TLDR;
This video discusses the Digimon franchise, focusing on the 2000 Digimon movie. It covers the origins of Digimon as virtual pets, its expansion into various media, and the creation of the Digimon movie by piecing together three separate Japanese shorts. The video also critiques the movie's plot, its confusing canonicity, and the controversial inclusion of an Angela Anaconda short before the film. The video concludes with the speaker's anticipation for an upcoming re-release of the movie with remastered content and the original Japanese soundtrack.
- Digimon's origins as virtual pets and expansion into anime, manga, and video games.
- The creation of the Digimon movie by combining three Japanese shorts.
- Criticisms of the movie's plot, canonicity, and the inclusion of the Angela Anaconda short.
- Anticipation for the upcoming re-release of the movie with remastered content.
Introduction to Digimon [0:00]
The speaker expresses a fondness for Digimon, highlighting the characters' personalities and communication abilities as key factors. Digimon, short for "digital monsters," originated in 1997 as virtual pets intended to be the masculine counterpart to Tamagotchi. The franchise expanded into anime, manga, video games, films, and trading card games, focusing on the digital monsters inhabiting the digital world, a parallel universe originating from Earth's communication networks. Early designs were cute, but later designs were edgier, influenced by American comics. Digimon gained momentum in Japan with the release of the video game Digimon World in 1999 and the short film Digimon Adventure, which preceded the television series of the same name.
Digimon Merchandising and Personal Connection [1:40]
The speaker shares a personal connection to Digimon, noting a larger collection of Digimon merchandise compared to Pokemon. They express fondness for the Digimon trading card game, even playing the new version, and the gatchapon figure keychains from the early nineties. The speaker owned the first iteration of the Digimon TCG starter deck but never learned to play the game. They also recall the D3 Digivices from Adventure 02 and the digivolving figures, though they find the updated Digivolving Spirits figures to be expensive. Despite personal enjoyment, the speaker acknowledges that Digimon didn't have the same merchandising power as Pokemon.
The Weirdness of Digimon Movies and Canon [2:59]
The speaker discusses the unusual canonicity of Digimon movies, noting that most anime movies are not considered canon. Digimon is different because its movies are kind of canon. The speaker recalls seeing the Digimon movie in theaters in October 2000, contrasting it with having already watched Pokemon the Movie 2000 multiple times. The speaker then sets the stage to discuss how the Digimon movie came to be.
The Creation of the Digimon Movie [3:55]
Following the success of the first two Pokemon films, Fox executives decided to invest in the Digimon brand. However, Toei Animation didn't have full feature-length films for Digimon, instead having animation fairs with featurettes. These included Digimon Adventure (1999), Our War Game (2000), and Digimon Hurricane Landing: Transcendent Evolution: The Golden Digimentals (2000). The Fox Kids team condensed these three films, totaling 120 minutes, into a single 85-minute story. Jeff Nemoy, the voice actor for Tentomon and story editor, stated that the initial cut only included the first two films, with plans to release the third separately, but this was overruled.
The Infamous Angela Anaconda Short [5:51]
The speaker expresses disdain for the inclusion of an Angela Anaconda episode before the Digimon movie. The executives at Fox Kids decided that this show should have a special Digimon episode that plays in front of the Digimon movie. The speaker jokes that the Digimon movie already had the right amount of Angela Anaconda in it: none. The speaker mentions that it apparently caused some kids' parents to actually get divorced as well.
Digimon: The Movie - Part 1: Digimon Adventure (1999) [6:41]
The first part of the movie begins eight years prior to the main story, with Kari narrating how she and Tai found a Digiegg emerging from their computer. The egg hatches, causing trouble for the Kamiya family, especially their cat. The baby Digimon grows into Koromon and then Agumon, who is not the same Agumon that Tai befriends later. Agumon takes Kari on a field trip, causing chaos and blowing up a bus. A massive parrot Digimon, Parrotmon, hatches from an even larger Digiegg. Agumon is defeated by Parrotmon but Digivolves into Greymon to protect Kari and Tai, though he is still outmatched. Motivated by Kari and Tai blowing their whistle, the two Digimon disappear into the sky, and Kari shares that those who witnessed the battle would later become the DigiDestined.
Digimon: The Movie - Part 2: Our War Game! (2000) [8:34]
Four years later, the DigiDestined are now older and scattered across the globe during summer vacation. Izzy discovers an infected Digiegg on the internet, which hatches into a starving baby Digimon that consumes code, causing global chaos. Tai is emailing Sora to apologize for a misunderstanding. Izzy informs Tai about the hatched egg, leading to their reunion with their Digimon partners over the web. Tentomon and Agumon surf the web and encounter the Digivolved Keramon. They digivolve into Greymon, Kabuterimon, and Infermon. Infermon, revealed to be an Ultimate level Digimon, attacks Greymon and Kabuterimon during their digivolution, which the speaker notes is a rare occurrence. Tai tries to contact the other DigiDestined, but they are unavailable except for Matt and TK. Gabumon and Patamon join the battle, but Infermon evolves into Diaboromon, devastating the Digimon.
Digimon: The Movie - Part 2: Our War Game! (2000) - Continued [11:33]
Diaboromon replicates himself and infects the Pentagon's mainframe, launching nuclear missiles at Colorado and Heightonview Terrace. WarGreymon and MetalGarurumon are nearly destroyed, but through the power of love, Tai and Matt enter the internet. With support from kids watching and sending emails, the two Digimon combine into Omnimon. Omnimon destroys the Diaboromon copies to a ska soundtrack but struggles with the final one. Izzy suggests forwarding all the kids' emails to Diaboromon, slowing his internet connection. Omnimon delivers the final blow, and Diaboromon fades away, its last words being "GO BACK." The missiles are rendered inactive, and the day is saved.
Digimon: The Movie - Part 3: Digimon Hurricane Touchdown!! / Transcendent Evolution!! The Golden Digimentals (2000) [13:52]
In the present day, the virus that created Diaboromon infects one of Willis's twin Digimon, Kokomon. TK and Kari, visiting New York, witness Willis and his partner Terriermon battling a Wendigomon, actually Kokomon, who keeps telling Willis to "GO BACK." The 02 cast, minus Ken, meet in Colorado. Willis shares his story, and Terriermon and DemiVeemon become friends. They fight Kokomon, who Digivolves into Antylamon and then Cherubimon Vice, still called Kokomon. Angemon and Angewoman Warp Digivolve into Seraphimon and Magnadramon and summon the golden Digieggs, allowing Veemon and Terriermon to Golden Armor Digivolve into Magnamon and Golden Rapidmon.
Digimon: The Movie - Part 3: Digimon Hurricane Touchdown!! / Transcendent Evolution!! The Golden Digimentals (2000) - Continued [16:31]
More ska music plays as the Golden Digimon are swallowed by Kokomon, destroying the virus from within, resulting in Kokomon's death. The DigiDestined return home, and Willis kisses Kari and Yolie on the cheek. Willis finds a Digiegg floating in the water, containing Kokomon, the baby form of Lopmon.
Reception and Re-Release [17:25]
The speaker notes the mixed opinions about the Digimon movie online, ranging from "the worst American adaptation" to "it sort of works." It has a critic rating of 24% on Rotten Tomatoes. Public opinion has shifted over time, from initial love to criticism and now acceptance. The speaker is excited about the upcoming re-release of the original movie with most of the original cast and new members. The re-release will include a remaster in HD with uncut versions of the three parts, a mix of the classic English dub and more straightforward points, the original Japanese soundtrack, and the ska soundtrack. Importantly, there will be no Angela Anaconda sketch before the movie. The speaker is constantly checking for updates on when the re-release will be available for order.