Doreamon stamps

Doraemon is a blue cat-like robot in Japanese comic books. He is very popular in Japan. Everybody loves him—children, mothers, students. He came from the future to the present in a time machine.

This a a favorite Japanese manga series created by Mr. Fujiko F. Fujio – pen name of Mr. Hiroshi Fujimoto . The series is about a robotic cat who travels back in time from the 22nd century . The cat had a special pocket with a lot of clever new innovations always in to aid  a school boy and a friend  Nobita Nobi (野比 のび太 )an elementary school student.

The series first appeared in December 1969, when it was published simultaneously in six different magazines. In total, 1,344 stories were created in the original series, which are published by Shogakukan under the Tentōmushi (てんとう虫 ) manga brand, extending to forty-five volumes. The volumes are collected in the Takaoka Central Library in Toyama, Japan. Fujio was born in Toyama.

Doraemon stamps issued on 2004 (Photo: courtesy Of Mr. William Chua)

A majority of Doraemon episodes are comedies with moral lessons regarding values such as integrity, perseverance, courage, family and respect for elders. Several noteworthy environmental issues are often visited, including homeless animals,  endangered species , deforestation , loss of habitat and pollution .

Doraemon was awarded the first Shogakukan Manga award for children’s manga or cartoon in 1982, and the first Osamu Tezuka Culture Award in 1997. In March 2008, Japan’s Foreign Ministry appointed Doraemon as the nation’s first “anime ambassador.” Ministry spokesman explained the novel decision as an attempt to help people in other countries to understand Japanese anime better and to deepen their interest in  Japanese anime culture The Foreign Ministry action confirms that Doraemon has come to be considered a Japanese cultural icon. In 2002, the anime character was acclaimed as an Asian Hero in a special feature survey conducted by Time Asia magazine.

This popular anime character had been immortalized on stamps , stuff toys, fast food toys, key chains, stationery etc..

The show is locally shown on GMA channel 7 in the mid 1990’s