Ah, Digimon, possibly my favorite monster-centered phenomenon of the 90s and beyond, yes even more so than Pokemon. While, I’ll always enjoy the main Pokemon games the most, the Digimon anime was superior to me with its continuous plot lines and interesting creature designs. Couple this with the dark themes of the third season of Digimon makes me a lifelong fan.
Now, for those who enjoyed the first digi-destined, Digimon Adventure Tri continues the story of Tai, Matt, and the gang. Tri already has two films available in Japan that were split into eight episodes for Crunchyroll users, but now the films are making their way to the West with the first English version coming to select theaters on September 15.
The September 15th screening will be made available as a Fathom movie event at 300 plus theaters across the country with tickets going on sale starting today. A traditional screening will hit major cities soon afterward, but I expect most should sign up for the Fathom tickets to guarantee getting to see it. The movie itself, which I’ve already seen on Cruchryroll, is an excellent continuation of the Digimon story. The animation quality is superb, making all those little monsters pop with dark, precise line work. I expect that some of the more adult-side situations and themes from the Japanese version will be edited for international audiences, but we shall see when the film launches. I will admit that there were some moments that were a bit awkward for me, especially considering I grew up watching these characters bumble about the Digital World as children. Shame, Toei, Shame.
“We are extremely proud to announce our first time partnership with Toei Animaton. We have been huge fans of Toei and the Digimon series for years, and are thrilled to participate in the release of this true hallmark of Japanese Anime. We cannot wait to share a theatrical experience that will be sure to satisfy audiences across North America,” said ELEVEN ARTS CEO, Ko Mori.
“We are excited to partner with ELEVEN ARTS to share this exciting title with audiences across the U.S.,” said Masayuki Endo, President of Toei Animation Inc. “American viewers have been eagerly awaiting the next chapter in the Digimon saga for nearly sixteen years, and we’re delighted to have produced this English language version for theaters, giving it the cinematic treatment our fans deserve.”
It will be cool to see how this could bring a resurgence of Digimon to media as a whole. Earlier this year saw the excellent Digimon Story: Cyber Sleuth, a solid RPG that didn’t deviate from formula much, but had great visuals and addictive monster collecting. Maybe the possible success of Digimon Adventure Tri and the critical hit that was Cyber Sleuth can warrant more Digimon games being localized or developed with Western audiences in mind.
Either way, it’s a great time to be a Digimon fan. Be sure to get those Fathom tickets ready and see if the event is happening in a theater near you. If you simply can’t wait, and like subtitles, pop over to Crunchyroll to watch the Japanese version.
