The adventures of Doraemon, Japan's favorite robotic cat, will be broadcast in English in the United States starting this summer, TV Asahi Corp. said on Friday.
Nationwide cable and satellite channel Disney XD, owned by Walt Disney Co., will screen 26 episodes of Doraemon, the broadcaster, which holds the rights, said.
The animated series, based on manga by Fujiko F. Fujio, has been broadcast in 35 other countries and regions, mainly in Southeast Asia.
TV Asahi and Doraemon's production studio, Fujiko Pro, commissioned a U.S. studio to produce the English version, changing some elements to localize the story for U.S. viewers. Doraemon's human pal Nobita, for example, will be given a shorter moniker, while bully Gian will be renamed "Big G" and Doraemon's teleporting Dokodemo Door will be called the "Anywhere Door."
Doraemon, who travels from the 22nd century to the present day to help Nobita, first appeared in 1969 and has been spun off into movies, video games and anime.
