Doraemon remains a heavily merchandised franchise in 2026, with a new English-language distribution deal, a birthday special featuring guest stars, and a wave of collector figures and lifestyle collaborations announced across the summer.
Doraemon's 2026 coverage centers on expanding its reach through merchandise, distribution, and seasonal events. In June, production company CAKE partnered with TV Asahi to distribute the anime in the United States, Canada, Australia, New Zealand, and parts of EMEA, planning a new English-language version of the series. That same month, Medicom Toy released six new Ultra Detail Figure products based on character pairings, and ASCII.jp reviewed the Switch package version of Doraemon's Dorayaki Shop Story, a management sim set in a town of Fujiko F. Fujio characters.
July brought a steady stream of licensed goods and collaborations. The Sanrio-designed 'I'm Doraemon' line expanded with eco-bags sold exclusively at the Shimamura Park online store, and a golf-themed collection launched with Jack Bunny!! during a festival period. Doraemon also appeared in Tanabata and Marine Day social media roundups, where the franchise posted seasonal greetings alongside other anime properties.
August and September turned to birthday commemorations and collector releases. A gold-toned birthday collection joined the 'I'm Doraemon' line ahead of September 3, while Medicom Toy brought back 'Eared Doraemon' figures after about 10 years, timed to the museum's 15th anniversary. The annual birthday special on September 6 will feature guest stars Kotaro Koizumi and Dori Sakurada, with Koizumi playing a billionaire whose stolen gem triggers a bounty on Doraemon. A 1986 Famicom game, never released in the West, also launched for Switch 2 and PS5 on July 30 through Hamster's Console Archives series.
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TV Asahi announced that Kotaro Koizumi and Dori Sakurada will guest star in the annual Doraemon Birthday Special on September 6. Koizumi plays Howard Richie, a 22nd-century billionaire whose gem is stolen, and Sakurada plays Konrobo, a fox robot officer trying to catch the wanted Doraemon.
Medicom Toy is bringing back the "Eared Doraemon" in its VCD and UDF completed figure lines, about 10 years after the last release. Both figures depict Doraemon before a mouse bit off his ears, and are scheduled for September 2026. They will be sold at the shop inside the Kawasaki City Fujiko F. Fujio Museum in Kanagawa.
A new collection commemorating Doraemon's September 3 birthday has joined the 'I'm Doraemon' series, designed by Sanrio for adult fans. The gold-toned adult-design lineup includes a cushion, acrylic stand, pin badge, pouch, magnet, postcard, and sticker set, available at pop-up stores and the official Flowering online store.
Golf apparel brand Jack Bunny!! is releasing a Doraemon special collection tied to the DORAEMON Jack Bunny!! FESTIVAL'26 first installment, held from July 31 to August 16, 2026. The lineup includes head covers, caddy bags, apparel, and accessories themed around the 2026 AUTUMN theme "Chill."
Hamster Corporation will release the 1986 Doraemon Famicom game for Nintendo Switch 2 and PlayStation 5 on July 30 as part of its Console Archives series. The action game, originally by Hudson Soft, follows Doraemon using Secret Gadgets to find Nobita and friends. It never received a Western release.
On July 20, 2026, numerous anime, manga, and game franchises posted Marine Day greetings on social media. The Japanese national holiday, which honors the ocean and marks the end of the rainy season, prompted official accounts and creators to share beach-themed illustrations, character birthday messages, and promotional content. Among the posts, the official Kaiju No. 8 account promoted an upcoming original short anime titled "Narumi's Weekday" with a pun on the character's name and the kanji for sea. The MAPPA studio released a new illustration by Rie Nishimura for the soccer series DAYS, which is celebrating its 10th anniversary in 2026. The Sound! Euphonium account reminded followers that the film Sound! Euphonium: The Final Part 2 opens on September 11. Classroom of the Elite noted that July 20 is also the birthday of character Honami Ichinose. The That Time I Got Reincarnated as a Slime account promoted the streaming of its movie Tears of the Azure Sea on U-NEXT. The Chiikawa movie account promoted the July 24 release of Eiga Chiikawa: Ningyo no Shima no Himitsu. Voice actor Yuki Kaji posted a personal greeting, and the band Orange Range shared a summer song. The roundup, compiled by Anime News Network, spanned three articles covering dozens of entries.
Avail will sell 'I'm Doraemon' eco-bags exclusively at the Shimamura Park online store starting July 13. The bags come in two designs-Anywhere Door and Memory Bread-priced at 2,750 yen each. The items are part of the Sanrio-designed Doraemon goods series.
Anime News Network published a five-part roundup of Tanabata greetings from across the anime, manga, and video game industries on July 7, 2026. The collection includes wishes and illustrations from official accounts for series such as Bungo Stray Dogs, Detective Conan, My Hero Academia, Sakamoto Days, Doraemon, Chibi Maruko-chan, Hell's Paradise, and Dragon Quest. Video game franchises like Final Fantasy, Monster Hunter, and Like a Dragon also participated, alongside creators including Hideo Kojima, Yuki Kaji, and Shoko Nakagawa. Several series tied their posts to new releases: the second season of Yoroi Shin Den Samurai Troopers premiered on July 7, My Happy Marriage released a special Tanabata illustration and announced a three-episode special for 2026, and My Stepmother and Stepsisters Aren't Wicked began airing on July 8. The roundup also features greetings from manga titles like Chiikawa, MARRIAGETOXIN, and Smoking Behind the Supermarket with You, as well as from studios Tatsunoko Production and Square Enix.
Medicom Toy has released six new Ultra Detail Figure (UDF) products based on the Doraemon series. The lineup includes Gera Gera Doraemon, Harubaru from Planet Haruka, Gattai Nori, Gian & Muku, Doraemon & Suneo, and Doraemon & Nobita. Prices range from 1,650 yen to 1,980 yen. The figures are available now at the Medicom Toy official store and other retailers.
Production company CAKE announced a partnership with TV Asahi on June 19 to distribute the Doraemon anime franchise in the United States, Canada, Australia, New Zealand, and parts of EMEA. The companies plan to produce a new English-language version of the series to refresh the library for English-speaking audiences.
Japan's Fair Trade Commission published formal guidelines on June 22, 2026, to standardize anime production contracts. The guidelines address payment for delays, cancellation reimbursement, and copyright compensation, and urge streaming platforms to share viewer data for fair creator compensation. The move supports Japan's goal to triple anime exports to ¥6 trillion by 2033.
ASCII.jp reviews the Switch package version of Doraemon's Dorayaki Shop Story, a management simulation where players run a dorayaki shop in a town populated by characters from Fujiko F. Fujio's works. The game, originally released digitally in 2024 as part of the Fujiko F. Fujio 90th birthday project, now has a physical edition with a permanent bonus guide. The reviewer notes the game's relaxed pace and the appeal of seeing characters from multiple Fujiko series appear.
A new Doraemon collaboration with fashion brand LAD MUSICIAN launches June 13 at the Shibuya PARCO flagship store and THE DORAEMON STORE. The collection features DJ and band-themed designs, including 10 T-shirt styles showing characters as musicians, plus record shoulder bags, caps, and acrylic key rings. Online sales begin June 15.