Doraemon films box office: franchise total and highest-grossing movie
The Doraemon film series is one of Japan's longest-running theatrical franchises, with its biggest hit coming from a 3D CG spin-off rather than the annual 2D entries.
Published: 2026-08-19. Updated: 2026-08-19.
Short answer: Stand By Me Doraemon is the highest-grossing Doraemon film, with Box Office Mojo listing a worldwide total of $186,088,951. The film earned $86,920,000 in China and $79,003,725 in Japan. The broader Doraemon movie series surpassed 100 million admissions in Japan in 2013, according to Tokyo Otaku Mode.
Highest-grossing Doraemon film
Stand By Me Doraemon, a 3D CG retelling of key Doraemon stories, is the franchise's biggest theatrical hit. Box Office Mojo lists a worldwide total of $186,088,951.
The film's success was driven by China. Box Office Mojo records $86,920,000 in China, compared with $79,003,725 in Japan. That makes it one of the few major Japanese franchises where the China gross exceeded the Japan gross.
Franchise milestones
The Doraemon film series has released one theatrical feature nearly every year since 1980. Tokyo Otaku Mode reported that the series surpassed 100 million cumulative admissions in Japan with the release of Doraemon the Movie: Nobita's Secret Gadget Museum in 2013.
That admissions total made Doraemon the highest-attended Japanese film franchise, surpassing Godzilla's 99 million admissions at the time.
Recent 2D entries
The annual 2D Doraemon films gross far less than Stand By Me Doraemon but remain consistent performers. The Numbers lists worldwide totals for several recent entries.
Doraemon the Movie: Nobita's Earth Symphony grossed $46,704,773 worldwide, Stand by Me Doraemon 2 grossed $66,606,471, and Eiga Doraemon Nobita no Takarajima grossed $79,904,554.
Selected Doraemon film worldwide grosses, source: Box Office Mojo and The Numbers.| Film | Worldwide gross | Format |
|---|
| Stand By Me Doraemon | $186,088,951 | 3D CG |
| Stand by Me Doraemon 2 | $66,606,471 | 3D CG |
| Eiga Doraemon Nobita no Takarajima | $79,904,554 | 2D |
| Eiga Doraemon: Nobita no nankyoku kachikochi daibouken | $61,403,776 | 2D |
| Doraemon the Movie: Nobita's Earth Symphony | $46,704,773 | 2D |
China as the growth market
Stand By Me Doraemon's $86.9 million China gross transformed the franchise's theatrical ceiling. The film topped the Chinese box office over Avengers: Age of Ultron during its run, according to a Variety report from 2015.
Subsequent 2D entries have not matched that China performance, but the market remains important for the franchise. The 2025 entry, Doraemon: Nobita's Art World Tales, opened to roughly 703 million yen in Japan in its first three days, per Mantan-Web.
Data scope note
A complete franchise total across all 40-plus films is not published by Toho in English. The 100 million admissions figure covers Japan only through 2013 and does not include more recent entries.
Worldwide dollar figures for older 2D films are also sparse. This guide reports only the verified figures available from Box Office Mojo and The Numbers.
Frequently asked questions
What is the highest-grossing Doraemon movie?
Stand By Me Doraemon, with a worldwide total of $186,088,951 according to Box Office Mojo.
How many Doraemon films are there?
The franchise has released one theatrical feature nearly every year since 1980. The 2013 release brought the series to over 100 million cumulative admissions in Japan.
Which territory grossed the most for Stand By Me Doraemon?
China, with $86,920,000, followed by Japan with $79,003,725.
Sources and methodology
- Stand by Me Doraemon, Box Office Mojo. Worldwide total $186,088,951; China $86,920,000; Japan $79,003,725, fetched August 2026.
- Box Office History for Doraemon Movies, The Numbers. Worldwide grosses for individual Doraemon films including 2D and 3D CG entries.
- Doraemon Movie Series Surpasses 100 Million Viewers!, Tokyo Otaku Mode. Reports the Doraemon film series surpassed 100 million admissions in Japan in 2013.