OJAMAJO DOREMI

DESCRIPTION

CAST

ANIME ComedyOjamajo Doremi Sharp
MANGA ComedyOjamajo Doremi
MOVIE ComedyMajo Minarai wo Sagashite
ONA ComedyOjamajo Doremi: Owarai Gekijou
SPECIAL Mahou ShoujoOjamajo Doremi 1620's

REVIEWS

• 

  gigatonbustaa

  87/100
  A great coming-of-age story told through 51 different coming-of-age stories.

  <center>Well, I’m in it now. Makin’ a review on this site, best make it good enough to read.</center>

  _Ojamajo Doremi_, or Useless Witch Doremi, or Magical DoReMi (who thought that was a fitting name while dubbing?) is a magical girl anime produced by Toei of ‘that big anime studio’ fame in 1999 planned only for one season. Ojamajo Doremi tells the story of Harukaze Doremi and her greatest wish to be a witch, heh, as if magic were real… Oh wait shit, she outed a suspicious woman named Makihatayama Rika selling “magic goods” as a witch, turning her into a Witch Frog and becoming a witch apprentice as a result. The shy rich girl Fujiwara Hazuki and the athletic Naniwa-ku transfer student Senoo Aiko also join the team after finding these things out as well. What unfolds is an episodic series focusing on solving people’s problems that they accidentally happened to create or come across along with furthering their own abilities through exams and even helping out (for free) at the Maho-dou so Majo Rika doesn’t have to be an alcoholic anymore. It’s not exactly a modern ‘monster-of-the-week’-type magical girl anime and it actually leans more into older magical girl anime story-telling surprisingly, which I think helps it stand out a fair bit more. The main characters get developed really well through these almost repetitive arcs due to strong writing and strong performances, and even the entirety of class 3-2 gets developed which very much gives me _Great Teacher Onizuka_ vibes (Which is another anime I’d recommend, but it’s completely tonally different.) There are also some overarching subplots introduced however they, along with the main ‘plot’, really do not take center stage as, at its core, Ojamajo Doremi is about all kinds of kids growing up and figuring out how to deal with their problems as well as adults. Somehow this show got super popular, which makes a lot of sense given just how much effort and care was put into this show to make audiences continue watching and as things tend to happen….Sequels. But I'll get there when I get there. Personally, over the course of these 51 episodes I happened to fall in love with this anime, from seeing a joke piece of art months ago, to finding out the artist and name of the anime and now to finally finishing it I can safely say that this is a good anime that deserves its popularity, you seen those painted backgrounds yet? It’s also kinda hard to spoil this anime as there’s a lot of detail within each episode that stays for later use but still somehow feels self-contained? And the only big changes don’t actually impact much aside from gradual differences but it still stays pretty much the same throughout.

  I am afraid of how long it’ll take for Doremi to take over my life once I get to that new film.

  ---

  Happy! Lucky! Minna no totoke!

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• 

  Tani

  85/100
  A comprehensive review of the entire Doremi franchise, and why it's definitely worth your time

  Ojamajo Doremi is a difficult series to recommend because I'm sure many people are going to write it off immediately for a myriad of reasons. It's a show aimed at little girls, its over 200 episodes long, and it's just a slice of life with a very thin over-arching plot. However, even as a 23 year old male this series was able to grab me right off the bat and never really let go, so I'd like to throw together a quick little review describing why I think this underrated gem is worth your time, no matter your age, gender, or personal preference in anime.

  The true strength of Ojamajo Doremi can be found in the three main pillars that support the entire series: the characters, the animation, and the moments of greatness. The characters in this series truly surprised me. Seldom do I find a series where every single member of the main cast is outstanding, but Doremi's main five girls each endeared me for different reasons. None of the five girls are very similar in any way, each of them have clearly defined motivations and all of the characters play off one another in different ways, which adds a lot of depth in moments when the characters are struggling with something or fighting with one another. Despite this being a "show for kids", Doremi's characters have a lot of depth to them and experience a wide range of problems that feel more mature than an average kids show, such as topics including social isolation, divorce, suicide, death, racism, etc. These problems are usually written in ways that don't treat the audience like a bunch of immature idiots like a lot of American children's TV series do, but instead tackles a lot of issues head on in a very upfront manner, which is a really cool thing to see. It's like the writers actually cared a lot about the kids watching their show and really wanted to create relatable situations for absolutely everybody. If you're a kid struggling with divorced parents, Aiko presents herself as a perfect role model for a lot of tough situations that a divorced kid might be in, same thing with Onpu and never being able to see her father, Momoko with being a foreigner etc. Furthermore, these characters experience a lot of great overarching character arcs, which I won't spoil but can be best described as "growing up and maturing is magic within itself". Another incredible aspect of Doremi is it's background characters. Never once have I seen a series that takes place in school get the viewer familiar with every single member of the class besides Doremi, and because of this by the end of the series I felt a lot more connected with every member of the school, having seen their hardships and how they dealt with them. There are obviously some let downs in the cast that I'll get to later, but all in all I'd say the characters are the true driving force behind this series's magic.

  The animation in Doremi is absolutely superb. Not only are the character designs unique, popping with color, and full of emotion, but Doremi makes it a point to be constantly moving as much as humanly possible. I've described this show before as "the most ADHD thing I've ever seen" because it is always trying to maximize the emotion of every single frame. If a scene is supposed to be wacky and crazy, you're gonna bet that the music is going to ramp up and the absurd facial expressions are gonna come up, but if a scene is going to be sad then everything will come back down to earth in a really satisfying way. This seems to be a trademark directing trick of Junichi Satou at this point with series like Aria utilizing it to great effect, but it is especially prevalent here. Umakoshi's designs are once again on point, and overall the animation in this show is fantastic, even if it may seem a bit dated to the modern anime viewer.

  I touched on before how this series can dive into topics not normally tackled in kids shows, and these topics usually are prevalent in some of my favorite episodes, however the best episodes of the franchise include specific moments of greatness that make Doremi even more enjoyable. If you haven't seen the series already, about 90% of the episodes are just fun episodes that usually revolve around a classmate or something going on in the witch world, however Doremi has the ability to come through on incredible moments of emotion and feeling in some episodes. Not every episode in Doremi is a winner, and there were even stretches of episodes where I felt the series was turning dull, however on the flip side there were also many moments that were done just absolutely perfectly, and in the long run I feel that those are going to be the moments that I will remember the longest.

  With all that being said, Doremi certainly isn't perfect. Characters like Oyajide and Pao-chan are just straight up obnoxious and it would be way better if they weren't there (and Hana too when she's a child), every season is constructed exactly the same which can feel repetitive and uninspired (besides Na-i-sho), and there are some stretches of episodes that feel boring or uninteresting as stated before. Not all seasons of Doremi are equal in my eyes, with my favorites being Na-i-sho and Mo~tto, however I gave every season of Doremi a score between an 8 and a 9, so overall I enjoyed this series a lot. If you are interested in a fast-paced and hyper slice of life with fun magical powers in an elementary school setting that tackles a wide range of emotions, well Ojamajo Doremi is perfect for you. But for everyone else, give it a shot anyways. From moments of gut busting laughter to genuine tears, I feel that Ojamajo Doremi does a whole lot of things well, and it gets a strong recommendation from me.

  
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• 

  Alians

  100/100
  What Ojamajo Doremi means to me and why it's so special!

  This review covers Ojamajo Doremi as a whole, but spoilers will be light

  In 2012, I watched Clannad for the first time. I was just 10 years old at the time and wasn't entirely sure what exactly I was watching. However, I knew I cried, and I loved it. I've rewatched it multiple times since and have grown to love the show more and more. It taught me life lessons that I still carry with me to this day and has shaped my overall perspective on media.

  The reason I bring up Clannad is because it became the standard by which I measured other shows, something unbeatable that other media had to aspire to be. For over 10 years, I believed that nothing could ever surpass it. But I was mistaken, completely mistaken. Not only does Ojamajo Doremi rival Clannad in terms of show quality, but it has also transformed my perspective on media in general. However, I'm not here to share my life story; I'm here to discuss Doremi, my all-time favorite anime, as a piece of work.

  __Overview__:

  Ojamajo Doremi is essentially a magical girl show that predates the Precure franchise. Doremi, Hazuki, and Aiko become witch apprentices with the task of returning Majo Rika to her original form. To achieve this, they must undertake witch exams and gradually improve their magical abilities. That's the essence of the first season without delving into any spoilers. Speaking from a personal perspective, when I initially started watching the show, I consistently had a good time, but I was often left wondering about its purpose. It felt like mindless entertainment lacking depth, which bothered me enough to put it on hold after around 15 episodes.

  Ojamajo Doremi is, frankly, a slow burn at the beginning. Unless you're truly into the weekly magical girl boss genre, the first season of Doremi doesn't seem particularly exceptional as a standalone. However, what Doremi manages to do effectively is immerse you in its world. It explains how the magic system works, clearly showcases the characters' personalities, and establishes the tone for the type of show Ojamajo Doremi is. Instead of forcing you to care, it provides reasons for you to become invested, which I believe is a well-crafted approach to setting up the narrative. While the majority of the first season offers mostly mindless entertainment, there are a few episodes that contribute to the show's dynamics, infusing new life into it. These episodes give you a taste of what Doremi will eventually evolve into.

  __What makes Ojamajo Doremi special?:__

  Ojamajo Doremi, starting from its second season, goes through a big shift in how it's presented. It's like a rollercoaster, with some really great moments and a few not-so-great ones. The show mixes comedy and drama, just like those labels suggest. This is where both these things really stand out. By now, you're totally familiar with what's going on, the world, and the characters. This lets the funny parts stretch out and grab you more, especially since you've probably started liking the show. At the same time, the drama gets a big boost. Ojamajo Doremi deals with real-life stuff, not the flashy kind but things most people face. It covers everything from taking care of kids, to issues about fitting in and features a lot of family themes.

  Ojamajo Doremi has this interesting way of showing how the characters change over time. This is especially cool for younger viewers who can relate to how the characters grow, kind of like they're growing up alongside the cast. The show is planned out really carefully. It goes on for four seasons spread across four years. That means the characters start when they're in 3rd grade and finish when they're leaving elementary school. This setup makes their growth seem real, not like they suddenly change from one thing to another. It's like watching your little sibling or cousin growing up – it's slow and sometimes you don't even notice, but it happens. This makes the characters feel super real and the character development really hits home.

  Even though they change a lot, their core stays the same. The show doesn't push you to feel certain ways. It lets you get deep into how characters change, making them the most important part of your feelings. You connect with them, instead of being told when to feel sad or happy. Of course, not everything I mentioned is true all the time. Sometimes there's drama that makes you scratch your head or episodes that aren't so interesting but it's to expected when a show has over 200 episodes.

  Moreover, another facet that significantly resonates with me is the show's adept handling of everyday moments. These seemingly ordinary instances, such as shopping for clothes, watching a friend's play, or observing a companion play the piano, possess a distinct charm in real life. However, in a show's context, they sometimes risk appearing mundane. This is not the case with Ojamajo Doremi. The characters' considerable growth lends a layer of excitement even to mundane activities. Did they go shopping for clothes? Doremi finds a way to make it intriguing. Did they go on a school trip? Doremi manages to make the experience memorable. Were they participating in a test of courage? You've got it; it becomes entertaining. The cool thing is, the show lets me enjoy every bit by saying that what makes it awesome is these normal everyday things. The characters growing and the story fitting together just make the show better, not just the show itself. They didn't cram anything in unnaturally; the creators making it just did it because they really loved it. The love behind the show oozes out and it's evident that the creators care about each character, making them feel real and not simply there for the story.

  Conclusion:

  Ojamajo Doremi does not immediately reach its highs, yet subsequent seasons bring dramatic highs and a touch of lows. Balancing comedy and drama, it excels in both realms, immersing you in its world. As characters evolve, so does the emotional resonance, grounding in relatable, real-world dilemmas. What truly sets it apart is its gradual character growth, mirroring real-life maturation. Ordinary moments hold extraordinary charm, creating engaging episodes. The show’s core lies in its creators’ love, fostering a tangible connection with every character. Everything simply converges to the single best conclusion I have ever witnessed in media. It might sound incredibly pretentious, and it is so, but for special review-effect I'll claim that Ojamajo Doremi isn't just a show; it's a transformative experience. It transcends boundaries, encapsulating growth and emotion. The journey echoes beyond screens, cementing its place as my favourite anime of all time.

  As a bonus, it's completely changed my taste in anime and what I like now. I prefer more down-to-earth stories, and I don't require emotional peaks anymore. Instead, I can simply enjoy the mundane episodes of shows for what they are. Thank you, Ojamajo Doremi!

  If you decide to watch the show and want someone to talk to about it, feel free to hit me up! I'm always interested in knowing what people think of the show, whether it's positive or negative. I hope that whoever decides to pick up this gem has a great time and experiences at least a fraction of what I did from the show! There's so much more about this show I love that I didn't mention but I actually want people to read this!

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