Nobita Nobi

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 lack 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.

The central premise of the Doraemon media franchise is grounded on the relationship between its protagonists, Doraemon and Nobita.[1] 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.[2][3] 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 acquiantances, Gian and Sune, 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.

A cosplayer portraying Nobita Nobi.

Due to the success of the Doraemon franchise, Nobita is an internationally recognized character that has attained considerable notoriety. The character's flawed personality and modest background is considered to be a departure from other anime and manga protagonists typically portrayed as special or extraordinary,[8][9] and the consistent portrayal of Nobita as being relatable and down-to-earth had been cited as reasons behind the character's appeal as well as the contrary.[10][11][12] Nobita's family residence, a typical Japanese suburban house, is a recognizable element of the series to international audiences.[13]

Nobita has been referenced in a variety of contexts. The character's likeness has been recreated as figurines used in Hindu religious practices in India.[14] Nobita's physical appearance was referenced as a term of insult by Spanish YouTube personality AuronPlay against Spanish entrepreneur Josep Maria Bartomeu for his alleged resemblance to the character, which Bartomeu responded to by filing a police complaint and later taking legal action against AuronPlay.[15] Nobita's relationship with Shizuka has been referenced by an Indian television personality from the Bigg Boss reality television series in a public discussion about the rivalry between his cast mates Sidharth Shukla and Rashami Desai,[16] whereas the character's relationship dynamic with Doraemon had been co-opted as a satirical form of criticism against a Malaysian politician.[17]

In August 2016, a member of the Tehreek-i-Insaf party submitted a resolution in the Punjab Assembly calling for a ban on the series, alleging the show's "negative impact" on Pakistani children: one of the cited reasons behind the motion was the depiction of Nobita's interactions with Shizuka at school, which was labelled as incompatible with Pakistani and Muslim culture.[18] Similarly, politicians and activists in neighbouring India have criticized Nobita's problematic behavioural traits for setting a bad example to children, with one activist even blaming the character's supposed influence for a 2013 exam-fixing scandal in the state of Madhya Pradesh.[19]