a photo from the exhibit "The Ojamajo Doremi 25th Anniversary Museum Pop-up" overlaid with text

Miniblog: Visiting The Ojamajo Doremi 25th Anniversary Museum Pop-up

In August 2024, I visited the Ojamajo Doremi 25th Anniversary Pop-up in Harajuku.

I’ve been a fan since I first saw the anime air on 4KidsTV back in the day. So, when I heard there was going to be an event, I knew I had to go.

Through torrential downpour and a busy train station, I went. Wet shoes wouldn’t keep me from this experience!

Ojamajo Doremi follows a young girl named Doremi, who wants to fall in love using a love spell. It doesn’t go the way she wants, but she stumbles upon a witch instead.

As for the story, it’s decidedly funny, with an interesting hook and a fun cast of characters. As a child myself, I loved Doremi’s pouty, childlike behavior.

It goes on to follow her and the other little witchlings. They get into hijinks while learning more about life and their community.

At the time, I felt like its lovable characters really reflected 10-year-old me.

The story deepens, and movies like “Motto! Ojamajo Doremi: Secret of the Frog Stone” and spinoffs like “Ojamajo Doremi Na-i-sho” explore more serious themes through an age-appropriate lens.

Plus, the art is adorable. I was instantly obsessed.

My interest in Ojamajo Doremi later led to my fascination with Tokyo Mew Mew, Sailor Moon, and other anime that weren’t so age-appropriate, like Code Geass… oops.

Falling in Love with Ojamajo Doremi

I credit Ojamajo Doremi (Magical DoReMi) with being my first real introduction to Japanese anime and culture.

While I had already seen Kiki’s Delivery Service, I was too young to understand that it was Japanese animation. And though I was a burgeoning fan of manga, the first manhwa I’d picked up was actually Korean.

So my interest in Ojamajo is what turned me into an “anime fan”.

I remember going to the 4Kids website to find games and other content about the show. There, I stumbled upon forums that mentioned the alternate names of characters.

I was immediately intrigued. What did they mean “Ellie” was “Onpu”? It revealed that anime dubs existed. I wanted to learn more about the Japanese version, and it sparked my interest in the Japanese language.

I would search endlessly on nascent YouTube for the Japanese version of Ojamajo. I even scoured the internet for the anime episodes split into two or three sections.

Once other services like Funimation and Hulu began offering more shows, I moved on to classic shōnen titles like Naruto and Bleach, and shōjo titles like Ouran High School Host Club, Mamotte Lollipop, and School Rumble.

Ever since, my interest in anime has diversified to other genres, but I owe it all to Ojamajo Doremi for getting me started.

The Ojamajo 25th Anniversary Pop-up

Getting There

August 2024 was busy for me; taking a break from teaching also means gathering with friends or family. Our friends gathered from out of country to hang out in Tokyo. We ate delicious food, chatted, hung out, all that good stuff.

Then I had a couple of doctor appointments, and in between was the pop-up. I went on one of the last days it was open, through a flash squall of intense rain in Shibuya.

Rainwater was practically flooding the station, and more than one person stopped to grab a video or picture.

I’d managed to get to Harajuku station, but outside it was still a downpour. I had planned poorly and wore fabric tennis shoes.

But I wasn’t going to miss this. I prevailed through the rain to the venue.

The pop-up was held at Laforet Harajuku, a mall with trendy shops and fancy donuts.

It was only a ten-minute walk, but my feet were absolutely soaked. My umbrella didn’t stand a chance against the downpour of water.

Thankfully, I was able to get a dry pair of sandals later that day when I met up with my friend, Jace.

At Ojamajo 25th Anniversary the Pop-Up

There was a ticket counter where I paid ¥2500 to get into the exhibit. I was so excited, and it was fun to see other people around my age there.

There were even mothers sharing the experience with their children.

Though Ojamajo Doremi is on the older side, it was heartwarming to see that plenty of people still enjoy it.

I even stepped up to get a photo wearing the witch hat, something I thought I’d never get to do. My inner child was jumping for joy.

The great thing about exhibitions is that there will usually be a staff member to take a photo of you, so you don’t have to beg a fellow attendee.

Large stands reintroduced the characters and their traits, from Doremi to Majo Rika.

The space was dedicated to the show and characters, showcasing moments from the show, as well as behind-the-scenes images of backgrounds drawn for the show.

There was even a life-sized classroom setup, complete with desks and a blackboard, and including side walls with classroom announcements just like the real thing.

There was also an array of adorable acrylic figures featuring all the characters. Honestly, it would be cool to have my own set, but I was satisfied just grabbing a picture.

Additionally, they showed off special props made for the show. For example, the special peperuto poron wand used in production, and limited-edition premium wands.

I’m a huge behind-the-scenes enjoyer, so this was very cool. Of course, these props would’ve been used to model toys, but they’d also serve as great references for the animators.

Souvenirs

At the end of the exhibit, before exiting, they had a dedicated “souvenir shop”. This is where you could buy anything from stickers to figures, commemorative plates, and all kinds of little tchotchkes.

Though the merch felt endless, I only picked up a few things. I absolutely adore Ojamajo Doremi, so my inner child was freaking out at this point.

In addition to the dedicated merch area, they also had a variety of gacha machines located outside of the hall!

I actually had to ask a store clerk to break a ¥1000 bill for me to play the gacha since I just barely didn’t have enough ¥100 coins. But I’m glad I asked, because I got a miniature “tap” item!

All in all, I got a pass holder for my Suica card, a few stickers, and a pin. Some items, like the pin and character card, were essentially blind boxes where you could get one of any character.

While the exhibit had tons of commemorative stuff, I opted to get scrapbookable things like stickers.

And now I can use them to decorate my Hobonichi!

Thoughts

Despite the insane weather and wet shoes, I had a great time healing my inner child at this exhibit.

Anime and manga like it are so close to my heart, and getting a chance to attend stuff like this exhibit, or Magical Mirai, is just one of the amazing things about living in Japan.

Miniblog: The Ojamajo Doremi 25th Anniversary Museum Pop-up

Back in the day, my mom had to go searching for merch on eBay, and we all know how difficult it can be to get imported anime goods at a decent price. So, of course, I still have my DVDs and figures from back then.

But against all odds, you can still find Ojamajo merch or hear about Ojamajo events through their Instagram and other social media in Japan.

So if you’re a fan living in Japan, I recommend trying to catch these types of events. Merch and collabs are also easier to find if you already live here.

In any case, I can’t wait to see if they have a 30th year anniversary. Would you go to a 30th anniversary event for Ojamajo Doremi?

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