is a 1997 Japanese animated science fiction comedy-drama short film.

It premiered in Japan on March 8, 1997 on a double feature with Doraemon: Nobita and the Spiral City. It is the first Doraemons short film to star the titular characters.

The short received the Excellent Silver Prize Award in the 15th the same year alongside Doraemon: Nobita and the Spiral City.

The film's tagline is .

Plot The film begins with a mysterious blonde girl in a pink field, hiding her identity.

The Brazilian robot cat Dora-rinho runs to alert the Arabian robot cat Dora-med III about an emergency. Forgetting the details, Dora-rinho recalls the message: Principal Teraodai needs help against the thief Dorapin, wanted worldwide. Panicked, they decide to assist Teraodai. Dora-med III checks his tarot cards, which predict a bad outcome, but Dora-rinho reassures him and rushes out, tripping before leaving. Dora-med III, still uncertain, uses his flying magic carpet to depart.

Dora-med III and Dora-rinho fly to Teraodai's sky laboratory, almost losing Dora-rinho at one point. They join up with their teammates American robot cat Dora-the-Kid, his robot pegasus Ed, Spanish robot cat El Matadora, Chinese robot cat Wang Dora, Russian robot cat Dora-nichov, and their leader Doraemon. At the lab, Teraodai, hiding from Dorapin, reveals Dorapin's trap to steal their Bestfriend Telecards. Dora-the-Kid fires at Teraodai, discovering it's really Dorapin in disguise. Dorapin mocks them and activates a supermagnetic force, disabling their gadgets. The Doraemons use their Bestfriend Telecards, temporarily blinding Dorapin, but he quickly transforms them into frozen gold statues.

Dora-med III and Dora-rinho wake up in a dark void. Dora-rinho wonders where they are, and Dora-med III reveals they’ve become gold statues. He accidentally pulls a tarot card instead of his Bestfriend Telecard. Dora-rinho also has a plain yellow card. Duplicates of both appear, and the Dora-rinho duplicates suggest that the real Dora-rinho has the Bestfriend Telecard. Dora-med III tries to pull out his Bestfriend Telecard but gets a Hanging Man tarot card instead, revealing one Dora-med III upside down. Dora-med III warns Dora-rinho against using his Bestfriend Telecard, but duplicates urge him to do so. Eventually, Dora-rinho concludes the hanging Dora-med III is actually Dorapin in disguise. He kicks a soccer ball at Dorapin, exposing him and creating a hole in the wall. Dorapin makes all duplicates disappear, revealing his moustache can create duplicates before flying away. Dora-rinho attempts to chase but trips and falls.

In Dorapin's lab, the frozen gold statues of the Doraemons are arranged as he considers how to capture Dora-med III and Dora-rinho for their Bestfriend Telecards. A shadowy figure presses Dorapin for results, which he promises to deliver soon.

Dora-med III senses Dorapin's malicious intent and uses his tarot cards, drawing a Tower card. He decides to reach the center tower, but their magic carpet fails due to gadget restrictions, causing them to fall. They then navigate the lab's maze to continue their journey. Dorapin watches from a nearby rooftop, aware of Dora-med III's aquaphobia and Dora-rinho's forgetfulness. Dorapin manipulates water to chase Dora-med III and Dora-rinho in a maze. Dora-med III gets cornered, but Dora-rinho rescues him by jumping over the water. More water forces them to crash into a wall, with Dora-med III left on dry land. Out of love, he dives back in to save sinking Dora-rinho. Despite his weakness, Dora-rinho regains consciousness, pulls Dora-med III up, and they reach the center tower’s entrance, where Dora-rinho dashes up the stairs inside effortlessly.

Dora-rinho enters a pink field and meets a girl who recognizes him from earlier. She introduces herself as Mimimi and explains she's held hostage by an evil man. Dora-rinho suspects Dorapin is responsible but is told he's actually good and trying to save her. Mimimi reveals she can't leave due to a collar and asks Dora-rinho to believe in Dorapin, who helps the poor despite being a thief. She cries, citing his past kindness. Dora-rinho hears a cry from a suddenly appearing Doraemon, who warns that everyone will die if he doesn't use his Bestfriend Telecard then and there. Believing Mimimi about Dorapin, he uses the card, but Doraemon transforms him into a gold statue instead, revealing to have been Dorapin in disguise. Dorapin comments on Dora-rinho's forgetfulness, while Mimimi insists he knew it was a disguise. Enraged, Dora-med III grows giant and chases after Dorapin, who flies away with the statue. Dora-med III causes destruction but is stopped when he steps into a lake and shrinks back to normal, sinking underwater.

Dora-rinho is placed with other gold statue Doraemons by Dorapin, who promises Mimimi to restore them later, valuing their innocence and bravery. Meanwhile, underwater, Dora-med III, using his Bestfriend Telecard, hears his friends' voices, motivating him to grow giant again and confront Dorapin. Before he can destroy the Achimoff machine, a mysterious voice warns him to stop and that it took years to develop. The voice is identified as Dr. Achimoff, the main antagonist of the Doraemons, who plans to control all robots using the machine's energy. Dora-med III intends to destroy the machine, but Dr. Achimoff orders Dorapin to stop him, threatening Mimimi's life as leverage. Dorapin confronts Dora-med III, who consults tarot cards, drawing a Justice card and affirming trust. Dorapin then uses his Statue Stake to transform Dora-med III into a gold statue, and Dr. Achimoff congratulates him on obtaining all the Bestfriend Telecards.

With the last Bestfriend Telecard, Dorapin demands Dr. Achimoff release Mimimi, but Achimoff instead shocks him and reveals his intent to control Dorapin. Dorapin, believing in justice, plans to transform Achimoff into a gold statue. He uses the Justice card to remove Achimoff's golden tooth, freeing Mimimi. Achimoff escapes, and Dorapin frees the Doraemons with the Statue Stake. Dorapin and Dora-med III reunite, with Dora-med III affirming his trust in Dorapin, who credits the Justice tarot card. Mimimi is relieved that Dora-rinho is safe, though he is confused. Dr. Achimoff expels everyone into space, transforming the Achimoff Machine into a robot. The group, riding on Ed, worries about how to fight without their gadgets. Dorapin explains his hat protects against electromagnetic waves and allows him to use his gadgets. Dora-the-Kid urges Dorapin to escape with Mimimi while he and his team confront Dr. Achimoff. However, they realize they need to fuse to use their gadgets effectively. The Doraemons and Dorapin unite to confront Dr. Achimoff, who possesses the Bestfriend Telecards and claims the Achimoff Robot is unbeatable. The robot attacks, but Doraemon uses a Pass Loop to evade it, while Dora-the-Kid blasts off a portion of its hand with his Air Cannon. El Matadora deflects a drill attack, damaging the robot's chest. Dora-nichov melts another hand with fire, and Wang Dora strikes the robot's head. Dora-med III attempts to dismantle it, but Dr. Achimoff spins the robot to threaten them. Mini-Doras emerge from Dora-rinho's pocket, retrieve the Telecards, enabling the team to defeat the Achimoff Robot and Dr. Achimoff.

The Doraemons return to Earth in France via Doraemon's Anywhere Door, trampling him upon entry. Robot police arrest Dr. Achimoff. The group celebrates, but Dorapin escapes arrest from the Time Patrol. Meanwhile, Mimimi, Doraemon, Dora-med III, and Wang Dora gaze at the sky while Dora-nichov growls around, Dora-the-Kid and Ed talk, El Matadora relaxes, and Dora-rinho plays. Dorapin flies from the Time Patrol, holding the Justice card and vows to never forget the Doraemons.

Cast

CharacterJapanese voice actor Dora-med III Masaharu Satō Dora-rinho Mie Suzuki Dorapin Akira Kamiya "Principal Teraodai" Ichirō Nagai Mimimi Rei Sakuma Dr. Achimoff Banjō Ginga Doraemon Nobuyo Ōyama Dora-the-Kid Keiichi Nanba El Matadora Ryūsei Nakao Wang Dora Megumi Hayashibara Dora-nichov Toshiharu Sakurai Mini-Doras Rei Sakuma

Soundtrack Theme song "Because We Are Friends '97" (友達だから'97) Lyrics: Tetsuya Takeda / Composition: / Arrangement: Masae Sagara / Vocals: Satoko Yamano, Morinoki Children Choir

Release The short film was released theatrically in Japan on a double feature with Doraemon: Nobita and the Spiral City on March 8, 1997.

Television broadcasts In 2011, to commemorate the theatrical release of Doraemon: Nobita and the New Steel Troops ~Winged Angels~, a 24 hour marathon of Doraemon short films and specials including The Puzzling Challenge Letter of the Mysterious Thief Dorapin! and the original Doraemon: Nobita and the Steel Troops aired on TV Asahi's CS TV Asahi Channel starting February 26.

Awards Award Year Category Recipient Result 15th 1997 Excellent Silver Award Doraemon: Nobita and the Spiral CityThe Doraemons: The Puzzling Challenge Letter of the Mysterious Thief Dorapin!

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