Digimon (series)
 | |
| Basic Information | |
| Original Name | Digital Monster (デジタルモンスター) Digimon (デジモン) |
|---|---|
| Original Work Format | Virtual pet |
| Original Work Creator | Bandai |
| Adapted Format | Games, Anime |
| Region | Japan |
The Digimon (デジモン) series is a Japanese multimedia franchise originally planned by the Japanese toy company WiZ and the game developer Bandai.
Summary
On June 26th, 1997, the first Digimon virtual pet was released to the market. Bandai intended it to be a "boys version" of Tamagotchi, introducing the concept of battling monsters. Although the launch was not immediately a big success, the release of subsequent series gradually increased its popularity among elementary and middle school students. A "D-1 Grand Prix" was also held throughout Japan, hosted by Volcano Ota.
In addition to the original virtual pets, video games such as the Digimon World series, card games, and manga were also released. In 1999, the first Digimon anime, Digimon Adventure, premiered on TV to great acclaim, and it was also very popular overseas. The "cross-media" strategy was an unprecedented success.
The original Tyrannomon that started the Digimon series set the foundation for the worldview that is common in all original series, and there are many graphic illustrations and specialized terms. However, the anime and its related games sometimes have their own worldview.
For copyright, the pen name "Akiyoshi Hongo" is used, this name is a reorganization of the names of WiZ and Bandai, respectively.
Devices
Roughly, they can be divided into virtual pets, adventure games, and illustration games. The first one is very similar to Tamagotchi, the second one adds RPG elements, and the third has the ability to search and collect images of Digimon.
Anime
TV
| Number | Title | Original Run | Episodes | Director |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Digimon Adventure | March 7, 1999-March 26, 2000 | 54 | Akiyoshi Hongo |
| 2 | Digimon Adventure 02 | April 2, 2000 - March 25, 2001 | 50 | Akiyoshi Hongo |
| 3 | Digimon Tamers | April 1, 2001 - March 31, 2002 | 51 | Yukio Kaizawa |
| 4 | Digimon Frontier | April 1, 2002 - March 30, 2003 | 50 | Yukio Kaizawa |
| 5 | Digimon Data Squad | April 2, 2006 - March 25, 2007 | 48 | Naoyuki Ito |
| 6 | Digimon Fusion | July 6, 2010 - March 25, 2012 | 79 | Tetsuya Endo / Yukio Kaizawa |
| 7 | Digimon Universe Appli Monsters | October 1, 2016 - September 30, 2017 | 52 | Gou Koga |
| 8 | Digimon Adventure: | April 5, 2020 - September 26, 2021 | 67 | Masato Mitsuka |
| 9 | Digimon Ghost Game | October 3, 2021 - March 26, 2023 | 67 | Kimitoshi Chioka / Masato Mitsuka |
Movies
In total, there are 8 anime movies, all derived from the plot of the TV series. Even some of the theatrical releases have become an important part of the anime's storyline.
The main titles of these movies are usually the same as the title of the corresponding TV anime, they have a duration of 20 to 60 minutes each. The series also had two 3D animated movies for theme park screenings, which are 7 minutes in length.
American distributors had introduced the first three anime shorts, and recut and reorganized them into the film Digimon The Movie to be shown in the United States.
Also, the movie Digimon Adventure Last Evolution Kizuna, released in Spring 2020, commemorates the 20th anniversary of the first anime series, Digimon Adventure.
Manga
- C'mon Digimon (1997)
- Digimon Adventure V-Tamer 01 (1998)
