Doraemon (2005 TV series)

Doraemon (ドラえもん, Doraemon) is the most recent anime TV series based on Fujiko Fujio's manga of the same name. Produced by Shin-Ei Animation and Asatsu-DK, it began airing on TV Asahi on April 15, 2005. It also airs in over 50 countries worldwide.

This Doraemon anime series is sometimes referred to in Asia as the Mizuta Edition (水田版), after Wasabi Mizuta, the voice actress who voiced Doraemon in this series.

An English-language version, produced by Bear Bones Entertainment unit, Sensation Animation and recorded by Studiopolis, aired in North America. It aired on Gingo, and on YTV in Canada. In the U.S. episodes on each DVD from Viz Media, with previews of Doraemon stuff, including a Gingo promo for the show, a commercial of the Doraemon toy set, and a new episodes promo for Zina Supermoon.

The anime is licensed by Viz Media for broadcast rights only. An edited English dub produced by Bang Zoom! Entertainment has been airing on Disney XD in the United States since July 7, 2014 and has been given a TV-Y7 rating. A second season of the English dub premiered on Disney XD on June 15, 2015 and ended on September 1.

As of 2020, TV Asahi currently holds distribution and licensing rights to Doraemon. However, they mentioned that due to the show's success in India, they would be continuing their contract with Disney Channel India for Doraemon to air in India. In India, Doraemon is streaming on Disney+ Hotstar. They also noted the shows success in Spain, Portugal and the rest of Europe. On March 3, 2020, Viz Media uploaded the whole 2 seasons of Doraemon's US dub to its dedicated YouTube channel when their contract was about to end. Their YouTube account, however, was terminated in June 2020 owing to several TV Asahi copyright claims relating to the use of Doraemon without a valid contract.

Production
Although the series is more faithful to the original manga, some changes were made. Many of the episodes that adapted chapters from the manga were extended to have a better conclusion or a good moral to the story. In addition, some elements from the manga were toned down. Some examples include all of Doraemon's gadgets that resembled medicine being changed to different appliances, and Nobita's dad (who smoked often in the manga) rarely smoked.

The voice actors to the five main characters, Doraemon, Nobita, Shizuka, Gian, and Suneo, were chosen from a pool of 590 applicants. TV Asahi stated in 2005 that they chose voice actors who sounded similar to the voice actors of the predecessor, so that there would not be a significant change from the original cast to the new cast.

All mini corners, partners, and next episodes previews in all episodes are cut to fit for the 30-minute block in international versions except in Hong Kong, which are cut to fit for the 15-minute block in its time-slot. Since May 1, 2009 the series airs in high definition. In July 2017 the show got an animation update which includes the use of poster art as well as changes in Nobita's room etc. As of 2019 the show now airs on Saturday nights alongside a new theme song.

US English dub
A US English dub of the 2005 series produced by Fujiko Fujio Productions, TV Asahi, Bang Zoom! Entertainment, and distributed by Viz Media has been airing on Disney XD since July 7, 2014 under the name Doraemon: Gadget Cat from the Future. In Australia it started airing on 26 January 2015 on Network Ten. Later it moved in Australia to Boomerang, which is also available in New Zealand. The dub features veteran anime voice actress Mona Marshall in the title role of Doraemon and Johnny Yong Bosch as Nobita (known in the dub as "Noby").

The English dub has been heavily modified to meet American broadcasting guidelines, censoring content deemed inappropriate for American children, as well as replacing many Japanese cultural elements with American cultural elements. Some modifications include Americanized character and gadget name changes from the English version of the manga, an episode order completely different from the Japanese episode order, nudity being heavily censored by adding steam, cloud effects, or clothing, and some episodes having several minutes of footage cut. However, certain uniquely Japanese characteristics, such as house structure, kneeling on the floor to eat, the driving side of the cars, and Nobita's father's house kimono remain. All the background music and sound effects were replaced with new background music and sound effects deemed easier for American children to "emphasize" with.

At least one character's personality was also partially rewritten. Shizuka (renamed Sue in the English dub) is portrayed as more tomboyish and athletic than the Japanese version, although her sweet nature and kind personality were not changed. This is reportedly because her traditionally Japanese habits were perceived as being difficult for American children to understand in test viewings of the Japanese version.

It was announced that the American version would be re-imported to Japan and aired on Disney Channel Japan starting on February 1, 2016. The network also provides an alternative re-recorded Japanese dub of the version as a secondary audio feed.

UK
The series began broadcast in the United Kingdom on August 17, 2015 on Boomerang.

Plot
Doraemon is a cat-like robot from the future who appears in the present to steer Nobita Nobi, an unintelligent, naive and clumsy boy, on the right path in order to secure his future. Nobita's best friend and love interest is Shizuka Minamoto. His frenemies are Takeshi Goda, Suneo Honekawa and Hidetoshi Dekisugi.

Japanese cast

 * Wasabi Mizuta - Doraemon


 * Megumi Ōhara - Nobita Nobi


 * Yumi Kakazu - Shizuka Minamoto


 * Subaru Kimura - Takeshi "Gian" Goda


 * Tomokazu Seki - Suneo Honekawa


 * Chiaki - Dorami


 * Kotono Mitsuishi - Tamako Nobi


 * Yasunori Matsumoto - Nobisuke Nobi


 * Shihoko Hagino - Hidetoshi Dekisugi


 * Wataru Takagi - Sensei


 * Sachi Matsumoto - Sewashi Nobi


 * Ai Orikasa - Mrs. Minamoto


 * Mahito Oba - Mr. Minamoto


 * Aruno Tahara - Mr. Minamoto


 * Minami Takayama - Mrs. Honekawa


 * Hideyuki Tanaka - Mr. Honekawa


 * Miyako Takeuchi - Kuzake Goda


 * Vanilla Yamazaki - Jaiko Goda


 * Tomato Akai - Mini-Doras


 * Rie Kugimiya - Lulli (ep 228)


 * Yukari Tamura - Lapis Espinela


 * Koki Miyata - Goro


 * Mika Kanai - Shami

US English cast

 * Mona Marshall - Doraemon


 * Johnny Yong Bosch - Noby Nobi (Nobita)


 * Cassandra Lee Morris - Sue (Shizuka)


 * Mick Wingert - Takeshi "Big G" Goda (Gian)


 * Kirk Thornton - Sneech (Suneo)


 * Debi Derryberry - Mini-Doraemons


 * Kari Wahlgren - Shami
 * Mari Devon - Tammy Nobi (Tamako)
 * Tony Oliver - Toby Nobi
 * Wendee Lee - Dorami, Sue's Mom, Lady of the Lake


 * John DeMita - Mr. Simmons


 * Dorothy Elias-Fahn - Sneech's Mom

UK English cast

 * Sarah Hauser - Doraemon


 * Muriel Hofmann - Noby (Nobita), Little G (Jaiko Goda)


 * Heather Pennington - Mother Nobita, Little G (Jaiko Goda), misc.


 * Catherine Fu - Sue (Shizuka), Tammy Nobi (Tamako)


 * Dave Bridges - Takeshi "Big G" (Gian AKA Takeshi Goda)


 * Russell Wait - Toby Nobi


 * Ben Margalith - Sneech (Suneo)

US English dub (Disney XD)

 * Wendee Lee - Additional Voice Director


 * Kristi Reed - Voice Director

UK English dub

 * Russell Wait - Voice Director

Opening themes
The series features new opening themes, except for the first one. Most of the international versions of the series only use the third opening theme and their own endings.

The American dub uses its own unique opening sequence that compiles footage from the Japanese version. To explain the premise of the story, a narration by Doraemon about "why he came from the future" is utilized rather than an actual opening theme. The ending theme is an instrumental played over scenes from the third Japanese opening theme.

Ending themes
Since the series incorporates all the credits into the opening theme, an ending theme is primarily absent. However, some episodes use an ending theme.