Release to be aimed at English-speaking audiences in U.S., Canada, Australia, New Zealand, parts of EMEA
Image via TV Asahi
© 藤子プロ・小学館・テレビ朝日・シンエイ・ADK
Production company CAKE announced on June 19 that the company is partnering with TV Asahi for international distribution of the Doraemon anime franchise, stating it will distribute the anime catalogue the United States, Canada, Australia, New Zealand, and EMEA excluding Italy, Spain, Portugal, and Turkey.
CAKE added it and TV Asahi “will also produce a new English-language version with the aim of refreshing the Doraemon library for English-speaking audiences and introducing a timeless Japanese icon to new viewers.”
ANN reached out to CAKE and TV Asahi for clarification on the wording of “new English-language version” but did not get a response.
Fujiko Fujio A and Fujiko F. Fujio penned the world-famous Doraemon manga about the titular robot cat from the future and his friendship with the boy Nobita. The manga ran from 1970 to 1996. The pair worked together before parting in 1987, with Abiko taking the Fujiko Fujio A pseudonym, and Fujimoto taking the Fujiko Fujio F (later Fujiko F. Fujio) pseudonym.
The manga has launched one of the most successful children’s media franchises in the world, inspiring numerous anime films and three separate television anime runs. The third television anime began in 2005 and is still ongoing as one of the most highly rated anime on Japanese television week after week.
The 2026 Doraemon film, Eiga Doraemon: Shin Nobita no Kaitei Kiganjō (Doraemon the Movie: New Nobita and the Castle of the Undersea Devil), opened in Japan on February 27.
Kairosoft’s Doraemon Dorayaki Shop Story game launched for Nintendo Switch in English and Japanese in August 2024. The game was later released for iOS and Android in September 2024, on PC via Steam in December 2024, and on PlayStation and Xbox consoles in January 2025.
CAKE also recently announced it is partnering with entertainment studio World Events Productions(WEP) to distribute 280 episodes of the Voltron animated franchise globally.
Sources: CAKE’s website, Total Licensing (Rebecca Ash) via @ToonHive
