published Weekley, and to keep costs down they are printed on the cheapest quality paper possible (these magazines have no collectible value as they do here, and are meant to be read once and thrown away, or discarded on the subway) only 1 or 2 series pre Magazine will be allowed to have color per issue, and even then it'll only be a few pages.

I also forgot to mention that the Japanese Never flop the art of a foreign comic. If they choose to publish a foreign work it'll read Left to right as it's supposed to. So publishing the original Witch in a Magazine with other Right to lest Japanese series would cause much confusion for the readers.

 

[ShadowBrat]

Then how do explain the many popular anime series, such as One Peice,Outlaw Star, Slayers,Hunter x Hunter,Cyboorg 009, Trigun, Cowboy Bebop, Record of Locroos War, that have no or very little Japanese culture in them. I think the main reason of it failing in Japan is because W.I.T.C.H almost has no originality compared to the other magical girl shows in Japan. I, mean, come on, the plot has been done 14 gallion times over and over again and adds nothing new to it. I think the fact that the characters weren't Japanese had very little with the unpopularity in Japan. It's just W.I.T.C.H. mainly uses the main animes cliches over and over with nothing new.

Ohhhhhhh....Kayyyyy.... We've just gone and opened a whole new can of Worms here, havent we?

First of all, all the series you mentioned is stuff that is currently popular in america, with the exception of One Peice none of them have aired in Japan For Years, and aren't really a good example of What's currenty popular in Japan.

Secondly, I'm gonna go back to the Tareget Audience of the Witch Manga (Young female pre-teens), Evry single series you mention is Shonen, and predominantly read and Watched by Boys. Whereas Witch is a Shojo series and subject to a whole different classification.

Thirdly, Granted much of What you mentioned may not seem culturally Japanese on the surface, but in evry one of them the characters act in a very Japanese way, They will speak in honorifics, they will react to peoples and situations the way a Japanese person would expect to react. In other Words: It may not look like a duck, but it sure as heck Qwacks like a duck.

And Fourthly, about it having no Originality from the other Maho Shojo shows from Japan. Well... I don't know if you've taken a good look at what's been being made in japan in the last 10 years, but the truth is, Japanese readers like Clichés and like their stories to be formulaic. It's sad to say, but originality isn't a big plus in Japan at the moment.
And with the Girls in Witch being the same age as the readers in Japan, and having them act so differently than they do, would have caused some level of Alienation.

 

[Martin]

;/ question is, will they cut out/Digi-paint over what they did in the books?

That's exactly what I want to know too. I'm curious what Disney does with this page.

 

[ShadowBrat]

That's exactly what I want to know too. I'm curious what Disney does with this page.

Probably the same as they did for the Chapter books.

Remove the 3rd pannel compleatly, and move panels 1&2 more to the center.

Digi paint an opaque "Wind" over Will's Torso and thighs on panel 5

And Paint Will Blue on panel 6

Incidentally, in the manga that scene plays out much longer, 5 pages to be exact, and Will runs around Full Frontal for the most of it.

 

[sag_2002]

*giggles at dancing W.I.T.C.H. girls*

Cute sprites there, Martin.

 

[Conan-san]

Probably the same as they did for the Chapter books.

Remove the 3rd pannel compleatly, and move panels 1&2 more to the center.

Digi paint an opaque "Wind" over Will's Torso and thighs on panel 5

And Paint Will Blue on panel 6

Incidentally, in the manga that scene plays out much longer, 5 pages to be exact, and Will runs around Full Frontal for the most of it.

Aw, gezz, we're gona have a "fansub" comunity due to this...

 

[Gokou Ruri]

Or just get the original comics like I do.

 

[Conekiller]

yeah, but what if you can't read them? (if they are published in english totally untouched,somewhere, then my argument is moot)

 

[ShadowBrat]

yeah, but what if you can't read them? (if they are published in english totally untouched,somewhere, then my argument is moot)

A minor inconvenience like not being able to read a comic has never stopped me in the past.

But to awnser your question I believe the Singapoor and Philipine editions are in English, and Should be Uncut. Though I can't comment on the quality of the translations.

 

[Gokou Ruri]

I have the imported comics in English... they seem unedited (Got the nudity and what not in them, and some language)

 

[ShadowBrat]

I have the imported comics in English... they seem unedited (Got the nudity and what not in them, and some language)

And some language? You mean they swear?

Wich country are they from?

 

[Gokou Ruri]

Well, I've only seen Uriah say "What the hell are you doing, Kurt?" and "damn", but if they were editing them, I doubt they'd leave it in.

And I have no idea what country they are from

 

[KarlOlson]

What they said. WITCH is really just a rehash of Sailor Moon, which isn't really popular in Japan anymore anyway.

Seconded. The last big sentai-style Mahou Shoujo series was Tokyo Mew Mew, and it was in Nakayosi, which targets kids so young that there first exposure to Sailor Moon was the live action series. Asuka aims a bit older, so it's audience had already been their and done that. It might have work if it had been serialized in a different magazine. Sentai-style mahou these days in Japan likely has more 20/30-something otaku fans than young fans. That genre has burnt out almost everyone else (except for 5-year-old girls who have never seen it before, and even, the few author writing mahou shoujo for that demo in Japan aren't really using the sentai element at all.) It'll probably need atleast 5 years before anyone works with it again. Japan may have issues with copycat formula (not like the US doesn't,) but even in Japan, story-types goes in and out of fashion (just like how the US is currently in a more action driven cycle in it's animation.)

 

[Martin]

*giggles at dancing W.I.T.C.H. girls*

Cute sprites there, Martin.

Yes, they are the W.I.T.C.H. smilies.

 

[AsylumInmate135]

If they didn't change that much, then why did they honestly rewrite the series at all? They could have just released it in GN format like what Disney is going to do for America so it has 2 or 3 chapters per volumes.

I also heard they prefer their comics to not be in color, though, since it's tradition.

Okay, I'm sorry dude, but if you don't like W.I.T.C.H then why would you have a discussion about, when everyone in this topic obviously like the Series? I've heard you complain about it on other topics on this forum site. Do you just get a kick out of making the fans mad at you?
W.I.T.C.H was another "Magical Girl" storyline, but if it was so unpopular, why would our European brothers and sisters love it so much? Do you think W.I.T.C.H would have lasted thus far, with DISNEY need I remind you, if they weren't making some money, and getting so much support from fans?
The fact that Japan didn't like it doesn't mean it's a dud. U.S.A and Japan not liking it versus ALL of EUROPE! I think they win!
If you don't like it, that's fine! (For instance, I ABHOR Twilight) But that doesn't mean you have the designated power to ruin the experience for everyone else! It's just plain RUDE! None of us came here, I'm sure, to read the Flames!
Be part of the Solution NOT the Problem!

 

[Gokou Ruri]

Uh, I like W.I.T.C.H. I'm not really sure how you got that I didn't like it. Did you really bump a 5 year old thread for that..? All I (recall) mentioning is I found the manga version a bit pointless if it's the same thing.