Origami Warriors

Origami Warriors (Taiwanese translation: Origami Fighters, Chinese: 摺紙戰士) is a Taiwanese comic book created by Jhou Sian Zong and published by the Ching Win Company. The comic was published in a series of 22 books and followed in 2003 by Origami Fighter Generation.

An animated adaptation, with significant differences, was created by a Korean studio.

Plot

Origami Fighters opens when Xiao Zhe and two other children come across several pieces of paper and a book showing ways to fold them into different shapes. The material turns out to be an ancient hi-tech gadget that, when folded properly, turns into a Genie. By further contract with the Genie, the folders could transform them self into super human known as "Origami Fighters."

Characters

Wang, Jhih-Jie (王志哲,ワン・ジージェ)

Nickname is Xiao-Jie 小哲. Xiao is a former particle word, Jie means philosophy.

• Origami Fighter Species: Dragon
• Elemental Power: Fire and Negative Energy( Learned at the very end of the series.)
• Fighter special skill: instant acceleration.
• Transform: Sky Dragon

(KR)Wang, Ji-Cheol (왕지철, 王志哲)
(EN)Rob Paulsen.

Zeng, Li-Lian (曾麗蓮,ゼン・リーリャン),

Nickname is Xiao-Lian 小蓮, meaning lotus.

• Origami Fighter Species: Flower
• Elemental Power: Wood
• Fighter special skill: cures physical wounds.
• Transform: Lotus Fairy

(KR) Jeong, Yeo-Rin (정여린, 鄭麗吝), nickname is Jasmine.

Su, Dai-Jhih (蘇代止,スー・タイジ)

Nickname is Shu-Dai-Zih 書呆子 (マジメくん), a homonym of "bookworm".

• Origami Fighter Species: Crane
• Elemental Power: Wind
• Fighter special skill: Flight and enables others to fly.
• Transform: Eagle

(KR) Seo, Dae-Jin (서대진, 徐代進), nickname is Lingling. A smart geek classmate of Ji Cheol. He has good memory and good boy without any fault. He is observative, exploring and has a habit of noting everything. He is famous among friends and stays cool at the times. He controls the Origami beasts in contract with Ling Ling, the spirit of crane.

• Bi, Jhih (畢直,ブルタンク), nickname is Pi-Zih 痞子, means ruffian, but it also means having a joke in Chinese.

(KR) Toongi (퉁이). Rather mysterious character. H likes Jeong, Yeo Lin and sometimes interferes. He has a mercenary spirit and tends to value money than friendship. But he is known as the professional among Origami warriors since he is skillful in machine manufacturing and construction. He can make many vehicles with Origami papers. In the manga, he initially had no ability to call the spirits, but in the later chapters, he obtained a golden dragon genie.

• Da-Kr (達克,ダーキー), transliteration of dark.

(KR) Hyeon, Dal-Kook (현달국, 玄達國). A student of professor Wang and make the children get to know the Origami civilization. He has special ability to transform himself to very handsome man or tough guy, and is mysterious figure who live in luxury apartment. He contracts with Paoran, the spirit of Wolf by himself, and controls the Origami beasts.

• Kuang, Long (狂龍,マシュー・クァン), means wild dragon.

(KR) Kwang, Yong (광룡, 狂龍). A mysterious boy who appears suddenly when the heroes are in trouble and disappears. He seems to be related to the gang of evil that tries to uncover Origami secret and seems to have special relation with Ji Cheol. He controls the Origami beasts under contract with Huolong, a black dragon.

Adaptation

An animated television series based on the comic book was produced by Dong Woo Animation and debuted in Taiwan in 2004. It aired in Japan on TV Tokyo in 2005; and in 2006, it became the first Taiwanese cartoon shown on South Korean television when it premiered on SBS. The staff include animators from Hong Kong, Japan and South Korea. Beside borrowing the idea of origami from the comic series, the story and characters of the animation series are greatly altered. Instead of combine with their Genies to become Origami Warriors, the characters simply summon their Genies. Also, instead of the adventures and the results of world war in the original series, the characters are all competitors of the "Origami Combat Competition". It was dubbed into English in 2008 which featured the voice of Rob Paulsen.

Staff

• Original work: "Origami Warriors" Jhou Sian-Zong 周顯宗
• Production: Origami Warriors Committee
• Setting: Jo Jang Hee/Junki Takegami
• Answer Brochure: Kim Eon Jeong/Yasuo Shizuya, Sakachi Ohashi, Takashi Yamada, Tadashi Hayakawa
• Character: Wi Hyeon Soo/Hiroyuki Taiga, Matsushita Hiromi/Kazuko Tadano
• Art: Jang Yoon cheol/Katsuhiro Hashi
• Coloring Design: Lee Seon ho/Rumiko Nagai
• Technical Director: Nam Goong jin
• Marketing: Han Jeong Hoon, Kim Eun Joo, Bak Chung Seok, Kook Yeong Ja
• Advertising: Bae Seon Yeong
• Web Creator: Yoon Joon yeong/Jeong In Soo
• Design: Song Cheong Hwa/Moon Se Rim
• Creative Producer: Lee Kyeong Sook/Kim Jae Young/Kwon Yeong Sook
• Make Producer: Kwon Ho Jin/Seong Ha Mook/No Jeong Hyeon
• Animation Producer: Hong Jemina/Kang Seok Woo, Kim Jeong Kyoo/An Yoo Seop
• Director: Park Woo Hyun/Ami Tomobuki

Music

The opening and ending themes are performed by TVXQ.

• Opening:「Free your mind (Featuring TRAX)」
• Ending:「Your LOVE is all I need」

"FREE YOUR MIND"

• Song Composer: Kim Yeong Hoo
• Music Composer: Kim Yeong Hoo/William Pyeon
• Lab Making: Brian Joo
• Singer: TVXQ

"YOUR LOVE IS ALL I NEED"

• Song Composer: Steven "SJ" Lee
• Music Composer: JoJo Bee
• Singer: DBSK

Reception

Origami Warriors won the 2002 award for most popular children's comic from the Chinese Publishers' Foundation and the Comic Artist Labor Union in Taipei.^[1]

References