Shout! Factory and Toei Animation have inked a new multi-picture deal to bring the Japanese studio’s popular action-adventure anime film series Digimon Adventure tri. to North American home viewers. The agreement was announced by Shout! Factory founders Richard Foos, Bob Emmer and Garson Foos; and Toei Animation President Masayuki Endo.
“We’re incredibly excited about this opportunity with Toei Animation. Digimon continues to stand as an enduring global pop culture phenomenon. We look forward to bringing these highly entertaining and immersive movies to anime fans and families,” said Melissa Boag, SVP of Kids & Family Entertainment at Shout! Factory.
The multi-year pact grants Shout! exclusive territory rights for broadcast and home entertainment distribution of the first three feature-length movies (with an English voice cast) from the series — including DVD and Blu-ray, which will also include the original Japanese audio with English subtitles, and electronic sell-through digital rights.
Shout! Is planning a strategic rollout for the flicks, beginning with the first installment Digimon Adventure tri – Reunion, which will hit shelves this year.
“Shout! Factory is an exceptional partner as we prepare to share the exciting new chapter of the Digimon saga with our fans across North America,” said Endo. “Digimon Adventure tri – Reunion not only reunites Digimon‘s talented cast and beloved characters, it reconnects the series with a generation of viewers, and perhaps even their children, who can’t wait to follow the adventure into a new era.”
Reunion is the first Digimon feature since 2000, and picks up where the Digimon Adventure TV series (2002) left off. Six years after that summer when Tai — now in high school — and the rest of the “DigiDestined” crossed into the Digital World, and nearly three years since the frenzied final battle. With the gate to the Digital World closed, time marches on, until the adventure “digivolves” once again.
Toei revamped the popular anime for NorAm audiences by bringing in a highly capable English voice cast that will be familiar to animation fans. Joshua Seth, who voiced the main character Tai Kamiya in the original series, returns to the role for this feature film, alongside Colleen O’Shaughnessey (Toy Story 3) as Sora Takenouchi, Mona Marshall (South Park) as Izzy Izumi, Philece Sampler (The Legend of Korra) as Mimi Tachikawa, Tom Fahn (Digimon: Digital Monsters) as Agumon, Kirk Thornton (Sonic Boom) as Garurumon, Jeff Nimoy (Digimon Data Squad) as Tentomon and Kabuterimon, Melodee Spevack (Digimon: Digital Monsters) as Birdramon, and Dave Mallow (Mighty Morphin Power Rangers) as Angemon.
