Ask John: Would Oja Majo Doremi be Considered Marketable for the U.S.?

Question:
I’ve been hearing about this anime from Toei called “Oja Majo Doremi.” I’ve seen artwork for the show and on the surface it appears to be family-friendly enough. Even the concept -about these young girls trying to become witches- seems to be okay. Would this show be considered family-friendly by American standards, or are there some “elements” that I’m not aware of?

Answer:
Ojamajo Doremi (“Useless Witch Doremi”) is currently one of the most popular anime series on Japanese television. The show, which premiered in 1999, is now in its fourth series/season and is consistently rated among the top most watched anime programs in Japan. The series began with three pre-adolescent girls- Doremi Haru, Hazuki Fujiwara, and Aiko Nanao, training in secret to become witches. During the second season, Ojamajo Doremi # (“Doremi Sharp,” the title is a musical pun on “Do-Re-Mi”) the purple haired Onpu joins the cast and the baby Hana (Flower) is born out of a flower, so the girls raise Hana themselves. In the third season, Mooto Ojamajo Doremi (“More Ojamajo Doremi”) the blond, English speaking Japanese-American Momoko joined the cast. The series is currently in its fourth season, Oja Majo Doremi Dokan, (“Dokan” is roughly the Japanese equivalent to “boom!” or the sound of an explosion) in which the baby Hana has aged several years and is now a witch in training herself.

Doremi has its share of Japanese cultural references, as would any shoujo series set in contemporary Japan, but the series has already been translated and broadcast on television in Mexico and France, suggesting that it’s not too Japanese for Westerners to enjoy as well. In August 2000 Bandai of Japan issued an English language press release announcing that Mattel Toys would be distributing Doremi toys in America and partnering with Bandai for the American television broadcast of Ojamajo Doremi, “a TV cartoon following the heartwarming adventures of three trainee witches, Doremi, Hazuki and Aiko, along with their fully-fledged professional colleagues against the setting of the Recycling Store Maho.” However, the domestic Doremi toys and American broadcast have yet to appear, and Bandai has never addressed the status of Doremi to the fan community. It’s possible that the simple suggestion of witchcraft and the supernatural killed the American release of the show, or there may have been licensing disputes that I’m unaware of.

Whatever the case, Doremi was never released in America, but we can still hope that this charming show will eventually see an American release.