Ojamajo Doremi
English Title: Useless Witch DoremiMangaka: Shizue Takanashi & Izumi Todo
Pub. Date: 2000
# of Vols.: 4+
TV Series: 1999 (51 Episodes)
2000 (49 Eps.)
2001 (50 Eps.)
2002 (51 Eps.)
2004 (13 Eps.)
Pop and the Magical Cursed Rose (2000)
Kaeru Seki no Himitsu (2001)
Series Titles from series 2 to 5 are: Ojamajo Doremi #, Mo-tto Ojamajo Doremi, Ojamajo Doremi Dokka-N, Ojamajo Doremi Na-i-sho.
Harukaze Doremi has a crush on a boy but can't seem to get up enough courage to tell him so. She thinks, if only she could do magic or become a witch. Then she could confess her feelings. Rambling home after her school, she mysteriously finds herself somewhere she's never been before, and right in front of the House of Magic shop. Inside she begins to look around the dusty shop and look up and down the mistress of the place: long nose, red eyes, hates kids... she must be a "MAJO!" The moment the word is out of her mouth, the witch of the shop is turned into a mushroom-like creature (Majo Gaeru - Witch Frog), and her cat turns into a fairy named Lala. This is what happens when a witch's identity is discovered and then revealed aloud. The consequence of this is Doremi must now become a witch herself. Majo Rika (the witch in question) is not happy with her new circumstance in life and tries to make the introduction to apprenticeship sound scary. The only problem is, it's just what Doremi wanted! What little girl wouldn't get big-eyed and excited over being able to use magic to make her dreams come true?
Lala and Majo Rika take Doremi out back and give her the item of an apprentice witch, a compact/brooch that will conjure her costume and wand whenever she should need it. Doremi is ecstatic and it takes a while for the two to calm her down and ease her into her witch's shoes seriously. There are a few caveats with her new magic though, the foremost being, she too is now under the same curse, Doremi can't be found out to be a witch and her identity can't be revealed, or else she too will turn instantly into a Majo Gaeru.
This is a very bright and lively series. The magical theme of this series revolves around music. She has to sing her incantation and her items are musically related. Her wand is even called a musical instrument instead of the traditional "stick." The name of the heroine, Do-re-mi is of course a musical pun. Several witches follow later in the series and join Doremi in the cast.
Magical Companion
Majo Rika-the witch of the magic shop turned to a frog
Lala-fairy
Magical Phrase
Pirikapiri Lala Popolila Peperuto-has to sing this when she uses her wand
Magical Items
Magical compact/brooch-round-colored buttons with a different musical note/sound to each; uses this to conjure her outfit by pressing the middle button and pressing the surrounding button to conjure her wand
Peperuto Poron-musical wand (instrument)
Magic Spheres-these are the magic balls inside her wand, she needs these in order to do magic
