Hong Kong’s Doraemon exhibition to bring manga mania with 135 large-scale models of beloved character and animated short film
Hong Kong fans of Japanese manga character Doraemon will be able to get up close to 135 large-scale models of the beloved robotic cat and enjoy an animated short film incorporating signature elements of the city at an exhibition this summer.
The event, running from July 13 to August 4 and the biggest Doraemon exhibition in the city yet, will be the first stop of a world tour to mark what would have been the 90th birthday year of creator Fujuko F. Fujio, who died in 1996.
Many of the models have yet to be shown in the city or even Japan, the Hong Kong-based organiser said.
Jitsuko Katsumata, a daughter of the late manga master, told the Post during an interview at the Fujiko F. Fujio Museum in Kawasaki, Japan, that she looked forward to seeing first-hand how Hongkongers interacted with the “100% Doraemon & Friends Tour” this summer.
“Whether it’s manga, anime, three-dimensional artwork or digital technology, you can appreciate and experience the world of Doraemon from various perspectives,” she said.
Katsumata is the CEO of Fujiko Pro, a Japanese anime and manga production company that manages the Doraemon franchise. It also produces new content, oversees adaptations, and handles licensing and merchandise for Doraemon and Fujio’s other works.
Doraemon is a blue-and-white robotic cat from the future who travels back in time to help a young boy named Nobita Nobi with his futuristic and magical gadgets as they embark on adventures together.
The manga is popular across many generations and continues to capture the imagination of fans of all ages.
“It will be an event that offers a multifaceted experience with diverse content. Whether you are a fan of Doraemon or unfamiliar with the character, we hope that everyone can come together with Doraemon and once again enjoy the happiness and joy it brings,” Katsumata said.
She recalled visiting Hong Kong with her parents in 1995 when the “Doraemon: Nobita’s Dinosaur” musical was playing at the Cultural Centre, saying it left a strong impression.
“[We] saw a lot of parents bringing their children to watch the show. After it ended, we saw many children who felt touched and were shedding tears. I then realised for the first time that culture has no boundaries. It was a precious experience for me,” she said.
Doraemon last conquered the city in 2012 when 100 sculptures were showcased outside Harbour City in Tsim Sha Tsui by Hong Kong-based art studio AllRightsReserved, which also organised a popular installation in Victoria Harbour of a pair of inflatable yellow rubber ducks last year.
“We have made dedicated efforts to bring to life the beloved Doraemon that is familiar to everyone from comics and movies, presenting them in a fully multidimensional way,” said Lam Shu-kam, founder of AllRightsReserved.
Lam described the coming event as a “miraculous thing”, recalling he had left a proposal with Fujiko Pro after the 2012 exhibition but did not expect its CEO to reach out to him years later.
“There will be a total of 135 sculptures that most of them have never been seen before, even in Japan,” Lam said. “This is the first time such an event is taking place in Hong Kong.”
The summer exhibition will include free entry zones at the Avenue of Stars and the Tsim Sha Tsui harbourfront, featuring the world’s tallest inflatable Doraemon figure at 12 metres (39 feet) in height, accompanied by other models of the character and his friends.
The Avenue of Stars will host Doraemon and other characters dressed in formal attire alongside anime-style models of 13 Hong Kong filmmakers in a “blue carpet” setting to match the manga’s main colour.
Fans will also be able to visit a ticketed exhibition at K11 Musea that includes an exclusive screening of an animated short film featuring Takeshi Goda, a main character from the series known for his poor singing abilities, who performs a concert in Hong Kong.
Lam revealed that Shin-Ei Animation, a company renowned for producing the Doraemon anime for decades, among other popular Japanese cartoons, had taken time out of its schedule to create the exclusive film tailored to the city.
The paid area will also host an immersive room, interactive installations, replicas of high-quality original artworks, scenes from the series and feature movies, as well as a sculpture park.
Tickets will be available through online booking platform Klook on Saturday at HK$320 (US$41) for limited premium places and HK$150 for general admission.
Hong Kong has rolled out a series of mega events to kick-start its sluggish tourism sector recovery, allocating HK$100 million to boost promotional activities over the next three years.
The Culture, Sports and Tourism Bureau earlier added the exhibition in July to the list of more than 100 mega events taking place in the second half of the year covering artistic and creative activities, sports competitions and festive shows.
Lam said he believed the Dorameon exhibition could draw public attention and participation without organisers needing to apply for money from the government under its mega arts and cultural events fund.
“Many people wonder whether [Doraemon], after such a long time, has lost its popularity. But good intellectual property does not fade away. We need to be innovative while also considering how to sustain the good elements,” he said.
“To some extent, it is evident that the fan base for this intellectual property has consistently grown rather than diminished.”
