Doraemon Returns to Indian Theaters in New Undersea Adventure

The “Doraemon” franchise is making its theatrical debut in India on October 2 with the release of “Doraemon the Movie: New Nobita and the Castle of the Undersea Devil.” Available in Hindi, Tamil, and Telugu, the film marks a significant expansion for the Japanese broadcaster TV Asahi, which has enjoyed a 21-year run of the series on Indian television. PVR Inox Pictures is leading the theatrical distribution, while Black White Orange handles fan engagement and Happening 365 Synergies provides strategic market advice.

Sumida Maiko, head of animation and sales at TV Asahi’s international business department, stated that the network is prioritizing long-term sustainability for the brand. She noted that while the current footprint spans two decades, the goal is to maintain relevance for 50 to 100 years through a comprehensive 360-degree expansion strategy.

According to Sumida, the timing for the theatrical release was deliberate, with the network waiting until Indian audiences were ready to embrace animated features on the big screen. The decision to release in three regional languages mirrors the franchise’s established television presence, ensuring continuity for what she described as “our little Doraemon fans.” She emphasized that the series is designed to transcend generations, moving from children to parents who grew up with the show, and eventually back to the next generation of young viewers.

India’s anime market has seen rapid growth driven by engaged younger demographics, but TV Asahi maintains that “Doraemon” remains fundamentally kids and family content. Sumida highlighted that the current surge in anime popularity will not alter the studio’s approach. “There will always be a possibility for doing something like that here in India in the coming years,” she said, adding that India is among the company’s most important global markets.

The new film is a remake of a story originally released in Japanese cinemas in 1983. Nakajima Susumu, chief producer at Shin-Ei Animation, noted that the source material was serialized over 40 years ago. He expressed confidence that the narrative structure and core fun of the original manga would resonate with contemporary children just as strongly as it did four decades ago.

Nakajima explained that the production team intentionally avoided changing the original’s narrative or the emotional takeaway for audiences. Instead, they focused on updating the visuals to meet modern standards, utilizing computer graphics and compositing while preserving the warmth of hand-drawn animation. To differentiate the underwater setting from typical portrayals, the team created distinct color palettes and visual effects triggered by the story’s “Adaptation Ray.”