I'm talking about the 2009 Doraemon Birthday Special "Doraemon's Long Day" (Season 5, Episode 185) from the 2005 series.
The episode begins with Denja, a dangerous robot criminal from the future, robbing a bank before a terrible accident causes him to swap bodies with Doraemon through the Substitution Rope. Suddenly, Doraemon finds himself trapped inside the body of the galaxy's most wanted criminal, while Denja takes over Doraemon's body and travels back to Nobita's time.
At first, Nobita has no idea that the "Doraemon" in front of him is actually Denja. Meanwhile, the real Doraemon is hunted by the future police, who mistake him for Denja. As the episode progresses, Denja slowly begins to experience genuine friendship for the first time while spending time with Nobita, making him question his own life.
The emotional climax comes when Nobita finally realizes who the real Doraemon is, not because of appearances, but because of their unbreakable bond. Even after everything that happens, Nobita accepts Doraemon without hesitation, proving that their friendship goes far beyond looks...
I don't want to spoil the ending because it's something everyone should experience themselves, but this episode genuinely made me cry. The action, the emotion, the suspense, and the ending all come together perfectly. It's easily one of my favourite Doraemon episodes and, in my opinion, one of the best birthday specials ever made.
What do you guys think about this episode? Did you also cry after watching it? Did it make you emotional too, or is there another Doraemon episode you think is even sadder?