Remastered... - Doraemon Underwater Adventure -1983-

Deducted half a point only because the remaster omitted the original "Eat-the-box-of-pocky" intermission bumper from the theater cut. Everything else is a time capsule triumph. Dive deep. Bring tissues. And remember: Even robots can dream of the surface.

For those unfamiliar, 1983 was a pivotal year for藤子・F・不二雄 (Fujiko F. Fujio). It was the height of Doraemon’s second boom, and while most fans recall the standard TV episodes, the Underwater Adventure (often misremembered as a lost film or a special OVA) is actually a rare, mid-length cinematic gem. Now, with the release of the version, a new generation can experience the terrifying, beautiful, and deeply emotional journey of Nobita and the gang beneath the waves. What Exactly is "Doraemon Underwater Adventure -1983-"? Let’s clear up the confusion first. This is not to be confused with the 1983 feature film Nobita’s Great Adventure into the Underworld (which involved magic and demons) or the 2010 remake Nobita’s Great Mermaid Battle . Instead, the 1983 Underwater Adventure is a standalone 48-minute "chūhen" (medium-length film) that was originally screened during the 1983 summer vacation anime matinee alongside other Shogakukan productions. Doraemon Underwater Adventure -1983- REMASTERED...

The remaster does not try to modernize the story. It does not add new CGI effects or re-record the voice acting (RIP Nobuyo Ōyama’s original Doraemon voice). Instead, it polishes the window through which we view a masterpiece of 1983 animation, removing 40 years of grime without breaking the glass. Deducted half a point only because the remaster