Encantadia is a Filipino fantasy television series. It was created by Suzette Doctolero, and it premiered on GMA Network in 2005. In 2016, it got a reboot series.
The four kingdoms of Encantadia - Adamya, Sapiro, Lireo, and Hathoria - are guarded by four Sang'gre (princess) sisters, Alena, Danaya, Amihan, and Pirena. The four each guard one of four powerful gems: the Brilyante ng Tubig (Gemstone of Water), the Brilyante ng Lupa (Gemstone of Earth), the Brilyante ng Hangin (Gemstone of Air), the Brilyante ng Apoy (Gemstone of Fire), respectively. These gemstones are essential for balancing the power in Encantadia. But one day, the Hathors from Hathoria threaten to take all four gems for themselves, causing a hostility between them and the other three kingdoms.
The 2005 series consists of three installments: the original Encantadia (Book 1), Etheria (Book 2), and Encantadia: Pag-ibig Hanggang Wakas (Book 3).
A sequel to the 2016 series entitled Sang'gre is in production. It will focus on the missing daughter of Sang'gre Danaya.
Encantadia contains the following tropes:
- Color-Coded Elements: Some minor variations are used compared to most uses of this trope: air is white/blue, water is green, earth is yellow-brown, and fire is the more conventional red.
- Conlang: The inhabitants of Encantadia speak a fictional language called Enchanta, which is inspired by both the Filipino language and Romance languages.
- Continuity Reboot: The 2016 reboot resets the locations, plot, etc.
- Crossover: Mulawin: The Movie is a crossover with Encantadia.
- Dragons Are Demonic: Arde, one of the bathalas that helped to create Encantadia, is punished for attempting to assassinate fellow bathala Emre by being turned into a dragon and being made to guard Vala'ak, Encantadia's hell/underworld.
- Dual Wielding: Danaya and Pirena in the original 2005 run.
- Elemental Powers: The gemstones guarded by the Sang'gre sisters each represent an elemental power - air, earth, fire, and water. Each of the sisters have powers and personalities that fit their respective element as well.
- Amihan the Sang'gre of Wind is the most skilled fighter of the sisters and can fly.
- Pirena the Sang'gre of Fire is a Voluntary Shapeshifter.
- Alena the Sang'gre of Water wields Magic Music.
- Danaya the Sang'gre of Earth is a Combat Medic.
- Evil Is Burning Hot: The antagonists of the show are the Hathors from Hathoria, representing the element of fire.
- Flying Seafood Special: Flying manta rays are among Sapiro's wildlife.
- Inconsistent Episode Lengths: Episodes in both versions of the series can be anywhere from 22 minutes to 35 minutes in length.
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Licensed Game: The 2016 reboot of the series has a licensed mobile game called Encantadia Blast. - Lie Detector: In the 2016 series, the Brilyantes have the capability to determine whether a given Encantado is speaking the truth or not.
- Light Is Not Good: In the 2005 series, Arde, the evil god of the underworld, dons gold-and-white-colored clothing. His dragon form has the same color scheme.
- Magic Knight: In the original 2005 run, the Sang'gres were not only skilled at magic and manipulating their own element but are elite warriors as well.
- Mineral Macguffin: The elemental gemstones the Hathorians are after, and that their respective keepers are trying to protect. They're the whole reason the show's plot kicked off.
- Multi-Part Episode: Episodes of the 2016 reboot are divided into chapters. Most have only one chapter, but some have more than one chapter at once, and sometimes more than one episode will contain a given chapter (e.g. episodes 15 and 16 both comprise Chapter 19, "The Bad Vision of Minea").
- One-Word Title: Encantadia is only one word. Book 2, titled Etheria, also counts.
- The Place:
- Encantadia is the name of the show's setting.
- Book 2 of the 2005 series, Etheria, is titled after the fifth kingdom of Encantadia, known as Etheria.
- Red and Black and Evil All Over: In the 2016 series, Arde, the bathala of Encantadia's underworld, is crimson red with multiple black-colored accents.
- Remake Cameo: Several cast members from the 2005 series made a return in the 2016 series as new characters such as:
- Dingdong Dantes, who previously played Ybarro/Rama Ybrahim, now playa Raquim.
- Diana Zubiri, who played Danaya, nows plays the role as LilaSari.
- Sunshine Dizon plays the role of the evil sang'gre Adhara. She previously played the role of Pinera from the 2005 series.
- Sea Monster: Multiple bakunawas (a type of sea serpent from Filipino mythology) inhabit Carcero and act as guards to deter any prisoners in the territory from escaping.
- Second Episode Introduction: Amihan is introduced in the second episode of the 2016 reboot. In the original 2005 series, she appears in the first episode and thus averts this trope.
- Shared Dream: Sang'gre (Blue Blood Fairy) women can conceive offsprings by holding hands in dreams, sometimes deliberately with a Love Interest or a Chosen Conception Partner, but they can also be guided by the Powers That Be to conceive with a man they never knew before in reality. The sign of the conception's success is a flower appearing out of nowhere on the Sang'gre woman's palm when she wakes up.
- Shared Universe: Shares a universe with Mulawin, as the Mulawins' home territory of Avila/Avalon happens to be one of the regions in Encantadia. The Mulawin characters do not have much involvement in Encantadia, however, apart from in Mulawin: The Movie which is a crossover between the two series.
- Spin-Off: Encantadia is often considered a spin-off of Mulawin, with it taking place in the same Shared Universe and all.
- Title, Please!: In the 2016 reboot, the episodes' titles are never given in the episodes themselves, with their associated hashtags being used for the titles.
- Voluntary Shapeshifter: Hathorian royalty, particularly Hagorn, Pirena's father, has this ability, however, as he is not of diwata blood he cannot maintain it for long and it weakens him with each use. Pirena, as a part-diwata, can maintain it for far longer than he can at little cost to herself.
- Water Is Womanly: Alena is the keeper of the Water Gem and the most kind and romantic of the Sang'gre siblings, not wanting to become queen out of her desire to marry her true love and start a family.
