Magical DoReMi

Ojamajo Doremi is a magical girl TV show made by Toei Animation. It first aired in Japan on ABC and TV Asahi from February 1999 to January 2000, and this first season has 51 episodes. Junichi Sato and Takuya Igarashi directed it, and Keiichi Oku wrote the music. A "magical girl" show is a kind of anime where ordinary girls get special powers, often with cute outfits and a change of form. This series became one of the best-loved shows of that kind for young viewers in Japan.

The story takes place in Misora, a quiet made-up town in Japan. Our hero is Doremi Harukaze, a lively third-grade girl. She is kind and full of energy, but she can also be a bit selfish, and she often says she has the worst luck of anyone alive. Doremi loves the idea of witches. One day she walks into a strange little shop called the MAHO-dou, which means "House of Magic." The owner is an old woman named Majo Rika, and Doremi guesses the truth: Majo Rika really is a witch.

That guess causes big trouble. In this world, when a human finds out that a witch is a witch, the witch turns into a small green frog. To get her real body back, Majo Rika must train Doremi as a witch apprentice, which means a student who learns a skill from a teacher. Doremi has to pass a series of witch tests, nine in all, so that she can become a full witch and break the spell. Doremi is thrilled. Majo Rika is not.

Doremi does not stay alone for long. Her two best friends soon learn her secret. Hazuki Fujiwara is quiet, gentle, and smart. She comes from a rich family and plays the violin. Aiko Senoo is a sporty, tomboyish girl who moved to Misora from Osaka. Her parents are divorced, and she quietly hopes they will get back together one day. To keep the girls safe from the frog curse, Majo Rika makes them apprentices too. Later, Doremi's little sister Pop, who acts older than her age, joins the group as well. Each girl has her own color, like pink for Doremi, orange for Hazuki, and blue for Aiko.

Much of the show is told in single-episode stories. The girls run the shop, try spells that do not always work, and use small bits of magic to help classmates, family, and neighbors with their problems. The tone is bright and funny, with lots of silly moments and cute, simple drawings. Under the jokes, the show also deals with real feelings that children face, such as friendship fights, family changes, school worries, and learning to be honest. Growing up is at the heart of it.

The show was a huge hit. Its toys and goods earned billions of yen in Japan, and later seasons reached most of their target audience. It led to three more TV seasons, an OVA called Na-i-sho, short web episodes, and the 2020 film Looking for Magical Doremi. In 2005, 4Kids Entertainment brought the first season to North America under the name Magical DoReMi. For many people, this first season is where a long and warm story about three friends and their magic shop began.