welcome to the maho-dou

ojamajo doremi おジャ魔女どれみ is a mahou shoujo series that aired on toei from 1999~2002!
the anime centers around a happy-go-lucky girl named doremi who accidentally stumbles across a witch named majo rika. as per the witch world's peculiar rules, she's transformed into a frog as a punishment for having her true identity discovered. in order to regain her human form, doremi must take on the mantle of witch apprentice and pass a series of tests to become a full-fledged witch. in the episodes that follow, doremi meets several girls, and they navigate how to use their newfound powers as well as the challenges of growing up.

ojamajo doremi excels extremely well both at humour and more depressing topics such as suicide, agoraphobia, and depersonalization. it will give you whiplash in the best way possible. 200+ episodes just seem to go by in a flash because of how fun they are.

the attention to detail in ojamajo doremi really shocked me, and it manages to keep up the same quality throughout every season. every background is like a watercolour painting that jumps through the screen, side characters are well fleshed out and no one feels like a second thought, transformation scenes are tailored to the episode - outfits and backgrounds change, which adds a layer of cute detail. extremely charming visuals and great story arcs, it's obvious that a lot of love and care was put into this show!

my favourite characters are onpu, majo rika, and akatsuki. i'd seen onpu in various fanart before i started watching the series, and my first impression of her (other than 'SO CUTE!') was that she was a meek & gentle girl... so imagine my shock when i found out she was a bratty idol! that just made me love her more though, truly a girl after my own heart i would totally join her fanclub if it was real!! majo rika is another one of my favourite characters. people are always surprised when i tell them that. yes, majo rika has shooters too!! she's just so cute in her frog form, and i love her human design as well! as for akatsuki, he stole my heart right away. 100/10 character design, and his personality is sooo cute. i think i'd cave and end up joining the FLAT4 fanclub too... man, idols in the ojamajo doremi world are just too strong.

ojamajo doremi has a really dedicated fanbase, all of whom will talk your ear off about this show if you let them. i think anything that's created with lots of love attracts really sweet and genuine fans. there's tons of ojamajo doremi-related stuff to dig into after you finish the series - games, an endless amount of cds (drama tracks, insert songs, chara songs), light novels. it's like a paradise that never ends.

in this little section i wanted to highlight some cute merch

hana garage kit (eyes scaled to size)
by circle ano MEGA rou, wonfes 2002

super cute dokka~n! bandaids from 2005... these could heal the gravest of wounds
i have 2 of these and i cherish them so much, they are my treasures. i've always thought bandaids as a type of merch was really sweet. i have quite a few showa idol ones as well

bandai candy toys from 1999

sega plush from 1999

yo where my hug attt ahaha

onpu is cute and aiko is there.
bandai capsule toy plush from 2001

pvc figs from bandai with extremely threatening auras