Silverwing | |
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Genre | |
Based on |
Silverwing by Kenneth Oppel |
Written by |
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Directed by | Keith Ingham |
Voices of |
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Composers |
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Country of origin |
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Original language | English |
No. of seasons | 1 |
No. of episodes | 13 ( list of episodes) |
Production | |
Producer | Cathy Schoch |
Editor | Don Briggs |
Running time | 22 minutes |
Production companies | |
Original release | |
Network | Teletoon |
Release | September 6 December 14, 2003 | –
Silverwing is a 2003 Canadian animated television series based on Kenneth Oppel's novel of the same name. It is a 2D animated series with elements of 3D animation. [2] [3]
Years before the migration, the animals started the Great Battle for the balance of nature and territories to all species. The bats were exiled from choosing sides, so Shade sets out on a journey to reason them.
Note: The episodes were released in the miniseries format as three television films, with new endings created for the first two parts. [4] They included A Glimpse of the Sun, Towers of Fire and Redemption. [5]
No. | Title | Original air date (Teletoon) [6] | |
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1 | "A Glimpse of the Son" | September 6, 2003 | |
After Shade inadvertently breaks the law, the owls destroy Tree Haven. | |||
2 | "No Bat is an Island" | September 7, 2003 | |
After being separated from the colony while migrating, Shade ends up on an island and meets Marina. He asks her to meet Frieda. | |||
3 | "Pigeon Court" | September 14, 2003 | |
Shade and Marina evade the pigeons at the city. | |||
4 | "Bat in the Belfry" | September 21, 2003 | |
Zephyr teaches Shade how to use echo projection. | |||
5 | "Dark Alliance" | September 28, 2003 | |
After meeting Goth and Throbb, Shade and Marina learn that the two are killing animals. | |||
6 | "Friends in Deed" | October 5, 2003 | |
Orestes frees Shade and Marina, and escape from the group of owls. After Orestes drives the bats from the power station, Goth gets electrocuted and falls unconscious. | |||
7 | "Everything Is Not Black and White" | October 12, 2003 | |
Shade and Marina ask Ursa to defend the animals from the wolves after a bear cub's mother is killed. Meanwhile, Goth regains consciousness. | |||
8 | "Deception" | November 2, 2003 | |
Shade and Marina continue evading Goth and Throbb, while Bathsheba briefly becomes the leader. | |||
9 | "I'm with the Band" | November 9, 2003 | |
At the mountains, Shade and Marina save a group of banded bats from Goth and Throbb, who steal the rest of the bands. Meanwhile, the colony arrives at the airport. | |||
10 | "Rats" | November 23, 2003 | |
After Romulus defeats Remus at the junkyard, Shade and Marina reunite with Orestes. As the colony and Bathsheba leave, Ariel, Frieda and Mercury survive the airport. | |||
11 | "Strange Batfellows" | November 30, 2003 | |
After distracting Goth and Throbb, Shade and his allies leave the mine. | |||
12 | "Hibernaculum" | December 7, 2003 | |
After arriving at Hibernaculum, Shade reunites with the colony, and Goth and Throbb recruit the wolves. | |||
13 | "Day of Judgment" | December 14, 2003 | |
After the bears defeat the wolves and Goth is killed by collapsing icicles, the animals congratulate the bats and permit them to fly outside night or day. |
The series was produced by Bardel Entertainment, with additional work done by the Philippine Animation Studio. [3] It was originally distributed by Bardel and B Wooding Media. [4] [7] [8]
Early plans as of 2001 consisted of a theatrical movie with a budget of US$25–30 million to be co-produced with the UK's Melwood Pictures, followed by a US$5 million TV series developed with participation from an unspecified American broadcaster. [9]
A second season of 13 episodes was announced to be in development in 2003, along with an online video game website with 13 levels to match the episodes. [10] The website had over 20 games available by mid-2004, [8] while the planned season was quietly shelved later that year. [11]
Silverwing was commissioned by and first aired on Teletoon in Canada in fall 2003. [7]
In the United States, the series was shown on Toon Disney's Jetix block in autumn 2005, [12] with Jetix later airing the show internationally. [13]
The full series has been released on DVD in the US [1] and the UK. [14]
Silverwing has had mostly positive reception.
Animation Magazine ran a six-part series about the show in 2003, [10] [15] viewing it as "a grand miniseries" that "really raises the bar in TV animation". [1] Common Sense Media described Silverwing as a "great kids' series" and gave it 4 out of 5 stars, adding however that its "complex, political story themes" may present difficulties for younger children. [16]
An encyclopedic review considered the series to be relatively accurate to the text, despite minor changes. "The program conducted its affairs well without stumbling and therefore stands as a high point in the often creatively checkered world of Canadian television animation." [5]
In contrast, one reviewer found the show to have poor animation and significant differences from the source material, particularly in terms of darker elements, while only praising the voice acting as "fantastic". [17]
Year | Association | Category | Nominee | Result | Ref. |
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2004 | Gemini Awards | Best Original Music Score for a Dramatic Series | Brian Carson, Ari Wise | Nominated | [18] |
2004 | Vancouver International Digital Festival (Vidfest [19]) | Interactive Design: Entertainment | Website: silverwing.tv | 2nd | [20] |