Doraemon: Nobita's Great Adventure into the Underworld
A magic wish leads to a demon world invasion.
Doraemon: Nobita's Great Adventure into the Underworld (also released as Doraemon, Nobita and the Underworld Adventure) is a 1984 Japanese animated science fantasy film. It debuted on March 17, 1984, and is based on the fifth volume of the Doraemon Long Stories series. As the fifth film in the franchise, it was the first to use computer graphics technology. Over 3 million people saw it in theaters, and it earned 1.65 billion yen, making it the year's highest-grossing animated film. With this release, Doraemon became the first—and only—franchise to achieve two consecutive highest-grossing animated films of the year. A remake, titled Doraemon: Nobita's New Great Adventure into the Underworld, came out in Japan on March 10, 2007.
The story begins when Nobita dreams about magic but is woken by his mother. While taking out the trash with Doraemon, he finds a stone statue that looks exactly like Doraemon. They bring it home, puzzled. Nobita suspects magic, but Doraemon dismisses the idea. Nobita researches the topic with Dekisugi, who explains that science has disproven magic. Later, Nobita discovers another statue—this one resembling himself. They wonder if the statues are versions of themselves from another time or world and decide to leave them alone. That night, during a storm, the statues sneak into the house and change poses.
Nobita asks Doraemon for the What-If Box and wishes for a world where magic is normal. Magic replaces science and technology, and everyone uses it daily. But since neither Nobita nor Doraemon can perform magic, life becomes harder. Nobita struggles in school, where magic is taught. Doraemon encourages him to learn, but when Shizuka visits, Nobita accidentally uses magic to lift her skirt. An earthquake then strikes. Shizuka explains that frequent quakes support Professor Mangetsu's hypothesis that "the demon world is approaching." Wanting to meet the professor, Nobita, Doraemon, and Shizuka search for him using a flying broom, while Doraemon uses a Bamboo Copter—a device that looks foreign in this world.
On a hill behind the school, they see Suneo and Gian bullying a monkey, which turns out to be a demon. The demon burns their brooms, causing them to fall. The group takes shelter in a house belonging to Professor Mangetsu, who helps them along with his assistant, Miyoko. The professor explains his research: demons are planning to inv
- release_date
- March 17, 1984
- country
- Japan
- genre
- Animated science fantasy
- box_office_revenue
- 1.65 billion yen
- viewership
- more than 3 million people
- series_position
- fifth in the Doraemon Long Stories series
- notable_feature
- first Doraemon film to incorporate computer graphics technology
Lore & Background
The film opens with Nobita having a magic-themed dream but is interrupted once his mother tells him to wake up. Following that, when he and Doraemon take out the trash, Nobita finds a stone statue that looks exactly like Doraemon, and takes it home. Later, Nobita finds another stone statue, this one looks like him. At midnight during a storm, the statues manage to enter the house and appear in a different pose. Nobita requests Doraemon to give him the What-If Box and wishes for the world to become a place where the use of magic is normal. Magic replaces science and technology, but neither Nobita nor Doraemon can use them. An earthquake occurs, and Shizuka mentions a hypothesis of a doctor of magic, Professor Mangetsu, that 'the demon world is approaching.' The group seeks out Professor Mangetsu, who tells them demons are planning to invade Earth. Nobita and Doraemon plan to return the world to normal but find the What-If Box was thrown away by Nobita's mother.
Reader's Guide
Doraemon: Nobita's Great Adventure into the Underworld holds significance as the fifth film in the Doraemon franchise and the first to incorporate computer graphics technology, marking a technical milestone for the series. Its commercial success, with over 3 million viewers and 1.65 billion yen in revenue, made it the highest-grossing animated film of 1984 in Japan. This achievement also made Doraemon the first and only franchise to have two back-to-back highest-grossing animated films of the year. The film's plot, involving a wish to make magic normal and a subsequent demon invasion, explores themes of responsibility and friendship. A remake, Doraemon: Nobita's New Great Adventure into the Underworld, was released in Japan on March 10, 2007. The film's legacy includes its role in solidifying Doraemon's popularity in the 1980s and its influence on later entries in the series.
Did You Know?
- The film was the first in the Doraemon series to incorporate computer graphics technology.
- It was the highest-grossing animated film of the year 1984 in Japan.
- By its release, Doraemon became the first and only franchise to have 2 back-to-back highest-grossing animated films of the year.
- A remake titled Doraemon: Nobita's New Great Adventure into the Underworld was released in Japan on March 10, 2007.
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