'Doraemon' animation conquers audiences for more than half a century

Movies about the robot cat Doraemon are popular with Asian audiences because they stick to the comic spirit, promoting friendship and courage.

According to the box office observation page Kogyo Tsushin , the 44th project Doraemon: Nobita's Art World Tales ( Doraemon: Nobita and the Adventures of the Picture World ) - released on March 7 - topped the Japanese box office chart for two consecutive weeks. The film reached 1.14 million viewers, with total revenue now exceeding 1.4 billion yen (over 9.3 million USD).

Many movies about the robot cat have caused a stir among Asian audiences, including Vietnam. In 2024, the 43rd movie Doraemon: Nobita and the Symphony of the Earth reached over 147 billion VND, becoming the most successful anime film ever in the domestic market. In Japan, the project earned 4.31 billion yen (29 million USD).

Continuing the appeal of the comic book version, the animated films have been popular with audiences since their first release in 1973. According to the page Normal , after first appearing in 1969, the story and image of the blue robot cat quickly became a spiritual food for many people, especially children, and a symbol of Japanese popular culture.

The success of the film comes from the humane story about friendship. The character Doraemon is not just a normal robot but a symbol of loyalty and hope. Doraemon is round in shape, has funny expressions, and has many items to solve problems, helping him become Nobita's ideal companion.

Nobita's friends include Shizuka, Suneo and Jaian, who have different personalities but play important roles in the stories. According to the page Medium , the interaction between a group of friends and those around them teaches lessons about how to treat others and the beauty of forgiveness.

Robot cat Doraemon and his best friend Nobita. Photo: Toho

The advantage of a comic book brand when adapted to animation is that it has a ready script. Author Fujiko F. Fujio has published 16 long stories. In each episode, Nobita and his friends embark on an adventure to new worlds, facing bigger challenges instead of troubles at school and family like in the story. The plot is not much different from adventure and science fiction movie scripts. When producing, directors rarely change the plot much from the original.

The brand also succeeds in creating magical worlds. Audiences follow Nobita's group of friends through time from ancient times to the present, from underground to the bottom of the deep sea or outer space. The author also blends many elements from different cultures to make the film accessible to international audiences. In Doraemon: Nobita and the Little Universe War 2021 , a project inspired by the brand Star Wars American classic. Some details are borrowed from the part Return of the Jedi . However, the script is completely different from the story of American director George Lucas.

The crew constantly innovates the plot, bringing rich and new themes to the audience. Part 43, directed by Kazuaki Imai, conveys the importance of music to humanity. In the latest project of director Yukiyo Teramoto, the power of art and solidarity are integrated throughout the film. Through that, the audience not only enjoys vivid images, but is also inspired by good values.

Trailer "Doraemon: Nobita and the Symphony of the Earth". Video: CGV

Mr. Nguyen Hoang Hai - CJ CGV Vietnam's content director - commented that the brand is popular because it has no age restrictions when showing, is suitable for Vietnamese culture, and is chosen by many families to enjoy. In addition, the action scenes are added with many effects and techniques to increase the appeal.

By page Nation Thailand , among the cartoons aired on television and online in Thailand, Doraemon is the only production that attracts audiences of all ages. Mr. Phatiyuth Jaiswang, acting president of Public Radio and Television of Thailand, said the popularity of the series comes from its ability to convey meaningful messages in each episode.

Comic Doraemon first appeared in 1969, created by Fujiko F. Fujio, the joint pen name of artist Hiroshi Fujimoto and Motoo Abiko from 1954 to 1987. The content is about a robot cat born in the 22nd century, returning to the 20th century to help Nobita - a clumsy elementary school student - escape from ironic situations. In addition to daily stories, the group of friends have many thrilling adventures.

After more than five decades, Doraemon maintained its appeal, with 250 million copies of the comic, making it one of the top 10 best-selling manga series of all time. In 2008, the character was appointed Japan's first animation cultural ambassador. In 2012, on the occasion of minus 100th birthday (Doraemon's birth year is 2112), the robot cat became a citizen of Kawasaki city, where the two authors live and is the setting of the story.

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