Cheers, nostalgia pour in as Doraemon's Nobita and Shizuka say 'I do'

Fans of the hit anime Doraemon shed tears of joy after it was revealed that two of its main characters, Nobita and Shizuka, have tied the knot.

Social media erupted with cheers after seeing the two former friends dressed up in wedding attires in a poster promoting the movie, Doraemon: Stand By Me 2.

The movie, which is a sequel to the 2014 film, will hit theaters in February.

Fans couldn't help but express their thoughts about the union, while others send out well-wishes to the couple…

Doraemon fans, of course, knows too well how Nobita struggles to express his feelings to Shizuka.

To see them ending up together is truly an emotional moment for avid fans of the Japanese anime.

A cultural icon

Doraemon made its debut as a manga series in 1969. It was created by the manga writing duo of Hiroshi Fujimoto and Motoo Abiko, collectively known as Fujiko Fujio.

Its main character is Doraemon - a cat robot with a magical pouch that stores unusual gadgets.

Doraemon befriends and helps a young and often bullied boy named Nobita.

To date, Doraemon is one of the best-selling manga in the world, having sold over 100 million copies as of 2015.

It was first translated into an anime TV series in 1979 by the then newly-established animation studio, Shin-Ei Animation.

The character is regarded as a cultural icon in Japan and named as the country's first “anime ambassador” in 2008.

Doraemon's appeal extended outside Japan. It has found popularity in several countries such as India, Pakistan, China, the United States, and the Philippines, among others.

It had its fair share of criticisms as well. China media outlets once touted Doraemon as a threat and a subtle propaganda tool used by the Japanese to infiltrate Chinese culture.

India and Pakistan officials, meanwhile, felt that it was polluting the minds of children and luring the young away from speaking native Urdu.

These controversies failed to dampen Doraemon's worldwide success.

Today, the brand has become an icon sought by other big brands for collaborations and adored by celebrities who grew up watching or reading the series.

GMA-7 has aired Doraemon anime series dubbed in Tagalog starting in the '90s until the 2000s.

The Kapuso network likewise broadcasted Doraemon films in 2012 (Doraemon: Nobita and the Animal Planet), 2015 (Doraemon: Nobita's Secret Gadget Museum), and 2018 (Doraemon the Movie: Nobita's Spaceblazer).