Doraemon (Seasons 1–27)

Doraemon (1979) is the long-running Japanese anime you can watch online on iFILM, based on Fujiko F. Fujio's manga. A robotic cat travels back from the 22nd century to help a hapless schoolboy named Nobita.

The whole show runs on the pouch on Doraemon's belly, which holds gadgets from the future: a door that opens onto anywhere, a propeller for flight, a time machine. Nobita grabs them to skip homework or impress his classmate Shizuka, and most episodes turn on the gadget backfiring. The bully Gian and the show-off Suneo are never far behind. Nobuyo Oyama voiced Doraemon for years.

This anime has aired for decades and become a fixture of Japanese pop culture, often a child's first cartoon. Episodes are short and self-contained, so you can jump in anywhere. A solid pick for family viewing and for anyone who wants gentle sci-fi with no violence. Stream Doraemon online on iFILM.