In the entirety of the Mahou Shoujo genre, I don’t think there is a single series that deserves the title of “Magical” more than Doremi. The franchise is truly a wonderful experience all throughout its long run as it showcases the core of what makes this genre resonate so much with many people. Doremi is a little different from the popular tokusatsu leaning magical girls with the likes of Sailor Moon, Madoka and Precure, instead it harkens back to the roots of the genre. It is much closer to the early Mahou shoujos like Sally the Witch, Minky Momo and the more SOL oriented titles. However, it is in this form of narrative the strengths of Doremi get to shine the most.

Doremi is that rare gem of a show that can be enjoyed by almost anyone. It may be a series aimed towards little girls on the surface, but it transcends that barrier appeal through the sheer quality of story, characters and writing. Nearly every episode is a self-contained story that explores a wide range of subjects and ideas. From the whimsical witch shenanigans our main characters deal with or cause themselves, to focused episodes for each of the many cast members, to some genuinely heartfelt and emotional stories. It is a series that strikes the perfect balance of endless amounts of fun and creativity, the occasional serious and mature subject matter, and just amazing writing all around. You can be having some of the most joyful experiences with many episodes, to crying at some heavily emotional scenes.

What Doremi does excellently is making you care about these kids and the journeys they go through. Having the majority of the characters be elementary school kids may seem like an easy way for the target audience to connect with them, but this is where the true genius of the series comes in. The point in life that most of the cast are in is among pivotal periods in a person's development. It is that time when the world starts to open up as the amount of exposure to many new ideas increases exponentially. In some cases, it may even be the last moments of pure innocence before the weight of reality drops down.

However, this is where the sheer magic of Doremi comes in. With the target audience in mind, the show tackles this period in life with so much care and more nuance than you may expect from a series made for kids. It does teach lessons like other kids shows but delves into some topics in more sophisticated ways while still presenting them in a way that the target audience can still understand. It is simple storytelling with added layers at its finest which in turn allows the show to effectively communicate its messages with such sincerity and heart while not dumbing them down. The franchise treats its audience with respect and makes sure that themes are presented very clearly while still leaving room for people to digest and think about the stories more deeply.

Many of the topics that Doremi covers aren’t just situations that kids the characters' age go through but ones that everyone will encounter at some point in their life. From finding your own path in life, following your heart to do what you really desire, going through the trials of family and friendship, dealing with divorced parents, coming to terms with one's identity and purpose, getting over the lost of a loved one, fitting in a completely foreign place, general coming of age narratives and so much more. There are so many themes in the show that anyone from any background can find at least one that they could deeply relate to. Plus, several of these ideas aren’t restricted to a single episode arc and developed and further explored across the whole run. This is where the emotional core of the series comes in as you get to form a deep bond with one or multiple characters following their journey. By getting heavily invested through the goofy and loveable nature of the show, the more serious and emotional moments just hit that much harder.

Doremi at heart is a celebration of youth and the true magic that could be found in life. While learning how to use magic to help solve problems and bring fulfillment to others is a large part of the story, ultimately it isn’t what mattered the most by the very end. Instead it was the pure human kindness, optimism and other positive qualities that left the biggest impact when all was said and done. Life, especially starting the journey to growing up, is hard as the world gets bigger and bigger. The show does not shy away from showing the ugly and messy parts living. However, the main purpose of Doremi is showing the sheer beauty of life in addition to reminding people what makes living so special in the first place. This is where the enjoyment for older viewers comes in as the show celebrates youthful ideas that could still be applied later in life. By going back to simple times of growing up as a kid, it brings back the important life values and lessons that one may forget as they often get pushed when entering adulthood. The story reminds us that among the many obstacles that life throws our way, truly magical moments can still happen if we believe in them.