Digimon Adventure 02: Diablomon Strikes Back

Digimon Adventure 02: Diablomon Strikes Back (デジモンアドベンチャー０２ ディアボロモンの逆襲 Dejimon Adobenchā 02 Diaboromon no Gyakushū; Dub: Digimon: Revenge of Diaboromon) is a short film. It is the second film to be based on the Digimon Adventure 02 anime series. It is a sequel to both Adventure 02 and the earlier short film Digimon Adventure: Our War Game!

It premiered on March 3, 2001 as part of the 2001 Spring Toei Anime Fair, alongside ' and its preceding short film '.

=Characters=

=Summary=

Act 1
In 2003, people all across Tokyo begin to receive unusual emails which, when their attachments (leaked personal photographs of Yagami Taichi, Ishida Yamato, and other Chosen Children) are opened, cause a Kuramon to appear and emerge from their device into the Real World. Kuramon begin spreading in great numbers all across the city.

Izumi Kōshirō convenes a meeting of the Chosen Children in the computer lab at Odaiba Middle School; only Tachikawa Mimi (still on her flight to Japan), Kido Jo (at the high school admissions office), and Takenouchi Sora (waiting for a train back from tennis camp) are unable to attend. He explains the situation and attributes the spreading of the photographs and the emergence of the Kuramons to Diablomon, who he speculates to have returned due to the multiplication of data from it that survived its battle with Taichi, Yamato and Omegamon in 2000. Taichi and Yamato volunteer to re-enter the internet and destroy Diablomon to cut off the source of the proliferation of Kuramon. Motomiya Daisuke, Ichijouji Ken, Yagami Hikari, Takaishi Takeru, Inoue Miyako and Hida Iori are tasked with rounding up the Kuramons, by opening Digital Gates through which to send them to Kōshirō for safe storage.

Meanwhile, Diablomon begins compromising systems, including Jo's high school admissions system, to replace text with the names of the Chosen Children. At, it displays this message for all to see:

Daisuke's group of Chosen Children splits into three groups - Daisuke and Ken, Hikari and Miyako, and Takeru and Iori - and sets out into Tokyo to retrieve the Kuramons. Kōshirō directs them to hot spots around the city, and instructs them not to attack them to prevent any of them from evolving, since evolved ones would take up too much data space to be sent. As Taichi, Yamato, Agumon and Gabumon approach Diablomon, Kōshirō is surprised to a) observe that the Kuramons are continuing to emerge into the Real World instead of targeting Omegamon, and b) learn that a Kuramon who V-mon attacked on a train also did not evolve in response.

Taichi and Yamato form Omegamon and enter the internet space in which Diablomon resides. As with their first fight, a video feed of the encounter appears on computers and electronic billboards all around the world. However, Omegamon is almost totally unable to engage or attack Diablomon at all, as the swarm of Kuramons that still reside with Diablomon swarm around it and take its attacks before they can reach Diablomon. In response, Takeru, Hikari, Patamon and Tailmon enter the internet as well to reinforce Omegamon; when he hears of this, Daisuke insists on joining them as well to assist Hikari and begs a stranger to borrow his laptop so that he can enter the internet.

Miyako opens a massive number of gates in Diablomon's internet space, distracting it. Following up on this, Angemon and Angewomon rush through the Kuramon and pin Diablomon down, enabling Omegamon to pierce its head with and pump it full of  blasts, destroying it. However, all of the Kuramons escape the space through the gates that Miyako opened, then shut them behind them, trapping Taichi, Hikari, Yamato, Takeru, Omegamon, Angemon and Angewomon in the space. As the space goes dark, Angewomon promises Hikari that she will get the group out of there.

Act 2
All around Tokyo, mobile phones receive calls and messages, bearing a message in both Japanese and Digimoji:

When answered, a Kuramon emerges from the phone, causing massive quantities of them to spread around Tokyo and mass alarm among its people. On seeing this, Daisuke and Ken cease their attempts to enter the internet. Kōshirō concludes that Diablomon has led them into a trap. A message from the Kuramons appears on electronic billboards:

Daisuke, Ken, Miyako and Iori hatch a plan to get the Kuramons out of the city and into a place where they can be fought safely. Miyako uses the electronic billboards to send the Kuramons a message of her own:

In response, as they had planned, the Kuramons immediately begin migrating to Tokyo Bay en masse. Daisuke, Ken, Miyako and Iori begin heading for Tokyo Bay as well. However, V-mon and Wormmon are inadvertently swept away by a mass of moving Kuramons, separating them from Daisuke and Ken.

Meanwhile, at the computer lab, Mimi arrives and joins Kōshirō, who is so focused on figuring out the Kuramons' purpose that he is not in the mood for Mimi's upbeat antics. While Mimi listens, he begins thinking out loud to connect the dots on Diablomon's plan: it sent the Kuramons to the Real World to take its place in case of its own defeat, and in doing so took advantage of their significantly smaller data size since its own data size would be much too large to easily make the transfer into the Real World itself. Miyako's opening of the gates had therefore played directly into Diablomon's hands, and their numbers in the Real World have now grown too high for all of them to be disposed of.

A blackout hits Tokyo. Children from all around the city start to gather at Tokyo Bay and to witness the sight.

While Daisuke and Ken are still on their way, Miyako and Iori rejoin each other at Tokyo Bay, where the seas are now totally filled with Kuramons. Before their eyes, the Kuramons fuse together and create an enormous Digitama in the sky. Daisuke and Ken, who are still as far away as, rush to Tokyo Bay, hoping to get there before the Digitama hatches.

As the crowd of children at Tokyo Bay continues to grow, the Digitama hatches into Armagemon. Kōshirō scans it and concluds that it is far too large to just be sent back into the internet. Daisuke and Ken are informed of the hatching and continue their rush to Tokyo Bay, while V-mon and Wormmon, who the Kuramon had brought to Tokyo Bay, anxiously await them.

Act 3
Omegamon, Taichi and Yamato escape from the internet and emerge in Tokyo Bay, and Omegamon engages Armagemon in battle. Omegamon opens fire on Armagemon, but its blasts have no visible effect, and Armagemon retaliates with  blasts that strike Omegamon.

Somewhere in the streets of Tokyo, Daisuke and Ken—who are beginning to feel the exhaustion from their rush through the city—are approached by Jo who, having been told by Kōshirō that they would be headed to the area, proudly declares that he has brought them a bicycle to make the rest of the trip, having failed to take into account that they will need a second bicycle. A woman rides by on a bicycle, and Jo chases after her in an attempt to get her bicycle.

At Tokyo Bay, Omegamon plunges its sword into Armagemon's forehead and pumps its mouth full of blasts, to no effect. Armagemon retaliates with a point-blank which knocks it across the bay. Omegamon tries to get to its feet but, wounded and out of power, its arms break off from its body and its eyes go dark. The Chosen Children—including Takeru and Hikari, who have returned to the computer lab with Kōshirō and Mimi—watch on in horror.

Riding the two bicycles, Daisuke and Ken arrive at Tokyo Bay and witness Omegamon in its defeated state. V-mon and Wormmon call out to them, but the crowds are too thick for Daisuke and Ken to get through to them. They cry out for V-mon and Wormmon, and in response, the crowds part and start cheering for them, allowing them to get through and join the fight. Meanwhile, Sora also reaches Tokyo Bay and reunites with Taichi and Yamato, snapping them out of their distress at Omegamon's defeat.

Daisuke and Ken Jogress Evolve V-mon and Wormmon into Imperialdramon: Dragon Mode. Imperialdramon opens fire on Armagemon, who retaliates with its. The missiles home in and hit Imperialdramon, but Imperialdramon Mode Changes into Imperialdramon: Fighter Mode and shrugs them off. Imperialdramon fires its, consuming Armagemon in a massive explosion that has no effect on it. Armagemon retaliates with an blast that causes Imperialdramon serious damage.

The crowd—which now includes Jo and the woman with the bicycle—are silent with shock at the sight of Imperialdramon apparently losing. Ken begins to lose hope, but Daisuke, as ever, is determined to not give up and to keep fighting to the very end.

In response to Daisuke's determination, Omegamon's remains begin to glow, and Agumon and Gabumon express their faith in Daisuke and Ken. Omegamon releases a Holy Ring imbued with everyone's hopes and power, and splits back into Agumon and Gabumon.

The Holy Ring takes the form of the. Imperialdramon awakens and takes the, which transforms it into Imperialdramon: Paladin Mode. Imperialdramon rushes Armagemon and dodges its blasts, and plunges the  into its forehead.

Defeated, Armagemon begins dissolving back into countless Kuramons as the sun begins to rise. Iori has an idea: use the mobile phones of everyone in attendance, as well as the Chosen Children's D-3s, to dispose of the Kuramons. Everyone points their devices at Imperialdramon's, which unleashes a massive pillar of light that takes in all of the Kuramons. The Kuramons are imprisoned in Miyako's laptop, and she forwards them all to Kōshirō for disposal.

=Screenshots=

=Gallery=

Promo
=Credits=

Soundtrack

 * Main article: Digimon Adventure 02: Diablomon Strikes Back - Original Soundtrack

Uncredited songs:

=Production= According to director Imamura Takahiro, he used , a Toei Cartoon Parade film from his own childhood, as a "reference" for Diablomon Strikes Back.

Toei Animation's "Production Lineup" website features what appears to be a still from Diablomon Strikes Back (pictured below) in which Diablomon is depicted with four additional, smaller arms coming out of hatches on its shoulders. No such shot is in the final cut of the film, nor do Diablomon's additional arms ever appear at all in any other capacity. The additional arms are a feature of Diablomon's which had been documented on model sheets for Digimon Adventure: Our War Game!, but did not appear in the final version of that film, and have never been depicted in any Digimon production aside from two early WonderSwan video games.

=Reception= In a May 2020 Digimon Web poll in which users voted on their favorite Digimon films, Diablomon Strikes Back placed sixth, earning 5% of the vote.

=Extra=

Evolutions

 * Agumon + Gabumon → Omegamon
 * Patamon → Angemon
 * Tailmon → Angewomon
 * Kuramon (many) → Armagemon
 * Chibimon → V-mon → XV-mon
 * Wormmon → Stingmon
 * XV-mon + Stingmon → Paildramon → Imperialdramon → Imperialdramon: Fighter Mode
 * Imperialdramon: Fighter Mode + → Imperialdramon: Paladin Mode
 * Poromon → Hawkmon
 * Upamon → Armadimon

In Other Media
Motomiya Daisuke and Ichijouji Ken's Imperialdramon: Paladin Mode is a playable character in Digimon Tamers: Battle Spirit and Digimon Tamers: Battle Spirit Ver. 1.5 (as the temporary evolution of Daisuke's V-mon) and Digimon Tamers: Battle Evolution (as a separate playable character in its own right).

Home Media Releases
=Edits=

American English
The American English dub of Diablomon Strikes Back, re-titled Digimon: Revenge of Diaboromon, was produced by on behalf of  in 2005 (several years after production on the dub of Digimon Adventure 02 itself concluded), alongside dubs of the other three previously undubbed Toei Anime Fair films. It aired on 's "Big Movie Show" programming block.

The Revenge of Diaboromon dub does not acknowledge or follow any of the changes that Digimon: The Movie made to the plot of Digimon Adventure: Our War Game!, although it does retain its voice direction choices, as noted below.

Prior to this, had acquired Diablomon Strikes Back circa October 2001, according to Megchan who, as a translator working at Saban at the time, was tasked with translating the film. However, no dub of the film ever eventuated during Saban's ownership of the rights to the franchise.

Since its original airing, the Revenge of Diaboromon dub has never been issued on home media or streaming services.


 * Since it was originally produced for theatrical release, Diablomon Strikes Back is in a widescreen aspect ratio of 16:9. Revenge of Diaboromon, however, was intended to air on the 4:3 aspect ratio televisions of the era, so it is presented.
 * As usual for American English dubbed Digimon productions, the score is totally replaced in Revenge of Diaboromon. However, instead of reusing music from the Saban dub of Digimon Adventure 02, Revenge of Diaboromon reuses the soundtrack of Disney's English dub of Digimon Frontier, including using the Frontier dub's theme song, "A World For Us All" (albeit modified to remove the lyrics' references to Frontier 's Spirit Evolution concept) as a substitute for the Saban "Digimon Theme".


 * In Diablomon Strikes Back, only two of the three evolution scenes use insert songs; in the third case, Imperialdramon: Paladin Mode, the currently-playing instrumental score is not interrupted. In Revenge of Diaboromon, all instances of allied Digimon digivolving (evolving) interrupt the score with the Frontier dub's instrumental Spirit Evolution themes. These reflect common practices of each version of the rest of the anime: the Japanese version does not exclusively use its evolution insert songs every time that evolutions occur, and only chooses to do so when it fits the tone, context and plot beats of a given scene; while American English dubbed versions almost exclusively use their designated theme songs or leitmotifs for evolution scenes, regardless of tone.
 * As usual for contemporary American English Digimon dubs, dialogue is generally much longer-winded, previously nonexistent jokes are often added, and previously nonexistent dialog is often added over what were originally moments of silence.
 * In Diablomon Strikes Back, one of the photographs that Diablomon leaks to the world depicts Ishida Yamato and Takenouchi Sora, and on their right is a poster for a gig written in English that includes profanities such as "FUCKING NIGHT" (this is the only use of the word "fuck" in the Digimon franchise).  In Revenge of Diaboromon, on both occasions that the photograph appears (in the opening credits, being viewed by children on their computer; and in Izumi Kōshirō's briefing to the Chosen Children), the poster is edited, but the edits are not consistent with each other: in the opening credits, the poster is blanked out entirely, and in the briefing, text saying "Live music!!" has been added.
 * In Diablomon Strikes Back, external shots of the computer lab show a handwritten sign from Izumi Kōshirō (in his capacity as computer club president) on the door, warning that it is closed for maintenance . In the dub, the text is edited to turn the piece of paper into a sign saying that it is the computer lab.
 * In Diablomon Strikes Back, as in Digimon Adventure: Our War Game!, neither Omegamon nor Diablomon/Armagemon speak or make any vocalizations at all. In Revenge of Diaboromon, as in Digimon: The Movie, both Omnimon (Omegamon) and Diaboromon/Armageddemon (Diablomon/Armagemon) speak; as in The Movie, Omnimon's voice consists of the two actors for its constituent Digimon (Lex Lang and, in this case, Jeff Nimoy) speaking in unison, and Diablomon is given a deep gruff voice performed by Paul St. Peter.
 * In Diablomon Strikes Back, Agumon and Gabumon are silent when fusing into Omegamon. In Revenge of Diaboromon, shouts announcing the evolution in the usual style are added, in which—acknowledging that they are fusing into Omnimon directly from their Rookie (Child) forms—they say, "(x) Warp DNA Digivolve to... Omnimon!"
 * In Diablomon Strikes Back, unlike the televised Digimon Adventure 02 anime, none of the Digimon ever announce the names of their attack techniques. Revenge of Diaboromon adds technique announcements.
 * In Diablomon Strikes Back, Miyako pushes a message on screens all around Tokyo that incites the Kuramons to come to Tokyo Bay; footage of the message playing on the screens is not accompanied by any dialog or voiceover. In Revenge of Diaboromon, while the same message still plays on the screens (still written in Japanese and therefore not intended to be legible to the English audience), the scene is accompanied by voiceover from Diaboromon in which it orders all Kuramons to the "rendezvous point", thus totally changing the reason that the Kuramons gather at Tokyo Bay. Subsequent dialog is modified accordingly.
 * A shot of Imperialdramon: Paladin Mode stabbing Armagemon's head is cut and replaced in Revenge of Diaboromon with a repeated shot of Davis Motomiya (Motomiya Daisuke) yelling.
 * After Armagemon's defeat, there is a brief non-diegetic shot of a younger Yamato playing on his harmonica; in Diablomon Strikes Back, this is accompanied by audio of Yamato playing one note, but in Revenge of Diaboromon, the audio is changed so that Matt (Yamato) is playing multiple notes.
 * In the closing scenes of Diablomon Strikes Back, among the ringtones from the crowd's mobile phones, a ringtone rendition of "Butter-Fly" stands out. Revenge of Diaboromon replaces the ringtones and omits the "Butter-Fly" one.
 * At the end of Diablomon Strikes Back, Inoue Miyako sends Kōshirō an email about the Kuramons, and the email is displayed on-screen. In Revenge of Diaboromon, the Japanese text of the email is edited out of the shot, but nothing is added in to replace it, making it appear as if Izzy (Kōshirō) is reading a blank email.
 * Diablomon Strikes Back 's closing credits are cut entirely, in favor of a split-screen setup in which credits roll over black next to clips from the movie. The footage that plays in the background of the original credits—a series of photographs of the Chosen Children (plus the bicycle girl) resting and/or relaxing in the aftermath of the film's events, including a photograph of all twelve Chosen Children gathered with their partner Digimon at the trolley car from —is not repurposed anywhere.

=Additional Information=

=External Links=
 * 2001 Spring Toei Anime Fair official website
 * Digimon Adventure 02: Diablomon Strikes Back on the Toei Animation Production Lineup website