#nobita's dinosaur 2006

[albertonykus]

Doraemon Movie Review: Nobita's Dinosaur (1980) and Nobita's Dinosaur (2006)

What is Doraemon? The title character of the Doraemon manga and anime is a blue robotic cat from the 22nd Century who keeps an array of high-tech gadgets in a portable pocket dimension on his belly, and has traveled from the future to improve the fortunes of a hapless schoolboy named Nobita. Although relatively obscure in the English-speaking world, Doraemon is a Mickey-Mouse-level cultural icon in East Asia (and some other regions, too). The Doraemon franchise was a big part of my childhood, and there are still elements of it that I enjoy now.

Doraemon has released theatrical films almost annually since 1980, most of which involve Nobita and his friends (kind Shizuka, brash Gian, and crafty Suneo) getting swept into adventures thanks to Doraemon’s gadgets. Despite being of potentially broad appeal to fans of science fiction and animated films, there are very few English reviews of the Doraemon movies, so I’m embarking on a project to write about all the films that have come out so far. Good luck to me...

Why the films in particular, and not the rest of the franchise? For one, over 40 movies is a lot, but it is still a much more manageable number than the over 1300 manga chapters and over 3000 (and counting) anime episodes. For another, the movies are relatively easy for an English speaker with an internet connection to find if they know what they’re doing, unlike most of the manga chapters (English releases of which are largely limited to Kindle and region-locked) or regular episodes (some of which seemingly have not been uploaded online at all, let alone with English subtitles).

This is mostly uncharted territory for me. I don’t usually review fiction, and when I do it’s typically through the lens of examining how it portrays scientific understanding. I’m not going to pretend that I’m in any way qualified to perform film or narrative analysis, nor that these reviews will consist of anything more than my personal impressions and opinions. My main intention here is to encourage discussion about these films in the English-speaking sphere. As usual, however, the most reliable way for someone to determine whether they’d enjoy a movie is to watch it themselves.

Movie premise: Nobita revives a plesiosaur and raises it, but is eventually forced to release it into the wild. Cue time travel adventure.

My spoiler-free take: Worth watching if one is interested in “child and their pet” stories, paleontology in popular culture, or Doraemon history, but not the best movie Doraemon has to offer.

The 2006 remake is a serviceable film itself, though I don’t think it does much to recommend it over the 1980 version. It may be most interesting to people who are already familiar with the original, as an alternate adaptation of the same story.

POTENTIAL SPOILERS AFTER THIS POINT

Review: Here we go, the one that started it all. Looking at the movie poster, it’s interesting to see that this film is barely advertised as prehistory-themed. There’s a pterosaur on the poster, but it’s hardly front and center. In fact, Nobita’s plesiosaur, Piisuke, is not even shown. This movie is really billed as a Doraemon film first and foremost.

Much could be said about the scientific elements of the movie (for starters, Piisuke is not actually a dinosaur), but I have already written about the paleontological background of this work in a previous post. What do I think about it as a film?

Leaving aside the time travel component and the fact that the pet is an extinct animal, this is a fairly typical “child and their pet” story in many ways. The protagonist brings a new pet into his life, bonds with it by learning to care for it, goes on an extraordinary adventure with the pet by his side, and foils antagonists who want to take the pet away, but ultimately still has to say goodbye to it. It’s a popular narrative for a reason, and Nobita’s relationship with Piisuke is certainly compelling.

As for the other main characters, Doraemon, as always, is necessary for the plot to happen and progress, and his decision to change how he looks after Nobita at the beginning of the movie provides a foundation for the emotional resonance of the narrative. Shizuka, Gian, and Suneo don’t drive the story substantially once the adventure is underway, though they do get enough characterization that they don’t feel absent.

All in all, this is a decent take on a classic storyline, but it also reads as a relatively “safe” first attempt at a movie for the franchise. The highest of highs in the Doraemon film series are yet to come.

Star rating: ★★★☆☆

I’m not done here yet though, because this movie received a remake in 2006. How does that one stack up?

Review: Mirroring the original’s status as the first movie in the franchise, this was the first Doraemon movie to come out since the anime was rebooted in 2005. The overall story is not changed much from the original outside of minor details. The most obvious differences between the remake and the original are instead visual in nature. Besides the switch to digital animation and updated designs for many of the extinct animals, the art style in this film is much more experimental than that of most other Doraemon movies.

The biggest changes to the story occur during the climax, and I appreciated that this movie is one of the few to acknowledge that Doraemon’s pocket dimension can be used for anything other than storing gadgets. I also liked that Piisuke got to play a role in helping the main characters escape from the villains’ lair at the end. Given that not much else about the plot was changed, however, I’m giving this movie the same rating as its predecessor.

Star rating: ★★★☆☆

Original or remake? Both the original and remake versions of this movie are fine films to view on their own. If I were to choose only one to watch, however, I can’t think of much reason I’d pick the remake over the original.

[mapsontheweb]

Countries and territories the Doraemon franchise has visited through >70 movies.

UnadamantlySmall:

The Doraemon franchise takes place somewhere in suburban Tokyo, Japan. While some of its movie sets take place in another planet/world (2019 takes place on the Moon), they have also travelled throughout the world through its numerous movies. In order of mainline appearance, the list of places include:

1980: Nobita's Dinosaur in USA and Canada (remade in 2006)

1982: Nobita and the Haunts of Evil in Democratic Republic of Congo (remade in 2014, my personal favorite movie)

1984: Nobita's Great Adventure into the Underworld in Croatia (remade in 2007)

1988: The Record of Nobita's Parallel Visit to the West in People's Republic of China (also featured in 1989's Nobita and the Birth of Japan that would be remade in 2016. Xinjiang and Tibet were also featured in 2003's Nobita and the Windmasters)

1991: Nobita's Dorabian Nights in Iraq

1992: Nobita and the Kingdom of Clouds in Germany (also featured in 2001's Nobita and the Winged Braves)

1993: Nobita and the Tin Labyrinth in Italy

1994: Nobita's Three Visionary Swordsmen in France

1997: Nobita and the Spiral City in Slovenia

1998: Nobita's Great Adventure in the South Seas in Oceania (country not specified)

2000: Nobita and the Legend of the Sun King in Mexico (shut-out to Austria's Wiener Sängerknaben (GER: Vienna Boys' Choir) for providing the opening track for this movie)

2002: Nobita in the Robot Kingdom in Ukraine

2003: Nobita and the Windmasters in Mongolia

2004: Nobita in the Wan-Nyan Spacetime Odyssey in New Zealand

2010: Nobita's Great Battle of the Mermaid King in Palau

2012: Nobita and the Island of Miracles—Animal Adventure in Fiji

2013: Nobita's Secret Gadget Museum in United Kingdom

2017: Nobita's Great Adventure in the Antarctic Kachi Kochi

2018: Nobita's Treasure Island in The Carribean (country not specified)

Edit: 1983's Nobita and the Castle of Undersea Devil took place somewhere in The Atlantic Ocean. While not part of the mainline movies, the Doraemon franchise has also visited The Netherlands, Belgium, and Switzerland in 藤子不二雄スペシャル ドラえもん・ヨーロッパ鉄道の旅 (JP: Fujiko Fujio Special Doraemon: Europe Rail Travel). The Doraemons spin-off includes characters from Spain, Russia, and Brazil.

[filmfactors]

favorite doraemon villain?

Man, is my obvious favoritism for Suneo not enough for you guys? [I'm joking...]

Very good question though, and one that really made me take a bit to think on it. The issue with this question is that my relationship with this series solely hinges on my care for the main group, and rarely does my love extend to those outside of them. Piisuke, Fuuko, Riruru and Kebo are my exceptions but I still don't love, love them.

I feel maybe the answer should be obvious, Windmasters is my favorite of the movies so clearly Uranda [or 'evil Suneo'] has to be it right? Not really. The villains often don't matter to me, because their writing is not what I'm here for.

I mean it doesn't hurt when their actually interesting. Professor Storm, for example, isn't much but I at least can enjoy his motives. When it comes to ones like the father in Treasure Island, they often lower my opinion of the film if they are super involved.

So who is my favorite? I think I'll actually have to give it to the men in 'Nobita's Dinosaur 2006.' I do not love them as characters, I'm not searching for fanart of them but I love what they make the movie. They play a huge role in why this movie scores so high for me overall!

It's the aesthetic, the visuals, the tone. It's very different for a Doraemon movie, even among the darker ones. I think that can really make or break someones opinion of it.

It's my favorite in terms of artwork for a Doraemon movie, no current modern movie can compare to the energy it brought. Thanks to the villains, we are granted some creepy visuals which I'm always a sucker for.

It's not just what they bringing to the vibe of the movie artistically, but I enjoy their motives and why they do the things they do. They are different from many of the other villains, I feel many of them are a sort of one-note evil. Often I feel they don't even have a reason to explain their cases to the group, exceptions aside.

These guys, well they are certainly very evil people, but it's not like the man in 'South Sea Adventure.' Who shares a similar goal as an animal trafficker in the future world. They aren't boring and drop exposition like their desperate for someone to talk to... they are genuinely slimy, and say their piece often with the intent to hurt or manipulate.

They are dinosaur hunters and traffickers who are tired of the same old hunt and ending up wanting to do something new. Which was hunt and torment children... it's a low bar, but hey they do say the most dangerous hunt of all is man.

I do often say the darkest doesn't equal better, which is true, but it feels like the right amount of evil. That their logic of 'hunting dinosaurs to children' pipeline isn't that much of a leap.

Though, if I were to pick a more traditional Doraemon villain? It's Gigazombie... uh specifically the 2016 version.

This guy rules, and the movie is in my top five at least.

[someawesomeamvs]

Warning: Potential spoilers

Title: Jurassic Voyage

Editor: Opner

Song: Mountain Sound

Artist: Of Monsters and Men

Anime: Doraemon: Nobita's Dinosaur (2006) (film)

Category: Drama

Award: POE 2022 Extraordinary Voyages - MomoCon Theme Award

[creepfactors]

fav doraemon movie?

Easy, it's Nobita and the Windmasters! Nobita's Dinosaur [2006] is a close second though.

I actually made an effort last year to watch and rewatch the Doraemon movies, in the process I made a ranked list on letterboxd to help me keep track.

There's still plenty I haven't seen, but some simply aren't included- like most of the older films, due to the lack of good english subs thus not really able to fully give my thoughts on them.

[doraemonfanclub]

🧐 Countries Doraemon visited in the movies

👉 https://www.reddit.com/r/Doraemon/comments/vn7m35/countries_and_territories_the_doraemon_franchise/ 🙏 u/UnadamantlySmall

👉 https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_Doraemon_films/

The Doraemon franchise takes place somewhere in suburban Tokyo, Japan. While some of its movie sets take place in another planet/world (2019 takes place on the Moon), they have also travelled throughout the world through its numerous movies. In order of mainline appearance, the list of places include:

1980: Nobita's Dinosaur in USA and Canada (remade in 2006)

1982: Nobita and the Haunts of Evil in Democratic Republic of Congo (remade in 2014, my personal favorite movie)

1984: Nobita's Great Adventure into the Underworld in Croatia (remade in 2007)

1988: The Record of Nobita's Parallel Visit to the West in People's Republic of China (also featured in 1989's Nobita and the Birth of Japan that would be remade in 2016. Xinjiang and Tibet were also featured in 2003's Nobita and the Windmasters)

1991: Nobita's Dorabian Nights in Iraq

1992: Nobita and the Kingdom of Clouds in Germany (also featured in 2001's Nobita and the Winged Braves)

1993: Nobita and the Tin Labyrinth in Italy

1994: Nobita's Three Visionary Swordsmen in France

1997: Nobita and the Spiral City in Slovenia

1998: Nobita's Great Adventure in the South Seas in Oceania (country not specified)

2000: Nobita and the Legend of the Sun King in Mexico (shut-out to Austria's Wiener Sängerknaben (GER: Vienna Boys' Choir) for providing the opening track for this movie)

2002: Nobita in the Robot Kingdom in Ukraine

2003: Nobita and the Windmasters in Mongolia

2004: Nobita in the Wan-Nyan Spacetime Odyssey in New Zealand

2010: Nobita's Great Battle of the Mermaid King in Palau2012: Nobita and the Island of Miracles—Animal Adventure in Fiji

2013: Nobita's Secret Gadget Museum in United Kingdom

2017: Nobita's Great Adventure in the Antarctic Kachi Kochi

2018: Nobita's Treasure Island in The Carribean (country not specified)

Adapted from: https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Countries_where_Doraemon_visited_in_the_movies.svg#/media/File:Countries_where_Doraemon_visited_in_the_movies.svg

Note: 1983's Nobita and the Castle of Undersea Devil took place somewhere in The Atlantic Ocean. While not part of the mainline movies, the Doraemon franchise has also visited The Netherlands, Belgium, and Switzerland in 藤子不二雄スペシャル ドラえもん・ヨーロッパ鉄道の旅 (JP: Fujiko Fujio Special Doraemon: Europe Rail Travel). The Doraemons spin-off also includes characters from Spain, Russia, and Brazil. Feel free to add to this comment if there are anything else incorrect and/or missing.

[translationandbetrayals]

First doraemon’s movie and remake

(spoilers)

Doraemon: Nobita's Dinosaur, is the name of a doraemon movie and the remake of it. The original is Doraemon's first feature film and it was released in 1980. The remake, also called Doraemon and the Little Dinosaur, is the first doraemon’s remake and it was released in 2006.

Both movies have the same plot, it all starts with Suneo showing their friends a fossil of a tyrannosaurus rex's claw. Nobita wasn't able to see it, so he got upset and said that he is going to find a complete fossil. Nobita is not supported by Doraemon, so he goes to dig on his own. Nobita ends up in the backyard of a man, when he gets caught, he has to dig a hole as a favor. While doing that He finds a dinosaur egg. Later, he uses the time-wrap, and starts to take care of the egg until it is born. Then a plesiosaur comes out, which Nobita calls Piisuke and decides to keep it a secret until it grows enough to impress his friends. When Piisuke is too big to live in the house, Nobita takes it to a lake. The problems begin when rumors say a dinosaur is in the lake. Nobita decides it's time for Piisuke to go. Things go wrong cause a dinosaur hunter is going for Pissuke, so it ends in the correct period but in a bad location. Nobita and his friends from him go back in time. Doraemon notices the time-machine is broken and they can't go back. They end up using bamboo-copters to travel to japan with little pisuke. Finally they confront the hunters and resist until the police of time arrive. Nobita says the last goodbye to Piisuke and everyone goes back safe.

on the left is 1980 and on the right is 2006

That is the plot of the movies in broad strokes, but despite being very similar there are some differences. There are three main differences that I noticed: the animation, the dinosaurs, and a more family-friendly approach.

Image quality and lights were very different, also the 2006 movie had 3D elements. I think the 26-year difference between movies is easily noticeable. One thing that is retained is the design of the main characters and the art style.

2006

  1980

The dinosaur designs were notoriously different, because in the remake it was very clear that cute and more expressive dinosaurs were good. The cute dinosaurs had round and soft traits and expressive eyes.

on the top is 1980 and at the bottom is 2006

Meanwhile, the others had small eyes, sharp teeth, and looked more like the real dino. In both movies, the scary dinosaurs from the beginning are alike.

on the top is 1980 and at the bottom is 2006

Also, when doraemon used the magic candy to make the tyrannosaurus docile, the difference between scary and friendly is clear, but different in every movie.

On the other hand, what changed the most is how these two species of dinosaurs are like the idea of them in each of their eras. 

on the top is 1980 and at the bottom is 2006

1980

2006

In the first movie the running dinosaur was more like a lizard and it had an artificial color, contrasting with the feathered dinosaur of the 2006 movie. The one that changed the most in my opinion is the T-rex, in the first movie it looked like Godzilla. Researching, I found how Tyranous was shown and I think it is very similar to the 1980 movie.

T-rex from Fantasia, 1940

As well, I found an image that shows the different interpretations of tyrannus during the years and it coincides with both movies. 

Finally, watching the remake I noticed that some scenes were a little bit longer, the characters were nicer to Nobita and some things changed to a friendlier version. The best examples for this are the scenes when the man asked Nobita to make a hole and when Nobita's father talked with his son.

dad scene: on the top is 1980, dad is fighting with Nobita; and at the bottom is 2006, the father tries to reason with Nobita.

digging a hole scene: on the top is 1980, the man is mostly angry and his mood doesn't change much; and at the bottom is 2006, even when he's angry, he's still nice to Nobita most of the time.

This caught my attention because it was obvious why they changed those things, it's to make the movie feel warm and enjoyable, and it makes a lot of sense considering Doraemon has a children's audience.

-Catalina Platz  

[vgprintads]

‘Doraemon and the Little Dinosaur’ [Doraemon y el pequeño dinosaurio]

[MOBILE] [SPAIN] [MAGAZINE] [2007]

The first Doraemon movie got a remake in 2006, and the Spanish release had a mobile game tie-in.... supposedly. No record of this one on d’net, so maybe it was cancelled? Or maybe the screenshots are for something else....?

Source: Official PlayStation Magazine (ES), November 2007 (#82) || Internet Archive; Sketch the Cow

[clover-face]

〜Nobita's dinosaur 2006

[magicalgirljeririn]

Doraemon: Nobita’s Dinosaur advertisement in Ciao April 2006.

(personal collection)

[thefloatingstone]

OH MY GOSH DO YOU LIKE DORAEMON TOO? I SWA YOU REBLOGGING A POST ABOUT DORAEMON MAIL STAMPS. DO YOU WATCH THE ANIME?

I haven’t watched the anime series or the new one but I’ve watched several of the movies and I’ve read most of the long “Adventure” manga which the movies tend to base themselves on! :D I REALLY liked the 2006 movie Nobita’s Dinosaur. I also watched the movie (I forget the name I’m sorry!) where they go to a different universe where Magic was developed instead of science (the one where they go to the Antarctic) as well as the mermaid kingdom one. I’ve been waiting a few years for the Land of Beasts movie to get a proper fansub but I think it probably has one by now because I’m kind of obsessed with the character designs in that film

I’m bad with the names of the Adventure manga stories but I have read all of them although that was a few years ago. I need to catch up with the movies.

[albertonykus]

"Which Doraemon Movie Should I Watch First If I've Never Seen/Read Doraemon?"

In reviewing the Doraemon movies, I've gone over which ones are my favorites, but ranking a movie highly doesn't necessarily mean I'd recommend it to someone who has never seen Doraemon before. Of course, the obvious way to experience the Doraemon movies would be to watch them all in the order they were originally released in, but seeing more than 40 movies from an unfamiliar franchise is understandably a daunting commitment. One of the nice things about the Doraemon films (at least from a newcomer's perspective), however, is that they generally don't contain any plot-relevant references to the events of the other movies, so for the most part they can be viewed in any order without missing much context (with a few exceptions that I will cover shortly).

After giving it some thought, I have narrowed down my suggestions for "someone's first Doraemon film" to the following three:

Nobita and the Birth of Japan (2016): Doraemon helps Nobita and his friends run away from home to… 70,000 years ago, before humans lived in Japan. (@killdeercheer can attest to the effectiveness of this one as an intro to Doraemon!)

New Nobita's Great Demon (2014): Doraemon and friends explore Central Africa and discover a secret civilization.

Nobita's Little Star Wars 2021 (2022): Doraemon and friends help tiny aliens overthrow a dictatorship.

As it happens, all of these are recent remakes of classic Doraemon movies, so they're based directly on stories written by the original manga author, but have a more "modern" art style and often flesh out certain aspects of the plot. That wasn't something I had in mind while coming up with this list, but in a way, it makes sense: I think these movies combine the strengths of both the current and classic Doraemon series.

My main reasons for recommending these three:

I expect their storylines to be of relatively broad appeal without requiring much prior knowledge.

They're a good showcase of the main characters and their dynamics.

They offer a good sense of what to expect from most Doraemon movies (i.e., they don't deviate much from the usual formula).

I personally find them enjoyable (obviously).

I think any of the three would also be solid choices for one's second (or third) Doraemon movie, but some other candidates I'd pick for those roles include:

Nobita and the Legend of the Sun King (2000): Doraemon helps Nobita switch lives with a prince from a Maya-esque civilization.

Nobita and the Windmasters (2003): Nobita keeps a small typhoon as a pet, leading Doraemon and friends to discover its connection to a hidden village.

Nobita's Chronicle of the Moon Exploration (2019): Doraemon helps Nobita make an alternate reality where rabbits live on the moon.

For those who have gained some familiarity with the franchise, my top recommendations would be:

Nobita's Great Adventure into the Underworld (1984): Doraemon helps Nobita create a world where magic exists, which results in them having to fight literal demons.

Nobita and the Steel Troops (1986): Doraemon and friends defend humanity from an army of alien robots.

Nobita and the Kingdom of Clouds (1992): Doraemon and friends build a kingdom in the clouds, only to find an actual civilization hidden in the clouds. (This is an unusual one in that it references events from the regular Doraemon series, but I think enough context is provided that one can still appreciate it without having read the relevant manga or TV episodes.)

There are a few movies that I suggest a first-time viewer avoid. As previously mentioned, some movies do contain explicit continuity references to older films:

It's best to watch Nobita and the Galaxy Super-express (1996) before Nobita and the Spiral City (1997).

It's best to watch Nobita's Dinosaur (either the 1980 or 2006 version is fine) before Nobita's New Dinosaur (2020).

It's best to watch Stand by Me Doraemon (2014) before Stand by Me Doraemon 2 (2020). (I suppose that one's obvious.)

A couple of movies I don't recommend because I honestly think they're terrible and not worth anyone's time. I'd only suggest watching these two if one either is a completionist who wants to see all the Doraemon films or really enjoys riffing on bad movies:

Nobita's Great Battle of the Mermaid King (2010)

Nobita and the Island of Miracles (2012)

Last but not least, though I've seen other fans suggest otherwise, I very much do not recommend Stand by Me Doraemon (2014) as an entry point into the franchise. Regardless of my personal opinions on its quality, I maintain that its primary target audience is viewers who are nostalgic for Doraemon and the specific manga chapters it adapts. It certainly does not provide one with a good idea of what the other movies are like.

If anyone does end up taking these suggestions, I'd be interested in hearing whether or not they hit the mark! I'd also be interested in hearing from other fans which movies they'd recommend to someone unfamiliar with Doraemon.

[cottonfreakz]

New Doraemon Will Hatch a Pet Dinosaur

Doraemon is celebrating 40 years of feature films with a throwback to where it all began: Nobita and dinosaurs

The 2020 film Doraemon the Movie: Nobita’s New Dinosaur will be the 40th film in the franchise. The kids’ classic first made its way to the big screen with 1980’s Nobita’s Dinosaur. But despite the obvious parallels, director Kazuaki Imai says the new movie will have nothing to do with the 1980 film or its 2006 remake, featuring an entirely new story and new dinosaur designs.

August 2019 also happens to mark the 50th anniversary of the Doraemon manga, making the next several months a banner time for the earless robot cat.

Doraemon the Movie: Nobita’s New Dinosaur is set to premiere in March of 2020.

[leyb2aflam]

Doraemon: Nobita's Dinosaur

Doraemon: Nobita’s Dinosaur

Doraemon: Nobita’s Dinosaur is a 1980 animated film based on the popular manga and anime series, Doraemon. It was released in 1980, one year after the premiere of the TV series (making it the first feature-length Doraemon film). The movie was released in Japan 15 March 1980. In 2006 the movie was remade.

[magicalgirljeririn]

Advertisement and information/promotion for Doraemon: Nobita’s Dinosaur movie in Ciao March 2006.

(personal collection)

[albertonykus]

Doraemon Long Stories Vol. 1: Nobita's Dinosaur

Continuing my mission to (re)read all the Fujio-authored Doraemon works, it's time for the Doraemon Long Stories. This series was the basis for the Doraemon movies released in 1980–1997 (with the exception of The Record of Nobita's Parallel Visit to the West).

Given that I've already reviewed all the movies and they generally differ from their manga counterparts in only minor details, I was originally going to cover multiple Doraemon Long Stories volumes in each post, but I ended up having more to say about the manga than I anticipated, so I guess you're getting at least 17 more separate Doraemon posts. All of my followers are thrilled, I'm sure.

May contain spoilers below the break. My review of this story's movie adaptations can be found here.

Without a doubt, this is among the best-known Doraemon stories, and probably a sizable number of people who grew up with the franchise would name it as one of their favorites. As mentioned in my review of the movie adaptations, I generally think it's... decent. One of the reasons I'm not quite as enamored with this story as many others seem to be is the fact that it being the first attempt at a long-form Doraemon narrative really shows, not only from the perspective of the author but also for the characters.

Unlike many of the later entries in this series, the main characters don't set out with the intention of going on an adventure, and instead get stranded in the Cretaceous by accident. The story has to go the extra mile to come up with explanations for why some of Doraemon's most commonly used gadgets wouldn't solve the problem in this situation. The villains are defeated primarily through a combination of luck and plot-induced stupidity. None of these things would automatically ruin a story (tropes are tools, after all), but I've always thought the many of the later Doraemon Long Stories would integrate the adventure components in more natural and satisfying ways.

As far as differences between the manga and anime go, I was surprised by the number of "intimate" moments there were between Nobita and Shizuka in the manga. I tend to be under the impression that the anime likes to milk this element more than the manga, but neither of the movie adaptations had these scenes! Maybe the author wanted to achieve a more "theatrical" feel for this story.

I enjoyed seeing Doraemon spend a page in the manga discussing mammal evolution in the Mesozoic. This exposition was cut out of both movie adaptations. I understand why, as it has essentially no bearing on the plot, but it's always fun to see the franchise indulge in highlighting its scientific inspirations.

Having reread the manga, I've gained some fresh appreciation for the 2006 movie remake, as I now realize that it incorporates some components from the manga that the original movie didn't—perhaps most notably, a nice scene where Gian takes Nobita's side in a debate due to Nobita saving his life earlier. I may have been too harsh when I said that I couldn't "think of much reason" to recommend the 2006 remake over the original; the two movies may not have many major story differences, but I'd probably consider the remake a more solid movie overall for the changes it did include. That being said, I'd probably still rank the original movie above the remake as a Doraemon work just for its unique status as the first film in the franchise.