Why, hello old friend.
Happy 450th review!
But a brief one, revisiting one of my childhood Magical Girl gems.
Ah the nostalgia! 'Winx Club' = the Magical Girl genre meets 'Harry Potter' meets all kinds of magic and technology, featuring impossibly-thin, impossibly-pretty teenage fairy girls, handsome teenage boy knights in shining armour, and mean girl evil witches. It's a fun, glittery, colourful guilty pleasure, where friendship is magic! Like 'W.I.T.C.H.', but softer and sillier.
'Winx Club: Magic Collection' contains nine volumes of the comic series based on the Italian cartoon created by Iginio Straffi, but I believe that it was made for preexisting fans of 'Winx Club' only, as newcomers are bound to be confused as it progresses. Prepare for a lot of issues to be skipped over, so that there are no formal introductions to some of the characters (not to mention the Winx Club's transformation outfits), little explanation as to what is going on, major details and backstories that are never mentioned again, and major events told only in recaps. The collection starts out as a retelling of the first season of the show, and the rest is all self-contained stories. They are new, at least, and are entertaining, and even political and educational for children.
If anything, now I find this universe's worldbuilding to be far more interesting than ever I did before. Admittedly only a handful of the main characters receive strong representation and focus. However, the protagonist, the redheaded "earth fairy" Bloom who is actually a princess from a destroyed planet and realm, is how I remember her and more. Always one of my favourites, I had related to Bloom the most as a kid, and I admire her kindness, sensitivity, honesty, uncertainties, insecurities, courage, generosity, modesty, altruism, and her unfaltering anger and strength needed to stand up for her beliefs and loved ones. She is the relatable and inspirational heart, soul and motivator of this club of best friends and universe saviours!
'Winx Club: Magic Collection' - an 832-page magical, digital fairy romp! What you'll find inside are: a clever homage to the Minotaur's maze, 16th-18th century pirates, an Asimov-inspired robot rebellion, a time traveler from earth, toy products in the form of magic pets that in-universe can be downloaded from the internet, an education on perfume, a cursed necklace that isn't cursed after all, and all kinds of fashionable, sparkly clothes on the girls!
'Winx Club' is not every little girl's fantasy, I know. All girls each have different, individual wish-fulfillment dream departments. In terms of gender rep it is a simple kids' marketing ploy, catering to the basest of stereotypes. Nearly in all instances of this series there is the traditional, Saturday morning cartoon black and white morality: where good = beautiful, and bad = ugly, or gothic. (But there is less of this in the cartoon than in the comic). What is the difference between fairy magic and witchcraft in this universe anyway?
But... no, I have no excuse. 'Winx Club' is a charming, nostalgic guilty pleasure for me, that's at least not all about cute and pretty things, given its universal themes of friendship, teamwork, believing in yourself, being nice and doing the right thing, schoolwork, community, and rebellion. It can be very funny too.
An addition to my Magical Girl repertoire.
Final Score: 3.5/5
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