Stand by Me Doraemon

Honestly, I am not a Doraemon fan, I did not grow up watching the series. I was hooked up to the Cartoon Network and its all the shows. But this one, they never aired it, so I am not familiar with. However, I had a few glimpses while passing by when my niece watching it on the television set. She loves it and she draws it. It was an English dubbed version though, that did not excite me a much. Officially, this movie was my first encounter with this what millions of children love, Doraemon. I really, really liked it, almost loved it. Feel regret that I should have known it before the movie because it was so good like those I'd enjoyed in my childhood days.

3D anime is a new market. It is an easy production compared to 2D animation where digital 3D is an optional advantage. That does not mean the regular Anime is losing its trade, but recent Studio Ghibli's decision to halt in production makes suspicious. Look, what has 3D animation done in Hollywood, a rapid growth in last ten years shrunk the 2D animations. The last film I remember I saw was 'The Princess and the Frog'. On one side, I am delighted because we are advancing, but in another it is very sad that Cartoons are losing its honour. The bright side is, all those flat characters we loved in our days are reshaping in the 3D avatar. The great successful example is the latest 'Asterix and Obelix' movie. 'Popeye' and many other films are too in the line, so something to cheer!

First of all I did not know Doraemon is a science-fiction, in fact, I thought Doraemon is some kind of talking toy, like in the movie 'Ted'. Fans, don't mind, I am just a beginner, but quickly learning. The only criticism I heard so far from the Doraemon fans was that the story was not new, they have already seen it in the anime short version. This film was not a follow-up to any earlier films are TV series. It was a fresh beginning like from the scratch that really helped me to understand and would do same for anyone who are unfamiliar with this. It was based on the six Doraemon manga short stories. You would easily find splits between those parts while changing the phases, but overall, a fine assembles.

Unlike television series, this Japanese Academy Award winner for Animated movie is for all. That mean adults as well can enjoy it besides the kids. There are many special things about the movie. Obviously it is very humorous, but unexpectedly so romantic and emotional with the matured materials used to tell the tale, even for the kids it is something to learn from. I loved many individual scenes, because those were not just beautiful and funny, but very clever indeed. Especially the end twist makes 'what the heck!', yet simple charmingly smart. Instantly I became the Doraemon fan, and now I want a sequel.

"It's hard saying goodbye. But... It's harder thinking that I'll be making her unhappy."

The character Nobita was just like the one from 'CJ7' who is obsessed with his new beneficial friend. Because he is not good at anything, sometimes he begins well, but ends it in a disaster, so he always depended on the gadgets from his beloved robot cat. Besides, he's lazy and always get bullied by his classmates Gian and Suneo. But he do has a crush on a girl called Shizuka, a brainy student Hidetoshi stands between him and her. Now he has a competitor and to win her heart, which as well helps to fix his future, whatsoever he must work hard. Those efforts are pleasantly illustrated in the movie.

I liked all the 3D converted characters, especially Shizuka was so cute. Doraemon looked little bigger and like a giant blue ball, in a nice, funny, acceptable way. The same energy was maintained from the anime, like the law of gravity is not applicable. Such as in situations when someone jumps in the air, he stays there for a while when he/she was in joy or shocked and tears drip sidewards. That's the difference between 2D and 3D animations, but it worked well in this film. After all, that's why the animations are for, making impossible to possible. Animals can talk and they can be our (generally children) hero. I enjoyed it as much any kid does. This movie is a revolution in Doraemon's history, an opportunity to get in to meet these adorable characters in the beginning itself if you're alien to this. I know Doraemon fans love it, hope others as well do the same.

7.5/10

Some of the plots were old, but I still enjoyed watching this. Doraemon is the best, ever.

Stand By Me Doraemon is basically the origin story of the anime classic. This is where we see how the two main characters, Doraemon and Nobita, meet and learn the purpose of their bond until it builds into a long friendship. At this aspect, it's pretty adorable and engaging. Though most of the time it's basically just Doraemon helping out Nobita with his gadgets from the future and also sometimes use it to impress the other kids around. The first act of the film is friendly fun, but when it proceeds to its actual center, it starts out quite intriguing and compelling. There is some point in the theme that kind of misses some stronger opportunities, but when it sticks to its characters, Stand By Me Doraemon is still pretty fun.

The film opens introducing the daily life of Nobita who has been conforming in his clumsiness and mediocrity until he meets his descendant from the next four generations who traveled back to past with a robot cat named Doraemon. He sent Doraemon to help him live his better so he could alter a supposedly disappointing fate. It's clearly a tale about avoiding the consequences of continuing bad habits until the very future. It also tells about the value of doing things for yourself and not being too reliant on special gadgets or anything that makes thing inconsequentially simple. It's a nice message, though the film should have given the main character more motivations than just marrying the girl that he wants in the future. It's a cute coming-of-age story arc, but again, it might have been more interesting if it finds more advantages on his own improvements as a person. In fact, some parts that take place in the future doesn't look like he abandons much of his old habits. But it's all about the character, I guess. It's still a nice storyline, but it would have been much engaging if it digs more potential on that theme.

The best parts are likely the ones that made the show so likable. It's just the simple, episodic moments when Doraemon is just giving Nobi some of his gadgetry to help him amend his mistakes or just play with the other kids. It's creative, it's funny and it's filled with delight. The film does feel a little too long at its final act where it's basically just a drama of Doraemon leaving on his sight, but it does conclude into a sweeter ending. It's just kind of dragging, but I believe it's to create an atmosphere of emotions. If that's the purpose, then it can be effective. The animation sort of looks like a higher quality video game; a good looking one, much like Billy Hatcher. Though what really makes it impressive is how it resembles to an actual handwritten animation, from the silly expressions of the characters, to their world's own laws of physics. The version I saw is an English dubbed one and it's sort of okay, if you could let go of the voices in the version you grew up with.

Stand by Me Doraemon leaves enough good-natured fun and heart in end. The theme of the story also made it worth it, though I still have suggestions to it. But as a movie that tries to bring nostalgia or introduce the characters to a new audience, this movie is just warm and delightful enough to be appreciated, and even for something that seems to be a family movie, this does make the viewers think in its lessons. It's wonderful and heartwarming, it may not be quite groundbreaking, but you'll get what you'd like to see in it.

I'm sorry but for a long time Doraemon fan this doesn't surprise me. Delight, yes, because it wraps up the story very nicely. But every single point in the movie you can find scattered all over the comic book, the movie was just collecting the bits from the comic book and bundle it into one and make a nice graphic for it. But it's really NOT anything new. It's a story all of us has already known before. I rated it 6/10 not because I don't like the story, because everyone who loves Doraemon can't possibly NOT love the story. But I don't like the fact that they didn't give me something new which I looked forward too. Also, the way it was presented was so over-the-top. I usually felt some emotion watching any of Doraemon's adventure movie series, like Doraemon and Dinosaurs, or Doraemon in the Animal Kingdom, in Robot World, etc. Even I can feel something in the normal weekly series. But because Stand By Me is very over-the-top, I can't believe the flow of the emotion one bit. It didn't get to me. This speaks volume since I'm a super crybaby and even nowadays I can still cry watching mere commercials!

Oh by the way, I'm 31, and have been watching Doraemon since I was Nobita's age.

Growing up watching tons of Doraemon, I feel obliged to see this like a ritual.

While the technical aspects excels incredibly, I feel the script is too sensational. Never in my life have we cried for a Doraemon episode, but this predictable story makes everyone sob.

On the whole, I cannot say I do not like it. But I cannot say I like it either. It seems it is made with a lot of sincerity and uplifting for kids who are a little insecure about themselves. But I think it is unnecessarily tear-jerking, as in the director's previous work The Eternal Zero. Just a little overly sensational. I cried a few times and I think it is the style of the director who likes to make you cry. But I think he could have achieved the same result without jerking audience's tears.

But I love the surreal and realistic graphics! The street scene and small room of Japanese house make me miss Japanese life so much. The use of light, the character's hair, the clouds, even the neighborhood scene, etc, give a very warm feeling. The ride in the future is fantastic. And Doraemon's gadgets are forever magical! There is also a strong moral that we have to do things by ourselves and never give up. Perhaps it is a Japanese virtue to sacrifice oneself for others. On that point maybe the story could have added more details.

O. The theme song is lovely and I still hum it from time to time.