Digimon Adventure: Last Evolution Kizuna
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Digimon Adventure: Last Evolution Kizuna (デジモンアドベンチャー LAST EVOLUTION 絆 Dejimon Adobenchā Last Evolution Kizuna) is a feature film. It is a sequel to Digimon Adventure, Digimon Adventure 02, and Digimon Adventure tri., set approximately eleven years after the beginning of Adventure and five years after tri.'s conclusion.
Characters[edit]
• Yagami Taichi
• Ishida Yamato
• Izumi Kōshirō
• Takaishi Takeru
• Yagami Hikari
• Motomiya Daisuke
• Ichijouji Ken
• Inoue Miyako
• Hida Iori
• Kido Jo
• Tachikawa Mimi
• Takenouchi Sora
• Mochizuki Meiko
• Michael
• One of the Hoi Brothers
• Catherine
• Chichos
• Mina
• Dingo
• Wallace
| Misc | Gennai |
| Baby | Koromon, Tunomon, Chibimon, Minomon, Upamon |
| Child | Agumon, Gabumon, Patamon, Palmon, Tentomon, Hawkmon, V-mon, Wormmon, Armadimon, Gomamon, Piyomon |
| Adult | Angemon, Greymon, Garurumon, Tailmon, Kabuterimon, XV-mon, Stingmon, Ankylomon, Aquilamon, Ikkakumon, Togemon |
| Perfect | Parrotmon, Angewomon, Metal Greymon, Were Garurumon |
| Ultimate | Omegamon |
| Child | Morphomon |
| Adult | Eosmon (Adult) |
| Perfect | Eosmon (Perfect) |
| Ultimate | Eosmon (Ultimate), Agumon -Yuki no Kizuna-, Gabumon -Yujo no Kizuna- |
| Baby | Yukimi Botamon, Pipimon, Tsubumon, Jyarimon, Punimon Botamon, Pagumon, Bubbmon, Yuramon, Poyomon |
| Child | Shakomon, Betamon, Floramon, Gottsumon, Elecmon, Otamamon, Gazimon, Tyumon, Bakumon, Kunemon, Muchomon, Coronamon, Pawn Chessmon (White), Penmon, Mushmon, Gizamon, Lopmon, Terriermon |
| Adult | Meicoomon, Kiwimon, Numemon, Igamon, Seadramon, Vegimon, Leomon, Tyranomon, Yukidarumon, Bakemon, Drimogemon |
| Perfect | Tonosama Gekomon, Blossomon |
Summary[edit]
Epigraph[edit]
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The year is 2010.[1] A mysterious aurora, which was first seen over the skies of the United States West Coast three months prior and has since been seen over various parts of the world, has now appeared over the skies of Japan, triggering extreme weather events and causing disruptions to electronics.
On the morning after the aurora's appearance in Japan, a Parrotmon emerges into the streets of Nakano, Tokyo and runs wild, causing property damage and putting lives at risk. Yagami Taichi, Yagami Hikari, Takaishi Takeru and their partner Digimon, with remote support from Izumi Kōshirō, respond to its appearance, assist the locals, and attempt to drive Parrotmon to a pre-arranged point in time for a Digital Gate to transport it back to the Digital World. Kōshirō theorizes that the aurora has driven Parrotmon wild. Taichi's Greymon brawls with Parrotmon through the city, causing property damage, and when it threatens to fall and crush a building after Greymon, Angemon and Angewomon's attacks stun it, Ishida Yamato and Garurumon arrive and intervene, with Garurumon pushing Parrotmon clear of the building.
Taichi and Yamato Super Evolve Greymon and Garurumon into Metal Greymon and Were Garurumon. The two overwhelm Parrotmon with their attacks and slam it into the Digital Gate site, and Angewomon uses her Holy Arrows to pin it down while Angemon blocks Parrotmon's attempt to lash out at her with Mjölnir Thunder. The Gate opens, and Parrotmon is safely sent back to the Digital World.
While Taichi laments that nobody else could make it to assist, Takeru offers to take the group to breakfast. Taichi and Yamato are unable to make it as they need to get to class, so Takeru, Hikari, Patamon and Tailmon take Agumon and Gabumon with them to the cafe.
Act 1[edit]
At university, Taichi is still struggling to come up with a graduation thesis subject, and his friends rib him for an evident lack of interest in graduating or finding serious work after university. Meanwhile, a friend of Yamato's ribs him for being "famous", citing a news report about the Parrotmon fight in Nakano and false rumors that he already has a commission with the Japan Self-Defense Forces lined up.
After university, Taichi attends his part-time job at a gambling parlor, while Yamato witnesses a child with a harmonica and a busker, and laments that he has turned his back on his former pursuit of music.
Taichi invites Yamato out for dinner at a yakiniku restaurant in Asagaya, where he asks him for advice over his own indecisiveness. Yamato reveals that he himself is struggling with the decision to go to graduate school, and that the two are virtually alone in that respect, as all of the rest of the Chosen Children seem to have clear future aspirations that they are working toward. They are interrupted when, suddenly, a woman by the name of Ayaka collapses at the table behind them despite, as her friend reports, having not had any alcohol at all. Yamato calls for an ambulance.
While in class the next day, Taichi reads a news report discussing a sudden worldwide wave of comas that resemble Ayaka's case. He receives a text message from Kōshirō, asking him to come to his office.
Taichi, Yamato and Takeru gather at Kōshirō's office, where Kōshirō shows them a video message from Inoue Miyako, who is currently abroad in Spain, in which she shares an email that she has received:
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Miyako has referred the issue to Kōshirō, and Kōshirō brings in Menoa Bellucci herself, along with her assistant, Imura Kyotaro. Menoa explains that the wave of comas (numbering approximately 300 at last report) is exclusively affecting Chosen Children, even those who are otherwise entirely healthy, and that their partner Digimon are missing; Kōshirō had also independently come to this conclusion, as he has noticed that many of his international Chosen Child contacts have been out of contact for some time. Menoa's investigation has identified that an unknown Digimon species—which she has named "Eosmon", after the Greek dawn goddess Eos—is responsible, as that it is stealing the consciousnesses of Chosen Children. She proposes a plan to save the coma victims by entering the site where it is storing this consciousness data in cyberspace and recovering it. She recruits Taichi, Yamato, Kōshirō and Takeru to perform the recovery.
Taichi, Yamato, Kōshirō, Takeru and their partner Digimon enter the internet and are guided to Eosmon's location by Menoa and Kyotaro, who have prepared utilities to retake the consciousness data. The group enters an "aquarium" digital space, and Kyotaro equips Kabuterimon and Angemon with a system to deploy a wide-area net to prevent Eosmon from escaping. The four Digimon attempt to attack Eosmon while Menoa begins backing up the consciousness data, but it is fast enough that they have difficulty catching up to it, until Kabuterimon and Garurumon throw it into a block of data. Before the Digimon can finish it off, however, it evolves into its Perfect form.
With its increased speed and power, Eosmon is easily able to outwit and overpower the Digimon, and it sheds scales that deflect attacks and creates honeycomb panels that it uses to drastically accelerate its own mobility around the digital space. Since Menoa's backup is still at only 62% and she needs more time, Taichi and Yamato fuse Greymon and Garurumon into Omegamon.
Omegamon opens fire with its Garuru Cannon to destroy the panels and thus inhibit Eosmon's movement. It takes advantage of Eosmon's confusion to hit it with another Garuru Cannon blast, causing it significant damage and breaking one of its legs off, and deploys the Grey Sword to finish it off.
Meanwhile, in Taichi's apartment, a ring of light suddenly projects itself from his old Digivice.
Omegamon is immediately paralyzed and unable to retain its form, and it splits back into Koromon and Tunomon. Eosmon tears a hole through the wide-area net, repels Kabuterimon and Angemon's attempts to stop it, and escapes. Menoa loses track of Eosmon, and her backup of the consciousness data is halted.
Back in Kōshirō's office, Taichi and Yamato regroup, and are baffled by what happened to Koromon. Menoa reveals the truth to the group—the dissolution of Taichi and Yamato's partnerships with their Digimon has begun—and explains that this is an inevitable consequence of reaching adulthood and having to make choices about one's life that narrow the limitless possibilities that they had as children. Kyotaro quietly slips out.
Taichi is in disbelief, but when he pulls out his smartphone Digivice, he is shocked to see the ring of light that counts down to the dissolution of the partnership. The others check their own smartphone Digivices: Yamato also has the ring of light, but Kōshirō and Takeru do not. Yamato is outraged and storms out of the office, refusing to accept this. Before his eyes, Taichi's ring of light counts down by one point. Kōshirō says that he will find a way, but Menoa warns him that he will not succeed.
As they leave the building, Yamato and Gabumon spot Kyotaro taking a phone call. Yamato decides to tail him.
Act 2[edit]
Taichi and Agumon walk to Taichi's apartment. Taichi is startled when Agumon bluntly asks about whether growing up means that they cannot be together anymore, but when Agumon's stomach growls, he volunteers to take them for something to eat.
Meanwhile, Motomiya Daisuke, Ichijouji Ken, Hida Iori and their partner Digimon are visiting a ramen restaurant in New York City (having traveled there by taking advantage of the Digital Gates), as part of Daisuke's efforts to study his future competition. Daisuke receives a phone call from Yamato, who is calling from a pay phone. Yamato recruits the three to perform background checks on Menoa and Kyotaro; Ken is already aware of her due to her reputation as a "child prodigy", having earned her PhD at a very young age.
After having lunch at a burger restaurant, Taichi and Agumon return to Taichi's apartment. Agumon immediately finds Taichi's pornography stash, to Taichi's absolute horror, but when Taichi declares that the media are only for adults, he stops in his tracks, uncomfortably reminded of how the day's events have changed what it means to be an adult for him. He looks in his drawer and finds that the ring of light is on his old Digivice as well. Taichi somberly promises Agumon that they will always be together, and the two shake hands. At that moment, Taichi's laptop begins glowing, and Gennai emerges.
Daisuke, Ken and Iori visit Liberica University, but are unable to find any information that would be helpful to Yamato at all. Miyako takes a Digital Gate from Spain to join them. In light of their dead end, Iori proposes an alternative approach: infiltrating Menoa's office directly. Armadimon gets the door open. The group begins searching, and Armadimon notices a picture of the Roman goddess Aurora (the counterpart of the Greek Eos, the namesake of Eosmon) in the center of Menoa's pinboard.
In a hotel room in Tokyo, Menoa examines a map and data. Elsewhere in Tokyo, Yamato and Gabumon continue to tail Kyotaro and witness him exchanging materiel, including a gun, with an anonymous contact.
In Taichi's apartment, Gennai reconfirms what Menoa had told Taichi about the dissolution of the partnership. He confirms that the ring of light represents the countdown, and that when the countdown reaches zero, Agumon will disappear. He speculates that if the two still have infinite possibilities, then perhaps this can be changed.
Meanwhile, Tachikawa Mimi and Palmon are in their warehouse doing an inventory check; Hikari and Tailmon are riding a train; and Takeru and Patamon are walking home. All three are being watched: Mimi and Hikari through their phones, and Takeru via a surveillance camera.
In a library, Yamato—who has not slept in some time—is examining microfiche records of newspaper articles about Menoa's life. He receives a call, and he, Taichi and Kōshirō come to the hospital where Kido Jo works, where they find that Mimi has been afflicted with an Eosmon-induced coma. Jo reports that aside from the coma, nothing is wrong with her. Yamato takes Taichi and Kōshirō aside to the men's bathroom, away from any cameras, gives them burner phones to use instead of their smartphone Digivices, and cautions them to minimize computer time. The three update each other on their progress: Taichi relays what Gennai said to them, while Yamato presents them with copies of newspaper articles and points out that a photo in which Menoa is pictured with a Digimon. While Taichi and Kōshirō are intrigued by the Digimon, Yamato reports that he is more suspicious of Kyotaro, and points out a newspaper article which indicates that he became Menoa's assistant at the same time that she published a Digimon research paper. Kōshirō reports that he is analyzing the data from Eosmon's broken arm, which he noticed during the fight, but has yet to discover anything.
Meanwhile, Takenouchi Sora and Piyomon—whose end-of-partnership countdown has also already begun—are holed up in Sora's room. Sora declines to seek help from the others or to engage in the fight, and promises to be with Piyomon until the very end of the countdown
Back in his own apartment, Taichi turns off and puts away his smartphone Digivice, and retrieves his old Digivice and goggles. Following a tipoff from Kōshirō, he approaches Menoa in her hotel and confronts her about the mystery Digimon. She confirms that the Digimon is her former partner Digimon, Morphomon, and tells the story of their history together, including how their own partnership dissolved eight years prior, when she was just fourteen. She claims that she wants to protect other Chosen Children from going through what she did and that this was her motivation for pursuing Digimon research, but that she has not been able to find aware to avert the dissolution. She admits that she recruited Taichi and Yamato because of their reputation as the "strongest team", and that she feels that if anyone can avert the end of the partnership, it is them.
Yamato and Gabumon tail Kyotaro to a makeshift office in a warehouse, where they find a pinboard with photographs and news articles about Menoa and Taichi's team of Chosen Children, as well as a map of the world with pins stuck into it. They immediately assume the worst.
Daisuke and Miyako call Yamato and share their team's own discoveries: Kyotaro's hard drive was virtually empty, with evidence that there had once been data on Eosmon on it that has since been erased. Ken reports that there are no records at all of anyone by the name of "Imura Kyotaro," suggesting that is an alias. Yamato concludes that Kiyoshiro is manipulating Menoa, although Miyako is skeptical that a woman of Menoa's intellect could be manipulated. Armadimon also mentions the Aurora picture, which piques Yamato's curiosity.
In Kōshirō's office, Kōshirō is forming a hypothesis based on his analysis of Eosmon's limb, when he receives an email that is ostensibly from Hikari:
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On clicking the link, he is horrified to find that it is a live stream of Takeru and Hikari, slumped in chairs to which they are bound. He contacts Taichi and Yamato and gives them directions to reach the two—Hikari in Hiroo, Shibuya, and Takeru in Nerima. He also reports that Jo can longer be reached, suggesting that Eosmon has also gotten him.
Yamato and Gabumon arrive at the warehouse in Hiroo, where they find Kyotaro waiting for them, armed with a gun. Kyotaro reveals that he was entirely aware of Yamato's sloppy attempts to tail him the entire time. Meanwhile, In Nerima, Taichi and Agumo find Hikari, who is indeed comatose.
Although Yamato and Gabumon assume from Kyotaro's demeanor and comments about Takeru falling victim to Eosmon that he is the one controlling Eosmon, and prepare to attack him, he presents them with his FBI badge to assuage their concerns. He reveals his true identity and mission: Yamada Kyotaro, an FBI agent who is conducting an undercover investigation into Menoa, who had come to the warehouse because he, too, had been made aware of Takeru's capture, but had come too late. As Yamato attempts to assist Takeru, Kyotaro reports that Menoa had been under surveillance from the FBI for years, but her aptitude for covering her tracks prevented them from making any progress. Yamato immediately realizes that Kōshirō is in danger.
Meanwhile, after his call with Taichi and Yamato ends, Kōshirō's computer reports that it has located Eosmon and provides a set of coordinates. At that moment, he is visited by Menoa, who initially seems pleased that Eosmon has been located and reports that she has found a way to save everyone, but needs Kōshirō's list of Chosen Children. Kōshirō instead confronts her about his findings from analyzing Eosmon's arm: its composition contains clearly artificial formulae, which on further research match formulae in a paper that Menoa had written, proving that she is the one behind Eosmon. Menoa immediately drops the pretense and claims that she is doing it "for" the Chosen Children, but says nothing more, and summons an Eosmon (Perfect) into the office.
Yamato and Kyotaro hurry to Kōshirō's office, but arrive too late: Eosmon has already taken Kōshirō's consciousness, and Menoa has stolen the list of Chosen Children. Kyotaro has no idea where she could have gone, but Taichi and Agumon arrive with a text message that Kōshirō had sent him behind Menoa's back, containing the coordinates. Although Yamato is apprehensive about fighting Menoa and therefore accelerating their countdowns, Taichi is of the opinion that they have to act, regardless of the consequences on the partnership. Kyotaro opens a Digital Gate to the coordinates, and sends Taichi, Yamato, Agumon and Gabumon in.
Act 3[edit]
Taichi, Yamato, Agumon and Gabumon emerge in a black void which contains a crystal facsimile of the trolley car that they encountered on File Island in 1999. Agumon and Gabumon notice a butterfly, which causes Menoa to appear. She releases a wave of butterflies that reveal the true form and nature of the void: it is Never-Land, and Takeru, Hikari, Kōshirō, Mimi, Jo and Mochizuki Meiko, among many others, are being held here, trapped in their own memories and reverted to their childhood selves, with their partner Digimon. Taichi and Yamato accuse her of abducting the Chosen Children, but she insists that their own desires to not grow up are what brought them there, and that this is the only possible way for Chosen Children to avert the end of their partnerships and to be happy.
Menoa summons an Eosmon (Perfect) and invites the two to join Never-Land as well, but Agumon and Gabumon snap them out of it and remind them that Menoa has to be stopped. Agumon and Gabumon evolve into Greymon and Garurumon, consuming a point each from the countdowns, and attack and kill Eosmon. However, Menoa simply summons hundreds more Eosmons.
Menoa tells the story of how she created Eosmon to save the Chosen Children. The project had originated as an effort to resurrect Morphomon, but every attempt to do so failed as she was unable to provide the Digimon with the necessary spark of life. However, eventually, on the day that the aurora appeared, it provided the necessary spark of life to generate the Digitama of Eosmon, who was born with the ability to turn human consciousness into data. Menoa felt convinced that she was meant to use this power to save the Chosen Children, as if Morphomon herself were telling her that. To this end, she intends to use the list she stole from Kōshirō to take all Chsoen Children into Never Land.
Greymon and Garurumon move to stop her, but Tentomon, Patamon, Gomamon, Palmon and Tailmon attack them. Menoa claims that the Chosen Children are not being controlled, but that they are siding with her over Taichi and Yamato of their own free will. With a press of a button on her phone, Menoa generates hundreds of portals to the Chosen Children from the list and sends her Eosmons after them. Greymon uses his Mega Flame to kick up a wall of water to cover the group's retreat.
All over the world, Eosmons begin emerging from Chosen Children's phones and computers. In New York City, one closes in on a girl and her Yukimi Botamon, but Daisuke and XV-mon intercede and kill that Eosmon. However, another Eosmon immediately appears chasing Miyako who, against Hawkmon's advice, attempted to use the internet to get information. Iori, Ken, Ankylomon and Stingmon arrive and finish off that Eosmon together. The four prepare to defend the city from the Eosmons.
In Never-Land, Taichi, Yamato, Agumon and Gabumon take refuge in a crystal mountain. Taichi is convinced that it is all over, but Agumon and Gabumon rally them back into battle, insisting that they know the consequences but see that there is no other way. They express pride at having grown up alongside the two and a feeling that they will always be with them in some fashion, and encourage them to go back into the fray to save the others.
Taichi and Yamato return to the center of Never-Land as Menoa addresses the Chosen Children. Menoa marshals the Eosmons to fight to protect their "utopia", and Taichi and Yamato fuse Agumon and Gabumon into Omegamon again, consuming four points each from their countdowns. Omegamon effortlessly destroys all of the Eosmons, while Taichi and Yamato attempt to explain to Menoa that she is only robbing the Chosen Children of their futures. She is distraught at her good intentions and her "utopia" being rejected and snaps, as the thought of losing Never-Land parallels the trauma of losing Morphomon the first time. In response, all of the Eosmons' remains coalesce around her as she declares that she will become the Chosen Children's goddess, and form the Ultimate form of Eosmon, with her held inside a crystal in its chest.
Meanwhile, Perfect-level Eosmons keep emerging into the Real World. The Chosen Children of the world evolve their Digimon to fight back, while Daisuke's group in New York City keeps up their fight, but no matter how many they defeat, more arrive.
In Never-Land, Eosmon destroys the trolley car facsimile and blasts Taichi and Yamato, drawing blood. Omegamon moves in on Eosmon, but it summons panels to block all of Omegamon's attacks and returns fire, which Omegamon is unable to avoid. It then starts using the panels as offensive weapons, summoning them strategically to cut off Omegamon's left leg and Garuru Cannon arm. Despite this, Omegamon keeps fighting, until Eosmon slices off its Grey Sword arm and blasts it point blank, forcing it to revert into Agumon and Gabumon. Taichi and Yamato attempt to rush to Agumon and Gabumon's side, but are stopped as Takeru, Hikari, Kōshirō, Mimi and Jo hold them back. Their attempts to reason with their comrades go unheard, and their partner Digimon start attacking and dogpiling them. Meanwhile, Perfect-level Eosmons start returning to Never-Land and depositing Chosen Children that they have captured.
Taichi desperately forces his way through the Digimon, grabs Hikari's whistle, and blows it with all of his might, just as he had done back in 1995. The sound of the whistle awakens Agumon and Gabumon and snaps the Chosen Children and partner Digimon out of it. Back in Tokyo, Sora—who is now alone, as her partnership with Piyomon has expired—also hears the whistle, and expresses her faith in the others as she clutchers her fossilized Digivice. Takeru, Hikari, Kōshirō, Mimi and Jo—all now returned to their present day selves—approach Taichi and Yamato and volunteer to join them in the fight against Eosmon. Patamon, Tailmon, Tentomon, Palmon and Gomamon all evolve into Angemon, Angewomon, Kabuterimon, Togemon and Ikkakumon and engage Eosmon, to little effect.
Taichi, Yamato, Agumon and Gabumon are all united in their determination to finish their mission, and declare that this will be their "Last Evolution" 「最後の進化」. Taichi and Yamato's Digivices react and crack, emitting powerful light that takes the four into the sky where, while the others, including Eosmon, watch on, Agumon and Gabumon evolve into all-new forms: Agumon -Yuki no Kizuna- and Gabumon -Yujo no Kizuna-.
Agumon and Gabumon destroy all the Perfect-level Eosmon, then move in on the Ultimate-level Eosmon, knocking it to the ground, and suppress it with an unrelenting wave of fire. Eosmon wildly lashes out with its beam attacks to try to stop them, but fails to hit them at all and instead tearing apart Never-Land. Agumon and Gabumon deliver punches in unison to Eosmon, and although Eosmon attempts to stop them by erecting panels in their way, they smash through all but one of them, shattering the center of Never-Land.
Menoa's memories of her childhood with Morphomon start replaying on the shards of Never-Land, as the Chosen Children and their Digimon watch on, and they witness the arc that led to her partnership dissolving: she had felt so out of place among other children that she was determined to strike out on her own and grow up, culminating in her receiving special dispensation to go straight to university at age fourteen. However, at the moment that she tries telling Morphomon this, the partnership ends, totally breaking Menoa. She laments that she brought this upon herself with her desire to grow up. Agumon and Gabumon conclude that all along, Menoa has been deeply troubled and has been crying for help.
As they break through the last barrier, Taichi and Yamato attempt to reach out to Menoa one last time. They insist that while everyone must live with the consequences of their decisions, they can still forge their own destiny. Taichi and Yamato use their Digivices to release Menoa from Eosmon, and as they do, an apparition of an Adult-level Eosmon appears smiles at her. Never-Land completely dissolves, and all around the Real World, so do all of the remaining Eosmons.
Kyotaro arrests Menoa. Meanwhile, all of the comatose Chosen Children reawaken in their hospital beds, and their partner Digimon reappear with them, although Gomamon and Palmon's memory of what happened is foggy at best.
Taichi and Agumon sit together at Tokyo Bay and reminisce, while Yamato and Gabumon look over all of Tokyo from a high-rise balcony. Only one point remains on each of their countdowns. Gabumon requests that Yamato play his harmonica one last time. Agumon looks up at Taichi and remarks that he has grown big. The two Digimon ask their partners what they want to do the next day, and when they turn back to give their Digimon an answer, they find that both have disappeared as two butterflies fly off into the sunset. Their partnerships expire and their Digivices are fossilized. Both Taichi and Yamato cry.
Some time later, when the sakura are in bloom, Taichi and Yamato travel to university. Taichi has finally come up with a thesis topic: the co-existence of humans and Digimon. To themselves, they promises Agumon and Gabumon that they will someday come for them.
Screenshots[edit]
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Home Media Box Art[edit]
Japan[edit]
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United States[edit]
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Promo[edit]
Japan[edit]
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United States[edit]
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China[edit]
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Miscellaneous[edit]
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Credits[edit]
| Position | Name | Kanji/Kana |
|---|---|---|
| Production | Takagi Katsuhiro | 高木勝裕 |
| Planning | Morishita Kōzō | 森下孝三 |
| Original concept | Hongo Akiyoshi | 本郷あきよし |
| Screenplay | Yamatoya Akatsuki | 大和屋暁 |
| Character Design | Nakatsuru Katsuyoshi | 中鶴勝祥 |
| Digimon Character Design | Watanabe Kenji | 渡辺けんじ |
| Supervisor | Seki Hiromi | 関弘美 |
| Animation Character Design Lead Animation Director |
Tachikawa Seiji | 立川聖治 |
| Animation Digimon Design | Tachikawa Seiji Kumagai Tetsuya Nishino Rie Sekizaki Takaaki |
立川聖治 熊谷哲矢 西野理恵 関崎高明 |
| Animation Directors | Nishimura Rie Sekizaki Takaaki Tsunaki Aki Inadome Kazumi |
西村理恵 関崎高明 つなきあき 稲留和美 |
| Prop Design | Yoshida Taiyō | 吉田大洋 |
| Art Director | Iwase Eiji | 岩瀬栄治 |
| Art Setting | Ohira Tsukasa | 大平司 |
| Color Coordination | Goda Saori | 合田沙織 |
| CG Chief Director | Itō Hitomi | 伊藤仁美 |
| Director of Photography | Kawada Tetsuya | 川田哲矢 |
| Editor | Tsubone Kentarō | 坪根健太郎 |
| Music | Fūki Harumi | 富貴晴美 |
| Sound Director | Īda Satoki | 飯田里樹 |
| Recording | Matsuda Satoru | 松田悟 |
| Sound Effects | Furuya Yūji | 古谷友二 |
| General Producer | Yamaguchi Satoshi | 山口聰 |
| Animation Producer | Urushiyama Atsushi | 漆山淳 |
| Executive Producer | Tsuji Hidenori | 辻秀典 |
| Senior Producer | Suzuki Takashi | 鈴木篤志 |
| Planning Produce | Noguchi Kōichi | 野口光一 |
| Producer | Kinoshita Yōsuke | 木下陽介 |
| Animation Work | Yumeta Company | ゆめ太カンパニー |
| Distribution/Promotion | Toei | 東映 |
| Production | Toei Animation | 東映アニメーション |
| Director | Taguchi Tomohisa | 田口智久 |
Soundtrack[edit]
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Production[edit]
According to producer Kinoshita Yōsuke, production on Kizuna commenced around 2017, during the production of Digimon Adventure tri.. Fan reaction to tri. and the upcoming 20th anniversary of Digimon Adventure were the driving forces behind the decision to produce Kizuna, and the initial ideas were established early on and solidified into the basic premise once director Taguchi Tomohisa was brought onto the project.[2]
Taguchi submitted his initial story outline to screenwriter Yamatoya Akatsuki for further development into the screenplay. The core theme of the story is entrance into adulthood, specifically focusing on the tension between the need to grow up and move forward in life and the desire to preserve one's childhood. His original outline did not include the cast of Digimon Adventure 02, who had also been mostly absent from tri.; they were added as Taguchi and Yamatoya fleshed out the scenario. Seki Hiromi also had input on the film; although she provided minor direction on characterization and dialog, and advised giving time to depict the characters in contemplation over their troubles, she also advised that Taguchi not feel constrained by a perceived absolute need to include any given thing, and that he make his own contribution to Digimon lore as he sees fit.[3]
In 2018 (prior to the unveiling of Kizuna), Kakudou Hiroyuki revealed on Twitter that he had also been brought onto the project (at the time, he referred to it only as the "new Digimon project") in 2017 as a screenplay supervisor, due to his previous work on Adventure and 02. However, when the proposed plot—which he perceived as violating the established continuity of Adventure and 02—met with the approval of the producers, he threatened to quit in protest if it was not changed. As the project progressed, this plot was not changed, so Kakudou followed through on his threat and left the project.[4] Kakudou's objections have not been publicly addressed by other production staff, although Kinoshita has stated in an interview that Kizuna was fully intended to fit into the same continuity as Adventure, 02 and tri. The interview drew particular attention to the "25 years later" epilogue of 02, in which Agumon, Gabumon and Piyomon are still depicted as being with Yagami Taichi, Ishida Yamato and Takenouchi Sora, which the ending of Kizuna, at this time, appears to contradict. According to Kinoshita, the intent was not to alter that epilogue's events, but to "maintain [them] for this new story", with the qualification that "a major component of the overall premise is that anything can and could happen, given that everything up to this point had yet to be drawn to life."[5]
Menoa Bellucci was conceptualized as a more nuanced and sympathetic antagonist than was typically seen in Adventure and 02, to reflect the difference in target audience maturity between the two original series and Kizuna. The decision to have her sprinkle her dialog with English lines was made to try and make her stand out more, although the amount of English that she uses was considerably reduced by the finished version of the film. When Taguchi commissioned Nakatsuru Katsuyoshi to design the character, he asked for her to resemble Anne of Green Gables, citing a desire for an energetic and willful character who comes off as cool more than cute, while Seki suggested that she have one loose pigtail.[3]
Kizuna incorporates a butterfly motif in homage to the song "Butter-Fly", whose original 1999 recording is once again used as the film's opening theme; uses of the motif include Menoa's hairpin, Morphomon, and the appearance of two butterflies flying into the distance when Agumon and Gabumon disappear. The film also uses hanakotoba motifs to highlight the intended emotional states of various scenes.[3]
The concept of a Chosen Child's partnership with their Digimon ending was motivated as a symbol of passing into adulthood, whereas having a partner Digimon would symbolize childhood. To set it apart as something different from prior cases of partner Digimon deaths, such as Takaishi Takeru's Patamon in Adventure and Ichijouji Ken's Wormmon in 02, this developed into the total disappearance of the partner Digimon. The idea was to rule out the possibility of the Digimon just being reborn in the Digital World, in which case the Chosen Child could simply track them down at the Village of Beginnings.[3]
While Kizuna does incorporate homages to earlier Digimon Adventure productions, Taguchi chose to curtail most of the more overt homages (namely, the Parrotmon fight and Taichi, Yamato, Kōshiro, Takeru and their Digimon fighting a mysterious new enemy in cyberspace) to the film's first 30 minutes, to prevent taking the spotlight away from the main story.[3] Among the homages is a brief cameo from Wallace and his partner Digimon in the background of a shot at the end of Kizuna; according to Kinoshita, he wanted both Gummymon and Chocomon to be present to "answer" the ending of Digimon Adventure 02: Vol. 2: Transcendent Evolution!! The Golden Digimentals.[5]
Marketing[edit]
On July 29, 2018, the official website for Digimon Adventure tri., https://digimon-adventure.net (this address now redirects to the official site for Digimon Adventure 02: The Beginning), was replaced with a teaser website for a then-unnamed 20th anniversary Digimon Adventure film project, while the previous tri. content was moved to a subdomain.[6] Over the course of the following year, small updates containing previous and teasers, such as early art of the eight Digimon Adventure Chosen Children, were added to the teaser website along with general news for Digimon Adventure-related promotions and merchandise. The first teaser trailer was released on March 6, 2019, and was accompanied by an expansion of the teaser website.[7]
The title, primary creative staff, key visuals, first trailers and release window of "Spring 2020" were all announced and revealed on July 6, 2019, in Bandai's "The Future of Digimon" panel at Anime Expo 2019.[8] The teaser website was also replaced with the full official website for the film at this time, which posted articles covering all of the announcements made at the panel and also announced the specific February 21, 2020, release date for Japan.[9]
Reception[edit]
Due to the postponement of a planned US theatrical release by Fathom Events in light of the COVID-19 pandemic[10] (said release did not later eventuate), Kizuna was not widely reviewed by western film critics. However, it received positive reviews from western pop culture and anime specialist press, who frequently praised its "bittersweet" and "mature" execution of its themes of transition out of childhood and letting go of the past.[11][12][13]
Kizuna's theatrical run grossed a total of over USD $17 million worldwide; due to limited theatrical releases in most other countries, and the total absence of such a release in the United States, the vast majority of this gross came from the People's Republic of China (USD ~$13 million), Japan (USD $2.3 million), and Hong Kong (USD ~$1.6 million).[14]
In a May 2020 Digimon Web poll in which users voted on their favorite Digimon films, Kizuna placed third, earning 16% of the vote.[15]
Extra[edit]
Evolutions[edit]
- Koromon → Agumon → Greymon → Metal Greymon
- Agumon → Agumon -Yuki no Kizuna-
- Tunomon → Gabumon → Garurumon → Were Garurumon
- Gabumon → Gabumon -Yujo no Kizuna-
- Agumon/Greymon + Gabumon/Garurumon → Omegamon
- Patamon → Angemon
- Tailmon → Angewomon
- Tentomon → Kabuterimon
- Palmon → Togemon
- Gomamon → Ikkakumon
- Chibimon → V-mon → XV-mon
- Minomon → Wormmon → Stingmon
- Hawkmon → Aquilamon
- Upamon → Armadimon → Ankylomon
- Eosmon (Adult) → Eosmon (Perfect)
- Eosmon (Perfect) (many) → Eosmon (Ultimate)
- Betamon → Seadramon
- Otamamon → Tonosama Gekomon
- Kiwimon → Blossomon
- Chuumon → Tyranomon
- Gazimon → Leomon
- Floramon → Vegimon
In Other Media[edit]
The film Digimon Adventure 02: The Beginning is a direct sequel to Kizuna, focusing on its iterations of the main cast of Digimon Adventure 02. Kizuna director Taguchi Tomohisa and screenwriter Yamatoya Akatsuki also wrote and directed The Beginning.
Trivia[edit]
In July 2020, Digimon Web conducted a series of polls where users voted on their favorite scenes in each of the then-four original-continuity Digimon Adventure anime productions; Kizuna, as the fourth of these productions, had an entire category to itself. The three highest voted scenes in the Kizuna category were as follows:[16]
| 1st: | Yagami Taichi and Agumon's final moments together before their partnership expires, in which Agumon looks up at Taichi and remarks that he has grown, in the denouement of the film | |
| 2nd: | Taichi blowing the whistle to awaken the Chosen Children in Never-Land, in the climax of the film | |
| 3rd: | The fight with Parrotmon in Nakano at the start of the film |
The first-place scene was subsequently featured on a promotional card for the Digimon Card Game, P-024 You've Grown So Much, Taichi, which was distributed as a participation prize at the Tamer Gathering January 2021, following suit with the cards based on the winners of the other three Adventure productions' polls (P-021, P-022 and P-023).
Home Media Releases[edit]
| Image | Name | ID No. | Format | RRP | Release Date | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Running Time | Picture Track | Audio Track | Distributor | |||
|
|
Digimon Adventure: Last Evolution Kizuna 「デジモンアドベンチャー LAST EVOLUTION 絆」 |
BIBA-3318[17] | DVD | ¥5,800[17] |  September 2, 2020[17]
|
Bonus Features:[17]
Bonus Pack-ins:[17]
|
| 94 minutes[17] | 16:9 (letterboxed), Color[17] | 1) Dolby Digital 5.1 surround sound (Japanese) 2) Dolby Digital 2.0 stereo sound (cast and crew audio commentary) (Japanese)[17] |
Happinet Pictures[17] | |||
|
|
Digimon Adventure: Last Evolution Kizuna 「デジモンアドベンチャー LAST EVOLUTION 絆」 |
BIXA-1084[18] | Blu-ray Disc | ¥6,800[18] | September 2, 2020[18]
|
Bonus Features:[18]
Bonus Pack-ins:[18]
|
| 94 minutes[18] | 16:9 1080p, Color[18] | 1) Linear PCM 5.1 surround sound (Japanese) 2) Dolby TrueHD 2.0 stereo sound (cast and crew audio commentary) (Japanese)[18] |
Happinet Pictures[18] | |||
|
|
Digimon Adventure: Last Evolution Kizuna Deluxe Edition 「デジモンアドベンチャー LAST EVOLUTION 絆 豪華版」 |
BIXA-1083[19] | Blu-ray Disc | ¥9,800[19] | September 2, 2020[19]
|
Bonus Features:[19]
Bonus Pack-ins:[19]
|
| 94 minutes[19] | 16:9 (letterboxed), Color[19] | 1) Dolby Digital 5.1 surround sound (Japanese) 2) Dolby Digital 2.0 stereo sound (cast and crew audio commentary) (Japanese)[19] |
Happinet Pictures[19] | |||
|
|
Digimon Adventure: Last Evolution Kizuna | 826663208689[20] | DVD | $16.97 USD[20] |  October 6, 2020[20]
|
|
| 94 minutes[20] | 1.78:1, Color[20] | 1) (TBA) (English) 2) (TBA) (Japanese)[20] |
Shout! Factory[20] | |||
|
|
Digimon Adventure: Last Evolution Kizuna | 826663208689[21] | Blu-ray Disc + DVD | $22.98 USD[21] | October 6, 2020[21]
|
Bonus Features:[21]
Bonus Pack-ins:[21]
|
| 94 minutes[21] | 1.78:1, Color[21] | 1) (TBA) (English) 2) (TBA) (Japanese)[21] |
Shout! Factory[21] |
Edits[edit]
American English[edit]
The English dub of Digimon Adventure: Last Evolution Kizuna (which retains its Japanese title) was produced by Toei Animation itself, with Studiopolis conducting its ADR production.
Additional Information[edit]
External links[edit]
- Digimon Adventure: Last Evolution Kizuna official website
- Digimon Adventure: Last Evolution Kizuna on Wikipedia
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