Encantadia debuts new look, teasers at NexCon 2016

It may have taken ten years for Encantadia fans to meet its creators, but the wait was well worth it. Director Mark Reyes and lead concept artist Noel Flores took the stage at NexCon 2016, their first official meetup with fans outside the thriving online community, to talk about its new incarnation set for broadcast within the 3rd quarter of the year.

But, first a clarification: it’s not a reboot, it’s a “requel”.

The Encantadia 'requel'

“It’s based on the mythology of Encantadia, but we’re going to fix things that we thought needed fixing in the original run,” says Reyes. “There are a lot of things that will be familiar and that will feel nostalgic, but there will be new twists and characters that will surprise viewers.” 

Plans to bring back the groundbreaking fantasy franchise began as early as 2010 but it wasn’t until late 2015 that network management gave the go-signal. “Our marching orders were to outdo the 2006 series,” shares Reyes, who adds that the creative team took advantage of the latest available technology to improve the show’s aesthetic, from a fully animatronic Imaw to 3-D printed costume components. The production also uses HD cameras despite broadcast constraints and is looking to explore alternative platforms where the series can be viewed in high definition.

Game-changing worldbuilding

If Reyes’s decision to shoot with HD cameras for a standard definition broadcast seems frivolous, the concept art presented by Flores more than justifies its use. The scale and breadth of Encantadia’s fantasy world was unprecedented for a daily television series aired in 2005. In the years that followed, he would continue to sketch ideas and studies, some of which have made its way into the “requel’s” expanded world.

“One of my major considerations [for the requel] was designing for the millennial generation, the gaming generation,” he says. Flores explains that—thanks to video games and MMORPGs, not to mention the popularity of Game of Thrones and other fantasy adaptations—this particular demographic has come to expect extensive worldbuilding and backstory.

“Every adventure begins with a map,” Flores proclaims, as he presents various renderings of Encantadia’s map, marking the world’s geopolitical boundaries—which includes a subtle scknowledgment to the series’ predecessor, Mulawin. He adds, to the delight of fans, “This is only one-fourth of the world of Encantadia.”  Each of the original four kingdoms—now officially three kingdoms and a controlled territory—have distinct heraldry inspired by the elements they represent, which is also tied to their power jewels. The elemental theme is also carried out in their respective palace interiors and exteriors: Lireo (air) has towering, glass-like structures while Hathoria (fire) has jagged edges and glowing embers that bring to mind active volcanoes. Glimpses of various character designs were presented but not elaborated on to avoid spoilers; with the exception of Marian Rivera’s Ynang Reyna, casting of the new Sang’gres and other major players remain under wraps. “Keep an open mind,” Reyes cautions. “There are reasons why we chose the cast, which will become clear once the story progresses.”

But perhaps the most exciting addition for hardcore fantasy fans is the creation of a working syllabic alphabet for the world’s primary languages. Enchan’s flourishes are obviously inspired by our own baybayin, while Hathoria’s script is reminiscent of Tolkien’s dwarven runes. Devas ideographs, previously seen only as the jewel’s symbols, have been expanded include the jewel’s representative values.

Engaging the fans

Unlike other shows of its genre, Encantadia’s fandom was sustained beyond its airing. Case in point: there were four cosplayers dressed up as the original Sang’gre’s at NexCon. Fanart is shared online. A Facebook fan page, Encantadia Saga, has over 12,000 likes and active discussion threads. All this to say that the announcements made by Reyes and Flores were met with much enthusiasm. At the open forum that followed, fans suggested cross-platform spinoffs like art books, games and apps; some of them even inquired about contributing concept art and building costumes. These were also met with enthusiasm by Reyes, who promised to set up mechanisms to give fans the chance to work in the series, as artists, designers, or even as costumed extras in a Mos Eisley cantina-inspired scene.

“One more thing,” Reyes announced before debuting Encantadia 2016’s never-before-seen interstitials. “Enca Con is coming.” — TJD, GMA News

The Encantadia cast will be announced later today, Monday, April 4, on the 6:30 p.m. broadcast of 24 Oras.