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Doraemon: Nobita and the Birth of Japan (2016) movie poster

Timeline

Doraemon: Nobita and the Birth of Japan (2016) Timeline Explained – Every Event in Order

Release, runtime and language
2016 · 104 mins · Japanese
Directed by
Shinnosuke Yakuwa
Starring
Miki Fukui, Subaru Kimura, Kotono Mitsuishi, Tomokazu Seki, Aya Hisakawa, Hiroshi Yanaka

Doraemon and his friends travel to ancient Japan where they meet Kukuru. When Kukuru tells them that his tribe has been enslaved by Gigazombie, Doraemon decides to help him.

Animation Family Fantasy Adventure Cast, crew & box office
On this page (4)
  1. 1 Events in order (15)
  2. 2 Timeline questions answered
  3. 3 Movie threads
  4. 4 Every angle

15 events in order · contains spoilers

Doraemon: Nobita and the Birth of Japan Timeline: Events in Chronological Order

Every key event of Doraemon: Nobita and the Birth of Japan (2016) in order, scene by scene, with when and where it takes place. Use it to untangle flashbacks, time jumps and parallel storylines, to refresh your memory before the sequel or to find the exact scene you are thinking of.

  1. Time vortex drags a prehistoric boy into modern Japan

    The opening scene follows a boy from a prehistoric village as he hunts a fish and returns home to ruins, only to be sucked into a mysterious time vortex. The sudden displacement propels him into 20th-century Japan, setting up a clash of eras that will redefine his world.

    When
    Opening scene
    Where
    Prehistoric Japan

  2. Nobita's life in 20th-century Japan and his escape plan

    In modern Japan, Nobita longs to run away and starts by trying to set up a makeshift living space, but stubborn land ownership rules block him. Meanwhile his friends Shizuka, Gian, and Suneo also want to escape their families, and Nobita proposes a radical plan: travel back in time to a place in Japan that is free of human habitation. The group agrees and begins planning their journey.

    When
    Opening moments in modern world
    Where
    20th-century Japan

  3. Journey to prehistoric Japan, 70,000 years in the past

    They travel back in time to prehistoric Japan, roughly 70,000 years in the past. The new world is untamed and primal.

    When
    70,000 years ago
    Where
    Prehistoric Japan

  4. Doraemon assigns ministries to the group

    Doraemon assigns each member a ministry to oversee in this untamed world: Shizuka heads the Ministry of Gardening, Gian runs the Ministry of Development, Suneo leads the Ministry of Agriculture, Nobita governs the Ministry of Pets, with Doraemon supervising all. They begin organizing the camp and setting goals amid the raw landscape.

    When
    Same day after arrival
    Where
    Prehistoric Japan

  5. Nobita experiments with gene tinkering

    Nobita experiments with gene tinkering and creates a dragon named Draco, a griffin named Gri, and a pegasus named Pega, which he then hides from Doraemon as the others watch with awe and concern. The discovery sparks a mix of wonder and worry about the consequences of playing creator in a primitive world.

    When
    Day 1
    Where
    Prehistoric Japan

  6. Night meal and debate about returning home

    That night the group shares a meal and contemplates a return home, planning to revisit this time again later. They weigh the risks with their newly built world and the desire to return to their families.

    When
    That night
    Where
    Prehistoric Japan

  7. A prehistoric intruder visits Nobita's group

    The next day, a prehistoric boy slips into Nobita’s room and hides in the closet. When Gian and Suneo arrive, the intruder attacks Gian and fights until exhaustion. Nobita, Shizuka, and Doraemon arrive to aid, and the two groups retreat to a cave where Shizuka tends to the injured visitor.

    When
    Next day
    Where
    Prehistoric Japan

  8. Light Tribe and Dark Tribe threaten their world

    Doraemon uses a time-signal to locate the intruder’s origin in present-day China, and a translation device helps them understand him. The visitor explains he belongs to the Light Tribe, whose people were attacked by the Dark Tribe, setting up a mission to intervene.

    When
    That day
    Where
    Present-day China

  9. The four-day hunt for the Dark Tribe begins

    The friends decide to help and set off on a four-day journey to trace the Dark Tribe on their magical mounts—the Pegasus, the dragon, and the griffin. Their trek sweeps across the prehistoric landscape as they close in on the Dark Tribe.

    When
    Four days
    Where
    Past Japan

  10. Clash with the Dark Tribe and the dogu puppet

    On the fourth day they locate and clash with the Dark Tribe. A magical dogū puppet proves powerful, briefly overwhelming them despite Doraemon’s gadgets.

    When
    Day 4
    Where
    Dark Tribe lands, Past Japan

  11. Light Tribe relocation and nighttime regrouping

    The team brings the Light Tribe to a peaceful spot in Japan to live, then returns home for the night. They hope to regroup and fulfill their plan to protect the Light Tribe.

    When
    That night
    Where
    Past Japan

  12. Intervention plan to save the Light Tribe

    The next day Doraemon reveals that the dogū’s self-restoration endangers the Light Tribe, so they travel back to the past to intervene again. They prepare to change history to save the tribe.

    When
    Next day
    Where
    Past Japan

  13. Destruction of the Light Tribe village

    Arriving back, they find the Light Tribe’s village has already been destroyed by the Dark Tribe, and Nobita becomes separated from the others in a brutal snowstorm. The group pushes on to locate the Light Tribe amid the frozen chaos.

    When
    Snowstorm aftermath
    Where
    Past Japan

  14. Gigazombie arrives and battles the team

    Gigazombie confronts the group and easily defeats Doraemon and the others with his advanced gadgets. Nobita then discovers a mysterious box containing a mammoth figure that urges him to press a button if he needs help. Pegasus, Draco, and Gri return to aid their friend but are trapped by Gigazombie. Nobita presses the button, and the Time Patrol arrives to arrest Gigazombie.

    When
    During confrontation
    Where
    Past Japan

  15. Farewell to the time-traveled friends

    Gigazombie is detained, and Pegasus, Draco, and Gri are transported to the future, revealing they were never meant to exist in the present era. The friends share a sad farewell and finally return home, richer for the journey and the bonds they forged across time.

    When
    End
    Where
    Past Japan and Future

Last updated: October 03, 2025 at 06:46

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Timeline questions answered

Doraemon: Nobita and the Birth of Japan Timeline Explained: Your Questions Answered

When does it happen, and why in that order? The questions people ask about the chronology of Doraemon: Nobita and the Birth of Japan (2016): time jumps, flashbacks, cause and effect between scenes and the correct order of events, each answered with spoilers.

Q1

How does the prehistoric boy end up in modern Japan?

A mysterious time vortex suddenly appears in prehistoric Japan and sucks the boy from his ruined village directly into 20th-century Japan. This unexplained phenomenon serves as the initial connection between the two time periods and sets the stage for the story's events.

  • time vortex
  • prehistoric boy
  • time travel
  • past to present
Q2

Why does Nobita secretly create the dragon, griffin, and pegasus?

Nobita uses gene-tinkering technology to create three mythical creatures, a dragon named Draco, a griffin named Gri, and a pegasus named Pega. He hides them from Doraemon because he knows Doraemon would disapprove of him playing creator in a primitive world, though the creatures become essential transportation during the hunt for the Dark Tribe.

  • nobita
  • draco
  • gri
  • pegasus
  • gene tinkering
  • creatures
Q3

What is the Light Tribe and Dark Tribe conflict about?

The Light Tribe is a peaceful prehistoric group that has been attacked and enslaved by the Dark Tribe. The boy who enters Nobita's room belongs to the Light Tribe and explains that his people were overrun by the Dark Tribe, prompting Doraemon and friends to intervene and help relocate the Light Tribe to safety.

  • light tribe
  • dark tribe
  • kukuru
  • conflict
  • enslavement
Q4

How does the dogū puppet keep regenerating?

The magical dogū puppet has a self-restoration ability that allows it to rebuild itself after being destroyed. When Doraemon and the team defeat it and leave, the dogū automatically repairs itself, which is why Doraemon realizes they must return to the past a second time to truly stop the threat to the Light Tribe.

  • dogu puppet
  • magic
  • regeneration
  • self-restoration
  • dark tribe
Q5

Who is Gigazombie and what are his goals?

Gigazombie is the king of spirits and a time-criminal from the 23rd century. He seeks to rewrite reality by destroying time itself. His advanced gadgets easily overpower Doraemon's tools, making him a formidable antagonist until Nobita calls the Time Patrol for backup.

  • gigazombie
  • time criminal
  • 23rd century
  • villain
  • destroy time
Q6

What happens when Nobita presses the button in the mysterious box?

Inside a mysterious box, Nobita finds a mammoth figure that tells him to press a button if he needs help. When Nobita presses it during the battle with Gigazombie, the Time Patrol arrives and arrests Gigazombie, effectively saving the Light Tribe and ending the threat.

  • mammoth
  • time patrol
  • button
  • help
  • arrest
Q7

Why are Pegasus, Draco, and Gri sent to the future?

After Gigazombie is detained, the three creatures, Pegasus, Draco, and Gri, are transported back to the future because they were never meant to exist in the present era. Nobita's gene-tinkering created them artificially in the past, so they cannot remain in that time period.

  • pegasus
  • draco
  • gri
  • future
  • time travel
  • return
Q8

Why does Nobita want to escape to prehistoric Japan?

Nobita longs to run away from home and initially tries to set up a makeshift living space in modern Japan, but land ownership rules prevent him. He proposes traveling back 70,000 years to a part of Japan free of human habitation so he and his friends can live independently without family constraints.

  • nobita
  • escape
  • prehistoric japan
  • run away
  • freedom
Q9

What ministries does Doraemon assign to each friend in prehistoric Japan?

Doraemon assigns specific roles: Shizuka heads the Ministry of Gardening, Gian runs the Ministry of Development, Suneo leads the Ministry of Agriculture, and Nobita governs the Ministry of Pets. Doraemon supervises all of them as they attempt to build a new civilization in the untamed prehistoric world.

  • ministries
  • shizuka
  • gian
  • suneo
  • nobita
  • roles
  • organization
Q10

How does the Time Patrol help defeat Gigazombie?

The Time Patrol is a future law enforcement unit that handles time crimes. When Nobita presses the emergency button from the mysterious box, the Time Patrol arrives at the prehistoric era, apprehends Gigazombie for his crimes against time, and restores order.

  • time patrol
  • arrest
  • gigazombie
  • future police
  • time crime

Movie threads

More Movies Like Doraemon: Nobita and the Birth of Japan, by Mood & Story

Curated lists built around what makes Doraemon: Nobita and the Birth of Japan tick: the same mood, the same kind of story or the same emotional payoff. Each list explains why these movies belong together.

Whimsical Adventures with Gentle Stakes like Doraemon: Nobita and the Birth of Japan

Journeys where whimsical fun and playful discovery are the main focus. If you liked the imaginative journey and playful spirit of Doraemon: Nobita and the Birth of Japan, you'll enjoy these movies. This thread finds similar family-friendly adventures where the focus is on whimsical fun, steady discovery, and the bonds of friendship, rather than intense peril.

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  • imaginative
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  • Pacing: steady adventure
Why these movies?

The story pattern: Narratives in this thread typically follow a group of friends or family on an exploratory mission. The conflict is present but manageable, often resolved through cleverness and teamwork rather than force, leading to a journey that feels more like an exciting excursion than a desperate struggle.

Why they belong together: Movies are grouped here because they share a core tone of optimistic whimsy, a medium intensity level that avoids being overwhelming, and a focus on the enjoyable process of adventure itself. They are comforting, upbeat, and perfect for a shared family viewing experience.

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Bittersweet Journeys of Found Family like Doraemon: Nobita and the Birth of Japan

Adventures that build deep bonds, only to end with a poignant parting. Looking for movies like Doraemon: Nobita and the Birth of Japan that explore the joy and sorrow of temporary bonds? This thread gathers stories where characters find a new family during an adventure, leading to a bittersweet ending that celebrates the connection while acknowledging its impermanence.

  • bittersweet
  • melancholic
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  • bonding
  • found family
  • farewell
  • Tone: bittersweet, hopeful
  • Pacing: steady character-driven
Why these movies?

The story pattern: The narrative pattern involves characters entering a new world or situation and forming a profound, family-like bond with its inhabitants. The central conflict's resolution often necessitates a separation, creating an ending that is simultaneously happy for the success achieved and sad for the relationships that must end.

Why they belong together: These movies share a specific emotional arc: building up a sense of belonging and camaraderie, then delivering a poignant, bittersweet conclusion. They balance light emotional weight during the adventure with a final, melancholic payoff that highlights the value of the connections made.

Pooh’s Grand Adventure: The Search for Christopher Robin movie poster

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The Road to El Dorado movie poster

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The Land Before Time II: The Great Valley Adventure movie poster

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Life-Size movie poster

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2014

Every angle

Doraemon: Nobita and the Birth of Japan (2016) Explained: Plot, Timeline & Characters

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