Please be aware that the review for this season may contain spoilers for ALL OF OJAMAJO DOREMI, not just the current season. Furthermore, I've analyzed the season standalone here, and the series as a whole attached to the same message.
Ojamajo Doremi Dokkaan! review from this point on.
Ojamajo Doremi Dokkaan! is the final season in the Ojamajo Doremi series, and I'd say...it's a mixed bag out of all the seasons that have aired. While the content is generally widely acceptable, Dokkaan! gets off to a start that can only be described as decidedly average. Putting aside the obvious plot relevance, everything seems rather come-and-go: Hana is ... decidedly a genius for the first few episodes before reverting to the mentality of a 4 year old for the rest of the season, bar her exams. To the series' credit, even these (Pop and Hana's exams even done on separate episodes occasionally) in conjunction with Tourbillon's plot never take up the majority of the episodes; many are dedicated to good wholesome fun, and the girls meet various figures and undertake shocking reveals. The series ending is one of the most profound out there, and if it doesn't cause you to well up with emotion, it'll certainly leave a lasting impact, especially if you are familiar with the genre. Unfortunately, Hana's new form as well as some other side characters (namely Baba) make the plot near unbearable for the first half of the season, simply due to the former's foolishness and the latter's selfishness. However, a lot of subplots are wrapped up with dignity, carried through in mostly satisfying ways. There are quite a few cliffhangers in some episodes; however, these feel more intentional, which allows the viewer to "choose" which path they view the characters as taking. Near the end of the season, there's a complete tonal shift which can come off as jarring but works very well. If you enjoy Ojamajo Doremi Dokkaan!, please watch the end of the series! 7/10.
Next: Ojamajo Doremi, the series as a whole.
You'd be forgiven for mistaking Ojamajo Doremi as just a kid's show and leaving it content as just that. However, if you do, you're closing the door on one of the (debatably) greatest magical girl series out there, which almost seems to exist outside of time if you forgive some of its more dated features and cliches. The entire theme of the series (maturity and innocence in childhood especially) should come as no surprise, though the way they execute it is truly something to marvel at. Not many series I can think of can execute it and pull it off as perfectly as this. That is, unless you get a type of show that subverts, gives a condescending look at the show, or looks at it from anything but a child's point of view. Which in fairness, the latter being the only way you should look at this, given that's the entire premise. Lots of themes in all the seasons, with a heartwarming recurring character cast and at times truly brilliant writing don't give the series enough credit. There are some moments here that touch me in ways other shows can only dream of, and the comedy is perfectly balanced, never overshadowing the important bits; in other words, they don't mix them into one, which is paramount in setting up important scenes. And fair, when they do important scenes, they generally pull through: there are lots of emotional moments that could touch not just any child in the audience, but even the hearts of adults and other age groups across the world. The lessons are universal and timeless, and teach lessons that adults and children alike will find highly applicable and of great value. The themes of the series are too numerous to list here, but I like to think that acceptance and understanding are the greatest values present overall: many times the series will set up what looks to be an unlikable character, only to redeem or subvert the trope in ways that will make your expectations do a 360. Characters that start out as hated may become your favorites.
And in a way, it's this very trait that reminds me of my favorite series, Sailor Moon. In many ways, I'll fairly admit that I do have nostalgia for Sailor Moon and can be a bit....iffy, let's say....on finding other series that touch me as much as it has. However, this series takes the CAKE, coming across as truly spectacular. There are such a wide array of topics handled with the utmost care, some being played for comedy; however, the series truly shines with its admittance of childhood friendship as one of its core values. It plays to that strength as a whole, in a way resemblant to that of summer camps where one may meet a close friend as a child. It should also be mentioned that they do so with great maturity and sensitivity: such a wide range of topics are handled here that if you were careless, you may tune into an episode and believe it to be a therapy session for a viewer with the issue present in the character. Characters also develop and change, their core values being developed. The series can also be rather serious with its consequences; however, it never strays into "dark" territory, always keeping things light-hearted, likely to ensure they don't frighten young viewers. While the art and sound of the series may seem primitive, these are superficial to judge the series on; even using an array of characters which seem based on previous tropes found in other anime, here, they're made their own people and the viewer can connect with any of the main characters. One of the series' best themes is that despite the use of magic, it's not always necessary to solve an issue: several times, the girls find classmates with complex problems which can't simply be solved by the wave of a wand or chanting a spell. And it's here where the show's core shines, helping these characters in the most human ways possible instead of simply relying on magic. I find this important since magic is the show's core and strong suit. What this means is that the series admits that its fanatical approach won't always work: effort and care is truly required to make a change, a very remarkable lesson that can come unexpectedly if you were planning to have a series made of fluff. I haven't even seen this mechanic (to discard the series' OWN MECHANIC) used, I believe, and if I did, this is far and away the best possible use for it. The series has also proven quite well that (in addition to the above), the girls friendship is more powerful than any magic spell the girls can cast, and they would gladly exchange it to help each other or someone in need. This is proven best by Doremi, the main character. Mind you, in the beginning of the series, Doremi seemed intent on becoming a witch and was rather self-centered. However, as the series progressed, she blossomed into a truly remarkable character, warping so differently herself and shaping those around her that she now seems like almost a completely different person. Unfortunately, the series is not without its faults, and though minor, deserve mention. One of these is during the second season with a "Wizard" character named Alexander. Due to reasons relating to the plot, Alexander ends up attempting to serially kidnap a baby, who, rather alarmingly, shows little fear around him. I fear this sends a very worrying message to children and it's a bit difficult to watch the series in stride knowing that moments like this still scoot by unscathed. Regrettably, Alexander receives no real consequences in the series and the girls seem to show no issue with him in later seasons, rather treating him more like a "comedic" based character. Another issue is the character of Aiko, whose parents are divorced. The issue being that there are some implied instances of abuse and signs that her parents' relationship is doomed. This wouldn't be such an issue if the series, or rather Aiko herself, wasn't dead-set on getting her parents back together, a recurring subplot.
I'm afraid this implication bites off more than it can chew and despite how well-done the subplot may appear on the surface level, I worry about the messages this is sending to children, particularly how Aiko's mother (who she rarely sees) seems to be portrayed in contrast to her father. Suffice to say, neither are painted in the best light. Other characters' relationships (other than their interaction with Doremi) has a tendency to be glossed over as well; while Doremi is a strong character on her own, we rarely if ever see the girls interact with anyone not directly connected to her, which unfortunately limits the potential to explore their personalities considerably, given that they must have a role that Doremi can fulfill with them. An instance is the characters Hadzuki and Aiko. For quite a while, they were ill-defined: not because of poor writing, but simply because there was frankly nothing for them to DO should they be in a situation where Doremi wasn't involved. There was potential for these, though it wasn't explored and for a while, they didn't come out the better for it. However, aside from these, the worst the series has to offer is frankly little worse than boring episodes at times, a subpar (though not bad nonetheless) seasons, and relying on a heavy formula. Which works when it does, though when it doesn't work...best to keep quiet about those episodes, yes? For everything I've been mentioning thus far, it congeals perfectly into a wonderful series that if you try, I believe you will not regret it. I actually recommend this series even more than the classic "Cardcaptor Sakura" series, another popular non-fighting magical girl. Not because neither series is problematic (which they most certainly are), but I feel that despite OD's length, it's able to pull some miracles that CCS could only dream of pulling off, and it regularly tops my expectations for even minute episodes as well. As a whole, the series gets a 10/10 from me. Well done!!!
Alternative Titles Synonyms: Useless Witch Doremi Kaboom! Japanese: おジャ魔女どれみドッカ〜ン! Information Type: TV Episodes: 51 Status: Finished Airing Aired: Feb 3, 2002 to Jan 26, 2003 Premiered: Winter 2002 Broadcast: Unknown Producers: Asahi Broadcasting Licensors: None found, add some Studios: Toei Animation Source: Original Duration: 24 min. per ep. Rating: G - All Ages Statistics Score: 7.861 (scored by 80578,057 users) 1 indicates a . Ranked: #8832 2 based on the top anime page. Please note that 'Not yet aired' and 'R18+' titles are excluded. Popularity: #5106 Members: 17,828 Favorites: 288 Available AtResources |
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