In this movie, Doraemon's bell gets stolen, and he really wants it back. Nobita and his friends track it to a 22nd Century gadget museum, where they have to find the bell and figure out who took it. Whereas most Doraemon movies use Doraemon's gadgets as a means to transport the main characters to classic science fiction or fantasy settings, a museum that displays these gadgets is a location that can essentially only exist in the Doraemon universe. Combined with the fact that the Doraemon films have not yet done a proper detective story up to this point, and the premise of this movie looks very attractive indeed.
For all that, however, I came away from this film somewhat underwhelmed. Maybe it's the fact that, despite an ideal setup for showcasing previously introduced gadgets in fresh and creative ways, much of the main plot ultimately hinges on new gadgets and additions to the lore. Make no mistake though, this movie does not skimp on giving cameos to established gadgets. Probably the best use of the museum locale is the scene where the protagonists and law enforcement are confronted by the gadget thief in one of the exhibits. The "duel by proxy" between the thief and the inspector investigating the case, in which they simply show off the gadgets they have on hand to counter each other's strategies without actually using them, is pretty amusing, but makes sense in a setting where gadgets are widely available.
The mystery story itself is decent for a children's movie, though I found the handling of the aftermath to be unsatisfying. To make a long story short, it is eventually revealed that Doraemon's bell and several other items were stolen on behalf of a disgraced scientist, who hid microchips in those objects to preserve his life's work on developing a sustainable metal for use in manufacturing gadgets. By the time the movie ends, the scientist simply goes back into hiding, with no apparent opportunity to redeem himself in the eyes of the relevant authorities nor any clear headway made in addressing the metal sustainability problem.
I also felt lukewarm about the revelation that Doraemon exhibits more cat-like behavior without his bell, which came across as more of an easy excuse to make visual gags than a natural extension of the lore. I did appreciate that everyone in the main cast contributes at one point or another, even though the story focuses most heavily on Nobita and Doraemon. Additionally, this movie features one of the few times (if not the only time) that the Restoration Light is used in a Doraemon film, which is a gadget I've often thought should be acknowledged in the movies more often considering how frequently Doraemon's gadgets break!
For all that, however, I came away from this film somewhat underwhelmed. Maybe it's the fact that, despite an ideal setup for showcasing previously introduced gadgets in fresh and creative ways, much of the main plot ultimately hinges on new gadgets and additions to the lore. Make no mistake though, this movie does not skimp on giving cameos to established gadgets. Probably the best use of the museum locale is the scene where the protagonists and law enforcement are confronted by the gadget thief in one of the exhibits. The "duel by proxy" between the thief and the inspector investigating the case, in which they simply show off the gadgets they have on hand to counter each other's strategies without actually using them, is pretty amusing, but makes sense in a setting where gadgets are widely available.
The mystery story itself is decent for a children's movie, though I found the handling of the aftermath to be unsatisfying. To make a long story short, it is eventually revealed that Doraemon's bell and several other items were stolen on behalf of a disgraced scientist, who hid microchips in those objects to preserve his life's work on developing a sustainable metal for use in manufacturing gadgets. By the time the movie ends, the scientist simply goes back into hiding, with no apparent opportunity to redeem himself in the eyes of the relevant authorities nor any clear headway made in addressing the metal sustainability problem.
I also felt lukewarm about the revelation that Doraemon exhibits more cat-like behavior without his bell, which came across as more of an easy excuse to make visual gags than a natural extension of the lore. I did appreciate that everyone in the main cast contributes at one point or another, even though the story focuses most heavily on Nobita and Doraemon. Additionally, this movie features one of the few times (if not the only time) that the Restoration Light is used in a Doraemon film, which is a gadget I've often thought should be acknowledged in the movies more often considering how frequently Doraemon's gadgets break!