Doraemon charms the world

The cartoon character Doraemon first appeared in Japan 35 years ago, and is now loved the world over. What is the secret behind the lasting popularity of this robotic cat?

"Wouldn't it be great if you could fly around they sky whenever you wanted?" "Yeah, and wouldn't it be handy to have a machine that could take you wherever you wanted to go in a flash?" As children we all had these kinds of dreams. Although we knew they would come to nothing in the end, it was fun just to let our imaginations run wild. But those daydreams did come true in a comic called Doraemon, which first appeared 35 years ago.

Doraemon is a robotic cat who returns from the 22nd century in a time machine to help out Nobita, a hapless and lazy boy who doesn't do well at school. Doraemon comes up with all kinds of secret devices to help Nobita out of the scrapes he gets into with the local bullies and with his mother, who is always yelling at him to study harder.

The Wonderful array of gadgets includes the take-koputa (bamboo-copter), which lets the characters fly when they place it on their heads; the dokodemo (anywhere) door, which takes them wherever they want to go just by opening it; and anki (memorization) bread, a handy aid for school tests - just copy the things you need to memorize onto the bread, eat it, and you'll remember them. Since these secret devices first appeared, Japanese children have been captivated by the unfolding adventures of Nobita and his friends, and Doraemon has established an unshakeable position as one of the best-loved comics in Japan.

It's not only Japanese children who are fascinated by the stories. These days Doraemon is more likely to appear as a TV cartoon than a comic book, and the cartoons have been shown in 30 countries spanning Asia, Europe, Latin America and the Middle East. Doraemon is especially popular in Asia, where he first became known via pirated versions printed in the 1970s.

Why is Doraemon so loved around the world, and especially in Asia? Many Asian societies place great importance on academic achievement and exam results, so children need to study constantly.

Maybe children in Asia identify with Nobita, who is always being told to "study harder!" And because Nobita is such an ordinary boy, the adventures that take him and his friends out of the everyday would probably seem even more real to children, giving them hopes and dreams of their own.

There is still a century to go before we reach Doraemon's birth year of 2112. This character, who has given children so many hopes and dreams, is sure to maintain a special place in people's hearts long after his birthday has been celebrated

Mayumi Nakamura (Asia Pacific Perspectives)