Stand by Me Doraemon

Plot

Nobita Nobi is a fourth grader who constantly gets failing grades in his subjects due to his laziness and is always bullied by his classmates Suneo Honekawa and Takeshi Goda. His great-great grandson from the 22nd century , Sewashi, who watches him every day, travels to Nobita's timeline while bringing along his robotic cat Doraemon. Sewashi reveals that if Nobita keeps up his act, he will have a disastrous future: he will marry Gian's sister Jaiko, have his private company burned down, and will be left with a great debt. To circumvent this, he orders Doraemon to help Nobita, modifying Doraemon's nose to prevent him from returning to the future unless Nobita gains a better future.

Being reluctant until the threat, Doraemon introduces his gadgets to help Nobita which helps him immensely. Though Doraemon warns Nobita not to be too dependent on his gadgets, Nobita asks Doraemon to help him woo his crush Shizuka "Sue" Minamoto whom Doraemon reveals is the one Nobita will marry if his future is corrected. However, all his efforts end up making Shizuka becoming closer to ace student, Hidetoshi Dekisugi. Nobita's attempt to be equal with Dekisugi by studying harder is futile and he decides to let go of Shizuka to make her happier. Mistaking him planning to commit suicide, Shizuka arrives at the Nobi residence and resists Nobita's people-repelling potion to help him which Doraemon reveals is the first step in Nobita and Shizuka's growing relationship to eventually becoming a couple.

After seeing his older self rejecting Shizuka's invitation to a mountain climbing, Nobita disguises himself as his older self to help Shizuka whom he thinks is separated from her group during a heavy blizzard. His efforts to help Shizuka do more hurt to himself, but this makes Shizuka feel that she has to accompany Nobita saying "Yes" before collapsing from cold she contracted from her earlier conversation with Nobita. Forcing himself to remember the moment, the two are rescued by Nobita's older self who recalled the memory. Nobita learns from his older self that Shizuka was answering to the latter's proposition to marry her which means that the two will indeed marry. After hearing that Shizuka's father has also accepted Nobita as his daughter's spouse, Nobita and Doraemon return to the present timeline.

As Nobita's future has changed for the better, Doraemon's programming commands him to return to the future in 48 hours. Noticing that Doraemon has a hard time to leave due to his worry for Nobita, Nobita confronts and have a brutal fight with Gian to prove that he is able to defend himself without Doraemon. Seeing that Nobita refuses to give up, Gian forfeits as Doraemon tearfully takes Nobita home before leaving in peace the next day. During April Fools, Nobita is tricked by Gian into believing that Doraemon has returned. In anger, he drinks a solution Doraemon gave to him which turns all lies into truth and vice versa. Finishing his retribution against Suneo and Gian, Nobita goes back home while lamenting that Doraemon will never return. To his surprise, Doraemon suddenly returns and tells Nobita that he has got permission to stay with him because Nobita said that Doraemon would never return, still with the effects of the potion, and it became a truth. They both hug and cry in happiness.

Production

In 2011, the producers said that "different from the other Doraemon films, this will be a special film". The production team spent 18 months on the character design and CGI animation began after the film recorded the voice of characters (Puresuko).

Staff list

Soundtrack

Original Japanese In the movie, most of the soundtrack was composed by Sato Naoki composer (except the ending theme)

All music composed by Naoki Sato.

Ending theme: Himawari no Yakusoku (ひまわりの約束, lit. "Promise from Sunflower") by Motohiro Hata

In Spain (English)

In Hong Kong (Cantonese)

In Mainland China (Mandarin)

Release

Stand by Me Doraemon was released in 60 countries worldwide.

The film was released in Japan on August 8, 2014, in Italy on November 6, 2014 (known as Doraemon - Il film), in Indonesia and Singapore on December 18, 2014, in Spain and Taiwan on December 19, 2014, in Thailand on December 31, 2014, in Malaysia on January 29, 2015 (limited release for both Japanese version and Malay version), and in Hong Kong on February 5, 2015 (known as Doraemon 3D: Stand by Me).

A web survey was published giving a closer look at the attendees. The audience consisted of 20.4% were children, 21.5% were in their 20's, 20.4% were in their 30's, 20.4% were in their 40's. 47% were male while 53% were female. 88.4% of the audience cried while watching the film.

The film was released on Blu-ray, in a deluxe and normal edition, and DVD by Pony Canyon on February 18, 2015.

The DVDs and Blu-rays released in Hong Kong feature English subtitles. The iTunes release in Singapore also includes English subtitles.

The film was released in China on Thursday, May 28, 2015 becoming the first Japanese film in three years to be released in China since Ultraman in July 2012.

The film was released in Vietnam on December 12, 2014 in the cinemas with many voice cast and broadcast in June 1, 2015 by K+ NS titled Doraemon: Đôi bạn thân. From 12 to 19 December 2014 the film ranked 2nd in the cinemas, and from 20 to 27 December the film was ranked 4th in Top 5 films have the biggest gross.

The film was released in the Philippines on June 17, 2015, announced by SM Cinema on Facebook. The movie is distributed by VIVA International pictures & Multivision Pictures Entertainment.

This film was released in Turkey on September 11, 2015.This movie has been released in India by name Doraemon The Movie Stand By Me in Indian language Hindi, Tamil & Telugu on date 19 June 2016 in Hungama TV and Disney Channel.

Box office

The film earned a total of US$86 million internationally by January 7, 2015, and was also the third highest earning film in Japan in 2014 with ¥8.38 billion, behind Frozen and The Eternal Zero. Outside Japan, the highest revenue came from China ($86.92 million), Hong Kong ($5.1 million), South Korea ($3.3 million), Italy ($3.2 million), Indonesia ($3 million) and Thailand ($1.2 million).

In Japan, the film earned ¥767 million in the first 2 days and ¥988 million after 3 days. After 40 days the film earned ¥7 billion and ¥8 billion after 76 days. The film - after the release day - was ranked 1st in cinemas Japan for 5 weeks continuous. As of December 2014, the film earned ¥8.38 billion ($70 million) in Japan.

The film performed well in Hong Kong, which was partly boosted by the sudden death of the long-time voice actor of Doraemon, Lam Pou-chuen, a month before the movie's local release. It became the all-time highest-grossing Japanese film in Hong Kong (breaking Ring's record), the highest-grossing film of the Chinese New Year period in Hong Kong (from February 18 to 21) and the all-time fourth highest-grossing animated film in Hong Kong, behind Pixar's Toy Story 3, Monster's University and Inside Out. It also broke the opening day record (previously held by Ponyo on a Cliff). In China, the film scored a single-day record of US$14.2 million (breaking Kung Fu Panda 2's record) and a four-day opening record of US$38.5 million (breaking How to Train Your Dragon 2's record). In just five days it earned $53 million to become the highest grossing non-Hollywood animated film in China (breaking Boonie Bears: Mystical Winter's record). It is currently the third highest-grossing animated film in China ($86.9 million), behind Kung Fu Panda 2 ($92.2 million) and Big Hero 6 ($86.7 million). It ended its run in China with CN¥530,06 million ($86.9 million).

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Influence

On the Japanese talk show Room of Tetsuko, Doraemon in 3D image was invited to interview and was broadcast on television on August 8, 2014.

The Chinese helped ease diplomatic tensions between China and Japan. Nagoya University professor Kawamura Noriyuki said that the film was able to help the Chinese people have a better look at the Japanese people.