Western Albania’s “ATV” channel only dubbed sea
Western Albania’s “ATV” channel only dubbed seasons 1-4 of Winx Club.
Season 5 never aired because of censorship seasons 1-4 and due to the creator of Winx Club, Igino Straffi, HATING THIS DUB AND COMPLAINED TO ATV AFTER THE IMPORTANT CLIPS WERE CUT, they did air season 5 but subtitled in albanian with italian audio, instead of dubbing it.
Season 5 transformations introduced:
Harmonix
Sirenix
The year was 2006. In the Albanian coastal town of Durrës, a young girl named Elona sat glued to the television screen, her eyes wide with wonder. “Winx Club,” the cartoon about magical fairies, had just arrived on ATV, the local channel, and Elona was captivated.
The dubbing, while a little rough around the edges, was endearing. The fairies’ voices, though not perfect, felt authentically Albanian, their personalities shining through. Elona and her friends spent countless hours discussing the latest episodes, their imaginations soaring with the adventures of Bloom, Stella, Flora, Musa, Tecna, and Aisha.
But something was missing. Certain scenes, often those dealing with love and romance, were abruptly cut, replaced with an awkward fade-to-black. The girls were perplexed, but kept watching, their fascination with the magical world undeterred.
Then, Season 4 premiered. It was the season of the “Fairy Godmothers” arc, where the Winx encountered the powerful, ancient beings who were supposed to be their mentors. But the magic of this arc was somewhat muted. The “Godmothers” were portrayed as figures of authority, their magic shrouded in mystery and reverence. This contrasted sharply with the whimsical and playful nature of the previous seasons.
Rumours started circulating. Whispers spread among the children of Durrës, carried on the wind like the scent of freshly baked baklava. ATV had censored some of the episodes, cutting out scenes they deemed inappropriate. No one knew why, but whispers of an angry creator reached Elona’s ears. The man, Igino Straffi, was said to be furious with the way his beloved Winx were being portrayed. The dubbing, with its simplified dialogue and awkwardly cut scenes, was a far cry from the original.
Elona, along with her friends, felt a pang of sadness. Their cherished show, the one that ignited their imaginations and filled their days with joy, had been tampered with. It felt like a betrayal.
Season 5, the season of “Harmonix” and “Sirenix,” arrived. But the magic was gone. The episodes aired with Italian audio, with Albanian subtitles. The voices, those iconic voices, were replaced by strange sounds, a stark reminder of the censorship that had marred the previous seasons. The transformative power of the “Harmonix” and “Sirenix” transformations, once a source of excitement and wonder, were muted by the language barrier.
Elona and her friends were heartbroken. The show they loved had been forever altered, its magic dimmed by the intervention of those who couldn’t understand its power. They would never forget the days of the dub, the imperfect yet endearing portrayal of their favorite fairies, a reminder that even with its flaws, it had brought them joy and a sense of belonging. They continued to watch, their eyes glued to the screen, but the magic was gone, replaced by a heavy silence, a testament to the power of censorship and the fragile nature of childhood wonder.
