Dr. Slump was awarded the 27th Shogakukan Manga Award for best shounen and shoujo manga in 1981.
The series was published in English by VIZ Media from May 3, 2005 to May 5, 2009—this release included some censorship and translation changes. Before this, it had been introduced to the English-speaking readership in the educational publication Mangajin in February 1994, in issues 32 and 33.