Digimon Tamers

Digimon Tamers
Digimon Tamers
デジモンテイマーズ (Dejimon Teimāzu)
Genre	Action, Adventure
Anime television series
Directed by	Yukio Kaizawa
Written by	Chiaki J. Konaka
Studio	Toei Animation
Original network	Fuji TV
English network	YTV (Canada) Network Ten, Fox Kids (Australia) Fox Kids, ABC Family, Toon Disney (USA) CITV, Fox Kids (United Kingdom) Cartoon Network (Philippines)
Original run	April 1, 2001 – March 31, 2002
Episodes	51
Anime film
Battle of Adventurers
Studio	Toei Animation
Released	July 14, 2001
Runtime	50 minutes
Anime film
Runaway Locomon
Studio	Toei Animation
Released	March 2, 2002
Runtime	30 minutes
Related works
Digimon Adventure Digimon Adventure 02 Digimon Frontier Digimon Data Squad (Savers) Digimon Xros Wars

Digimon Tamers (デジモンテイマーズ, Dejimon Teimāzu) is the third animated series based on the Japanese Digimon franchise, first broadcast in 2001 on Fuji TV in Japan and on Fox Kids in the United States. The story takes place initially in a "alternative" universe, on a world much like Earth where Digimon is just a franchise, composed of video games, a collectible card game, and a cartoon series. A group of three 12-year-olds (10-year olds in the Japanese version), Takato, Henry and Rika (fans of the Digimon card game) meet their own Digimon friends and start to duel "bio-emerging" Digimon who cross the barrier between the information network, synthesizing proteins and becoming real. Most of it is set in the modern Shinjuku ward of Tokyo, Japan and only changes scenario to the Digital World for a short time. Digimon Tamers is significantly darker than its predecessors and deals with storylines more for older audiences.

Plot

Arc 1 (episodes 1-24)

One day Takato creates his own Digimon Guilmon when he slips a mysterious blue card he found in his deck through his hand-held card reading device, changing it into a D-Power (called a D-Arc in Japan), the Tamers version of a Digivice. The appearance and powers of this Digimon come from Takato's sketches that were scanned into the device. Guilmon bio-emerges from the Digital World and is found later by Takato. Henry meets his Digimon Terriermon when he rises from the screen of a computer game, while Rika's Digimon Renamon approached her to ask to be made stronger, since Rika was famous for her skills on the Digimon card game. Early in the series, the three Tamers and their Digimon duel foreign Digimon that are emerging into their world. Takato, Henry and their partners begin working together, while Rika and Renamon prefer to fight on their own; however, they all soon realize that much more is at stake during their battles and the six unite as a team. They also encounter two more Digimon, who become regular characters in the series: Calumon, a mysterious Digimon that has the power to make other Digimon digivolve, but dislikes fighting, and only wants to play and eat junk food, and Impmon, a Digimon that left his Tamers because he was sick of their bickering and selfishness, and thinks that all Digimon with Tamers are a disgrace. Other characters, Kazu, Kenta, Jeri (Takato's friends from school) and Suzie (Henry's little sister) become Tamers later on in the series, and Ryo (Rika's rival and legendary Digimon Tamer) is introduced after the team enter the Digital World. Along the way, the kids learn to be responsible for those creatures as a mysterious man known as Yamaki tries to stop wild Digimon from coming to the real world. From the secret government agency called Hypnos, Yamaki was in charge of monitoring all Digimon activity around the globe.

Arc 2 (episodes 25-51)

Later, when a group of evil Digimon calling themselves the Devas, who, serving the Digimon Sovereigns, believe that true Digimon shouldn't pair up with humans (it is later revealed they were actually misguided), the trio of Tamers and their Digimon defend their world against them. The Devas' true purpose for entering the human world was to capture Calumon, and take him back to the Digital World, so that they could use his power of Digivolution. The Tamers and their friends then decide to leave for the Digital World to rescue Calumon. They destroy all but one of the Devas (Antylamon turned to the side of good and became Suzie's Digimon partner) and confront Impmon, who had digivolved to his mega form, Beelzemon, after making a deal with the Sovereign for more power, in exchange for eliminating the Tamers. Jeri's partner, Leomon, is killed by Beelzemon, which causes Jeri to fall into depression. Beelzemon is defeated by Gallantmon. After traveling the Digital World on their quest, the Tamers meet (and fight with) one of the four Digital Gods, but finally agree to work together in order to destroy the D-Reaper, a computer program initially designed to keep digital life from getting out of control, but it itself became rampant. The Tamers not only must save both worlds from the D-Reaper, but also rescue Jeri, who has been taken by the renegade program and is, unwilling and unknown to her, feeding it information with her sadness. A huge battle ensues with Takato, Henry, Rika, Ryo and their Digimon versus the D-Reaper, with Takato trying to rescue Jeri while the others try to finish of the D-Reaper for good. After a massive battle, the D-Reaper is finally defeated when Henry and Terriermon implement a plan created by Hypnos and the Monster Makers and manage to devolve the D-Reaper back to its original, harmless state, and send it back into the Digital World. Takato and Guilmon succeed in rescuing Jeri, and everyone is rescued by Takato's friends Kazu and Kenta and their Digimon. The Digimon however, are forced to return to the Digital World.

Several new elements are introduced in this season, including the use of game cards in conjunction with the Digivices to give different powers to the Digimon, the presence of Calumon, a lone Digimon responsible for the Digimon evolutions, and the use of "biomerging" to bring the Digimon to their final Mega levels, by merging their bodies with their human partners. The season also continued the progression from Digimon Adventure, which was set in the Digital World with only a temporary return to the real world, through Digimon Adventure 02, where the characters returned from the Digital World to rest after most episodes: in Tamers the action is entirely within the real world, with a journey to the Digital World mid-season. This third season as well marks the first entry in a Digimon anime series, featuring the Tamers facing off the last battle against a non-Digimon, digital entity (the D-Reaper) taking place in the real world at the series end.

Characters

Main article: List of Digimon Tamers characters

Main characters

Character	Voice actor	Digimon	Voice actor
Takato Matsuki Matsuda Takato (松田 啓人)	Brian Beacock (EN) Makoto Tsumura (JP)	Guilmon	Steven Blum (EN) Masako Nozawa (JP)
An imaginative young boy who created his own partner Digimon, and gradually emerges as the unofficial leader of the Tamers. He imagined Guilmon and brought him to life after discovering his Digivice.
Henry Wong Li Jianliang/Ri Jenrya (李 健良)	Dave Wittenberg (EN) Mayumi Yamaguchi (JP)	Terriermon	Mona Marshall (EN) Aoi Tada (JP)
A half-Japanese/half-Chinese boy, the voice of reason in the group. He chose Terriermon as his partner in a video game.
Rika Nonaka Makino Ruki (牧野 留姫)	Melissa Fahn (EN) Fumiko Orikasa (JP)	Renamon	Mari Devon (EN) Yuka Imai (JP)
A tomboyish, headstrong female Tamer who is a champion Digimon card player and initially the most experienced against fighting Digimon. She chose Renamon out of her desire for the strongest partner.
Ryo Akiyama Akiyama Ryō (秋山 リョウ)	Steve Staley (EN) Junichi Kanemaru (JP)	Cyberdramon	Lex Lang (EN) Ikkei Seta (JP)
An enigmatic tamer that went missing after beating Rika, and taking first place in the Digimon Card Tournament.
Jeri Katou Katō Juri (加藤樹莉)	Bridget Hoffman (EN) Yoko Asada (JP)	Leomon	Paul St. Peter (EN) Hiroaki Hirata (JP)
A female tamer who is one of Takato's friends from school. She has a poor relationship with her father, as a result of her mother's death.
Kazu Shioda Shiota Hirokazu (塩田 博和)	Brad MacDonald (EN) Yukiko Tamaki (JP)	Guardromon	Richard Cansino (EN) Yanada Kiyoyuki (JP)
A comedic tamer who is very good friends with Takato and Kenta, and often defeats them in the Digimon Card Game. He also idolizes Ryo.
Kenta Kitagawa Kitagawa Kenta (北川 健太)	Steven Blum (EN) Tōko Aoyama (JP)	MarineAngemon	Wendee Lee (EN) Ai Iwamura (JP)
A Tamer who is very good friends with Takato and Kazu. He is considerably more resigned and less inclined to speak thoughtlessly compared to Kazu.
Suzie Wong Li Shaochung/Ri Shiuchon (李 小春)	Peggy O'Neal (EN) Ai Nagano (JP)	Lopmon	Michelle Ruff (EN) Aoi Tada (JP)
Henry's little sister, and the third youngest Tamer (after Ai and Makoto). Initially unaware that Terriermon is alive, she treats the Digimon like a plush toy, much to Terriermon's chagrin.
Ai and Mako Ai (アイ) and Makoto (マコト)	Rebecca Forstadt & Wendee Lee (EN) Haruhi Terada & Miwa Matsumoto (JP)	Impmon	Derek Stephen Prince (EN) Hiroki Takahashi (JP)
Two young children whom Impmon first met during his first time in the human world; his experiences with their sibling rivalry gave him a strong dislike for humans. They reconciled with Impmon near the end of the season.

Secondary characters

• Calumon
• Alice McCoy and Dobermon
• Grani
• Locomon
• Monster Makers - Group of computer programmers/scientists who created the Digimon. Reunited by Yamaki.
  • Gorou Mizuno (水野 悟郎 Mizuno Gorō): Nickname "Shibumi". Continued on with the Digimon project after it was shut down in 1986. He later is able to help the kids while they are in the Digital World, as well as rejoining the Monster Makers in Shinjuku to help fight the D-Reaper. Voiced by Bob Glouberman (US).
  • Janyu Lee (李 鎮宇 Rī Janyū) / Janyu Wong: Nickname "Tao", Henry's father. He was voiced by Yoshiyuki Kaneko (Japan) and Jamieson Price (US).
  • Rob McCoy: Nickname "Dolphin", Alice's Grandfather, professor at Palo Alto University. Voiced by Tom Fahn (US).
  • Rai Aishuwarya: Nickname "Curly", professor at Miscatonic University. Voiced by Dorothy Elias-Fahn (US).
  • Babel: Real name unknown. Voiced by Neil Kaplan (US).
  • Daisy: Real or full name unknown. Voiced by Wendee Lee (US).

Antagonists

• D-Reaper: An evil computer responsible for making Digimon berserk. The main antagonist.
• Hypnos
  • Mitsuo Yamaki - Head of Hypnos. He was voiced by Susumu Chiba (Japan) and Steven Blum (US).
  • Reika Ootori (Ootori Reika) / Riley Ootori - Chief System Operator. Voiced by Tifanie Christun (English, Series) and Philece Sampler (English, Movie).
  • Megumi Onodera (Onodera Megumi) / Tally Onodera - System Operator. Voiced by Peggy O'Neal (US).
  • Man In Black - Unnamed Hypnos agent and field operative that is seen several times in the series. Voiced by R. Martin Klein.
• Zhuqiaomon: One of the four Sovereign, and the one who sent the Devas. Initially seems the antagonist, but later puts aside his quest to destroy humans.
• Mephistomon
• Parasimon

Media

Anime television series

Main article: List of Digimon Tamers episodes

Digimon Tamers aired 51 episodes on Fuji TV in Japan from April 1, 2001 to March 31, 2002, and on Fox Kids in the United States from September 1, 2001 to June 8, 2002. Recently It was aired on NTV7 in Malaysia. The Japanese version of Digimon Tamers (with English subtitles) was released on Hulu in February 2011.

Differences in the English dub

• In the original Japanese version of episode three, "To Fight or Not to Fight", Gargomon becomes drunk with power after Digivolving and begins shooting out of control. Two scenes are cut out during his rampage in the garage:
  • Gargomon's gun aiming at Rika's head (his arm is painted over, making it seem as if Gargomon is just looking at Rika).
  • Renamon scratches Gargomon over his eyes, drawing blood.
• In episode 8 (English: A Question of Trust), two scenes were removed:
  • A very short scene was cut between a couple talking. The man took out a cigarette, and failed to get his lighter to work. Impmon offered him fire, scaring the couple away. In the English version, the cigarette part was cut, replaced only by the woman discussing how they wanted a fire to keep them warm, and Impmon offered his fire.
• In episode 15, "Snakes Trains and Digimon", there are these edits:
  • The flag that Takato made has the Japanese words, "Digimon Tamers" changed to English.
  • The close-up scene of the theater sign is cut, because of the Japanese kanji characters that were on it.
• In episode 31, "Kazu's Upgrade", in the Japanese version, Orochimon demands to be fed sake, but in the dub it is change to milkshakes to avoid controversy.

Theme songs

Opening theme

• "The Biggest Dreamer" by Kōji Wada

Ending themes

• "My tomorrow" by AiM
  • Episodes: 1-23
• "Days -Aijō to Nichijō-" (Days-愛情と日常-, "Das (Love and Everyday)") by AiM
  • Episodes: 24-51

Insert songs

• "Brave story" by Michihiko Ohta
• "EVO" by Wild Child Bound
• "One Vision" by Takayoshi Tanimoto
• "3 Primary Colors" by Tamers
• "Kaze" (風, "Wind") by Kōji Wada

Anime films

Battle of Adventurers

Digimon Tamers: Battle of Adventurers (デジモンテイマーズ 冒険者たちの戦い, Dejimon Teimāzu: Bōkensha-tachi no Tatakai) is the fifth Digimon film. It was released in Japan on July 14, 2001. It was released in the United States on October 16, 2005.

The Tamers are on summer vacation and split up to enjoy themselves. Takato visits his cousin Kai in Okinawa with Guilmon, Henry investigates an underwater meteor with Terriermon, and Rika stays behind with Renamon to defend their city from invading Digimon. An evil Digimon known as Mephistomon emerges and puts into motion a plan that involves the new digital pet craze known as the V-Pet to disable worldwide communications and allow Digimon to cross over freely into the real world. The only way to stop this lies within the body of Seasarmon, the Digimon partner of Minami, the daughter of the creator of the V-Pets. There's no rest for the Tamers and their partners as they fight their toughest battle yet to save the world. Early mistranslated promo information cemented the idea that this movie was out of continuity with the series, but in the finished movie, there is very little to suggest that this could be true. Given that Kai goes on to appear later in the series itself, and knows who Guilmon is at the time, would suggest that the movie is in continuity.

The Tamers' Digimon in their Ultimate-level forms (WarGrowlmon, Rapidmon and Taomon) create a new attack. It consists of the Digimon changing into a crystallized form and combining together to form a giant bird made of pure energy. This move has been dubbed the "Trinity Burst". It has not been seen outside the movie.

Runaway Locomon

Digimon Tamers: Runaway Locomon originally released in Japan as Digimon Tamers: Runaway Digimon Express (デジモンテイマーズ 暴走デジモン特急, Dejimon Teimāzu: Bōsō no Dejimon Tokkyū) is the sixth Digimon film. It was released in Japan on March 2, 2002. It was released in the United States on October 2, 2005.

Entitled Digimon Tamers: The Runaway Digimon Express in Japan, this takes place after the series finale (technically in the Tamers Universe, six months after the D-Reaper was destroyed); in it, the Tamers are planning to throw Rika a surprise party, but their plans are derailed as they must try to stop a train-Digimon named Locomon, who is being controlled by Parasimon who has opened a portal to the Digital World that is allowing other Parasimon to cross over and invade the city. The movie served to provide insight on Rika, and also to confirm that the Tamers were, indeed, reunited with their Digimon partners after the series ended.

Chiaki Konaka states in his character notes (for Rika) that he "was not consulted" on Runaway Locomon, which possibly explains certain continuity errors. On this he also says: "However, ...Mr. Tetsuharu Nakamura [the director], [who was] an assistant director of the TV series... [and] Mr. Hiro Masaki,... a regular writer for the series... paid a great deal of attention to the psychological aspects of the series when completing the movie... I am very grateful to them for boldly illustrating the parts of Rika's family life that the TV series never explored."

Short story

This short story, written by Chiaki J. Konaka and illustrated by Kenji Watanabe, was published in 2002 in Volume 5 of SF Japan, a Japanese science fiction magazine. Tamers 1984 was intended for a more mature audience, specifically the adult fans of Digimon Tamers, and focused on the creation of the original Digimon program by the Monster Makers at Palo Alto University in the United States. It revolved around the roles and thoughts of each of the Monster Makers, and dealt largely with the philosophical and technological issues surrounding the creation of artificial intelligence.

Audio drama

This audio drama takes place one year after the end of the series, but therefore in ousting 2nd Tamers Movies (Runaway Locomon) from canon. The Tamers have yet to be reunited with their Digimon Partners, but the Monster Makers have discovered a way in which the Tamers may be able to send messages to the Digital World. However, it's not certain if it'll work, or if their Partners will receive their messages. But with the memories and love for their Partners guiding them, the Tamers each make their own emotional and heartfelt messages, hoping that their Partners will hear them. They talk about the past, their plans for the future, how they've changed, and most of all, how important they believe that their Partners were to them, and convey the hope and certainty that will meet up with each other once again.

Reception and analysis

Due to its differences from the first two Digimon series, Tamers received mixed reviews when it first aired in the United States (September 1, 2001). Tim Jones of THEM Anime writes, "Although Digimon Tamers has its faults (slow character development, a sudden change in new characters from the last season, and a less-than-exciting first half), the more you watch it, and the further you get into it, the more you'll enjoy it." In comparison to the first two series, Tamers also displayed darker undertones in its plot. According to English-language dub voice actor Dave Wittenberg, the new series possessed "an element of seriousness" that was not present in the first two seasons. Additionally, some parts would be better understood by older viewers due to the introduction of more difficult concepts.

The airing of Digimon Tamers coincided with the September 11 attacks, and in at least one case, the events have been analyzed within the context of the series. Margaret Schwartz of PopMatters writes, "As NPR and other […] media began to debate the September 11 images, I began to see just how important it was to consider how we as a culture define and experience "reality" […] Some argue that the shocking video footage […] is a necessary experience of the catastrophe—even a condition of it." She points out the metafictional story of Tamers where "bits of forgotten computer data have fused to become a separate world inhabited by live creatures". In acknowledging the line drawn between good and evil in the series, Schwartz writes, "The evil here consists in refusing to see that Digimon are "real", real creatures, and that destroying any one of them is in fact murder." Through the existence of intangible communication networks as a "product of human ingenuity", she concludes that "those of us in the "real" world have become so good at playing creator, at making "things" appear much like "real" creatures, that we tend to confuse the two."

Production cast and staff

Japanese cast

• Takao Ishii - Johnny Beckenstein
• Unshou Ishizuka - Vajramon
• Ai Iwamura - MarineAngemon
• Tomoko Kaneda - Culumon
• Yoshiyuki Kaneko - Janyu Lee
• Junichi Kanemaru - Ryo Akiyama
• Nobuaki Kanemitsu - Takehiro Matsuda
• Masako Katsuki - Pajiramon
• Masami Kikuchi - Rob McCoy (Dolphin), Grani
• Koichi Kitamura - Chou Sensei
• Jūrōta Kosugi - IceDevimon, Azulongmon, Mephistomon (Movie 5)
• Shinichi Kotani - Baihumon
• Miwa Matsumoto - Makoto
• Youko Matsuoka - Curly
• Kaya Matsutani - Nami Asanuma, Mie Matsuda
• Kotono Mitsuishi - Minami Uehara (Movie 5)
• Fumiko Miyashita - Megumi Onodera, Masahiko Kato
• Shuuichirou Moriyama - Zhuqiaomon
• Ai Nagano - Shaochung Lee, Reika Ootori
• Kenji Nomura - Babel
• Masako Nozawa - Narrator
• Tomo Saeki - Kai Urazoe
• Haruo Satou - Hajime Kato, Information Minister
• Ikkei Seta - Cyberdramon, Sandiramon
• Junichi Sugawara - Seiji Kurosawa
• Taro Suwa - Goro Mizuno (Shibumi)
• Aoi Tada - Lopmon
• Hiroki Takahashi - Impmon, Dobermon
• Yukiko Tamaki - Hirokazu Shiota
• Masahiko Tanaka - Mihiramon
• Haruhi Terada - Ai
• Kyousei Tsukui - Shiisamon
• Makoto Tsumura - Takato Matsuda
• Kiyoyuki Yanada - Guardromon
• Jouji Yanami - Ebonwumon
• Mari Yoshikura - Jaarin Lee
• Yuka Imai - Renamon, Rumiko Makino, Seiko Hata, Alice McCoy

English cast

*All Characters listed here are referred to by their English Names.

• Brian Beacock - Takato Matsuki, Gallantmon (shared)
• Beau Billingslea - Hagurumon, Musyamon
• Steven Blum - Guilmon/Growlmon/WarGrowlmon/Gallantmon (shared), Megidramon, Kenta Kitagawa, Yamaki, Rika's Father (Movie 6)
• Richard Cansino - Guardromon/Andromon, Labramon (Movie 5)
• Tifanie Christun - Riley, Mrs. Kitagawa
• Joey D'Auria - Chuchidarumon Elder
• Mari Devon - Renamon/Kyubimon/Taomon/Sakuyamon (shared)
• Brian Donovan - Narrator, Kai Urazoe (TV)
• Michael Earl - Mr. Akiyama
• Dorothy Elias-Fahn - Babamon, Curly, Harpymon
• Richard Epcar - Sinduramon, Cherrymon, Policeman, Ryuuji Tamashiro/Mephistomon/Gulfmon (Movie 5)
• Melissa Fahn - Rika Nonaka, Sakuyamon (shared)
• Tom Fahn - Jijimon, Dolphin
• Rebecca Forstadt - Ai
• Bob Glouberman - Shibumi
• Barbara Goodson - Seiko Hata, DarkLizardmon
• Bridget Hoffman - Jeri Katou, Mrs. Katou, D-Reaper & Agents
• Neil Kaplan - Indramon, Babel, Divermon
• R. Martin Klein - Clockmon, Man In Black, Mr. Mori
• Steve Kramer - Baihumon
• Lex Lang - Monodramon, Cyberdramon/Justimon (shared), Sandiramon, Orochimon, Tsugai, Omnimon (Movie 5), Locomon (Movie 6)
• Wendee Lee - MarineAngemon, Daisy, Mako
• David Lodge - Wataru Urazoe (Movie 5), Parasimon (Movie 6)
• Dan Lorge - Mr. Kitagawa
• Yuri Lowenthal - Kai Urazoe (Movie 5)
• Brad MacDonald - Kazu Shioda
• Dave Mallow - Gekomon, Allomon, Chief Cabinet Secretary, Grani, Vilemon
• Mona Marshall - Terriermon/Gargomon/Rapidmon/MegaGargomon, MarineAngemon (Movie 6)
• Michael McConnohie - Azulongmon, Henry's Sensei, Vajramon
• Mary Elizabeth McGlynn - Pajiramon, Rumiko Makino, Digivolution Voice, Lopmon (Movie 6)
• Lara Jill Miller - Nami Asaji
• Joe Ochman - Jagamon Leader, Makuramon
• Peggy O'Neal - Suzie Wong, Tally
• Bob Papenbrook - Mr. Iwamoto, Mr. Katou, Majiramon, Mihiramon
• Paul St. Peter - Leomon, Gorillamon
• Tony Pope - Zhuqiaomon
• Jamieson Price - Janyu Wong, Baromon (Movie 5)
• Derek Stephen Prince - Impmon/Beelzemon, Mr. Uehara (Movie 5)
• Michael Reisz - IceDevimon
• Michelle Ruff - Lopmon/Antylamon
• Philece Sampler - Alice McCoy, Mrs. Matsuki, Jeri Katou, Riley (Movie 6)
• Joshua Seth - Kumbhiramon
• Stephanie Sheh - Minami Uehara (Movie 5)
• Brianne Siddall - Calumon
• Michael Sorich - Dobermon, Dogmon, Vikaralamon
• Peter Spellos - Meramon
• Melodee Spevack - Dokugumon, MetalKoromon
• Steve Staley - Ryo Akiyama, Justimon (shared)
• Kirk Thornton - Mr. Matsuki, Omnimon (Movie 5)
• Wally Wingert - Coco
• Dave Wittenberg - Henry Wong, MegaGargomon (shared), Ebonwumon, Johnny Beckenstein
• Tom Wyner - Principal Seiji Kurosawa, Devidramon, Chatsuramon, Seasarmon (Movie 5)

English staff

• Mary Elizabeth McGlynn - Voice Director

External links

• Toei Animation official site (Japanese)
• DIGIMON TAMERS RESOURCES (Notes and history of Season 3 from Chiaki J. Konaka) (Japanese/English)