10 best anime to watch if you like Doraemon

Doraemon is one of the most iconic and beloved anime series of all time. The story of a robotic cat from the future who travels back in time to help a clueless boy named Nobita has captured the hearts of viewers across generations.

With its whimsical sci-fi stories, lovable characters, and simple yet meaningful life lessons, the series enjoys immense popularity even today. If you're a fan of this series looking for similar feel-good anime to bring back memories or discover a new series to fall in love with, this list features some of the best anime, like Doraemon.

Here are 10 anime that we think you'll thoroughly enjoy if you liked following Nobita's fun and touching adventures with his feline friend from the 22nd century.

Disclaimer: This article reflects the writer's opinion and is not ranked in any order.

10 best anime for fans of Doraemon

1) Pokemon

Just like Nobita always relied on Doraemon and his gadgets, the iconic character of Ash Ketchum from Pokemon depends on his reliable partner Pikachu and his ever-growing ensemble of Pokemon friends.

This long-running anime franchise shares adventure-based storytelling as Ash and his friends travel to different places where he tries to become a Pokemon Master by catching and battling the cute critters.

With its positive themes about friendship, growth, and working hard to achieve your dreams, Pokemon is a perfect feel-good anime for those who love Doraemon. The series' original run and various reboots ensure Pokemon stays relevant for 90s kids as well as new generations of viewers.

2) Crayon Shin-chan

Crayon Shin-chan (Image via Shin-Ei Animation)

The misadventures of 5-year-old Shinnosuke “Shin-chan” Nohara from Crayon Shin-chan will tickle your funny bone. Like Nobita, Shinnosuke may seem annoying and troublesome at first glance, but he’s a very loving kid who teaches simple life lessons in a cheeky way.

Just like Doraemon added a spark to Nobita’s mundane life, Shin’s energy and witty critiques of daily struggles make his family’s ordinary suburban life seem exciting. With its distinct style of humor and eccentric characters, Crayon Shin-chan makes for an entertaining comedy anime.

3) Astro Boy

This iconic 1960s anime is hailed as the godfather of popular sci-fi adventure series like Doraemon. It brings surprisingly mature themes as it chronicles the adventures of Astro Boy (known as Atom in Japan), a powerful robot boy with a pure heart created by a scientist mourning his dead son.

Fans will appreciate Astro Boy’s sci-fi imagination and an underlying message about using technology responsibly for the greater good. Viewers will find it quite progressive despite being an older anime, as Astro Boy regularly battles prejudice against robots and questions the boundaries of advanced technology.

Overall, Astro Boy’s blend of light-hearted action, humor, and emotional depth makes it a meaningful retro watch.

4) Ninja Hattori

Ninja Hattori (Image via Shin-Ei Animation)

The plot revolves around 10-year-old Kenichi befriending an unconventional ninja named Hattori, who secretly moves into his home. While Doraemon’s gadgets got Nobita out of trouble, Hattori used his special ninja techniques to help Kenichi with his daily struggles.

Ninja Hattori’s episodic structure, filled with humorous mishaps and life lessons, makes it ideal for fans to experience the comforting familiarity of childhood classics. Despite being an 80s show, its animation holds up well to enthrall modern audiences.

Ninja Hattori’s focus on friendship and school life misadventures evokes similar vibes to Doraemon, making it a nostalgic trip down memory lane.

5) Perman

This retro superhero anime features an ordinary boy named Mitsuo who transforms into the superhero Perman by using a special mask and cape. Together with other Perman superheroes, Mitsuo helps defend people from various adversaries and hilariously weird situations.

The heroes face different challenges and villains in each episode. Beyond the basics of children getting superpowers, Perman’s episodic structure filled with light action, humor, and whimsical imagination makes it an enjoyable watch for those missing Doraemon’s entertaining adventures.

Its retro design and color palette also evoke nostalgia for the simple yet imaginative anime of the 80s and 90s.

6) Kiteretsu Daihyakka

This anime from the late 80s focused on the heartwarming friendship between a young boy named Eiichi and his robot friend Korosuke, an invention by Eiichi himself. Much like Nobita benefits from Doraemon’s futuristic gadgets, Eiichi learns to solve everyday problems using unique inventions created by himself.

Beyond highlighting the value of intellect and science, Kiteretsu Daihyakka also emphasizes qualities like honesty, hard work, and perseverance through the stories of Eiichi, the professor, and their friends.

Its powerful nostalgia factor, along with the underlying message about using knowledge, make it an underrated gem for Doraemon loyalists.

7) Sazae-san

The iconic Japanese anime Sazae-san centers around a cheerful and optimistic homemaker named Sazae and her quirky middle-class family. Through funny misadventures involving relationships, work, traditions, and everyday errands, Sazae teaches simple yet profound wisdom about finding joy in ordinary life without getting unnecessarily stressed.

Much like Nobita benefits from Doraemon’s guidance, viewers get parenting and marriage advice via Sazae’s patient approach to managing her funny husband, dad, and kids.

Despite being an old-school anime, its relaxing pace and wholesome themes still attract modern viewers looking for clean comedy. Sazae-san’s comedy of errors making light of mundane struggles appeals to fans.

8) Chinpui

The retro anime Chinpui features a mischievous alien going by the same name whose willingness to help lands him in sticky situations, much like Doraemon’s gadgets backfiring despite good intentions.

Set in urban Tokyo, each episode sees Chinpui assist a girl named Eri, often causing hilarious chaos with his earnest attempts at helping her. Beyond the slapstick humor, Chinpui’s emotional core also resonates with Doraemon fans as the lovable alien ultimately solves each family’s underlying issues, despite creating superficial messes.

The nostalgic charm of its simple hand-drawn animation and emphasis on family bonding cement Chinpui’s position as an endearing classic for those missing old-school anime.

9) Yowamushi Pedal

Yowamushi Pedal (Image via TMS Entertainment)

Yowamushi Pedal shares surprising emotional beats with poignant classics beyond superficially different themes. The story follows the awkward, otaku-ish boy Sakamichi struggling to revive his school’s folded bicycle racing club.

Through sheer perseverance, he recruits eccentric teammates united by a lack of self-confidence rather than cycling finesse. Much like Nobita felt hopelessly overshadowed by more talented peers before Doraemon boosted his courage, Sakamichi, and his endearingly flawed team show that passion and hard work matter more than raw skill.

Yowamushi Pedal’s emphatic message about underdogs fueling each other to chase ambitious dreams despite self-doubt mirrors the positive vibes that made Nobita’s journey inspiring.

10) Digimon

The enormously popular anime franchise Digimon focuses on children paired with unique digital monsters who can shift into various evolved forms during battles. Protagonist Tai and other kids learn to work together with their respective Digimon partners to tackle threats from corrupt Digimon and unscrupulous humans misusing technology.

Beyond the fantasy-fueled action and evolutions echoing counterparts like Pokemon, Digimon also emphasizes themes like friendship, loyalty, collaboration, and quick thinking. The bonds between the kids and their very expressive Digimon mirror relationships made Doraemon so endearing across decades.

Like Nobita, who grows more confident and decisive thanks to Doraemon, Digimon’s human characters also mature into responsible, empathetic leaders guided by their attached Digimon.

Conclusion

While it’s impossible to replace iconic anime classics like Doraemon, the series mentioned above comes remarkably close thanks to familiar themes like friendship, sci-fi, school-life comedy, and heartwarming stories emphasizing values for young viewers.

If beloved anime works like Nobita and Doraemon’s adventures make you nostalgic about simpler times, do check out the classics mentioned above to recapture that spark of charm and whimsy unique to Japanese animation.

With their iconic characters, positive themes, and quality entertainment quotient, these anime leave big shoes to fill for modern shows. So, take your pick from our handpicked list and drift down memory lane to revisit magical worlds where robotic cats and young boys dream big.