The Anime era on RTL2 probably sweetened the afternoon for many of you. MyMMO editor Jasmin Beverungen found a favorite that many don’t actually realize exists.
Do you remember the time when you came home from school to turn on the TV in the afternoon? If you are around my age, you might have spent your day on RTL2 as well. Various anime series were broadcast there endlessly.
especially loved watching shonen like Naruto and One Piece, but I also enjoyed magical girl series like Pretty Cure and Sailor Moon. There was one anime I particularly loved to follow. The problem is, when people ask me about it, I often have to explain what kind of anime it is and why it is my favorite from the RTL2 era.
An anime with witches sweetened my childhood
Varied witch story
The anime in question is DoReMi. It premiered in 2001 on RTL2 and was canceled after 2 seasons on German television. It revolves around Doremi Harukaze, who uncovers the secret identity of the witch Majorca during a meeting. Majorca then turns into a frog and must take Doremi as her student. Emily, Sophie, Nicole, and other friends also become witch apprentices.
My obsession with DoReMi manifested in many ways. With school friends back then, I acted out the transformations or read my very first mangas based on the story (even though the art style wasn’t my thing). In later years, we even created a fan website where people could adopt a fairy and interact with it.
What I particularly enjoyed in the anime were the witch exams because they were so funny and varied:
- In one exam, Doremi has to help a couple consisting of an octopus and a squid.
- In another exam, they have to write down their greatest fears to confront them. Sophie sees through the trick in advance and has to – oh no, how terrible! – eat two plates of cookies.
- One exam was even given to the girls as a gift because the examiners wanted to go on vacation.
The whole thing is wonderfully colorful and magical. There is a well-thought-out lore with a witch queen and a separate world for witches and elves that accompany the witches.
In addition to being witch apprentices, the girls work in Majorca’s shop, which sells magical items. They are still normal girls who also go to school. This way, you see both the fantasy life of a witch and normal everyday situations.
Growing up with DoReMi
Unlike other magical girl series like Sailor Moon or Pretty Cure, DoReMi prepared me for growing up back in the day. The story was not as outlandish
as in other series and was always close to the girls. I could relate to many situations and develop from them:
- For example, in one episode, the growth of breasts is a topic and why it isn’t a problem to be ashamed of.
- The deaths were much more credible than in other series. A character named Nozomi also wanted to become a witch but died of cancer. This way, I was confronted with real, serious topics as a young adult.
- From the second season on, Doremi and her friends have to take care of a baby. Unlike Chibiusa from Sailor Moon, it is more helpless, which taught me early on what responsibility means.
- The shop where the girls work had a new focus in each season. There were themes ranging from floristry to a bakery to weaving dresses. As a child, I already wanted to have a part-time job, and I kept financially afloat during my studies through awareness of having to work hard for my money.
Although I lived some years of my life after DoReMi, I have hardly met anyone who immediately shared my love for the anime. MyMMO editor-in-chief Leya Jankowski is the only person so far who immediately got excited when I told her which my favorite anime from the RTL2 era is.
One possible explanation is that the childlike optics may have deterred many fans. Despite the big googly eyes and children as protagonists, DoReMi dealt with serious topics that concerned me in my childhood and youth. And for anyone who is now saying, “But there was even a dramatic moment in Sailor Moon where all the Sailor Warriors died and were resurrected” – that also happened in DoReMi.
Unfortunately, this lack of attention for DoReMi shows in its airing on German television. After 2 seasons, the anime was canceled on RTL2, even though there are 4 seasons. There was never an official statement about it, but it could be that the anime gathered too few viewers in front of the screen. Thus, I had to watch the last two seasons in Japanese.
Is there an RTL2 anime that captivated you as much as it did me? What dances, transformations, and attacks did you reenact? Feel free to write it in the comments!
If you ask MyMMO editor Benedict Grothaus which his favorite anime from the RTL2 era is, Monster Rancher is probably at the top. He believes that the anime is better and more adult than Pokémon and Digimon. Why, you can read here: A forgotten RTL2 anime surpasses Digimon by miles
