Hey fellas: I just saw Digimon Adventure- Last Kizuna, and… it’s not exactly what I was expecting. I mean, as a Digimon movie, it’s at least better than the 2000 one. As a movie on its on merit, it’s all right; but as a finale to the series? Personally, it’s a bit of a disappointment. They tried to sell this as the “Logan” or “Endgame” of the original storyline, but it instead comes off more like “Dark Phoenix.” There will be some spoilers for the film if you care, but nothing you probably don’t already know; so let’s get started.
The basic plot is as follows: five years have passed since the events of the Tri movies; and 20 years since the events of the original TV series. As the Chosen Children/Digidestined are on the verge of graduating college and going their separate ways, it’s discovered that so too are their Digimon as their bond wanes; right as a pair of enigmatic people from New York and a new Digimon threat known as Eosmon threatens both the digital world and real world alike.
Essentially, if you have any familiarity with the franchise; you have a solid idea of what to expect already. I appreciated the risks the Tri movies took even if not everyone did; but this movie surprisingly plays it safe. In fact, I was able to telegraph many of the plot points before they actually took place. For the record, I only skimmed summaries beyond the previews; but before I begin detailing the issues I have with this movie’s handling of the story; I will point out the good things in it.
First and foremost, the animation is quite impressive; really showing off how many advances there have been since the original, especially in the action sequences. The sound is also great, with the music being energetic and the voice acting being a big factor of praise in both dubbed and subbed versions. I am glad they got the original cast back for the former, and in the latter; they found another strong replacement for Tai’s original VA after her untimely passing.
Now, comes my thoughts on the story; and it’s not the first time I’ve felt this way about anime that’s well-regarded either. Many fans felt this to be a worthy and emotional sendoff for the original anime: I didn’t. On the contrary, I felt this had to be one of the most uneven mixes of both past and present since the infamous finale of Enterprise, “These are the Voyages.” I didn’t hate that either; but given how that’s my least favorite Star Trek finale, it’s also not a comparison I make lightly.
This movie gets absurdly heavy-handed with its metaphors about age; and what’s meant to be the story’s emotional center instead ends up as its biggest detriment. In many ways, it’s almost like there were ideas for at least two different screenplays that were combined in this one. Part of me wonders if it might have been better to make this an OVA series instead of just one 94-minute film. It really doesn’t help that on top of not implementing the whole “growing up without growing apart” thread that well; the “adult” parts of the movie just feel really forced. Characters getting drunk at a soba parlor? Check. Agumon stumbling upon Tai’s stash of girlie movies? Yup. Characters trying to figure out a life path that’s somewhere in between a stereotypical “Generation Z” member and an extra from “Reality Bites?” If the US theatrical release hadn’t been cancelled by this pandemic, I’d be filling out requests for my refund already.
Yet, that’s the fatal irony with this movie: the whole idea that age would be the end of the adventure is utter nonsense. In fact, this movie essentially takes far longer to tell the same story that the final episode of the first season did; but with less emotional impact. I don’t currently have plans for a full review of this movie; so I will try to keep things brief for my wrap-up.
Even with what the movie tries to say about predestination over free will; or the relationship between age and maturity; the film somehow gets less emotional response from me than the infamous scene of Tommy Westfall playing with a snow globe. I’m not saying they had to end it all with everyone getting turned into orange juice; but the finale of the TV series didn’t leave me feeling as empty. (Side note: I did at least like how this movie further de-canonized the infamous distant finale of 02, but how did I not notice that Davis/Daisuke was such a fracking simp? I didn’t think much of that when watching the show in between Beast Machines and Power Rangers back in the day, but wow did his pursuit of Kari not age well.)
Despite the best efforts of the denouement itself, I felt nothing. When the audience has no emotional investment in the story, the departure just doesn’t work. At its core, the film doesn’t seem to understand that maturity and adventure are not mutually exclusive. That’s a major reason why Spirited Away isn’t just my favorite Miyazaki film; but one of my all-time favorite movies: Chihiro’s arc and her subsequent goodbye to Kohaku was much more effective and emotionally-resonant to me.
Above all, while “Digimon Adventure: Last Kizuna” may not be the worst finale I’ve ever seen; but it’s also not the finale other people I know praised so much. It’s at least better than the 2000 Digimon movie, and an OK movie on its own; but it’s a bit of a disappointing finale to this story. If you want a good Digimon anime, just go rewatch Tamers on Hulu; as I plan to. I leave you with one of my favorite quotes from a much better story about the line between maturity and wonder, the classic “The Little Prince:” “It’s all a great mystery, look up at the sky and you’ll see how everything changes.”
That will be all for now, I will talk more about The Crown Tundra once it has a concrete release date. Later.
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