When Digimon Adventure debuted on American television back in 1999, audiences were quick to make a snap comparison to the insanely popular Pokemon. From an outsider perspective, it is a fair assessment to make, as you have a group of kids with cute little creatures that battle and can change form. Digimon Adventure never quite had the impact of Pokemon in the states, but it still made a sizable impact on many kids, such as myself, at the time and inspired a devoted following. It is unfortunate that fans were often made to choose between Pokemon and Digimon, as they both had really wonderful aspects that made each of them special. Digimon Adventure seemed to be touted as the more realistic of the two series with a greater interest in tackling societal themes. After multiple series over the past twenty years, the story is finally receiving a proper finale in the form of a new feature film, Digimon Adventure: Last Evolution Kizuna.
This film takes place five years after the events of Digimon Adventure: tri, where our de facto leader Tai and the other DigiDestined have rocketed towards adulthood. The group is spread out across the globe with their Digimon in tow as they tackle the new exciting adventures life has in store for them. The kids have grown up well; Izzy is the CEO of a tech company, Joe is in medical school, etc. Compared to some of the others, Tai and Matt are a bit more uncertain when it comes to what their future has in store for them. They are on the precipice of becoming the adults they need to be, but, like so many others before them, they do not feel comfortable settling on one path. The DigiDestined are approached by a US professor named Menoa Bellucci who informs them that a powerful Digimon named Eosmon has been taking out DigiDestined and their Digimon around the world by robbing them of their consciousness. As this type of world saving is highly familiar to them, Tai, Matt, Izzy, T.K., and their Digimon step up to face Eosmon until they quickly realize he is unlike any adversary they have faced previously. After an initial confrontation with Eosmon, Tai and Matt learn the heartbreaking fact that their time with their Digimon is coming to an end due to them reaching their full potential of adulthood. The more they use them to save the world, the faster their time will run out, which creates a fascinating moral conundrum with which our heroes have to grapple.
In the interest of full disclosure, I was a pretty avid fan of Digimon Adventure for a spell as a child, but it has been over fifteen years since I have engaged with the series and my memory is not the strongest. Heading into the film somewhat blind was like trying to piece together a puzzle of something right on the border of your mind. I instantly greeted the Digimon themselves as old friends, but the relationships between the human characters were a bit trickier to recollect. Despite this, the film is crafted in a way that even non-fans or lapsed fans could jump in and appreciate the story for the poignant sendoff that it is. The base level appeal of the series is watching these inventively animated characters evolve and fight in thrilling action sequences, which this film provides quite effectively. Especially in the latter half, there are a lot of exciting appearances from classic Digimon characters as the fight to take down Eosmon intensifies. But the real reason the film and the series itself succeeds is due to the powerful depictions of friendship between the human and their Digimon. These characters have grown up over the years, but there will always be a part of them that is devoted to the formative bond between themselves and their digital companions.
As much as this film delivers mystery and an intricately crafted story, it works best when it is focusing on character moments. Much like Avengers: Endgame or Justice League Dark: Apokolips War, this film is a culmination of years of storytelling that is sure to deliver an emotional gut punch to fans. This entry specifically tackles the bittersweet nature of growing up and how you have to balance embracing responsibility with not forgetting to stay connected to your innocence. As someone who has somewhat lost contact with who these characters are at their core, this film was devastating in a way that I was not expecting. Those who have kept these characters in their hearts consistently will almost certainly need a moment to compose themselves by the end. For what is essentially a show meant to appeal to children, this series has evolved with its audience to tackle heavy subject matter. As an outsider looking in, this film delivered in all of the ways I wanted it to and more. This is a film with exciting moments of action deftly complemented by quiet moments of intense poignancy. This point has been a long time in the making, and longtime fans should enjoy sending these characters off in an emotionally fulfilling manner.
Video Quality
Digimon Adventure: Last Evolution Kizuna comes to Blu-Ray from Shout! Factory with a stunning and vibrant 1080p transfer. The colors present in this transfer are practically leaping off the screen with the wide range of hues permeating every inch of the frame. The textures, from the character designs to the environments, are extremely impressive and give the film a real sense of depth. One of the areas where the film really shines is the fluidity of the character designs. The subtle touches that are added to each individual is quite striking. The level of detail these animators put into each environment shines through here. Black levels are incredibly strong with no hint of compression artifacts or digital anomalies of the sort. This is simply a beautiful looking Blu-Ray presentation.
Audio Quality
The DTS-HD Master Audio 5.1 lossless track is presented here in its original Japanese and an English dub with optional English subtitles. The track is a lovely sounding experience that brings the movie to life in a really pleasing manner. Dialogue comes through crystal clear at all times without being overshadowed by any of the intense battle sounds or the score. There are some really fun panning effects in the rear channels that add a nice layer to the story. The score is precise in its placement throughout the room as it envelops the audience. The track employs some good activity in the low end when the things get a little more kinetic. There is also a nice amount of sonic detail in the surround channels as the sound of various geographic regions creates a world fully realized. The English-language cast does a decent job, but stick with the original Japanese language for maximum enjoyment. This is a stellar sounding release that should more than please fans of the film.
Special Features
- The Final Evolution – Remembering 20 Years Of Digimon Adventure: A 15-minute featurette in which Tom Fahn (Agumon) and Joshua Seth (Tai) share their experiences voicing these iconic characters for the past twenty years including how they developed the voice of the characters and how the fandom has sustained the series. They both seem to have a genuine passion for the series.
- Trailer: A minute-and-a-half trailer that sets up the epic final adventure.
Final Thoughts
Digimon Adventure: Last Evolution Kizuna is loving sendoff for a long running story that should leave fans emotionally satiated. The film delivers exciting action sequences, compelling revelations and necessary moments of contemplation in equal measure. This new Blu-Ray from Shout! Factory delivers a stellar A/V presentation and a couple satisfying special features. Whether you are a longtime fan of the series or just curious to jump in and see what all the fuss is about, this new film is worth a watch. Recommended
Digimon Adventure: Last Evolution Kizuna is currently available to purchase on Blu-Ray + DVD Combo Pack and DVD.
Note: Images presented in this review are not reflective of the image quality of the Blu-Ray.
Disclaimer: Shout! Factory has supplied a copy of this disc free of charge for review purposes. All opinions in this review are the honest reactions of the author.
Dillon is most comfortable sitting around in a theatre all day watching both big budget and independent movies.
