Nobita Nobi
Nobita Nobi (野比のび太, Nobi Nobita) is a fictional character in the Doraemon anime and manga series created by Fujiko Fujio, the pen name of writing team Hiroshi Fujimoto and Motoo Abiko. Known as Sidney, Specky and Noby Nobi in some of the English localizations of the anime,[citation needed] Nobita is usually depicted as an academically underachieving elementary school student in Tokyo's Nerima Ward and the only child of Nobisuke and Tamako Nobi, who is perpetually looked after by the series' title character, a robotic cat from the future sent back in time by Nobita's descendent. Along with Doraemon, Nobita is considered to be one of the most popular and widely recognizable manga characters due to the series' popularity, which extends beyond its native Japan.
Characteristics
Nobita's characterization depicts him as an incompetent and flawed person, including but not limited to a lack of physical co-ordination or athletic talent, predisposition to laziness, reluctance to engage in critical thinking, and sometimes exhibits childish or even perverted behavior. He dislikes books and lacks a basic grasp of scientific knowledge, being unable to understand concepts such as the definition of an eclipse. He often takes any chance to take a nap and favors gadgets that provide convenience, and is often known as 'The Lazy King'. Whenever he possesses Doraemon's gadgets, he shows them off to his classmate and future love interest Shizuka but not to his other schoolmates Suneo and Gian. He envies Dekisugi, who is good at everything and admired by Shizuka. Nobita's typical day consists of arriving late to school, falling asleep during class, scoring low marks on his tests, being disciplined by his teacher or teased by Gian and Suneo, falling in the curbside rain gutters, getting chased by dogs after having stepping on them by mistake, getting scolded by his mother for not completing his tasks, and being bullied by people he knows except Shizuka.
Even though Nobita possesses many questionable character traits, he occasionally displays redeeming qualities such as kind-heartedness, courage, and even a good work ethic. In some full-length stories he has risked his life to help save others, or even entire civilizations. In some episodes, it is implied that his poor academic grades is due to his lazy nature as opposed to a lack of intellectual ability. The character has also demonstrated creativity when it comes to utilizing Doraemon's gadgets in novel ways. For example, in one instance he finds a way to profitably use a gadget called the "broadcasting mirror" for advertising, even when Doraemon himself couldn't think of any use for it. Other examples include his ability to co-opt free flying with the use of Doraemon's "power of wind" fans, which can create a gust of wind with just a gentle swish, and his use of the voice hardener, which is considered useless by Doraemon, for transportation.
Appearances
The central premise of the Doraemon media franchise is grounded on the relationship between its protagonists, Doraemon and Nobita. Nobita encounters Doraemon after the robot is sent back in time by one of his descendants, a young boy named Sewashi Nobi to improve the circumstances of his great great grandfather so that his descendants may enjoy a better future. In the original timeline, Nobita experienced nothing but misery and misfortune manifested in the form of very poor grades and bullying throughout his life. A running gag in the series involve Nobita crying begging Doraemon to utilize his gadgets to solve a problem, often at the beginning of an episode or scenario. Throughout the series Nobita is mostly shown to be overly dependent on Doraemon. He begs Doraemon for many things, such as gadgets allowing him to have vengeance on his bullish acquaintances, Gian and Suneo, and something better for show-off after listening to Suneo brag about his trips to Hawaii, the exclusive games he possesses, and privileges he enjoys.
