'Doraemon' producers reveal plans to 'expand' in India
What's the story
The beloved Japanese anime series, Doraemon, is set to make its big-screen debut in India with the release of Doraemon the Movie: New Nobita and the Castle of the Undersea Devil on Friday. The film will be released in Tamil, Hindi, and Telugu by Japan's TV Asahi and India's PVR Inox Pictures. Ahead of its release, Variety spoke to representatives from TV Asahi and Shin-Ei Animation (the film's producer).
Legacy plans
'We have had 'Doraemon' for 21 years now...'
Sumida Maiko, head of animation and sales at TV Asahi's international business department, said the franchise's success in India lies in its longevity.
"We have had Doraemon for 21 years now, but we are looking at 50 and 100 years."
"To achieve that, we are planning to expand the Doraemon brand in a 360-degree approach."
She added that the undersea adventure is "a very powerful title that would match with the Indian fans."
Audience focus
Why does 'Doraemon' appeal to all generations?
Sumida emphasized that the current anime boom in India won't change TV Asahi's approach to the Doraemon franchise.
She said, "Doraemon was born as a manga comic dedicated to the children and we are proud to have the animation to be accepted as kids and family content."
"It will be passed on from kids who watch Doraemon to those who grew up watching Doraemon and then back to the kids of those who watched Doraemon. It transcends the generations."
Film adaptation
How did they adapt 'manga' to a movie?
Nakajima Susumu, chief producer at Shin-Ei Animation, explained the process of adapting the original Doraemon story for the big screen.
He said they don't intentionally change anything just because it's a remake.
"Since the original is a manga, we translate the 'post-reading feeling' into a 'post-viewing feeling' for the movie," he said.
The studio has used CG and compositing for this film but also cherishes hand-drawn animation's charm and analog warmth.
Character continuity
How does localization work for Indian versions?
The five core characters in the Doraemon film will behave as they always do, with their circumstances changing.
Nakajima said, "The spectacle and adventure parts are something we struggle with every time, wondering, 'Where should we go next...?'"
For Indian versions, Shin-Ei checks whether gadget names suit the local context and coordinates localization through its international team.