Are you a fan of Japanese manga/ anime series, Doraemon (多啦A夢)?
I am a big fan and grew up reading Doraemon manga and watching Doraemon anime. I am sure most others born in the 80s have fond memories of Doraemon from their childhood like I do.
When I was in Hong Kong earlier this year, a large scale free Doraemon exhibition was being held at Harbour City and I was excited to be able to visit it.
With my wife and son in tow, I met up with the friendly marketing folks from Harbour City, Karen (a famous blogger in Hong Kong herself) and Season, who guided us through the whole exhibition.
When we arrive at Harbour City, a spectacular scene of 100 Doraemon figurines with 100 different gadgets greeted us outside.
Each Doraemon figurine is accompanied with an unique QR code whereby visitors can scan to find out more about the featured gadgets.
There were people everywhere snapping away, posing with their favourite Doraemon figurines. Rachel, Asher and I joined in too:
Inside Harbour City mall, Season showed to the various iconic scenes exhibits from the Doraemon manga series. These included classics like “The Night Before Nobita’s wedding!”, “Goodbye, Doraemon!” and “Memories of Grandma.”
If you are a fan, these are all well selected scenes that are heartwarming and touching. Rachel and I particularly like the story of Nobita going back to visit his grandma for one last time when she passed away:
Next, we visited the a special exhibition which featured many Doraemon-inspired gadgets designed by famous people in the design scene from around the world, including Phunk Studio from Singapore:
- Familiar characters from Doraemon manga
After visiting the exhibitions, we went for lunch and a fully day of shopping inside Harbour City.
Along the way, we passed by Bologne Cafe which was offering a special Doraemon-inspired menu. Rachel and I decided to try it out:
The exhibition is already over for those who are interested to visit.
Nonetheless, you can read about it via fellow bloggers, Grace and Kiyo’s blog posts. The two of them were selected by Harbour City and omy.sg to fly to Hong Kong for the exhibition:
Grace Tan: Doraemon Exhibition in Hong Kong
Kiyo x Doraemon 100 Year Anniversary @ Harbour City Hong Kong
Here are some additional background information on the “100 Years Before the Birth of Doraemon” exhibition:
“Come join us in the early celebration of Doraemon’s birth – 100 years early!”
Doraemon date of birth is on September 3, 2112, meaning this year in 2012, it’ll be the start of the one hundred year countdown to his birthday! This summer from August 14 to September 16, Harbour City will be hosting the “100 Years Before the Birth of Doraemon” Exhibition. This exhibition will be Hong Kong’s largest celebration in honour of this beloved anime character. September 3 marks the exact day 100 years prior to Doraemon’s birth. Let’s all gather to reminisce about our childhood Doraemon memories.
“100 Doraemon with 100 Different Secret Gadgets”
In order to celebrate Doraemon’s early birthday (albeit 100 years early), Harbour City has partnered up with Animation International Ltd., supported by Fujiko Pro and ShoPro, and our creative partner, AllRightsReserved. Together the multi-faceted project will showcase 100 unique Doraemon figures along with 100 different pieces from his well-known repertoire of secret gadgets. This will all be displayed outside Harbour City’s Ocean Terminal, creating one of the most visually rewarding exhibitions ever seen in the city.
“The Famous Scene”
To carry on the campaign’s theme of friendship, future and dreams, three famous installations will be set up at different parts of Harbour City including “The Night Before Nobita’s wedding!”, “Goodbye, Doraemon!” and “Memories of Gra
ndma.” “The Celebration of 100 Years Before the Birth of Doraemon” – Concept Expo: Gadgets in the Future Inspired by Doraemon’s secret gadgets, “100 Years Before the Birth of Doraemon” is inviting creative parties from around the world to participate. Included are creatives from Hong Kong, China, Japan, South Korea, Taiwan, Singapore, Spain, Sweden and more, each on hand to specially create and design 30 original gadgets. Each design has been directly influenced by Doraemon’s own futuristic world. All of their specially crafted works will be displayed at the Gallery by the Harbour at Harbour City.
“100 Years Before the Birth of Doraemon” – Pop up Café
For the duration of the exhibition, the BO-LO’GNE café and bar located inside Harbour City’s LCX will be transformed into a pop-upDoraemon themed café. Besides an immersive experience, there will be dishes prepared specially for the occasion. The new menu items include a Doraemon spaghetti and hamburger set, a delicious dessert set served with a special themed drink and a BO-LO’GNE bun. Fans will also be given the opportunity to buy a limited edition “100 Years Before the Birth of Doraemon” souvenir plate.
“100 Years Before the Birth of Doraemon” Workshop
Doraemon the cartoon character has had a lasting impact on people of all generations, from children to adults. During the exhibition period, Harbour City will be hosting workshop sessions at KidX that welcomes parents and their children to participate in creating, designing and decorating their own personalized Doraemon figures. DORAEMON x AllRightsReserved “100 Years Before the Birth ofDoraemon” Limited-edition Premiums During the exhibition, limited-edition DORAEMON x AllRightsReserved “100 Years Before the Birth of Doraemon” premiums such as umbrella, t-shirts and mugs will be available at Gallery by the Harbour.
“100 Years Before the Birth of Doraemon” Official Facebook Page
http://facebook.com/100doraemon
Exhibition Details
Organizer: Harbour City and Animation International Ltd.,
Curator: AllRightsReserved Ltd.
Date: 12 August – 16 September, 2012
Time: 11:00 – 21:00 (Monday – Sunday)
Venue: Gallery by the Harbour- Shop 207, Ocean Centre, Harbour City, Tsimshatsui (next to Fendi)
Harbour City Hotline: (852) 2118 8666 Website:www.harbourcity.com.hk
