Iconic Japan cartoon cat gets his own museum

Tokyo: He’s a small, blue robot cat from the future who`s been the inspiration for an animated TV series, served as Japan`s cartoon cultural ambassador and is beloved around the world.

Now, the iconic Doraemon has his own museum on the outskirts of Tokyo -- though he shares the space with his creator, Fujiko F. Fujio.

The museum collection features 50,000 items, many of which are original drawings, as well as a desk and other things used by Fujio until his death in 1996. The museum building also includes a small theatre and coffee shop.

Sent back in time to help a hapless schoolboy named Nobita save himself from a life of failure, and his descendants from a life of misery, Doraemon often uses gadgets from the future to solve Nobita`s problems. Many episodes of the animated version feature lessons about moral values.

"I personally believe that the very fact that children from all over the world read and enjoy Doraemon is a testament to the fact that children are children no matter where they are," siad Fujio`s widow, Masako Fujimoto.

The Doraemon cartoon series is translated into over 30 languages and remains popular in many nations. Doraemon was selected as a cartoon cultural ambassador for Japan in 2008.

Although Fujio is best known for Doraemon, the museum also showcases other works including ‘Obake no Q-taro,’ about a mischievous ghost.

The museum opens to the public on Sept 3.