“Doraemon: The New Nobita and the Undersea Devil” is an attempt to remake the original “Doraemon and the Undersea Devil” from 1983 for a modern audience, and while it does take its liberties, it also adds a whole lot of heart to the story.
As someone who grew up watching Doraemon cartoons and films, this was my first experience watching a Doraemon film in theaters and, boy, it did not disappoint.
The film follows Nobita, Doraemon, Shizuka, Gian and Suneo as they head underwater for a summer camping adventure using Doraemon’s gadgets. There, they discover a mysterious sunken ship and meet El, a young man from the underwater Mu Federation. Their adventure takes a turn when the terrifying Castle of the Undersea Devil is activated, pulling the gang into a conflict that threatens both the underwater civilization and the entire Earth.
The world-building remains one of the film’s biggest strengths. The underwater civilization feels expansive and imaginative, while the journey into the depths of the ocean gives the film a genuine sense of adventure. There is a constant feeling that the gang is discovering something new, whether it is the secrets surrounding the Undersea Devil, the civilization beneath the ocean or the enormous AI Poseidon.
But the element that stood out to me the most was Water Buggy. Water Buggy essentially becomes a metaphor for artificial intelligence trying to understand human emotion. At every step, he attempts to analyse what is happening and understand how human emotions work, slowly realizing that emotions are not merely data points that can be calculated. They are complicated, irrational and messy, just like humans themselves.
That idea gives the film an unexpected emotional layer. Water Buggy’s journey is not simply about understanding what humans do. It is about understanding why they feel the way they do, something that cannot always be explained through logic. And somehow, this same character is also responsible for some of the film’s funniest moments. Water Buggy constantly rage-baits everyone throughout the film, making him both the heart of the movie and the centre of its humour. My stomach genuinely started hurting from all the laughing I was doing with my friends in the theater, watching this little machine piss off Gian, Suneo and basically everyone around him.
Some of the funniest moments in the film come simply from watching Water Buggy try to understand humans while simultaneously driving them absolutely insane. That balance between humour and emotion is what makes the classic Doraemon gang so enjoyable. Nobita, Doraemon, Shizuka, Gian and Suneo get together for a genuinely fun adventure that brings humour, friendship, love and plenty of spectacle. The film gives them a new environment to explore while still retaining the familiar chemistry that has made these characters so beloved for generations.
The scale also works particularly well on the big screen. Exploring the underwater civilization, venturing into the depths of the ocean trench, discovering the secrets surrounding the Undersea Devil and watching the AI Poseidon come to life all contribute to a sense of adventure that benefits from being experienced with an audience.
I watched the film in the Hindi dub and, honestly, Doraemon is a character that feels deeply rooted in Indian pop culture because of its Hindi dubbing. The series has reached a point where Doraemon and his entire gang almost feel like they belong in India as much as they belong in Japan.
Because of that, hearing some new voices in this film was surprisingly refreshing while still retaining the familiar feeling that makes Doraemon so nostalgic for Indian audiences. That said, as a story, I don’t think this is a full unleashing of the Doraemon experience. The film sometimes feels a little watered down, especially when compared with the emotional and adventurous potential of the story it is adapting. While the ending is definitely emotional, it also feels somewhat rushed and ultimately underwhelming. I wanted the climax to breathe a little more and give some of its emotional beats the weight they deserved.
That is particularly noticeable because the film spends so much time building up its characters and themes. Water Buggy’s journey toward understanding human emotion is compelling, so the conclusion could have benefited from allowing those ideas more room to land.
Still, “Doraemon: The New Nobita and the Undersea Devil” is a thrilling and heartfelt adventure packed with humour, friendship, emotion and a surprisingly thoughtful take on what it means to understand human feelings.
It may not completely reach the heights of the classic, but watching Water Buggy slowly discover what it means to have a heart while the entire gang goes on this ridiculous underwater adventure is something I genuinely enjoyed. If you’ve grown up with Doraemon, this is absolutely worth experiencing on the big screen – preferably with your friends.
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