Does Doraemon's bell have any special functions?

Okay, regarding Doraemon's bell, this is a classic question that many fans have discussed. Let me break it down for you.

Doraemon's Bell: A Seemingly Ordinary but Meaningful "Part"

You might not believe it, but in the vast majority of stories, Doraemon's iconic large yellow bell on his chest has no special function in itself.

It's just an ordinary bell that jingles when he walks, much like the bells we put on kittens. In the manga and early anime, it was primarily a decorative element, part of his identity as a "cat-type robot."

The Key Turning Point: The Movie Doraemon: Nobita's Secret Gadget Museum

The biggest and most official explanation about the bell's function comes from the 2013 movie Doraemon: Nobita's Secret Gadget Museum.

The entire plot of this movie revolves around "Doraemon's bell being stolen."

The Common Misconception: In the movie, almost everyone believes (including the thief, Phantom Thief DX) that this bell is Doraemon's most powerful, core secret gadget.
The Final Truth: However, the movie ultimately reveals the truth: that bell really is just an ordinary bell. It came with Doraemon from the factory and contains no advanced technology.
The Real "Function": Nevertheless, this bell holds immense significance for Doraemon. Once he loses it, Doraemon starts acting strangely, even "malfunctioning," behaving more and more like a feral cat (e.g., his fear of mice worsens, he scratches things uncontrollably). This suggests the bell acts more like a psychological switch or symbol of identity that helps him maintain his "normal" personality.

Some "Incidents" in Other Stories

While the original bell has no function, in some stories, it has indeed been replaced by functional gadgets:

The Cat Calling Bell (集猫鈴): Also in Doraemon: Nobita's Secret Gadget Museum, to temporarily replace the stolen bell, Doraemon used a "Cat Calling Bell." This bell did have a function—it could attract all nearby cats.
Miniature Camera: In an early short story, when his bell broke, it was temporarily replaced with an identical-looking "miniature camera" that could take pictures. But this was only a temporary substitute, not his original bell.

To Summarize

So, you can understand it like this:

Doraemon's original bell is functionally a "0," but emotionally and symbolically, it's a "100." It's more like a symbol of Doraemon's identity and an important psychological anchor that helps him maintain his "robot personality," rather than a high-tech gadget.

Its fame comes entirely from being an indispensable part of Doraemon's image, just like his blue body and red tail.

Hope this explanation helps!