The summer 2026 movie season is dominated by the massive success of Doraemon Movie 45. According to Box Office Vietnam, the film hit 100 billion VND in revenue just six days after its release in Vietnam. Alongside the film’s buzz, many stories about Doraemon’s world have caught the internet’s attention again, from Nobita’s daily life and futuristic gadgets to how the characters cope with the scorching summer heat.
Interestingly, although Doraemon was created by Fujiko F. Fujio back in 1970, over half a century ago, many “heat-beating” tips featured in the manga remain familiar today and are even used by many people in their daily lives.
In the original story, Nobita lives in Nerima Ward, Tokyo, a deep inland area heavily affected by the urban heat island effect. As a result, Nerima is often one of the hottest districts in Tokyo during summer. Japanese meteorological data cited by the media show Nerima consistently ranks among Tokyo’s hottest areas, with temperatures reaching as high as 39.5 degrees Celsius.
That’s why readers often see Nobita sprawled out from the heat, Doraemon sweating, or the whole gang trying various ways to survive the summer.
An interesting detail is how the characters’ heat relief methods reflect their different living conditions.
Wealthy characters like Suneo often escape the heat by vacationing in Karuizawa, a famous Japanese resort town known for its cooler climate compared to Tokyo. In one story, Suneo’s family rents a villa there, but because they chose a cheaper option, the house is old and even leaks when it rains.
This style of “escaping the heat” remains popular today. Every summer, many Japanese families leave the city for cooler mountain or resort areas. In Vietnam, similar trends include trips to Da Lat, Sa Pa, or the beach during hot seasons.
Meanwhile, Doraemon, a character from the future, has a very different way to beat the heat: using gadgets.
The manga features many cooling devices like cold blankets, cooling pillows, mini fans, and instant chillers. Remarkably, many of these gadgets now exist in real life.
Products like cooling blankets, air-conditioned mats, gel pillows, cooling towels, and fan jackets are now common in Asian markets, especially during summer. What was once considered “future technology” in Doraemon has become everyday household items.
Beyond that, most characters use very ordinary ways to stay cool, which makes the story relatable to many readers.
Jaian and Shizuka often wear light clothes at home, lounge around eating ice cream, or find shady spots to rest.
Nobita sometimes lies close to the floor to feel cooler, a common habit in many Asian countries, especially in homes with wooden, tile, or tatami floors.
Electric fans also appear frequently in Nobita’s home. Since Doraemon’s setting is inspired by 1970s-1980s Japan, when air conditioning was not widespread, many families relied on fans, open windows, or natural ventilation to cool down.
Another detail that draws attention is the typical Japanese “ikkodate” house featured in Doraemon. These wooden detached houses have limited insulation, making the second floor very hot during summer as the roof absorbs heat all day.
In many summer scenes, the group often goes swimming, visits rivers, or heads to public pools to cool off.
After more than 56 years, many details in Doraemon still feel familiar because they reflect everyday life. From wearing light clothes, eating ice cream, using electric fans, lying on the floor to find coolness, to seeking shade, these are all ways modern people still use to beat the heat when summer gets intense.
Image credit: Doraemon