Unfortunately, not many people are watching Mewkledreamy, leaving this show to its fate of obscurity. Not only is it because no legal streaming services are broadcasting this show to the general public, but also that magical girls are too niched for the common anime fan to enjoy. Perhaps it's telling of the current state of the contemporary mahou shoujo genre. From the veteran franchise PreCure to lesser known titles like Pri☆chan, these shows remain underwatched and underrated in the flood of seasonal anime. It's easy to dismiss Mewkledreamy for being a typical mahou shoujo show, but it's exuberance in style and aesthetics makes it a unique experience for nonfans of the genre and does a lot more than what people let on.
Additionally, the show is being directed by a fairly well known director, Hiroaki Sakurai. Hiroaki Sakurai has a knack for cute girls shows, doesn't he? From last year's sleeper hit, Machikado Mazoku to his 2000s otaku classic, Di Gi Charat, Sakurai seems to know how to make a show pop out in both presentation and structure. Mewkledreamy is no exception. With J.C. Staff as the production studio and Sanrio manning the character design, this anime will definitely be a fan favourite among the mahou shoujo community.
So what even is Mewkledreamy?
Mewkledreamy follows Yume Hinata, a cute and bubbly middleschooler who stumbles upon Mew, a stuffed kitten who can enter people's dreams. They soon meet the Queen of the Miracle Dreamy Kingdom, who tells them that collecting "Dreamy Stones" from people's dreams can grant them one wish (think of it like the seven Dragon Balls). Along the way, Yume meets various lively and vivacious classmates, from the aspiring comedian Maira Tsukishima (whose puns and exaggerated reactions are adorable to watch) to Asahi Minamikawa, the boy next door who has a heart throbbing infatuation with the beloved Yume.
However, in most mahou shojo fashion, there are villains who sought to disrupt the hero's journey and the dream world. In this case, the villain is a black stuffed kitten and his two cohorts who I swear to god are the cutest trio of villains I've ever encountered in anime. Despite having villains, the show never becomes a full-on battle mahou shojo like PreCure, and the fact that only Yume can enter dreams (and thus the only one capable of battle) is a neat idea that deviates from the formulaic structure in most shows of the genre.
Mewkledreamy is a very chill and relaxing show to watch. There are no urgent matters at hand, and most of the episodes are slice-of-life rather than magical battles. The show is more concerned with the girls' day to day life at school than any looming danger from their newfound powers, managing to showcase the grandiose personalities of Yume, Maira, Kotoko and all of their pet partners in a fun and natural manner. The dialog and character interaction are comedic, witty, and wholesome to the point where you cannot fall in love with the cast. Mewkledreamy pops off in its' bright and creative aesthetics. The show's flashy animation and art design is immaculate; whether that be in the characters' expressive reactions or the flashy transformation scenes, the show never falters in its animation or artistic vision.
It's truly a shame, that a show of this calibre had gone unnoticed from the average anime watcher. If you like mahou shoujo shows or just like cute girls doing cute things, you can't go wrong with Mewkledreamy. Fun things are fun.
