A timeline of magazines in which the manga's chapters (blue) or itslong stories (red) were published[3][4]
Doraemon (ドラえもん) is a Japanesemanga series written and illustrated byFujiko F. Fujio [ja]. First serialized in 1969, the manga's chapters were collected in 45tankōbon volumes published byShogakukan from 1974 to 1996. The story revolves around an earless robotic cat namedDoraemon, whotravels back in time from the 22nd century to assist a boy namedNobita Nobi in his day-to-day life.
The manga spawned amedia franchise. It was adapted into three different anime TV series in1973,1979, and2005. Additionally,Shin-Ei Animation has producedover forty animated films, including two 3D computer-animated films, all of which are distributed byToho. Various types of merchandise and media have been developed, includingsoundtrack albums,video games, and musicals. The manga series was licensed for an English language release in North America, viaAmazon Kindle, through a collaboration of Fujiko F. Fujio Pro withVoyager Japan andAltJapan Co., Ltd. The anime series was licensed byDisney for an English-language release in North America in 2014, and LUK International in Europe, the Middle East and Africa.
Nobita Nobi is a ten-year-old Japanese school boy who is kind-hearted and honest, but also lazy, clumsy, and hapless, performing poorly in both school and sports. One day, a blue robot cat from the 22nd century named Doraemon is sent back to the past by Nobita's future great-great-grandson, Sewashi Nobi, to take care of Nobita so that his descendants can have a better life. Doraemon has a four-dimensional pocket in which he stores tools, inventions, and gadgets from the future to aid Nobita whenever he is faced with a problem. Although Doraemon is a cat robot, he has a fear of mice because of an incident where robotic mice chewed off his ears. This is why Doraemon lost his original yellow color and turned blue, from sadness.
Nobita has three main friends:Takeshi Goda (nicknamed Gian),Suneo Honekawa (Gian's sidekick), andShizuka Minamoto, Nobita's best friend and love-interest. Gian is a strong, leading and domineering boy, but also loyal to his friends. Suneo is a wealthy and spoiled boy who uses his friendship with Gian to win the respect of other schoolmates. Shizuka is a gentle and kind girl who frequently plays with Nobita. Nobita has a crush on Shizuka; she is his prospective future wife (Nobita's future wife is initially Gian's younger sister). Although Gian and Suneo are Nobita's friends, they also typically bully and abuse him. Nobita normally responds by using Doraemon's gadgets to fight back against them, but Nobita has a tendency to get carried away with using the gadgets (or Gian and Suneo, if they steal it away), which typically results in unintended consequences for him and others.
In addition to Gian, Suneo, and Shizuka, Dorami and Hidetoshi Dekisugi are also recurring characters. Dorami is Doraemon's younger sister, and Dekisugi is a gifted student boy who as Shizuka's close friend, frequently attracts the jealousy of Nobita.
Production
Development and themes
Doraemon was written and illustrated byFujiko F. Fujio, the pen name of Japanesemanga artist Hiroshi Fujimoto.[5][6][7] According to Fujio, the series was originally conceived following a series of three events: when searching for ideas for a new manga, he wished a machine existed that would come up with ideas for him; during this, he tripped over his daughter's toy, and heard cats fighting in his neighborhood.[8] To set up the plot and characters, he used some elements from his earlier manga series,Obake no Q-Tarō, which involve anobake living with humans, with a similar formula.[9] Fujio said that the idea forDoraemon came after "an accumulation of trial and error", during which he finally found the most suitable style of manga to him.[10] Initially, the series achieved little success asgekiga was well-known at the time, and it only became a hit after its adaptation into an anime TV series and multiple feature films.[9]
Doraemon is mainly aimed at children, so Fujio chose to create the character with a simple graphic style, based on shapes such as circles and ellipses.[11] He used the same sequences of cartoons with regularity and continuity to enhance the reader's ease of understanding. In addition, blue, a characteristic color of Doraemon, was chosen as the main color in magazine publications, which used to have a yellow cover and red title.[12] Set inTokyo, the manga reflected parts of Japan's society, such as the class system and the "ideal" of Japanese childhood.[13][14] Problems, if they occurred, were resolved in a way so as not to rely on violence and eroticism,[15] and the stories were integrated with the concept of environmentalism.[16] The manga also insisted on the ethical values of integrity, perseverance, courage, family and respect.[17]
In order to underline the crucial role of the younger generation in society, the manga's creator chose to have the act carried out in a "children's domain" where young people can live with happiness, freedom and power without adult interference.[18] As Saya S. Shiraishi noted, the existence of the "domain" helpedDoraemon to have a strong appeal in various Asian countries.[18] DuringDoraemon's development, Fujio did not express a change in characters; he said, "When a manga hero become a success, the manga suddenly stops being interesting. So the hero has to be like the stripes on abarber pole; he seems to keep moving upward, but actually he stays in the same place."[19]
According to Zensho Ito, Fujio's former student, the "length" of time in the universe is one of the ideas that inspired Fujio to makeDoraemon.[20] Frequently displayed in its stories is Nobita's desire to control time, and there existtime-control gadgets that he uses to satisfy that desire, particularly the "Time Machine", which lies in his desk drawer.[21] Unlike Western works of science fiction, the manga does not explain the theory nor the applied technology behind these tools, but instead focusing on how the characters exploit them to their advantage, making it more child-friendly.[22]
Origin of the name
The name "Doraemon" can be roughly translated to "stray". Unusually, the name "Doraemon" (ドラえもん) is written in a mixture of two Japanese scripts:katakana (ドラ) andhiragana (えもん). "Dora" derives from "dora neko" (どら猫; stray cat), and is a corruption of nora (stray),[8] while "-emon" (in kanji右衛門) is an old-fashioned suffix for male names (for example, as inIshikawa Goemon).[23] Nobita's home address in Tsukimidai ("moon-view-heights"),Nerima refers to Fujimidai ("Fuji-view-heights"), whereOsamu Tezuka's residence and animation studio is based.[13] The name "Nobita Nobi" refers to "nobi nobi", meaning "the way a young child grows up free, healthy, and happy, unrestrained in any sense".[13][24]
Gadgets
"Anywhere Door", a gadget in the manga series as seen in the Fujiko F. Fujio Museum.
Gadgets, or "himitsu dōgu" (ひみつ道具), are Doraemon's tools from the future, used to assist the characters. Fujio said that Doraemon has a total of 1,293 gadgets;[25] according to a 2004 analysis by Yasuyuki Yokoyama ofToyama University, there are 1,963 gadgets found in 1,344 sketches.[23] The most recurring gadgets include "Take-Copter", a small piece of headgear made out of bamboo that can allow its users to fly; "Time Machine", a machine used fortime travel; "Anywhere Door", a pink-colored door that allows people to travel according to the thoughts of the person who turns the knob; "Time Kerchief", a handkerchief which can turn an object new or old or a person young or old; "Translator Tool", a cuboid jelly that allows one to converse in any language; and "Designer", a camera used to instantly dress-up the user.[23][26]
Saya S. Shiraishi wrote that most of the gadgets were "an impressive testimony to the standards of quality control and innovation that exist in the twenty-second century".[26] The gadgets are an essential part of the series so as to reflect a positive point of view concerning the association of technology in children, and to express the wishes of modern society.[27]
Conclusion
The series ceased its original run in 1994 and was not given an ending before Fujimoto's death in 1996; this has since aroused numerousurban legends throughout the years.[28] One of the most well-known "endings" of the manga was by an amateur manga cartoonist under the pen name "Yasue T. Tajima", first appearing on the Internet in 1998 and made into a manga in 2005. The story takes place when Doraemon's battery dies, and Nobita later grows up becoming a robot engineer, potentially reviving Doraemon and live a happy life. Tajima issued an apology making his own ending in 2007, and the profits were shared with Shogakukan and the copyright owner, Fujiko F. Fujio Pro.[29]
Ryūichi Yagi andTakashi Yamazaki, the directors ofStand by Me Doraemon, confirmed that it had only one opening, while the ending has been rewritten several times.[30] Because of this, Shogakukan had to clarify that only if the marriage of Nobita and Shizuka is finalized will the mission be accomplished, and then Doraemon will return to the future.[28]
The first appearance of Doraemon, who arrives via atime machine
In December 1969, theDoraemon manga appeared in six different children's monthly magazines published byShogakukan:Yoiko,Yōchien,Shogaku Ichi-nensei,Shogaku Ni-nensei,Shogaku San-nensei, andShogaku Yo-nensei. The magazines were aimed at children from nursery school to fourth grade. In 1973, two other magazines,Shogaku Go-nensei andShogaku Roku-nensei (aimed at fifth-grade and sixth-grade students respectively), started publishing the manga. In 1977,CoroCoro Comic was launched as the flagship magazine ofDoraemon.[32][33][34]
Since the debut ofDoraemon in 1969, the stories have been selectively collected into forty-fivetankōbon volumes that were published under Shogakukan'sTentōmushi Comics (てんとう虫コミックス) imprint from July 31, 1974, to April 26, 1996.[35][36] These volumes are collected in the Takaoka Central Library inToyama, Japan, where Fujio was born.[37] Between April 25, 2005, and February 28, 2006, Shōgakukan published a series of five manga volumes under the titleDoraemon Plus (Doraemon+), featuring short stories which did not appear in the forty-five original volumes;[38][39] a sixth volume, the first volume in eight years, was published on December 1, 2014.[40] Additionally, 119 unpublished stories were compiled into six colored-manga volumes under the titleDoraemon Kara Sakuhin-shu(ドラえもん カラー作品集;Doraemon Color Works), published from July 17, 1999, to September 2, 2006.[12][41] Between July 24, 2009, and September 25, 2012, Shogakukan published amaster works collection, consisting of twenty volumes with all 1,345 stories written by Fujio.[42][43] In December 2019, on the 50th anniversary ofDoraemon, a "Volume 0" was published by Shogakukan featuring six different versions of Doraemon's first appearance.[44]
There have been two series of bilingual, Japanese and English, volumes of the manga by Shogakukan English Comics under the titleDoraemon: Gadget Cat from the Future, and two audio versions.[45][46] The first series has ten volumes and the second one has six.[45] 21st Century Publishing House released bilingual English-Chinese versions in mainland China,[47] andChingwin Publishing Group released bilingual English-Chinese versions in Taiwan.[48]
In July 2013, Fujiko F. Fujio Pro announced that they would be collaborating withebook publisherVoyager Japan and localization companyAltJapan Co., Ltd. to release an English-language version of the manga in full color digitally via theAmazon Kindle platform in North America.[49] Shogakukan released the first volume in November 2013;[50] by 2016, a total of 200 volumes have been published.[50][51] The English version incorporates a variety of changes to character names; Nobita is "Noby", Shizuka is "Sue", Suneo is "Sneech", and Gian is "Big G", while the fooddorayaki is "Yummy Bun/Fudgy Pudgy Pie".[52] Also, by 2016, four volumes of the manga had been published in English in print byShogakukan Asia.[53][54]
Shogakukan started digital distribution of all forty-five original volumes throughout Japan from July 16, 2015.[55]
Doraemon's Long Tales, also known asDoraemon's Long Stories, is a manga and movie series ongoing since 1979, featuring longer and continuous narratives about the characters' adventures into various lands of science fiction and fantasy. The series consists of twenty-four tankōbon volumes published from 1983 to 2004.[56][57]
Spin-offs
Several spin-off manga series ofDoraemon have been made.The Doraemons, a manga illustrated by Michiaki Tanaka based onDoraemon, was published by Shogakukan in sixtankōbon volumes from 1996 to 2001.[58][59] Between 1997 and 2003, Shogakukan also published fifteen volumes ofThe Doraemons Special, created by Yukihiro Mitani and Masaru Miyazaki as a complement part ofThe Doraemons, including twelve from the main series[60][61] and three from theRobot Training School Edition.[62][63]Dorabase, abaseball-themed manga written and illustrated by Mugiwara Shintarō, is another spin-off ofDoraemon; twenty-three volumes of the manga were published by Shogakukan from April 26, 2001, to October 28, 2011.[64][65]
The first attempt of aDoraemon animated series was in1973, byNippon Television. After a January 1973 pilot namedDoraemon Mirai Kara Yattekuru(ドラえもんが未来からやってくる;Doraemon Coming from the Future),[67] twenty-six episodes, each with two segments, were broadcast on Nippon TV from April 1 to September 30 of the same year.[68] The series was directed by Mitsuo Kaminashi with a voice cast fromAoni Production; Doraemon was voiced byKōsei Tomita, then later byMasako Nozawa.[69] Later in the series, the animation studio, Nippon TeleMovie Productions, went bankrupt, and the masters were sold off or destroyed.[70] The series re-aired on Nippon TV and several local stations until 1979,[71][72] when Shogakukan requestedToyama Television to cease broadcasting.[73] Some of the segments were found in the archives ofImagica in 1995,[74] and some others were recovered by Jun Masami in 2003.[69] As of 2013, 21 of 52 segments are known to survive, two of which have no audio.[75]
Doraemon remained fairly exclusive in manga form until 1979 when an animation studio,Shin-Ei Animation (now owned byTV Asahi) produced an animatedsecond attempt ofDoraemon.[6] The series debuted on TV Asahi on April 2, 1979.[76] Ryo Motohira served as chief director from 1981, andTsutomu Shibayama from 1984.[77] Eiichi Nakamura served as director of character design,[77][78] whileShunsuke Kikuchi served as composer.[76][79]Nobuyo Ōyama voiced Doraemon in the series; because of this, inAsia, this version is sometimes referred to as the Ōyama Edition.[80] In total, 1,787 episodes were produced and released inVHS andDVD byToho.[81][82] On April 15, 2005,a major renewal premiered; it includes the replacement ofvoice actors and staff, and updated character designs.[83] The third series is sometimes referred to in Asia as the Mizuta Edition, as a tribute for the voice actress for Doraemon,Wasabi Mizuta.[80] It was released in DVD on February 10, 2006, under the titleNew TV-ban Doraemon(NEW TV 版 ドラえもん;Doraemon NEW TV Version) with a Shogakukan Video banner.[84][85]
In May 2014, TV Asahi Corporation announced an agreement withThe Walt Disney Company to bring the 2005 series to theDisney XD television channel andDisney Channel in the United States beginning in the summer of that year.[86][87][88] Besides using the name changes that were used in AltJapan's English adaptation of the original manga, other changes and edits had also been made to make the show more accessible to an American audience, such as Japanese text being replaced with English text on certain objects like signs and graded papers, items such asyen notes being replaced byUS dollar bills, and the setting being changed from Japan to the United States.[89] Initial response to the edited dub was positive.[90] The Disney adaptation began broadcast in Japan onDisney Channel on February 1, 2016. The broadcast offered the choice of the English dub or a newly recorded Japanese track by the Japanese cast of the 2005 series.[91]
The anime has been aired in over sixty countries worldwide.[92] It premiered in Thailand in 1982,[93] the Philippines in 1999,[94] India in 2005,[95] and Vietnam in 2010.[96][97] Other Asian countries and regions that broadcast the series include China, Hong Kong, Singapore, Taiwan, Malaysia, Indonesia, and South Korea.[98] The series is licensed inEMEA regions by LUK International;[99] it premiered in Spain in 1993[100] and France in 2003.[101] It has also been distributed in South American countries, including Brazil,[102] Colombia,[103] and Chile.[104] In 2017, POPS Worldwide, a Vietnamese multimedia company, collaborated with TV Asahi to release the anime series onYouTube and other digital platforms.[105]
As of 2025, there have been 44 annual feature-lengthanimated films produced by Shin-Ei Animation and released by Toho.[106] The first twenty-five films are based on the 1979 anime, while the rest are based on the 2005 anime.[106] Unlike the anime and manga series, the films are more action-adventure oriented, taking the familiar characters ofDoraemon and placing them in a variety of exotic and perilous settings.[107][108]
A3D computer-animated film,Stand by Me Doraemon, released in Japan on August 8, 2014.[109] Directed byTakashi Yamazaki and Ryūichi Yagi,[110] it combines elements from the short stories of the manga series: "All the Way from the Country of the Future", "Imprinting Egg", "Goodbye, Shizuka-chan", "Romance in Snowy Mountain", "Nobita's the Night Before a Wedding", and "Goodbye, Doraemon ..." into a new complete story, from the first time Doraemon came to Nobita's house to Doraemon bidding farewell to Nobita.[109][111] The film was a box office success, grossing $183.4 million worldwide.[112] A sequel,Stand by Me Doraemon 2, also directed by Yamazaki and Yagi, was released on November 20, 2020.[113]
In 1994, an educationalOVA was made, titledDoraemon: Nobita to Mirai Note(ドラえもん のび太と未来ノート), where the main characters express the hope for a better Earth. The OVA was released in DVD along with the 13th issue ofFujiko F. Fujio Wonderland magazine in September 2004.[119][120] A crossover episode ofDoraemon withAIBOU: Tokyo Detective Duo aired on TV Asahi on November 9, 2018.[121]
The soundtrack of the 1973 anime series was composed by Nobuyoshi Koshibe,[69] who also arranged the opening theme song "Doraemon" (ドラえもん) and the ending theme song "Doraemon Rumba" (ドラえもん ルンバ), both performed by Harumi Naitō.[68] For the 1979 anime, Shunsuke Kikuchi was the composer, who arranged "Doraemon no Uta" (ドラえもんのうた);[68][79] it had been performed by numerous singers, includingKumiko Ōsugi andSatoko Yamano.[122] When the anime got a reboot in 2005, Kan Sawada was the composer of the series.[123][124] There are four other opening themes, including an instrumental version of "Doraemon no Uta" performed byTwelve Girls Band;[125] "Hagushichao"(ハグしちゃお) performed byRimi Natsukawa;[126] "Yume wo Kanaete Doraemon"(夢をかなえてドラえもん), the opening theme broadcast from 2007 to 2018;[127] and "Doraemon" performed byGen Hoshino, broadcast since October 2019.[128]
Numerous collections of theme songs of the anime series and feature films were initially available incassettes.[129] Since the 1990s,Doraemon songs have been released in CD, under the type ofsingles andcompilation albums.[130][131] Soundtracks ofDoraemon feature films have been released byNippon Columbia since 2001 in the album series "Doraemon Soundtrack History" (ドラえもんサウンドトラックヒストリー).[132][133][134]
Musical shows
Doraemon has been adapted into a musical, titledDoraemon the Musical: Nobita and the Animal Planet (舞台版ドラえもん のび太とアニマル惑星,Butaiban Doraemon: Nobita to Animaru Puranetto). Based on the 1990anime filmof the same name, it debuted atTokyo Metropolitan Art Space on September 4, 2008, running through September 14. Shoji Kokami was the director and writer, Makoto Sakamoto played Nobita and Reiko Suho as Shizuka; Jaian and Suneo were portrayed by Tomohiro Waki and Kensaku Kobayashi, respectively; Wasabi Mizuta voiced Doraemon.[135][136] The musical was later revived and ran at Sunshine Theater, Tokyo from March 26 to April 2, 2017,[137] then later in other prefectures includingFukuoka,Osaka,Miyagi andAichi.[138] The 2017 revival is also directed and written by Kokami,[139] with Mizuta reprising her role;[138] Nobita, Shizuka, Jaian and Suneo were played by Yuuchi Ogoe, Hina Higuchi, Koki Azuma and Shō Jinnai, respectively.[140]
Video games
Many Japanese-onlyvideo games based onDoraemon have been developed. For instance, in 1983,Bandai developedDokodemo Dorayaki Doraemon (どこでも ドラヤキ ドラえもん), an arcade game inspired byPac-Man.[141]Doraemon, aNES video game made byHudson Soft, was released on December 12, 1986,[142] and became one of the best-selling games of that year in Japan with over 1.15 million copies sold.[143] On December 6, 2007,Sega publishedDoraemon Wii, the firstDoraemon video game released onWii.[144] Doraemon can also be seen inNamco'sTaiko no Tatsujin rhythm game series, such as inTaiko no Tatsujin: Sesson de Dodon ga Don! (2017).[145] The first Doraemon game to receive a Western release wasDoraemon Story of Seasons (2019).[146][147] Card games withDoraemon themes have also been made in several special occasions, sometimes to exploit the popularity of feature films.[148] In 2016, a special edition ofUno about the series' characters was released exclusively in Japan, as a result of a cooperation betweenAsatsu-DK andMattel.[149] In April 2025,CTW announcedDoramonn Comic Traveler (ドラえもん コミックトラベラー), the first online browser game based on the series, on its gaming platform G123.[150]
Merchandise
In Japan, theDoraemon merchandising rights belong toShogakukan-Shueisha Productions, which has produced and distributed a wide range of products under its brand, such as toys, food, stationery,action figures,[151]gashapon, shoes, clothing, and others.[152][153] Several companies have collaborated on the creation and distribution of products on the series and its characters, includingSanrio,[154]Converse,[155]Moleskine,[156] andESP Guitars, which has made guitars decorated withDoraemon characters;[157] a further partnership ofDoraemon withUniqlo led to a line of clothing designed byTakashi Murakami.[158] TheDoraemon franchise has also collaborated with various Japanese brands, including Tsi Groove & Sports'sJack Bunny!! golf apparel brand,[159][160][161]Unicharm'sMamiPoko diaper brand,[162] and the video gamesLINE Pop 2,[163]Monster Strike,[164] andGranblue Fantasy.[165][166]Viz Media owns theDoraemon merchandising rights in North and Latin America,[1] which has developedDoraemon-themed clothing and collectibles in collaboration with retail chainHot Topic,[167] and themedHappy Meals in a 2015 collaboration withMcDonald's.[168] Viz Media Europe (nowCrunchyroll EMEA) manages the merchandising in Europe except Spain and Portugal;[169] LUK International has obtained licenses in these two countries.[170]
Characters fromDoraemon have been used in advertising through specific agreements with Shogakukan. For instance, following theCool Japan initiative promoted by theJapanese government,Sharp Corporation produced a series of commercials featuring the characters of Doraemon and Nobita, which were broadcast in severalASEAN countries.[171] In late 2011, Shogakukan andToyota Motor Corporation joined forces to create a series of live-action commercials as part of Toyota's ReBorn ad campaign, which depicted the manga's characters two decades after being grown up, where Hollywood actorJean Reno played Doraemon.[172][173]
Doraemon is considered one of the best-known manga of all time, a true Japanese cultural icon,[9] and an essential part of family life of the Japanese post-war generation.[152] Akihiro Motoyama observed that "mothers who watched the movies when they were children are now taking their own children to see them".[152][174] It was also commercially successful: over108 million volumes were sold in Japan by 1996.[175] The 1979[174] and 2005 anime series[176] also achieved high ratings on television. With the filmDoraemon: Nobita's Secret Gadget Museum, theDoraemon anime film series reached 100 million tickets sold at the Japanese box office, surpassingGodzilla as thehighest-grossing film franchise in Japan.[177] By 2015, it had sold over 103 million tickets, and was the largest franchise by numbers of admissions in the country.[178]
Doraemon was also a hit in other parts of Asia, and is considered an archetypical example of Japanesesoft power,[179] although it has been published without a license in some countries.[180] The anime television series is available in over 60 countries,[92] and reportedly getting high ratings in at least 30 countries.[181] However,Doraemon has been less successful in Western countries, due to being viewed by many as a children-only series, and there were tight restrictions about publishing manga and broadcasting anime series the region.[182][183] The manga had sold over170 million copies worldwide by 2012;[184][185] over 250 million by 2019;[186] and over 300 million by 2024.[187] Estimates show thatDoraemon has generated at least more than$4.3 billion in merchandise sales by 2019,[b] and over $1.7 billion from feature films by 2020,[198] making it one of thehighest-grossing media franchises of all time.
Outside Japan,Doraemon achieved particular success in Vietnam,[199] with a record-breaking 40 million copies sold by 2006.[200] The manga was first launched there in 1992 byKim Đồng Publishing House, but the copyright from Shogakukan was not fully acquired until 1996.[201][202] In 1993, theVietnamese Ministry of Culture considered the manga's publication to be "an impactful event for the improvement of children, youth and adult's likings ... [Doraemon] is a comprehensively educational book series which has the effect of developing children's personality".[201] Doraemon is now a cultural icon in Vietnam, having been featured at many cultural events.[203][204]
Critical reception and analysis
Doraemon has received favorable reviews. CriticMark Schilling wrote, "For kids whose lives are often so regulated, Doraemon represents a welcome breath of freedom and a glimpse of a funnier, friendlier world where all dreams, even foolish ones, can come true."[205] Italian writer Massimo Nicora wrote that the manga "can be interpreted as a type of book that criticizes, with irony, the omnipotence of science that pretends to solve every problem with its tools", alluding to the fact that Doraemon's gadgets often end up making the problems even worse than they initially were, more than anything else. He added that it represents "the metaphor of the childish imagination, which always manages to find the most bizarre and original solutions, in a continuous game of transformation of reality".[206]
Some critics considered that Nobita's flawed personality and modest background is different from the special or extraordinary characteristics usually seen in other typical anime and manga protagonists; this portrayal has been seen as reasons of its appeal as well as the contrary, especially in the United States.[184][198] According to theItalian Parents Movement (Moige), in the manga, "the lazy Nobita does not know any kind of appreciable evolution", though there are still good points including "the criticism of bullying, the goodness that transpires from the little Nobita and the positive figure of Shizuka".[207]
In his 2000 article, Leo Ching explained that the success ofDoraemon in Asia was due to reflecting Asian values such as imagination and responsibility, the same reason thatOshin, another Japanese cultural export, became well known there.[208] On the other hand, according to an analysis byAnne Allison, professor of cultural anthropology atDuke University, the strong point of it was not the variety of the gadgets, but the relationship between Doraemon and Nobita, which was particularly appreciated.[209]Jason Thompson praised the "silly situations" and "old fashioned, simple artwork", with Doraemon's expression and comments adding to the "surrounding elementary-school mischief".[46] On the manga's 50th anniversary, anop-ed published onAsahi Shimbun stated that the manga "has already become a contemporary classic".[210]
A 2006 poll among 80,000 Japanese fans for the 10th anniversary of theJapan Media Arts Festival placedDoraemon at fifth among the top ten best manga of all time.[217] The 2005 and 2006 surveys conducted by TV Asahi found theDoraemon anime ranked fifth and third, respectively, among the 100 favorite anime series of all time.[218][219] In 2010, a survey conducted by researchers ofTokyo Polytechnic University found that most responders consideredDoraemon, along withDragon Ball franchise, to be the anime series that best representsCool Japan.[220] In a 2013 survey,Doraemon was found to be the best anime recommended for foreign people.[221]
Criticism
Doraemon has been blamed for having a negative impact on children, due to the controversial traits of the characters in the anime. The character has received criticism in China, where some media outlets considered Doraemon to be a politically subversive character and that it was a tool of Japan's "cultural invasion".[222][223][224] Some education groups in Taiwan demanded the anime to be banned, as the plot involves bullying, which was feared would encouragecampus bullying.[225] In 2016, a resolution to ban theHindi-dubbedDoraemon anime series was submitted in Pakistan.[226] Around the same time, legal notices were served against several companies in India, targetingDoraemon andCrayon Shin-chan for bans (which did not materialize), as having an adverse effect on children.[226][227]Disney Channel India, the regional broadcaster of the anime, was banned in Bangladesh and Pakistan due to the non-availability of localized dubs for content includingDoraemon.[228][229]
Cultural impact and legacy
Shuttle bus featuring Doraemon to Fujiko F. Fujio Museum inKawasaki
TheDoraemon manga has inspired many othermangakas; these includeEiichiro Oda, the creator ofOne Piece with the idea of "Devil Fruits",[230][231] andMasashi Kishimoto, the creator ofNaruto, who drew characters from anime shows during his childhood, including Doraemon.[232] The manga has also been referenced inGin Tama andGreat Teacher Onizuka.[233][234] The character Doraemon is considered one of the most recognizable cultural icons in Japan,[9][235] and one of the most well-known characters in manga history;[179] some critics compared his popularity with that ofMickey Mouse andSnoopy.[236][237]Mark Schilling noted that Doraemon's "Take-Copter" is familiar among Japanese people "just as Snoopy's biplane is familiar to most Americans".[238]
On April 22, 2002, in the special issue ofAsian Hero inTime magazine, Doraemon was the only anime character to be named one of the twenty-two Asian Heroes, and was described as "The Cuddliest Hero in Asia".[239] A 2007 poll byOricon shown that Doraemon was the second-strongest manga character ever, behind onlySon Goku ofDragon Ball.[240] Doraemon is also referred as something with the ability to satisfy all wishes.[206]
In 2005, the Taiwan Society of New York selectedDoraemon as a culturally significant work of Japaneseotaku pop-culture in its exhibitLittle Boy: The Arts of Japan's Exploding Subculture, curated by renowned artistTakashi Murakami.[241] In 2008, theJapanese Ministry of Foreign Affairs appointed Doraemon as the first anime cultural ambassador;[242] a Ministry spokesperson explained the decision as an attempt to help people in other countries better understand anime and to deepen their interest in Japanese culture.[243] On September 3, 2012, Doraemon was granted official residence in the city ofKawasaki, Kanagawa, one hundred years before he was born.[244] In the same year,Hong Kong celebrated the birthday of Doraemon 100 years early with a series of displays of the character.[245] In April 2013, Doraemon was chosen as Japan's ambassador inTokyo's bid to host the2020 Summer Olympics and2020 Summer Paralympics.[246] He appeared in the2016 Summer Olympics closing ceremony to promote the 2020 Summer Olympics in Tokyo.[247][248]
A Fujiko F. Fujio museum opened inKawasaki on September 3, 2011, featuring Doraemon as the star of the museum.[249][250] TheNational Museum of Singapore held a time-travelling exhibition in October 2020 as a tribute to the manga.[251] After the2011 Tōhoku earthquake and tsunami, Shogakukan released an earthquake survival guidebook, which included the main cast of theDoraemon manga series.[252]TV Asahi launched theDoraemon Fund charity fund to raise money for natural disasters in 2004[253] and 2011.[254] In 2020, the Mumbai's Sion Friends Circle group distributed food and books to children using mascots, one being Doraemon, to those in need during theCOVID-19 pandemic.[255] In Vietnam, a Doraemon scholarship fund was established in 1996,[256] and the Doraemon character has been used for education of traffic safety.[257]Doraemon's creator, Fujiko F. Fujio, received the Culture Fighter Medal from theVietnamese Ministry of Culture in 1996 for his contributions to youth education through the manga.[258]
Many prominent figures have been nicknamed after the cast ofDoraemon: politicianOsamu Fujimura is known as the "Doraemon of Nagatacho" due to his figure and warm personality,[259] and sumo wrestlerTakamisugi was nicknamed "Doraemon" because of his resemblance to the character.[260] In 2015, a group of people in a drought-affected village in northern Thailand used a Doraemon toy to complete a rain-ritual, in order to avoid controversies that would occur by using real animals.[261]
Aparody ofDoraemon created by Hikari Fujisaki, titledNozoemon(のぞえもん), was first serialized inNihon Bungeisha'sComic Heaven magazine in September 2014, with the compiled book volume released on June 9, 2015; however, it was discontinued in August 2015 due to content issues.[262]
^abFujio, Fujiko F. (September 1999).ドラえもんカラー作品集 1 [Doraemon Color Works 1] (in Japanese).Shogakukan.ISBN4091495710.Archived from the original on March 28, 2016. RetrievedMarch 31, 2018. For conception, see pp. 158–159.
^This meaning is explained by Nobita's father in"ぼくの生まれた日" [The Day I Was Born].ドラえもん 2 [Doraemon 2] (in Japanese).Shogakukan (published August 26, 1974). September 1974. p. 56.ISBN4091400027.Archived from the original on April 23, 2016. RetrievedJanuary 13, 2022.
^"ぼく、ドラえもん 第4号" [I, Doraemon No. 4].Fujiko F. Fujio Wonderland (in Japanese). April 20, 2004.ASINB005NH6RU2. RetrievedMay 25, 2021.
^Guglielmino, Andrea (November 4, 2014)."L'afflato tragico di Doraemon" [The tragic inspiration of Doraemon].Cinecittà (in Italian).Archived from the original on March 25, 2018. RetrievedMay 25, 2021.
^藤子・F・不二雄WORKS ドラえもんリスト [Fujiko F. Fujio Works Doraemon List] (in Japanese). Tokyo: NeoUtopia. 2019.
^"『てれびくん』掲載作品" [Works published in "Televi-kun"].Coocan (in Japanese).Archived from the original on October 17, 2018. RetrievedOctober 16, 2018.
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^"ぼくドラえもん!「ドラえもん文庫」開設" [I, Doraemon! "Doraemon Bunko" opens] (in Japanese). Toyama Brand. April 7, 2004.Archived from the original on October 4, 2018. RetrievedOctober 3, 2018.
^Fujio, Fujiko F. (October 2006).ドラえもんカラー作品集 6 [Doraemon Color Works 6] (in Japanese).Shogakukan.ISBN4091402488.Archived from the original on December 16, 2018. RetrievedMarch 31, 2018.
^Fujio, Fujiko F. (July 24, 2009).藤子・Ｆ・不二雄大全集 ドラえもん １ [Doraemon: The Complete Collection of Fujiko F. Fujio 1] (in Japanese).Shogakukan.ISBN9784091434036.Archived from the original on January 15, 2013. RetrievedJanuary 5, 2015.
^Fujio, Fujiko F. (September 2012).藤子・Ｆ・不二雄大全集 ドラえもん ２０ [Doraemon: The Complete Collection of Fujiko F. Fujio 20] (in Japanese).Shogakukan (published September 25, 2012).ISBN9784091435019.Archived from the original on January 13, 2015. RetrievedJanuary 5, 2015.
^"哆啦A梦英汉双语精华本1" [Doraemon English-Chinese Bilingual Essence Book 1] (in Chinese). 21st Century Publishing House. Archived fromthe original on August 3, 2019. RetrievedDecember 1, 2018.
^Fujio, Fujiko F. (November 28, 1983).大長編ドラえもん1 のび太の恐竜 [Doraemon Long Stories 1: Nobita's Dinosaur]. Shogakukan.ISBN4-09-140602-5.Archived from the original on March 31, 2016. RetrievedMarch 5, 2022.
^Fujiko F. Fujio Pro (August 27, 2004).大長編ドラえもん24 のび太のワンニャン時空伝 [Doraemon Long Stories 24: Nobita in the Wan-Nyan Spacetime Odyssey]. Shogakukan.ISBN4-09-142864-9.Archived from the original on April 26, 2019. RetrievedMarch 5, 2022.
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^Oohata, T."真佐美ジュンさんに聞く" [Interview with Jun Masami].Anime Old Doraemon Great Research (in Japanese).Archived from the original on January 15, 2007. RetrievedMay 26, 2021.
^abNeoUtopia No.50 (in Japanese). Tokyo: NeoUtopia. 2010. p. 30.
^Interview with Eiichi Nakamura in the book attached withDoraemon Time Machine BOX 1979 DVD collection, released by Warner Home Video in 2009."ドラえもん タイムマシンBOX 1979" [Doraemon Time Machine BOX 1979] (in Japanese). Surugaya.Archived from the original on July 6, 2019. RetrievedJuly 6, 2019.
^ab"東奥・第59回東奥賞" [Tō-Ō / 59th Tō-Ō Award].Tō-Ō Nippō (in Japanese).Archived from the original on August 12, 2018. RetrievedMay 26, 2021.
^ab"舊酒新瓶？濃厚也" [Old Wine In New Bottle? It's Rich] (in Chinese). Hong Kong Independent Media Network. February 25, 2009.Archived from the original on August 16, 2016. RetrievedJune 9, 2016.
^"TV アニメ ドラえもん" (in Japanese). Allcinema.Archived from the original on May 18, 2004. RetrievedMarch 30, 2018.
^abcdClements, Jonathan; McCarthy, Helen (2006).The Anime Encyclopedia, Revised & Expanded Edition: A Guide to Japanese Animation Since 1917. Stone Bridge Press. p. 158.ISBN978-1-61172-515-5.
^"「ドラえもん」が初の3DCG映画化 来夏公開へ" ["Doraemon" will be released as the first 3DCG movie next summer].Oricon News (in Japanese). November 14, 2013.Archived from the original on August 13, 2014. RetrievedMay 26, 2021.
^"3DCG『ドラえもん』、藤子・F・不二雄先生も知らなかった物語" [3DCG "Doraemon", a story that Fujiko F. Fujio didn't even know].Oricon News (in Japanese). August 16, 2014.Archived from the original on August 19, 2014. RetrievedMay 26, 2021.
^"2112年 ドラえもん誕生" [2112: The Birth of Doraemon].Eiga.com (in Japanese).Archived from the original on January 24, 2013. RetrievedMay 26, 2021.
^"映画 のび太の結婚前夜: 作品情報" [Doraemon: Nobita's the Night Before a Wedding: Work Information].Eiga.com (in Japanese).Archived from the original on January 23, 2013. RetrievedMay 26, 2021.
^"ぼくの生まれた日: 作品情報" [The Day When I Was Born: Work Information].Eiga.com (in Japanese).Archived from the original on January 26, 2013. RetrievedMay 26, 2021.
^"おばあちゃんの思い出: 作品情報" [Doraemon: A Grandmother's Recollections: Work Information].Eiga.com (in Japanese).Archived from the original on June 27, 2013. RetrievedMay 26, 2021.
^"ドラえもん ぼく桃太郎のなんなのさ: 作品情報" [What Am I for Momotaro: Work Information].Eiga.com (in Japanese).Archived from the original on January 25, 2013. RetrievedMay 26, 2021.
^"WEBアニメスタイル 更新情報とミニニュース" [WEB Anime Style Update Information and Mini News].WEB Anime Style (in Japanese).Archived from the original on September 28, 2019. RetrievedMay 26, 2021.
^"雑誌 ぼくドラえもん13" [Magazine I, Doraemon 13].Fujiko F. Fujio Wonderland (in Japanese). September 3, 2004. RetrievedJune 4, 2021.
^Sawada, Kan."ドラえもん" [Doraemon].Kan Sawada Official Website (in Japanese). Archived fromthe original on August 15, 2015. RetrievedMay 26, 2021.
^"ドラえもん｜テレビ朝日" (in Japanese). TV Asahi.Archived from the original on April 15, 2005. RetrievedMay 26, 2021.
^"ドラえもんOPテーマついに新曲に交代、歌は夏川りみ" [Doraemon OP theme finally changed to a new song, the song of Rimi Natsukawa].Ratelog (in Japanese).Archived from the original on December 15, 2005. RetrievedMay 26, 2021.
^"スタッフ＆声の出演者" [Staff & voice performers] (in Japanese).TV Asahi.Archived from the original on March 18, 2013. RetrievedJuly 6, 2019.
^"星野源「ドラえもん」新オープニング曲に!" [Gen Hoshino's "Doraemon" New Opening Song!] (in Japanese).TV Asahi. September 6, 2019.Archived from the original on November 17, 2020. RetrievedNovember 17, 2020.
^"パチソン ドラえもんのうた のぶ代ドラ カセットテープ" [Pachison Doraemon no Uta Nobuyo Dora Cassette Tape] (in Japanese).Rakuten.Archived from the original on November 17, 2020. RetrievedNovember 17, 2020.
^"舞台版ドラえもん のび太とアニマル惑星" [Doraemon: Nobita and the Animal Planet stage version].Third Stage (in Japanese).Archived from the original on December 30, 2008. RetrievedMay 26, 2021.
^ab"舞台版ドラえもん のび太とアニマル惑星" [Doraemon: Nobita and the Animal Planet stage version].Third Stage (in Japanese).Archived from the original on April 20, 2017. RetrievedMay 26, 2021.
^"「セガコンシューマ新作発表会2007Autumn」で発表された最新タイトルSSを大公開" [The latest title SS announced at "SEGA Consumer New Release 2007 Autumn" is released to the public].Dengeki Online (in Japanese). September 14, 2007.Archived from the original on December 18, 2007. RetrievedMay 27, 2021.
^"Dorainfo" (in Japanese). Epoch Co., Ltd.Archived from the original on October 30, 2007. RetrievedMay 26, 2021.
^"UNOに新ルール コラボカードが一挙に3つ登場 「ドラえもん」「ドラゴンボール」「ワンピース」の世界観を反映" [Three new rule collaboration cards appear in UNO at once, reflecting the world view of "Doraemon", "Dragon Ball" and "One Piece"].Print & Promotion (in Japanese). September 30, 2016.Archived from the original on October 21, 2016. RetrievedMay 26, 2021.
^"ドラえもんとハローキティが夢のコラボ 「どこでもドア」から一緒に登場" [Doraemon and Hello Kitty appear together from the dream collaboration "Anywhere Door"].アニメ！アニメ！ (in Japanese). July 22, 2015.Archived from the original on July 24, 2015. RetrievedJanuary 14, 2022.
^"「Jack Bunny!!」と人気キャラクター「ドラえもん」とのコラボがパワーアップして登場！ サングラスをしたドラえもんアイテムなど限定品が発売 8月9日(金)からは「ドラえもん祭り」を開催！" [A collaboration between "Jack Bunny!!" and the popular character "Doraemon" has been enhanced! Limited items such as Doraemon items wearing sunglasses will be on sale. The "Doraemon Festival" will be held from August 9th (Friday)!] (in Japanese). PR Times. August 5, 2019.Archived from the original on November 2, 2021. RetrievedNovember 2, 2021.
^"ゴルフアパレルブランド「Jack Bunny!!」から、いつものゴルフを「ドラえもん」と楽しく過ごせるコラボアイテムが今年も登場！発売を記念して8月7日(金)からは「ドラえもん祭り」を開催！" [From the golf apparel brand "Jack Bunny!!", collaboration items that allow you to enjoy your usual golf with "Doraemon" will be released this year as well! To commemorate the release, the "Doraemon Festival" will be held from August 7th (Friday)!] (in Japanese). PR Times. July 31, 2020.Archived from the original on November 5, 2021. RetrievedNovember 2, 2021.
^"「DORAEMON JackBunny!! FESTIVAL'21」8/6(金)～の8/22(日)開催！" ["DORAEMON Jack Bunny !! FESTIVAL'21" will be held from August 6th (Friday) to August 22nd (Sunday)!] (in Japanese). PR Times. August 4, 2021.Archived from the original on November 5, 2021. RetrievedNovember 2, 2021.
^"ドラえもん50周年『マミーポコパンツ』ハッピーデザイン" [Doraemon 50th Anniversary "MamiPoko Pants" Happy Design] (in Japanese). Fujiko Pro. May 14, 2021.Archived from the original on November 3, 2021. RetrievedNovember 2, 2021.
^"「LINE POP2」に「ドラえもん」たちが登場！『映画ドラえもん のび太の宝島』とコラボレーション開始！" ["Doraemon" and others have appeared in "LINE POP2"! Collaboration with "Doraemon: Nobita's Treasure Island" has started!] (in Japanese). PR Times. March 20, 2018.Archived from the original on November 5, 2021. RetrievedNovember 2, 2021.
^"【追記：3/6】「映画ドラえもん のび太の新恐竜」と「モンスト」のコラボイベントを3/6（金）より期間限定で開催！ドラえもん、のび太、しずか、ジャイアン、スネ夫がモンストに登場！" [[Addition: 3/6] A collaboration event between "Movie Doraemon Nobita's New Dinosaur" and "Monster Strike" will be held for a limited time from March 6th (Friday)! Doraemon, Nobita, Shizuka, Gian, and Suneo appear in Monster Strike!] (in Japanese). XFLAG. February 28, 2020.Archived from the original on November 22, 2021. RetrievedNovember 2, 2021.
^ドラえもん、誕生５０周年にビックリ新刊！「第０巻」２７日発売 [Doraemon, surprise new publication on the 50th anniversary! "Volume 0" released on the 27th of November].サンスポ (in Japanese). Sankei Digital, Inc. November 27, 2019. RetrievedMarch 30, 2022.
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^abMarket Share in Japan. Yano Research Institute. 2005. p. 18.Archived from the original on November 20, 2018. RetrievedSeptember 6, 2018.7 | Doraemon | 500 ... 8 | Doraemon | 300
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^Hoàng Nguyên (May 20, 2010)."Mèo máy Doremon tái xuất và ... đổi tên" [Doraemon the robot cat reappeared and ... renamed].Thể thao & Văn hóa (in Vietnamese).Archived from the original on October 13, 2019. RetrievedMay 28, 2021.
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