We're Back! A Digimon's Story (in Japan: デジモン大行進 Dejimon Dai Kōshin/translated: The Large March of Digimon) is an episode of the stop motion puppet animated film series The Digimon Fairy Tale Festival, created by Akiyoshi Hongo and produced by Rankin/Bass Productions for Toei Company. The English version was produced by Saban Entertainment and distributed by 20th Century Fox.
Based on the 1987 novel We're Back! A Dinosaur's Story by Hudson Talbot, and the 1993 animated film of the same name produced by Amblin Entertainment for Universal Pictures, this episode features the characters from the Digimon anime franchise (1999 - 2012), as well supporting characters from Tsuburaya Productions' Ultraman Ginga (2013), Toei Company's Dinosaur Sentai Zyuranger (1992 - 1993), and two of Rankin/Bass' stop motion productions The New Adventures of Pinocchio (1960 - 1961) and Here Comes Peter Cottontail (1971). It is also a Christmas-themed episode of the series.
Plot[]
The episode opens during the Christmas season at the North Pole with a trio of young reindeer harassing Rudolph, Jr., the youngest sibling of the now-adults Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer and his wife Clarice. As Rudolph, Jr. leaves his family, he meets an friendly red-colored reptile-type Digimon named Guilmon who have arrived in a gi (resembling a Turtle School uniform from Dragon Ball) to train with martial arts skills. After learning of Rudolph, Jr.'s goal to join in the festival, Guilmon explains to him that he was once a ravaging Megidramon, and proceeds to tell the story of how he came to become what he is today.
Years ago on the Digital World (Planet Digimon in the English version) after the defeat of Devimon, Vamdemon (Myotismon in the English version) and other evil Digimon, Megidramon was a savage and frightening Mega-level Digimon who terrorized the peaceful Digimon. As he is seen attacking Shoutmon who is defending his friends, determined to be the king of the the Digital World, Megidramon's rampage is interrupted when a futuristicaircraft arrives, and he is then greeted by a small green insect named Cricket (from The New Adventures of Pinocchio) who lures him into the craft and force feeds him sacred water, a magical water that restores and changes the Digimon from evil to good. As a result, Megidramon was de-digivolved back to MegaloGrowmon (WarGrowlmon in the English version), then Growmon (Growlmon in the English version) and finally to Guilmon. After a bath, Guilmon is introduced to other Digimon that have also been purified by the sacred water: Monodramon, Impmon, MarinAngemon (MarineAngemon in the English version), Guardramon, Terriermon and his twin sister Lopmon, Culumon (Calumon in the English version) who possesses the power to make his fellow Digimon digivolve with the Zero Unit mark on his forehead and Renamon who develops an immediate crush on Guilmon. Later, they meet Gennai, the mentor of the Digital World, inventor of the sacred water and pilot of the aircraft, who then reveals his goal of allowing the children of the Earth to see real Digimon, fulfilling their biggest wishes. When they arrive on Earth at the winter solstice, he informs them that there are two people to watch for: Seymour S. Sassafrass (from Here Comes Peter Cottontail), an owner of the Rankin/Bass Animagic World theme park in Tokyo, Japan, who will introduce the Digimon to the children on Christmas Day, and Witch Bandora (Rita Repulsa from Mighty Morphin' Power Rangers in the English version), Gennai's sinister rival and former schoolmate. He instructs them to find Sassafrass and avoid Bandora.
Gennai drops the Digimon off at Japan where they meet a young man named Hikaru Raidō (Gregory in the English version) and his friends: Kenta Watarai (Dave in the English version), Chigusa Kuno (Marina in the English version) and Tomoya Ichijōji (Richard in the English version), who plans on visiting the festival. Upon reaching Tokyo now in celebration and spirit of Christmas, the gang realizes that the citizens would panic if they saw live Digimon, and with the help of MarinAngemon, flies over the city in search of a good hiding place. During the flight, Hikaru and his friends comes across a girl named Misuzu Isurugi (Anya in the English version), who was crying. After they introduce to each other, she explains that her parents are hardly around (saying that her father is into business, and her mother is more of a socialite). Hikaru convinces Misuzu to abandon her home and introduces her to the Digimon (Hikaru and Misuzu then quickly develop an infatuation for each other).
When the Digimon explain their goal of getting to Rankin/Bass Animagic World, Hikaru and his friends suggests to disguise them as floats and animatronics to be the living "giant toys" of Santa Claus in the Christmas parade. After they agreed, Guilmon, Terriermon, Lopmon, Renamon, Impmon, and Monodramon digivolved into Growmon, Galgomon (Gargomon in the English version), Andiramon (Antylamon in the English version), Kyubimon, Beelzebumon (Beelzemon in the English version) and Cyberdramon while MarinAngemon and Guardramon stayed in their current forms. During the parade, Growmon hears all the children of Tokyo wishing to see real Digimon, so he starts to sing "Roll Back the Rock (To the Dawn of Time)". However, when he sees the Agumon balloon coming out in the parade, Growmon mistakes it for being the real Agumon and hand shakes it too tight with his claws, causing its air sealer to pop open. The balloon runs out of air and falls on the Digimon, who are otherwise unharmed. When the audience realizes that live Digimon are among them, they fly into a panic. Then the local authorities are called in to stop the Digimon, resulting in a slapstick-filled fight and chase scene.
As the Digimon forcibly fought and lose the police, Hikaru, Misuzu and their friends venture to the park, where Witch Bandora is running her "Bandora Day" festival (Rita Repulsa's Eccentric Festival in the English version) which is due to open by the next day (Christmas Eve). They meet her and cite their desire to join her festival. As they sign a contract, the Digimon arrive and try to save them. Bandora, upon meeting the Digimon, explains that she delights in scaring people and believes that the Digimon would make a great addition to her festival. She then reveals his very own "black water", a glowing purple-colored water that is the polar opposite of Gennai's sacred water; but with its dark magic to unlock the evil within both the mind and heart of any person or creature when consumed. Bandora demonstrates the black water on Hikaru and his friends, transforming them into demons much to the Digimon's shock. However, she makes the Digimon a deal: if they drink the water and join her festival, she'd destroy the contract and release Hikaru and his friends; and if they refuse, she will use them in the side show to terrorize the people. Reluctantly and sadly, the Digimon accept the offer. Bandora excluded Culumon because he is small and very cuddly for her to make him her slave.
Believing that his friendship with Hikaru and his friends would be lost, Guilmon, reverting them back to their normal selves (and thus wearing off the effects of the black water), tells the five to remember him and then ask Culumon to take care of them with one last hug.
In a tent of the festival, after caging and chaining the Digimon, Bandora reveals the past of how she was tormented as a little girl by other children. Then with her clay soilders, the Golems, she blasted the black water down their throats with actual cannons and watched with maniacal laughter as the helpless Digimon are dark-digivolving into their monstrous and violent forms.
As Culumon, Hikaru and their friends awake the next morning, they are greeted by Jack Frost, an artist from the North Pole who creates snow and ice to paint most countries of the world white every winter. Upon seeing the Digimon returned to their natural vicious dark/virus states, with the help of Jack and Culumon, Hikaru and his friends plan to sneak into the night's show and save the Digimon (just like Guilmon did to them). That evening, Witch Bandora officially opens her Bandora Day festival to the audience as Hikaru, Misuzu, Tomoya, Chigusa, Kenta, Culumon and Jack are also in the festival, all dressed up as monsters with Jack as the wizard. After a parade of monsters, aliens and demons, she unveils the dark and ferocious Digimon. Bandora claims she can control Megidramon, which she succeeds in doing by hypnotizing him with her magic staff. Everyone watching the show gets frightened during the performance, and many run away. However, two of her Golems accidentally activates flare lights while fighting over the controls, breaking Megidramon out of the trance and causing the hypnotic effect to end. The savage Megidramon realizes he has been tricked, becomes enraged and tries to attack Bandora. However, Hikaru steps in and desperately tells Megidramon that killing Bandora will not be worth it. When Megidramon cannot understand his words, he tearfully begged him to let Bandora go, telling him to be the new Son Goku (A character from Dragon Ball which means the "Monkey King") because of how his voice sound like. Touched by Hikaru's sadness and his reason finally returned, Megidramon released Bandora and de-digivolved back to Guilmon. To Bandora's shock, the audience cheered with triumph as Hikaru hugged Guilmon to thank him for coming back. And then, he, Misuzu and their friends also purify the other Digimon, changing them back to their normal forms. Just then, Gennai arrives in his aircraft and congratulates Hikaru and Misuzu, who proceed to kiss in front of a whole crowd of people. Simultaneously, Renamon tells Guilmon her true feelings towards him, possibly sparking a relationship between the two. After Jack arrives to quit from Witch Bandora's employment (which includes him giving him back most of his snowy and icy belongings with comedic results) and disappears for a return trip back to the North Pole, Gennai, Hikaru, Misuzu, Kenta, Chigusa, Tomoya and the Digimon board the aircraft, leaving Bandora to be swarmed upon by her own Golems and destroyed along with her festival through their self-destruction. When the smoke cleared out, all that is left of Bandora was her staff which then crumbles into dust.
That Christmas Eve, Gennai, the Digimon, Hikaru and his friends arrived at Rankin/Bass Animagic World and meet Sassafrass who gives them accommodation and comfort in the park's hotel to get ready for the biggest day of the year. On Christmas Day, Sassafrass, along with Hikaru and his friends, welcomes the children to Rankin/Bass Animagic World and introduces them to the Digimon. As the Digimon and the children meet and greet, Gennai closes the door, spoke to the viewers "And that's the way it is." and gives a wink.
Back at the North Pole in the present, Guilmon explained to Rudolph, Jr. that he and his fellow Digimon are still living on the Digital World, but made their appearances at Rankin/Bass Animagic World in Tokyo every holiday season (involving Christmas and the New Year), just like now. When Rudolph, Jr. asks him what about Hikaru and his friends, he even says that they reconcile with their respective families and friends, and they all become couples, spending their holidays at home. The episode ends as Guilmon returns Rudolph, Jr. to his family, wishing him a Merry Christmas before getting inside the similar aircraft to fly back to Japan, humming "Jingle Bells" to himself.
Cast[]
Japanese Cast[]
- Masako Nozawa - Guilmon/Growmon/MegaloGrowmon/Megidramon
- Aoi Tada - Terriermon/Galgomon/Rapidmon
- Rumi Shishido - Lopmon/Wendimon/Andiramon
- Yuka Imai - Renamon
- Hiroki Takahashi - Impmon/Beelzebumon
- Tomoko Kaneda - Culumon
- Ikkei Seta - Monodramon/Cyberdramon
- Kiyoyuki Yanada - Guardromon
- Ai Iwamura - MarinAngemon
- Hiroaki Hirata - Gennai
- Takuya Negishi - Hikaru Raidō
- Mio Miyatake - Misuzu Isurugi
- Mizuki Ohno - Kenta Watarai
- Kirara - Chigusa Kuno
- Takuya Kusakawa - Tomoya Ichijōji
- Yasuhiko Nemoto - Seymour S. Sassafrass
- Machiko Soga - Witch Bandora
- Ritsuo Sawa - Jack Frost
- Shunji Igarashi - Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer
- Miki Ohtani - Clarice
- Ikue Otani - Rudolph, Jr.
Additional Voices[]
- Chika Sakamoto - Shoutmon
English Cast[]
- Steve Blum - Guilmon/Growlmon/WarGrowlmon/Megidramon
- Mona Marshall - Terriermon/Gargomon/BlackRapidmon
- Michelle Ruff - Lopmon/Wendigomon/Antylamon
- Mari Devon - Renamon/Kyubimon/BlackKyubimon
- Derek Stephen Prince - Impmon/Beelzemon/DarkBeelzemon
- Brianne Siddall - Calumon
- Lex Lang - Monodramon/Cyberdramon/DarkCyberdramon
- Richard Cansino - Guardromon
- Wendee Lee - MarineAngemon
- Eric Vale - Gregory Raido
- Kara Edwards - Anya Isurugi
- Terrence Stone - Dave Watarai
- Elise Baughman - Marina Kuno
- Michael Reisz - Richard Ichijoji
- Jeff Nimoy - Gennai
- Carl Banas - Cricket
- Danny Kaye - Seymour S. Sassafrass
- Barbara Goodson - Rita Repulsa
- Paul Frees - Jack Frost
- Ian James Corlett - Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer
- Tress MacNeille - Clarice
- Kathleen Barr - Rudolph, Jr.
Additional Voices:[]
- Ben Diskin - Shoutmon
Crew[]
- Directors - Yukio Kaizawa, Tetsuya Endo
- Producers - Hiromi Seki, Kyotaru Kimura
- Writers - Chika J. Konaka, Riku Sanjo
- Based on the Book "We're Back! A Dinosaur's Story" by Hudson Talbott
- Based on the Animated Motion Picture Adaptation Produced by Amblin Entertainment for Universal Pictures
- Music - Takanori Arisawa
- "Roll Back the Rock (to the Dawn of Time)" - Music and Lyrics by James Horner
- Original Concept - Akiyoshi Hongo
- Design - Akiyoshi Hongo, Katsuyoshi Nakatsuru
- Sound Effects - Ijo Okuda
Rankin/Bass Entertainment (USA/Japan)[]
- Executive Producers - Arthur Rankin, Jr., Jules Bass
- Associate Producer - Masaki Iizuka
- Other Character Design - Paul Coker, Jr., Anthony Peters
- Continuity - Donald Duga
- "Animagic" Supervisors - Tadahito Mochinaga, Kizo Nagashima, Akikazu Kono, Satoshi Fujino
- Character Model Sculptors - Ichiro Komuro, Kyoko Kita, Reiko Yamagata, Sumiko Hosaka
- Animation - Hiroshi Tabata, Seiichi Araki, Fumiko Magari, Koichi Oikwa, Hirokazu Minegishi, Takeo Nakamura, Shigeru Ohmachi
- Camera Operators - Hiroshi Otokozawa, Takeo Ando
- Set Designer - Fuminori Minahi, Ryoji Takamori, Shinichi Noro
- Lighting - Mitsuhara Hirata, Totetu Mirakawa
- Production Managers and Checkers - Iwao Kondo, Minoru Tamura, Yukio Fukushima
- Editing - Irwin Goldress, Vincent Juliano
- Sound and Effects - John Boyd, Phil Kaye, John Curcio, Don Hahn, Dave Iveland Tom Clack, Bob Elder
- Music Composer and Director - Maury Laws
Saban Entertainment[]
- Voice Directors - Jeff Nimoy, Mary Elizabeth McGlynn, Steve Blum
Songs[]
- The Digimon Fairy Tale Festival Opening Theme (Festival of Family Classics Theme) - Chorus
- Roll Back the Rock (to the Dawn of Time) - Growmon (Growlmon)
- The Song of Bandora (Dinosaur Sentai Zyuranger) - Witch Bandora, Chorus (Japanese Version only, not featured in the English version)
- The Digimon Fairy Tale Festival Closing Theme (Festival of Family Classics Theme) (Instrumental Version)
Deleted Songs (Japan/USA)[]
- Winter Wonderland - Hikaru (Gregory) Raidō, Kenta (Dave) Watarai, Chigusa (Marina) Kuno, Tomoya (Richard) Ichijōji, Digimon, Chorus
- Digimon Christmas Medley (Digimon Tamers: Christmas Illusion) - Digimon, Hikaru (Gregory) Raidō, Misuzu (Anya) Isurugi, Kenta (Dave) Watarai, Chigusa (Marina) Kuno, Tomoya (Richard) Ichijōji, Seymour S. Sassafrass, Jack Frost, Gennai, Cricket, Chorus (Finale)
Production Notes[]
Trivia[]
- Rankin/Bass Animagic Studios was founded in 1958 as MOM Productions for his partnership with Arthur Rankin Jr. and Jules Bass of Rankin/Bass Productions (formerly Videocraft International). At that studio, the stop motion animation process "Animagic" was known for the American company as work on its productions including the TV series, The New Adventures of Pinocchio (1960 - 1961), regular and seasonal television specials like Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer (1964), The Little Drummer Boy (1968), Santa Claus is Comin' to Town (1970) and Here Comes Peter Cottontail (1971), and full-length films like Willy McBean and his Magic Machine (1965), The Daydreamer (1966) and Mad Monster Party? (1967).
- In addition to the characters from Toei Animation's Digimon anime franchise (1999 - present) and Tsuburaya Productions' tokusatsu series Ultraman Ginga (2013), almost all the characters from these Rankin/Bass film and television productions made their cameo appearances in this crossover film.
Goofs[]
Transcripts[]
English Trailers[]
Japanese Trailers[]
- The Large March of Digimon - Teaser Trailer 1/Transcript
- The Large March of Digimon - Teaser Trailer 2/Transcript
- The Large March of Digimon - Trailer 1/Transcript
- The Large March of Digimon - Trailer 2/Transcript
- The Large March of Digimon - Trailer 3/Transcript
- The Large March of Digimon - Trailer 4/Transcript