The setting was changed from Japan to vaguely American, along with any and all cultural references. Doremi, Hazuki, and Aiko’s names were changed to Dorie, Reanne, and Mirabelle respectively, effectively turning the title into a pun. Not only were the names of all the characters changed, but they also changed all the music, removed any references to Japanese culture in bizarre and often tone-deaf ways, and sometimes even pulled episodes if they were too difficult to edit.ĤKids’ treatment of Magical DoReMi was no different. Now, most children’s anime at the time were edited in some way when they were dubbed into English, but 4Kids took it to an extreme. 4Kids, well known for their English dubs of Pokémon and One Piece, was infamous for heavily editing any anime they got their hands on in the 1990s and 2000s. In 2005, 4Kids Entertainment got the license to localize and air Magical DoReMi Saturday mornings on Fox during their titular block. The series was a success in Japan, where nearly two decades after its ending, it still has merchandise, skits, and even an upcoming movie aimed at the now-adult audience that grew up with the show. As well as lighthearted comedy and heartwarming stories, Magical DoReMi is also known for touching on serious issues such as racism, terminal illness, and body shaming, which at the time was not commonly seen in children’s anime. More witch apprentices also join the team in later seasons. Because of this, Doremi must become a witch apprentice in order to gain the power to turn Majo Rika back to normal.ĭoremi is eventually joined by her two friends, Hazuki and Aiko, as they work together to help the people in their community and form bonds while hiding their magic from their parents and classmates. “Troublesome Witch Doremi”), is a magical girl anime created by Toei Animation that originally aired from 1999 to 2004, spanning four seasons as well as a 13-episode side story, bringing the episode total to a whopping 214 episodes! The anime stars elementary-schooler Doremi Harukaze, who stumbles upon a mysterious shop one day while walking home, and accidentally turns the lady running the shop, Majo Rika, into a green, frog-like blob by blowing her cover as a witch. Magical DoReMi, known in Japan as Ojamajo Doremi (lit. I was enthralled this show was unlike anything I had ever seen before! To my luck, I did: it was called Magical DoReMi, and the English dubbed episodes were available for free on YouTube at the time, so I went ahead and watched the first few episodes. A wide-eyed, purple-haired anime girl stared at me through the screen as I checked the description to find any semblance of a title. I was already sort of into anime, so I was watching AMVs (anime music videos) when I stumbled upon a brief clip of what might have been one of the most adorable anime characters my young eyes had ever seen. I remember being 10 years old watching YouTube videos one uneventful Saturday afternoon, even though I really shouldn’t have been at that age. Protagonist Doremi Harukaze, with her fairy Dodo. Magical DoReMi: How an Anime Successful in Japan Flopped in North America
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