List of Winx Club characters explained

Winx Club is an animated series co-produced by Rainbow SpA and later Nickelodeon. Its characters were created and designed by comic artist Iginio Straffi. The show takes place in a magical dimension where a group of fairy warriors defends their universe from villains. The group, named the Winx Club, attends the Alfea College for Fairies.

The Winx Club is led by Bloom, a student from Earth who thought she was an average human until discovering her flame-based powers. The original group includes Stella, the Fairy of the Sun and Moon (later) Fairy of the Shining Sun; Flora, the Fairy of Nature; Musa, the Fairy of Music; and Tecna, the Fairy of Technology. They share an apartment on the campus of Alfea. The Fairy of Waves, Aisha, is introduced in the second season and becomes the group's sixth member. The Fairy of Animals, Roxy, is introduced in the fourth season and occasionally joins the other fairies.

The characters of Winx Club have become popular with audiences. Critical response to the characters has been positive, with praise for their positive relationships and presentation of gender roles. The characters have appeared in a variety of media, including the spin-off series World of Winx, a comic book serial, and video games. In 2012, new episodes of the series incorporated CGI-animated sequences that rendered the characters in 3D.[1] A live-action series inspired by Winx Club, , debuted in 2021 and features some of the original characters.

In the original series (seasons 1–4), the characters' mouths were animated to match the Italian voice actors, who recorded their lines in Rome. The revived series, beginning with the hour-long specials, was produced in English first. The specials and seasons 5–6 were animated to match the Hollywood-based cast,[2] who recorded their lines at the Atlas Oceanic studio. Season 7 was also matched to Nickelodeon and Rainbow's English scripts,[3] but due to budget cuts, Viacom relocated the voice cast from Hollywood to New York City. Only actors from the two original casts are listed below.

Creation and production history

Iginio Straffi developed the Winx Club characters for the short pilot episode "Magic Bloom," which was finished in 2001. The characters' outfits were modeled on those of traditional European fairies,[4] while their appearances were loosely inspired by popular celebrities of the time. In a 2011 interview with IO Donna, Straffi stated Britney Spears served as an inspiration for Bloom, Cameron Diaz for Stella, Jennifer Lopez for Flora, Pink for Tecna, and Lucy Liu for Musa.[5] Straffi wanted the fairies to represent "the women of today"[6] and to look more modern than classic examples like la Fata Turchina.[7]

After holding test screenings of the pilot, Straffi was unhappy with the audience's unenthusiastic reaction to the characters' outdated clothing style.[4] [8] He hired Italian fashion designers to give the characters a more modern appearance.[9] [10] Flora underwent several changes because Straffi felt test audiences disliked her design. She was originally drawn with glasses and a lighter skin tone; for the full series, her glasses were removed and she was given darker skin to look "more Latin".[4] The Winx fairies' male counterparts, the Specialists, were created in response to a request that the series should feature male leads.[11]

According to Iginio Straffi, each of the Winx fairies' personalities were made as different as possible so "teenagers from all over the world can identify themselves with the character they think they are most like".[11] After the premiere of the first season worldwide, the production team heard that American viewers noticed the absence of Black characters in the show.[12] In response, Straffi designed a sixth fairy named Aisha, who has darker skin than the others.[12] Her design was loosely inspired by Beyoncé[5] and she was introduced in the first episode of the second season.[13] The fourth season introduces a seventh member, Roxy, who occasionally joins the other fairies.

After Viacom became a co-owner of the Rainbow studio in 2011,[14] new seasons of Winx Club entered production at Viacom's Nickelodeon Animation Studio and Rainbow.[15] For this relaunched series (which began with four specials that retell Bloom's origin story), Viacom hired popular actors to voice many of the characters. These stars included Ariana Grande as Diaspro,[16] Elizabeth Gillies as Daphne, Keke Palmer as Aisha, Matt Shively as Sky, and Daniella Monet as Mitzi.[17]

The Winx

The Specialists

The Specialists are male warriors who train at the Red Fountain school:[32] [26]

The Paladins were introduced in Season 6:

Villains

Supporting characters

Pets

Bonded Beings

Pixies

The Pixies are the first magical beings who bond with the fairies. They are introduced in the second season after the Winx rescue them from Darkar. Based in part on the pixies of British folklore, each has a special talent.

Fairy Pets

The fairy pets are a group of soft toys from Earth that were brought to life by the Winx's magic.

Selkies

The selkies live in oceans and work as gatekeepers of the ocean portals to various planets. They are based in part on the selkies of Gaelic folklore. In the fifth season, Tritannus steals their powers to get access to the Infinite Ocean; their powers are restored when a fairy from their respective home planet bonds with them. Selkies can sense when their bonded fairy is nearby.

Fairy Animals

The fairy animals are magical creatures to which the Winx become bonded in the seventh season. Each one has a power or secret that maintains order in the universe.

College staff and students

Alfea

Alfea College for Fairies is a fairy school in the Magic Dimension. Alfea's staff members include:

Other Alfea students include:

Red Fountain

Red Fountain is a school in Magix which trains warriors called the Specialists. Members of Red Fountain's staff include:

Red Fountain students include:

Cloud Tower

Cloud Tower is the main school for witches in the Magic Dimension. Cloud Tower's staff includes:

Students of Cloud Tower include:

Characters from the Realms

Magix

Magix is a realm located at the centre of the Magic Dimension and the planet where the three schools Alfea, Cloud Tower and Red Fountain are located.

Black-Mud Swamp
Pixie Village

A village in the Dark Forest where the pixies live in the series.

Lord Darkar's Fortress

Located between the surface of Magix and Downland. A cavernous area that is the location of Lord Darkar's palace, Shadowhaunt, and the home of the shadow creatures. The stone drains magic and power.

Downland
The Fortress of Light

Also known as Lightrock Monastery, it is a temple high above the clouds on a huge and rocky mountain, located above Lake Roccaluce in non-space. The fortress is unreachable for almost anyone except for advanced magicians who can travel through dimensions. After season one, the Trix are sent there for unleashing the Army of Darkness on Magix, but are broken out in the second season by Lord Darkar. At the end of season 3, they are captured by the Templars after working with Valtor and are sent to the Prison of Andros.

Earth

Tir Nan Og

Tir Nan Og is the realm of the Earth fairies, located in the magic dimension. When the Wizards of the Black Circle captured the Earth fairies, they imprisoned them in their own kingdom of Tir Nan Og, where the terrestrial fairies remained until Roxy and the Winx freed them in season 4. Loosely based on Tír na nÓg from Irish folklore.

Domino

Eraklyon

Solaria

Lynphea

Melody

Zenith

Andros

Pyros

Pyros is an island populated by dragons.

Hoggar

Lumenia

Lumenia, the star that lights Solaria, is home to a magical alien species called Lumens who are introduced in the eighth season and can generate magic stardust.

The Golden Kingdom

The Golden Kingdom is a place both outside and inside time and space where the Water Stars, the opposing force of the Dragon Fire, are kept.

Infinite Ocean

Legendarium World

Other characters

References

Works cited
Other references

Notes and References

  1. Web site: Rainbow Studios: le Winx ci aprono le porte del loro mondo. Movieplayer.it. 15 July 2014. Morganti. Tiziana.
  2. Reynoso. Alejandra. Stars of Nickelodeon Cast of Winx Club Exclusive Interview. 23 October 2011. Season 5, they're original records, so those are the days we come together and they send our voices to Italy and then they animate the show based on our voices..
  3. Web site: Rainbow's next steps. https://web.archive.org/web/20200107060624/https://live.staticflickr.com/65535/49342980238_36bff4f777_z.jpg. dead. 2020-01-07. Licensing Special Report. 2014.
  4. Web site: Kids TV producers turn to style specialists for design innovations. Kidscreen. 1 September 2003. Ashdown. Simon. 12 May 2019. https://web.archive.org/web/20190505150840/http://kidscreen.com/2003/09/01/fashion-20030901/. 5 May 2019. live. dmy-all.
  5. Web site: TIVÙ Iginio Straffi racconta le sue Winx ambientaliste. IO Donna. 9 July 2011. Pennati. Nicoletta. it. 12 May 2019. https://web.archive.org/web/20190408125735/https://www.iodonna.it/personaggi/interviste/2011/straffi-winx-nuova-serie-ambiente-rainbow-30630689452.shtml. 8 April 2019. live. dmy-all.
  6. Web site: Iginio Straffi: le mie Winx sono le ragazze d'oggi. La Stampa. 11 May 2014. Marmiroli. Adriana. it. 12 May 2019. https://web.archive.org/web/20190228130433/https://www.lastampa.it/2014/05/11/spettacoli/iginio-straffi-le-mie-winx-sono-le-ragazze-doggi-5OQgybfPXQgVJSDqggTqIO/pagina.html. 28 February 2019. live. dmy-all.
  7. Web site: Quelle fatine sono davvero magiche. Famiglia Cristiana. 27 August 2010. it. 12 May 2019. https://web.archive.org/web/20190408125725/http://www.famigliacristiana.it/articolo/quelle-fatine-sono-davvero-magiche.aspx. 8 April 2019. live. dmy-all.
  8. Straffi. Iginio. Interview with Iginio Straffi. 2013. it. 2019-05-12. https://web.archive.org/web/20190506053710/https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uuw9Jb7H1wc. 2019-05-06. live.
  9. Web site: "Девочки понимают, что наши Winx — настоящие". Vedomosti. 31 March 2010. ru.
  10. Web site: Le fatine di Winx club alla conquista dell' America. la Repubblica. 23 April 2004. 12 May 2019. https://web.archive.org/web/20190404015612/https://ricerca.repubblica.it/repubblica/archivio/repubblica/2004/04/23/le-fatine-di-winx-club-alla-conquista.html. 4 April 2019. live. dmy-all.
  11. Straffi. Iginio. Iginio Straffi. Fenomeno Winx. 2005. Chiara Galavotti. 2019-05-12. https://web.archive.org/web/20190404015558/http://www.mondoerre.it/index.php?method=section&action=zoom&id=301. 2019-04-04. live.
  12. Straffi. Iginio. Iginio Straffi. La filosofia delle Winx. 2011. Popsophia.
  13. La fenice d'ombra. Winx Club (season 2)#ep27. Winx Club. Winx Club. 27. 19 April 2005.
  14. News: Vivarelli. Nick. Winx creator in the pink. August 9, 2015. Variety. February 26, 2011.
  15. Web site: Nickelodeon Animation Studio: What We Do - Winx Club. https://web.archive.org/web/20140613182700/http://nickanimationstudio.com/shows/winx-club/. dead. 2014-06-13. Nickelodeon. 2014.
  16. Web site: The Winx Club gets star power from Nick celebs. Nick.com. 23 August 2012. https://web.archive.org/web/20130404154458/http://www.nick.com/celebrity/news/winx-ariana-liz-keke-voices.html. 2013-04-04.
  17. Web site: September 1, 2022 . “I wouldn’t even wear some of that as an adult”: Victorious Star Daniella Monet Accuses Nickelodeon For Sexualizing Young Actresses, Proves Dan Schneider Was Harvey Weinstein 2.0 . August 21, 2024 . Animated Times.
  18. Web site: Bloom from Winx Club. https://web.archive.org/web/20130128022906/http://www.nick.com/shows/winx-club/characters/bloom.html?navid=showNav. January 28, 2013. Nick.com. Viacom International. 2011. May 12, 2019.
  19. Web site: Winx Club - Serie 4 Episodio 25 - Il segreto di Morgana. Rainbow S.p.A.. 3 December 2012. 23:10.
  20. Web site: Global Hit Animated Series 'Winx Club' Comes to Nickelodeon, Starting June 27. https://web.archive.org/web/20170816191623/http://tvbythenumbers.zap2it.com/network-press-releases/global-hit-animated-series-winx-club-comes-to-nickelodeon-starting-june-27/95196/. dead. August 16, 2017. Zap2it. Tribune Media. June 9, 2011.
  21. Web site: Stella from Winx Club. 2011. Nickelodeon UK. Viacom International. May 12, 2019. https://web.archive.org/web/20190512232205/http://www.nick.co.uk/shows/winx-club/characters/stella/jksel6. May 12, 2019. live. mdy-all.
  22. 1 . 3 . Winx Club . Winx Club . Alfea College for Fairies .
  23. Web site: Winx Club - Season 6 Episode 22. Rainbow S.p.A.. 24 November 2015. 22:29.
  24. Winx Club . The Anthem . Viacom . NickelodeonPlay . 6 . 23.
  25. Web site: Oh, oh, oh, it's magic: Romi Dames. Now the Burbank resident's new project is all about magic as she provides the voice for Musa, Fairy of Music, in Nickelodeon's new animated series, 'Winx Club.' The first of four one-hour specials premieres at 8 p.m. Monday.. Los Angeles Times. Rudolph. Joyce. 24 June 2011.
  26. Welcome to Magix . Winx Club . Winx Club . 1 . 2 .
  27. Web site: Tecna from Winx Club. 2011. Nickelodeon UK. Viacom International. May 12, 2019. https://web.archive.org/web/20190512232128/http://www.nick.co.uk/shows/winx-club/characters/tecna/ayuox0. May 12, 2019. live. mdy-all.
  28. Romi Dames Morgan Decker & Amy Gross talk about voice over work @ AMC in Burbank!. 24 October 2011. YouTube. 27 November 2015.
  29. Book: Santini, Gabriella. 2009. Winx Club: Scopri i cuccioli con Roxy. Rainbow S.r.l.. Roxy, che è la settima Winx e anche la fata degli animali. [Roxy, who is the seventh Winx and the Fairy of Animals.]. back cover. 9788845151262. it.
  30. Web site: Le Winx tornano su Rai Due. RAI. 30 August 2010. una settima fata, Roxy ... Il nuovo personaggio, Roxy, si unirà al gruppo delle Winx. [a seventh fairy, Roxy ... The new character, Roxy, will join the Winx group.]. it. 12 May 2019. https://web.archive.org/web/20100804020517/http://rumors.blog.rai.it/2010/07/30/le-winx-tornano-su-rai-due/. 4 August 2010. dead. dmy-all.
  31. Web site: Roxy from Winx Club. https://web.archive.org/web/20120916014510/http://www.nick.com/shows/winx-club/characters/roxy.html. dead. 2012-09-16. Nickelodeon. [Roxy] joins the Club.... 2019-05-13.
  32. An Unexpected Event . Winx Club . Winx Club . 1 . 1 .
  33. Web site: Brandon from Winx Club. 2011. Nickelodeon UK. Viacom International. May 12, 2019. https://web.archive.org/web/20190512232128/http://www.nick.co.uk/shows/winx-club/characters/brandon/fd19lg. May 12, 2019. live. mdy-all.
  34. Web site: Winx Club - Season 6 Episode 15. Rainbow S.p.A.. 12 November 2015. 22:32.
  35. Winx Club . A Perfect Date . Viacom . NickelodeonPlay . 5 . 21.
  36. Web site: Winx Club - Saison 2 Épisode 4 - Un coup de foudre. Rainbow S.p.A.. 26 January 2017. 23:27.
  37. Web site: NickelodeonPlay: Winx Club, The Princess' Ball. YouTube. Valtor is an evil sorcerer and dark wizard of the dragon flame plotting revenge against the Magic Dimension.. May 12, 2019.
  38. Web site: Winx Club - Il Segreto Del Regno Perduto. Rainbow S.p.A.. 30 August 2018. 1:25:41.
  39. Web site: Winx Club 6x11 Temporada 6 Episodio 11 "Sueños Rotos" Español Latino. Rainbow S.p.A.. 11 November 2015. 22:28.
  40. Web site: Winx Club: The Power of Believix, Vol. 2. iTunes. Apple Inc.. The Winx discover that Morgana, queen of the fairies, and all the exiled earth fairies are out for vengeance. They hold a grudge against the Wizards and the entire human race.. May 12, 2019.