DigiFes 2019 20th Anniversary Memorial Pamphlet — Cast and staff comments

(Animation Play Back!! | Kizuna staff and cast comments)

The official DigiFes 2019 event (held at the Maihama Amphitheater on July 28, 2019) had a “20th Anniversary Memorial Pamphlet” sold on-site. The second section contained comments from cast and staff for Digimon Adventure LAST EVOLUTION Kizuna, with the following:

Comments from the Chosen Children and Digimon voice actors
- Natsuki Hanae (Taichi Yagami) and Chika Sakamoto (Agumon)
- Yoshimasa Hosoya (Yamato Ishida) and Mayumi Yamaguchi (Gabumon)
- Suzuko Mimori (Sora Takenouchi) and Atori Shigematsu (Piyomon)
- Mutsumi Tamura (Koushirou Izumi) and Takahiro Sakurai (Tentomon)
- Hitomi Yoshida (Mimi Tachikawa) and Kinoko Yamada (Palmon)
- Junya Ikeda (Jou Kido) and Junko Takeuchi (Gomamon)
- Junya Enoki (Takeru Takaishi) and Miwa Matsumoto (Patamon)
- M・A・O (Hikari Yagami) and Yuka Tokumitsu (Tailmon)
- Fukujuurou Katayama (Daisuke Motomiya) and Junko Noda (V-mon)
- Arthur Lounsbery (Ken Ichijouji) and Naozumi Takahashi (Wormmon)
- Ayaka Asai (Miyako Inoue) and Kouichi Tohchika (Hawkmon)
- Yoshitaka Yamaya (Iori Hida) and Megumi Urawa (Armadimon)
An interview with director Tomohisa Taguchi
Comments from musicians Ayumi Miyazaki and AiM

Table of Contents

Natsuki Hanae (voice of Taichi Yagami)

Q1. What’s your strongest memory of Digimon?
I enjoyed it a lot when I was in grade school. I threw a tantrum back when we were eating at a family restaurant until I got a Digivice, and I played with it all of the time.

Q2: What would you like to ask or tell your partner (Sakamoto-san)?
A while back, you bought the same in-ear headphones that I was using and recommended, so how did it go after that? Incidentally, I lost mine.

Q3: What were your feelings after reading the script and finishing post-recording?
Huh…? Oh…? Whaaaaaaaaat!!?…..Huh?…..

Q4: A message for everyone attending the event
I hope we can have fun this year, too!!
Let’s all put everything we’ve got into it! Please enjoy it!!

Chika Sakamoto (voice of Agumon)

Q1. What’s your strongest memory of Digimon?
While I was working on it, and I passed by some elementary school kids practicing at a sports meet, I saw these cute little first-years in a circle and dancing to “Butter-Fly”, and I was so touched by it that I can never forget it.

Q2: What would you like to ask or tell your partner (Hanae-san)?
Hanae-kun has a really nice antenna for things ♡ When anyone makes a request of you, you’re flexible and precise in your responses, and I think that’s something very important about you, but also, it makes me more interested in asking you about things like what kinds of music you like listening to, or what your favorite musicians are.

Q3: What were your feelings after reading the script and finishing post-recording?
To all of you (including myself…haha) who were worrying, Agu-chan’s talking about nothing but food…when is he finally going to do something for real~!…we’ve kept you waiting! Agu-chan’s probably been quiet this whole time trying his best!

Q4: A message for everyone attending the event
The fact that we’ve all been able to spend this much time with the Digimon, and the fact that we could see the children growing up like this, is thanks to everyone’s love ♡. Truly, thank you very much. And you might discover something new today, too…!?

Yoshimasa Hosoya (voice of Yamato Ishida)

Q1. What’s your strongest memory of Digimon?
I haven’t been involved for 20 years yet myself, but Digimon is something that’s existed for a long time, and I was surprised by how popular it was.

Q2: What would you like to ask or tell your partner (Yamaguchi-san)?
Do you have any memories from when you did your first recording for Digimon Adventure 20 years ago?

Q3: What were your feelings after reading the script and finishing post-recording?
Now that it’s a proper “movie”¹, I think the contents have gotten more interesting and easier to watch than ever before.
It was fun to do the post-recording.

Q4: A message for everyone attending the event
Yamato’s character design has changed a lot from the tri. series, but the blonde man next to Taichi is indeed Yamato.

Mayumi Yamaguchi (voice of Gabumon)

Q1. What’s your strongest memory of Digimon?
Digimon Adventure was my debut role, so I was in a daze when I took on the audition, and I can never forget how I went to the post-recording for the first episode having no idea what to do.

Q2: What would you like to ask or tell your partner (Hosoya-san)?
Hosoya-kun, you always wear monotone Western-style clothes, so do you ever wear something more colorful? I really want to see you try challenging yourself with something pink, or something, once in a while!

Q3: What were your feelings after reading the script and finishing post-recording?
It reaffirmed that, no matter what happens, we truly are partners…But I ended up crying at the very end…

Q4: A message for everyone attending the event
I’m really, really happy that everyone’s come to see us for this 20th anniversary. It’s thanks to the power of everyone’s love. Thank you very much!

Suzuko Mimori (voice of Sora Takenouchi)

Q1. What’s your strongest memory of Digimon?
It’s gotta be DigiFes!
It’s so much fun getting to meet up with all of the cast and the fans every year at DigiFes ♪
I have a particularly strong impression of singing the character song in 2017, my heart was pounding!

Q2: What would you like to ask or tell your partner (Shigematsu-san)?
I want to know what Atori-san does to relax during her personal time ♪ It’s tennis, right?

Q3: What were your feelings after reading the script and finishing post-recording?
Huh?! Is she going to keep staying there? I thought, Sora-chan…what happened?

Q4: A message for everyone attending the event
I’m really happy that all of us, at the Digimon cast, could be there to greet the Digimon series’s 20th anniversary. And I’m happy to be able to meet everyone at this year’s DigiFes, too ♪ Let’s all keep spreading the fun of Digimon throughout the world, more and more!

Atori Shigematsu (voice of Piyomon)

Q1. What’s your strongest memory of Digimon?
I got to work with all sorts of people, and feel the passage of time. Also, it really was quite a shock to get to work with people who grew up watching Digimon.

Q2: What would you like to ask or tell your partner (Mimori-san)?
Congrats on your marriage, Mimorin!!² It seems like you got to do a lot of great things for your wedding celebration, so that makes me really happy. So, is there anything you’re particularly specialized in cooking as a new wife?

Q3: What were your feelings after reading the script and finishing post-recording?
When I read the script, the “script directions” had words that made me break into a smile, and the sensibilities (direction) of the sound director at the post-recording made me laugh. There were staff members I was meeting for the first time, yet it felt nostalgic, and very fun.

Q4: A message for everyone attending the event
The day where we all get to meet each other again has come. This is a movie that’s brought everyone’s voices and efforts to life, I really feel that. The staff and the cast put everything they had into it!! Please, look forward to everything else from the Digimon series from now on.

Mutsumi Tamura (voice of Koushirou Izumi)

Q1. What’s your strongest memory of Digimon?
In the end, the fact that I got to play Koushirou since his high school days! If you’d told my past self back when I was watching Digimon Adventure, I’m sure she’d be so shocked she’d have no idea what to do.

Q2: What would you like to ask or tell your partner (Sakurai-san)?
Sakurai-san, do you exercise?
What kind of exercises would you recommend for good health?
Also, I’d like to know what you do to keep your voice in good condition.

Q3: What were your feelings after reading the script and finishing post-recording?
Is there more!? Is there not!? But I want to see what happens next!? It’s like that. I’m really interested!

Q4: A message for everyone attending the event
I believe that it’s thanks to everyone’s warm support that we were able to come this far! And those people that we’ve all been thinking about…are finally…!?³ And Taichi-san and his friends are all no gradually becoming adults, and starting to walk on their own paths. So what’s going to happen from here on out!? Please support us until the end.

Takahiro Sakurai (voice of Tentomon)

Q1. What’s your strongest memory of Digimon?
Back during the time of broadcast, we took a photo with the 02 cast.
It included Kouji Wada-san⁴ and all of the main cast members, and it’s become a piece of an important memory to me.

Q2: What would you like to ask or tell your partner (Tamura-san)?
What’s your favorite Digimon? No need to be modest about it.

Q3: What were your feelings after reading the script and finishing post-recording?
To lose, to forget, and to pick it up again.
That’s part of being an adult, isn’t it.

Q4: A message for everyone attending the event
Let’s all have fun together!
Yay!!

Hitomi Yoshida (voice of Mimi Tachikawa)

Q1. What’s your strongest memory of Digimon?
At the 2017 DigiFes, AiM-san and I sang “Super ☆ Girl” together as a double Mimi pair⁵, and it was a huge honor and my most amazing memory! I want to sing with her again sometime!

Q2: What would you like to ask or tell your partner (Yamada-san)?
At the post-recording for the new movie, Kinoko-san gave me a ballpoint pen as a present.
It had my name engraved on it, and it even had our Crest colors on it, and it was so cute and really stuck with me. I’ve been using it every day since then.
Again, thank you so much!!

Q3: What were your feelings after reading the script and finishing post-recording?
Taichi-san and his friends! Are becoming adults!!
It left an emotional impact in yet another different way from when they were in high school.

Q4: A message for everyone attending the event
The day has finally come! Summer is when we spend our time with Digimon! And this year, DigiFes is even more bustling! I’m looking forward to what kind of day it’s gonna be, too! The summer of the 20th anniversary! Let’s all get excited and go!!

Kinoko Yamada (voice of Palmon)

Q1. What’s your strongest memory of Digimon?
My first meeting with Toshiko Fujita-san⁶. I didn’t know much at all about how to do post-recording, so I was wandering around the recording site in a void of space, but she taught me a lot. And when Toko-san stood up, she was so beautiful, like a lily flower, and I was so grateful to her. We’ll definitely meet again someday!

Q2: What would you like to ask or tell your partner (Yoshida-san)?
When Hitomi-chan was singing, it was really, really fun. It made me remember Kojima-san, an episode director from Heidi, Girl of the Alps. Continuing to fly above and beyond, and bringing fun to everyone.
P.S.: The bunny marshmallow you gave me was so cute that I wasn’t able to eat it until it had already expired! I have a problem with things that are too cute.

Q3: What were your feelings after reading the script and finishing post-recording?
The color of the paper the script was written on was so cute, it really surprised me! And you really got to see how much effort the staff put into this. Taichi and his friends are becoming adults, in various senses of the word, and it brings up a lot of complex emotions, filled with happiness and loneliness. Please pay attention to the relationship between the true-to-life adults, who were once children, and the Digimon.

Q4: A message for everyone attending the event
Thank you for walking alongside us these past 20 years. All of you guys have become adults, too, haven’t you? Have you become the kind of person you expected to become when you were a kid? You’re already adults, that was so fast! This year’s going to accelerate, too!

Junya Ikeda (voice of Jou Kido)

Q1. What’s your strongest memory of Digimon?
The moment the theme song, “Butter-Fly”, played during the private screening for Part 1. It was then that it really hit me, that the same Digimon series that I had gone wild over as a kid myself had truly returned and been brought back to life, and I started crying right then and there.

Q2: What would you like to ask or tell your partner (Takeuchi-san)?
At some points, even when everything felt tense, Gomamon could say just a single word, and right then, the post-recording room would get wrapped in a light and fluffy atmosphere…it’s incredible.
Truly, as one would expect from my senior. He’s super cute.

Q3: What were your feelings after reading the script and finishing post-recording?
The tri. series was a story about the Chosen Children taking a step towards becoming adults, so this is a story about them taking yet another step.
After going through this movie, my feelings of wanting to stay close with them, until the very, very end, got stronger.

Q4: A message for everyone attending the event
The 20th anniversary, and what lies ahead. The Digimon will evolve even further! As those who lived through the same era as them, let’s take the happiness we got from growing alongside them and keep it in our hearts, and have all the fun that we can only have in this moment!

Junko Takeuchi (voice of Gomamon)

Q1. What’s your strongest memory of Digimon?
Taichi’s voice actress, Toshiko Fujita-san, was so piercingly cool and beautiful, and so I have so many memories of her that come so quickly to mind. She was so pretty that I kept staring at her face (to the point I must have been rode), and then she’d call out to me and go “what’s wrong?” and I’d snap back to my senses, and it was that degree of how much I looked up to her with only that.
Even now, I’m still following after the dream of wanting to be a woman like her, or a voice actress like her.

Q2: What would you like to ask or tell your partner (Ikeda-san)?
Anytime Gomamon says something, you always come after going “cute!” I’m really grateful, from the bottom of my heart! Moreso than in terms of playing Gomamon, I’m! Personally happy! Thank you so much for always being so kind.

Q3: What were your feelings after reading the script and finishing post-recording?
Sora!! Piyomon!! She’s always like an older sister to her, it really makes you cry!!

Q4: A message for everyone attending the event
We’ll be doing our best to make it an event that makes you remember things over the passage of time, and look back on it and remember how fun it was!

Junya Enoki (voice of Takeru Takaishi)

Q1. What’s your strongest memory of Digimon?
When I first got to come out at DigiFes, I was overcome with emotion when we all came to sing “Butter-Fly” together!

Q2: What would you like to ask or tell your partner (Matsumoto-san)?
Patamon’s voice always helps pull my feelings along! Thank you so much!!

Q3: What were your feelings after reading the script and finishing post-recording?
This one really made me cry, too, but it was also filled with things that made me cry! It’s absolutely a particular must-see for those who have been Digimon fans for a long time! Please be sure to go see it!

Q4: A message for everyone attending the event
I’m looking forward to meeting everyone again here! Let’s all make this the best event ever!!

Miwa Matsumoto (voice of Patamon)

Q1. What’s your strongest memory of Digimon?
Back when we were recording for 02, Megumi Urawa-san gave me a New Year’s card. And in the corner of that New Year’s card was a drawing of Shakkoumon and the single word “sorry~”. Megumi-san, you’re too nice of a person! I love you!!

Q2: What would you like to ask or tell your partner (Enoki-san)?
To Enoki-sama, who can so flawlessly pull off playing a natural playboy, between “Sora”, “Mimi”, “Hikari”, “Miyako”, and “Meiko”, which girl is your type?

Q3: What were your feelings after reading the script and finishing post-recording?
It was really fun to read the script for this movie. I won’t talk about the contents, but, in any case, the script directions were too much fun! Like “A bit of Takeru’s playboy air leaks out” “A very bitter ‘oh crap’ comes out” “Patamon throws himself into his face, it’s not a happy thing, it’s painful”…It’s a movie fully loaded with love for Digimon!

Q4: A message for everyone attending the event
I’m really happy that we could spend some time together having so much fun! I’m grateful to all of you!

M・A・O (Hikari Yagami)

Q1. What’s your strongest memory of Digimon?
In the end, my greatest memory is that that I got to be Hikari-chan in the same Digimon series that I’d been watching so fixatedly as a young child. You can feel what the Chosen Children are like in the present, and there’s a sense of beauty, and it leaves very deep emotions on me.

Q2: What would you like to ask or tell your partner (Tokumitsu-san)?
What do you do to spend your free time lately? Please tell me if there’s anything you particularly recommend doing?

Q3: What were your feelings after reading the script and finishing post-recording?
It’s a story that makes you rethink what “growth” truly is.

Q4: A message for everyone attending the event
I’m truly happy that I get to participate in this event again like this. The moment that everyone gets all excited together is one that I’ll be holding in my heart from now on!

Yuka Tokumitsu (voice of Tailmon)

Q1. What’s your strongest memory of Digimon?
Congratulations on the 20th anniversary. Since she was the eighth Digimon, when I first did post-recording for Tailmon, I remember being very nervous. And my greatest memory is being able to perform along such wonderful senior voice actors.

Q2: What would you like to ask or tell your partner (M・A・O-san)?
M・A・O-chan’s skin and hair are so glossy, and always so pretty. I’m so into it right now! Is there something you eat, every day, or often?

Q3: What were your feelings after reading the script and finishing post-recording?
It brought out a lot of feelings…and tears.
Kinoko-chan’s lines by themselves…made me laugh.
Pal~ You’re so cute~ Mm~.

Q4: A message for everyone attending the event
I’m happy to spend another warm summer with everyone at DigiFes. Let’s all get excited together. Please look forward to the rest.

Fukujuurou Katayama (voice of Daisuke Motomiya)

Q1. What’s your strongest memory of Digimon?
The moment it was decided that I would be playing the adult Daisuke! I can’t think of anything besides that. This is a series I loved and played the games for, and I won’t forget that moment for the rest of my life!

Q2: What would you like to ask or tell your partner (Noda-san)?
Relevant to Daisuke and V-mon!
What’s your favorite kind of ramen?
What’s your favorite kind of cup noodles?
★Answer to Noda-san
I like Kamukura’s “Tasty Ramen”! My personal recommended way of eating it is to get a half-boiled egg to use as a topping, then get some rice, get the half-boiled egg to be nice and thick as you put it on the rice, and then put the soup on the rice! It’s like an irresistible form of customized rice soup⁷. I want to go with V-mon next time ♪

Q3: What were your feelings after reading the script and finishing post-recording?
During the post-recording, I took on the challenge of focusing on having Daisuke come off the way he always did, and also how he sounded whenever he was being cool. During that time, I got another taste of really feeling Daisuke’s unyielding brightness, and the amazingness of the core he had in pushing on forward at the same time.

Q4: A message for everyone attending the event
I’ll be joining the fray as one of the 02 cast members with this movie!
I want to push forward with full power, alongside V-mon in that delightful, Daisuke-ish way!
Please support us until the end!!!

Junko Noda (voice of V-mon)

Q1. What’s your strongest memory of Digimon?
The biggest memory I still have is when I was added to the 02 cast, and we all had the feelings of, we want to make this a better work than ever before!, and pushed all of our hearts into playing our roles.

Q2: What would you like to ask or tell your partner (Katayama-san)?
Among all of the ramen you’ve had, which is your favorite?
Also, please tell me if there’s a certain way you like to eat it ♪
★Answer to Katayama-san
I like conventional Chinese-style noodles, and I like the comfortable taste of soy sauce broth ♪ With that said, my favorite kind of cup ramen is Cup 〇〇〇dles⁸, seafood flavor! (laughs) But the base for that is soy sauce ☆ Daisuke ♪♪

Q3: What were your feelings after reading the script and finishing post-recording?
It’s been around 20 years, and the movie production values will make your heart pound in your chest, and get you excited! But it seems like we had the role of making people laugh (laughs).

Q4: A message for everyone attending the event
Guys! We’ve kept you all waiting!!
For the first time since the day before the 2015 event⁹, and the first time since broadcast ended, the 02 members are gathering again ☆ I’m looking forward to having the best time ever with everyone, and I hope everyone has fun!
Please continue to support us from now on!!

Arthur Lounsbery (voice of Ken Ichijouji)

Q1. What’s your strongest memory of Digimon?
I really enjoyed playing with the Digital Monster toys, and I have a strong memory of going to the department store in the morning on the day of release and excitedly buying them.
When I was a kid, Digimon was one of the anime shows I watched every week without missing a single one, and when I was contacted about passing the audition, I remember being so happy that a weird noise came out of my mouth (laughs).

Q2: What would you like to ask or tell your partner (Takahashi-san)?
Please tell me the secret behind Wormmon’s cuteness!!!
★Answer to Takahashi-san
The first time I went out drinking, no matter how fun the atmosphere around us was, I couldn’t get drunk, and I remember having a hard time matching the excitement around me. Nowadays I have a much easier time getting into the mood, so I enjoy going out to drink! I personally like the more at-home feeling of the cheaper shops!

Q3: What were your feelings after reading the script and finishing post-recording?
Seeing the 02 group get together is so exciting!
And getting to actually hear our senior voice actors playing the Digimon brings back all of my childhood memories…! During recording, from between our test to the actual take, my feelings were bundled up tighter than ever.

Q4: A message for everyone attending the event
The 02 group is finally making a proper appearance, and those who love the Digimon series, and myself as a voice actor and a fan of the series, are all looking forward to it.
We’re going to do our best to respond to those who are watching us with anticipation, so please look forward to the rest!

Naozumi Takahashi (voice of Wormmon)

Q1. What’s your strongest memory of Digimon?
It was back during a time when I didn’t have a lot of voice acting jobs yet, so I was happy to see actual merchandise being made of the character I’d played and the neighborhood elementary school kids saying that they loved him, and it confirmed to me that this really was an amazing job. It was also fun to go to the hot springs for the closing party!

Q2: What would you like to ask or tell your partner (Lounsbery-san)?
I heard you’re really good with alcohol, but are there ever times when being good with it makes things really difficult? What kinds of places do you like drinking at? Incidentally, I’ve recently become the type who gets completely overwhelmed by alcohol lol
★Answer to Lounsbery-san
That he loves Ken-chan so, so much. That he believes in him. That he looks up to him. That he’s happy just to be with him. Those parts of him are what makes him so cute and dear, and I personally love that about him! When Ken-chan is there, he gets stronger, and I think that’s another charm point about him!

Q3: What were your feelings after reading the script and finishing post-recording?
I was happy to see everyone after such a long time, and I was happy to hear the character voices…Being able to feel this way is so wonderful! Those feelings of bonds and friendship, and thinking of your allies really made me cry. Even my manager in the lobby read it and seemed to be overtaken by it.

Q4: A message for everyone attending the event
Thank you for coming today! I’m so happy that we could all feel and watch the presence of Wormmon and the Digimon in this way. Thank you for supporting us!! We’ve got the enthusiasm of “we’ll still evolve further and further!”, so please look forward to the rest.

Ayaka Asai (voice of Miyako Inoue)

Q1. What’s your strongest memory of Digimon?
I watched Digimon Adventure: Our War Game! for the first time when I was seven years old, and it was so shocking and exciting that I couldn’t even say anything. I remember coming home tightly clutching a pencil board¹⁰ I’d bought for myself. But right now, my greatest memory is the shock I got from being given the role of Miyako Inoue. It was such a joy that even the 26-year-old me couldn’t say anything.

Q2: What would you like to ask or tell your partner (Tohchika-san)?
Where would you like to go on a trip with Miyako!?
★Answer to Tohchika-san
I think I’d be okay with going into the bath with Hawkmon! But I feel like Hawkmon would be too shy to go into the bath together (laughs).

Q3: What were your feelings after reading the script and finishing post-recording?
When I read the script, it was such a huge excitement to see that the Digimon I love so much was in it. The developments were unfolding right in front of my eyes during the recording, and my excitement couldn’t sop, and I remember still having to chant “calm down, calm down!” inside my heart (laughs).

Q4: A message for everyone attending the event
When I was little, there were times when I would wonder when my own Digivice would appear and went looking for it. But I couldn’t have possibly imagined that, right now, as an adult, I’d be able to get one. With this happiness in my heart, and sharing this moment with everyone together, let’s make this into a wonderful memory of summer!
Hold out the Digivice within your heart!
“DigiFes 2019”, open!
Chosen Children, let’s roll!!!!

Kouichi Tohchika (voice of Hawkmon)

Q1. What’s your strongest memory of Digimon?
It was fun building up my role. I had to take on all sorts of challenges when playing Hawkmon.

Q2: What would you like to ask or tell your partner (Asai-san)?
What ‘mon would you take with you into the bath?
★Answer to Asai-san
To go in search of the “ultimate kanpyoumaki“¹¹, and go on a tour of every region of Japan!

Q3: What were your feelings after reading the script and finishing post-recording?
There are so many things remembered from “back then”, and I recorded it with very deep emotions and a real feeling of the passing of 20 years.

Q4: A message for everyone attending the event
It’s a fresh feeling, like back when I was recording for Digimon for the first time.
Thank you for your support!

Yoshitaka Yamaya (voice of Iori Hida)

Q1. What’s your strongest memory of Digimon?
I bought a Digivice and was constantly playing it, and I remember being taken to the amusement park once and playing with the Digivice so much that my parents had to take it away from me.

Q2: What would you like to ask or tell your partner (Urawa-san)?
What do you consider to be particularly important in playing Iori¹² or Armadimon?
★Answer to Urawa-san
One time, we went bug hunting in the mountains of my father’s hometown of Iwate, and I lost track of my father and ended up by myself. I was in a mountain I didn’t know anything about, and I had to get home safely through trial and error, so I think that must have been my biggest adventure.

Q3: What were your feelings after reading the script and finishing post-recording?
It makes me want to go tell the little snot-nosed kid version of myself gazing at Digimon on television “sometime in the future, you’re going to be witnessing an incredible moment…” I’m so sorry for not knowing anything. Please go see it!

Q4: A message for everyone attending the event
It’s no exaggeration to say that I grew up alongside Digimon as a young child, and now that I actually get to be in that world, it still doesn’t even feel like enough to say that it was the best possible experience. I think everyone will be able to watch it with their own strong feelings of Digimon in mind.
Even if our bodies become that of adults, let’s keep our hearts as those of children, and watch and have all sorts of fun with Digimon!

Megumi Urawa (voice of Armadimon)

Q1. What’s your strongest memory of Digimon?
That I played so many overlapping roles, like evolving Digimon, and more. And that I sang “Our Digital World” with everyone in the cast…There are so many precious memories that I can’t just pick one!

Q2: What would you like to ask or tell your partner (Yamaya-san)?
What was the biggest adventure of your life?
★Answer to Yamaya-san
This goes for any role, but listening to the lines of the person you’re talking to, and moving the heart.

Q3: What were your feelings after reading the script and finishing post-recording?
I was happy to play ****** all the way to *********, dagya~. Ramen is nice, but so is ohagi¹³ ❤

Q4: A message for everyone attending the event
Thanks to everyone’s love for Digimon, I was able to be in such a wonderful work yet again. I’m truly grateful. Please continue to support us from now on! The 02 group is getting together again!

Tomohisa Taguchi (director)

–Please tell us about how you encountered the Digimon series!
It started when I was in middle school and was playing with the “Digital Monster ver. 1” LCD toy. I have good memories of growing up playing it while hiding it under my desk (laughs). After that, I was following along with the anime, starting with Digimon Adventure, and I went to the rental shop to rent and watch the series I missed.

–From the anime series, what left the biggest impression on you?
In the end, it really was Digimon Adventure, which I watched as it aired, that left a deep impression on me. I have particular memories of episode 33, “Pump and Gotsu are Shibuya-type Digimon”¹⁴. I rewatched the series again in order to work on this movie, but even though I’m an adult now, it still moved me just as hard. It was able to emotionally move me, and yet it still had proper “punchlines”, and so, while watching it, I thought “how amazing!”
In terms of the movies, it’s Digimon Adventure 02: Digimon Hurricane Touchdown!!/Transcendent Evolution!! The Golden Digimentals. The moment the movie started, it had a feeling of “something unusual”, and it was a huge jolt to my “tryhard sense”¹⁵ for me back when I was in middle school (laughs). The music was also peculiar, and the story had a mysterious and uncanny feeling, and it was a film that left a bigger impression on me than any other anime did. For this movie, I feel like a certain location ended up having a similar cool-headed atmosphere (laughs).

–What’s your favorite Digimon?
Terriermon…no, “Gummymon”! His banter with Wallace was really cute. When I was meeting with Kenji Watanabe-san¹⁶, I got really worked up, going, “he’s really cute!” (laughs).

–When it was determined that you would be directing this movie, how did you feel?
It’s a series with a lot of history, so being in charge of it still makes me feel the pressure of “is it okay for me to be the one doing this?”, even now. But I feel pride in having been picked for this, and very grateful. As a representative of Digimon fans who were watching the series, presenting all of “how about this!” in a single form felt like something I wanted to challenge, and so I took it on. Beyond just being “happy” and “nervous” in one layer, it got me tense, and I worked on it with all sorts of complex feelings.

–In making this movie, was there anything you held in particular importance in terms of making it a proper Digimon Adventure “movie”?
I feel that the atmosphere of the prior works was fine as it is, so I didn’t go out of my way to change the aura unnecessarily. Rather than making it in the sense of “let’s make the footage in the way I want!”, I focused on making it so that, after seeing things like the evolution sequences or the use of the music, you could feel “this is what Digimon is!” For this movie, I wanted to leave all of the places and things that left deep impressions the way they were. Of course, we can’t have the feel of the film be the same as it was back then, so I want to create the artwork in a way that makes it into a work that can be presented in 2020.
Even in terms of the story, things like the relationship between Taichi and Agumon, and the relationship between Yamato and Gabumon, serve as things that complete the “framework” of the series up to this point. I was careful to not destroy those, but I also wanted to show what the relationship between a human and a Digimon partner would seem like now that they’ve become adults.

–What parts of this movie should people look out for?
It’s been said in press that this is “Taichi and Agumon’s last adventure”, so there are parts through which I would particularly like people to see the “bonds” between partners as stronger than ever. The sub-title of this movie is “Kizuna“, meaning “bonds”, but there’s one particular scene that I would like people to see, which I think shows off those “bonds”.
Also, there are a lot of Chosen Children appearing in this movie. For instance, the Chosen Children around the world who appeared in the old movies or in Digimon Adventure 02…If you look, they should be there (laughs). We’re still in production right now, so I can’t say anything
On top of that, there are quite a few elements taken from the Digimon Adventure and 02 TV series, and their movies. Those include things like the Digimon that appear and the places the story is set in, so please look forward to them.

–The Chosen Children from 02 are appearing again in this movie, but what kind of feelings did you have in regards to them?
Whenever the 02 group appears, they instantly manage to make the screen brighter and more fun. I think you can see how they’ve grown up in such a straightforward manner. To me, in terms of looking forward at how we saw them in 02‘s epilogue, I got the impression that they had been very straightforward in how they’d grown, and so I wanted that kind of atmosphere to come out properly.

–Please tell us how you felt after post-recording finished.
I asked all of the voice actors to make it “bright, with the impressions you had of them in grade school”. That was something I was careful about back when we were working on the script, and even through all of the story. This movie has everyone become university students, and they’ve already gone through the whole haze of puberty, and so they’re taking the next step into adulthood, and at the stage of entering society. So I thought about how, now that the years have passed, the core of their true selves would have been cultivating since their early childhood. Rather than simply keeping it close to the impression one got of them from back then, I think they would have the brightness of having overcome puberty, and the brightness of looking back on their true natures.

–Please leave a message for the fans who have come to “DigiFes 2019”.
A lot of voice actors are appearing, and it’ll be a very fun event. This is an anime series that began 20 years ago, and is loved so much that it can be exhibited at this huge of an event. As a result of so many people supporting it, we, from the generation who watched it back then, have become able to join the side of the creators. We want to make a movie that’ll respond to that enthusiasm, so please look forward to the release on February 21, 2020.

Theatrical movie Digimon Adventure LAST EVOLUTION Kizuna
Director: Tomohisa Taguchi
Animation director. Primary works include Persona 3 The Movie and Kino’s Journey —the Beautiful World— the Animated Series.

Ayumi Miyazaki (musician)

●What’s your greatest memory of Digimon in these past 20 years?
I still have a strong tendency to think back on 2014’s DigiFes. We had three Digimon singers gathered together, and it was a very precious day to me. It was the beginning of a new era for Digimon with its 15th anniversary, and it was deeply moving for me to be able to be there.

●What have these past 20 years been to you?
A lot really has happened in these last 20 years. As both a composer and a singer, I’ve had all sorts of experiences, and it’s been a precious 20 years where I’ve been connected to Digimon fans not only within the country, but also throughout the world.
To everyone who’s been supporting me through all of this time, even a million words of gratitude would not be enough.

●Please leave a message for the fans attending the event!
Digimon Adventure is a legal adult now!¹⁷ I’m so grateful that we could celebrate it together! It’s thanks to everyone’s love that I could stand on this stage!! Let’s make this into a merry day!!

AiM (musician)

●What’s your greatest memory of Digimon in these past 20 years?
There are a lot, but during the 2017 stage play, Super Evolution Stage Digimon Adventure tri. ~The August 1st Adventure~, they let me stand and sit on the shoulders of the Omegamon they’d made, like Taichi-san and Yamato-san would. I was so touched that such a day had actually come, to the point I was shaking!

●What have these past 20 years been to you?
Now that 20 years have passed, the one that surprises me the most is “an Endless tale”. I have nothing but gratitude for all of the opportunities that I get to sing it again, and also that I have opportunities to sing it again with everyone. It’s been 20 years with so many precious encounters.

●Please leave a message for the fans attending the event!
Thank you for coming. The anime has reached its 20th anniversary. The me of 20 years ago had no time to think about the me of 20 years later, and I put my all into it while being overwhelmed and worried about things, but I was supported by all of my fellow actors and the staff and others, and I was desperately able to take it all in.
People I love. And a series that I love.
Now that 20 years have passed, I’m truly grateful that I can meet everyone who’s been supporting Digimon in this way, and truly happy. I’m going to put in my infinite love and thanks, so that I can keep pace with everyone’s unchanging warmth and love for Digimon. Let’s celebrate and sing together!

Translator's notes

Kizuna is classified as a gekijouban (劇場版), or a full-on theatrical screening of a tie-in movie in roadshow form, which the four Adventure and Adventure 02 movies also classify under. Adventure tri., being comprised primarily of limited screenings, is technically classified as an OVA (original video animation) series. [↩]
Mimori announced her marriage to professional wrestler Kazuchika Okada on April 12, 2019. “Mimorin” is the nickname she’s commonly called by fans and peers. [↩]
DigiFes 2019 was the event during which the involvement of Daisuke, Ken, Miyako, and Iori in Kizuna was first revealed to the public. Prior to that, the only thing publicly revealed was that Junko Noda (voice of V-mon) and Naozumi Takahashi (voice of Wormmon) were appearing as special guests. [↩]
Kouji Wada = The vocalist for Adventure‘s original opening theme, “Butter-Fly”, who passed away in April 2016. [↩]
“Super ☆ Girl” = Mimi’s Digimon Adventure 02 solo character song, sung by Ai Maeda (AiM) as her original voice actress from Adventure and Adventure 02. [↩]
Toshiko Fujita = The original voice actress for Taichi in Adventure and Adventure 02, who passed away in December 2018. [↩]
Katayama is referring to zosui rice soup, which follows a similar philosophy of mixing soup broth into rice. [↩]
Noda refers to Nissin Cup Noodles (it’s an actual brand name). [↩]
Junko Noda and Naozumi Takahashi were invited as special guests for the “Eve” (day before) of the 2015 DigiFes event. [↩]
Asai refers to a shitajiki, a board commonly used to provide a smooth surface for neat writing by placing it under the paper. Anime merchandise is often sold in this form, especially for children’s franchises. [↩]
Kanpyoumaki = A makizushi (sushi roll) made with kanpyou dried gourd. It is a personal favorite of Poromon/Hawkmon in the original Japanese version of Adventure 02 (among other kinds of Japanese food). [↩]
Urawa played both Iori and Armadimon in the original Adventure 02. [↩]
Ohagi = A Japanese sweet made with azuki red bean paste, and a favorite of Upamon/Armadimon’s in the original Japanese version of Adventure 02. [↩]
The “Shibuya-type” (渋谷系, Shibuya-kei) is a bit of a pun, because while Shibuya-kei refers to fashion and hobby trends in the Shibuya ward of Tokyo, –kei also can be used to casually describe a “type” or “sort” in the same way you’d describe a kind of Digimon. [↩]
Director Taguchi refers to his middle school self as having had a “chuuni heart” (written in the text as 中二心), with the “chuuni” short for chuunibyou (中二病), lit. “middle school second-year syndrome”. The word has a variety of flexible meanings, but in this particular context it refers to the sort of middle school phase of being into “edgy” or “artsy” things. [↩]
Kenji Watanabe = Digimon monster character designer and franchise creator. [↩]
The age of majority in Japan at the time of this interview was 20 years old, so Miyazaki is referring to Adventure being an “adult” for its 20th anniversary. [↩]