Bandai Namco has announced a reboot of the 1999 Digimon Adventure anime.
First announced in the March issue of V Jump, and later confirmed as a reboot in a press release by Bandai Namco (via Anime News Network), Digimon Adventure will be set in 2020. Even initial details about the plot indicate some changes.
For example, Taichi Yagami (known as Tai in the English dub) now a fifth grader is preparing for summer camp when a massive network malfunction strikes Tokyo. While Taichi’s mom and sister Hikari (Kairi in the English dub) are stuck on a runaway train, Taichi tires to get to Shibuya to help. Before he gets there, he is plunged into the Digital World, with the other DigiDestined.
For those unfamiliar with the original series, the DigiDestined were all already together at summer camp, before being thrown into the Digital World. Most of the DigiDestined were also at Odaiba Middle School (including Taichi) rather than elementary school.
You can find the list of confirmed staff (via Anime News Network) below:
Staff
- Producers: Hiroyuki Sakurada, Matsuki Hanae, Naoko Sagawa
- Series Director: Masato Mitsuka
- Animation: Toei Animation
- Chief Animation Director: Akihiro Asanuma
- Art Director: Ryoka Kinoshita
- Script Supervision: Atsuhiro
- Character Design: Katsuyoshi Nakatsuru (Character Designer on the original Digimon Adventure)
- Art Setting: Toshiki Amada
In addition, a new trading card game will launch in Spring 2020.
The original Digimon Adventure has seen a resurgence with Digmon Adventure tri. (a six episode theatrical-length feature), and upcoming film Digimon Adventure: Last Evolution Kizuna premiering on February 21st.
Digmon Adventure tri. also acted as a reboot or alternate timeline to Digimon Adventure 02- portrayed as a continuation of the series in the English (under the same series name, Digimon). While still relatively popular, rumors persist that the show had a troubled production.
This included head writers Genki Yoshimura and Atsushi Maekawa wanting to take the show in different directions, alleged demands from their superiors, plot lines and villains dropped suddenly, an ending that some fans feel was rushed, and an epilogue that they felt out of place for certain characters (such as their careers, and who they fell in love with).
Digimon Adventure premieres April 20th on Fuji TV in Japan.
Image: Anime News Network
