Doraemon characters are depicted in Vietnamese traditional attire in the Việt Nam-themed special episode. — Photo courtesy of Doraemon Channel

HÀ NỘI — Doraemon is putting Việt Nam in the global spotlight through a special episode titled The Present is a Trip to Việt Nam alongside the upcoming release of its 45th feature film, as the beloved Japanese animation franchise expands its worldwide reach.

The special episode will air on May 23 at 5pm on TV Asahi in Japan marking Shizuka Minamoto’s birthday and forming part of the global Doraemon World Tour series.

In the story Nobita decides to gift Shizuka a trip to Việt Nam after learning about her long-held wish to visit the country. However his plan faces complications when Doraemon’s iconic gadget the Anywhere Door breaks down.

The episode follows Nobita’s efforts to fulfil his promise turning Việt Nam into the emotional centre of the narrative rather than just a backdrop.

Vietnamese cultural elements are prominently featured with Shizuka and Doraemi appearing in áo dài (Vietnamese traditional long dress) while Nobita and Doraemon wear nón lá (conical hat).

A range of iconic locations is also showcased including Hoàn Kiếm Lake in Hà Nội Hạ Long Bay in Quảng Ninh and Dragon Bridge in Đà Nẵng offering international audiences a glimpse of the country’s landscapes and heritage.

Beyond sightseeing the episode introduces culturally inspired details such as a special “translation konjac bread” themed after Vietnamese cuisine adding a playful twist to local experiences.

The Việt Nam-themed episode is released in parallel with Doraemon: Nobita and the New Castle of the Undersea Devil which is set to premiere in Việt Nam on May 22.

Alongside the broadcast a colouring contest titled Let’s Decorate ♪ Chan Chi! has been launched to celebrate Shizuka’s birthday with entries from both Japan and Việt Nam.

Sample entries from the “Let’s Decorate ♪ Chan Chi!” colouring contest — Photo courtesy of Doraemon Channel

The contest features illustrations of Doraemon characters in Vietnamese traditional attire encouraging fans to creatively engage with the theme of travelling to Việt Nam.

Winning artworks are expected to be showcased within the programme turning the celebration into an interactive cultural exchange.

The initiative reflects a broader trend of Japanese animation expanding global narratives while localising cultural content with Việt Nam emerging as a key destination in Doraemon’s international storytelling.

First introduced in 1969 by the duo Fujiko F. Fujio Doraemon follows a robotic cat from the 22nd century who travels back in time to help a young boy named Nobita and has since become a global cultural icon.

Over more than five decades the franchise has sold over 250 million copies worldwide ranked among the best-selling manga of all time and in 2008 Doraemon was appointed Japan’s first anime cultural ambassador before being officially registered as a resident of Kawasaki in 2012. — VNS