Nobita Nobi
Fictional character in Doraemon From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Nobita Nobi (Japanese: 野比 のび太, Hepburn: Nobi Nobita) is a fictional character and one of the main characters in the Doraemon anime and manga series created by Fujiko Fujio. Known as Sidney, Specky and Noby in some English localizations of the anime, Nobita is usually depicted as an elementary school student. The title character, Doraemon, is sent back in time by Nobita's future descendants to look after Nobita.
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| Nobita Nobi | |
|---|---|
| Doraemon character | |
Nobita Nobi as he appears in Doraemon (2005) TV series. | |
| First appearance | Doraemon chapter 1: "All the Way from the Future" (December 1969) |
| Created by | Fujiko Fujio |
| Voiced by | Japanese
Steven Bednarski (1985-1996) Denise Tan (2002-2003) Rumiko Varnes (2003) Johnny Yong Bosch (2014-present, US dub)[1] Muriel Hoffman (UK/Hong Kong dub) |
| In-universe information | |
| Nickname | Noby (Bang Zoom! English dub) Specky (Speedy Video English dub) Sidney (Cinar English dub) |
| Gender | Male |
| Significant other | Shizuka Minamoto (future wife and girlfriend) |
| Children | Nobisuke Nobi (future son) |
| Relatives | Nobi Nobidaisuke (father) Nobi Tamako (mother) Nobirou Nobi (paternal uncle) Nobie Nobi (cousin) Tamao Kataoka (maternal uncle) Nobiru Nobi (paternal grandfather) Nobita's Grandmother (paternal grandmother) Sewashi Nobi (future great-great-grandson) |
| Origin | Tokyo, Japan |
| Nationality | Japanese |
| Age | 10 |
| Birthday | August 7, 1960 (1969) August 7, 1964 (1973) August 7, 1969 (1979) August 7, 1995 (2005) August 7, 2004 (3D CG) |
Along with Doraemon, Nobita is considered to be one of the most popular and widely recognizable manga characters due to the series' popularity, which extends beyond its native Japan. He received criticism for his amorality and lack of personal growth, deemed as a harmful role model to children.[2]
Characteristics
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Perspective
Nobita's characterization depicts him as a lazy underachiever, including but not limited to a lack of physical ability, predisposition to procrastination, reluctance to engage in critical thinking and exhibiting perverted behavior. He dislikes books (excluding manga) and lacks a basic grasp of knowledge expected for his age, such as being unable to understand concepts such as the definition of an eclipse. A running gag involves his disposition to frequent and efficient napping, infamous in the community to the point he is primarily known for his napping in nearby cities.
Many chapters start with Nobita in tears, begging Doraemon to lend him a (faulty or outdated) gadget. His usual motives are to get revenge on Gian and Suneo's harassment, show off to Shizuka for her affections, solve extremely trivial problems or simply acting out his imagination. However, he displays remarkable Machiavellianism when handling gadgets, frequently abusing their power to the point he causes suffering to himself or others, in part due to his poor decisions, the gadgets' own faults or interference by other characters.
He envies his classmate Hidetoshi Dekisugi, a straight-A student admired by all of the girls in his class, including Shizuka, but is otherwise in good terms with him. He is friends with Shizuka, Suneo and Gian, though the latter two harass and bully him for his ineptitude or poor decisions.[3]
Even though Nobita possesses many questionable character traits, he occasionally displays redeeming qualities such as kind-heartedness, courage, and even a good work ethic. In some full-length stories he has risked his life to help save others, or even entire civilizations. In some episodes, it is implied that his poor academic grades is due to his lazy nature as opposed to a lack of intellectual ability. Nobita has consistently displayed sharp marksmanship, mastering light gun games and the Air Cannon with little to no difficulty. The character has also demonstrated creativity when it comes to utilizing Doraemon's gadgets in novel ways.
Appearances
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Perspective
The central premise of the Doraemon media franchise is grounded on the relationship between its protagonists, Doraemon and Nobita.[4] Nobita was doomed to suffer from a life of misery, marrying Gian's sister and squandering the family's finances due to poor personal and business choices. After his death, his descendants in the 22nd century, including his great-great grandson Sewashi Nobi, live in poverty. Sewashi was able to acquire Doraemon due to Doraemon being deemed substandard by his manufacturer. He sends Doraemon back to Nobita's time, after which he is able to live a substantially improved life. There is otherwise little to no continuity in the manga and anime's plots, allowing for Nobita's character development, if any, to be essentially negated.[5][6]
In other media
Japanese actor Satoshi Tsumabuki appeared as Nobita in several live-action television commercials throughout 2011 and 2016. The advertisement's were created by Toyota and depict the series' characters two decades after they "grow up."[7]
Nobita has appeared in various educational manga along with other Doraemon characters.[8][9] The character has been used in a public service campaign organized by the West Japan Railway Company (JR West), where posters of Doraemon, Nobita and several supporting characters from the series were distributed to promote appropriate etiquette for train travel during the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic.[10]
Cultural impact
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Perspective
Due to the success of the Doraemon franchise, Nobita is an internationally recognized character that has attained considerable notoriety. The character's likeness has been recreated as figurines sold during festive celebrations in parts of India.[11] Nobita's family residence, a typical Japanese suburban house, is a recognizable element of the series to international audiences.[12]
Nobita's relationship with Shizuka has been referenced by an Indian television personality from the Bigg Boss reality television series in a public discussion about the rivalry between his cast mates Sidharth Shukla and Rashami Desai,[13] whereas his relationship dynamic with Doraemon had been co-opted as a satirical form of criticism against a Malaysian politician.[14]
A footprint fossil of a dinosaur species discovered in China in 2020 is named Eubrontes nobitai after Nobita.[15]
Reception
Critics found that the character's flawed personality and modest background is considered to be a departure from other contemporary anime and manga protagonists typically portrayed as special or extraordinary,[16][17] and the consistent portrayal of Nobita as being relatable and down-to-earth had been cited as reasons behind the character's appeal as well as the contrary.[18][4] According to the Italian Parents Movement (Moige), in the manga, "the lazy Nobita does not know any kind of appreciable evolution", though there are still good points including "the criticism of bullying, the goodness that transpires from the little Nobita and the positive figure of Shizuka".[19] According to an analysis by Anne Allison, professor of cultural anthropology at Duke University, the strong point of the series and its heart is the relationship between Nobita and Doraemon, as opposed to the variety of the gadgets showcased by the latter.[20]
In early 2021, the character became a trending topic on social media following the international release of promotional material featuring the character marrying Shizuka in the animated film Stand by Me Doraemon 2.[21][22]
Criticism
In August 2016, a member of the Tehreek-i-Insaf party submitted a resolution in the Punjab Assembly calling for a ban on the series, alleging the show's "negative impact" on Pakistani children: one of the cited reasons behind the motion was the depiction of mixed-sex education, which was labelled as incompatible with Pakistani Culture and Muslim culture, in addition to Nobita's own undesirable character traits.[2] Similarly, politicians and activists in neighbouring India have criticized Nobita's problematic behavioural traits for setting a bad example to children, such as answering back to their parents and refusing to do their homework. One activist blamed the character's supposed influence for a 2013 exam-fixing scandal in the state of Madhya Pradesh.[23]
References
Further reading
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