Doraemon: Nobita’s New Dinosaur (2020) Characters, Setting & Themes Explained

The story begins in Colorado, where Nobita discovers a fossilized dinosaur egg. The adventure then moves to a mysterious dinosaur island that serves as a breeding diorama, a contained ecosystem created specifically for the dinosaurs. The journey also involves sea travel and a remote island in the Yucatán Peninsula before returning to the present timeline.

Foreshadowing: The dinosaur island is introduced early through the Breeding Diorama Set that Doraemon provides.

• colorado
• dinosaur island
• yucatan
• setting
• breeding diorama

The movie combines multiple time periods due to its time-travel elements. It begins in the Late Cretaceous era when the fossil egg is discovered, then shifts to Late Jurassic Colorado. The story also depicts the 66-million-year-old meteor impact that threatened the dinosaurs, creating a narrative that spans from the Late Cretaceous to the Late Jurassic.

• late cretaceous
• late jurassic
• time period
• meteor
• 66 million years

The film explores three core themes: Time Travel, which examines the ethics of changing history and when to let events unfold naturally; Friendship, focusing on Nobita's bond with the twin dinosaurs Kyu and Myu and learning to accept differences; and Islands, which looks at how contained environments like the breeding diorama can shape natural behavior and raise questions about captivity versus sanctuary.

• time travel
• friendship
• themes
• responsibility
• islands

Doraemon is a time-traveling robotic cat who guides Nobita throughout the adventure. He provides essential gadgets including the Time Wrapping cloth for time travel and the Breeding Diorama Set to create a safe environment for the dinosaurs. His primary function is to help the group understand the ethical limits of changing history while protecting the dinosaurs from danger.

• doraemon
• robot cat
• time travel
• gadgets
• mentor

Jill is a Time Patrol agent who monitors the timeline to prevent unauthorized alterations to history. He disguises himself as a white monkey while observing the group. Initially, Jill resists interfering with the timeline, but after witnessing Nobita's genuine bond with Kyu and Myu, he chooses not to obstruct their mission, ultimately allowing the dinosaurs to be returned to their proper era.

• jill
• time patrol
• white monkey
• agent
• timeline

Kyu and Myu are twin dinosaurs hatched from the fossilized egg Nobita discovers. Kyu is a small compsognathid who initially cannot fly but learns to glide over time, mirroring themes of adaptation and acceptance. Myu is a flying dinosaur who demonstrates rapid growth and helps navigate the island. Together, they become the emotional core of the film as Nobita takes responsibility for their care.

• kyu
• myu
• compsognathid
• dinosaur
• twin

The mysterious dinosaur island is actually a Breeding Diorama Set, a special gadget that creates a contained artificial ecosystem for the dinosaurs to live in. This island serves as both a sanctuary and a microcosm where dinosaurs and humans interact. It presents ethical questions about captivity and release, functioning as a cradle for evolution before the final act returns the characters to their original time.

• breeding diorama
• island
• ecosystem
• sanctuary
• gadget

Natalie is a mysterious figure who communicates with Jill and guides the action from the shadows. She helps reveal the island's true nature as a breeding diorama set and shapes the conflict over time. Her role adds mystery to the narrative while connecting to the Time Patrol's oversight of the group's activities.

• natalie
• mysterious
• time patrol
• guide
• shadows

Nobita is a curious and determined boy who stumbles upon a fossil egg and vows to uncover a real dinosaur. His primary motivation is caring for Kyu and Myu, he seeks to protect them while learning about the consequences of time travel. Using the Breeding Diorama Set to give the dinosaurs space shows his growing sense of responsibility beyond his usual daily life.

• nobita
• curious
• responsibility
• care
• dinosaur

The climactic near-miss with the 66-million-year meteor impact anchors the historical stakes of the film. This event represents the real threat that ended the dinosaur era, creating urgent tension as the group races against time to restore the timeline and ensure Kyu and Myu are safely returned to their era before the catastrophic impact occurs.

• meteor
• impact
• 66 million years
• extinction
• threat

Time travel drives the plot, linking Nobita's modern world with the distant past. The story explores when to intervene and when to let events unfold, highlighting the ethics of changing history. Using the Time Wrapping cloth and other gadgets, the group navigates temporal shifts between the Late Cretaceous and Late Jurassic eras, ultimately learning that some changes should not be made despite good intentions.

• time travel
• time blanket
• ethics
• history
• temporal shifts