Pack it in folks, you know it’s time for more Ojamajo Doremi. Though every episode of Doremi seems to be special in its own way (excepting those witch frogs, fuck those witch frogs), our last episode was special for a very specific reason – it was lucky enough to have Ojamajo Doremi’s character design Yoshihiko Umakoshi on board as animation director. In Umakoshi’s hands, the vivid expressiveness of these characters felt even more apparent than usual, as all number of incidental moments were elevated through flavorful details of movement and character acting. It was a beautiful episode that demonstrated the unique power of simplified designs, and how the details that make characters come across as human aren’t contained in the specificity or detail of their design, but the fluidity, sense of weight, and underlying personality that brings them to life.
That episode also served as Doremi’s first Christmas special, meaning we’ve likely now moved on into the new year. With that shift comes also a pretty significant turn in Onpu’s attitude – from a position of complete self-obsessed antagonism, she’s now demonstrated a sense of loneliness in her home life, as well as a willingness to help others. Whether Onpu’s shift or something else entirely is the focus this week, I’m excited to get to it. Let’s find out what Doremi and the gang fumble their way through next!
