The appeal and evaluation of "Digimon Tamers" the runaway Digimon express

Digimon Tamers: Runaway Digimon Express: The City's Crisis and the Tamers' Courage

■ Public Media

theater

■ Original Media

game

■ Release date

March 2, 2002 - January 1, 0000

■Distribution company

Toei

■ Eirin Number

26706

■Frequencies

half an hour

■ Number of Episodes

Episode 1

■Original Story

・Original story by Akiyoshi Hongo (serialized in Shueisha's "V Jump")

■ Director

Tetsuji Nakamura

■ Production

"2002 Spring Toei Anime Fair" Production Committee (Toei/Toei Animation/Shueisha/Fuji Television/Bandai)

■ Story

An unidentified locomotive-like Digimon, Locomon, suddenly appears on the Yamanote Line in Tokyo, destroying traffic signals and running wild! Tokyo is thrown into total panic. What is its purpose?
With everything still shrouded in mystery, Takato, Jun and Ruki bravely face the out-of-control express train, but even Ruki finds himself being controlled by someone!
But the real battle begins here...

■Explanation

The hugely popular TV anime and game series "Digimon Tamers" is now back in the big screen! A runaway train suddenly appears in the middle of Tokyo, the capital of Japan! Tamers Takato, Jun, and Ruki will face it together with their evolved partner Digimon!

■Cast

・Guilmon/Masako Nozawa ・Takato Matsuda/Makoto Tsumura ・Terriermon/Aoi Tada ・Jianglia Li/Mayumi Yamaguchi ・Renamon/Yuka Imai ・Ruki Makino/Fumiko Orikasa

■ Main staff

・Original story by Akiyoshi Hongo (serialized in Shueisha's "V Jump")
・Planning/Atsunari Baba・Director/Tetsuji Nakamura・Script/Hiro Masaki・Character design/Katsuyoshi Nakatsuru・Chief animation director/Ken Ueno・Music/Kohei Tanaka・Art director/Shinzo Yuki・Production manager/Yoichi Takanashi・Music/Kouki Arisawa・Theme song/"The Biggest Dreamer" by Mitsuji Wada (NEC Interchannel)

■Detailed review

Digimon Tamers: Runaway Digimon Express is a short film released in 2002 that is a must-see for fans of the Digimon Tamers series. The film depicts a tense situation in which a runaway train suddenly appears in the center of a city, and tells the story of a group of tamers who put their courage and friendship to the test.

The story is set on Tokyo's Yamanote Line. A Digimon named Locomon suddenly appears, destroys traffic signals, and goes on a rampage. This scene visually expresses the horror of the city's everyday life collapsing in an instant, and leaves a strong impact on the audience. Locomon's design is based on a locomotive, giving it a sense of weight and power. In particular, the scenes in which the train runs are a skilful combination of CG and hand-drawn animation, achieving both realistic movement and the appeal of animation.

The scene where the three tamers, Takato, Jun and Ruki, take on Locomon symbolizes the series' themes of "friendship" and "courage". In particular, the scene where Ruki is controlled by someone depicts her inner conflict, giving a sense of depth to her character. Additionally, the evolution scenes of partner Digimon such as Guilmon, Terriermon and Renamon are visually spectacular, providing a touching moment for fans.

Director Tetsuji Nakamura skillfully depicts the tension-filled scenes and the emotions of the characters, wrapping up the story in a short 30-minute time slot. Screenwriter Masaki Hiro succeeds in deeply moving the audience by depicting the crisis facing the city and the growth of the Tamers. Character designer Katsuyoshi Nakatsuru and animation director Ken Ueno pay close attention to the details of the characters' expressions and movements, making for a visually appealing film.

The music is also an important element that enhances the appeal of this film. The music by Kohei Tanaka and Koki Arisawa effectively creates tense and moving scenes, evoking emotions in the viewers. In particular, the theme song "The Biggest Dreamer" features Koji Wada's powerful voice and lyrics that symbolize the theme of the story, helping to liven up the ending of the film.

■Character Analysis

Takato: The protagonist of the series and Guilmon's tamer. His growth as a man who values ​​courage and friendship is depicted in this film. His leadership and determination are especially tested in the scene where he faces Locomon. Jun: Terriermon's tamer and Takato's best friend. Her cheerfulness and kindness add color to the story. Her courage and friendship are tested in the battle with Locomon, and it is an opportunity for her to grow. Ruki: Renamon's tamer, cool and rational. Her inner conflict is depicted in this film, and her weakness and strength are contrasted in the scene where she is manipulated by someone. Guilmon: Takato's partner Digimon. His loyal and brave evolution scene is visually moving and tests his bond with Takato. Terriermon: Jun's partner Digimon. His humorous and adorable evolution scene will put a smile on the viewers' faces. Renamon: Ruki's partner Digimon. Her cool and powerful evolution scene symbolizes her bond with Ruki and is visually very impressive.

■Production Background

Digimon Tamers: Runaway Digimon Express was released as part of the Toei Anime Fair in the spring of 2002. The fair is a festival of anime movies held every spring, where many popular works are screened. The film was made on the back of the popularity of the Digimon Tamers series, and was released in a way that met the expectations of fans.

The original work was serialized in Shueisha's "V Jump" magazine by Akiyoshi Hongo, and the popularity of the game led to the decision to make a film. Toei, Toei Animation, Shueisha, Fuji TV, and Bandai participated in the production, bringing together a stellar cast of staff. In particular, director Tetsuji Nakamura is highly regarded by fans of the Digimon series, and his direction contributed greatly to the success of this film.

■ Viewer reactions

This movie was highly praised by fans of the Digimon Tamers series. In particular, the design of Locomon and the scenes depicting the city's crisis had a strong visual impact and moved many viewers. In addition, the story depicting the growth and friendship of Takato, Jun, and Ruki touched the hearts of viewers. The theme song, "The Biggest Dreamer," was also highly praised by viewers and helped to liven up the ending of the movie.

■ Recommendation points

"Digimon Tamers: Runaway Digimon Express" is a must-see for fans of the Digimon Tamers series. The story depicts the crisis in the city and the courage and friendship of the tamers, deeply moving the audience. Also, Locomon's design and evolution scene are visually stunning, making it a touching moment for fans. Furthermore, the theme song "The Biggest Dreamer" has a powerful voice and lyrics that touch the audience's hearts, symbolizing the theme of the story and helping to liven up the ending of the movie.

The film wraps up its story in a short 30-minute run and succeeds in deeply moving the viewer. In particular, director Tetsuji Nakamura's direction and screenwriter Masaki Hiro's storytelling have the power to draw the viewer in. Character designer Katsuyoshi Nakatsuru and animation director Ken Ueno's attention to detail add to the film's visual appeal.

The music is also an important element in enhancing the appeal of this film, and the music by Kohei Tanaka and Kouki Arisawa effectively creates tense and moving scenes. In particular, the theme song "The Biggest Dreamer" with Koji Wada's powerful voice and lyrics symbolizes the theme of the story, helping to liven up the ending of the film.

Digimon Tamers: Runaway Digimon Express is a must-see for fans of the Digimon Tamers series, and its story of the city's crisis and the courage and friendship of the tamers will deeply touch viewers. The film's visual appeal and powerful music combine to provide viewers with a moving experience, making it a must-see.