Digimon Adventure Last Evolution Movie Review: 10 Years Later | Billiam 

It's pretty insane how some series literally grow up with its viewers, and Digimon is no exception.

For me personally don’t know why but I was like, “I’m not gonna shed a tear” but the part where Gabumon asks Matt to play the Harmonica that’s where the 20 years of the whole franchise just flowed and made me cry. Thanks Last Evolution and Digimon as a whole.

One thing I haven't heard folks cover but I think is beautiful. Without spoiling anything, one of the last things to happen in the movie involves characters asking other characters what they're going to do tomorrow. The characters being asked initially don't have an answer. In "Butterfly" the Japanese opening for Digimon Adventure 1999, the lyrics of the pre-chorus are "ashita no yotei mo wakaranai " AKA "I don't even know what my plans are for tomorrow" - in that regard the final emotional beat of the film is a callback to the original opening. :)

This movie hits deep on a personal level especially when you are about to enter your 30's.

I love the idea that this movie ties into the ending of Adventure 02 where... when Tai and Matt have their careers sorted and have children of their own Agumon and Gabumon return to them to help them with the raising of their children (as Children and digimon partners are intrinsically connected). That’s my way of coping with the trauma of the ending of this movie anyway and I’m sticking to it!

While this movie doesn't ruin the established canon like some people say it does, I do have a problem with the movie. The whole concept of Digimon partners disappearing because of an arbitrary plot device that was come up for this movie only. Like we have never had this being mentioned before, and it makes it feel incredibly forced. I know the message of the movie is to tell that at some point we need to let go of our "digimon", like our friends, pets, family, etc. But digimon, both the mons and series in itself, don't just represent that. They represent childhood, dreams, goals, adventure, maturing. When you grow up, these things don't disappear as long as you hold onto them and let them grow with you. As a wise man once said, "You don't stop playing because you grow old, you grow old because you stop playing."

"What are you gonna do tomorrow" absolutely ruined me and broke me Great review! Was waiting for this!

Holy crap... I cried... I watched your video, decided to watch the movie, I just finished...and I freaking BAWLED....

aw man, i really need to get around watching the movie soon so that i can go back to watch this video to its entirety!!

For a series everyone called a "knockoff pokemon" it really knows how to pull on your heartstrings and make you feel as if you've been growing and been apart of the journey . If a story can do that than its an amazing story. The only way I can describe it is melancholy. It's an unknown sadness while watching it I don't know how to describe it.

Digimon Is so underrated as a series, we all grew up with it but even watching as an adult it still stands out and has some great moments

Last Kizuna: Say goodbye to the characters 2020 reboot: Now get to know them again.

There's really not many series where you see the full growth of protagonists that go from literal kids to actual full-grown adults.

I don’t think this movie’s plot/ending is as simple as “you lose your Digimon when you become an adult.” That was Menoa’s theory yes, but she’s the villain of the movie. My takeaway is that you only lose your Digimon if/when you stop having time for it. The movie’s theme is about potential and the choices we make, and how it can feel like those choices dwindle as we grow up. When Tai talks to Gennai, Gennai even says it himself, something like “yes your Digimon will disappear, but if you still had potential...” There is a “but” in there, meaning Menoa’s theory that losing your Digimon for good when you become an adult is wrong; it’s not inevitable. We may grow up, but that doesn’t mean we can’t still find time for the hobbies we enjoyed as a kid, and even if we let them go it’s never too late to get them back. The potential is always there, we just have to find it again, and it’s the same thing with Digimon. The four who lose their Digimon in this movie - Tai, Matt, Sora, and Menoa - all lost them because they stopped trying to find time for them. Sora quit fighting completely to focus on her career, Tai and Matt ditched their Digimon with their siblings shortly before the rings appeared on their digivices, and Menoa had also started spending less and less time with her partner. Also, Menoa lost her Digimon when she was /14/ Thats not an adult, so that’s another strike against her theory. And don’t forget they stated the 02 epilogue is canon, and Kizuna ends on an optimistic note with Tai and Matt saying they’ll see their Digimon again! So no, it’s not a tragic story about letting your childhood go as you become an adult, it’s a lesson that it’s never too late to try new things OR go back to old things no matter how old you get. Or at least, that’s how I like to interpret it.

When you played the harmonica part, I started crying again. I’m not okay

I did like the node to a possible untapped potential. Not saying they ever NEED to bring it back, but always a chance for a good tight story like this one. Now give me a new and good Tamers movie!!!

I'm still crying from this, and I saw it a bit ago. It's insane, this movie took all my emotions, bundled them up into a little knapsack ready to go on a grand adventure, then smashed the knapsack with the biggest hammer it could find and just kept smashing it.

I know how you feel, I cried the whole time. As someone who has had a best friend pass away and grew up away from their school friends. Watching maybe the most powerful friendships in 2000’s anime history just “vanish” killed me.

If only Pokémon would have the courage to grow up like these heroes.

When a show grows with you, it is truly a beautiful thing.

The jump cut when the Digimon disappear reminds me of the scene of Lenny getting shot in Of Mice and Men. I had read the book before, and when I imagined a movie adaptation, I thought that there would be a dramatic swell until George finally pulled the trigger, but no. He just does it, right in the middle of a sentence, no less. It was jarring, disarming, but most of all, effective. A lot of things in life happen suddenly and we don’t get the luxury of tearful goodbyes sometimes, and in a movie where goodbyes are a central theme, this was a very good choice on the part of the filmmakers.

Fun fact: The first film I ever remember watching was "Digimon: The Movie" in 2001/02.

...yknow. The moment you started pulling Digimon: The Movie edits with the music... I immediately knew you were gonna drop the Digi-Rap over the farewell scene. I cried along with Tai and Matt there, though more out of comedy rather than heartwrenching agony. ^^”

"Show my paildramon!" Me screaming at my screen: YES!!!

I was annoyed with how some of the characters, particularly Sora, got shafted in this movie, but I had completely missed the implications of that scene with her in the climax so I'm glad you pointed it out. It eases the pain a bit. Been a while since I watched that Sora short but it makes me wonder if she was already aware of the central plot point of the movie. I'm torn about the lack of connection to Tri. On the one hand, the movie is much better for it and I don't think it should pander to lore nuts as much as Tri did. But on the other...I really want them to redeem that series, dang it. They spent 6 movies building up to nothing and teasing dropped plot threads from 02 that still went nowhere.

i hoped the digimon would just go back to the digital world and grow themselves. Maybe if they ever saw each other again, they would have naturally be into their evolved forms (just like gatomon was always in champion form, they could have them reach their megas by themselves and stay there)

Me watching Last Evolution Kizuna: Cried to sleep Me seeing this video: oh great video about last evolution kizuna! Me watching this video: Cried again Why am I like this

And thus the O.G digimon is finally over. 😢 you'll be missed

The end of the digimon arc from billianime. Sad kinda.

"Omegamon is only brought out as a last resort" suuuuuuuure

The fact that this movie came out a year before the reboot just poofed into existence and managed to be a great time for me is really telling

Hiroyuki Kakudou (Director of Adventure and 02) was initially acting as a creative and lore consultant but quit over the film's premise violating one of the rules created for the series' setting, namely the sudden enforcing of an age limit on being a Chosen Child/Digi-Destined

Agumon: What are these things? *holds up porn* Tai: It's called Hentai and it's Art. Agumon: But..I don't see a hen on your head Tai...

This broke me and got me into tears in the theaters.

Man this movie broke me, i finished like 4 hours ago and i still fell pretty bad, i consider myself very lucky, I discovered digimon as an 8 year old boy and watched this story continually, I related myself with izzi and tk because of their family issues, my parents where divorced and seeing characters like them gave me strength to keep moving in my life, it was a very important anime to me because it was always so personal, so I keep watching, just to get to this point, today, and once more get the boost to keep going with my life, I will say it again, this anime broke me, I am in this point of life, like this characters that I love so much, lost, and they find a way to help me keep going, man, I'm very lucky to be part of this, very very lucky.

I didn’t cry at this movie you have no proof. 😂 I wish they would have started growing the digimon as characters instead of deleting them when the kids grow up. Your digimon reviews on your second channel are podcasts and they are great.

ending of last evolution Leomon: First time ?

Digimon was my childhood and this movie ripped me apart. I went out of the cinema feeling like my heart had been torn into pieces, but aside from that, I'm just so happy that they gave them this amazing finale. The original series deserved this.

The portuguese part got me by surprise, it's rare to see someone wanting to learn it, hope you can achieve it soon, Billy

If I'm totally honest I find it kinda BS when stories make it that growing up is a specific line that everyone has to cross and its the same thing and there are things for children and things for adults. No adult can be a digidestined, but that's bullshit. I was into catching frogs and hiking around the woods as a kid and I made a carear out of it in working for the parks department. My adult life is built on what I did as a kid and STILL DO. There is no reason that Tai or any digidestined can't still be a digidestined other than a lore decision. I feel like they never let the characters decide if they wanted to stay in that world even if it meant they never became what society expected them to be. Why isn't being a defender of the world/digital world a valid life path!?

I think the evolution that Gabumon and Augumon achieved was the meant to be Matt and Tias potential realized in their digimon. That’s why they looked like human adults. It was the result of the realization of their full potential, and the culmination of their bond, and their character symbols of friendship and courage. It was such a strong bond that it not only made their digimon achieve a new evolution, but the evolution looked sort of like full grown adult Matt and Tia, at least to me they did

I cried while watching this final Digimon Adventure movie. The memories i've had with Digimon since i was a kid... we really grow up don't we. It's sad but it's life. I loved this movie it was for us the og Digimon Fans. What a ride. R.I.P Kõji Wada

Deleted the old comment as it was a bit kneejerk. Before the movie got its release outside of Japan, I had the opportunity to read the tie in novelisation that I imported around February/March. My opinion hasn't changed that much since then. I think there's a strong emotional core here that definitely had me feeling sad as someone who also grew up with this franchise. It is a better product than Tri, but I'm not the only one who recognizes the flaws in this story and how its themes can be interpreted. After thinking about for a spell, I think you raise some very good points with the movie's themes about trying new things and the like. Your take on the film is as equally valid as any others and it is one that I can accept, even if it isn't my personal takeaway. While there is a certain truth in needing to let go of things as you move into new stages of life, the execution of this ideas is a bit problematic in a lot of media. In Last Evolution, it came off to me as 'you need to put down your toys and stop having fun' and saw it as a criticism against people like us who are adults and do enjoy these things. I think it's entirely possible for an individual to be an adult, have a life and responsibilities and still be into nerdy things like these. Growing up does not mean you have to consign them to your youth. And I know that the talk about meeting their Digimon partners again (as we see in the 02 ending), but how many times have we seen this before? The older I get, the more I'd like to see what a Digimon series would be like if the the cast were much older and I think that's a lot more interesting. It's why I am frustrated Marvel will never let Spider-Man grow up. The most interesting stories with Peter Parker are the what if stories where he actually is still a married man, has a wife and kids and has to balance all of that with the escapist superheroics. I'm also thinking about how this may be interpreted from a Japanese perspective. It strikes me that part of the subtext is distinctly Japanese. It is true worldwide, but equally so that people over in that part of the world work very hard and may not have any time for their own hobbies, or they can't be as open about it. They have responsibilities and they can't be into childish things. Having time for that is bad, don't be weird. It's a bit extreme, but I think that just because you've grown up, it doesn't mean you can't still be interested or continue to be a fan of these kinds of things and it shouldn't be condemned. Everyone is a nerd for something. Why else are we here now talking bout them? Every individual is different, and no matter how much else in my life may change, I don't think I'll stop being a fan of anime, movies, games and all that. They are important to me and will remain so. The promise of a reunion and the emotional core are good in this movie, I just wish Last Evolution had executed things a bit differently.

Perfect timing, I just finished the dub. I feel like there’s still more story to tell in this universe, especially with the 02 kids. Also would have liked to see more heartfelt moments with the other digidestined not just Matt and Tai before saying goodbye 😔

I think Billiam likes Digimon :0

I don't understand why no one knows Digimon disappear. I understand Gennai's explanation, but that just means that it shouldn't be something you dump on the new kids. The chat room Izzy makes isn't tied to digivices, so even when someone loses their digivice from growing up they can still use it. Someone should have made a thread , "Hey guys a glowing ring appeared, it means your parternship is about to end". This would be an age lock thread so the little kids don't get in there and get their dreams crushed, but it still should have existed. The kids from Adventure are not the oldest Digidestined, and even among the 8 original Digidestined, Joe is oldest. What measure of maturity are you using where Joe is less mature then Tai? What interpretation of Sora are you using where her best friend dissapears and she doesn't turn to a group of people that she has spent her whole life with and tell them, "My partner disappeared and I don't know why, please help me." This should be a known issue.

You're a king when it comes to nostalgic stuff. It's so great seeing someone who also loves digimon and all of the old products/franchise from our past still being passionate about it.

Another great video Billiam. You really capture the heart of what it means to be a Digimon fan and like you I have continued to watch the series well into my late twenties. This channel is the only place where I get to reminisce about this important part of my childhood

I'm glad I'm not the only one this movie emotionally destroyed for a day.

That damn scene with the whistle almost got me bawling ill tell you.

Great video, long time fan! It’s awesome to see other people who love digimon as much as I do, keep up the good work!

I was so excited to hear your review on this movie, you did not fail to deliver

This video was eye-opening for me. Having lived so long with the series saying goodbye to those old things I love is hard, but I know one day I will look back and not recognize most of them. .Its tough.

I really loved the movie. Trying to get a DVD of it. Adventure tri. actually had some consistencies with the 02 epilogue. In the first tri. movie Tai’s teacher recommended him the idea of a job similar to his adult self’s Digimon diplomacy career. Besides all that I loved all the call backs. This movie referenced so much. I like how Davis is pursuing to be a ramen chef, you see the international DigiDestined from 02, and in the background there was Meiko and Meicoomon and also Willis with both Terriermon and Lopmon meaning Kokomon did revive after their movie which makes me really glad. I don’t like how this ending contradicts the 02 epilogue, but I like the message and am fine if this never gets a sequel. Although during the credits we see all of the 02 kids still have their Digimon so I wouldn’t be surprised if they do make a movie where those kids try to bring back everyone’s partner Digimon. I think the movie would’ve hit a lot harder if the reboot wasn’t airing, but whatever.

I really like the movie but the biggest problem I had with it is that (beside kinda retconning 02) if partner digimons go away when the tamer grow up Gomamon should logically be the first one to fade away since Jo always was the more career driven of the digidestined. Instead of that Piyomon/Biyomon fade away first and if not for that 1 scene of Sora's "stoned"/disabled digivice you would miss it.

this phrase; "The things we loved as kids will always be there for us to lean on, but that doesnt mean we have to indulge in the forever", make me shed a tear, so thanks billiam

As I watched this, it made me feel that if I was in their world/we had digimon in our world and these rules applied, I think my partner digimon would have disappered around this time, or at least he was gone after I finished undergraduate or graduate school. Since there is no exact time when this can happen, it wonder how many more of us would have already lost their partners.

I couldn't watch this with company. I'd be a blubbering sobbing mess at the end of the movie.

I was 11 when the show first aired so I've quite literally grown up with this franchise. It's the reason I love drawing so much and after revisiting the series I can see how it influenced my art over time. Fast forward and I'm sharing this show with my son and this movie really does hit home in a lot of ways. Just watching this video has left me in tears.

I hope to watch you grow, I love your videos and I'll defently catch your Cast, but even if you go on and be the 1st doctor on Mars I'll just be glad to have been rooting for you

Thank you posting this, digimon has been a part of my childhood and when I watched this movie I genuinely felt like it had a good final conclusion. Also I love how the 02 group was in this movie but disappointed that they didn't get to do much

Yep last evolution was such a great finale movie for tai and mat but I think there might be squeal to this movie

Got legitimate chills when you added the Bosstones, BNL, and Smash Mouth songs to those quick scene clips. The digirap tho. Lol. I’ve been binge watching all your videos lol.

God this video was so well-written - really amazing job. Even now I'm tearing up at a lot of what you so eloquently summarized that the movie portrays: we just have to let go. At some point, friendships, dreams, ideas, relationships, etc. we just have to let them go and what we're left with is the happy memories. It's a gutwrenching fact we have to accept one way or another. Anyway, whenever you leave RU-vid... I'm sure your podcast will bang. Your face is amazing and perfect - but your voice and eloquence and all the emotion and drama you portray, you're gonna be great. The phenomenal research doesn't hurt either. Gonna stop fangirling now you're amazing

As a Brazilian viewer the "I wanna learn Portuguese" surprised me so much that i couldn't help but laugh. If it is serious good luck, it´s a pretty dificult language but you get the hang out of it

Just watching this made me emotional so I'm sure the movie would wreck me.

the 90's music and digirap cut killed me, I needed that! thank you

man that moment they look back and Augumon and Gabumon are just gone hit me so hard in the feels

I've never liked using the death of living creatures as a metaphor for "growing up". Losing a close friend should be allowed to hurt, no matter what form that friend might take, and you shouldn't be looked down on for grieving over that loss. When somebody's pet dies, nobody tells them it's supposed to be a metaphor for the end of childhood.

Significant problem: The director of the movie has stated that this is cannon and so is 02´s weird ass ending sequence. So this leaves the door open to just undo what happened here, or leave it an awkward mess.

JUST as I’m binge watching your Digimon retrospectives, this is posted! EPIIIIC

14:34 You've officially earned the title/rank of Dark Master. I hope you're happy with yourself.

honestly what really broke me was when agumon looked up at tai and saying how much he grew

It either takes a crazy long time or never happens when a big franchise ends the main cast fully. I do think the digimon one was tough but good

Gennai said something to Taichi about his potential or something like that. So maybe that's how they get their digimon partners back and ties to 02's ending.

The gate closing forever was easier to stomach than "You've run out of potential so your Digimon is gone forever."

If 02 is canon, wouldn't there be a movie after this connecting it all to get to that point? [It would cheapen this movie but man it would make me happy]

This ending is pretty strong until you find out that the writer said that they ALSO still consider 02's climax canon. Figure that one out.

After almost 3 years where I haven't watched the movie, I decided to watch it now at 11pm at a tuesday and it emotionally sumplexed me. Funny as it is, your video really uplifted me man. thx

i got to say, watching also the 5 shorts (well, the first three, mostly) really helped to flesh out the characters. the second one, which is only a conversation between agumon and gabumon, was particularly sweet.

The sad part is that the ending doesn't have the digivice ringtone which means the "end?" :'''''''''(

Why didn't they address how Jeda was still evil the last time they saw him?

BILLIAM! I love your videos man!! If you ever run out of content maybe try and do a modern movie or whatever. I like the way you talk about stuff and its really nice to watch. Keep it up :)

I really enjoy listening to Billiam content about Digimon and other old g content cartoons and toy figures takers back in the day keep up good work 😄

I'll be honest. I hate how this movie ends. I could ramble for hours but the short version is EVERY part of me does not agree with the idea that adult= a locked into position. Honestly the last five years have given me more opportunities and happiness than any other point in my life.

Now the digimon thing is over when you doing Yugioh series lol?

So glad you reviewed this bro, not a lot of talk out there about this movie

I loved seeing parrotmom again considering how important he was in the original digimon adventure

In short, loved the movie and cried so much. Although have to say that I hate this vision of how "an adult should leave "kid's freedoms"" tha tmany anime bring. I understand it's a product of cultural differences here. But as someone in the same age group as the characters throughout their journey, that message feel sofa king tchit to me. I love sad endings when it serves as a philosophical reaffirmation of the media's central themes, but this just feel like the completely wrong message to pass, specially to our generation. There are better ways to pass the "the series has ended we have to learn to move on" without saying that those freedoms should be discarded as we grow. (See the final song of adventure time) AND LAST Muck that carp, humans are forever growing and changing.

Your not human if you didn't cry while watching the movie

That last part at the end had me laughing. XD

f***ing hell billiam that last part hit in the feels man and i loved your podcast

i cried...real hard at that ending :*(

Who else thought it would have been a great idea if they had biomerged with their digimon which would have symbolized how strong their bonds had become it would have been great! Also I did not like those final evos at all not afraid to say it. Looked too humanish.

This movie hit me just right. The day I saw it I had just finished my masters in Computer science and the week before I had been promoted to a more project management role. From the time the first series started to now I had grown up, served in the military, went to college, got out of the military, started my career and got married. I have always loved Digimon, I still do, but it felt like a really good sendoff to the first quarter of my life.

You know the emotional trauma js coming whenever Matt pulls out the harmonica.

I cannot wait to watch this when I get to watch it Billiam! Until then no spoilers for me! (Thanks for the spoiler warning)

So... is the Digimon Adventures 04?

So cool seeing this video and that mention of Paildramon just now after I already watched 02 The Beginning. Also damn that spoiler section of the video... yeah, this movie was what made me realize Digimon is totally and completely a coming-of-age story, just like one of my top 3 favorite movies ever, Labyrinth, and many of my favorite animated shows and products in general, I was realizing coming-of-age is one of my favorite genres just this year, same year when, after watching you opening cardpacks in the second channel, I decided to watch all of Digimon Adventure, so Adventure, 02, Tri, and all those movies up to 02 The Beginning. It's been three months watching Digimon and now also all your Digimon videos I hadn't seen to not spoil myself.

This video reminded me it came out on blu-ray, so I went ahead and watched that beforehand. It really hammers home that my childhood is over and done with and that's depressing, but you've just gotta keep moving forward while cherishing those memories and working towards tomorrow.