Doraemon and the Submarine Castle, the 46th film in the Doraemon cinematic saga, will be released in France on October 7, 2026. The film is based on a long story originally written and drawn by Fujiko F. Fujio between 1982 and 1983. It is the second cinematic adaptation of the story, following a version released in 1983. Directed by Tetsuo Yajima, who has worked on Pokémon and contributed to other Doraemon films, the movie introduces a new character: Buggy, a talking and intelligent car that plays a central role in the story. The film follows Doraemon, Nobita, and his friends on an underwater adventure, where they explore the ocean depths and encounter the Thalassians, the hidden inhabitants of the ocean, and a civilization of machines. The first part of the film focuses on the discovery of deep-sea species and includes educational elements, while the second part delves into the conflict between the Thalassians and the machine civilization. Throughout the story, Buggy evolves from a rigid robotic entity to one that exhibits increasingly human-like behavior. The Doraemon saga, which began in 1969 with the debut of the blue, earless robot cat, has remained popular for nearly half a century. The series has been adapted into numerous animated series, spin-off manga, and films, with a notable resurgence following the death of its creator, Fujiko F. Fujio, in 2011. While Doraemon has long been a staple in Japan, it has not achieved the same level of success in France, where the animated series was broadcast in the early 2000s and again on Boing from 2014, but only for a limited number of episodes. The film's release in France marks a significant milestone, as it is the first Doraemon film to be screened in French theaters. The film is part of a long tradition of Doraemon cinema, which has consistently drawn at least two million viewers in Japan since 1980. The series has also served as a training ground for many anime talents, including Ayumu Watanabe and Shinnosuke Yakuwa, who have gone on to direct other notable works. The film's release coincides with the passing of Tsutomu Shibayama, a veteran director who contributed to the Doraemon series and other children's anime, and who died in March 2026. His legacy is being honored with an exhibition and an artbook. The film's director, Tetsuo Yajima, has noted the challenges of adapting the entire original manga into a film of about 1 hour and 30 minutes, and the story's ending may not fully engage the viewer. Despite these challenges, the film is considered a solid introduction to the Doraemon cinematic universe, offering a blend of education, adventure, and the exploration of themes related to artificial intelligence and humanity.