Pack it in folks, it’s time for more Ojamajo Doremi. The show’s last episode featured a welcome return to the show’s most reliable and rewarding mode, as we were introduced to Doremi’s classmate Ryota and his profound love of giant monsters. Like many of Doremi’s best episodes, there was no clear moral hook to Ryota’s tale – it was simply a quiet story about the hurt we can cause each other as friends, the legitimacy of all our passions, and the need to forgive. Its conclusion may have been boosted a bit by the introduction of a magically summoned kaiju, but that didn’t make it any less of a sensitive human story.

That episode also demonstrated that the presence of Onpu and Majo Ruka won’t necessarily be dominating our ongoing narrative. Onpu is basically just another classmate now, and though Majo Ruka is obviously up to no good, whatever good she’s not getting up to is apparently transpiring somewhere else. I’d like to see some stories that rope Onpu more directly into Doremi and the others’ lives, but so far she’s been pretty much an entirely antagonistic figure, and I’m not sure the show is going to make her sympathetic before we formally clash with her and Ruka. In light of that, I’d be fine with basically any direction this episode could take – classic classmate drama, Onpu-centric story that humanizes her a bit more, or direct confrontation with Ruka that also gives Onpu more substance. As long as it’s not more witch frogs, I think I’m good.

Alright, that’s enough preamble. Let’s see what’s in store for Doremi and her long-suffering friends!

Episode 39

“My name is Harukaze Doremi, and this is my ninth autumn.” The seasons continue to shift as we transition from summer-centric events to fall colors. Maintaining an active seasonal timeline isn’t something every long-running show can afford, but it’s a great way to enhance the solidity of your world while also offering a bevy of season-focused narrative opportunities

“I am finally the world’s happiest pretty girl!” Oh god, what horror is she going to suffer this week

Ooh, very active direction in this opening scene. Doremi disturbs some fallen leaves with her trampling, and then we follow the spinning leaves to a guy on roller skates, whose skates then carry the camera’s momentum up to his face. A very energetic character introduction that nicely conveys the breathlessness of this moment

Doremi is late for work, but stops anyway because this guy is hot. She certainly has her priorities straight

God, these fall backgrounds are gorgeous. Burnt oranges and light browns work wonderfully with Doremi’s textured backgrounds, which already feel a little bit like crinkled leaves in the first place

Doremi knows the boy’s sister, Maki Higuchi

The scene ends on camera shutters capturing all the action, so I guess we’re in for another round with the gossip queen

“Doremi’s Boyfriend is a Middle School Student!” Yep

The direction feels particularly lively this episode. I like these overhead shots introducing us to the school from new angles

The cool boy sees Onpu in her witch costume! RED ALERT

And her solution is to cast “go fall in love with another girl” on him. Nothing like some light brainwashing to solve your problems

Onpu is a pretty convenient dramatic engine. There’s little more dangerous than a witch who just does not give a fuck

The boy’s name is Shuzou

“My spring is finally here, on my ninth year.” Oh god Doremi. More great backgrounds, as Doremi’s world is overwhelmed with flowers as LOVE BLOOMS

I’m loving Doremi’s range of joyous expressions this episode. Kinda funny that Doremi being actually happy is a novel enough concept that we’re only now seeing how she expresses that

Tons of symmetrical layouts in this episode, and the sound design feels unusually reserved. You can really feel a specific director’s hand this time

Also lots of extreme close-ups, setting us right beside these characters for this particular drama

The combination of very choppy scene transitions and the unusual lack of background music is also keeping us as close to the drama in as unvarnished a way as possible, as if we were right there with Doremi. A big change-up from last episode’s focus on complex, fanciful mid-distance compositions that told a full emotional narrative by themselves

“My brother likes Doremi? But he already has Mika-chan.” And so our aspiring muckraker joins the drama

I certainly don’t mind this episode’s very unique visual style, but it sure is a shift from Doremi’s usual aesthetic. Really like this shot where Doremi leaning down to pick up the news article reveals Tamaki on the stairs, creating a visual frame for her triumphant walk down

Onpu interjects to confirm she also saw Shuzou confess to Doremi. Instead of learning a valuable lesson about misusing magic, she’s doubling down because it’s entertaining. Onpu is a pretty great kind of terrible

The relative quiet of this episode lends great gravity to Maki’s final explosion in defense of her brother, clearing the air before we at last get an actual music cue – a somber piano line for her reconciliation with Doremi. Really smart and purposeful art direction all around for this episode

One thing I’m not really sure of are these weirdly long silent held shots. They keep holding the camera on character reactions for about two beats longer than you’d expect

“So this is love.” Please let Doremi enjoy like half a date before everything falls apart

Now Doremi gets a chance to show off her infinite poise and grace through inline skating

Oh my god Shuzou just did a trick over Doremi after she faceplanted. The dude has got no mercy

So Doremi actually gets a boyfriend, but the cost of this boyfriend is continuously slamming into the pavement while failing at inline skates. A very Doremi tradeoff

Uh oh, Onpu’s mind control wore off. This situation sure isn’t fair for Shuzou

“This may be the only time in her life she’s this happy.” Hadzuki can’t really help but be savage even when she’s feeling happy for her friend

Doremi just sitting there with a big dumb grin on her face while Shuzou stresses over how to handle this

Perfect portrayal of Doremi’s feelings when the news drops. I like how the shot actually blurs as we pan back from Doremi, reducing her to a wailing blob in the distance

“If I hadn’t used magic, you probably would never have gotten a boyfriend.” That’s our Onpu, friend to all the less fortunate

“It’s good that Doremi is used to getting dumped.” HADZUKI WHY

Onpu dances off with a gleeful “not my problem!” It seems like even Majo Ruka is tired of her shit

Like with Tamaki, this is more or less an Onpu episode, but our only takeaway so far is “yep, she is exactly that person”

♪ Bank footage, it’s footage you bank / Save your animators, this one’s in the tank ♪

So their solution is… mind control all three people relevant to this story, and have the witch frogs dress up like an exorcist in order to exorcise his “random confession spirit.” I like seeing Ruka assist the team, but it seems like two witch frog heads are actually worse than one

Mika doesn’t fall for this scheme, most likely because this scheme sucks ass

Beautiful backgrounds for this forest climax. I like the choice to just cast this whole forest as different shades of yellow, with the fading light of the sun entirely defining the forest’s palette

And at last, this episode’s quiet held moments come home, elevating this beautiful moment of confession

And Done

Whoo, that was a great one! In narrative terms, this was a natural escalation of Onpu’s involvement in the plot, as her cavalier attitude towards magical law and general selfishness are starting to hurt more and more people around her. Onpu didn’t become any more sympathetic as a heroine, but dealing with her has now become a far more urgent task, and the girls have some immediate incentive to stop her her. Plus, basically any “Doremi in love” episode is guaranteed to be a comic standout, and this one didn’t disappoint there.

Beyond its facilitating of the overarching Doremi narrative, I also really loved this episode’s very distinctive style of visual direction and drama. From its unique closeups and held shots to its understated sound design and propulsive pacing, this episode had a clear and compelling aesthetic identity all throughout. I’d love to see more episodes lean into their own unique personalities, especially if the results are as compelling as this. Doremi continues to offer all manner of charms as Onpu continues her reign of terror!

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