The appeal and evaluation of the movie "Duel Masters: Bonds of Fire XX!!"

A comprehensive review and recommendation of "Duel Masters: Bonds of Fire XX!!"

■Overview of the work

Duel Masters the Movie: Bonds of Fire XX!! is the third film in the Duel Masters series, released on August 21, 2010. The film is based on the original work by Wizards of the Coast, Shigenobu Matsumoto, Shogakukan, and Mitsui & Co., and is directed by Keidai Hattori. It was distributed by Toho and released as a 25-minute short film. Animation was handled by Shogakukan Music and Digital Entertainment, production by Shogakukan Shueisha Productions, and production by Takara Tomy.

■ Story

The Darkness Civilization has attacked the Fire Civilization to take over! Katsumi and Rekuta come to the Duel Masters world to save the Fire Civilization from this pinch. However, what Katsumi sees there is the pathetic state of Storm XX, the trump card of the Fire Civilization... At that moment, Storm XX's best friend Reppi Ainy and Rekuta are captured by a Darkness Civilization creature. Will Katsumi be able to save Rekuta and Reppi Ainy? And what will become of the fate of the Fire Civilization?

■Explanation

"Duel Masters" is a popular series among elementary school students, with a monthly circulation of 1 million copies, and is serialized in the monthly CoroCoro Comic (Shogakukan). The TV anime is also broadcast on TV Tokyo's "Oha Coro" time slot, and is extremely popular. This movie version follows the film adaptation from last fall, and this year it was shown as a super luxurious double feature with "Beyblade".

■Cast

• Winning Trump: Yumiko Kobayashi
• Kakuko Rekuta: Yuka Imai
• Twilight Mimi: Saki Nakajima
• George Kamamoto: Norio Wakamoto
• Tenchi Ryuga: Tomokazu Seki
• White Phoenix: Junko Minagawa
• Dr. Route: Tanaka Kan
• Diablos: Kazuya Tatekabe
• Storm: Takeharu Onishi
• Leppi Aini: Misato Fukuen
• Cocco Lupia: Masayuki Makiguchi
• Soul Vice: Tetsuji Ota
• Galatia Dragoon Leader: Yoshimitsu Shimoyama
• Galatia Dragoon: Tatsuya Kuramochi
• Death Curl: Hiromu Miyazaki
• Quakes: Kyosuke Suzuki
• Romanov: Takuya Sato

■ Main staff

• Original Work: Wizards of the Coast, Shogakukan, Mitsui & Co.
• Director: Keita Hattori
• Screenplay: Katsuro Hidaka
• Produced by: Takara Tomy
• Animation Production: Shogakukan Music and Digital Entertainment
• Produced by: Shogakukan Shueisha Productions

■ Main Characters

• Katsumi Kirifuda: A passionate duelist who loves DM. He was brought to the DM world by Reppi Aini to save the Fire Civilization from a pinch.
• Kakuko Rekuta: Katsumi's childhood friend. He was brought to the Fire civilization, but was abducted by creatures from the Dark civilization and taken hostage. He is knowledgeable about DM.
• Bakuryuu Storm XX: The last trump card of the Fire civilization. He lost confidence after being defeated by Diablos Z. He loves CoroCoro very much.
• Reppi Aini: A firebird who came to Katsumi for help when the Fire Civilization was in trouble. When he was a child, he was bullied but was saved by Storm XX.
• Diablos Z, the Awakened Annihilation: The boss of the Dark Civilization that is trying to take over the Fire Civilization. He resides in the black cloud of a giant volcano. What is his true aim in targeting the Fire Civilization?

■ Related works

• Duel Masters
• Duel Masters Charge
• New Star Duel Masters Flash
• Zero Duel Masters
• Duel Masters Zero Special Edition
• Duel Masters Zero
• Duel Masters Cross
• Duel Masters Cross Special Edition Summon Special!
• Duel Masters Cross Special Edition Summon! Our Creatures!
• Duel Masters Cross Shock
• Duel Masters Victory
• Duel Masters Victory V
• Duel Masters Victory V3
• Duel Masters VS
• Duel Masters VSR
• Duel Masters VSRF
• Duel Masters 2017 Edition
• Duel Masters!
• Duel Masters King
• Duel Masters the Movie: Curse of Death Phoenix
• Duel Masters the Movie: Lunatic God Saga

■ Evaluation

"Duel Masters the Movie: Bonds of Fire XX!!" is a work that fans of the series cannot miss. Despite its short running time, the story is very dense, and the tension-filled development of the conflict between the Fire and Dark civilizations is appealing. In particular, the human-like growth story of the characters of Bakuryu Storm XX has the power to move not only children but also adults.

The story revolves around Katsumi and Rekuta's efforts to save the Fire Civilization. Katsumi's passion and Rekuta's knowledge are combined to create a beautiful teamwork that shows the power of friendship. Storm XX's story of self-doubt and rebirth will surely inspire viewers. Reppi Aini's character is also deepened through her friendship with Storm XX, adding color to the story.

The acting of the cast is also excellent, with Yumiko Kobayashi as Katsumi and Yuka Imai as Rekuta, who express the emotions of their characters realistically. In particular, the voice of Takeharu Onishi, who plays Storm XX, skillfully conveys the character's suffering and growth. Also, do not miss the powerful performance of Kazuya Tatekabe, who plays Diablos Z.

Visually, the contrast between the fire and darkness civilizations is vividly depicted, creating a strong visual impact. In particular, the scene where Diablos Z resides in the black clouds of a giant volcano has an overwhelming presence both visually and aurally. This is a scene that highlights the technical capabilities of animation production company Shogakukan Music and Digital Entertainment.

The music also adds to the atmosphere of the film, especially the battle scenes, which heighten the sense of tension. The screenwriter, Katsuro Hidaka's skillful storytelling also adds to the film's appeal.

■Recommendation

"Duel Masters: Bonds of Fire XX!!" is recommended not only for fans of the series, but also for those who are new to Duel Masters. Although it has a short running time, it depicts universal themes such as friendship, growth, and courage, and will be enjoyed by a wide range of age groups. Children in particular will be able to learn a lot from Storm XX's growth story. Also, by watching it together with other works in the series, you can enjoy the world of Duel Masters even more deeply.

This work will be available on DVD and streaming services after screening in theaters. Please watch it with your family and friends and feel the battle between the fire and darkness civilizations and the power of friendship. By experiencing the world of "Duel Masters", you will be able to reaffirm the importance of courage and friendship in your daily life.

■ Additional information

The "Duel Masters" series is based on a card game and has been adapted into a wide range of media mixes, including not only TV anime and movies, but also manga and novels. Throughout the series, stories of the growth and friendship of various characters are depicted, making it a series that fans cannot miss.

Another notable point is that this movie was shown as a double feature with "Beyblade." Both films are popular series among children, so being able to enjoy both at the cinema was a big attraction. This was an opportunity for not only "Duel Masters" fans, but also "Beyblade" fans to experience the world of "Duel Masters."

Furthermore, compared to other movies in the series, this film has been praised for its dense storyline and the way the characters grow. In particular, the human-like growth story of the characters in Bakuryu Storm XX will be remembered as one of the most moving episodes in the series.

"Duel Masters: The Movie - Bonds of Fire XX!!" is a must-see for fans of the series, and even for those who are new to Duel Masters, it is a wonderful work that teaches the importance of friendship and courage. Please enjoy the world of Duel Masters through this work.