The Doraemons

The Doraemons
ザ☆ドラえもんズ
(Za Doraemonzu)
Manga
Written by Tanaka Michiaki
Published by Shogakukan
Demographic Shōnen
Magazine CoroCoro Comic
Original run 1991 – 1992/2002
Volumes 21

The Doraemons (ザ☆ドラえもんズ Za Doraemonzu) is a spin-off series of the long-running series Doraemon.

Synopsis

The series originated from the first and only 3DO game Doraemon-Legend of Friendship, The Doraemons（ドラえもん 友情伝説ザ・ドラえもんズ）, where the six protagonists were created. The original author Fujiko Fujio agrees with the story and adds these settings in the original series, even though the settings wouldn't appear in any of the original manga and anime series. This subseries runs the short anime movie series from 1995 to 2002, and have two versions of manga by Michiaki Tanaka (田中 道明 Tanaka Michiaki) and Yukihiro Mitani (三谷 幸広 Mitani Yukihiro).

However, after TV Asahi began to run the new Doraemon anime in 2005, none of the episodes taking place in the 22nd century have been to do with The Doraemons to date. The staff haven't explained this contradiction of settings. Still, there is a TV series of The Doraemons which has only aired in Japan.

In late 2013, Ecuador became the first country outside Asia to air The Doraemons, and the first Latin American country to air the series. There is also a Turkish version of The Doraemons, which was made in late 2014.

Plot

The Doraemons, or Dora Dora Seven DD7, is an old boys' association of the Robot School (ロボット学校 Robotto Gakkō) that Doraemon attended. All of the seven male members are cat-like robots of the same type; they enjoy dorayaki, but usually add their own seasoning. They have rock-hard heads that they can use as a weapon or to break things. Doraemon has an especially hard head, since he has no other special weapons, and has no ears or hat to get in the way when using this mode of attack. The gadget that can connect them is the Friendship Telecard. They can call each other with the card from anywhere when one of them is in need.

Characters

The Doraemons

Doraemon (ドラえもん Doraemon)
Nationality:  Japan
(Voiced by Nobuyo Ōyama or Chisa Yokoyama)
The original protagonist in the main series. While nominally a member of the Doraemons, especially in the earlier chapters of the series, he acts more as their leader due to being the most optimistic and moderate of the seven. In the chapters set when the Doraemons were still in the Robot School, Doraemon had yellow skin, which made him resemble his sister, Dorami (who had not yet been manufactured), even more, as well as ears, which had been eaten by mice by the time Doraemon first visited Nobita. He likes to have plain dorayaki.
Dora-the-Kid (ドラ・ザ・キッド Dora za Kiddo)
Nationality:  United States
(Voiced by Yoku Shioya→ Chisa Yokoyama→ Keiichi Nanba)
Dora-the-Kid, nicknamed Kid, works for a sheriff's deputy in Texas, USA (in some versions, it's corrected as a Western-style planet), with the old sheriff captain and his granddaughter Anyi. Kid is also a secret agent of the Time Patrol Police. He is good at quick shooting, same as Nobita, but he has a fear of heights (acrophobia). Kid's weapon of choice is the Air Gun, which appears to be the front muzzle of a giant revolver that is equipped onto Kid's arm (He has no fingers to fire a regular pistol). The Air Gun shoots out a big blast of air that can knock down anyone that gets hit. His variation of Doraemon's four-dimensional Pocket is the four-dimensional hat (四次元ハット yonjigen hatto) that Kid wears on his head. "Kid" enjoys his dorayaki with ketchup and mustard on it. Though in most times he thinks girls are trouble, he is the sweet (or romance) character, when he faces the girls. It is proven when him and Dorami, Doraemon's sister, like each other, however, he also likes Anyi too. In one chapter, he is best known as a samurai. In one of the Doraemons specials, he tries to let Doraemon eat a dorayaki shaped like a mouse but Doraemon declines.
Through chapters of the story, Dora-the-Kid has been described as a symbol of American patriotism.
Wang Dora (王ドラ Wan Dora) Chinese: 王哆啦
Nationality:  China
(Voiced by Kumiko Nishihara→ Megumi Hayashibara)
He is the smartest among the Doraemons and is a master of kung fu. He studies medicine in the Qing Dynasty while he works for an assistant of a doctor of Chinese medicine. His only weakness is that he cannot face girls, even though he has a girlfriend, a female robot called Mimiko. Wang Dora's variation of the four-dimensional pocket is his four-dimensional sleeves (四次元そで yonjigen sode) on his shirt. Enjoys his dorayaki with rāyu. He's the best of friend with El Matadora, but they often clashed and are both rivals so they fight often.
Dora-med III (ドラメッドⅢ世 Dora-meddo Sansei) Arabic: ثالثا درة ميد; Hebrew: דורה-ים-תיכוני השלישי
Nationality:  Saudi Arabia
(Voiced by Masaharu Satō)
He wears Arabian clothes and forecasts from the tarot. He chose to be a royal consultant in Saudi Arabia on Middle East, but despite being Saudi Arabian, his home is located in Baghdad, Iraq. Needless to say, he cannot swim. He is also quite proficient in magic and the black arts. His dream is to open a "Water Land" theme park for children who live in desert regions. When he gets angry, he grows several times his size (proportional to how angry he is,) becoming a giant. Dora-Med III's variation of the four-dimensional pocket is his four-dimensional magic lamp (四次元ランプ yonjigen ranpu). He enjoys frozen dorayaki due to his fear of water. Due to his origin when his country is ruled by the Saud family, he is the only member to have a religion (he follows Sunni Islam), making him become the first ever Muslim main character in an anime, though he also enjoys Christmas despite Christmas is banned in Saudi Arabia. The funny thing is in one chapter set during Christmas, he shows a table with a language that uses a Hebrew-like script. However, Dora-med III's place of character had caused a lot of argument, as in one chapter, he appears somewhere in Israel despite he is described as an Arab from Saudi Arabia, the nation which doesn't recognize the Jewish State of Israel.
Dora-nichov (or Dora-nikov) (ドラニコフ Dora-nikofu) Russian: Дора-ничов/Дора-ников
Nationality:  Russia
(Voiced by Teiyū Ichiryūsai→ Toshiharu Sakurai)
Dora-nichov lives in Siberia, Russia as the silent member of the Doraemons, but often works in Hollywood as a popular movie actor of Werewolf series in the 22nd century, or even travels to the past when Russia is ruled by Tsar Nicholas II, even he comes back to Boris Yeltsin's era. He is taciturn (and can only communicate with growls, etc.) and is extremely sensitive to the cold. He transforms himself into a wolf if he looks at something that looks like the moon; in this form, he can attack enemies by biting or simply wreaking havoc, etc. He is able to blow fire out of his mouth by taking something hot like Tabasco. Dora-nichov uses the four-dimensional scarf (四次元マフラー yonjigen mafurā) covering his face as an alternative to the four-dimensional pocket. He usually doesn't eat dorayaki in front of others, because the round snack would let him transform, wreaking havoc, so he likes it with dog food. He is one of the poorest members in The Doraemons, and his clothes may relate to the Siberian Cossack farmers in the history. In anime, his first love is Momo, a student of his school; but in manga, he has another love, Nina, a poor Russian singer living in Moscow, who later becomes popular thanks for Nichov.
El Matadora (エル・マタドーラ Eru Matadōra)
Nationality:  Spain
(Voiced by Kazue Ikura→ Kyousei Tsukui→ Ryūsei Nakao)
He is the strongest guy of the team. He likes napping (siesta), even naps in any danger or anywhere when he wants to. He lives in Barcelona, Spain and works for a roast meat restaurant "Carmen" (which is named after the daughter of the chef, and also El's love interest, Carmen), but also masking himself to save the poor, as an alter-ego Keikai-Dora, a parody of Zorro (Though this form isn't much different from his original appearance, except with his Magic Cloak pulled over the top of his head). His dream is to be a matador. El Matadora is the only other Doraemon (other than Doraemon himself) to use the four-dimensional pocket. He likes dorayaki with spaghetti sauce. His Magic Cloak which can blow enemies away or deflect bullets, etc. Totally different from Wang Dora, he is a playboy among girls. He is the only Doraemons member to have ox horns instead of cat ears.
Dora-rinho (ドラリーニョ Dora Rīnyo)
Nationality:  Brazil
(Voiced by Mie Suzuki)
He is very quick, can run very fast and has many powerful soccer skills, but forgetful. He lives in Brazil. He spends days in playing Association Football with the Mini-Doras (ミニドラ軍団 Mini-Dora Gundan, lit. Mini-Dora Army), and also be a coach of a Brazilian boy, Nobinho (ノビーニョ Nobīnyo). The Mini-Doras each has a miniature version of Doraemon's four-dimensional pocket that Dora-rinho could take gadgets from though the gadgets are equally as small as the Mini-Doras. He can attack enemies by kicking soccer balls at them. He enjoys dorayaki with Tabasco sauce. His soccer-shaped bell turns into a bell of an ordinary looking when he is angry. His character is similar to Mario Balotelli: crazy, prank anyone stay close with him, so sometimes he is called Balotelli of The Doraemons. He often has derped eyes and forgets because of his clumsiness. He is named after José Mourinho, Portuguese famous manager who is responsible for major successes in his career.

Allies

Principal Teraodai (寺尾台校長 Teraodai-kōchō)
Nationality:  Japan
(Voiced by Ichirō Nagai)
The principal of the Robot School in the 22nd century, the inventor of the cat robots, and also the great-grandson of Hiroshi Teraodai (寺尾台ヒロシ Teraodai Hiroshi), the principal of Public Tsukimidai Elementary School (the elementary school that Nobita attends in the main series). He grew up with four similar brothers.
He is both a mischievous and treacherous person, but he trusts in The Doraemons despite many of their bad scores in school. He often gives tasks to The Doraemons.
Dorami (ドラミ)
Nationality:  Japan
(Voiced by Keiko Yokozawa)
Doraemon's younger sister who likes him also first appeared in the main series. She appears prominently in one story where Dorami's graduation ceremony in the Robot School that the Doraemons plan to attend goes awry when a disposed school guardian wakes up and brainwashes all robots. She and Dora-the-Kid are the only ones who manage to escape and after freeing the school from the guardian, develop a stronger relationship.
Noramyako (ノラミャー子 Noramyako)
Nationality:  Japan
(Voiced by Yūko Minaguchi→ Ai Nonaka)
One of Doraemon's friend in the Robot School. She was originally a character from Fujiko's story, who is a girlfriend of Doraemon, but broke up with Doraemon because she continuously laughed at his lack of ears. In the newer anime version, she reconciles with Doraemon and works as a dancer in the 22nd century.
The Mysterious Thief Dorapin (ドラパン Dorapan)
Nationality:  France
(Voiced by Akira Kamiya)
He is a mysterious cat-like robot thief from France, clearly modelled after Arsène Lupin. He has a wand with a jewel on it used to change the material of one object into another (e.g. paper -> water, rock -> china, etc.). He fears the dark and dogs. He likes eating dorayaki with cheese. Though often misunderstood for a "villain", he always steals for a reason, especially to help the poor.
Jaidora (ジェドーラ Jedōra)
Nationality:  Italy
(Voiced by Kōichi Yamadera)
One of Doraemon's friend in the Robot School. A fantastic cook from Italy. Strangely for his hobby, he wears glasses and can't see without them. His emotions change quite rarely, and he runs in circles frantically when in panic.

Enemies

Dr. Achimoff (アチモフ Achimofu) Russian: Ачимов
Nationality:  Germany  Russia
(Voiced by Banjō Ginga)
He is the German-Russian professor, and also is the major enemy of the Doraemons. He is the evil doctor and tries all ways to conquer the world. In one chapter, he wants to steal the Doraemons friendship cards, but fails.
Jerry
He was once the major enemy of the original manga series. He is a mouse who hides his appearance under a hat and a scarf. If the Doraemons have any actions, Jerry would intervene them and not let them to successfully end the mission. He was eventually defeated by the Doraemons along with Dora Crybaby, Dora Eater, and Dradra Dora.

Manga

The Doraemons have 2 versions of volumes in this manga:

Original

The Doraemons (main): The main series of The Doraemons, created by Michiaki Tanaka (田中 道明 Tanaka Michiaki), who was also the original designer of the game story and characters. The series keep on the life and adventures of the Doraemons, and some of the chapters include the anime movie stories.

Special

The Doraemons' Special (12 volumes): Created by Yukihiro Mitani (三谷 幸広 Mitani Yukihiro). Another journey of The Doraemons. These series have a very major difference with Nobita's frequent participation in most of the Doraemons' adventures, instead of the only focus on the Doraemons. However, other recurring characters from the main series (Shizuka, etc.) and human partners of other DD7 members don't have too much focus as same as Nobita. The adventures mostly appear in many different eras rather than the 22nd century, and some of the character settings have slight differences from the original version by Tanaka. In the Malay versions published by Tora Aman, the names are mistranslated:

The Special version is worldwide involved by The Doraemons, as they travel through the world, to defend justice, right, and break the mysteries. Some of it involves many famous place like Easter Island (Chile), Machu Picchu (Peru), Taklamakan Desert (China), Galapagos Islands (Ecuador) and else, as it focuses much in Latin America's famous destinations.

Robot School Memories

The Doraemons' Special: Robot School Memories (3 volumes): The Doraemons' past journeys in the Robot School, created by Mitani.

Anime

The Doraemons characters made their anime debut in the 1995 short film 2112: The Birth of Doraemon. There are several short animated films of The Doraemons, released alongside Doraemon's theatrical movies.

Controversies

Latin America's influence of The Doraemons

Most of The Doraemons' stories had been tested due to its special link to Latin American cultures and traditions. The high influences inside The Doraemons mainly due to the writers' large developed love to the region.

Dora-med III's place of character

After a chapter released in which Dora-med III appears somewhere in Negev Desert, Israel, it had caused arguments between anime makers. Someone called to remove the chapter due to its fears about Arab–Israeli conflict. However, the directors considered Dora-med as "symbol of hope and peace between Israelis and Arabs, therefore, nothing to remove it".

See also

References

    External links

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