Doraemon will be at the center of a manhunt in his upcoming birthday special. The episode airs in Japan on September 6 and introduces Dori Sakurada to the anime as Konrobo, a fox-like detective robot investigating the theft of a valuable jewel. No French or international broadcast has been announced.
Doraemon becomes the suspect
Titled “Konkon Daikonran! Yougisha wa Doraemon!?”, or “Total chaos ! Is Doraemon the suspect ?!”, the special begins with the theft of the “Smile of Dorayaki”. The jewel is valued at one billion yen, and surveillance footage appears to place Doraemon at the crime scene.
That evidence sends him onto the wanted list. Several bounty hunters pursue the robot while Konrobo works to investigate the case. The premise temporarily reverses Doraemon’s usual role: he is no longer helping those around him, but trying to evade the people searching for him. The length of Sakurada’s appearance and the outcome of the manhunt have not been specified.
Dori Sakurada joins the cast
This is Sakurada’s first appearance in Doraemon. In Japan, he is known for playing Ryoma Echizen in The Prince of Tennis musicals and Kotaro Nogami, also known as Kamen Rider NEW Den-O, in Kamen Rider.
Sakurada has said that he has followed Doraemon since childhood. That personal connection explains the significance of the casting, but nothing currently indicates whether Konrobo will return in a later episode.
Japan has a date, other markets do not
The broadcast is part of the annual special dedicated to Doraemon’s birthday, usually shown on the first Friday of September. Produced by Shin-Ei Animation, the anime has aired in Japan since 1979 and has more than 3 000 episodes. Crunchyroll
Japan is currently the only market with an announced date. The exact broadcast time, platforms outside the country and any French availability remain unknown, so French-speaking viewers know the episode’s premise and cast but not when or where they will be able to watch it.
official Doraemon page on TV Asahi remains the reference point for the series in Japan, while JEU.VIDEO’s manga and animation news will track further announcements related to the franchise.
The Japanese broadcast and Dori Sakurada’s participation are confirmed. International access, along with the fate of Doraemon in the jewel investigation, remains to be revealed.
