Sexual fan-service is also completely absent. There is no monster of the week formula, no cute animal companions and no antagonist. But this is where ‘grounded copiousness’ comes in: unlike a lot of magical girl shows at the time, Ojamajo Doremi is rather unique in execution. As aforementioned, Ojamajo Doremi is a magical girl show, and initially, this seems to be the core spotlight of the franchise. The functioning of this community and how this affects the lives of everyone involved is the central setting, yet this is not entirely evident from the beginning. The focus is placed among these girls, the people and witches they meet, as well as the community of beings as a whole. While this does not seem to be the most interesting of plots, Ojamajo Doremi never stays stagnant and always adds something new to the table. As the series goes on, other girls find out the true identity of Majo Rika and inevitably join the other apprentices. This is when you realise that this is not your typical magical girl show it integrates transformation sequences and magical tools with a witch backdrop. These apprentices must then pass a series of examinations in order to become full-time witches and turn that unfortunate transformed witch back to her former form. Most of these encounters end with that human fleeing in terror, having just witnessed something beyond their grasp but in the rare case where they do not, they are given the chance to become witch apprentices. This is exactly what happens when Doremi Harukaze, an 8-year-old girl, finds out the identity of Majo Rika, one of the few witches that live in the human world. Some do live within the human world, but due to a curse that was established in ancient times, any human that finds out their identity turns them into magical frogs. ![]() ![]() However, for reasons that are discovered later on in the story, most witches avoid human contact entirely. Instead, they are shown to be peaceful beings living mostly carefree lives, in a world separate from that of our own. However, unlike a lot of other stories that feature witches, Ojamajo Doremi does not portray them in a malevolent and wicked fashion. Shrouded in mystery, they possess powers beyond our comprehension and therefore using this as an antagonistic force against our heroes. Witches have been, for the longest of time, a source of inspiration for many classic stories. Ojamajo Doremi embodies ‘grounded copiousness’, achieving a strong sense of scale while staying down-to earth and true to sensible standards. There are no moments where you feel that the plot is defying your expectations, making you question whether this really is the same show as before. ![]() It does not portray characters in a light that strives away from realism, one which would make them act adversely or unnaturally. It is not a deconstruction of the magical girl genre, or any genre to be exact. In a sense, it defines and is defined by anime, fully encompassing everything that comes with being part of this medium, while simultaneously pushing the limits of what we have Ojamajo Doremi is an experience that is incredibly difficult to describe. ![]() Hopefully this will be helpful for everyone, whether you are a long-time fan of the franchise or a newcomer. *** This is a comprehensive review, one that will be separated into two major sections:ġ.Ě spoiler-free synoptic recommendation focused on bringing new people into the franchise.Ģ.Ě review with an analytical theme purposed to spoil the entire show, in attempt to cultivate my love for it.
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