Toei Animation
I can’t believe it has been over 20 years since Digimon first premiered. The Digimon Adventure series was a big part of my childhood as I often sat in front of the television on Saturday mornings waiting for Agumon to digivolve into Greymon. As I grew older, the series matured with the eight original DigiDestined entering adulthood. Digimon Adventure: Last Evolution Kizuna wraps up the storylines of the original DigiDestined and starts to have them think about their career, much as I am doing now.
In celebration of the 20th anniversary, Last Evolution Kizua sees Matt and Tai along with the other original DigiDestined set out on an adventure to stop Eosmon, a Digimon who has been stealing the consciousness of every DigiDestined. The DigiDestined’s clock on their Digivices start to count down to the end of their relationship with their Digimon. Matt, Tai, and the rest of the DigiDestined must come to terms that not everything can stay perfect forever, even when it comes to their Digimon.
Over the course of the last five years, Toei Animation released six films centered around the DigiDestined and their lives after the events of Digimon Adventure 02. Last Evolution Kizuna has stronger connections to the original series rather than the most previous films. As someone who grew up with the series and all the seasons that came after Digimon Adventure 02, I found a lot of connections to that season rather than those six films.
The theme of growing up flows throughout the film as many of the DigiDestined have a different idea of growing up. The group has always struggled with growing up and holding onto the past, as they have moved forward in their lives. The bond they share with their Digimon has always been strong, that’s why its so hard for them to move on. I’ve always compared Digimon to Pokemon growing up, but as I grew older, I’ve come to understand that Digimon is deeper than Pokemon and more mature. The film has many emotional moments for the characters as they battle to protect the relationships they have cherished for years.
There were plenty of emotional scenes towards the end that really hit me, and I think that all has to do with nostalgia. I grew up with these characters, so their stories and relationships are something I associate with when I think of my childhood. The English dubbed version features voices like Johnny Yong Bosh and Robbie Daymond who have been involved in previous Digimon projects. I’ve always appreciated that voice actors have returned to the series, it captures the magic in the stories.
The animation is beautiful. The scenes having the Digimon evolve is epic as it always has been. The real world and the Digi World’s animation are stunning, and the movie introduces new versions of Digimon that were outstanding to see on screen. I’ve always thought the designs for the digital monsters were unique compared to other anime shows with a similar premise and this film offered plenty more to appreciate.
Last Evolution Kizuna was everything I could ask for. It wrapped up a storyline that I fell in love with when I was young and handled it with care. The goodbye was a heartbreaking experience that was well worth the wait. I am glad the series has matured throughout the years and gave us a satisfying ending. Rarely do we see shows that are tailored for kids grow up just like their audience is doing as well, but it paid off.
Planning to see Digimon Adventure: Last Evolution Kizuna? Click on the image below to see the movie, and be sure to come back and tell us what you thought!
Digimon Adventure: Last Evolution Kizuna has a run time of 1 hour 34 minutes and is not rated.
Toei Animation
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