This is a remake of Nobita and the Birth of Japan (1989), in which Nobita and his friends run away from home to... the Pleistocene Epoch 70,000 years ago. My goodness, does this remake ever fix my main problem with the original! Whereas I've always found it disappointing how little agency the protagonists had in resolving the main conflict of the 1989 movie, this version has a substantially modified climax in which they do most of the work in bringing down the villain (and yes, everyone in the group gets to do something helpful). The film even finds a way to add a plot-relevant role for Dorami! Meanwhile, the rest of the story remains largely intact, which is essentially how I would have preferred it.

I also love the end credits artwork in this remake. Something I've noticed is lacking in many Doraemon movies (even some of the best ones) is that they rarely revisit the inciting incident that kick-starts each adventure. In the original version of this movie for example, the children's grievances against their families are hardly brought up again after they set off for the Pleistocene (outside of some hallucinations Nobita gets when he is lost in the snow, which ultimately don't amount to any narrative importance). The end credits here are set to scenes showing what everyone gets up to once they return home, providing closure for that subplot. Besides, the art style used for the credits is very uplifting and adorable.

Do I have any criticisms of this movie? I suppose I do, but most of them would be issues that were already present in the original. For instance, when the protagonists attempt to revisit the prehistoric tribe they'd befriended, they are shocked to find that the entire group has been captured by the villain. However, it never occurs to them to try traveling to a time before the tribe was captured.

Another is the mystery of Shizuka's disappearing spear. Doraemon clearly gives everybody one of his Shock Spears when they first arrive in the Pleistocene. Yet when the group later fights the villain's minions, Shizuka's spear is inexplicably missing, and she spends the encounter cowering behind Nobita. The spear's absence is especially noticeable here, because in the original film, Doraemon was the one who did all the fighting in this sequence. Shizuka is even shown carrying the spear in some scenes following this, but it's never present in any situation where it would actually be used. At least she gets to contribute during the final battle...

Okay, I will name one thing that I think the original did better: I probably prefer the designs of Nobita's pet griffon and dragon in that version. Even with these quibbles though, there are enough positives here to make up for them in my opinion. Nobita and the Birth of Japan 2016 may very well be my favorite Doraemon movie released as of 2023, and is one of my top recommendations in the Doraemon cinematic lineup.

The wonderful 2016 film Doraemon the Movie: Nobita and the Birth of Japan is a charming addition to the well-liked brand, combining humor, nostalgia, and gorgeous animation. Under the direction of Shinnosuke Yakuwa, the movie explores the origins of Japanese culture by taking Nobita and his pals on an amazing trip to ancient Japan. The video skillfully combines historical details with the iconic appeal of Doraemon's future devices to create a fascinating and educational story. A notable aspect is the animation, which features vivid images that bring the enchanted landscapes of ancient Japan to life and highlight the charming traits of Doraemon and his well-known buddies.