Toei Animation announced on October 16, 2026, that Star Detective Precure! will air a special Magical DoReMi crossover in its upcoming 39th episode on October 25 [1]. The one-episode event, titled “Ojamajo na Halloween♪,” brings the witch apprentice aesthetic of the 1999 classic into the detective series for a seasonal autumn adventure. The production team treats Ojamajo Doremi as a TV show watched by people in 1999 rather than merging both stories into an impossible shared world [2]. It gives viewers a nostalgic treat while keeping the case grounded in its own mystery format [3].
How the Magical DoReMi Crossover Uses 1999
The team-up works naturally because Star Detective Precure! already takes place in 1999 [2]. Protagonist Anna Akechi begins her journey in 2027 as a 14-year-old middle school student in Makoto Mirai City, but a time slip guided by the fairy Pochitan strands her nearly three decades in the past [5]. In that era, Ojamajo Doremi isn’t a forgotten relic; it’s a hit TV show airing on Sunday mornings [2].
Series producer Soya Aramaki said setting the story in 1999 gave the crew the exact bridge needed to link the two shows without breaking logic. In official comments translated from Japanese, Aramaki said, “Because each work has a different worldview, collaborating within the main anime was a difficult challenge, but we built the collaboration around the year 1999, which is the core of this show, treating Ojamajo Doremi as a TV anime currently broadcasting at that time” [1]. The creative team chose not to pull Doremi herself into the physical world as a living person. Instead, they let Anna and her friends celebrate Halloween by engaging with their favorite Sunday morning TV show, keeping the story grounded in reality [2].
Television history mirrors that storyline, setting the stage for the Magical DoReMi crossover. The original Ojamajo Doremi anime, created under the pseudonym Izumi Todo, premiered on February 7, 1999, and ran for 51 episodes across its first run on ABC and TV Asahi. It occupied the exact same Sunday morning 8:30 a.m. slot that the Precure franchise has kept for decades [2].
Halloween Mystery and Stolen Brooms
Episode 39 centers on a festive shopping district party that quickly turns into an active case. Anna suggests holding the neighborhood’s first Halloween celebration, and residents wander the streets in costumes to gather candy. While helping with the party, the CUREtto Detective Agency meets a lost girl named Hinano, who got separated from her mother while her mother was busy taking care of a younger sibling [3].
The holiday mood breaks when Ageseine of the Phantom Thieves’ Guild arrives in a witch disguise to steal Hinano’s broom [3]. That broom secretly houses a Makoto Jewel. The stolen jewel made the broom a primary target for the thieves [1]. The detective girls leave Hinano under the care of senior ally Jett before chasing the thief through crowded streets, but the pursuit stalls when the witch’s physical trail suddenly vanishes. Anna deduces that Ageseine changed disguises while fleeing through the crowd. The villain would easily spot the detectives if they kept searching in their original outfits [3].
To counter the villain’s escape tactic, the four detectives adopt witch-apprentice disguises inspired by the magical girls they watch on TV. Official materials designate their costumed personas with classic Doremi-style pet names: Annacchi, Mikurucchi, Kureacchi, and Lulukacchi [1]. The costume swap isn’t just cosmetic fun, because changing clothes directly advances their search for the stolen jewel [2].
Yoshihiko Umakoshi Returns for Collaboration Art
To commemorate the crossover, veteran animator Yoshihiko Umakoshi drew an original illustration pairing Cure Answer with Doremi [1]. Umakoshi created the original character concept designs for Ojamajo Doremi in 1999 and later returned to Toei Animation to design Heartcatch Precure! in 2010 [5]. His visual style bridges the two eras by giving the modern detective heroines the playful proportions and rounded lines that defined late-nineties anime [3].
The promotional campaign includes a unique artistic detail that fans noticed right away. Umakoshi prepared two distinct facial-expression variants for Cure Answer, which lets the team swap her reaction across different promo materials. In his translated remarks, Aramaki said, “There are two expression patterns for Answer! It’s a wonderful illustration that sparks various imaginations from their expressions, and we’re using them differently according to the rollout, so please pay attention to that as well” [1]. That dual illustration anchors store displays across Japan [3].
Retailers launched collaborative goods right after the official announcement on October 16. The official Pretty Store chain and partner shops began stocking acrylic stands, badges, and novelty items featuring Umakoshi’s art, with online preorders opening at 1:00 p.m. JST. The quick retail rollout shows how eagerly Japanese shops embrace seasonal events that appeal to multi-generational audiences [3].
Magical DoReMi Crossover Reunited Veteran Creators
The episode also reunites influential creative leaders across two generations of Toei Animation. Original Ojamajo Doremi producer Hiromi Seki joined the crew with Aramaki, sharing memories from the start of the older series in 1999. In her translated comments, Seki said, “When I heard rumors of a new Precure set in 1999, as Doremi’s producer I thought, “Ah, that was a special year!” Aramaki turned out to be from the generation that grew up watching Doremi, and working with staff much younger than myself brought back many joyful memories”. Collaborating with younger talent felt deeply rewarding to her, reminding her of the energy that launched the franchise [1].
Seki cited an old Japanese proverb during production: “learning from the child on one’s back when crossing the shallows.” She praised the technical growth of the newer animators. Reviewing the storyboards moved her to tears as she recognized directing techniques passed down from veteran directors Junichi Sato, Takuya Igarashi, Shigeyasu Yamauchi, and Tatsuya Nagamine. In a charming coincidence, the two storyboard directors assigned to the episode were named Hana and Hazuki, matching two central characters from the original witch apprentice cast [1].
This collaboration builds on past ties between both magical girl shows. A poster advertising the 2020 film Looking for Magical DoReMi previously appeared in Episode 16 of Healin’ Good♥Pretty Cure [3]. Production houses often coordinate such legacy moments, just as Toho confirmed the Inept Villainess anime return to keep seasonal momentum [2].
Broadcast Schedule and Worldwide Streaming
Episode 39 of Star Detective Precure! airs nationwide in Japan on Sunday, October 25, 2026, at 8:30 a.m. JST across ABC TV, TV Asahi, and affiliate networks [4]. Regional viewers tuned to BSS Sanin Broadcasting will get the episode one week later on November 1 [1]. Because the broadcast airs during Halloween weekend, families get a seasonal trick-or-treating story on live TV [2].
International fans won’t have to wait long to watch the story unfold. Crunchyroll streams the series in North America, Latin America, Europe, Africa, the Middle East, Australia, and New Zealand. Subscribers can watch the episode shortly after its broadcast in Japan. Platform distribution expands with other fall anime updates where Crunchyroll confirmed the Magical Explorer English dub cast for global viewers [4].
The special team-up highlights a playful step for the 23rd entry in the Precure franchise [3]. Earlier this season, the series paired up with Detective Conan to celebrate its mystery premise, proving that the detective format can welcome iconic guests without losing its focus [5]. By presenting this Magical DoReMi crossover through in-universe TV history, the show honors its morning anime roots with clever writing [2].
- PRESS RELEASE Toei Animation. (2026, October 16). Star Detective Precure! x Ojamajo Doremi collaboration confirmed!! Toei Animation News. [Article Link]
- ONLINE NEWS KevinRy. (2026, October 16). Star Detective Precure! x Ojamajo Doremi collaboration comes to Episode 39 on October 25. RYGAMES NEWSROOM. [Article Link]
- ONLINE NEWS Kobe NinjaTurtles. (2026, October 16). Star Detective Precure! x Magical DoReMi crossover episode confirmed—four Cures suit up as witch apprentices! Nikkan Denden. [Article Link]
- ONLINE NEWS Neha. (2026, October 16). Precure and Ojamajo DoReMi team up for a Halloween crossover episode. My Otaku World. [Article Link]
- ONLINE NEWS Carla, M. (2026, October 16). Star Detective Precure! teams up with Ojamajo Doremi for a Halloween episode. EpicFlix. [Article Link]
- ONLINE NEWS Sitgi Editorial. (2026, October 16). Magical DoReMi and Star Detective Precure! to cross over in Halloween episode. Sitgi News. [Article Link]
