100 Years before the Birth of Doraemon Exhibition

3rd September 2012 marks the 100th year before the birth of the famous blue robot Doraemon, who travels from the future to the present time to look after Nobita. To celebrate this "pre-anniversary", an exhibition is held 14th August to 16th September with various statues of Doraemon and his gadget-like tools on display near Harbour City, Tsim Sha Tsui, in Hong Kong.


A view of the crowd just outside Harbour City. The blue balls seen in the distance are the Doraemon statues.


A book shape plaque explaining the event


The famous pink "Dokodemo Door" (どこでもドア), i.e. "Anywhere Door", where Doraemon uses it to instant travel to anywhere he wants.


Time Furoshiki (タイムふろしき), i.e. Time Weapping Cloth, of which anything wrapped inside it can advance or reverse in time.

Each of the Doraemon statues are about 129.3cm tall, which is Doraemon's actual height.


Memory bread (アンキパン) is a bread of which you imprint it on a text and you will remember it clearly after consuming the printed bread.


Air cannon (空気砲), a recurring weapon which shoots out a powerful burst of compressed air.


Take-copter タケコプター), or Bamboo-copter, is another common device used by Doraemon to fly. It is a small propeller with a suction cup, of which the user usually puts it on top of his head in order to use it.


Minidora (ミニドラ), a miniature version of Doraemon, which comes in handy whenever Doraemon is busy




Submarine Cream (深海クリーム), which when applied on the legs can make you walk on ocean floors as if you are walking on normal grounds.


Uso 800 (ウソ800), i.e. "Lies 800", is a flask shape drink stored in a Doraemon shape case. When drunk, it will bring a reversed effect of what the user says. It was used by Nobita to bring Doraemon back after Doraemon decided to leave Nobita for good early on in the manga series.




Momotarou jirushi no kibidango (桃太郎印のきびだんご). Based on a Japanese folklore hero, the sachet contains dangos which any animals will be instantly tamed when fed. While it usually has no effects on humans, it can be consumed as food.


Mole paw gauntlets, which makes short work of underground digging










Doraemon in tears escorting a beaten up Nobita back home


Moshimo-box (もしもボックス), a phone booth of which the user can propose a "what if" scenario and make it a reality.


And finally a yellow Doraemon with ears, as how he originally appears before his ears got bitten by a mouse and before his colour got washed to blue as a result of him crying over the lost of ears.


Doraemon is an anime character that has been embedded into the memories of many people here, young and old, guys or girls. The number of people visiting the place for the exhibition is pretty extraordinary, and I only had a small window of time to take the pictures before another group of crowd comes over to the statue I'm looking at. There is also a separate gallery of Doraemon's tools in details, but it requires collecting admission chit and they were gone way before I came over. That really does explain the popularity of the character! :O

Album: Doraemon 100

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