Highlights
- Doraemon’s Vietnam special episode showcases landmarks like Ha Long Bay and Hoan Kiem Lake, integrating local culture.
- The episode aligns with the Vietnam release of Doraemon the Movie: New Nobita and the Castle of the Undersea Devil.
- The Gift Is a Trip to Vietnam episode is a part of the Doraemon Around the World initiative, targeting expansion into overseas markets.
The Doraemon TV anime has unveiled new screenshots for its upcoming Vietnam-themed special episode, titled The Gift Is a Trip to Vietnam. The episode, tied to Shizuka’s birthday celebration, is scheduled to air on May 23 on TV Asahi, ABEMA, and TVer in Japan.
Newly released visuals show Doraemon, Nobita, Shizuka, and Dorami visiting several Vietnamese landmarks, including Ha Long Bay, Hoan Kiem Lake, Hội An Ancient Town, and Đà Nẵng’s Dragon Bridge. The episode will focus primarily on Shizuka; Dorami and she also appear wearing traditional Vietnamese Áo dài, while Nobita and Doraemon are shown in traditional conical hats.
The special broadcast coincides with the May 22 theatrical release of Doraemon the Movie: New Nobita and the Castle of the Undersea Devil in Vietnam. The Gift Is a Trip to Vietnam will air at 5:00 pm ICT in the country.
Doraemon Localization Strategy Targets Growing Markets
The special Doraemon episode arrives as part of the franchise’s Doraemon Around the World initiative, following previous specials centered on Thailand and Spain. With Vietnam becoming one of the strongest overseas markets for the Doraemon franchise, the strategy reflects anime’s increasing reliance on localized international marketing.
The Gift Is a Trip to Vietnam special episode featuring popular tourist destinations, depicts Vietnam’s cultural heritage and geography. Characters wearing the country’s national costume further cultural integration.
Fujiko Pro/Shogakukan ©Fujiko Pro/Shogakukan/TV Asahi/Shin-Ei/ADK.
A fictional gadget called “Translation Konjac Banh Mi Flavor” adapts the franchise's standard translation device to Vietnamese cuisine. The episode also includes a Fluent Lesson segment teaching basic Vietnamese phrases.
These additional segments target child audiences while reinforcing market-specific engagement. Doraemon has reportedly sold more than 40M manga copies in Vietnam by 2006, whereas the anime arrived in 2010. Preview screenings of the 2026 Doraemon film collected VND37.5 billion (~$1.47 million USD) across three days, demonstrating market demand.
