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Sarah Suleman 25020155

W.I.T.C.H.: The Underrated Gem of Early 2000s




The first time I saw anything related to the W.I.T.C.H series was at my school's book fair, intrigued by the cover and the comics within the book I decided to start the series. It was only when I was obsessed with the books that I found out about the show. I felt that both worked well together so I don't really prefer one over the other, but I do believe that the series deserved much more attention than it got. 

It combined elements of fantasy, adventure and coming of age. The storyline was compelling with a focus on rich character development and great animation, it was everything I wanted and needed it to be.  

The story follows a group of five high school girls: Will, Irma, Taranee, Cornelia, and Hay Lin. They all had their own stories, personalities, strengths and struggles. They weren't just magical beings but also just girls going through everyday issues such as school, family, and friendships. This aspect of duality added depth into their characters while also making them relatable. 

The relationship between the girls was refreshing to see, it wasn't the always perfect girl group but depicted the realistic fights and misunderstanding between friends and not creating an idealized look, which was prevalent in other shows.  

The plot and storyline were intricate and engaging, with the way it masterfully intertwined its main plot of the guardians protecting the Veil that separates Earth from the magical world of Metamoor with subplots involving the girls' personal lives. Its mythology was also very detailed and well developed the magical world of Metamoor, its history, and its various inhabitants are richly detailed, creating an immersive fantasy setting. Each guardian's powers and responsibilities explained artfully, making the whole story more coherent. 



It was also very empowering to watch because within this group all the girls had differing levels of femininity while also being powerful and strong characters. Perpetuating the idea that I didn't have to fit a mold to be strong and that there existed no ideal. It showed that girls could fight and be the saviors without needing a man to save them. They were the main hero's nit just sidekicks for men which was refreshing and much needed. They were also shown as just humans who made mistakes, that though were aggravating to watch, were realistic and relatable. 

The show being named W.I.T.C.H was also so important to me because in most shows being a witch is seen as a bad thing and usually is a term given to the villain. It is also something women were termed when they did something that men didn't think they could, or just as an excuse to kill women. This show in a way reclaimed that title, bringing it into a much more positive light, which I liked. Along with the storyline and characters, the animation and visual action sequences. They were well choreographed and visually fun to watch. 

There was also the intersection of culture and gender specifically with Hay Lin and how her experiences particularly included culture and its effect. The family dynamics were interesting to see with focus on complex family ties that exist in real life but were not as prevalent in animated shows.  

I think overall it was a good show to watch that was underrated but played a big role in how I perceive myself now.  With what I can and cannot do with my life by being one of the first shows that I watched that went against the grain of women not being powerful leads.

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11 comentários


25110004
30 de jun.

Your post was well written. This show reminded me of the Powerpuff Girls and how the same message is portrayed across shows like these. In it, we see the three little girls fighting off crime and saving the world all alone. There is no man that helps them, and shows just how strong women can really be. I think this theme of women being able to fend for themselves and not just survive but thrive on their own is something that is much needed especially in a country like Pakistan, where women themselves feel uncomfortable and doubt their ability to do amazing things. Perhaps a Pakistani adaptation or a separate new series can be created for the Pakistani community as…

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Respondendo a

I would love to see a Pakistani adaptation especially for young girls so that they can have their much-needed representation of young strong females who do not have to rely on a man.

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Zara Feroz
30 de jun.

This was such a refreshing article to read. I don't think I've watched W.I.T.C.H but your synopsis reminds me of Winx Club, which is very similar to this storyline. I think Winx Club played a big role in making me the person I am today just like W.I.T.C.H did for you because the female characters are so strong, confident, and sure of themselves. Winx Club also portrayed a realistic and relatable representation of the dynamics of a female friend group. I can also totally relate to how you got interested in the series because of the book cover. I remember seeing a lot of Winx Club graphic novels, artwork, and merchandise growing up and that was definitely part of what…

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Zara Feroz
30 de jun.
Respondendo a

That's true, rewatching old shows and movies really does help us both remember and unlearn certain messages. And yes, critical media literacy is so important. After our last class, I felt like I should try to create more awareness about this at least within my family. I think we've all grown up in an increasingly online world but don't have the necessary tools to deal with the issues it comes with.

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this was so well written, i feel like shows like this and winx club even are very important for children, especially young girls. not only does the show teach them empowerment but the importance of female solidarity in the face of adversity. team work is always an essential component of shows like this where each person has a different power and it is only through working together that the villain may be taken down. this sort of a lesson also goes against the popular patriarchial narrative that pits women against each other and girls should learn from an early age that if they can rely on anyone in life, it is other women. with their different lengths of hair, from…

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Thank you, I think that is mostly why I gravitated towards the show itself, because it felt more representative compared to the other media at the time. The show is also an accurate depiction of learning from media because I genuinely learned so much from it, maybe not academically but in terms of friendships and girlhood the show played a big part in my life. Its idea of what it means to be a girl being expansive it was my favorite part of it.

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Kainat Saif
27 de jun.

A very interesting read! The mix of fantasy and adventure was done wonderfully. each girl brought her own unique strengths and struggles to the story which made the characters so relatable. especially the friendships among the girls with slight ups and downs along the way was realistic and showed how relationships work and must be handled maturely. Seeing strong, varied female characters who were not bound to a single definition of femininity was empowering. The show brilliantly demonstrated that women can be strong protagonists without being marginalized by male characters and that strength can take many different forms. W.I.T.C.H. had a genuine impact on its audience, hence it's unfortunate that it didn't receive the praise that it deserved. It questioned…


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Same, is sometimes like to rewatch them. Thats kind of when I noticed these themes that were so implicit in the show. It also got be thinking of how it impacted me and during writing this blog I realized how much I had unconsciously leaned from the show itself. It sad to see it was cancelled but rumor has it, it was because a show about strong female leads already existed, and media being a business they started to focus on something that would be more profitable rather than important for kids to watch.

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How interesting! I have never seen W.I.T.C.H before but it seems like an amazing show. The fact that all the leads were women, and sidekicks were men is such a refreshing change from normal content. I think shows like this are vital to be shown to children, especially when they are are the key ages when the media they consume and the messages that are indirectly included in them form their opinions of the world and how they view society. This is an effort to break certain stereotypes surrounding men are heroes and women as sidekicks/romantic interests, and can also help establish girls confidence in the ability to do whatever they want, especially with their cultures represented on screen.

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I think the reason it stood out to be is because of its theme of breaking stereotypes, I remember seeing this when all the other superheroes were males and as a young girl this was something I needed. I totally agree with your analysis about important shows like these are kids because I learned a lot from engaging with it.

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