Emiko Of The Doors

Emiko Of The Doors (ENG: Mystical World Of The Door Keepers) is a Japanese-American Anime TV series released on Animax and ran from 2009 to 2010. It is the first TV anime created and sponsored by the Walt Disney Company. Around that time an English Dub was released on Funimation as well as on Disney XD with the help of Saban Entertainment, making it one of the first Disney XD shows to air. It features different changes from the original Japanese dub. This includes most of the name changes, different titles, many edits to change for the english audience and a new theme song. Though some original compositions from the Japanese dub returned for the english dub, many other background music was composed solely for the dub by an American composer. It was animated by Toei Animation and directed by Izumi Todo who also worked on the Pre Cure series, claiming that this was an experiment to bring a similar anime like Pre Cure into a different world and light.

Though the original Japanese Dub was received with positive reviews, the English dub was received with mixed to average reviews (Sometimes even negative reviews) and was criticised for the way the dub was handled. This included new dialogue and editing choices, the localisation of names and other parts of the anime and new soundtrack, but the musical numbers, animation and voice acting were received with positive acclaim. The english dub currently holds a 6.7 on IMDB (It doesn't cause it doesn't exist.)

SYNOPSIS
Emiko Shibata (ENG: Emma Smith) is your typical 13 year old school girl. All about romance, loves listening to music and just trying to fit in with those more popular. However she has a trait that stands out from the others, she loves storybooks. From Cinderella to Treasure Island. Soon, her world changes when she encounters a strange door in her school cellar. Now after encountering and joining a strange creature companion named Nelli and finding strange and chaotic things emerging in her town, she must find become someone new and travel through the door to find the source. Which means she will be travelling to various Disney worlds. But along the way, she won't be alone. Soon she will encounter new friends and blossom a new romance.

(NOTE FROM CREATOR OF ARTICLE: Because I am overwhelmed with loads more projects, I will not be including a lot from both fandubs and only one I chose from a randomiser/being the english dub.)

MAIN CHARACTERS
Emiko Shibata (ENG: Emma Smith): The main protagonist of the series and the first member of the Door Girls. She is a 13 year old girl from the fictional Japanese town called Fanasia. (In the english dub, Fanasia is on an island near Rhode Island, America.) She loves stories and reading them, mainly the ones with fairytales of romance. She also inspires to become a popstar. She is very determined and cheerful, but can also act very short-tempered and immature. Her signature colour is Red and her main attack is Starlock Shower (ENG DUB: Starlight Starbright). She is voiced by Kanae Ito in Japan and Stephanie Sheh in the English dub.

Shigeka Kumi (ENG: Skyler Kendrison): The second member of the Door girls. A wealthy and fancy 14 year old girl who loves fashion, modelling and very expensive and antique things. She lives in a mansion just outside of Fanasia with her Uncle. Despite being a spoilt girl, she is actually really understanding and wise. Though at times she can also act very dramatic. Her signature colour is Orange and her main attack is Citrine Solar (ENG DUB: Diamondbeam Strike). She is voiced by Atsumi Tanezaki in Japan and Luci Christian in the English dub.

Mayumi Ao (ENG: Marianne Abbey): The third member of the Door girls. She is the oldest of the four at 16 years old. She is a tomboy who is very athletic and attends a very gifted school from a different state that specialises in sports. She has won many awards for her athletics and skills in baseball. She can be a very laidback and carefree girl at times but is full on tough and feisty. Sometimes her personality can result to her jumping to conclusions. Her signature colour is indigo and her main attack is Gravity Impact (ENG: Gravity Drop). She is voiced by Rina Sato in Japan and Kari Wahlgren in the English Dub.

Chitose Iru (ENG: Charlotte Ivy): The fourth member of the Door girls. A 13 year old exchange student who had originally came from a Japanese family living in Australia, but recently moved back to Japan. She is an introvert who can be shy but very mature. She is also very smart and is able to think of quick solutions. Though she can also be quite stern. Her signature colour is lavender purple and her main attack is Total Eclipse (ENG: MoonShine). She is voiced by Aya Uchida in Japan and Katherine Beck in the English Dub.

Yayato Hagami (ENG: Yan-Lu Hong): The guardian of the Door girls and the love interest of Emiko (Emma). A 15 year old boy from Osaka (In the english version, he is an exchange student from Korea). He is fun-loving but is also very resourceful. But he can act like a jerk and be childish especially to Emiko. Because he's not a door keeper but a guardian, he uses barricades and a "block out" book to conjure magic and fight enemies. He is voiced by Miyu Irino in Japan and Johnny Yong Bosch in the English Dub.

Nelli: The humanoid creature that is the main companion of Emiko and also serves as the mascot to the Door girls. A royal angel that guides Emiko to becoming a Door girl and the basics of protecting doors. She is voiced by Yuki Takada in Japan and Xanthe Huynh in the English Dub.

SUPPORTING CHARACTERS
Izu Muninimi (ENG: Izabelle Merry): Emiko's (Emma) School friend. A 13 year old girl with a personality opposite to Emiko. Unlike her friend's rambunctious and confident personality, Izu (Izabelle) is a pessimist, very timid and has trouble making friends. But she also serves as a peacemaker and wants to make things equal between everyone. Unfortunately, she often gets teased for liking cute things. She is voiced by Kana Hanazawa in Japan and Kate Higgins in the English Dub.

Utsuma Nagae (ENG: Ursula Noella): Emiko (Emma) and Izu's (Izabelle) school rival and bully. A 15 year old popular girl joined by two other's from her pack. She always treats the younger kids like they aren't as good as her and when it comes to Emiko and Izu it's no exception. She is haughty, mischievous and egoistic. It is eventually revealed in season 2 there is a reason behind this. She is voiced by Satomi Sato in Japan and Ashly Burch in the English Dub.

Azumi Tsubasa (ENG: Anna Trudy): A member of Utsuma's (Ursula's) pack. A 15 year old girl. As the two sidekicks are based off the Ugly Stepsisters from Cinderella, Azumi is based off of Anastasia. She is very clumsy and can most of the time not understand what she's doing or what's going on. However, she is very sympathetic and has a soft spot for animals. Sometimes she even goes out of her way to help the main protagonists. She is voiced by Rina Hidaka in Japan and Erin Fitzgerald in the English Dub.

Daisuna Toyonagi (ENG: Delilah Taryn): A member of Utsuma's (Ursula's) pack. A 15 year old girl. As the two sidekicks are based off the Ugly Stepsisters from Cinderella, Daisuna/Delilah is based off of Drizella. Unlike Azumi/Anna, Daisuna/Delilah is more vain, selfish, short tempered and more willing to follow along with Utsuma/Ursula but that loyalty often makes her spit out motives and act obsessive over her. This is eventually toned down in Season 2 after the secret is revealed. She is voiced by Chigusa Ikeda in Japan and Colleen Ann Villard in the English Dub.

THE SHIBATA FAMILY (ENG: THE SMITH FAMILY)
Emiko/Emily's family consisting of her father, her younger sister and her late mother.

Kaisho Shibata (ENG: Kenny Smith): The single father of the Shibata/Smith family. After the untimely passing of his wife, he was left to look after his family. Though a very compassionate, kind hearted and wise man, he has to provide lots for the family as an entomologist and so is a very busy and overwhelmed man. He also still expresses some sort of grief for his wife but has learned to cherish that grief and use it to create happy memories. But unlike her, he is more realistic and less adventurous when it comes to how he approaches life. He is voiced by Tetsuya Iwanaga in Japan and Crispin Freeman in the English Dub.

Ryoka Shibata (ENG: Rae Smith): Emiko/Emma's 9 year old sister. Like her older sister, Ryoka/Rae is cheerful, short-tempered and immature. But she is more rambunctious, energetic and has more tomboyish interests while still maintaining an attitude that her sister has. She is more prone to getting dirty, is loud and loves horseback riding, but still has her feminine qualities like wanting to become popular and being a romantic. She is voiced by Eri Kitamura in Japan and Jules De Jongh in the English Dub.

Hisato Shibata (ENG: Heidi Smith): Emiko/Emma and Ryoko/Rae's late mother and Kaisho/Kenny's late wife. Hisato is a motherly, kind and compassionate lady with a love for fairytales and believing in the magical, but at the same maintains a wild and humorous charm to her and isn't afraid to take risks as she also worked as a Zoologist. She died in a plane crash when Ryoka/Rae was 2 years old. She is voiced by Yuko Kaida in Japan and Bernadette Peters in the English Dub.

ANTAGONISTS
The Ombrea: The necromancer of all the locksmiths of shadows. She is the main antagonist of the entire series. In the dawn of the gateways, the stars that were lost formed into tiny specs of darkness and the biggest star transformed into Ombrea. She is cunning, scheming and never takes no for an answer and controls the shadows desiring to rule the universe for being left behind. She usually is in cahoots with many of the other villains in the series. She is voiced by Misa Watanabe in Japan and Susanne Blakeslee in the English Dub

Umbring: The Ombrea's main servant and henchman. A secondary antagonist to supporting protagonist in the series. He is The Ombrea's most loyal henchman, but she doesn't see it in him and emotionally bullies him. Though he is mischievous and sometimes manipulative, he is also goofy, clumsy and proud. In the 2nd season, he stands up against The Ombrea and betrays her. He is voiced by Noriaki Sugiyama in Japan and Andrew Rannells in the English Dub.

The Shadows: The Ombrea's other minions. They can shapeshift into any sort of beast or humanoid and use their powers of darkness to transfer them into their shapeshifting powers. They usually terrorise the Disney Worlds and Fanasia often. They are voiced by Frank Welker in both Japan and the English Dub.

SEASON 1

 * 1) Rise And Shine Emma, A New World Awaits!

Plot: Emma Smith is an an average 13 year old with a love for storybooks and desires to show that to the world around her and become popular. Though her life is a happy one, she still has her bad luck. But she doesn't let her guard down and believes in the magic of happiness! So when a hurricane hits her town and she's trapped inside the school, she finds that there's more to the storm than she thinks. So when she finds a magical key to a storybook at the corner of the library as well as a royal angel fairy named Nelli, a new world awaits her!

Song: My World Comes Alive! (Vocals: Emiko/Emma)/My World Comes Alive Reprise (Vocals: Emiko/Emma - Nelli)

2. In A Rich Girls World!

Plot: While walking home from school, Emma bumps into a girl named Skyler Kendrison. But there's something about her. She's not just an ordinary girl. She's an extremely wealthy girl who lives in a big mansion complete with her very own butler! Skyler soon decides to hold a sleepover for her and Emma while her parents are out for the night. Though reluctant at first, Emma has one of the best sleepovers she has ever been too! But that all changes when she and Skyler hear a crash in the night. And when Emma goes to investigate, she finds that it's not just a few things falling off. It's a shadow! Emma tries to fight back and transform, but when Skyler comes into the picture she soon sees that Skyler also has a new world awaiting her!

Song: Welcome Home! (Vocals: Shigeka/Skyler)

3. Door Girls First Steps.

Plot: With now two girls recruited for the Door Girls, Nelli teaches Emma and Skyler all there is to know about being a Door Keeper including training with their powers, the enemies they fight and even teaching the two about other doors to new other worlds that the shadows could potentially invade (Which she says will only come into play when everyone is recruited). At first Emma and Skyler have a fun time and even have a few laughs learning the skills of a door girl. But Nelli keeps getting fed up with their antics and bosses them around too much! But soon enough they get interrupted by more shadows and learn of the one behind them. But without much training knowledge, Emma and Skyler have no choice but to see that they both got to play a laugh and be serious!

Song: Gotta Lot To Learn (Vocals: Nelli)

4. No Jokes For Trouble.

Plot: Emma and Skyler don't have many troubles in their life. Except when it comes to the meanest and brattiest of girls! When they go to see Izabelle in class, they find she's being bullied by the older and most popular girls in school! Ursula Noella, Anna Trudy and Delilah Taryn! Izabelle feels that maybe there was a reason but Emma and Skyler try to convince her to stand up for herself or else it could get worse. Unfortunately, Izabelle believes she doesn't have the courage to stand up for herself. So Emma and Skyler teach her basics to courage, despite Izabelle and Nelli's fears. But when once again the shadows attack the school science room as well as Ursula and her goons, there will have to come a time where Emma and Skyler fight back. But when Izabelle is blamed, will she show she has courage?

Song: Courage (Vocals: Emiko/Emma - Shigeka/Skyler - Izu/Izabelle)

5. A Lady And A Tramp.

Plot: Emma sleeps in and runs late for school again. But while rushing to get to the bus she bumps into an exchange student from Korea named Yan-Lu Hong who's just a little older than her! But it isn't all fun and games when she and Yan-Lu begin arguing over the first impressions and begin teasing each other. That's when everyone begins thinking that Emma has a crush on him and they are love at first sight which Emma gets frustrated by and denies! When they get into an argument at class and tease each other again, the teacher tries explaining to them that even the newest of students should not only be shown kindness, but they also need to be respected back and so that can be put into good use! Especially when the shadows visit!

Song: Better Than You'll Ever Be! (Vocals: Emiko/Emma - Yayato/Yan-Lu Hong)

6. Three Strikes, You're Out!

Plot: Emma's having a rough day. First she's got an after school detention for talking loudly in class and now she has no one to sit with at Lunch due to her friends being busy. But the pace is picked back up a bit when she's accidentally hit by a baseball and gets introduced to a senior girl named Marianne Abbey. One of the greatest athletes in the school and a member of the baseball team. Though Emma believes she's not cut out to befriend such a more popular and more talented girl than herself she agrees to sit with them for lunch much to the rest of the team's dismay. Later on in the week when Marianne has a baseball tournament, it gets put on hold by none other than the shadows themselves! But could this be a new point in the door girls team?