Hiroyuki Kakudou, director of Digimon Adventure and Adventure 02, has a little part on his website where he’d commented on Adventure 02’s episodes every week as they aired.
(This Week’s Digimon | This Week’s Digimon 02 | This Week’s Digimon Tamers | This Week’s Digimon Frontier)
Episode 1: “The One Who Inherits Courage”
Screenplay: Atsushi Maekawa
Director: Hiroyuki Kakudou
Animation director: Yoshitaka Yashima
Art director: Yukiko Iijima
The origin of “02″: “It’s a sequel, so we need to put something.” “New? Continued?” “Something like a G or GT.” “We should put Z.” “So after that would be ZZ?” “It’s a Toei series, so it should be ZO1 (zed-o).” “There’s a department store called Seibu OZ (ohz) next door.” “All right, I’ll take that and make an attempt at a logo.” After a few days: “I’m done.” “Huh? That’s not OZ, that’s 02 (zero two)!” “Whoever wrote this, your handwriting’s messy.” “Well, it’s fine, it takes place in 2002.” “And it’s the sequel.” “Okay, we’ll go with that.”
I think you can figure this out already, but I’m writing this because it’s April 1. The anniversary of Toei Animaton’s founding, haha.
Episode 2: “Digital Gate, Open”
Screenplay: Atsushi Maekawa
Director: Atsutoshi Umezawa
Animation director: Shigetaka Kiyoyama
Art director: Tetsuhiro Shimizu
On the left is Hawkmon, and in the middle Armadimon, and they’ll be appearing as regulars in Digimon 02. Last year in the first episode there were seven people and seven Digimon introduced all at once, and there must have been a lot of people who couldn’t remember all that, but this time I think it should be fine. Let’s review. Starting from the left, it’s Hawkmon, Patamon, Armadimon, V-mo…huh? Instead of the main character, V-mon, there’s Wormmon, but, well, he’s a regular too. It’s fine. On the far right is Tailmon.
In terms of who’s responsible for the voices for these characters who’ll be appearing from episode 2 on, they’ve already been around since the first episode. There should have been people thinking, “why is this familiar voice actor in a role like this?”2 in episode 1. That voice is also Hawkmon’s. As for the question of Armadimon, his voice was also present in the first episode, but I won’t tell you for now. Even last year, I was thinking about doing something like this, but this time I’ve decided to actually try it for the first time. I don’t think you know what I mean, but please try to watch and listen for it anyway.
…So that’s what I wrote before the airing, and now you know. Armadimon and Iori are both voiced by Megumi Urawa-san. It’s not that we were skimping out (haha) on our characters, but on top of being perfect for Iori, she’s also done a native Nagoya dialect before, and moreover I wanted to take advantage of the initial concept that a Digimon is an alter ego rather than a separate entity. Huh? What about Hawkmon and Miyako? There’s a deeper reason for that, but I’ll explain that later at some point. (Are you sure about that (∂。∂)?)
Episode 3: “Digimental Up”
Screenplay: Genki Yoshimura
Director: Takao Yoshizawa
To put it aptly, this is where the Digimon from last year finally gain their armor evolutions. Though you don’t know how they get there yet.
I was playing around with these between takes.
Episode 4: “King of the Darkness, Digimon Kaiser”
Screenplay: Hiro Masaki
Director: Atsushi Maekawa
Animation director: Toshio Deguchi
It’s too bad I can’t show you a proper, real face here, but…(^^;) During shooting break time, it’s the Digimon Kaiser-sama with Wormmon and a dark Digivice (D3). His hairstyle looks odd because his sunglasses were brought upwards.
Episode 5: “Destroy the Dark Tower!”
Screenplay: Reiko Yoshida
Director: Hiroki Shibata
Iori: “I’ve been thinking about why Armadimon speaks in Nagoya dialect, and I’ve figured it out.”
Daisuke: “Oh, what is it?”
Iori: “The key to all of this lies in where I met Armadimon for the first time, or, in other words, where we were with Sora-san and Koushirou-san and we found the Digimentals of Love and Knowledge.”
Miyako: “Huh? Why, why?”
Iori: “The two Digimentals weren’t there from the beginning. They probably appeared there in response to Sora-san and Koushirou-san going to the Digital World. I can’t think of any other way for those Digimentals to have emerged. So we received them in the order of Miyako-san’s first, and then mine.”
Daisuke: “Okay. So then?”
Iori: “The order was love [aijou] and knowledge [chishiki]. Love [aijou] and knowledge [chishiki]. “Ai” and “chi”. Aichi3…”
Everyone: “…”
Armadimon: “So that’s why-gya.”
So if Jou had gone with them instead of Koushirou, would “love and truth”4 lead to Armadimon becoming the type to say “I could die for you”!? This time, the answer to that…is that there’s no way to know (^^;))
Episode 6: “A Dangerous Picnic”
Screenplay: Yoshio Urasawa
Director: Takahiro Imamura
The narrator for Digimon, Hiroaki Hirata, has really been great. This episode is about yet another chance encounter, which is about an incidental meeting with Miyako-chan. Because there’s going to be a live event in August, we’ve received some newly-made flyers, so I’ve put them in the information room.
By the way, although this week’s episode of Digimon is an episode that co-stars Miyako and Mimi, these past episodes have ended up being about the reunion of Taichi’s group and his Digimon. In the theater movie Our War Game!, Mimi’s hat, which at the end of the last series should have been flying through the Digital World, was in her room, and although you could say that it’s weird, it’s actually not. Although they weren’t able to meet each other for three years, from the end of the last TV series (in the summer of 1999) to 2000′s New Year, they were able to meet at least three times. We released the story of those events on the drama CDs, so how come you don’t remember it? It was a proper New Year’s performance meeting. It was great. It’s too bad we couldn’t have any visuals to go along with it. I think it’d be nice to show you what happened after that up until 02 sometime, too.
Episode 7: “Memories of Hikari”
Screenplay: Atsushi Maekawa
Director: Hiroyuki Kakudou
The Digimon evolution scenes are 32 seconds for Child to Adult, and the Armor evolution scenes have ended up being 34 seconds. It’s a different story when they evolve together, but that’s the fundamental basis for when they evolve for the first time. Even so, during the first series, there was a Digimon we didn’t get to show the full version for. If you’re wondering who, look at the picture and guess (haha). That said, considering almost nobody in the staff realized that we never did…they themselves must be happy that we finally got to show the full version. On that note, the full version of this title would be “Memories of the Light5 of Evolution”.
…no, it’s not, of course (^^;) I have to write that, I can’t have people take that seriously, haha.
By the way, it was almost 20 years ago, but there should be a short film with Shigeru Izumiya (not the guy who did the lighting for the Heisei Gamera series) called Memories of Light, but is there anyone who knows about it?
Episode 8: “The Loneliness of the Digimon Kaiser”
Screenplay: Satoru Nishizono
Director: Atsushi Umezawa
In this episode, although during the series Ken-chan fights against Daisuke and the others all by himself
(I hear you about to say no, that’s wrong! (^^;))
during the story, he actually gets along with Daisuke and the others. This time, Ken and Daisuke play soccer while we watch the daily lives of Miyako and the others. Between Ken, who in the series is a genius boy when it comes to soccer, and Daisuke, who’s at the stage where he’s hoping to finally become a regular, there’s a considerable difference in their skill, but it ends up being a good game.
The origin of the title for this episode is unrelated to anything Alan Sillitoe has written.
Episode 9: “The Rampage of the Evil Ring’s Magic”
Screenplay: Genki Yoshimura
Director: Takao Yoshizawa
Oh, this picture is a perfect fit for last week’s title “The Loneliness of the Digimon Kaiser”. Because of what he does as the Kaiser, he doesn’t come to the Real World very often, but he does every once in a while.
The Kaiser’s clothes come from the same reason Daisuke’s group changes clothes when they go to the Digital World. It’s the same principle as that of The Matrix, so we omitted the explanation, haha.
Episode 10: “The Enemy is MetalGreymon”
Screenplay: Hiro Masaki
Director: Takenori Kawada
Although you can’t see it in the picture, the Digimon Kaiser’s new item, the Evil Spiral, is strapped to the right arm of MetalGreymon (who is blue this time because he’s a Virus-type). A “spiral”, or in Japanese, らせん6, would come after a “ring”; you can think of other things that could be derived from that, but ah, whatever, it’s whatever you think it is (laughs).
A few years ago, there was something rather popular called spiral tape. It was a thin tape that, if you wrapped it around your finger in a spiral, was supposed to have a kind of dieting effect.
So what kind of effect did it have?
It certainly had quite an effect on this MetalGreymon…
Ah, because something evil is attached to it, it’ll make him fat instead.
Episode 11: “Blue Lightning, Lighdramon”
Screenplay: Genki Yoshimura
Director: Hiroki Shibata
You can debate whether “Blue Lightning” refers to the folk group Alice7 or John Badham (but you’re making yourself look old either way, haha).
Lighdramon’s spelling comes from the English word “lightning” at its base, right?
From the electric shock phenomenon, and all. But when you read the katakana, it has a sort of double meaning with something you’d ride8 on, or am I thinking into this too much?
After all, in 02, among the eight armor evolutions,
Lighdramon’s the only one you can say can be ridden on,
but can’t fly through the sky or dive into the sea.
Episode 12: “Duel at the Digimon Ranch”
Screenplay: Yoshio Urasawa
Director: Takahiro Imamura
In the old show Rainbow Squadron Robin (I’m really too old for this), there was a Western-style episode that Lily starred in,
and so temporarily (even though it wasn’t really temporary), since this is a Toei anime,
I thought I should do a Western at least once.
It’s traditional.
And so, I was able to do it.
Well, to that extent, a special Western-themed episode in a TV anime.
(Although I say that, I’m not really sure how far I was able to go with it.)
They’re a little different than the usual type, but the guest players are Digimon after all, so you could say they’re a little too unique.
Episode 13: “The Call of Dagomon”
Screenplay: Chiaki Konaka
Director: Hiroyuki Kakudou
Here’s V-mon, Hawkmon, and Armadimon playing on the set because they didn’t get to have any screentime here. Tailmon and Patamon are tired from the shooting, so they’re resting.
Even though it’s not on the usual anime website, I’ll bring up the topic. The “Dagomon” from the title who appears in this episode is not an original character made for the TV series, because he’s actually from the original game devices. So that should clear up any misunderstandings.
He shows up properly in some things like the Encyclopedia.
He’s referred to as the “Sinful Priest of the Ocean Floor”.
Ah, yes, yes, the person who wrote this episode’s screenplay, the familiar Chiaki Konaka-san of Magic User’s Club and Mysterious Magic Fan Fan Pharmacy, has some content on the imageboard on his website9, so you may want to look at that.
Episode 14: “Shurimon of the Wind”
Screenplay: Genki Yoshimura
Director: Atsutoshi Umezawa
In a turbulent era of the Digital World
Let’s survive with bursting sincerity
Oh wind, blow on, blow strongly
Autumn Wind, Kusanagi
Defeat the evil Digimon!
Shurimon, Shurimon
Shurimon of the wind, the Digimon ninja10
Episode 15: “Shurimon’s Martial Arts”
Screenplay: Atsushi Maekawa
Director: Takao Yoshizawa
Masked in white, the mysterious Digimon
No one knows what his face is like
With sparkling and shining round eyes
It’s the Digimon ninja, it’s Shurimon
His throwing star going schwing, schwing, sch-schwing11
Flying through the sky, a white mask has come
Save the Digimon, protect Miyako
Everyone’s been waiting for the wonderful ninja
Its name is Shurimon, the Digimon ninja12
…Ah, somewhere along the line, I got them mixed up (^^;)
Episode 16: “Submarimon, Escape from the Bottom of the Sea”
Screenplay: Hiro Masaki
Director: Takenori Kawada
Well, if anything’s really hard to do,
it’s definitely underwater shooting.
Because the production costs of things like The Abyss are so high,
there aren’t a lot of underwater scenes in TV production.
So shooting for this episode was hard. The North Sea was the best place to get the image of the offshore oil field,
and there was coral underwater.
It’s a good place for the Digital World.
Marine Day’s13 gone by, so I figured, why not.
Since through the main part of this story we had to take a relative lot of shots of Submarimon from the front,
I tried to choose a snapshot where you could see the Crest of Integrity on his abdomen.
Episode 17: “Odaiba Memorial”
Screenplay: Genki Yoshimura
Director: Hiroki Shibata
Usually, the episodes in this show take place in the span of one day,
but this episode takes place over several days, starting from July 30, 2002.
If you ask what’s the reason for the sudden change,
it’s, of course, to fit it to the dates of the last series’s adventure.
So with that, the person who doesn’t write this normal scenarios wrote this plot.
I mean, it’s me, but…(laughs)
The screenplay was written by the professional Genki Yoshimura-san, whom I trusted to finish superbly.
With the original idea, and Yoshimura-san’s screenplay, we held this episode in honor of producer Shibata’s episode from the last series.
While Digimon was also airing on American TV, although it always had some pretty good sub-titles,
that particular episode had a particularly good episode title, and until we made the screenplay for this episode, this episode 17 was using its literal translation.
So what was it, you ask…?
Oh, well, from what I’ve written up until now, people with good intuition will have figured out what kind of episode this is （⌒＿⌒）
The correct answer is below.
The last series’s 37th episode, “Perfect-Levels Charging Together! Sparkling Angewomon” had,
as its American broadcast title, “Wizardmon’s Gift”14.
With the same screenwriter and director during the production lineup, could you say that it was good luck in some way that this episode turned out that way?
At the time of this episode’s screenwriting, the title was ウィザーモンの贈り物.
By the way, there were a lot of people saying angry things like
“That thing in the episode preview didn’t show up!” (^^;) In regards to the American Box Bug,
the program segment that they were editing, Strange World! Believe it or Not,
had in the corner “Chase the Biological Mystery, the American Box Bug!”15,
but the proper details got sent to the cutting room floor.
The photo has Chibimon and his friends during the shooting.
Patamon was complaining that he didn’t get a lot of lines this episode, haha.
Episode 18: “Follow the Kaiser’s Base”
Screenplay: Atsushi Maekawa
Director: Takahiro Imamura
We’re finally featuring summer vacation, so we’ve started the beginning of the arc of the great battle with the Kaiser.
I tried to do something Clive Cussler-like with the title, haha.
That said, this episode’s protagonist is Miyako. Please enjoy yourselves while listening to Miyako and Hawkmon’s single.
By the way, after the recording, because he was embarrassed about the recording experience,
Hawkmon seems to have said something like “Miyako-san! Please go home before me!” (^-^ゝ
On a different subject, starting from now a lot of Dark Towers will be appearing.
You might ask how they’re being constructed, so maybe after you plant an original Dark Tower,
they’ll shoot up around it like bamboo shoots.
Just maybe, after all.
Episode 19: “Synthetic Beast Chimeramon”
Screenplay: Hiro Masaki
Director: Hiroyuki Kakudou
So the title is the name of an unusual enemy Digimon in 02, but here’s a quiz out of the blue!
The above image is a diagram with the front and side view of the Digimon Kaiser’s mobile fortress that you got a glance of in the last episode,
but what kind of shape would it take from above? When you see the answer, you’ll understand, I mean.
…is what I thought, but even when you actually see it, you can’t really understand (^^;)
The answer will be for next time.16
Episode 20: “Transcendent Evolution! Golden Magnamon”
Screenplay: Reiko Yoshida
Director: Atsutoshi Umezawa
“Oh, the title’s like the Digimon movie from the summer,” you’re thinking.
And of course, you’re absolutely right (haha).
So the scenario will be the same, you’re thinking.
Not quite.
At the time of the screenwriting, the screenwriter put that in the subtitle,
and for the TV broadcast, the producer and I used it.
I suppose you could say we were cutting corners (^^;)
So, let me clear up what I was saying before: even though the screenwriter is the same person,
the Magnamon who appears in this (and the next) episode is not connected in any way to the one from the movie.
The one that’s here is a one-time, temporary evolution with a certain something that becomes Digimental of Miracles,
which is presented in the TV series.
Episode 21: “Goodbye, Ken-chan”
Screenplay: Atsushi Maekawa
Director: Takao Yoshizawa
While episode 21 in the last series was a story much unlike that of Digimon,
you might be able to say that this episode also has a story unlike that of 02.
The character who reads the title is, of course,
Wormmon, who’s been enduring the Kaiser for a looooooong time,
so will this really become the one-off end? With a baaaaang!
Episode 22: “Brave Evolution, XV-mon”
Screenplay: Yoshio Urasawa
Director: Takenori Kawada
Huh, it’s not Armor Evolution, it’s normal evolution,
whaaaat, so now I have to make the evolution scene?
Anyway, I haven’t made one in a year! I don’t have the original file, so it’s a huge hassle!
Ugh, this part, seriously? Making Child-level Digimon spin round and round is a huge pain in the neck, you know!
Who’s the idiot who came up with that?…well, it was me, but still.
That last cut took too much time to render,
and now I have to think about the effect patterns in the final cut for each character, ugh,
aaaaah! I have to recreate the first cut every time because in 02 everyone’s D-3s have different colors!?
I have to do this three more times!?
Episode 23: “When the Digivice is Seeped in Darkness”
Screenplay: Genki Yoshimura
Director: Hiroki Shibata
If you were to talk about the arc of the cause Agul’s birth in Ultraman Gaia,
and the role that Super-Kamiokande plays in it,
you could say that the place in this episode has the opposite effect.
No, I was surprised when I read the script.
Well, this time, I don’t have anything else to say.
Please watch it.
Oh, somehow the title has a very Mary Clark-ish feel to it (^^;)
Episode 24: “Armored Ankylomon of the Earth”
Screenplay: Reiko Yoshida
Director: Takahiro Imamura
According to the magazine Pia’s hit chart information,
the four singles in the Best Partner 3 series took positions 69, 71, 72,
and the slightly more distant 87, respectively.
Because the one at 87 was Iori and Armadimon’s,
although they’ve fallen a bit in the ranks among the twelve Best Partner singles,
since it’s technically one person singing by herself,
it’s still an amazing accomplishment, I’d say.
By the way, the names of 71 and 72 have a huge mistake.
The above information is from Hiro Masaki, who’s doing the next episode’s screenplay. Thanks (^-^ゝ
Episode 25: “Knight of the Skies, Aquilamon”
Screenplay: Hiro Masaki
Director: Atsutoshi Umezawa
You can say whatever you like, but the “qui” in “Aquilamon”
is a pretty troublesome thing to write17 (haha).
There was also some worries on how to properly pronounce it. Sort of.
Also, during the time of the post-recording, I was in Hiroshima (^^;)
You might have been able to guess that from last week’s next-episode preview.
For now, all the Adult-levels have appeared.
Ah, there’s going to be an evolution scene of something like an insect and something like a person next episode.
Episode 26: “Jogress Evolution, Now, Our Hearts Become One”
Screenplay: Genki Yoshimura
Director: Hiroyuki Kakudou
Even though the Digimon TV series has been going on for more than a year and a half,
we’re making a few changes for the first time,
like the OP changing,
Jogress evolution (a combination),
and as previously reported,
the unexpected storyline by Yoshimura-san, directed by me,
a first-time combination in Digimon.
Two people read the episode title,
which isn’t something that’s happened often.
Furthermore, the person responsible for the evolution scenes wasn’t me,
but Takahiro Imamura-san,
who isn’t credited in the work.
And there’s a new song for the evolution scenes.
Which means that right now, we’re using it on top of “Break Up” for Armor Evolution,
and “brave heart” for normal evolution,
so is this some kind of musical!? (haha)
Episode 27: “Invincible Union Paildramon”
Screenplay: Atsushi Maekawa
Director: Takao Yoshizawa
For the new ending theme from before,
and the slightly altered opening theme, I’ll introduce the animation staff.
For the just-replaced OP, the staff had Toshio Deguchi-san, Setsuko Harada-san, Setsuko Nobuzane-san,
and the animation director for the previous ending was also Nobuzane-san.
For the replacements, the portions related to Ken and the new enemy characters were Nobuzane-san’s,
and the original cuts for the evolution scenes from Armor to Adult were Deguchi-san’s.
The last two cuts of the ED are Yoshitaka Yashima-san’s, and the rest is Yoshihiro Takeda-san’s.
The new eyecatch is Yashima-san’s. I’m telling you this now because it hasn’t been officially credited on TV.
In the Official Super Encyclopedia, it says something about 02 taking place in 2003.
Maybe it might be better to go with what the book wrote.
Hm (-_-)v-~~
Of course, the correct answer is 2002.
Oh, I haven’t covered the contents of this episode…
Well, I’ll say it’s a fun thing to watch.
(We didn’t even tell you anything about this episode in the next-episode preview (^^;))
Episode 28: “The Bug Master’s Trap”
Screenplay: Hiro Masaki
Director: Takenori Kawada
Well, since for last episode I wrote the staff names that weren’t credited,
this time I decided I should put the uncredited cast list after all.
- Leomon, Yamato’s father = Narrator
- Taichi’s mother = Sora
- Sora’s mother = Taichi
- Takeru’s mother = Agumon
- Koushirou’s father, Shin-niisan, Director Chioka = Jou
- Koushirou’s mother = Hikari (Sora only in episode 5 of the last series)
- Mimi’s father = Tentomon
- Mimi’s mother = Tailmon
- Sakurada at the TV station = Yamato
- Miyako’s brother = Wormmon
- Miyako’s sisters = Miyako
How about that?
Episode 29: “Archnemon, the Spider Woman’s Mistake”
Screenplay: Hiro Masaki
Director: Hiroki Shibata
It’s now become clear that the mysterious woman who’s been coming out for quite some time can be said to actually be a Digimon.
Moreover, the kind who can transform from a humanoid to a monster.
If you’re asking what kind, it’s just as the title says (^^;)
And on top of that, she has a comrade. You even got a glimpse of him in the OP,
the male Mummymon-kun. He can also transform…
as his name says, he can become a mummy man, although he doesn’t really change to something very attractive-looking.
I feel like he looks even more suspicious in the human form instead.
Episode 30: “Dark Ultimate BlackWarGreymon”
Screenplay: Yoshio Urasawa
Director: Takahiro Imamura
BlackWarGreymon has a really long name to write on the script,
so we often refer to him as “BWGreymon”.
It looks like we’re writing “black-and-white”.
On a similar note, with Paildramon’s dialogue, it’s not a problem making them speak simultaneously,
the V-mon side of Paildramon is written (V) and the Wormmon side of Paildramon is written (W),
so that’s what we’ve used.
Even though the voices they’re using aren’t V-mon’s or Wormmon’s,
but XV-mon’s and Stingmon’s (^^;)
Episode 31: “Love Storm Silphymon”
Screenplay: Reiko Yoshida
Director: Atsutoshi Umezawa
I’ve been in the Philippines starting from yesterday.
By all means, during the first anime event in the Philippines,
I was supposed to be one of the guests, but from the dawn of the first day there was a terrible storm.
The surrounding roads were submerged.
Even though the place the event was being held, the Megamall, was a huge shopping center,
the employees couldn’t manage to make it there, so the problem was that half of the shops in the morning were empty.
The volume of water went up to the knees, and it was a terrible place for anyone who uses a bicycle,
so in any case the first day of the event was cancelled (haha).
Because even the currency exchange office hasn’t opened, I’m trapped in a situation where I can’t buy anything.
So you could say it’s the “Phillippinemon storm”. (What about the love?)
By the way, some people might think that “Love Storm” comes from the TV drama,
but it doesn’t (^-^ゝ
Episode 32: “The Mysterious Ruin, the Holy Stone”
Screenplay: Hiro Masaki
Director: Noriyo Sasaki
Ah, despite what the title says,
the rock seen here is not the Holy Stone.
Like the name implies, the Holy Stone has a Holy Ring wrapped around it.
But it’s not the Holy Ring that Tailmon is missing.
Because it’s a different size, you know.
So where on earth is Tailmon’s? The truth is…
Well, it has nothing to do with this episode.
The second series of the Digimon Adventure first series anime comics, “Etemon Arc”,
is scheduled to be released soon.
Because it’s something that calls itself “official”,
unlike something that says 02 takes place in 2003,
we’re checking it over in the staff room, so please look forward to it.
But the series before it wasn’t called the “Devimon Arc”, but the “File Island Arc”,
so because of that I feel we should have called it the “Server Continent Arc” or the “Crests Arc”.
Here are the books.
Episode 33: “Today Miyako is in Kyoto”
Screenplay: Genki Yoshimura
Director: Hiroyuki Kakudou
When she introduced herself, Miyako said, “I’m Miyako Inoue, and you read it ‘Miyako’ but write it with the kyou in ‘Kyoto’”,
but she wasn’t actually named after Kyoto.
Her oldest sister is named Momoe, her second sister Chizuru, and her brother Mantarou, and for some reason we went ahead and jumped up billions and trillions,
or anyway, we gave Miyako such a huge number18.
Of course, her brother’s and father’s names are related to numbers, but it’s something we’ll leave to your imagination.
The picture is us shooting in our location for period dramas, with Shurimon on-location at Daikakuji,
and Stingmon, who’ll be in the next shot, in consultation.
Digimon in Kyoto
1: Kiyomizu Temple, the meetup area for Miyako’s school group.
There are some red peppers and other souvenirs at the bottom of the slope.
2: Rokudouchinnou Temple. A temple located in a narrow alley across the road from Yasaka Shrine.
There is a legend that the famous poet, Ono no Takamura, actually served as the emissary of Hell,
so the well in this temple is said to be the entrance to Hell.
On this road, you can buy “candy to raise ghost children”. It’s quite delicious.
3: Jishou Bridge
4: Monkey’s Horn. Northwest of the Imperial Palace. This corner, which serves as the demon gate, has a slightly indented wall for some reason, and there’s a monkey sculpture here. There’s a legend that a monkey youkai19 has appeared here.
5: Ichijou Return Bridge: Nowadays, it’s just a small concrete bridge, but it’s famous for being the place where Watanabe no Tsuna20 cut a demon’s arm.
There are other things of interest such as the shikigami21 from the bottom. Facing the road is the famous Seimei Shrine.
6: Daikaku Shrine. Famous for being where historical dramas are filmed. Most memorably, ones from the Namboku-cho period.
You can see a big pond, and an important part here is a road that cuts through the pond.
Incidentally, the overpass where Mushamon and Shurimon had their fight is east of here.
7: The well used by Ono no Takamura to enter this world from Hell used to be in Fussa Temple, which is now an abandoned temple. The monument has since been moved to Senryouji Temple.
Bonus — 8: Rokkakudou. The place where Japanese flower arrangement was born. This is where a young scholar of folklore who came to study in Kyoto met a fiery young girl meant to be the successor of a culture school.
Episode 34: “Protect the Holy Stone”
Screenplay: Reiko Yoshida
Director: Takao Yoshizawa
Although the subject ends up being HolyAngemon, who hasn’t appeared in a while,
one shouldn’t miss Gabumon’s short appearance.
He’s been working hard with everyone else in the background.
Featuring an imported small toy transforming Gabumon.
Gabumon, above, should normally evolve and transforms into Garurumon.
It should be just that, but it does this, too…
What am I supposed to think about this (^^;)
But the head of this Garurumon is made quite well,
so it can play with Yamato and the others in the playset, even if they’re small.
There’s also an Agumon transforming playset.
Episode 35: “Explosive Assault! BlackWarGreymon”
Screenplay: Atsushi Maekawa
Director: Takenori Kawada
The meetings to decide on the sub-titles aren’t on a regular basis,
and we’ve carried them out around five or six times.
For this one, we rejected one named “Torn Channel22, Broken Mountains” (haha).
Usually when you mention an “explosion”, you think, that must be like Explosive God Yamato, but that’s Bikkuriman23.
Yesterday, I explosively hit the sack and slept24 for ten hours.
Ah, you probably don’t care about that, so anyway, this is the climax of the BlackWarGreymon arc.
Although this is a series where the characters from the previous series appear like it’s nothing, this time it’s natural that they would, since they’re at the ocean.
Episode 36: “Steel Angel Shakkoumon”
Screenplay: Yoshio Urasawa
Director: Hiroki Shibata
From the new OP and ED that’s been airing since episode 26 for ten episodes,
it’s Shakkoumon, who’s finally appeared in full.
He’s secretly quite popular among the staff. Da-gya.
His height at 18m is around the par of MetalGreymon’s. Da-gya.
He’s always floating slightly in the air without making contact with the ground. Da-gya.
By the way, he’s often called a Doguumon,
but he’s made of metal, so he’s not a doguu25. Da-gya.
Episode 37: “Giant Ultimate Qinglongmon”
Screenplay: Genki Yoshimura
Director: Atsutoshi Umezawa
He really is a giant Ultimate since he’s 3 km in his full length,
so it goes without saying that I couldn’t take a panoramic photo.
His body is bluish-white and translucent.
So it’s this kind of story:
it’s like Inspector Kenmochi solving mysteries
in front of Superintendent Akechi26 and Ran-chan27.
Well, there isn’t really a culprit, but…(haha)
Episode 38: “Holy Night, the Great Digimon Reunion”
For these, episodes 38 and 39 were aired in succession.
Screenplay: Genki Yoshimura
Director: Noriyo Sasaki
21st Century Special Gift
Digimon Adventure 02
TV Special
The progression of the flow of time from this point on will be decisively different from what’s gone on so far.
Unlike the last series, the events of 02 had almost lined up in synchronization with the broadcast dates,
and therefore (with a few exceptions) what takes place in one episode
would correlate to a day in that week.
But from now on, we’ll be covering what happens in only a few days.
For now, the start of episode 38 covers up until the night before Christmas.
And (continued in episode 39)
Episode 39: “All Mobilize, Imperialdramon”
Screenplay: Atsushi Maekawa
Director: Hiroyuki Kakudou
episode 39 covers December 25.
Of course, in 2002.
The photo displays a Dark Tower in Tamachi.
Particularly important, above all else, in episode 38 was the large number of actors.
It’s a shame I can’t show you a bigger picture
because of conditions in regards to rights of publicity.
It was hot in there, so people were feeling bad.
In rural regions, we couldn’t air it with this double feature,
but we actually had another small bonus in the special.
The “Digimon Special Attack Encyclopedia”,
edited into three minutes.
I wonder if anyone recorded it on video or something.
Episode 40: “The New York-Hong Kong Great Free-For-All”
Screenplay: Hiro Masaki
Director: Takao Yoshizawa
Finally, the Digimon worldwide arc is beginning.
At the start is New York, where Mimi and Michael are.
It’s been a long time since we’ve seen Lilimon, since it’s the debut of the Perfect forms of the Digimon from last series,
so in any case she’s happily flying around New York.
Since the shooting was at night, she had to do a flying rehearsal.
Anyway, from now on there are going to be international Chosen Children appearing,
but even with so many of them, we only assigned a few actors (^^;)
Some of them did four or five roles.
If you’re curious who played what, don’t worry, I’ll tell you.
Anyone who wants to know the correct answers, please highlight over the text.
Daisuke = third Poi brother (the Hong Kong brothers partnered to Octomon → Syakomon)
V-mon = second Poi brother (the Hong Kong brothers partnered to Octomon → Syakomon)
Hikari = girl from Miami / Sam (the black boy partnered to a FlareLizamon) / Lou (the Native American boy) x Tortomon
Tailmon = shuttle crew woman / Mimi’s mother / Maria / Syakomon 2 / Takashi Yoshizawa-kun
Yamato = shuttle crew man / Michael’s father / Manhattan policeman B / eldest Poi brother (the Hong Kong brothers partnered to Octomon → Syakomon)
Koushirou = Tatum (the Irish-American girl partnered to an Airdramon)
Tentomon = shuttle crew man / Mimi’s father / Maria / boy from Miami / FlareLizamon / Steve (the Jewish-American “glasses” boy partnered to a Yukidarumon) / Syakomon 3
Mimi = Mina (Indian girl partnered to a Meramon)
Michael = Syakomon 1
Betamon = shuttle crew man / Professor Barry Brad (the man talking on TV) / Manhattan policeman A / Chinese army lieutenant
Chinese army lieutenant = Jyureimon, old man in Hong Kong, Meramon
Narration = Benjamin, Jackie (Gennai), Chinese army commander
Other children not given a voice: Yuehong (Chinese girl partnered to a Hanumon)
Dien (Vietnamese boy partnered to a Gorimon)
Episode 41: “The Coral and Versailles Great Melee”
Screenplay: Yoshio Urasawa
Director: Takenori Kawada
The background detail where Yamato and Takeru’s maternal grandfather is French
is something I’m pretty sure put in the Best Album booklet for the last series,
but the day’s finally come when it’s on TV (haha).
With that said, today’s setting is in Australia and France.
Not a lot of them had come out before,
but in this Worldwide Arc the hidden point of interest is who voiced
the world’s Chosen Children and their partners,
but it’s here, so enjoy it now, too.
The double cast is as follows. Please drag and select.
Taichi = Ganimon
Agumon = Dingo (Australian Chosen Child)
Jou = Shellmon, BigMamemon, Giromon
Gomamon = Floramon, MetalMamemon
Iori = Catherine (French Chosen Child), Mamemon, Noriko Kawada-chan
Takeru = Gesomon
Patamon = Anomalocarimon, Ebidramon
Narration = Eucaly (Australian Gennai), Michel (Takeru’s grandfather)
Oh, and don’t forget that it’s still Christmas in the show.
Episode 41: “The Love and Borscht Great Fierce Battle”
Screenplay: Reiko Yoshida
Director: Hiroki Shibata
A lot’s happened in this Digimon Worldwide Arc,
so it’s more like a World Tour Arc, haha. This one’s the end.
Mexico is hot, Russia is cold.
If you line them up together again, Garudamon and Aquilamon are of different sizes,
but from this angle, you can’t see Sora and Miyako on their backs.
Well, on this time’s double casting,
they struggled with the Spanish language.
The Russian language, on the other hand…
GO! GO! DigiRangers!
Well, here are the answers to the double casting.
Yamato = Operator B, Kuwagamon
Gabumon = Unimon
Ken = Rola (the Russian girl partnered to a Snimon)
Wormmon = Yuri (the Russian boy partnered to a Kuwagamon), Operator B
Sora = Chichos’s mother
Miyako = Chichos (the Mexican girl partnered to a Gotsumon)
Hawkmon = Chichos’s father, Mexican officer
Daisuke = Anna (the Russian girl partnered to a Unimon), Gotsumon
Narration = José (Mexican Gennai), Ilya (Russian Gennai), Snimon
Episode 43: “Invasion of the Demon Corps”
During the first Digimon series, we showed Hikarigaoka, Shinjuku, the Tokyo Tower, Shibuya, and Odaiba,
so our setting became fairly large. They were just passing by Shinjuku, so there weren’t any fights there.
During the World Arc there was Odaiba and Tamachi (Mita), so this time it’s Ginza.
Moreover, because of the huge Perfect-level Digimon, everyone was running left and right and shooting was a pain.
In comparison, Paildramon is less than half the size.
It’s about the same with Imperialdramon.
He’s right in front of the Sony Building in Ginza, but you can’t really see the building (^^;)
Oh, because WereGarurumon is human-sized, he’s hiding among the people in this photo.
Episode 44: “Clash of the Dark Digimon”
Screenplay: Hiro Masaki
Director: Noriyo Sasaki
In this Tokyo Brawl Arc with fighting in Odaiba and Ginza, or, rather, the Demon Arc,
this time, the fight goes from Ikebukuro to Toshimaen.
Compared to last week’s Perfect-level corps, Silphymon really is a normal human size,
but still difficult to catch on camera.
The enemy, LadyDevimon, completely dissolved in the night sky and can’t be seen.
If you look in the back, there’s a huge chimney from a garbage treatment plant,
but it’s hard to see it as anything but a variation on a Dark Tower.
Episode 45: “The Dark Gate”
Screenplay: Atsushi Maekawa
Director: Hiroyuki Kakudou
Shakkoumon and Imperialdramon both have a fairly considerable height at 18 meters,
so shooting the scene was difficult.
During the middle, they reverted to their Child forms,
but in the photo, we had to start shooting soon, so there’s Shakkoumon, waiting after having Jogressed.
He’ll soon be at a familiar setting to Digimon, Hikarigaoka’s main street.
Continuing from the previous episode, the practical shooting was at night.
Episode 46: “BlackWarGreymon VS WarGreymon”
Screenplay: Hiro Masaki
Director: Takao Yoshizawa
After the World Arc and Tokyo Arc, this time the stage is at Shizuoka.
It was also the destination for the Digimon staff trip last December,
from Fuji-Q Highland to the Isawa Hot Springs,
and at the time the director, Yoshizawa-san, was acting out of his way so he could get photos.
You’ve worked hard.
The photo is BlackWarGreymon’s Gaia Force,
right before WarGreymon repels it.
From now on, whenever he fires off his own attacks,
he doesn’t need to yell “Original! Gaia Force!”
Episode 47: “BlackWarGreymon’s Seal”
Screenplay: Genki Yoshimura
Director: Takenori Kawada
Well, the identity of the mysterious man, Yukio Oikawa, has finally become clear.
He was probably born in 1970.
Space Invaders games were popular during his days in elementary school,
and by the time he got to middle school the Famicom28 had been released,
so he’s from that era.
You could say he’s from the first digital generation. And then…
From today on,
the theatrical movie Diablomon Strikes Back will be out.
Chronologically, this takes place after the incidents of 02 have ended,
taking place one month after (haha) Armor Evolution to the Unknown.
It’s the theater directorial debute of Takahiro Imamura, who’s always been lending his support to the Digimon TV series.
The usual narrator, Hiroaki Hirata,
is enjoying great success in the simultaneous screening of One Piece29 as Sanji.
Both are fun.
Note: the first theatrical greeting day was packed with visitors, and it was a great success.
For Daisuke’s actress, Kiuchi-san, and Ken’s actress, Park-san, it’s their last work in Digimon for now.
You’ve worked hard (^-^ゝ
Episode 48: “Terror! BelialVamdemon”
Screenplay: Hiro Masaki
Director: Hiroki Shibata
The villain carried over from last year’s Digimon series finally shows his face.
As seen from his name, it’s his third form, from Vamdemon, VenomVamdemon,
to BelialVamdemon.
As for his voice being different, there’s a reason for that.
Huh, I realized for the first time since I took this photo
that the screenplays for all the episodes with Vamdemon in the title have been written by Masaki-san.
I would like a subtitle that covers the contents of this episode
to be “The Last Moments of Archnemon and Mummymon”.
In the planning stages, Archnemon’s name was Sasoribellamon30.
Neither Digimon nor human, with elements of both,
a “youkai human”, or something like that, kind of Bellamon.
Furthermore, her human appearance was something like Female Convict 701: Scorpion.
In the design that came up, I was surprised to see her design being like that of a spider instead of a scorpion.
Somewhere in there, the two ended up being somewhat loveable villains. Thank you for your hard work.
What’s here from this point isn’t something that should particularly be official and is partially my personal fantasy,
but Archnemon was actually made from Oikawa’s genes, right?
So I don’t think her genes would be any different from that of a human’s, but…
Episode 49: “The Last Armor Evolution”
Screenplay: Atsushi Maekawa
Director: Atsutoshi Umezawa
I really want to say “All of them really are evolving and advancing together!”,
but unfortunately, Magnamon is absent (^^;)
The rest of the story will proceed with just the 02 regulars and BelialVamdemon.
You could say it’s a substantial close to Digimon Adventure 02.
Having the climax one episode before the end is a Toei tradition.
Although this is the last appearance of all the Armor Evolutions up until now,
if you want to see all the Armor Evolutions that didn’t get to appear,
please listen to the Drama CD Armor Evolution to the Unknown.
Oh, even though I did get Shurimon properly in the picture, he got hidden (^-^;A
Episode 50: “Our Digital World”
Screenplay: Genki Yoshimura
Director: Hiroyuki Kakudou
To everyone who watched for two years, thank you.
Daisuke Motomiya, V-mon, Miyako Inoue, Hawkmon, Iori Hida, Armadimon, Hikari Yagami, Tailmon, Patamon, Takeru Takaishi, Ken Ichijouji, Wormmon, Taichi Yagami, Agumon, Sora Takenouchi, Piyomon, Yamato Ishida, Gabumon, Koushirou Izumi, Tentomon, Mimi Tachikawa, Palmon, Jou Kido, Gomamon, Yukio Oikawa, the narration, Gennai, Pipimon, adult Takeru, Takeru’s son, Taichi’s son, adult Yamato, adult Sora, Sora’s daughter, adult Mimi, Mimi’s son, adult Koushirou, Koushirou’s daughter, adult Hikari, Hikari’s son, adult Miyako, Miyako’s son, adult Ken, Iori’s daughter, adult Daisuke, Daisuke’s son, Takashi Yoshizawa, Hiroshi Shibata, Keiko Kurata, Noriko Kawada, Noriko’s father, Noriko’s mother, Shin Kido, Yamato’s father, Takeru’s mother, Daisuke’s mother, Taichi’s mother, Miyako’s oldest sister Momoe, Koushirou’s father, Sora’s father Haruhiko, Sora’s mother, Baby-level Digimon 1, 2, and 3, a boy, Lou, Maria, Steve, Sam, the three Poi brothers, Yuehong, Mina, Dingo, Catherine, Anna, Rola, Yuri, Chichos.
The cast table is here.
I don’t have anything more to say other than that there were many people and Digimon who appeared.
Cast table
Daisuke Motomiya = adult Daisuke, Daisuke’s son, third Poi brother, Anna
V-mon = Keiko Kurata, second Poi brother
Miyako Inoue = adult Miyako, Noriko’s mother, Miyako’s oldest sister Momoe, Chichos
Hawkmon
Iori Hida = Iori’s daughter, Noriko Kawada, Daisuke’s mother, Catherine = Armadimon
Hikari Yagami = adult Hikari, Hikari’s son, Lou, Sam
Tailmon = Takashi Yoshizawa, Maria
Patamon = Hiroshi Shibata
Takeru Takaishi = Takeru’s son
Ken Ichijouji = Miyako’s son, adult Ken, Rola
Wormmon = Yuri
Taichi Yagami = Pipimon, Taichi’s son, Sora’s mother
Agumon = Takeru’s mother, Dingo
Sora Takenouchi = adult Sora, Sora’s daughter, Taichi’s mother
Piyomon = Baby-level Digimon 3
Yamato Ishida = adult Yamato, oldest Poi brother
Gabumon = Yamato’s son, boy
Koushirou Izumi = Koushirou’s daughter
Tentomon = adult Koushirou, Noriko’s father, Steve
Mimi Tachikawa = adult Mimi, Mimi’s son, Baby-level Digimon 2, Mina
Palmon
Jou Kido = Shin Kido, Koushirou’s father
Gomamon = Baby-level Digimon 1, Yuehong
Yukio Oikawa = BelialVamdemon, Sora’s father Haruhiko
Narration = Gennai, adult Takeru, Yamato’s father
By the way, during the display of their jobs on the screen, other than the narration,
all of the lines were ad-libbed by the actors themselves.
Translator's notes
- Refers to the Toei-produced tokusatsu movie Kamen Rider ZO, from 1993. [↩]
- Refers to the fact Hawkmon’s voice actor, Kouichi Tohchika, plays Mr. Hamasaki in episode 1. Thus, Director Kakudou was expecting one to wonder why a voice actor like him (who’d already had some major roles by that point) would be playing a one-off, minor character. [↩]
- Refers to Aichi Prefecture in Nagoya. [↩]
- The hypothetical Sora and Jou combination refers to the first character of “Integrity” (誠実) when interpreted by itself (誠) meaning “truth”; writing “Love and Truth” thus creates a reference to Love and Truth (愛と誠), a famous 1973 manga adapted into live-action multiple times. One of its famous quotes is from the character Ai’s classmate Hiroshi Iwashimizu, who writes a letter to her saying “I could die for you!” (kimi no tame nara shineru!) [↩]
- Yet another pun on Hikari’s name being “light”. [↩]
- Refers to the fact that the word used in “Evil Spiral” is in English, therefore the explanation in Japanese. [↩]
- The Japanese folk group Alice has a song called “Winter Lightning” (冬の稲妻, “Fuyu no Inazuma“). [↩]
- In Japanese, Lighdramon is pronounced “raidoramon“, so Director Kakudou is comparing the raido to the English “ride”. [↩]
- None of it concerns Digimon, if you’re curious. Be warned if you’re interested in checking it out; it contains some pretty graphic stuff. [↩]
- The title and comment are a reference to Toei’s Fujimaru of the Wind and its opening song. [↩]
- A parody of Toei’s tokusatsu series Masked Ninja Akakage. [↩]
- Here Director Kakudou switches to the theme song from the Akakage movie. [↩]
- Marine Day = A Japanese national holiday in July. [↩]
- “Wizardmon’s Gift” was typo’d as “Wizarmon’s Gift” (following Wizarmon’s Japanese romanization) on the original page. [↩]
- Refers to this story. [↩]
- No, he never told us. [↩]
- The “qui”’s transliteration to Japanese, クィ, isn’t a standard Japanese compound and requires a bit of fiddling to type. [↩]
- The siblings’ names are Momoe (百恵), Chizuru (千鶴), and Mantarou (万里), and Miyako (京). Respectively, 百, 千, 万, and 京 are “one hundred”, “one thousand”, “ten thousand”, and “ten quadrillion”. Hence, Miyako being so far above the others in number. [↩]
- Youkai = A type of spirit in Japanese folklore. [↩]
- Watanabe no Tsuna, a legendary samurai. [↩]
- Shikigami = conjured spirits that can be bound into paper dolls. [↩]
- A reference to a book by Tatsuo Shimizu titled Torn Channel (裂けて海峡, “Sakete Kaikyou“). [↩]
- Bikkuriman = Refers to a Toei anime series from the 80s based off a snack mascot by Lotte; Kakudou had previously worked on the series. The character Prince Yamato gains a powered-up form “Explosive God Yamato” (ヤマト爆神, “Yamato Bakushin“), so Kakudou refers to this character probably coming to mind due to the word “Explosive Assault” (爆進, “bakushin“) in the title. [↩]
- “Being asleep” in this sentence (more specifically falling asleep by “crashing”) is bakusui. [↩]
- Shakkoumon is visually based off a doguu, mysterious clay figures excavated in Japan that we still have no idea what purpose they were for. [↩]
- Inspector Kenmochi and Superintendent Akechi = Characters from Kindaichi Case Files. Kenmochi is voiced by Qinglongmon’s voice actor Juurota Kosugi, while Akechi is voiced by Mummymon’s voice actor Toshiyuki Morikawa. [↩]
- Ran-chan = Ran Mouri from Detective Conan, who’s voiced by Archnemon’s voice actress Wakana Yamazaki. [↩]
- Famicom = Short for the “Family Computer”, this was the original name of the Nintendo game console that was eventually remodeled and released for the Western market as the Nintendo Entertainment System (NES). [↩]
- Misspelled as One Peace on the original website. [↩]
- サソリベラモン (Sasoriberamon), a combination of sasori (scorpion) and “bella”. [↩]