Angel's Friends

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Angel's Friends
AngelsFriendDVD.jpg
Cover of the first original DVD.
Genre Contemporary fantasy, magical girl
Format Animated television series
Created by Simona Ferri
Written by Francesco Balletta, Francesco Arlanch
Directed by Orlando Corradi
Voices of

(English version)
Liza Jacqueline as Raf
Serra Hirsch as Uri
Lisa Adams as Sweet
Lisa Ortiz as Miki
Jason Anthony Griffith as Sulfus
Lisa Ortiz as Cabiria
Summer Crocket Moore as Kabale
Dan Green as Gas

(Italian version)
Patrizia Mottola as Raf
Benedetta Ponticelli as Urié
Francesca Bielli as Dolce
Marcella Silvestri as Miki
Simone D'Andrea as Sulfus
Maddalena Vadacca as Cabiria
Emanuela Pacotto as Kabalè
Luca Bottale as Gas
Theme music composer Danilo Bernardi, Giuseppe Zanca
Opening theme Angel's Friends performed by Cristina D'Avena
Ending theme Angel's Friends performed by Cristina D'Avena
Country of origin Italy
Original language(s) Italian
No. of seasons 2
No. of episodes 104
Production
Running time 13 minutes
Production company(s) Mondo TV
R.T.I.
Play Entertainment
Broadcast
Original channel Italia 1
Picture format 16:9
Original run October 12, 2009 (2009-10-12) – March 27, 2010 (2010-03-27)
External links
Website

Angel's Friends is an Italian bi-monthly magical girl comic series created by Simona Ferri that made debut in March 2007. On 12 October 2009, an animated series of the same name premiered on Italia 1.[1] A second season of 52 episodes, scheduled for autumn 2012, was announced in January 2011.[2]

A television film, Angel's Friends - Tra Sogno e Realtà (Angel's Friends: Between Dream and Reality), premiered on April 23, 2011.[3]

In the United States, the show is available via NBC, syndication and many local stations air the program on their secondary subchannel service to fulfill FCC mandates (at least three hours of E/I related material per week).[4][5]

Contents

Plot [edit]

Four Angels (Raf, Uri, Sweet and Miki) and four Devils (Sulfus, Cabiria, Kabale and Gas) are sent to Earth, in an unused area of the Golden School, to attend courses and join a stage to become Guardian Angels and Guardian Devils. The stage requires Angels and Devils to form pairs, each of which will have to deal with a human being, known as Earthly Ones, and help them choosing between the right way and the wrong one in life without being discovered. Angels and Devils can not operate at the same time, so they decide, clashing in the Challenge Room, who will work first. Moreover, they are subject to the V.E.T.O. (Vetoed from Exposing, Touching or Obstructing/Overhearing in the comic - Italian: Vietato Esporsi, Toccare, Ostacolare/Origliare).

Comic plot [edit]

While the Angels and Devils are attending their stage on Earth, the planet is threatened by ancient creatures, the Reliveds, lead by a mysterious man called Maliki. He was a Devil who gave up his eternal life because he loved a human woman, Vera. When she left him, he decided to take revenge on all Angels, Devils and humans. As a result, the Angels and Devils form an alliance to fight against him.

Cartoon plot [edit]

First season [edit]

The evil Neutral Reina, imprisoned in the Limbo with her slave Maliki, wants to take revenge of Angels and Devils who confined her. To get free, a sacrilege is necessary: because of this, she exploits the rising feelings between Raf, an Angel, and Sulfus, a Devil, forcing them to kiss. The sacrilege breaks the chains and Reina, once free, tells the truth about her origins to Raf: she was born a Terrestrian and was adopted by the Tall Spheres when her parents, two powerful sovereigns, died during the struggle between Angels and Devils. The Neutral persuades Raf to enter in the Hall of Portraits to see her parents' faces: while the Angel is in, Reina steals all of the portraits to control the Earthly Ones' will. At the end of the first season, using the Prism Fly ability, Raf, the Angels and the Devils manage to defeat Reina. Raf discovers that her real father is Maliki, who sacrifices his life to save her, while her mother is imprisoned somewhere in an endless slumber.

Differences between comic and cartoon [edit]

  • In the comic, the main characters are younger:[6] in fact, while in the cartoon they are the same age as Raf (15 "stars" old, "flashes" as for the Devils), in the comic the heroine is 12, Uri 11 and Miki 9; Sulfus is 13, Kabale and Gas 10, Cabiria 11.
  • Sweet, Misha and Reina don't appear in the comic, while the Angel Ang-Lì, the Devil Mephisto and Raoul, the Earthly one loved by Raf, aren't shown in the cartoon.
  • In the comic, some passions of Angels and Devils, absent in the cartoon, are shown. For example, Raf is keen on ecological remedies, above all beauty masks and infusions, Miki is a music expert, Kabale loves chemistry, alchemy and numerology. Cabiria likes films, cartoons and comics and she's director and illustrator. Gabe is a genius of technology and uses a handheld.
  • In the comic, the Angels are part of a funk band, in which Raf is the vocalist, Gabe plays the keyboard, Miki the bass, Uri the drums and Ang-Lì the sax. The Devils have their own rock band: Sulfus plays the bass, Kabale the electric guitar, Cabiria the drums, Gas the keyboard and Mephisto is the vocalist.
  • In the comic, Miki is repeating the school year because she tried to heal her Earthly one, breaking the V.E.T.O.. Sulfus is multi-repeating and more seducer than in the cartoon.
  • The character design of the cartoon is far different than the comic one.
  • In the comic, being the average age of the characters lower, Arkhan and Temptel don't teach "positive Earthly life" and "negative Earthly life", but "positive Earthly infancy" and "negative Earthly infancy".

Characters [edit]

See also: List of Angel's Friends characters

Places [edit]

Angie Town
Angels' city, it's a peaceful town located in the Paradise. It's ruled by the High Spheres (Italian: Alte Sfere), whose messengers are the seraphims.

Sulfur City (Italian: Zolfanello City)

Devils' city, it's a chaotic place, located in Hell. It's ruled by the Low Spheres (Italian: Basse Sfere), whose messengers are the malebolge.
Earthly city
It's the city where the Earthly ones live. Its name is unknown, but it looks like European metropolis.
Golden School
It's the school where the Earthly ones study, an old building located in the Earthly city. In an unused area, Angels and Devils attend their stage. In the middle, there is the Central Ala, where classrooms are located; in the same hallway, there's the Challenge Room (Italian: Aula Sfida), where Angels and Devils clashes. In the tower there are the Dreaming Rooms (Italian: Sognatori), Angels' dormitories, while underground there are the Incubators (Italian: Incubatori), Devils' dormitories.
Mistery House
Reina and Maliki's house after leaving the Limbo. Previously, it was Raf's family's house.
Limbo
It's the place where Reina was imprisoned since her exile, it's a place outside the control of both the High and Low Spheres. Only a sacrilege between an Angel and a Devil is powerful enough to break the wall of the prison. Maliki also lives here with his mistress, but he's allowed to move in the real world.
Path of Metamorphoses
A legendary path, rich in trials and obstacles, which, if passed, would allow Angels or Devils to become human. Tyco and Sai decided to try, but after reaching the end, they don't manage to transform and are obliged to separate. In it blows the Wind of Deceptions (or Wind of Metamorphoses), a powerful wind that inhibits reasons and pulls humans, Angels and Devils to act impulsively. It appears for the first time in the film Between Dream and Reality.

Episodes [edit]

The cartoon is produced by R.T.I., Mondo TV and Play Entertainment, directed by Orlando Corradi and written by Francesco Arlanch and Francesco Balletta. However, the first one who realized the cartoon (26 episodes lasting 20 minutes each) was the Italian company Stranemani,[7][8] but during the comic festival in Cannes Mondo TV version was chosen, despite the Stranemani version using the same character designs from the comic.

First season (2009-2010) [edit]

In Italy, Mondo Home Entertainment published the first season in 10 DVDs, starting in November 2009.[9] DVDs were also sold in Czech Republic (8 DVDs titled Andílci)[10] and Russia (6 DVDs).[11][12]

Film [edit]

Angel's Friends - Tra Sogno e Realtà
Creator Simona Ferri
Directed by Orlando Corradi
Produced by Mondo TV
Starbright
Play Entertainment
Written by Francesco Balletta
Screenplay by Francesco Balletta
Starring Same as the TV series
Music by Danilo Bernardi
Giuseppe Zanca
Country Italy
Language Italian
Original channel Italia 1
Original airing April 23, 2011 (2011-04-23)
Running time 84

A television movie based on the animated series and settled between the first and the second season aired, in Italy, on 23 April 2011. The movie focuses on the Angels attending the Summer School at the Sunny College in Alpinville, where Raf hopes she will not meet Sulfus. The Devils show up at the school and Raf tells Sulfus she has fallen in love with someone else. Meanwhile, the Earthly ones receive the task of refurbishing the Theatre of Princes (Italian: Teatro dei Principi) and organising a play, Romeo & Juliet by William Shakespeare. However, they are attacked by a mysterious hooded man who wants them to leave the theatre. The Angels and the Devils decide to investigate and find out the truth about Tyco and Sai's fate. At last, Raf and Sulfus conclude that they'll decide what to do about their future together once returned to the Golden School for the new term.

CD [edit]

On 2 November 2010, a CD dedicated to Angel's Friends was released.[13] The album, produced by Mediaset record company, contains the full Italian opening theme performed by Cristina D'Avena and several songs named after the characters of the series, 11 songs totally.[14] The tracks are in English, but the opening theme.

  1. Angel's Friends - Cristina D'Avena
  2. Cabiria - Kate Kelly
  3. Kabalè - Gabriella Vainiglia
  4. Malachia - Silvio Pozzoli
  5. Gas - Antonio Divincenzo
  6. Miki - Maria Concetta Montesano
  7. Raf - Gisella Cozzo
  8. Sulfus - Mark Evans
  9. Reina - Jacobs Sewit Villa
  10. Dolce - Fabiana Vitellio
  11. Uriè - Barbara Comi

International broadcast [edit]

Angel's Friends was distributed in countries all over the world,[15] like Spain, Portugal, Latin America,[16] Belgium, Luxembourg, Bulgaria, Czech Republic, Slovakia, Ex-Yugoslavia.[17] In April 2010, the license had been sold in 37 countries.[4]

Country Channel/s
 Albania Bang Bang
 Italy Italia 1, Boing
 Spain Cartoon Network, Telecinco, Boing[18]
 France Télétoon+
 Israel Canal De Los Ninos
 United States Nbc,[4] syndication
 Greece Star Channel, Makedonia TV
 Turkey Kidz TV
 Poland TVN Style
 Russia Teleteen,[19] TV3,[20] Obzor TV[21]
 Venezuela Venevisión[22]
 Malaysia NTV7

Publications [edit]

Comic [edit]

Angel's Friends

First original comic cover.
Publication information
Publisher Play Press
Schedule Monthly, then bimonthly
Genre
Publication date March 2007 – January 2008
Number of issues 11
Creative team
Writer(s) Bruno Enna
Artist(s) Giada Perissinotto
Creator(s) Simona Ferri

The monthly publication of the comic Angel's Friends by Play Press began in March 2007. The printed version was edited by Red Whale and Yellow Whale, scripted by Bruno Enna and drawn by Giada Perissinotto. The publication was discontinued in January 2008 with the release of Chapter 14, A Spark in the Heart.

A second version of the comic, based on the cartoon, was published bimonthly by Preziosi Collection since 2009, in Angel's Friends Magazine.[23] It was discontinued after the release of No. 4.

Chapters of Play Press comic [edit]

  1. The Eternal Day (Italian: Il Giorno Eterno)
  2. The Watcher (Italian: L'Osservatore)
  3. Only Two Steps (Italian: Solo Due Passi)
  4. A Tiny Evil (Italian: Un Piccolo Male)
  5. Angels' City (Italian: La Città degli Angeli)
  6. Sulfus's Shadow (Italian: L'Ombra di Sulfus)
  7. The Neutralmancer (Italian: Il Neutromante)
  8. Secret-Blurter (Italian: Spiffera-Segreto)
  9. The Guardian (Italian: Il Custode)
  10. Never More Together (Italian: Mai Più Insieme)
  11. The Other Side of Love (Italian: L'Altra Faccia dell'Amore)
  12. The Susceptible Point (Italian: Il Punto Sensibile)
  13. Between Dream and Reality (Italian: Tra Sogno e Realtà)
  14. A Spark in the Heart (Italian: Una Scintilla nel Cuore)

Chapters of Preziosi comic [edit]

  1. Chasing the wind (Italian: Rincorrere il vento)
  2. Unsaid things (Italian: Le cose non dette)
  3. The storm (Italian: La tempesta)
  4. Between Good and Evil (Italian: Fra Bene e Male)

Books [edit]

Novels [edit]

Reception [edit]

In Italy, the first season got an average share of 8,2%, sometimes reaching 11%.[4]

In 2011, Renee Summers, American child and adolescent psychotherapist, wrote a review of Angel's Friends, saying: "I can strongly endorse this series as both developmentally appropriate entertainment for the 13-16 year old viewer and as an educational and maturational aid to this age group. Angel's Friends has an upbeat yet straightforward tone. [...] The characters are dealing with universal teen concerns: clothes, the opposite sex, going to parties, relating to adults and school work. [...] The series shows this period [adolescence] as a time to face challenges and choices that are often complicated, to believe in oneself, do what is right and often to resist temptations. Angel's Friends values good friends, who are there to support and help. Yet, ultimately the series seems to say that action has to be done by oneself. Bullying is looked down upon as well as external attempts to mask/hide insecurities. Angel's Friends sees growth as involving introspection but also promotes facing inevitable developmental changes head on and with a belief in oneself. Peer pressure is presented as a powerful force that is difficult for the adolescent to resist, but Angel's Friends adopts the viewpoint that above all else one must be true to one self. [...] The clarion message of the film is that to act in accordance with one's convictions of what is right is not only the developmentally mature stance, it is the way to experience enduring pride in oneself."[24]

References [edit]

  1. ^ Camerino, Francesca (12 October 2009). "Angel's Friends in onda dal 12 ottobre su Italia1." (in Italian). 
  2. ^ "Mondo TV, accordo con Play Entertainment per 2^ serie Angel's Friends" (in Italian). 12 January 2011. Retrieved 14 January 2012. 
  3. ^ "Anteprima TV del film di Angel's Friends.". Licensing Italia (in Italian). 8 April 2011. 
  4. ^ a b c d Camerino, Francesca (20 April 2010). "Angel's Friends sbarca in America e diventa anche film tv in onda su Italia1 a dicembre" (in Italian). 
  5. ^ "Showplace Television Syndication - Angel's Friends". 
  6. ^ "Angel's Friends Personaggi". Mondo TV (in Italian). 
  7. ^ Trailer of the first cartoon. 
  8. ^ "Angel's Friends". Stranemani website. 
  9. ^ Andrea Consonni (9 November 2010). "MONDO HOME ENTERTAINMENT - le uscite di dicembre" (in Italian). Retrieved 30 January 2012. 
  10. ^ "La primera temporada de Angels Friends en 8 Dvds en Chequia" (in Spanish). 24 June 2011. Retrieved 30 January 2012. 
  11. ^ "Dvds de Angels Friends" (in Spanish). 1 August 2011. Retrieved 30 January 2012. 
  12. ^ "Angel Friends en DVD en Rusia" (in Spanish). 1 August 2011. Retrieved 30 January 2012. 
  13. ^ Simone Ziggiotto (2 November 2010). "Disponibile il CD Angel's Friends nei negozi e download digitale." (in Italian). 
  14. ^ "Il cd di "Angel's Friends"" (in Italian). 2 November 2010. Retrieved 14 January 2012. 
  15. ^ Luca Rosati (15 July 2009). "Mediaset e Hiro: acquisiti i cartoni Angel' s Friends e Les Miserables - Shoujo Cosette" (in Italian). Retrieved 14 January 2012. 
  16. ^ "Nuovi accordi per il licensing di Angel's Friends" (in Italian). 3 September 2009. 
  17. ^ "Mondo TV e Angel's Friends: da ottobre su Mediaset" (in Italian). 8 July 2009. Retrieved 29 January 2012. 
  18. ^ "Novita' su Angel's Friends al Brand Licensing di Londra" (in Italian). 22 September 2009. Retrieved 15 January 2012. 
  19. ^ "Журнал "Друзья Ангелов"" (in Russian). 20 June 2011. Retrieved 28 January 2012. 
  20. ^ ""Друзья Ангелов" возвращаются на ТВ3!" (in Russian). 16 September 2011. Retrieved 28 January 2012. 
  21. ^ "Друзья ангелов (Angel's Friends)" (in Russian). 
  22. ^ "María Bonaria Fois: "We are Acquiring Latin American Catalogs to Take to Europe"". Retrieved 14 January 2012. 
  23. ^ "Angel's Friends Magazine N°1" (in Italian). 2009. Retrieved 30 January 2012. 
  24. ^ "Angel's Friends - Season 2011-2012 information". Retrieved 26 January 2012. 

External links [edit]

Retrieved from "http://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Angel%27s_Friends&oldid=555936307"