Digimon Universe: App Monsters Explained

Ja Kanji:デジモンユニバース アプリモンスターズ
Ja Romaji:Dejimon Yunibāsu Apuri Monsutāzu
Creator:Akiyoshi Hongo
Type:tv series
Director:Gō Koga
Producer:Daichi Nagatomi
Music:Kōtarō Nakagawa
Studio:Toei Animation
Network:TXN (TV Tokyo, TV Osaka)
First:October 1, 2016
Last:September 30, 2017
Episodes:52
Episode List:List of Digimon Universe: App Monsters episodes
Type:Manga
Author:Akiyoshi Hongo
Illustrator:Naoki Akamine
Publisher:Shueisha
Demographic:Shōnen
Magazine:V Jump
First:September 21, 2016
Last:August 21, 2017
Volumes:2
Type:Manga
Digimon Universe Appli Monsters: Appmon Gakuen
Author:Akiyoshi Hongo
Illustrator:Katsumi Hirose
Publisher:Shueisha
Demographic:Shōnen
Magazine:Saikyō Jump
First:October 2016
Last:August 2017
Developer:Inti Creates
Publisher:Bandai Namco Entertainment
Genre:Role-playing game
Platforms:Nintendo 3DS
Digimon franchise
Content:

is a Japanese multimedia project created by Toei Company, Dentsu and Bandai Namco Holdings, under the pseudonym Akiyoshi Hongo.[1] The series' theme revolves around technological singularity and artificial intelligence, a theme shared with the Appmons and the dangers of technology when used unwisely.

An anime television series, the seventh overall in the Digimon franchise, was produced by Toei Animation and Dentsu, directed by Gō Koga, written by Yōichi Katō, with character designs by Kenichi Ōnuki. It was broadcast for fifty-two episodes on all TXN stations in Japan from October 2016 to September 2017.

Plot

In the year 2045, technology has finally evolved to a degree of prosperity for the world. The World Wide Web has become a world for or "Appmons", artificially intelligent beings born within mobile apps. The series focuses on Haru Shinkai, an everyday Junior High Student. One day, he discovers an Appmon lurking in his smartphone, which reveals himself to be Gatchmon and the two become partners. Haru also learns from Gatchmon that the artificial intelligence Leviathan is creating viruses to turn all Appmons evil, and the two join forces to stop them. As the series progresses, Haru gains the help of the rookie idol Eri Karan, the famous AppTuber Torajirou Asuka, the prodigy hacker Rei Katsura, who is in search for his younger brother that was kidnapped by Leviathan, and Haru's best friend Yūjin Ōzora, each one partnered with their own Appmon to help in the fight to defeat Leviathan and restore the balance between their two worlds.

Haru Shinkai

[2] is the male protagonist, a 13-year-old boy who likes reading and always saw himself as a secondary character, until he finds the AppliDrive and joins Gatchmon in his fight to stop Leviathan from taking over the world. His AppliDrive's color is red, later replaced by a red and gold AppliDrive DUO. is Haru's Standard Grade partner Appmon, that is derived from a search app. He likes to look cool and his search function allows him to learn many things, including other people's secrets and the weak point of his enemies. He is voiced by Kokoro Kikuchi.[3]

Eri Karan

[4] 14 year old is a member of the idol group "AppliYama 470". Cheerful and lively on the outside, she is actually very lonely. Her AppliDrive's color is blue, but is later replaced by a blue and gold AppliDrive DUO. She has a tendency to argue with Astra, due to their conflicting egos. is Eri's Standard Grade partner robot-like Appmon that was derived from an action game app. He has a strong and loyal attitude towards Eri, despite her habit of neglecting him and bossing him around. He is voiced by Motoko Kumai.[4]

Torajirou Asuka

[5] is an 11 year old free-spirited half-English, half-Japanese boy and a famous "Apptuber", who uploads videos to the site "Apptube" under the alias "Astra". He comes from a wealthy and traditional family and only spends 30 minutes per day making videos for Apptube, as he also intends to inherit his father's tea shop business. His AppliDrive's color is yellow, but is later replaced by a yellow and gold AppliDrive DUO. is Torajirou's Standard Grade partner Rabbit-like Appmon which was derived from a music app, who likes to go with the flow, just like his partner. He is voiced by Nao Tamura.[5]

Rei Katsura

[5] 14 year old is a mysterious hacker whose younger brother was kidnapped by Leviathan's followers. In spite of the fact that he is fighting Leviathan to rescue him, Rei refuses to cooperate with Haru and the others until they join forces to defeat Mienumon and he accompanies the group to the Deep Web. His AppliDrive's color is black, but is later replaced by a black and gold AppliDrive DUO. is Rei's Standard Grade partner Appmon with hacking abilities. He is voiced by Daisuke Sakaguchi.[5]

Yujin Ozora

[6] is a 13-year-old boy. Yujin is Haru's childhood friend and a hot-blooded guy who is good with sports and is popular with the girls. His AppliDrive DUO's color is purple and white. It is later revealed that he is actually an android named YJ-14, that was created by Leviathan for intelligence gathering, and that the woman who appeared as his mother is actually a researcher of L Corp who created his robotic body. After Leviathan's body is destroyed, it takes over Yujin's body and gives Haru two choices: either let both Leviathan and Yujin die or let humanity be enslaved forever. Haru is about to choose stopping Leviathan, but Yujin takes back control of his body and makes that decision himself, dying in the process. is Yujin's Standard Grade partner Appmon, derived from an offline game app. He is voiced by Yū Shimamura.

Media

Anime

See main article: List of Digimon Universe: App Monsters episodes. The anime adaptation of the series began airing on all TXN stations in Japan on October 1, 2016, replacing Time Travel Girl on its original timeslot, and aired until September 30, 2017.[7] [8] The series's opening theme from episodes 1 to 25 is "DiVE" by Amatsuki and from episodes 26 to 52, "Gatchen!" by SymaG. The ending theme from episodes 1 to 13 is by Riho Iida, from episodes 14 to 25, by Ami Wajima, from episodes 26 to 38, "Little Pi" by Ange☆Reve and from episodes 39 to 52, by Traffic Light.[9] [10]

Manga

Two manga adaptations were released by Shueisha. The first one was illustrated by Naoki Akamine and was serialized in V Jump from September 21, 2016, to August 21, 2017.[11] [12] The Second manga, titled is illustrated by Katsumi Hirose and was serialized in Saikyō Jump from October 1, 2016.[13]

Reception

The series placed 12th on the 2018 Tokyo Anime Award Festival's Anime Fan Award.[14]

Notes and References

  1. Web site: Digimon Universe: Appli Monsters Project Revealed With TV Anime, Game. Anime News Network. 2016-05-19. 2016-07-21.
  2. Web site: New Digimon Universe TV Anime Unveils Story, Cast, Staff, Videos, Visual. Anime News Network. 2016-06-09. 2016-07-21.
  3. Web site: New Digimon Universe TV Anime Unveils Story, Cast, Staff, Videos, Visual. Anime News Network. 2016-06-09. 2016-07-21.
  4. Web site: New Digimon Universe TV Anime Casts Umeka Shouji, Motoko Kumai. Anime News Network. 2016-06-30. 2016-07-21.
  5. Web site: Digimon Universe TV Anime Casts Toshiyuki Toyonaga, Daisuke Sakaguchi. Anime News Network. 2016-07-13. 2016-07-21.
  6. Web site: New Digimon Universe TV Anime Casts Makoto Furukawa, Mai Fuchigami, Ryou Hirohashi. Anime News Network. 2016-07-20. 2016-07-21.
  7. Web site: New Digimon Universe TV Anime Unveils Story, Cast, Staff, Videos, Visual. Anime News Network. 2016-06-09. 2016-07-21.
  8. Web site: デジモンユニバース アプリモンスターズ:アプモン . . December 30, 2018 . https://archive.today/20181230065319/http://www.toei-anim.co.jp/tv/appmon/episode/list/ . December 30, 2018 . ja . live .
  9. Web site: Yuan . Kevin . Ami Wajima Performs New Ending Theme For Digimon Universe: Appli Monsters Anime . . December 30, 2018 . December 19, 2016.
  10. Web site: 7月からのEDテーマが、トラフィックライト。『パーフェクトワールド』に決定! . . December 30, 2018 . ja . May 22, 2017.
  11. Web site: Piselli . Justin . Digimon Universe Appli Monsters Manga Begins Next Month . . December 30, 2018 . August 20, 2016.
  12. Web site: Pineda . Rafael Antonio . Digimon Universe Appli Monsters Manga Ends in August . . December 30, 2018 . July 21, 2017.
  13. Web site: Pineda . Rafael Antonio . Digimon Universe: Appli Monsters Project Gets Comedy Manga in October . . December 30, 2018 . September 1, 2016.
  14. Web site: ja:TAAF2018 アニメファン賞は『ユーリ!!! on ICE』! . https://animefestival.jp/ja/post/8468/ . . April 15, 2022 . ja . February 21, 2018.