Origami Warriors

Taiwanese comic book created by Jhou Sian-Zong

Origami Warriors

摺紙戰士
Genre|

* Superhero

Author| Jhou Sian-Zong
Publisher| Ching Win (Taiwan)
Volumes| 22

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. This comic series includes the original series published volume in 1996 and 22 volumes in total, then Origami Fighters G published volume in 2003 and 19 volumes in total, and Origami Fighters A published volume in 2019 and in progress. It also released two one volume side stories Origami Fighters X (2009) and Origami Fighters F (2014), and two independent short stories Origami Q Fighters (one volume) and Origami Fighters W (digital only, it's full color comic).

An animated adaptation, with significant differences, was created by a Korean studio. Reminiscent of 2000's "monster collecting" anime, including a cast akin to the archetypes that would appear in said shows. An English dub for the adaptation was later made by Vitello Productions, and featured voice actors notable for roles in American cartoons. The dub, however, was scarcely distributed.

## Plot[edit]

Origami Fighters opens when Xiao-Jie 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 Genies, the folders could transform themselves into superhumans known as "Origami Fighters".

## Concept[edit]

Origami Fighters in the original series are super fighters formed by the fusion of human and origami spirit when they made a contract. After merging with spirit, they will also become the potential beast human (including plant fighters). Then in Origami Fighters G, Origami Fighters generally refer to people who use origami armor and summon spirit to use magic to fight. Although there is no need to fuse with spirit, the main characters are the descendants of beast humans, or modified beast humans and possess beast human genes.

In the original series, Origami Fighters are divided into twelve levels based on the color of the Origami Transformation Talisman. From highest to lowest are gold, silver, black, grey, white, red, orange, yellow, green, blue, indigo, and violet. If a low-level Origami Fighter defeats a high-level Origami Fighter, the low-level one will be promoted to the opponent's level.

Colors other than the twelve colors are the Origami Gadget Talisman.These can be used to summon any origami gadgets, weapons, means of transport, or guardians (usually as giant robots), except dragon head origami which only for use with Fighter Transformation Talisman / the origami for summoning spirit. The Gadget Talisman can be disassembled and reused and the Fighter Transformation Origami cannot be changed once it is folded complete.

In Origami Fighters G, since the Spirit World was destroyed, they used the new Stunning Color system (絕色系統) with no color levels.

## Characters[edit]

### Main characters[edit]

Wang Zhi-Zher / Wang Jhih-Jher  (王志哲)

The main protagonist. His nickname is Jher (小哲 Xiao-Zher). He as a fifth-grade elementary school student at the beginning.

His name 志哲 meaning "ambition" and "philosophy", while is also the inverted homonym of 摺紙 (zher-zhi, origami), and combined with his surname 王 (Wang, king), it's homonym of "origami king".

* Origami Fighter species: Legendary animals
* Elemental power (Magic type): Fire
* Fighter's special ability: Instant acceleration
* Spirit: Sky Dragon (天龍) (Dragon spirit)
* Transformation: Red Sky Dragon (紅色天龍) → Violet Sky Dragon (紫色天龍) → Black Sky Dragon (黑色天龍) → Stunning Color Sky Dragon (絕色天龍[1])

Zeng Li-Lian (曾麗蓮)

Jher's childhood friend. Her nickname is Lian (小蓮 Xiao-Lian), meaning "lotus".

* Origami Fighter species: Plants
* Elemental power (Magic type): Wood
* Fighter's special ability: Cures physical wounds
* Spirit: Lily (莉莉) (Flower spirit)
* Transformation: Yellow Flower Fairy (黃色花仙) → White Flower Fairy (白色花仙) → Stunning Color Flower Fairy (絕色花仙) (armor forme) → Stunning Color Flying Phoenix (絕色飛鳳) (in Origami Fighters X)

Su Dai-Zhi (蘇代止)

Jher and Lian's childhood friend. His nickname is Shudaizi (書呆子, meaning "bookworm", a homonym of Su Dai-Zhi)

* Origami Fighter species: Birds
* Elemental power (Magic type): Wind
* Fighter's special ability: Flight and enables others to fly
* Spirit: Bert (伯特) (Crane spirit)
* Transformation: Violet Crane (紫色靈鶴) → Orange Crane (橙色靈鶴) → Black Crane (黑色靈鶴) → Stunning Color Crane (絕色靈鶴) (armor forme)

Bi Zhi (畢直)

Jher and the others's classmate. His nickname is Pizi (痞子, meaning "ruffian", a homonym of Bi Zhi, while it has a bit of a humorous meaning here)

* Transformation: Golden Wandering Dragon (金色遊龍)

Dakr Wolf (達克·沃夫)

His name is a transcription of the word "dark".

* Transformation: Blue Werewolf (藍色狼人) → Green Werewolf (綠色狼人) → Grey Lightning Wolf (閃電灰狼) → Stunning Color Running Wolf (絕色奔狼) (armor forme)

Lyu Mei-Si (呂美斯) / Miss Lyu (呂老師, meaning "Teacher Lyu")

* Transformation: White Off-road Bunny (白色越野兔) → Black Off-road Bunny (黑色越野兔) → Stunning Color Off-road Bunny (絕色越野兔) (armor forme)

Kuang Long (狂龍)

Son of the chief of Black League.

His name 狂龍 meaning "wild dragon".

* Transformation: Black Wild Dragon (黑色狂龍)

Yi-Shan (宜珊)

* Transformation: Yellow Sunflower (黃色向日葵) → Orange Sunflower (橙色向日葵) → Red Sunflower (紅色向日葵) → Plant Beast Human

Bell (貝兒)

* Transformation: Silver Breaking-sky Phoenix (破空銀鳳) → Stunning Color Wonder Phoenix (絕色神鳳) (armor forme)

### Others[edit]

Wang Dong-Dian (王動殿) / Dr. Wang (王博士)

Jher's dad.

* Transformation: Silver Battle Marmot (銀色戰鼠[2])

Mei-Yu (美玉)

Jher's mom.

* Transformation: Violet Cloud Owl (紫色雲梟) → Red Cloud Owl (紅色雲梟)

Wu Qíng (吳擎)

The captain of Police Tactical Unit, later the commander in chief of United Earth Forces / Asia division.

* Transformation: Silver Fighting Snake (銀色鬥蛇)

Su Bu-Qi (蘇步棋)

Su Dai-Zhi's dad.

### Black League[edit]

Kuang Yan-Yi-Lang (狂炎一郎, since it is Japanese name, its Japanese pronunciation is probably Kyo Enichiro)

The chief of Black League.

* Transformation: Golden Dragon Emperor (金色龍皇) → Dark Demon Dragon Emperor (闇魔龍皇)

Black Rose (黑玫瑰)

The deputy chief of Black League. She can transform into Black Rose (黑色玫瑰) and use wood magic.

Heliu (希留)

The one of three major bodyguards of Black League. He can transform into White Flying Dragon (白色飛龍) and use water magic.

Bellter (蓓兒特)

The one of three major bodyguards of Black League. She can transform into Silver Breaking-sky Phoenix and use wind magic.

Leo (里歐)

The one of three major bodyguards of Black League. He can transform into Grey Earth Lion (大地灰獅) and use earth magic. Later he can transforms into the multiple experimental subject, combine the power of three origami Grey Earth Lion, Red Hawk and Violet Poisonous Snake, and can use earth, wind and electric three type magic.

## Animated adaptation[edit]

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 combining with their Genies to become Origami Warriors, the characters simply summon their Genies. Also, instead of the various adventures and the results of world war in the original series, the characters are all competitors of the "Origami Combat Competition". The character designs are also more contemporary of 2000's anime rather than the manhua's style, reminiscient of 1980's manga. The series is also less violent than the original source material.

The first episode was dubbed into English in 2008 by Vitello Productions as a sales pilot, which localized character names, had new music and featured the voices of Rob Paulsen, Kath Soucie and Cam Clarke.[3] This English dubbed episode was available on Toon Goggles, until 2017.

### Characters[edit]

Wang Zhi-Zher / Wang Jhih-Jher (王志哲, ワン・ジージェ Wan Jīje) / Rico

Voiced by: Wang Ji-Cheol (Korean), Rob Paulsen (English)

Zeng Li-Lian (曾麗蓮, ゼン・リーリャン Zen Rīrian) / Jasmine

Voiced by: Jeong Yeo-Rin (Korean), Kath Soucie (English)

Su Dai-Zhi (蘇代止, スー・タイジ Sū Daiji) / Atticus

Voiced by: Seo Dae-Jin (Korean), Cam Clarke (English)

Bi Zhi (畢直, ブルタンク Burutanku) / Korean: Toongi (퉁이)

DaKr / Dark (達克, ダーキー Dākī) / Hyeon, Dal-Kook (현달국, 玄達國)

Kuang Long (狂龍, マシュー・クァン Mashū Kuan) / Kwang Yong (광룡, 狂龍)

### Staff[edit]

* Original work: "Origami Warriors" by Jhou Sian-Zong (周顯宗)
* Production: Origami Warriors Committee
* Setting: Jo Jang Hee/Junki Takegami
* Brochure: Kim Eon Jeong/Yasuo Shizuya, Sakachi Ohashi, Takashi Yamada, Tadashi Hayakawa
* Character design: Wi Hyeon Soo/Hiroyuki Taiga, Matsushita Hiromi/Kazuko Tadano
* Artwork: Jang Yoon cheol/Katsuhiro Hashi
* Color 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-based creators: Yoon Joon yeong/Jeong In Soo
* Design: Song Cheong Hwa/Moon Se Rim
* Creative producers: Lee Kyeong Sook/Kim Jae Young/Kwon Yeong Sook
* Producers: Kwon Ho Jin/Seong Ha Mook/No Jeong Hyeon
* Animation production: Hong Jemina/Kang Seok Woo, Kim Jeong Kyoo/An Yoo Seop
* Directors: Park Woo Hyun/Ami Tomobuki

### Music[edit]

The opening and ending themes are performed by TVXQ.

"Free your mind"

* Song composer: Kim Yeong Hoo
* Music composer: Kim Yeong Hoo/William Pyeon
* Lab creation: Brian Joo
* Vocals: TVXQ

"Your LOVE is all I need"

* Song composer: Steven "SJ" Lee
* Music composer: JoJo Bee
* Vocals: DBSK

## Reception[edit]

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.[4]

## References[edit]

1. ^ 絕色 also refers to colorless / transparent here, and also known as Jet Sky Dragon in the comic appendix as English title.
2. ^ 鼠 meaning "rat", here refers to 土撥鼠 marmot.
3. ^ "Vitello Productions".
4. ^ "Not Just a Paper Tiger". Taiwan Review. 2006-01-01.